It's Out!

Since having her bottom incisors pulled last year, Morgan has been not-so-patiently waiting for her first top tooth to get loose enough to fall out. She was pushing to have us tie the tooth to a doorknob and slam it shut....but we talked her out of that removal option. She wiggled, and wiggled, and wiggled, and wiggled her tooth. And then wiggled some more. Last Monday evening, she chickened out of having her dad give a final tug to remove the tooth prior to bedtime.

She went to bed and came out of her room saying that her loose tooth hurt but still refused to let us give it a tug. Twenty minutes later, she was back downstairs and Chadwick flicked it out of her mouth with a couple of fingers. Such a big grin!!

 

The tooth was placed in her little pink box and gently placed under her pillow. The little rascal was still awake when Chadwick and I were heading to bed (have I mentioned that she has a hard time falling asleep?) so the tooth fairy wasn't able to visit that night. My sweet hubs set his alarm for 6:30 am to sneak in and exchange the tooth, thinking that she would stay asleep. It was a sound plan; we can do all sorts of things on a normal morning without her budging an inch.

As he was reaching under her pillow, eye level with her face, her eyes popped open and met his. "Dad? Is it April 3? Do I need to get up for school?" she queried. Caught off guard, he quickly replied it was not and that she should go back to sleep. This would have been an epic fail had she connected the events. When I woke her later in the morning and asked if the tooth fairy had come, she answered in the affirmative and that dad had made a mistake by trying to wake her up earlier!

I'm thinking that we need to have a chat with the tooth fairy about setting up another holding place for lost teeth. This under-the-pillow tradition might get us into trouble....

A Little of This and That

The weather is warming up and spirits are rising across the Valley. We've been doing most of the normal stuff - playing at the library during Morgan's music class.

Building with blocks inside. Lining up trucks and cars on the coffee table (I'm so glad we got rid of our other, less sturdy table as that is what Spencer uses to play each day!). Creating houses and tents for dolls and stuffed animals.

Riding bikes around the neighborhood - both girls are doing so well on their bikes! I can't wait to get onto the Green Belt as the sun continues to shine. And hitting the park for the first time this year. I got off work early on Friday and took the kids to Redwood to play outside for a bit. Their coats came off soon after these photos were obtained.

Track break begins tomorrow and while we have no specific plans, Morgan is excited to have the mornings off the hurried routine. I'm thinking we should make a bucket list so that we do something while we have the chance....

Spencer's vocabulary continues to expand. He points out every car, truck, and plane in sight, loves to read books, watch movies, and play with cars. He says "torry" when anyone, including himself, says ouch, gives a curt "kanks" when handed something he wants. A good little eater, Spencer loves milk, cheese, yogurt, bread, fruit, mac and cheese, hamburger and hot dog, oatmeal, raisins, carrots, and pasta of any kind.

Mallorie is going to be our watchdog. This morning, I overheard her talking to her dad as he was braiding her hair before church. "Dad, Spencer can NOT wear that to church! He needs a white shirt! That isn't okay." She must have repeated this several times. It should be noted that I was the one who dressed my little man in blue dockers and a plaid yellow and blue button up shirt. Apparently, it's not appropriate....I thought he looked nice!

Morgan's skills in the kitchen are expanding. She's becoming proficient at making oatmeal in the morning, makes her lunch for school every day, and learned how to make macaroni and cheese this afternoon. She continues to be a good helper with her siblings, loves to read, and is a great student.

I love this little family of mine and am so blessed to have these souls in my life! It's good to sit back and listen to the sounds of the kiddos playing and laughing in the room next door, to watch them interact with one another, and to learn the ways of life.

Sassy-ness

Every few years, I get the urge to change up my look. I had a super short haircut in Spain that I loved and have never been able to replicate. Until now.

Twelve inches of my brown locks were braided and cut to be sent to Locks of Love - a company that specializes in making wigs for children under 21 years of age. They also sell some of the received hair to help offset costs for the company (though I'm not sure who buys said hair) and I love the thought that my hair can boost the confidence of a young person. In addition, I have several aunts who have gone through chemo and worn wigs during their recovery phase. Just seemed fitting.

 My hairstylist is a stay-at-home mom with her salon in the washroom of the home. Like most stylists, her hair is rarely the same each time I see her and she knows her stuff. She turned my brown, straight hair into an A-line, highlighted bob that brings out a sassy appearance. And I love it!

My girls were totally impressed with the changed appearance of my face with the new haircut, Spencer spent a few minutes carefully studying my features to see if anything else had changed, and one older man at church jokingly introduced himself to "this new member of the ward." Chadwick had a brother or two tease him about the new woman with whom he was sitting during sacrament meeting. "It's my mistress," replied my hubs with a grin. Dr. Bingham, veterinarian owner of Chadwick's clinic, actually used the word sassy in his description of my hair which I thought was fantastic. I don't always love being the center of attention, but I have to admit liking the positive comments about my new 'do.

I kind of feel like the haircut is just part of the changes that I've strived to make since the beginning of this year: a focus on physical health (joining the gym, hiring a trainer, working to clean up my eating, seeing a physical therapist for my shoulder issues), mental health (the one-word challenge, finding a balance for work and life and kids), and just learning to be okay in the skin in which I live.

On a side note, my brother, David, sent a selfie after his wife recently cut his hair. In his words, "it basically looks like the hair slid off my head onto my face." I had to laugh with his word choice, mostly because....he's right!

Happy Happy Birthday, Morgan Dear!

Seven years ago, this sweet girl made me a mom and my life has been forever changed for the better. Her birth was also less dramatic than the others - my mom flew in from Albuquerque the night before our planned C-section and got up early to make Chadwick a nice breakfast before we went to the hospital. I remember being quite sad that I couldn't partake of the eggs and toast as I had to fast before the procedure....so I took a shower, did my hair, posed for a picture by the front door and sauntered into the maternity ward to have my baby. We didn't find out the gender beforehand and were blessed with a healthy baby girl.  

Morgan Magoo, as we call her, or "Goo" from Spencer, is a joy. Smart and energetic with a beautiful smile, she livens up our household with her songs, jokes, and personality. She loves to help and do things on her own. Her siblings adore her and I love having her around in the evening to assist while I get dinner ready. Math comes easily for this little smartie pants and when she's not otherwise engaged, she has her nose stuck in a book. Right now, her favorite series are the Magic Treehouse and Ivy+Bean. She's still enamored with all things T-rex and spends hours building with Legos or drawing. I find little letters around the house in her tidy handwriting, letters written to Chadwick or myself expressing her love for us and our family. Music class with Aunt Becky and soccer are her extra activities, though she's not sure she wants to pursue soccer for more than one last season.

To celebrate, she wanted a date with just her and Chadwick and I. We went to lunch at Chick-fil-A and then bowled two frames at Big Al's. She totally beat me the first game and was ahead of me most of the second game....until I switched to a lighter ball and started knocking down some pins. Chadwick did well, though no one will be recruiting any of us for the next bowling league!

That night, the family came over for dinner and dessert. It had been a while since seeing the Austin family and it was good to catch up. Several of our neighbors came for cake and ice cream - we had a house-full to support Morgan in this celebration. She wanted another dinosaur cake, which morphed into a volcano. It was an awesome cake and one of the most crumbly I've ever eaten!

 Opening presents....

Spencer loves "Melmo"

 Sunday was church, a quiet afternoon, and home made pizza for dinner at her request.

We love you, Morgan!

Mid-February

I'm blaming the lack of posting on the mid-winter doldrums - we all spend too much time inside and while the sun is finally shining, the temperatures are not exactly warm. We are going through our day-to-day activities with moments of brightness. I can't say there's much posting material these last few weeks.

In honor of Valentine's Day, I'm listing a few of my "loves."

I love hearing the sound of the children's laughter as they play together while I make dinner. I love finding a splatter of pink hearts on the table next to a Valentine's card from my hubs. I love having the energy to go to the gym and come home for a productive afternoon around the house. Chadwick and I have gone on three dates together in the last few weeks which has been refreshing. I love Morgan's love of reading and learning. I love the warmth of a cat on my feet at night on the bed. I love watching my husband watch our children do something goofy. I love morning snuggles with Mallorie by my side. I love spending time with good friends. I love that my shoulders are feeling better with the help of my physical therapist. I love noticing a small hunt of a bulge in my biceps when brushing my hair. I love the smell of a freshly cleaned bathroom. I love dark chocolate with a hint of sea salt. I love the way Spencer smiles and wrinkles his nose at me when he's being cantankerous.

There's a hint of warmth in the air and the daffodils are starting to peek through the dirt in the front planter. Spring is around the corner - except that Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter - and I'm getting antsy to get outside and play in the dirt.

Maybe I'll get my camera out a little more as well.....

Re-defining.....

Exercise and Food

  Exercising was more about playing sports and doing cardio (running, elliptical, swimming, P90X3 videos). Food was more about trying to make good choices (only 2 cookies instead of 4) and eating a balanced diet. It was less about tracking daily activities and creating a plan of attack at the gym. Less about counting calories and thinking about what/how much I've eaten in a given day. Less time thinking about my posture, how I'm holding the spoon while stirring food in the pot, and what the numbers read at the end of the day.

  Then I joined the gym. Hired a trainer. Downloaded a new calorie/activity/weight management app on my iPhone. Researched and purchased a Fitbit Charge 2 to help keep track of the new numbers in my life.

  Back in November of last year, I was experiencing numbness in my right hand during certain activities, such as using the blow dryer, and eventually got to the point that my hands would be numb when I woke up most mornings. Tension head aches traveled from my shoulders to my temples and the tightness in my neck was ridiculous. My friend Donna recommended physical therapy, and I'm happy to report that after weekly sessions with Heather, some stretching at home, and one massage, I'm in the homestretch and have my hands about back to normal. My awareness of my shoulder posture is always at a high and since starting the training regimen at the gym, it's also a learning experience of what I can and shouldn't do with that right shoulder. My right thumb is still acting up though, and is going to get some attention over the next few weeks at the PT office (carpal tunnel? poor posture in the joint?).

  Enter my desire to start the new year with a new focus on my body. I want to take care of it now while it's just slightly broken instead of doing major repairs in the future. Hence the gym membership and Dave, my personal trainer. He measured, pinched, calculated, and together we came up with some target numbers for weight and total body fat percentage. I have an idea of the number of calories I should be eating to achieve my goals, the calories that should be burned on a daily basis, and the means to track both.

  I've been lucky that counting calories has never been part of my life until now, and I'm slowing drowning in those numbers even though it's only been a week since logging into dotFIT for the first time. This is completely changing how I work out, my thought process for eating, and perhaps how I feel about myself. It's highlighting weaknesses in my self-control (or lack thereof) when it comes to sweets and carbs. It's teaching me how to use the weight machines at the gym and creating a schedule for increasing my level of fitness. It's also teaching me to re-think my time management as going to the gym is a major commitment three mornings per week.

Household chores

  I grew up with an allowance for chores completed. Chadwick grew up with no allowance. We are still working to find a happy medium for our little family. A friend recommended a book that shaped how she developed a chore regimen for her family, and I quickly ordered my own copy from Amazon.

  Jodie Norton outlines her methods and reasons for her system, which she has been developing for quite a few years, it sounds like. It has three categories - expectables, payables, and saveables. Totally made up words and she freely admits to the fact. There are some chores that children need to accomplish daily without question - the ones that are related to personal hygiene (dressing, teeth, hair). And in my family this includes bedroom chores and homework. The next level is the group of chores that are expected from all family members to keep the house running more smoothly - cleaning up your dishes at the table, picking up toys and personal items at the end of each day, unloading and reloading the dishwasher as needed, or putting away clean clothes. The payable chores are the ones that provide the opportunity to earn money - each child has a form to fill out a spreadsheet each week with checks as chores are completed. At the end of the week, a "please pay" slip is turned in with the amount done. No chores done, no payment. No slip turned it, no payment. All of these chores have with them consequences that occur when the chore isn't complete.

  I love the idea of this system for a few reasons - it teaches children to be responsible for keeping track of their work. It teaches responsibility for their action, or lack thereof, and they can start learning to manage money. The savable chores are for those children who are capable of saving up for a bigger ticket item. The wages received for the chore is reflected in the level of difficulty for that chore.

  Our "expectables" list is hanging on the wall in the kitchen and I'm gearing up for the next phase. Chadwick is totally on board with the system which makes me excited to put everything into place.

Reading

  In the past, I've been a John Grisham, Nicholas Sparks type reader. Recently, I've branched out - The Speed of Trust, Time Well Spent, Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families, and The Outward Mindset: Seeing Beyond Ourselves have been my choices. Not exactly light reading, but I'm learning about people, myself, and how I can more positively interact with those in my circle of influence. The Collapse of Parenting is on my list as well as the biography of Gordon B. Hinkley.

Date Nights

It's hard to squeeze in time for a formal date night with my hubs and I've renewed my desire to have more informal ones with him. Ones where we sit on the couch, eat a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream and talk or play a game. Quality time, in other words. My waistline (and numbers) can't handle this type of date every week, but my goal is to do this monthly. January? Check!

One Word

A newsletter in my Inbox from Gifted Leaders challenged its readers to try something new for this year - ditch the resolutions. Instead, concentrate on finding one word to be the intentional focus for 2017.

One word. The idea resonated with me almost immediately and I set out to find my word - a word that has meaning, that correlates with the resolutions I wrote down in my planner, and that would be easy to remember.

follow-though

I find that I often have a hard time finishing a project. I'll get started on something and either forget to follow-though to the end, get side-tracked in the middle, or take off more than I can chew. These projects aren't necessarily big like making cabinets or painting the bathroom. It's more often like taking the trash all the way to the trash can, placing a new liner in the wastebasket, carting the dishrag to the hamper instead of leaving it on the floor where it got chucked in the middle of dinner prep. Mailing the card I want to send within a few days from purchase. Reading the article that sounds interesting. Getting out of bed when my alarm goes off. And the list continues.

The words "follow-though" were perfect - in order to meet the goals I set for myself this year, follow-through is mandatory. By following-through with my commitment and plans, I increase the trust in myself and believe that when I say I will do something, it will be done. I increase the level of trust others have in me as I become a woman of my word. My self-confidence will increase by completing the mundane tasks of my day, or at least feel good at bedtime knowing that what I did accomplish was done fully. (I also don't have to watch my hubs walk through the house putting the finishing touches on tasks I started earlier in the day; I have a hard time when he does that.)

I typed up the words and put them on the desk in the kitchen as a daily reminder. This year will be a year of completing goals, of personal growth, and reaching out to others. What else can I learn by following-through?