November 18, 2012

Last Sunday was Ruby's birthday.  She's 2.  She doesn't even look like a baby anymore.  She's such a fun girl.  She talks so much.  She loves going to gymnastics, playing with the kids, watching movies on my phone, playing babies and dancing.  Some things she says to me that I love are: "Tank you, mommy" she says it all the time. "get me now" She's trying to say "can't get me now" and she wants me to chase her.  "Play me, Mommy". She wants me to play with her.  Usually we're playing princesses or babies.

For her birthday, we had the Deans over for cake and ice cream.  She helped me make her cake.  She picked an orange cake with pink frosting and blue letters.  She was so proud of her cake. She got a little people princess castle and a baby and carseat.  She loved all her presents and had fun playing with everyone. We sure love our little doll!

The kids all started basketball.  They seem to have great coaches and I think I have really good carpools that will make 3 teams at the same time possible. 

11/3/2012

Adult Session of stake conference

Impression: limit screens to weekends

Pres. Jones

• Pray and fast for Aaron's tantrums
• Teach him about Holy Ghost - teach him to access it for help

Elder LeSeur

• The goal is to raise children to be good parents
• Parents' primary role is to introduce our kids to the Holy Ghost. He will introduce them to the Savior.
• We need to make our homes an environment where the Holy Ghost is happy to reside
• Ten times better to look for kids doing good and reward than to look for bad and punish
• when you build self esteem you furnish the finest suit of armor possible.
• make your testimony come alive to children.

10/29

Some things that get me frustrated with the kids are when they don't do things or leave messes. So two ideas came to me to help that.

1. need positive reinforcement-sticker chart/marble jar for all kids
2. Need  to train better. So I'll check each kid out of school and let them stay home after lunch on their own day and we'll fully organize their room and I'll train them better on their jobs.

10/28/2012

I need to be more kind and civil with my kids at all time.

• How do I break bad habits?
• How do I let them know I'm disappointed without getting mad?
• If they aren't doing something right maybe I need to assume it's because I haven't taught them well enough.
• I need to look for more opportunities to praise their good deeds and successes

10/21/2012

Money is tight and frustrating sometimes. I was thinking about it and how I'd felt prompted to pray for some new sidework for Bob to be prepared. At least that's what I think it was-something financial at least-back in August. Soon after that our budget began to feel tight and Bob's work at cc bootcamp has almost stopped. So it makes sense that I was to pray for more work for Bob. But that work hasn't come. As I was thinking about it the phrase "Prove me now herewith' came to my mind.  From 3 Ne 24:10. The rest of it says "if I will not open you the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it." So we may not have the blessing I thought we were going to get, but we have been so blessed. So I thought I would keep track of things I notice so I can see how the windows of Heaven have opened to us.

• Bob's grandparents sent us $300 for Halloween out of the blue
• Bob gets his extra paycheck in November this year instead of December like I thought
• I have plenty of website work if I 'll just make time to do it
• I've been learning to be more frugal with grocery shopping and price matching
• I lost my wallet in the doctor's parking lot and before I even knew it was gone, 3 honest people had worked hard to find me and return it
• I lost my keys at the triathlon and someone found them and returned them and just in time so I could still swim in the race.
• my mom bought me lots of new clothes when she visited and gave us some money for staying here
• Bob found out that we can refinance our current house, which should save us $150 per month and we won't have to make a house payment for 2 months.

10/4/2012

Money
We want/need financial blessings. We've been praying about it for months. In August I felt like I should start praying for an opportunity for Bob. I felt like it would happen in Sept or Oct. But that may have been because that's when Bob gets his annual raise.  I increased our fast offering $15. I don't know what a good standard amount is.  But as I was praying about it I thought of Tyler Harris, a teenager convert in our ward. He's getting ready to go on his mission. I think$15 for fast offering will be fine. And we'll also add $15 to the $35 we're putting into the missionary fund and save that $50 every month and give it to Tyler for mission expenses.  3 Ne. 13:32-33

10/3/2012

Brainstorm for things to work on with kids

Danny:

• Goal setting/planning
• media choices
• manners - looking for need and helping others
• hug him - listen to whatever he wants to say

Rachel:

• hug and listen
• look for need and help
• time management

Aaron:

• Talk about negative thoughts at night
• tell him what he does well every day

Seth and Ruby:

• Play more with them

9/30/12

I need to "sit with God" daily. I think Eyring said that.
That makes such a difference in my ability to hear the Holy Ghost.  I want to trust Jesus' example like I learned about at Time out For Women. I have so many things that want my time. I need to follow promptings to know what's most important and get those done.

Ideas for questions for general conference:

• talents for me and kids - Answered by Perry in Sat PM session: as I pray about preparing FHE lessons I'll know what the kids need to build their talents.
• Patience
• Work on Scripture Study and Finding answers in scriptures

9/23/12

Brainstorm for me:

• Who should I befriend and serve? (Erica, Mindy Kaylyn...)
• work on patience and always speaking kindly to kids
• talents to develop - what talents will help "to further His work"
• What does the Lord expect of me?
• how to be better example to bros and sis? Not judge them!
• Bob and I "work harmoniously". What does that mean? Be a team in all we do?
• Ponder what each child will need to help build the kingdom of God on the Earth
• What assignments do I have to help others?

9/19/12

Aaron-practice positive thinking

• Pray with him in mornings
• Talk over day - prep him for his night prayer

November 4, 2012

The weather has been perfect this week! October and November are so great in Las Vegas. We had a fun Halloween week.  Monday night Rachel had a Halloween piano recital.  She did very well.  We switched her lessons to Claire Laidlaw and she's learning a lot.  Tuesday night was the ward trunk r treat.  Then Wednesday we had our annual potluck with friends in the ward and then trick or treated with all those friends. 

This year Danny was Elmo, which I made.  Rachel was a vampire, Aaron was a lego guy, Seth was Spiderman and Ruby was Cinderella. Ruby and Seth loved the trick or treating.

We also went to the Haunted Harvest at the Springs Preserve last weekend.  Everyone loved that too.

We decided we're going to get rid of Boss.  He's just too much work and the kids don't like to do their jobs.  The kids are so sad about it.  I've fought it for a long time, but I think we just got him too early.  Maybe in a year or two and definitely one that doesn't shed at all if he's in the house, or maybe just an outside dog.