Chloe is not a morning person. She used to be, but she's just not anymore. She likes to sleep in (meaning 7:30) and she has a difficult time getting going once she wakes up. This makes our family rule of making your bed in the morning a bit frustrating for her.
Well, we found Chloe asleep on the couch downstairs a while ago. I went to carry her back in to her bed and tuck her in and guess what? She had made her bed before sneaking out to sleep on the couch. Cute!! I think that's a pretty ingenious solution to her problem. I still put her in bed, but I put her on top of her bedspread and covered her with a blanket -- I mean, we have to reward that forward thinking somehow!!
I love this kid. Love her.
28 March 2011
14 March 2011
Conversations
From December 2010
Brigham was opening peanuts at my mom's house and was having a hard time getting the shell open. He looked at it for a minute.
Brigham: It's like a seashell with a peanut in it!
We were at dinner and talking about the Word of Wisdom. We discussed the "shouldn'ts" and the "shoulds."
Me: There's one more thing we haven't talked about that we shouldn't drink. It rhymes with a letter of the alphabet.
The kids all started trying to figure it out. Brigham was the first to answer.
Brigham excitedly: I know! Pee!!! We're not supposed to drink Pee!!!!
Stanton after Brigham had wet the bed for the second night in a row: If you don't stop this, we're going to have to put you in diapers again.
Brigham: Dad, I'm just a 4-year old boy...I don't know what to do.
We haven't gotten after him since, I promise!
Chloe on her first night sleeping with her Pillow Pet after Christmas: Mom, no matter what the commercials say, this is NOT a full-size pillow. I still like my Pillow Pet, but I'm sleeping with my regular pillow!
Smart kid.
Cute age/gender difference moment. I asked the kids to pack their own bags before going to my parents' house after Christmas. The girls followed my instructions to pack 2 outfits, underwear, and pajamas. The boys, however, had other priorities. They came up with bags stuffed full of super hero dress-ups, toys, action figures, and one pair of underwear. Ha! (And how cute is it that Cannon even attempted packing a bag?!)
The same day, Chloe and Lily worked together to unload the dishwasher, put away toys, make their beds, and make my bed. It was a proud moment and one I'm glad to have a reminder of, since it doesn't happen every day or even every week!
From January
Lily had an adorable moment Grandma Judy shared with me...
She was at Dave and Judy's with Stanton. Judy wasn't home, but Dave gave Lily a packet of fruit snacks. Lily opened it and pulled out a red one.
Lily: Grandpa, will you save this one for Grandma? I know red is her favorite.
Brigham in a longing voice: Mom, sometimes I wish I was a chimney.
A "Not my Finest" moment:
I was in Lily's kindergarten class volunteering. It so happens that I had volunteered in Chloe's class last year when they made this same book. So, I've helped approximately 50 children with this particular assignment....
The book is called "To the." It's essentially a rhyming book where the children fill out the rhyming words on each page -- it's to reinforce "to" and "the" as high frequency sight words. Anyway, it goes: "To the pan, man, pot, tot, map, tap, lamp, etc." The last picture had a tent on it with people all around it. As the kids have come through one after the other, I've always had them fill in "tent" on that last page and thought it was really weird that the last page didn't rhyme. Well, one of the kids said to me (one of the last kids I'd helped), "It's to the CAMP. Camp rhymes with lamp." Yep, I got totally schooled by a kindergartner.
And now a proud moment:
The same day, I ran to the grocery store with the boys, hoping to get my grocery shopping done in the hour before the girls got home from school. I failed and as I was in the checkout line, I called the house to leave a message on the answering machine telling the girls I would be home soon. I worried that they wouldn't get the message since they don't really check the answering machine.
Well, as I was pulling out of the parking lot of the store, I got a call on my cell phone from Chloe. They hadn't heard the message, but she had my number memorized and called me to tell me they were home and to find out where I was. She was calm, cool, and totally happy. I was so proud of her and Lily. They're growing up!
Chloe: Mom! Your face looks like a house.
Me: What are you talking about?
Chloe: Look at your face. You have those two lines under your nose and those two lines by your chin -- your face looks like a house!
I've said it before and I'll say it again...Mother Nature should have to pick acne or wrinkles...she shouldn't get to have both!!!
After watching How to Train Your Dragon, Brigham got a little out of control.
Stanton: Did that show make you hyper?
Brigham: No, it just got me awesomer.
From February
Brigham asked me politely to put on his socks. I said yes and knelt down to start putting them on.
Sighing Brigham: Why can't you just call me "Master Brigham?"
Brigham was wearing his Spiderman costume with the mask pulled down over his face...
Brigham: Do I look like the real Spiderman?
Me turning around to look at him: Yes, you do!
Brigham: showing me his hands: Do my hands look like the real Spiderman?
Me: Yes, your hands do, too.
Brigham: But some of my peach is sticking out.
At a dinner where I made Mexican Chicken Soup. Without trying it, the kids were being total stinkers about eating it...
Me: You guys are driving me crazy!
Brigham took a bite and totally loved it.
Brigham: Mom, you said we were driving you crazy and so I ate some of my food and I'm starting to like your disgusting cooking!!
Brigham was asking me for edamame...
Brigham: Mom, can I have some more Mama Odie?
Cannon while I was making muffins: Momm, wha you makin'?
Me: Bran muffins.
Cannon: Is it for the birdies?
Me: No, birdies don't eat bran muffins!
Cannon: Do da birdies eat pu-cohs?
Me laughing: Pickles? No, birdies don't eat pickles.
Cannon: No, not pIckos! Pu-cohs.
Me trying to figure out what he's saying: Say it really slow.
Cannon: Puh-cooohs.....
Me thinking, thinking, thinking....: Pinecones??!
Cannon: YEAH!!!!!!! Puh-cohns!!!
I'm amazed he even knew that!
I had attempted a lower fat version of macaroni and cheese. It was decent, but not up to Lily's standards..
Me: Go sit down and have 5 bites of mac and cheese plus one to grow on.
Lily: Mom, just say six bites -- don't say one to grow on.
Me: Why can't I say it in a fun way?
Lily: Because it isn't fun to eat this mac and cheese.
From March
Yesterday we spent 3 hours tearing our house apart looking for the van keys. Multiple prayers were said and the kids went to bed in tears when we still hadn't found them at bedtime. It was the first thing Chloe and Lily asked about when they woke up this morning -- we still hadn't found them. I have been cleaning and organizing today hoping they'd turn up, but no luck.
Well, Brigham just untied his blanket that had some cars in it. He brought me my keys and said, "Here ya go, Mom."
I was, of course, so excited. When he saw my excitement, he said, "Oh, yeah, I forgot I hid those!"
Lily walking into the Dr.'s office: I'm so glad we aren't next to that blue van anymore. It smelled like disgusting raw ham!
Brigham getting his shoes on to go to Dave and Judy's: Is it okay if I ignore my cousins?
Stanton: Why would you want to do that?
Brigham: Because I'm just going to be reading my books.
Studious boy. hehe! And thankfully there weren't any cousins there to ignore. And he didn't open his books once. :)
Brigham was opening peanuts at my mom's house and was having a hard time getting the shell open. He looked at it for a minute.
Brigham: It's like a seashell with a peanut in it!
We were at dinner and talking about the Word of Wisdom. We discussed the "shouldn'ts" and the "shoulds."
Me: There's one more thing we haven't talked about that we shouldn't drink. It rhymes with a letter of the alphabet.
The kids all started trying to figure it out. Brigham was the first to answer.
Brigham excitedly: I know! Pee!!! We're not supposed to drink Pee!!!!
Stanton after Brigham had wet the bed for the second night in a row: If you don't stop this, we're going to have to put you in diapers again.
Brigham: Dad, I'm just a 4-year old boy...I don't know what to do.
We haven't gotten after him since, I promise!
Chloe on her first night sleeping with her Pillow Pet after Christmas: Mom, no matter what the commercials say, this is NOT a full-size pillow. I still like my Pillow Pet, but I'm sleeping with my regular pillow!
Smart kid.
Cute age/gender difference moment. I asked the kids to pack their own bags before going to my parents' house after Christmas. The girls followed my instructions to pack 2 outfits, underwear, and pajamas. The boys, however, had other priorities. They came up with bags stuffed full of super hero dress-ups, toys, action figures, and one pair of underwear. Ha! (And how cute is it that Cannon even attempted packing a bag?!)
The same day, Chloe and Lily worked together to unload the dishwasher, put away toys, make their beds, and make my bed. It was a proud moment and one I'm glad to have a reminder of, since it doesn't happen every day or even every week!
From January
Lily had an adorable moment Grandma Judy shared with me...
She was at Dave and Judy's with Stanton. Judy wasn't home, but Dave gave Lily a packet of fruit snacks. Lily opened it and pulled out a red one.
Lily: Grandpa, will you save this one for Grandma? I know red is her favorite.
Brigham in a longing voice: Mom, sometimes I wish I was a chimney.
A "Not my Finest" moment:
I was in Lily's kindergarten class volunteering. It so happens that I had volunteered in Chloe's class last year when they made this same book. So, I've helped approximately 50 children with this particular assignment....
The book is called "To the." It's essentially a rhyming book where the children fill out the rhyming words on each page -- it's to reinforce "to" and "the" as high frequency sight words. Anyway, it goes: "To the pan, man, pot, tot, map, tap, lamp, etc." The last picture had a tent on it with people all around it. As the kids have come through one after the other, I've always had them fill in "tent" on that last page and thought it was really weird that the last page didn't rhyme. Well, one of the kids said to me (one of the last kids I'd helped), "It's to the CAMP. Camp rhymes with lamp." Yep, I got totally schooled by a kindergartner.
And now a proud moment:
The same day, I ran to the grocery store with the boys, hoping to get my grocery shopping done in the hour before the girls got home from school. I failed and as I was in the checkout line, I called the house to leave a message on the answering machine telling the girls I would be home soon. I worried that they wouldn't get the message since they don't really check the answering machine.
Well, as I was pulling out of the parking lot of the store, I got a call on my cell phone from Chloe. They hadn't heard the message, but she had my number memorized and called me to tell me they were home and to find out where I was. She was calm, cool, and totally happy. I was so proud of her and Lily. They're growing up!
Chloe: Mom! Your face looks like a house.
Me: What are you talking about?
Chloe: Look at your face. You have those two lines under your nose and those two lines by your chin -- your face looks like a house!
I've said it before and I'll say it again...Mother Nature should have to pick acne or wrinkles...she shouldn't get to have both!!!
After watching How to Train Your Dragon, Brigham got a little out of control.
Stanton: Did that show make you hyper?
Brigham: No, it just got me awesomer.
From February
Brigham asked me politely to put on his socks. I said yes and knelt down to start putting them on.
Sighing Brigham: Why can't you just call me "Master Brigham?"
Brigham was wearing his Spiderman costume with the mask pulled down over his face...
Brigham: Do I look like the real Spiderman?
Me turning around to look at him: Yes, you do!
Brigham: showing me his hands: Do my hands look like the real Spiderman?
Me: Yes, your hands do, too.
Brigham: But some of my peach is sticking out.
At a dinner where I made Mexican Chicken Soup. Without trying it, the kids were being total stinkers about eating it...
Me: You guys are driving me crazy!
Brigham took a bite and totally loved it.
Brigham: Mom, you said we were driving you crazy and so I ate some of my food and I'm starting to like your disgusting cooking!!
Brigham was asking me for edamame...
Brigham: Mom, can I have some more Mama Odie?
Cannon while I was making muffins: Momm, wha you makin'?
Me: Bran muffins.
Cannon: Is it for the birdies?
Me: No, birdies don't eat bran muffins!
Cannon: Do da birdies eat pu-cohs?
Me laughing: Pickles? No, birdies don't eat pickles.
Cannon: No, not pIckos! Pu-cohs.
Me trying to figure out what he's saying: Say it really slow.
Cannon: Puh-cooohs.....
Me thinking, thinking, thinking....: Pinecones??!
Cannon: YEAH!!!!!!! Puh-cohns!!!
I'm amazed he even knew that!
I had attempted a lower fat version of macaroni and cheese. It was decent, but not up to Lily's standards..
Me: Go sit down and have 5 bites of mac and cheese plus one to grow on.
Lily: Mom, just say six bites -- don't say one to grow on.
Me: Why can't I say it in a fun way?
Lily: Because it isn't fun to eat this mac and cheese.
From March
Yesterday we spent 3 hours tearing our house apart looking for the van keys. Multiple prayers were said and the kids went to bed in tears when we still hadn't found them at bedtime. It was the first thing Chloe and Lily asked about when they woke up this morning -- we still hadn't found them. I have been cleaning and organizing today hoping they'd turn up, but no luck.
Well, Brigham just untied his blanket that had some cars in it. He brought me my keys and said, "Here ya go, Mom."
I was, of course, so excited. When he saw my excitement, he said, "Oh, yeah, I forgot I hid those!"
Lily walking into the Dr.'s office: I'm so glad we aren't next to that blue van anymore. It smelled like disgusting raw ham!
Brigham getting his shoes on to go to Dave and Judy's: Is it okay if I ignore my cousins?
Stanton: Why would you want to do that?
Brigham: Because I'm just going to be reading my books.
Studious boy. hehe! And thankfully there weren't any cousins there to ignore. And he didn't open his books once. :)
06 March 2011
Another Hilarious Picture of Cannon
Oh, man. We're going to have some fun wedding video pictures one day...how will we ever choose??
Just Trying to Remember...
Brigham has had another educational explosion lately. He's so interested in letters all of a sudden. He's been practicing writing his name for a couple of weeks now and today he wrote it without any help at all!
He's writing and recognizing most letters quite consistently and today I showed him how to sound out a few CVC words. He did really well with D-O-G, C-A-T, and P-O-P. It was so fun to see him 'read' some words and be so excited about it!
Also, he's been drawing like crazy lately. His pictures are making some sense, too.
I have to be honest, I've really worried about Brigham. He starts Kindergarten in the fall and will be the very youngest child in his grade. He barely makes the deadline. We've gotten a lot of unsolicited advice about whether or not we should send him, but Stanton and I have both always felt like we should go by the deadline. It's been a concern for me, though, that he just hasn't been interested in anything educational. He seems to be a full year behind where the girls were at his age with so many things. I worried that he'd be the 'dumb' kid at school -- the one who sort of gets left behind because he didn't have a good base to start with. But here we are now, a few weeks away from Kindergarten registration and a few months from Kindergarten and he's on fire! I really think he's going to be ready for school! I'm so proud of my little guy. And a little relieved, too.
Cannon is growing up on us, too. He's become fiercely independent lately. He must get himself dressed and brush his own teeth. He's also so loving. Definitely our most snuggly child.
He's supposed to get his cast of tomorrow. We're looking forward to being able to shower him again. He's been quite the trooper with that cast these past few weeks.
Cannon seems to be leaving babyhood behind for full-fledged toddlerhood/preschoolerhood. He loves to sing his ABCs and to sing the clean up song while putting away toys. He throws temper tantrums when I get the water from the wrong tap. He talks and talks and talks. We can often understand him. He's sweet and reasonable much more often. He loves to color.
Lily. Lily is so driven by routine. She stresses when we go off-plan and has a really hard time adjusting. Lily loves to know "what's next." She's always looking forward to the next big thing...even if that big thing is that it's Monday or that she has a playdate or that we're having brinner. Sometimes she forgets to live in the present because she's so excited for the next thing but she's a gem. She's obedient and consistent. She can read a Junie B. Jones book in an hour and a half. She and Brigham peck at each other constantly.
Chloe is maturing. She's really trying hard to make right choices. She's reading voraciously. She's read all but 2 Junie B. Jones books in our house. And we have a lot of them.
She making crafts independently. She's drawing. She's writing cards to her friends and thinking of them on their birthdays. She's taking time out to go to the bathroom (a huge step in the right direction for her). She's getting a vision of what needs to happen to be early to school and independently doing it many days. She's trying to be a peacemaker. She's reading the scriptures on her own, not daily, but frequently. She's a beautiful little person. Still frustrating at times, still a bit of a dilly dallyer, but trying so hard to be her best. I want to be more aware of it and applaud it more often.
We're getting a dog. A puppy actually. An Australian Labradoodle. It is a miniature, but in that breed that means it will be about 16.5 inches at the shoulder and around 27 pounds. It is chocolate colored and will have wavy/curly hair. We're preparing for it more than we ever did for the arrival of our children. Reading training books, etc. We wonder if it will help us be better parents. Ha! We are all SO excited and a little nervous. Stanton is like a little boy. He is dying for it to arrive and thinks about little else. I love it. We wonder if we're going to be one of those families that puts their dog in their family picture. We think we probably will be. We're so excited for it.
Life is marching forward. It's such an incredible phenomenon. I'm really grateful to be a participant, observer, and recorder of it all.
He's writing and recognizing most letters quite consistently and today I showed him how to sound out a few CVC words. He did really well with D-O-G, C-A-T, and P-O-P. It was so fun to see him 'read' some words and be so excited about it!
Also, he's been drawing like crazy lately. His pictures are making some sense, too.
I have to be honest, I've really worried about Brigham. He starts Kindergarten in the fall and will be the very youngest child in his grade. He barely makes the deadline. We've gotten a lot of unsolicited advice about whether or not we should send him, but Stanton and I have both always felt like we should go by the deadline. It's been a concern for me, though, that he just hasn't been interested in anything educational. He seems to be a full year behind where the girls were at his age with so many things. I worried that he'd be the 'dumb' kid at school -- the one who sort of gets left behind because he didn't have a good base to start with. But here we are now, a few weeks away from Kindergarten registration and a few months from Kindergarten and he's on fire! I really think he's going to be ready for school! I'm so proud of my little guy. And a little relieved, too.
Cannon is growing up on us, too. He's become fiercely independent lately. He must get himself dressed and brush his own teeth. He's also so loving. Definitely our most snuggly child.
He's supposed to get his cast of tomorrow. We're looking forward to being able to shower him again. He's been quite the trooper with that cast these past few weeks.
Cannon seems to be leaving babyhood behind for full-fledged toddlerhood/preschoolerhood. He loves to sing his ABCs and to sing the clean up song while putting away toys. He throws temper tantrums when I get the water from the wrong tap. He talks and talks and talks. We can often understand him. He's sweet and reasonable much more often. He loves to color.
Lily. Lily is so driven by routine. She stresses when we go off-plan and has a really hard time adjusting. Lily loves to know "what's next." She's always looking forward to the next big thing...even if that big thing is that it's Monday or that she has a playdate or that we're having brinner. Sometimes she forgets to live in the present because she's so excited for the next thing but she's a gem. She's obedient and consistent. She can read a Junie B. Jones book in an hour and a half. She and Brigham peck at each other constantly.
Chloe is maturing. She's really trying hard to make right choices. She's reading voraciously. She's read all but 2 Junie B. Jones books in our house. And we have a lot of them.
She making crafts independently. She's drawing. She's writing cards to her friends and thinking of them on their birthdays. She's taking time out to go to the bathroom (a huge step in the right direction for her). She's getting a vision of what needs to happen to be early to school and independently doing it many days. She's trying to be a peacemaker. She's reading the scriptures on her own, not daily, but frequently. She's a beautiful little person. Still frustrating at times, still a bit of a dilly dallyer, but trying so hard to be her best. I want to be more aware of it and applaud it more often.
We're getting a dog. A puppy actually. An Australian Labradoodle. It is a miniature, but in that breed that means it will be about 16.5 inches at the shoulder and around 27 pounds. It is chocolate colored and will have wavy/curly hair. We're preparing for it more than we ever did for the arrival of our children. Reading training books, etc. We wonder if it will help us be better parents. Ha! We are all SO excited and a little nervous. Stanton is like a little boy. He is dying for it to arrive and thinks about little else. I love it. We wonder if we're going to be one of those families that puts their dog in their family picture. We think we probably will be. We're so excited for it.
Life is marching forward. It's such an incredible phenomenon. I'm really grateful to be a participant, observer, and recorder of it all.
New Posts
Once again, there are new posts backdated. You'll probably have to click back to older posts. I wrote a few posts about our Colorado trip and some posts about Valentine's Day.
Just an FYI to my momma....
Just an FYI to my momma....
Payoffs.
We've seen some neat payoffs with our children lately. For instance, they are really good at going to bed. It hasn't always been that way. We've had a few months-long spans over the last several years where bedtime was an absolute nightmare. We were exhausted, no one could get themselves ready for bed, the kids were completely wasted and therefore out of control, and when it came to actually staying in bed...well, it was a nightmare. There was a lot of yelling. There were tears. There were thoughts of "will this ever end?" and "why are we so strict about this early bedtime? Why don't we just give in and let the kids stay up?"
We still have our short tempered evenings, but 7 years of consistent bedtimes have finally paid off and the kids, for the most part, are pretty darn great at going to bed. They know the deal and that bedtime is just a non-negotiable. And they're happy about it most of the time, too. The girls get ready pretty quickly so they have time to read for a half hour. The boys are happy to be in the same room and will even stay in bed with their door part way open. They've learned that bedtime is just that: bedtime. And they typically don't give babysitters a fit about it, either (one glaring exception to that statement occurred two weekends ago, but there were extenuating circumstances, so I'm giving it a pass). I'm so grateful for this little payoff.
Another occurred this morning. So, Stake Conference has long been a source of frustration and contention for Stanton and I. It's 2 hours long and really, it's unrealistic to expect four young children to be quiet for 2 hours. 2 hours. It's insanity. Well, we've had our arguments about it, but we've taken our kids every six months and endured the frustration.
So, last night, we decided that we'd had enough. We made the decision that we'd go to the adult session on Saturday night, Stanton would go to his Priesthood meeting on Sunday morning, and then he'd stay home with at least 3 of the kids while I went to Stake Conference by myself of with Chloe. Decision made and we felt good about it.
This morning, after breakfast and scriptures, I told the kids our plan. I said that Dad would stay home with them while I went to the tabernacle for Stake Conference. Well, all the kids heard was, "Stake Conference" and "Tabernacle." That was enough for them. They started jumping up and down, so excited to go. I tried to explain the plan again, but they wouldn't hear of it. Chloe, Lily, and Brigham all got themselves ready to go and were ready to leave when Stanton got home from his meeting. What could we do? We packed a bag and took all 4 to the tabernacle.
As we drove, we realized that this was another payoff moment. All these years of struggling through Stake Conference (there was the infamous sedation fiasco 3 years ago), we've been quietly setting the standard and creating the pattern of worship that the kids are now embracing.
I'll tell the truth and that is that we left after one hour. Cannon isn't there yet -- he was having a hard time being reverent. But here's the neat thing, the other 3 kids were all sad that we were leaving. Chloe even cried. She wanted to stay and hear the Stake President speak. We decided next time we'll bring 2 cars so one of us can take Cannon home after an hour (or bring him an hour late to the meeting) and the rest of us can stay for the whole time.
It was one of those neat moments where we realized that somewhere in the middle of all the mistakes, yelling, lack of compassion we feel like we have as parents to these four, they're catching some of the good things, too. A wink from Heaven, if you will.
It's been the same with scripture study lately. The kids won't let a breakfast go by without reading from the scriptures. It's part of their life and routine and they recognize that it makes our home a happier place.
I'm grateful to be having a few of these moments lately because I find myself wondering if I've completely failed with my children on a regular basis. I've had total meltdowns where I've said really unkind things and called them really mean things and done it in a really loud voice...with the doors open no less. I've been manipulative, sarcastic, and selfish. I've really been a terrible mother at times. But, through the infinite mercy of God, these precious little souls have taken the good with the bad...and even the good above the bad, and seen that Stanton and I truly love them and want them to be with us forever. They know we have testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that we try to live those testimonies every day.
I'm so thankful for Heavenly Father and for the children he's given to me. I'm also thankful for the payoffs. They give me courage to keep going.
We still have our short tempered evenings, but 7 years of consistent bedtimes have finally paid off and the kids, for the most part, are pretty darn great at going to bed. They know the deal and that bedtime is just a non-negotiable. And they're happy about it most of the time, too. The girls get ready pretty quickly so they have time to read for a half hour. The boys are happy to be in the same room and will even stay in bed with their door part way open. They've learned that bedtime is just that: bedtime. And they typically don't give babysitters a fit about it, either (one glaring exception to that statement occurred two weekends ago, but there were extenuating circumstances, so I'm giving it a pass). I'm so grateful for this little payoff.
Another occurred this morning. So, Stake Conference has long been a source of frustration and contention for Stanton and I. It's 2 hours long and really, it's unrealistic to expect four young children to be quiet for 2 hours. 2 hours. It's insanity. Well, we've had our arguments about it, but we've taken our kids every six months and endured the frustration.
So, last night, we decided that we'd had enough. We made the decision that we'd go to the adult session on Saturday night, Stanton would go to his Priesthood meeting on Sunday morning, and then he'd stay home with at least 3 of the kids while I went to Stake Conference by myself of with Chloe. Decision made and we felt good about it.
This morning, after breakfast and scriptures, I told the kids our plan. I said that Dad would stay home with them while I went to the tabernacle for Stake Conference. Well, all the kids heard was, "Stake Conference" and "Tabernacle." That was enough for them. They started jumping up and down, so excited to go. I tried to explain the plan again, but they wouldn't hear of it. Chloe, Lily, and Brigham all got themselves ready to go and were ready to leave when Stanton got home from his meeting. What could we do? We packed a bag and took all 4 to the tabernacle.
As we drove, we realized that this was another payoff moment. All these years of struggling through Stake Conference (there was the infamous sedation fiasco 3 years ago), we've been quietly setting the standard and creating the pattern of worship that the kids are now embracing.
I'll tell the truth and that is that we left after one hour. Cannon isn't there yet -- he was having a hard time being reverent. But here's the neat thing, the other 3 kids were all sad that we were leaving. Chloe even cried. She wanted to stay and hear the Stake President speak. We decided next time we'll bring 2 cars so one of us can take Cannon home after an hour (or bring him an hour late to the meeting) and the rest of us can stay for the whole time.
It was one of those neat moments where we realized that somewhere in the middle of all the mistakes, yelling, lack of compassion we feel like we have as parents to these four, they're catching some of the good things, too. A wink from Heaven, if you will.
It's been the same with scripture study lately. The kids won't let a breakfast go by without reading from the scriptures. It's part of their life and routine and they recognize that it makes our home a happier place.
I'm grateful to be having a few of these moments lately because I find myself wondering if I've completely failed with my children on a regular basis. I've had total meltdowns where I've said really unkind things and called them really mean things and done it in a really loud voice...with the doors open no less. I've been manipulative, sarcastic, and selfish. I've really been a terrible mother at times. But, through the infinite mercy of God, these precious little souls have taken the good with the bad...and even the good above the bad, and seen that Stanton and I truly love them and want them to be with us forever. They know we have testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that we try to live those testimonies every day.
I'm so thankful for Heavenly Father and for the children he's given to me. I'm also thankful for the payoffs. They give me courage to keep going.
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