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My deep thinking, watch out! :)

So obviously things have been pretty stressful in our lives lately, and it has been different for Dan and the rest of us to have him home all of the time. So one thing that an and I have discussed, thought about, prayed about, fasted about... is disciplining our children. We have had attitudes crop up, life is far from "normal" and who knows when it will return, but we still all need to enjoy each other and live together. I figured this is something most other parents have to think about from time to time as well so I thought I'd share a couple really helpful links.

One is just a short post that I really enjoyed the other day from Parenting Passageway. I think it is something we all need reminding of. It is HERE! She also has a whole section full of gentle discipline links on her blog here.

The other is a link that has sat over there on my side bar quietly for a while. I have always meant to highlight it but just never have! Now that I have this time to share crazy thoughts instead of pictures your finally hearing about it! :) It is from the David O. McKay School of Education at BYU. It is called YOU CAN DO THIS! A little awkward to navigate though, I wish I could print out a pdf of it, but it is all fantastic information. I hope you make the time to read it.

Still no photo to go along, but thats ok I think the picture in my header up there fits well for my thoughts today!

Things are different on this side of the country, REALLY different. I could write a million blog posts and still find more differences I am sure! But one difference is that there are just not as many big families here, and it seems with Leili's birth we were propelled into the category of "Big Family". I am sure some of it is the cost, it is expensive here, but I think most of it is the culture and overall view. As we are a homeschooling family, the kids go everywhere with me, plus we have already had some fun adventures that I promise to share once I get the pictures off my camera. So already I have heard quite often, "Wow, are these all yours?" or, "You have your hands full" and even, "Your busy". :) I usually always try to respond with something about being very blessed, or that they are all blessings. I have also started with things like I enjoy it or we have alot of fun too!

I also hear pretty often well meaning people who suggest that I need a break or sanity time. But really I had 4 children because I wanted to, and I homeschool because I enjoy having my children around (most of the time), plus I know I have found that if I start spending much time away from the kids then I seem to have less patience with them when I am with them. It is like a vicious cycle!

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my date night with Dan, and even other times I have by myself. But I don't need to be rescued from my kids! Except maybe after Dan has been on a long trip! :)

I am not perfect, I have bad days when I wish I was a teenager and could sleep all day. But overall I really enjoy my kids we have fun and I know they are truly a blessing from my Heavenly Father. And I know that this is my most important calling/job!

I recently found this blog post that I thought I would share, this gal is alot more eloquent and I agreed with her on this one!

I hope you all are enjoying your children today, if not ask Heavenly Father to help you enjoy them, He will help! Children are to be a joy! It also helps to peek at them when they are sleeping, there is nothing so angelic as a sleeping child! :)

9 YEARS AGO...

I became a mama, and here we are back to the same place again, San Diego, and the same address, my dads'. This is my favorite early photo of Riley I shared a bit back, what a sweet little one he was. Leili seems very similar to Riley as a baby except Riley slept, really slept. I miss sleeping. I miss quite a few things. But not the sun, I am enjoying the sun right now it is WONDERFUL! So having Leili has sent me down memory lane as I gaze at her and remember those first gazes as a mama with Riley, 9 years ago.

Sorry there is no picture of him today, I took one but you'll have to wait. I have a camera full of pictures to show you, but I have no clue where my camera cable is and I don't even have my computer. Not anyones high priority I guess, and well I am just not into computers enough to figure out all those wires. So I wait and dream of having a laptop (I dream big so it is a macbook in my daydreams!) so that I am never computer less again, that sounds blissful. :)

So eventually I will have something to blog again, but I could not let today slip away without sharing my nostalgic feelings.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RILEY!

XOXOXOXOX