Two Large Mason Jars and Four Packages of "Fuzzies" - $30 (steep, I know, but Jay didn't exactly bargain shop for the fuzzies).
Money Collected for Bad Behavior - $14.25
A Week Without the Word "Idiot" - Priceless
Friday, January 27, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
When You Love Someone...
...Set Them Free. Especially if that "someone" is your very favorite video game console and a beloved member of the family.
Yesterday we were driving our Wii to the FedEx office. It is acting up and Nintendo promised to fix it and try very hard to save our data for a good bit less than a new Wii, so we packaged it up to send to their repair place.
As we were driving, William said, "It must be true. They say 'If you love someone, set them free. If they love you, they will come back.' Kind of like our Wii."
The world according to William, ladies and gentlemen.
Yesterday we were driving our Wii to the FedEx office. It is acting up and Nintendo promised to fix it and try very hard to save our data for a good bit less than a new Wii, so we packaged it up to send to their repair place.
As we were driving, William said, "It must be true. They say 'If you love someone, set them free. If they love you, they will come back.' Kind of like our Wii."
The world according to William, ladies and gentlemen.
Monday, January 16, 2012
January, Schmanuary
Ah, January. My least favorite month of the year. I shouldn't even complain because it's been suspiciously warm this winter (I say suspiciously because I have a bad feeling we will get dumped on later this winter). Still, I am grumpy about January. The warmish weather makes the intermittent cold, wet and windy days feel even worse. The only good thing about January is that it morphs into February, which is one month closer to spring.
I take it back. In January we have basketball to look forward to for the boys. They both play Jr. Jazz basketball and they love it. Henry is playing on a 5th and 6th grade team this year and they actually play, you know, basketball. They run plays and rebound and there is an actual point to it. William plays on a 1st and 2nd grade team. Sigh. They have fun. They pass the ball. They travel and foul each other. Alot. But they shoot and score and enjoy themselves. Here is a shot of William making a basket:
OK. I promise it's William. You can kind of see his white sleeve behind the tall, blond kid with the glasses. Also, I am a terrible photographer. I should not be allowed to take pictures of my kids.
January also brings the NFL playoffs. We typically don't care about the NFL that much around here. Back in the day, Jay used to care. Alot. He studied the teams and players and even won his Fantasy Football League one year (1998, I think). But since we have kids now and no longer have unlimited time to fool around with stuff like that he hasn't followed the NFL too much. This year, however, his "team" - I put it in quotation marks because he only likes them because a former Ute quarterback plays for them - is in the playoffs. Since the game was on a Saturday afternoon and we only have one TV, I opted to avoid conflict - meaning Tessa throwing a tantrum about sports being on TV - by taking Tessa to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D. It was very fun and we got popcorn. And the 49ers won. Everyone is a winner.
Even in January.
I take it back. In January we have basketball to look forward to for the boys. They both play Jr. Jazz basketball and they love it. Henry is playing on a 5th and 6th grade team this year and they actually play, you know, basketball. They run plays and rebound and there is an actual point to it. William plays on a 1st and 2nd grade team. Sigh. They have fun. They pass the ball. They travel and foul each other. Alot. But they shoot and score and enjoy themselves. Here is a shot of William making a basket:
OK. I promise it's William. You can kind of see his white sleeve behind the tall, blond kid with the glasses. Also, I am a terrible photographer. I should not be allowed to take pictures of my kids.
January also brings the NFL playoffs. We typically don't care about the NFL that much around here. Back in the day, Jay used to care. Alot. He studied the teams and players and even won his Fantasy Football League one year (1998, I think). But since we have kids now and no longer have unlimited time to fool around with stuff like that he hasn't followed the NFL too much. This year, however, his "team" - I put it in quotation marks because he only likes them because a former Ute quarterback plays for them - is in the playoffs. Since the game was on a Saturday afternoon and we only have one TV, I opted to avoid conflict - meaning Tessa throwing a tantrum about sports being on TV - by taking Tessa to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D. It was very fun and we got popcorn. And the 49ers won. Everyone is a winner.
Even in January.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Resolved
Jay and I have resolved that our children are going to be nicer to each other this year. I don't know how kosher it is to resolve something that you, by yourself, cannot accomplish but we are bound and determined to help our little family get along better.
The kids have seemed to get gradually worse about picking at each other, calling each other names and just being frustrating. There are many evenings that I have gone to bed at a loss as how to get to a place where things are generally peaceful.
The solution - they pay. Money. They will be charged for being mean to each other, calling each other names and excessive teasing.
Jay bought two big Mason jars. Each child has a different color puffball. Each time they violate current family policy, the jar with the frowny face gets a puffball matching the color of the offending child. Each Monday night during Family Home evening, they pay up. Tonight, William owed $2.25, Henry owed $1.75 and Tessa owed a quarter. They cannot earn this money back and we haven't exactly decided what to do with it yet. However, in the week we have been doing this, I have noticed a difference. Contention has decreased, which is the whole point of the exercise anyway.
Also, because we want to catch them being good we have a reward system in place. The second Mason jar has a smiley face on it and any time we catch them being good - being nice to each other, helping each other, doing a good deed without being asked - they can add a puffball. Once we fill up the "good" jar, we will do a fun family activity together. So far they are doing things like taking out the garbage and recycling without being asked and helping each other at school.
So basically we are taking money away from the kids for being naughty. We honestly didn't know what else to do and they seem fairly reluctant to part with their not-so-hard-earned allowance. We shall see how it all turns out.
The kids have seemed to get gradually worse about picking at each other, calling each other names and just being frustrating. There are many evenings that I have gone to bed at a loss as how to get to a place where things are generally peaceful.
The solution - they pay. Money. They will be charged for being mean to each other, calling each other names and excessive teasing.
Jay bought two big Mason jars. Each child has a different color puffball. Each time they violate current family policy, the jar with the frowny face gets a puffball matching the color of the offending child. Each Monday night during Family Home evening, they pay up. Tonight, William owed $2.25, Henry owed $1.75 and Tessa owed a quarter. They cannot earn this money back and we haven't exactly decided what to do with it yet. However, in the week we have been doing this, I have noticed a difference. Contention has decreased, which is the whole point of the exercise anyway.
Also, because we want to catch them being good we have a reward system in place. The second Mason jar has a smiley face on it and any time we catch them being good - being nice to each other, helping each other, doing a good deed without being asked - they can add a puffball. Once we fill up the "good" jar, we will do a fun family activity together. So far they are doing things like taking out the garbage and recycling without being asked and helping each other at school.
So basically we are taking money away from the kids for being naughty. We honestly didn't know what else to do and they seem fairly reluctant to part with their not-so-hard-earned allowance. We shall see how it all turns out.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
A Good Year
2011 has been a good year for us.
Henry was declared cancer-free. The best news a parent can hear. Yes, I know it was only thyroid cancer (the "best" kind to have) but even thyroid cancer can cause serious complications so the fact that his treatment was successful is worth celebrating. Other than that, we have been pretty healthy, random stomach flu attacks not withstanding.
Jay has a good, stable job that he likes and allows him to use his talents and education. We love where we live and we love our neighbors and friends and ward family.
I love my calling in Primary, although today I'm stressing a bit because tomorrow 83 little people are getting new teachers and it's all on me. Hopefully no one will cry. Sunbeams can cry - we expect some transition issues with them since they are only 3 - but I'm hoping everyone else will be OK. I also love helping out at the kids school. This is the only year that they will all three be in the same school so I'm maximizing my time there, although helping with three Christmas parties on the same day (one at noon, one at 1 pm and one at 2 pm) left me twitching a bit.
Speaking of school, the kids are doing well. They all have their strengths and weaknesses but in general are happy and smart and enjoy learning. They are also enjoying the extra activities that they participate in, from Scouts to basketball to piano to dance.
My only hope is for another good year in 2012.
Happy New Year!
Henry was declared cancer-free. The best news a parent can hear. Yes, I know it was only thyroid cancer (the "best" kind to have) but even thyroid cancer can cause serious complications so the fact that his treatment was successful is worth celebrating. Other than that, we have been pretty healthy, random stomach flu attacks not withstanding.
Jay has a good, stable job that he likes and allows him to use his talents and education. We love where we live and we love our neighbors and friends and ward family.
I love my calling in Primary, although today I'm stressing a bit because tomorrow 83 little people are getting new teachers and it's all on me. Hopefully no one will cry. Sunbeams can cry - we expect some transition issues with them since they are only 3 - but I'm hoping everyone else will be OK. I also love helping out at the kids school. This is the only year that they will all three be in the same school so I'm maximizing my time there, although helping with three Christmas parties on the same day (one at noon, one at 1 pm and one at 2 pm) left me twitching a bit.
Speaking of school, the kids are doing well. They all have their strengths and weaknesses but in general are happy and smart and enjoy learning. They are also enjoying the extra activities that they participate in, from Scouts to basketball to piano to dance.
My only hope is for another good year in 2012.
Happy New Year!
Monday, December 26, 2011
Merry Christmas from Hyde Park
We had a lovely Christmas here in Hyde Park, Utah. It was cold but clear(ish). The kids were out of school starting Thursday but Tessa and Henry were felled by the stomach flu so we were quarantined until Saturday. We spent alot of time watching TV, playing on the Wii and trying hard to get along. On Christmas Eve everyone was well again so we made cookies for Santa and had a nice day together.
Christmas morning came early, but that's OK. The kids had a nice Christmas. We went to church and had a nice sacrament meeting with a lot of music and scriptures about the birth of the Savior and how we can honor His life by emulating His example. The kids were exhausted Christmas night but rallied on Monday to have a fun Christmas party with the extended Wright family in Ogden.
Here are a few pictures:
We hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Christmas morning came early, but that's OK. The kids had a nice Christmas. We went to church and had a nice sacrament meeting with a lot of music and scriptures about the birth of the Savior and how we can honor His life by emulating His example. The kids were exhausted Christmas night but rallied on Monday to have a fun Christmas party with the extended Wright family in Ogden.
Here are a few pictures:
We hope you had a wonderful Christmas!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Dancing Queen
Tessa's dance school has a cute little holiday recital for the classes. The girls show off a couple of dances to family and friends who come and applaud. It's way more low-key than the big spring recital and a fun way to spend a dark, cold winter's evening.
Here are two of Tessa's dances:
Enjoy and Merry Christmas!
Here are two of Tessa's dances:
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