Potty Boot Camp

TODAY IS THE DAY!!!
Miss B is officially 3 1/2 years old.
And NOT Potty Trained.

This is so significant because 3 1/2 was the exact age that her brother, WHO WAS THE S-L-O-W-E-S-T [and most stubborn] POTTY TRAINEE IN THE WORLD, got potty trained!! I've been trying to explain to her how embarrassing that will be for her to have Ryan beat her in this area....because his timing was soooo UNimpressive! The risk of humiliation and "LOSING" to her brother doesn't even phase her!

I've taken it upon myself to make it happen TODAY! And if we don't succeed, Tuesday. And if we don't succeed, Wednesday. And if we don't succeed, Thursday. You get the idea. I've dedicated this week to the cause!

THE TOOLS

THE BRIBES

THE PARTICIPANT

She is THRILLED! She really is!

We're just 45 minutes into this - and we've already got casualties - two pair of panties with pee and/or poop in them!

Ooooohh - as much as I was prepared with ammo for HER, I was unprepared for me - I didn't think about me! THIS is the day I need a good supply of Diet Dr. Pepper on hand, and we have NO DDP in the house! (And I'm not leaving lest we miss the 30 minute potty watch alarm and are caught away from the potty!) Wouldn't ya know it.

Wish me luck!
Now watch, someone will wanna come look at the house.....Aauugh!

Realize the Promise

We just had our Young Women/Young Men Culminating Event this weekend,

"Realize the Promise."

Our YM/YW quorum and class presidencies came up with the idea to read the ENTIRE Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, in a single weekend.

Yes, the quest was to read the Book of Mormon cover to cover.

Every single page.

As in ALL 531 pages.

We had more than one person tell us we were CRAZY! (and that they'd never want to do that!)

And we, as their leaders, supported and admired them in this desire. It was a sacrifice for everyone to be there. Ryan told me that their Sunday School teacher had them talk about each of their sacrifices: a whole Saturday of College football, swing club, time spent with the girl of one young man's dreams, hanging out with friends, sleeping in, playing video games, a date, etc. Ryan, personally, gave up a High School Debate tournament, which will [negatively] affect his grade - unless he can put to use those debate skills he's learning and persuade his non-LDS teacher that she should have compassion on him.

So we planned and fed them all their meals and snacks while they were there. We planned to go from 4:00 – 10:00 p.m. on Friday and from 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. on Saturday (but we actually didn't end until about 10:30 p.m. on Sat.) and then concluding with the very last chapter, Moroni 10, in our combined class at church on Sunday (we ended up having to read eight chapters in Moroni at church.) but it's still good to have a plan.

Everyone came full of excitement to read!

The level of excitement waned in direct proportion to the amount of time we were at it. With bits of revival and rejuvenation sprinkled in there when people put forth their best effort and commitment because then truths were learned and the Holy Spirit was felt. This was definitely an, "I Can Do Hard Things" test.
After all, this event involved 21 hours of reading!! (we listened to it on CD, too.)

Truth be told, this kind of event, at times brought boredom...

....the glazed-over look.....

....an inability to withstand sleeping...

...overeating....

...and leaders confessing, "I can't take it anymore!"
(Uh, Jennifer, wrong book - that's a BIBLE you have open there! :))

We had 11 Young Women attend "Realize the Promise" and a couple dozen young men. (Good odds for our YW, eh? :)) Allow me to just give a "shout out" to our girls...

Sammy

Alana
(I teased her that every time I took her picture, she was with another boy!) :)

Sidney (on the right)

Elizabeth

Brittany

Jordan

Bree

Marissa

Olivia

Ashlyn

Samantha

AND because this is MY blog, and I was the one with the camera, my own sons are gonna get a good share of "PUB" now...

Captain Crunch....because a few pieces of French Toast, scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns, fruit, orange juice, chocolate milk, and milk was just not enough for breakfast?!???

Look at that multi-tasking....physical + spiritual workout!

Ryan, reliving his "Samuel the Lamanite" part he played at the reenactment of the Book of Mormon at our Youth Conference 1 1/2 years ago.

Kyle - he pays attention, that boy! He noticed that the dates in the footnotes don't always follow in chronological order, and raised the question, which led to an explanation from the YM President. Such a proud mama to know he was into it! AND he was OK with me sitting by him for some of the time. :)

He started drawing (free hand, not tracing) the people he was reading about in Book of Mormon.

Moroni, raising the Title of Liberty

Ammon, ready to fight off the thieves

One of the Stripling Warriors.
I think he's got TALENT!

And so the hours went on....

This young man averted my camera whenever I came around! He hid behind his book or hands, he turned his head or body away from me...and then FINALLY, I got a picture (and caught him cleaning out his teeth with his fingers - SEE, he should've just let me take a normal photo!) :)

...Until, we had finished the whole Book of Mormon!!!

We gave the youth the opportunity to bear their testimony in church afterwards. For many, this was the very first time they had ever read the whole Book of Mormon. What a great start for them to build on the rest of their lives. Some simple just stated that they were glad they went. Others declared that they thought it was "cool" or "fun" or "good." How exciting that even the smallest testimony is being nurtured! Most of them admitted that when they were listening, or when they were following along, or when they were quiet, or when they weren't goofing off, or when they were fully engaged and trying, they felt the Spirit! Most also wished they had done better. Imagine that - what a novel concept!! :) It's so true, you get out of it, what you put into it!

Ryan was the first one to stand, and got me tearing up right from the get-go. He said that this time reading The Book of Mormon he was enlightened the most, he marked the most scriptures and testified that the truths found inside are a "Guide Book" for our lives and he is so thankful he can rely on it in his life.

This sweet girl shared that she was so touched by the many people in The Book of Mormon who sacrificed so much, even their lives, in defending the gospel and standing up for the church. (i.e. Abinadi and Moroni, "And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ...") because IT IS TRUE!

Don't let his tough look fool ya....this Young Man shared the strong impact reading about the Savior's visit to the Americas had on him. During that part, we actually had the lights turned off, and we just listened to the words of Jesus Christ. This Young Man said that he felt as though he was really there with Christ, and he FELT that he was really important to Jesus! He testified, fighting through emotion, that he KNEW Jesus loved him and that Jesus loved all of us, too!


This Young Woman taught us so well during the testimony meeting. Before we started reading the last third of Alma, our Young Men's President had asked the youth to think about WHY about 20 chapters in The Book of Mormon was all about war and battles - what did it all have to do with us? She stood up in the testimony meeting and told us that she had realized that, in The Book of Mormon, when the people relied on the Lord and were humble and righteous, they had success in their battles. Likewise, she testified, that WE have our own battles in life, and if we have faith and rely on the Lord, she knows WE will be strengthened and successful in overcoming them.

Wow.

As I am writing this, tears run down my cheeks remembering the strength and truth that came from their words.

I told the girls who were sitting by me that they might feel like they're on "B of M overload" and want to take a "break" on Monday, BUT I advised them they're already on a 3-day streak! If they read Monday, they'll be on a 4-day streak, Tuesday makes it 5 days, etc. etc. Which is a better streak than they may have experience before - and that is AWESOME - so don't quit! :)

Here's the one and only picture of me - it's proof that I was there, too!

The Book of Mormon I have now is quite new. It became necessary to get another one after my toddler daughter ripped out page after page after page when I wasn't looking a while back. She had a grand time!! ;) I have had about four different B of M's through the years, before they get too worn out to use anymore. I still remember my first B of M as a child was a BIG blue one with large print - with my eyesight like it is now, it might be a good idea to go back to that type! :) It's kind of hard to get new scriptures because I get used to where I have marked everything and written notes and I rely on them to understand....but I think it also makes me stretch, and read with "new eyes" and find new insights without using my past markings as a "crutch."

With this experience, I was able to mark my scriptures with many things that the Lord was teaching me through the Holy Ghost:

• I know the Lord will make things known to me if I believe in Him and keep the commandments (1 Nephi 15:11)

• Keeping the commandments means ALL of them - and ALWAYS (1 Nephi 15:25)

• I know that the Coming Unto the Lord = Happiness (2 Nephi 9:43)

• The Lord delivers His people time and time again (Mosiah 11:26) and I know the Lord has power to deliver ME from whatever problem/challenge I have.

• Believing should lead to ACTION. (Alma's example in Mosiah 17 & 18)

• My own slothfulness hurts my progression... and my children... and generations after me - I should never be weary of good works (Alma 37: 33 and 41)

• Forget myself and go to work. Be Fearless! (Helaman 10:4)

• Christ can HEAL me [from sin, emotionally, physically, psychologically] - and everyone. (3 Nephi 17: 7-9)

• NO contention is a good goal - I want this in my home! This begins with me. (4 Nephi 1)

• The word of God and his Gospel is not the way of the world - it is a MORE EXCELLENT way, prepared lovingly for ME...and you! (Ether 12:11)

• All GOOD things come from God and Jesus Christ (Moroni 7:12)

(just to name a few ~ there are many more!)

....and the way I spent my weekend was definitely GOOD. It was exactly what my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ would have wanted all of us there to be doing. Who cares what all the "naysayers" said or thought!

This quote sums it up:
"We find that sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven. And in the end we learn it was no sacrifice at all." Spencer W. Kimball

My Fourth is Seven

Happy 7th Birthday, Katelyn!!! (on Friday)

Knowledgeable

All-smiles

Tender-hearted

Enthusiastic

Loyal

Youthful

Nurturing

There's my acrostic poem - does this mean my writing abilities are on an Elementary School level?!? :)

We Love You, Katelyn!

Guess What November Means?

Wish me luck!

I've Been Fired

I have a 15 year old.

He will be a 16 year old in a little less than four months. WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN, I WANT TO KNOW!!?!
He is enrolled in Driver's Ed at school right now.
(He has flunked one Simulation Test, so far.)

He says it's because we never take him out driving. (always the parents' fault, ya know.)

It's true, he isn't choppin' away at his 40-hours-of-driving-with-10 hours-of-it-being-at night-requirement in order to get himself a Driver's License. There's this funny little rule about ONLY driving with adults....and when am I EVER in the car WITHOUT other little ones in tow?

I think he's completed about 35 minutes, to date.

Well, recently, we were at our church, and no kids were in the car, just Matt & I, and he asked if he could drive. (Sure?)

FIRST, Matt moved the car out of it's current parking spot that was flanked with two other cars and pulled into a parking spot with vacancies on each side of it -- THEN turned the wheel over to Ryan.

So, Ryan puts the car in reverse and starts backing out of the parking space -- WHILE LOOKING OUT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD!!

"LOOK, LOOK, LOOK!" I shrieked.

He slams on the brakes, and I explain to him (unemotionally and quietly, of course! HA!) that he needs to turn his head and WATCH where he's going!

So, he proceeds again to back out of the parking space, while looking out the back window at where he's going -- BUT GUNS IT while doing so!

"BRAKE, BRAKE, BRAKE!" I shrilled.

He slams on the brakes again.

"Mom is going to make me FREAK OUT!" he bemoaned.

Mr. Calm (Matt) suggests to him, to just let off the brake, instead of using the gas, and the car will move naturally.

So, he did that, and it did!

He turned into our driveway. Oh no! I hadn't considered that scenario when we told him he could drive! I had images of him smashing in the garage door, or taking out the door frame on the way in. Our driveway goes down slightly before the garage, but he didn't adjust his pressure on the gas pedal for this -- we were APPROACHING THE GARAGE DOOR TOO RAPIDLY for my liking!

"STOP, STOP, STOP!" I screeched.

"Mom can't do this." Matt declared with finality.

And that's the story of how I got fired.
{Honestly, I'm quite OK with this!}

So, this will be interesting. Mr. Procrastination and Procrastination Jr. are now in it together and fully in charge of getting in 39 hours and 25 minutes more of driving in the next 15 weeks.

A Minute Matters

Here's how my day went a couple of days ago.

(It just so happened to be a day that I was catching a flight.)

Our flight departed at 11:20 a.m. and our plan was to leave our home at 9:20 a.m.
.....but you know how that goes. Wait! Do you? Or am I the only one who rarely makes their "scheduled time of departure?" (I first tried to abbreviate that, but it had a bad result! :))

We ran into a few delays.

1. Miss B's red shoes (and she HAD to wear her red ones - she's her mother's daughter!) were no where to be found around our place. But upon replaying, in my mind, her whereabouts the last time I saw her wearing them, I was led to my next door neighbor's yard. I eventually located them in the very last place I looked - on their back deck swing.
2. I had gotten in the car to go, but then went back into the house to get an apple, since I'm trying really hard to get "5 a day" for a month, and I knew it would be hard on a travel day.
3. We stopped at someone's house to drop off a check (that couldn't wait until we returned from being out of town.)
4. I called the Jr. High on the way there, since I had forgotten to call when I was still at home earlier like I had intended, to get Kyle checked out of school to go with us. The drive only takes a couple of minutes, so when we arrived, he hadn't had enough time to get out front yet and we had to wait.
5. Then I remembered that I had failed to bring any books to read on the trip, so we swung back by the house and I grabbed the stack of books I had left on the dryer.
6. Matt dropped Kyle and I off at the airport terminal curb, at least an hour and 10 minutes BEFORE our flight, while he went to park the car.
7. Kyle and I got all checked in for our flight and dropped off our bags, and then sat down in some chairs by the escalator leading up to the security check point to wait for Matt. There were four different groups with "Welcome Home Elder" banners waiting with baited breath for their missionaries to come down - it provided good entertainment while we waited, about 20 min.
8. Matt came to where we were and went up to the Security Line (in Terminal 2). He came back down and said it seemed pretty long and suggested we go over to the International Terminal since that one is always less busy.
9. We speed-walked over to the International Terminal and saw a sign blocking the entrance informing us that it was closed between 10:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. It was 10:28 a.m.
10. We half-jogged back over to Terminal 2 and got in the security line, which was very long - much too long for Matt's liking.
11. Matt left us in line there and jogged over to Terminal 1 to check out that security line. He called me and told me he thought it was shorter over there and that we should come over there with him.
12. Kyle and I jogged over to Terminal 1 and got in line with Matt.
    
13. Did I mention I was wearing new clogs for the first time? That were not broken in, yet? Not exactly great jogging shoes.
14. We waited in that Security Line. And waited. 10 minutes. And moved forward little by little. 20 minutes. And zigged back and forth in the line. 30 minutes. And the clock ticked forward.
15. RIGHT WHEN we got to the front of the line, a bunch of First Class and wheelchair passengers both came through in their respective lines and our line stopped for a while.
16. After going through the body scanning machine, I got pulled aside for a "pocket check" (done by a female TSA agent, with the back of her hands) and swabbed for explosives powder on my palms.
17. Matt & Kyle took off sprinting to our gate. I trailed behind in my clogs, running on the moving sidewalks - what a sight. (I now have a line of bruising across the top of my instep!)
    
18. Our gate was D-11....clear down at the END of the hall. Remember, we were in Terminal 1, where the "A" gates are. Of course, our gate couldn't have been any of the "C" gates, or even gate D 1-6, which are also Delta airlines gates - AND were CLOSER!
19. Matt arrived at gate D-11 at 11:11 a.m. The plane was to depart at 11:20 a.m. (whew!) BUT the door was already closed.
    
20. The Delta airport employee informed us (with a stone-face and NO compassion in her attitude) that they close the door 10 minutes before departure. One minute too late! THE PLANE WAS STILL SITTING THERE at the end of the jet bridge, but we were denied boarding!

If ANY of these events/situations would've been different, that ONE minute wouldn't have even been an issue! Matt about made himself crazy thinking about, "If only we would have/wouldn't have __________." If the shoes would've been in Miss B's closet. If we would've taken the check over the night before. If I hadn't wanted a book. If we wouldn't have waited for Matt. If we wouldn't have played "Musical Security Lines." If the departure would've been from a "C" gate. If only Delta employees were as awesome as our JetBlue crewmembers. (I'm not biased! :) There's a reason we've won SEVEN consecutive J.D. Power & Associates awards for best airline.) etc. etc.

Man! All this "experience" we have with air travel, ever since I became an airline crewmember 4 1/2 years ago, and we're still learning......

I tell my kids ALL THE TIME that every minute counts (a minute wasted here, a minute wasted there) and they don't believe me -- well, here's PROOF!

{We got on the next flight FOUR hours later!}

Is 50% a Passing Score?

I discovered Pinterest. Have you?
It has ideas galore that you can SAVE to your own "Pin Board" if you want to file it away for future reference. It solves the problem of having to remember where you saw something that you really wanted to try and you were for sure not going to forget.....but then you did!

Anyway, I came across this "Road Trip Questionnaire" for couples to play together. And since we had a road trip coming up, I printed it off. It took the. whole. entire. drive. from St. George back up to Farmington -- and we still didn't both complete all 50 questions -- because one of us (I'll let you guess which one) has to think....and think.....and think about every answer for no less than three minutes. And these were the answers about themself - shouldn't you be the expert on yourself? Shouldn't you be able to just rattle off your favorite dessert? Dream Vacation? Favorite meal?

I've been together with Matt for 18 years now - I was pretty confident I could get the majority right.

WRONG!

I got 50%.

What?!?

What kind of pathetic wife only half-way knows her husband? I believe 50% would earn my High School and Jr. High School kids an "F" on their report cards.....AND they'd be grounded until they got their grade up!!! Do I deserve to be grounded now? But, then I remembered in my High School Calculus class, my teacher's whole goal was for his students to PASS the A.P. Calculus test at the end of the year. A score of 50% would get you a passing score (a score of 3, with a 5 being the highest), so he gave an "A" in his class to all students who had 50% or higher, because that was good enough to pass the test! So, if I look at it that way, I didn't do so bad, huh?!?

AND, if you consider that my husband got a 32%, then I REALLY didn't do so bad! :) hahaha.

WAIT, should I be laughing now - or crying?!?

Some of the answers weren't completely WRONG, they were just probably in the #2 - #5 range instead of "the most" or "the best" or "the favorite" of that particular subject - and since you could pick ONE answer, we missed a lot.

But, I did not know that my husband's Biggest Fear is The Ocean.
Or that his Favorite Childhood Memory is Listening to Christmas Music.
Or that if he could go ANYWHERE in the world on VACATION, it would be Okinawa, Japan (his mission) (What happened to the Canary Islands?)
Or that he considers his Biggest Achievement to Date being married in the temple and having five children.

So glad we did this - I'll be ready next time! :)

I thought it was interesting that when he was asked what MY favorite candy is, he answered Ju-Ju Hearts or [fruit] Mentos (which I DO like, but it was not my official answer of Wild Berry Skittles). To which I wondered (out loud) If he thinks or knows those are my favorites, WHY did NONE of those make it into my "Junk Box" for my birthday a few weeks before?!? (?) (?) (?)

He also thought that my Least Favorite Household Chore was doing dishes. I guess he thought that since I never do them - he always does. It's not that I don't like it, it's just that he made a promise to always do the dishes like 15 years ago - and I wouldn't want to be the cause of him breaking his promise now, would I? :)
(My least favorite is really cleaning out the refrigerator. Bleahhh!)

He overestimated my goodness when he answered that my favorite magazine was The Ensign. How shallow I felt when it was revealed that I had written down People magazine. (woops!) (my "guilty pleasure" while standing in the grocery store check out line)

He also thinks that The Best Compliment I Have Ever Received is that I have nice, tan, shapely legs. Uummmmm.....has he seen me lately?!? Or does he not think I've had any compliments since that WAS true 25 years ago?

I had to laugh so hard when my answer to What Turns You Off? was told (SLACKER, narrow-minded, rude, egotistical people) and Matt replied, "Oh, so _________ turns you off?" {he inserted a real person's name that I won't put out there on this blog.} He thought I'd described that person to a "T" ~ hahaha.

So, excuse me while I go earn some brownie points with my man by buying him green clothes (his favorite color) or even better, green M & M's ;). I'm gonna make him Ribeye Steak & Sweet Potato Pie for dinner (his favorite meal) - better yet, let's just go to Ruth's Chris since they do it with perfection. Stock up his stash of Symphony [with toffee] bars (his favorite candy), do his weeding for him (his least favorite chore), walk around barefoot (his favorite physical feature on me), and let him watch Star Wars (his favorite movie) to his heart's content.

Also, I've got some studying to do, so I can get a more respectable score! :)

The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

While going through a [bottom] desk drawer, I came upon these "Behavior Modification" Charts we used with the kids approximately six (maybe more) years ago. Their ages back then would've been Haylee - 3, Kyle - 5 1/2, Ryan - 9.

The "program" was designed to reward good behaviors by giving "points" every time they demonstrated that particular good behavior. We also had a corresponding Rewards Chart [not found in above mentioned drawer] with a list of a bunch of privileges along with the number of points required to EARN that privilege. As soon as they had enough points, they could do/get whatever.

The good behaviors listed on their charts were actually behaviors that we felt the children were struggling with. (Blunt explanation: they were ACTING THE OPPOSITE most of the time!!) So, basically, they had to REALLY try HARD to get points since these went against their natural tendencies.

Check out what behaviors we were working on (at the time, only the oldest 3 were involved with doing this - Miss B wasn't even thought of yet, and Katelyn was still an angel infant!) :)


Ryan's List (in case you can't see it): Think Before Acting, Jobs Without Reminding, Encourage Others, Bedtime, Kind & Pleasant to Brother and Sisters, Answer/Listen to Mom & Dad The FIRST Time, Finish Task Without Being Called Back or Reminded, Make it to Bed ON TIME Without Reminders.

Kyle's List: Say Please & Thank You, Be Honest, Listen, Talk It Over.


Haylee's List: Share & Take Turns, Use Kind Words/Voice, Cooperate w/ Hair, Dressing, Potty, Keep Hands to Self, Say "YES" to Mom and Dad, Nice Hands, Soft Hands, "No Crying, No Whining", Pick up Toys.

The thing that cracked me up when I saw these was that 6+ years later, at ages 9 1/2, 12, and 15 1/2....THEY STILL HAVE THESE SAME STRUGGLES....just in a more grown up version.

My parenting techniques are super AWESOME and EFFECTIVE, eh?!?

And, on the same subject, Matt recently found some cards/letters/love notes that we had written to each other over the years and he wanted me to read them. I was reading one he'd written to me while we were engaged - it was just a few weeks before our wedding date - August 1994. Here's an excerpt:
"...I am trying my best to get rid of one of my biggest weaknesses - Procrastination. Be patient with me, hon..."

Did I mention that our Camry didn't pass the emissions test when Matt took it in on 9/29? It had to be registered by the end of September. In order to pass and be legally registered, the Camry would need a new catalytic converter thing-a-ma-bob....BEFORE the end of the month.

:)

Did you also know that if someone were to make a "Behavior Modification" chart for me,
"BE PATIENT" would be on the list? (with below average points earned!)

Yep, the more things change, the more they stay the same!

Warning: THIS Can Become Addicting!

Do you know about this website?

http://1saleaday.com/

Every day it features a GREAT DEAL -- Can you say 75% OFF? 88% OFF? 93% OFF? -- in each of these five categories: Random, Jewelry, Wireless, Family, Watches.

I bought this recently and L-O-V-E IT!



It is a Rachel Ray Furi Essential sharp and store 7" knife.
(The kids are fascinated with the ORANGE color - especially Kyle [his fave] but there is a STRICT NO TOUCH rule for children!)

It retails for $42.00-$58.00.

I got it for $17.99!!!

And I about started to cry when I was cutting my first onion with it. AND IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE [tear inducing effects of an] ONION!!! It was so smooth and easy and I hardly had to apply pressure = wonderful! What a difference a GOOD knife makes! And every time I store it back inside the "case" it will sharpen automatically!

I wonder what will be For Sale tomorrow?!?