Have a great Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Two Front Teeth
We walked to church today in the most beautiful weather. So happy to have a great camera. We took some pics in front of our house when we got home. Annie looks so cute with her little teeth. Someone at church said her eyes are so big they look like brown tootsie pops.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Outta the House
Apollo and I look up pics on google of animals. I point to the letters and he says them as he types. We looked up monkeys the other day-she has the same hairdo as Annie. Bald in the front with wispy longer hair in the back. Apollo always had thick hair that we had to cut all the time. Boys always have the thick hair and long eyelashes. 
We are starting to feel better and are getting out of the house now that we're not in the middle of potty training anymore. Today was the first day back working out with the girls again. I thought I was going crazy being in the house for so long and needing sleep myself to get over my cold. It is amazing what a little girl time can do. I got to see my crocheting club last week and I had a bunch of girls over this week to make hair stuff. Last night I we celebrated the New Moon (I'll post pics later). I'm a better mom when I can be away for awhile. I'm looking forward to February. I'm getting together with some old teaching pals to see Lion King. I'm not a good "stay at home" mom. Being shut in the house for too long makes me antsy. Carleton has even had to do the shopping because I couldn't take Apollo while he was being potty trained.
Apollo has said some funny things lately that I wanted to remember:
Just now the kids were sitting on the bathroom counter looking into the mirror. Apollo said, "I look in the mirror. I like what I see." Then, he pointed to the elephant on his shirt saying, "I look so cute." He had a library book once where the girl was looking in the mirror and said how she liked what she saw.
He kept saying Mommy Mommy and when I would say "what" he would just look at me. I was getting frustrated trying to get lunch going for everyone. He told me, "Be Happy." I tell him that if he's whiny. That cheered me up.
The other day I told him I was going to the bathroom and he told me, "Go bathroom-play with Annie." So, I left and he played with Annie.
We are starting to feel better and are getting out of the house now that we're not in the middle of potty training anymore. Today was the first day back working out with the girls again. I thought I was going crazy being in the house for so long and needing sleep myself to get over my cold. It is amazing what a little girl time can do. I got to see my crocheting club last week and I had a bunch of girls over this week to make hair stuff. Last night I we celebrated the New Moon (I'll post pics later). I'm a better mom when I can be away for awhile. I'm looking forward to February. I'm getting together with some old teaching pals to see Lion King. I'm not a good "stay at home" mom. Being shut in the house for too long makes me antsy. Carleton has even had to do the shopping because I couldn't take Apollo while he was being potty trained.
Apollo has said some funny things lately that I wanted to remember:
Just now the kids were sitting on the bathroom counter looking into the mirror. Apollo said, "I look in the mirror. I like what I see." Then, he pointed to the elephant on his shirt saying, "I look so cute." He had a library book once where the girl was looking in the mirror and said how she liked what she saw.
He kept saying Mommy Mommy and when I would say "what" he would just look at me. I was getting frustrated trying to get lunch going for everyone. He told me, "Be Happy." I tell him that if he's whiny. That cheered me up.
The other day I told him I was going to the bathroom and he told me, "Go bathroom-play with Annie." So, I left and he played with Annie.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Potty Training + Sick Kids = Good Times
Monday-Apollo is running to the bathroom saying "hurry Mommy!" all the time because he wants that piece of candy (whether he has to go potty or not). Every hour on the hour I sat with him, reading, singing-for 4 minutes (I timed it so I wasn't in their longer than necessary). He pulled down his undies (this is a giant process for a 24 month old) and afterward would take his tiny potty apart to dump his pee into the big toilet and then put it back together. Then, he would flush and pull up his undies. At last, he would wash his hands and dry them on the towel. Sometimes we would hurriedly rush several times with no luck, each time saying "maybe next time", all to have him pee on the floor or chair or sidewalk (I did venture outside to attempt to do laundry) right after. This has been my life this week. I now feel I deserve some award for what I feel is a great accomplishment. A week on a deserted island sounds great. Apollo is doing awesome and I am proud of our potty trained little man. Just as we worked out the whole pottying thing, they got sick. Apollo has had a fever and Annie has a cough. I was glad to have some friend get-togethers this week and have something to look forward to.
One of the highlights this week was going for a long run by myself. I didn't worry about pace, just enjoyed Freakonomics-ever read it? We download books from our library onto cds for our road trips and have just started to download them onto the ipod. It passes the time even faster than listening to music.
.
Such an interesting book. Is the crime rate going down because abortion was legalized and the future murderers were never born? This guy won a Nobel prize and studies numbers to come up with the answers. He says that all of us have incentives for what we do whether we cheat or are honest. I thought about raising kids and how they react to what we reward them with. If a kid is screaming in the grocery store for candy and the mom frustratedly gives in, the child learns that screaming gets her what she wants and does it again. If a child screams when she's going down for a nap and is held, why wouldn't she keep it up if she is rewarded. I thought of how I need to reward my kids for being good. Pick Annie up an play with her when she is being good and give her a moment when she whines. We had friends over on Wed. and each would announce "I went potty" when they came out and everyone we cheer (along with Apollo). Everyone would cheer when he would come out after going potty. That was the 3rd day into training and he had no accidents during that time and has done great since. I really want to think about rewarding good behavior and telling them when they're being good kids.
We ordered a new camera. I always think-oh this would be a great pic.
One of the highlights this week was going for a long run by myself. I didn't worry about pace, just enjoyed Freakonomics-ever read it? We download books from our library onto cds for our road trips and have just started to download them onto the ipod. It passes the time even faster than listening to music.
.
Such an interesting book. Is the crime rate going down because abortion was legalized and the future murderers were never born? This guy won a Nobel prize and studies numbers to come up with the answers. He says that all of us have incentives for what we do whether we cheat or are honest. I thought about raising kids and how they react to what we reward them with. If a kid is screaming in the grocery store for candy and the mom frustratedly gives in, the child learns that screaming gets her what she wants and does it again. If a child screams when she's going down for a nap and is held, why wouldn't she keep it up if she is rewarded. I thought of how I need to reward my kids for being good. Pick Annie up an play with her when she is being good and give her a moment when she whines. We had friends over on Wed. and each would announce "I went potty" when they came out and everyone we cheer (along with Apollo). Everyone would cheer when he would come out after going potty. That was the 3rd day into training and he had no accidents during that time and has done great since. I really want to think about rewarding good behavior and telling them when they're being good kids.
We ordered a new camera. I always think-oh this would be a great pic.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Joshua Tree
We had a fun weekend with friends climbing and camping at Joshua Tree. We also lost our camera (with the library books, Leap Frog game, toys, ipod earpiece) back pack. Carleton and I talked after we got home about how, yes, it takes a little longer to do things with kids and , yes, we would have liked more sleep that night, but we really had a fun time being together as a family. Carleton said it made him happy to hear Apollo screaming with joy when he pushed him on the ropes. For me, climbing is a great rush. I am afraid of heights and after each climb I feel that I have accomplished something challenging. We will have some great memories of this trip. We were also glad to come home and get a good night's sleep. We were all cuddled on the same air mattress to keep warm. Before, the kids have done great camping, but have had their own space.
Here is a picture I googled of a random person climbing in Joshua Tree. I want my camera back, sniff sniff.
Here is another pic I googled that shows what the trees looked like.
I have noticed a lot how Apollo does what we do in little and big ways. I leave my toothbrush on the sink like this to "let it dry" because I don't want to get the toothbrush holder messy-my own little quirk that I really didn't think too much about. I saw Apollo put his toothbrush down just like mine even though there is a place for his toothbrush and he doesn't know why he puts it there. He has started patting my back like I do to him. He always copies what we say. I used to color "with" him when he was tiny-basically I would color while he would run around. Now he loves to color. He was too tiny to really like books, but we would still read to him. It's fun to see how much he loves stories now. It's really made me think lately of what we teach him whether we realize it or not (or whether it's a good thing or not).
He sees if I laugh.
He sees when I don't.
He sees if I watch TV.
He sees how I use my time.
He sees if I set and reach goals.
He sees if I don't.
He sees if I help others.
He notices if I don't.
He sees if I read and enjoy learning.
He sees if I don't.
He sees if I clean.
He sees if I don't.
He sees how I react when I'm frustrated.
He hears the words I say.
He sees if I exercise.
He sees if I don't.
He knows what things are important.
He sees and watches every day.
He sees when I am proud of him.
He can tell when I'm not.
I have two little ones that are watching. I teach them every day, by how I live my life, by the words I use, by how happy I am, by the marriage I have, how they should be. I am amazed by the power of motherhood. I can see how my bad or good mood can almost instantly affect Apollo and Annie because they seem to take on the same mood. When I'm frustrated and feel like I have a lot on my plate, Apollo is not as happy. When I am happy and excited to be with them, Apollo and Annie light up and have fun too. I felt like I was influencing a lot of kids when I taught high school. But I feel that being a mom is an even greater responsibility. Even though I looooved teaching high school, and being a mom is harder, I am happier and and enjoy being a mom more. I feel very honored to take on this new role in my life.
I believe the choice to become a mother is the choice to become one of the greatest spiritual teachers there is. To create an environment that's stimulating and nurturing, to pass on a sense of relponsibility to another human being, to raise a child who understands that he or she is created from good and is capable of anything-I know for sure that few callings are more honorable. To play down mothering as small is to crack the very foundation on which greatness stands. The world can only value mothering to the extent that women everywhere stand and declare that it must be so. In our hands we hold the power to transform the perception of motherhood...We should no longer allow a mother to be defined as "just a mom." It is on her back that great nations are built. -Oprah Winfrey
Here is a picture I googled of a random person climbing in Joshua Tree. I want my camera back, sniff sniff.
Here is another pic I googled that shows what the trees looked like.
I have noticed a lot how Apollo does what we do in little and big ways. I leave my toothbrush on the sink like this to "let it dry" because I don't want to get the toothbrush holder messy-my own little quirk that I really didn't think too much about. I saw Apollo put his toothbrush down just like mine even though there is a place for his toothbrush and he doesn't know why he puts it there. He has started patting my back like I do to him. He always copies what we say. I used to color "with" him when he was tiny-basically I would color while he would run around. Now he loves to color. He was too tiny to really like books, but we would still read to him. It's fun to see how much he loves stories now. It's really made me think lately of what we teach him whether we realize it or not (or whether it's a good thing or not).
He sees if I laugh.
He sees when I don't.
He sees if I watch TV.
He sees how I use my time.
He sees if I set and reach goals.
He sees if I don't.
He sees if I help others.
He notices if I don't.
He sees if I read and enjoy learning.
He sees if I don't.
He sees if I clean.
He sees if I don't.
He sees how I react when I'm frustrated.
He hears the words I say.
He sees if I exercise.
He sees if I don't.
He knows what things are important.
He sees and watches every day.
He sees when I am proud of him.
He can tell when I'm not.
I have two little ones that are watching. I teach them every day, by how I live my life, by the words I use, by how happy I am, by the marriage I have, how they should be. I am amazed by the power of motherhood. I can see how my bad or good mood can almost instantly affect Apollo and Annie because they seem to take on the same mood. When I'm frustrated and feel like I have a lot on my plate, Apollo is not as happy. When I am happy and excited to be with them, Apollo and Annie light up and have fun too. I felt like I was influencing a lot of kids when I taught high school. But I feel that being a mom is an even greater responsibility. Even though I looooved teaching high school, and being a mom is harder, I am happier and and enjoy being a mom more. I feel very honored to take on this new role in my life.
I believe the choice to become a mother is the choice to become one of the greatest spiritual teachers there is. To create an environment that's stimulating and nurturing, to pass on a sense of relponsibility to another human being, to raise a child who understands that he or she is created from good and is capable of anything-I know for sure that few callings are more honorable. To play down mothering as small is to crack the very foundation on which greatness stands. The world can only value mothering to the extent that women everywhere stand and declare that it must be so. In our hands we hold the power to transform the perception of motherhood...We should no longer allow a mother to be defined as "just a mom." It is on her back that great nations are built. -Oprah Winfrey
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Halloween
This has been a busy month with so many Halloween activities starting off with Apollo's party and ending with a get together today with cake and goodies. Apollo has been in heaven-surrounded by candy.
Happy birthday, Jill. Here the girls are trying out her new bands.
Here's Annie in a dress that I wore when I was little. We were just talking tonight about how she gets prettier and prettier.
Apollo had a fun time trick-or-treating. Last year he was in a stroller and would take the candy from people but this year he walked around and had a lot of fun looking at the decorated homes. He had a hard time putting candy in his bag because he always wanted to eat it-my mom said we did the same thing when we were little. Annie stole the show as our little angel. She loves people and always gives a big smile and puts her hands out to them. One time, we were surrounded with high school girls all adoring Annie-asking her name, age, and talking to her. After leaving them, I got all teary-eyed. I loved teaching high school and love being around that age of kids.
Carleton's new love. I'm not sure if I come first or second. He's been looking for a nice mountain bike for awhile and found a steal off Craig's list. He's going biking with a few guys in the morning.
We took a test run out with the kids. We had a long talk about what makes us happy and we know that we have to do things we love and that by doing so we will be better parents and a better spouse. Carleton loves racquetball and riding and I'm glad he's doing both. He has a racquetball tournament coming up this week.
Happy birthday, Jill. Here the girls are trying out her new bands.
Here's Annie in a dress that I wore when I was little. We were just talking tonight about how she gets prettier and prettier.
Apollo had a fun time trick-or-treating. Last year he was in a stroller and would take the candy from people but this year he walked around and had a lot of fun looking at the decorated homes. He had a hard time putting candy in his bag because he always wanted to eat it-my mom said we did the same thing when we were little. Annie stole the show as our little angel. She loves people and always gives a big smile and puts her hands out to them. One time, we were surrounded with high school girls all adoring Annie-asking her name, age, and talking to her. After leaving them, I got all teary-eyed. I loved teaching high school and love being around that age of kids.
Carleton's new love. I'm not sure if I come first or second. He's been looking for a nice mountain bike for awhile and found a steal off Craig's list. He's going biking with a few guys in the morning.
We took a test run out with the kids. We had a long talk about what makes us happy and we know that we have to do things we love and that by doing so we will be better parents and a better spouse. Carleton loves racquetball and riding and I'm glad he's doing both. He has a racquetball tournament coming up this week.
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