Teacher Mama

Sunday Morning Snapshots

2012-01-22T09:12:00.000-08:00

Daddies and Buddies

2012-01-22T08:45:00.000-08:00

Our Daddy is often underrepresented in posts. He works long hours, and is currently in grad school as well. We are grateful that even after long days he finds time to hold the buddies and read them some books. Remember Daddy, these are the good old days. We'll miss them when they are gone.

Oh, To Be Young

2012-01-18T12:37:00.002-08:00

Logan had a friend over today. While eating snacks, I eavesdropped on their conversation.

Logan: "Every boy who grows up is a prince."

Taegan: "No, they aren't."

Logan: "Yes, when boys grow up, they marry beautiful girls and they become princes, and the girls become princesses."

Taegan: "Oh."

Logan: "Maybe I will marry you when I grow up." (Giggle)

We Love You, Beach

2012-01-04T04:26:00.000-08:00

We recently returned home from our annual pilgrimage to the beach.

This year we had about 50 in the group. We filled several campsites and provided entertainment to bundled up and awestruck Californians who, after seeing us in the freezing water, curiously asked if we were Canadians.

Grandma was the oldest.

Stockton was the youngest.

Our days are filled with a myriad of activities. Some of our favorites are beach volleyball,

sleeping,

ocean kayaking,

cuddling in tents,

playing in the waves,

catching sea creatures,

relaxing in camp chairs and watching the body boarders get pounded in the waves,

grandmas and little kids foot racing,

and running away from freezing ocean water.

Logan played hard all day, and began begging to go to sleep every night by 7:00. At the beach, he barely checked in for a sandwich and a hug, lest his glorious playing be interrupted.

Stockton also loved his trip. He slept well and got acquainted with his new cousins.

Logan and his cousin George spent hours digging this hole.

Grandma and Grandpa spooned on the blanket.

Daddy and Logan played.

Mommy and baby slept and cuddled.

Logan body boarded on the sand... and a little in the water.

Beach, you are our very favorite. We'll miss you until next year.

New Skills

2011-12-13T12:32:00.001-08:00

The big brother at out house is learning how to write.

This is the card he wrote to his pre-school teacher.

Translation: "This is raspberry jam. I love Mrs. Thompson. Logan."

The little brother at our house...

is learning to smile.

December Birthdays

2011-12-13T11:55:00.000-08:00

My mom and Greg both have birthdays in December. With all of the hustle and bustle, sometimes they don't get the celebration they deserve. This year, my sister-in-law and I planned a date night to take them out on the town. Since Greg was turning the big 6-0, we thought it appropriate. I'm seriously glad my brother got married so I have someone to plan parties with.

We left the kids home, except for the littlest one, who Grandma promptly removed from his restful car seat to hold.

We had a lovely and entertaining dinner at the Blue Lemon. Try it. Very tasty.

This is my brother John and his lovely wife Liz. After this picture, we made fun of John's apparent inability to smile on command. We then proceeded to try to get a picture of him smiling.

He was uncooperative.

Even though we were very hilarious.

He put up his best effort to keep a straight face.

We eventually broke through....

thanks to Mom pouring cold water down his shirt.

I had to demonstrate how to give a great BIG smile for him. :)

We also enjoyed watching Stockton lick grandma's wool coat. Don't you just love the oral stage?

We took this picture to document the excellent fountains outside the restaurant.

I sure love these two.

Happy Birthday, Mom and Greg!

Moments to Keep

2011-12-06T13:31:00.001-08:00

I am learning that happiness is not really about the absence of difficulty and pain in life. It seems that joy can be found in the beauties life has to offer, even when some elements of life are very difficult. I'm thankful for my dear sweet Logan who has taught me to appreciate little moments, and Stockton, who has been such a source of joy since he came to our family.

Here are a few of my happy Logan memories as of late:

While sitting at the table coloring next to me, he looked up and said (like a nervous teenager), "Mom... I was wondering... since Dad is gone at work right now... if maybe you wanted to go on a date with me?"

"Sure, Logan. What are we going to do on our date?" I replied.

"Well, we could go out to a restaurant, go to the candy store, and get a RedBox!"

Our date is scheduled for tomorrow.

Last week he came in the house chilly and red-nosed and brought me, "the last flower of the summer." It was a little purple one that survived the frost.

He required many extra cuddles last night after telling me exasperatedly that he was afraid of the fire breathing dragons. I tried to no avail to explain that komodo dragons are the only real kind of dragon, and that they don't breath fire, and that they live in Indonesia, but he was not to be consoled. His logic was that castles are real, so dragons are real too.

I finally abandoned the argument, and told him I would help him make some dragon spray to keep them away from his room. After that he felt much better.

Often when I am nursing the baby, he brings me a drink of water, unsolicited. Sometimes he brings me two, if the cup is small.

I'm sure one lonely day in my future life, I'll want to remember these happy moments. :)

Brothers

2011-11-18T12:35:00.000-08:00

Hi Grandma,

Our other readers may be tiring of baby pictures and commentary, but we know that you aren't. These are for you.

Logan has been generally happy in his new role as big brother. The transition has gone more smoothly than I expected it to.
He makes occasional endearing comments to Stockton. One of the first was, "It is really hard being a baby. I used to be one, and I know."
Nursing is a very interesting phenomenon to Logan. Today he asked, "Mom, is the baby done milking you?"
While watching the "The Three Little Pigs, Silly Symphony" today, he politely asked,"Will you please turn off that baby's crying?"

Logan usually refers to Stockton as "brother" rather than by his given name.

Stockton usually refers to Logan as, "WAAHHH!" as Logan enthusiastically hugs, kisses, cuddles, smothers, or "helps" Stockton.

We're still working on that.

Trailing Clouds of Glory

2011-11-06T10:27:00.000-08:00

Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:

The Soul that rises with us; our life's Star,

Hath elsewhere it's setting,

And cometh from afar:

Not in entire forgetfulness,

And not in utter nakedness,

But trailing clouds of glory do we come

From God, who is our home.

-William Wordsworth

10 Days Tomorrow

2011-10-26T14:37:00.001-07:00

Stockton, today is your last single digit birthday. We thought we would document with a few pics. Please, don't grow up too fast.

Welcome to the Family

2011-10-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

Stockton Gregory has finally arrived. He weighed 8 lbs. and was 21 inches long. Gratefully, both mom and baby enjoyed a beautiful and uncomplicated delivery.

Summertime Happenings

2011-10-03T02:57:00.000-07:00

We hope you all have made some happy memories this summer. Here are a few of ours.

Logan recently suggested and planned a family date on one of Topher's days off.

He chose the dinosaur museum.

Logan attempted to snorkel in the irrigation ditch. It was a bit colder than he expected.

Grandpa and Logan built a trellis for our new blackberry bushes.

Shoes are optional on jobs like this, aren't they?

Logan happily consumed the remainder of his teddy bear treats on the bench outside after his first day of pre-school. His baby buffalo got to accompany him on the first day, by invitation of his new teacher, Mrs. Thompson.

We had a relaxing weekend getaway in Park City with some of Topher's family.

This is Logan and Grandma Karin atop the mountain after a chair lift ride.

Daddy and Logan were all smiles after the Alpine Slide.

We are looking forward to the arrival of our new little brother, scheduled to arrive sometime in the next few weeks.

"Duck" Tape and Peaches

2011-08-11T14:14:00.000-07:00

Thank you to the nice eBay seller who sent us replacement tent poles in the mail. The tent poles were arrived as described and in a timely manner.

Much to Logan's surprise and joy, the poles were shipped in a nifty triangular box that provided an afternoon of delightful "duck" taping for Logan, while he fashioned a home for his "baby animals" (the stuffed sort).
While Logan was working on his project, we had the following conversation:

Logan: "Mom, is 'duck' tape the strongest kind of tape?"

Mom: "I'm not sure Logan, but it is the strongest kind of tape I know of."

Logan: "Is 'duck' tape stronger than ducks? If you taped their wings down with 'duck' tape, would they be able to get out and fly?"

Mom: "Probably not. We should not try that, because it might hurt the ducks."

Logan: "What about cow tape? Is 'duck' tape stronger than cow tape? Cows are stronger than ducks."

Mom: "I don't know if there is any such thing as cow tape, but if there is, it makes sense that it would be very strong."

Clearly, we need to take a tour of the furnace room in our basement, discuss the duct system that runs between the walls, and the purpose of DUCT tape.

I just couldn't bear to do it today.

On an unrelated note, Logan is feeling quite protective of me and my growing belly. He insisted on climbing the ladder to pick our peaches.

So I let him.

Thanks for the help, buddy. I really don't know what I'd do without you.

Paper Plates

2011-08-02T15:50:00.000-07:00

When I was little, I remember my mom pulling out a stack of paper plates when life got crazy at our house. If there aren't enough hours in the day to keep up, why not sack the dishes? When life calmed down, we always returned to our more civilized dinnerware.

I think her idea was a brilliant one. When I was writing my thesis, we ate on paper every night. Now that I'm in the third trimester of my pregnancy, paper plates are looking pretty good again!

Hope to be back to washing my dishes soon.

Glad THAT is Done

2011-07-26T16:13:00.000-07:00

Also glad THIS is almost done.

We are looking forward to meeting our new little brother who is scheduled to arrive Fall 2011.

Spiderman

2011-07-05T14:07:00.000-07:00

Logan has never seen Spiderman. I'm not quite sure how he figured out who he is.

Nevertheless, he thinks Spiderman is very wonderful, and he requested a Spiderman face painting for the 4th of July, which his grandma happily purchased for him.

He spent the rest of the day serenading us with the Spiderman theme song, running back and forth from the bathroom mirror exclaiming, "MOM!! CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW AWESOME I LOOK?!!", and doing cool Spiderman moves.

Here he is singing on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru9o3ZmO0QA

He is still wearing the face paint today. I just couldn't bear to have him take a shower before bed and ruin his fun. It was worth the load of laundry to wash the bedding this morning.

If You Live By Mountains,

2011-06-13T12:13:00.000-07:00

and you haven't been up to them lately, you should go.

Logan and I abandoned our garden weeding and dish washing this morning. We took a drive up the canyon for a picnic and a hike instead.

Memorial Day Weekend Birthday Hoo Haa

2011-06-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

We took off for Memorial Day weekend to celebrate my birthday...

in Sunny St. George.
Topher got his ear pierced while we were there... by a lizard. No kidding. He thought it would be funny to let the Lizard we caught for Logan hang from his ear... until it didn't let go... for a long time. We are still awaiting the onset of a strange lizard disease from his wound.

Logan stayed with a safer approach of keeping him in his hands.

We spent a few hours at our favorite splash park.

Logan took us on a desert hike.

It was my birthday. Topher made me this yummy fruit pizza for my cake... most of which I ate... in one sitting. Yum.

Confessions of a Backblogged Mom

2011-05-29T18:17:00.000-07:00

Springtime is busy at our house. There hasn't been much time for blogging or picture taking. In fact, I haven't even downloaded the pictures from my camera for months. When I did, I got a surprise...

Clearly, Logan has not approved of my lack of picture taking and downloading, and he took it upon himself to take up the task. I found dozens and dozens of pictures of his "baby aminals" all lined up and posing for a variety of shots.

Not quite sure when he confiscated the camera, or who taught him how to turn it on and use it.

When I Grow Up

2011-03-09T17:35:00.000-08:00

Logan and I read a book about occupations this week. After we finished the book, he began telling me all of his plans for adulthood. I quickly grabbed a pen to write down his comments so I can read them at his wedding breakfast one day. Here is the list:

1. Drive cars
2. Fly airplanes
3. Drive boats
4. Buy a "house" at the end of our street (a small business complex we drive past every day) and be your (my) neighbor. I will come visit you every day and every night, even on Sundays.
5. Be a very cool kite flyer
6. Protect people
7. Marry a girl at the "ogre" (Oquirrh) temple
8. Trim trees (watched his Daddy trim the apple tree on Saturday)
9. Jump high
10. Work hard
11. Work for my family
12. Be an awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome kite flyer
13. Read books every night and every day
14. Be an awesome box fighter... that is put bad guys in a box and punch them with socks
15. Get my kids a drink
16. Take Mommy on a date when I'm big
17. Exercise
18. Play basketball games with my daddy
19. Do great things
20. Get new clothes

Disclaimer: I Did Not Take These Pictures

2011-03-04T12:46:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law, who claims not to be a professional photographer, came over to our house and took some pictures of Logan. I can take credit for standing behind her and making ridiculous faces though. Thanks, Lizzie!

Logan recently learned how to snap, but it still requires a great deal of concentration.

There are also some great shots of Logan with his cousins. We'll save those for another post.

A Grown Up in a 3-Year-Old Body

2011-02-23T18:59:00.000-08:00

Logan,

Last Sunday I was having a discussion with someone after church, and you wandered off to visit a few people yourself. I was watching you, but I couldn't hear you. You walked up to the bench in front of a family you hadn't met. A neighbor recounted the story to me today.

Upon approaching the bench, you introduced yourself. You struck up a conversation and began asking them about themselves (probably with the phrase, "So, how is your day?"...this is your most commonly used conversation starter.) After 5 minutes of visiting the family told you it was time for them to go home. You said,

"Okay, goodbye. Remember, my name is Logan. L-O-G-A-N. When you get home, write it down so you don't forget."

-Mommy

Things that Would Never Fly in the U.S., and Other Fun Details About our Trip to Central America

2011-01-24T07:35:00.000-08:00

Topher and I just returned from a wonderful cruise aboard the Norwegian Spirit.

One of the highlights was no doubt the late night chocolate buffet. You would think I could stay awake in anticipation, but I couldn't. Topher had to drag me out of bed, after I fell asleep at 7:30 pm. I'm glad he did. Yum.

Sleepy eyed in a long line awaiting chocolately deliciousness!

This in Antonio Mario. He sold us some great hammocks, much to his delight, and ours.

This is me in Honduras sipping the best pina colada that I have ever tasted!

Another highlight was our trip to a little monkey zoo of sorts (Honduras). They took us right in the cages with the animals. This parrot bit Topher.

These little capuchan monkeys were so cute! We played with them in their cages and fed them sunflower seeds.

We took this pic in the cage with this beautiful toucan.

This is Topher getting attacked by iguanas! Okay, it wasn't really an attack. This was an iguana refuge, and they apparently liked him, because they all surrounded him for some attention. I was not so bold.

These were supposed to be for the fish to eat...

Well, you get the point.

This is us right before heading off to our cave tubing adventure in Belize.

More coconut. Yum.

Walking on the beach in Costa Maya, MX.

This is us before a show on the ship.

On our way to another fabulous dinner!

Bye bye, cruise. Until next time...

This Morning Logan Reminded Me

2011-01-07T07:14:00.000-08:00

"Mama, when people are old, they grow up to be angels."
-Logan

Logan, I think before people grow old, they are angels too. Thanks for being one of mine.

Our Beach

2011-01-05T02:23:00.000-08:00

Weather permitting, each year between Christmas and New Years we trek to the beach for a family camping trip ("we" meaning most of my extended family on my mom's side, and anyone else who wants to come along). We delight in a few sunny days, and usually tolerate a few rainy ones. This year's trip was marvelous.

My cousin and I were commenting on how we can't remember many Christmas presents we received through the years, although I'm sure there were many. We remember every beach trip though.

Running on the beach with my cousins.

Grandma and my little niece Pearl, whose mother did a much better job than I did keeping sand out of her swimsuit than I did when Logan was that age.

Skipping for more sand tools.

Uncle John with little boys.

Grandma and Grandpa who started this tradition 50 years ago.

Castle building.

One of my ironic parenting moments... Logan threw the football they were playing with deep in this large pokey bush to tease his cousin. Thinking I had devised an excellent natural consequence, I told him that he had to climb in and get it out. It took him quite some time and several scratches. After getting it out, he felt so pleased with himself, that he promptly threw the ball back in to show how awesome he was at getting the ball out of the bush.

Beach, we'll miss you.

Until next year...

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-23T07:01:00.000-08:00

We hope you and yours have a beautiful Christmas holiday.

If you need a laugh to alleviate the stress of the season, check out Lisa and Logan at this link: http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/XTqPurjTC66Y10YoWNxA

Or this one:
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/CqmAEdGKLZQWMJO6tZrv

Isn't is Just Amazing How Our Little Ones

2010-12-11T13:28:00.000-08:00

help us be better?

Here are a few lessons I have learned from Logan lately:

1. He insists on picking up litter and throwing it in the garbage can. I find myself spotting trash in parking lots, and trying to steer him clear. He inevitably spots it and reminds me,

"Mom, if we don't pick it up, who will?"

2. While getting my shoes on the other day, he looked at me, smiled, and said,

"Mom, when you are old, I am going to tie your shoes for you."

3. He reminds us to say testimonies during family home evening, and at church. He eagerly volunteers to go first.

4. Recently after a long exhausting day, Logan was following me around the house whining. I turned and snapped at him,

"Logan, I have had it! Go get ready for bed!"

He dropped his head, turned to walk out of the room, and started to cry. He looked over his shoulder and tearily said,

"Mom, I'm going to say a prayer for you that you can be nice."

He knelt down right there in the doorway, bowed his head, and prayed aloud through tears that I could be a nice mommy, and that he could forgive me.

Here I thought parenting was about helping and training him, but it just amazes me how often the tables turn.

Onety

2010-11-14T06:03:00.000-08:00

Logan,

You made a very logical conclusion this week. You counted to nineteen, and then proceeded to onety, onety one, onety two, onety three, etc.

It really does make sense, right?

Onety
Twenty
Thirty
Forty
etc...

As I considered your logic, I did determine that according the pattern in the Base 10 system, onedy might be a more logical replacement for 10 and the subsequent teen numbers, rather than an insertion prior to twenty; however, your observation was still a very good one.

Unfortunately, despite your insightful discovery, we'll have to work on returning to the universally used number system.

Your conceptual understanding of place value at age 3 is absoultely delightful. Nice thinking, son.

Love, Mom

Raking

2010-11-07T06:22:00.000-08:00

takes longer with 3 year olds, but it is much more fun than raking alone.

My 3 Year Old Has a Job that Pays $30 an Hour

2010-10-24T17:05:00.000-07:00

We had a very plentiful pumpkin crop this year. After all of Logan's sweat and toil by my side in the garden, I thought he might enjoy selling a few. Well, word of the sale traveled through the neighborhood of grandmas and grandpas we live in. Even after his Saturday afternoon sidewalk display ended, we had phone calls requesting a visit to Logan's pumpkin patch. Despite the low prices he offered (well, they were low after we helped him adjust his original suggested price of $20 a pumpkin), he made a killing. Pictures of the pumpkin sale will have to wait. They are on Topher's computer which is being repaired.

For now, here is Logan with a few pumpkins he saved to carve.

Grad School

2010-09-28T04:31:00.000-07:00

I may not be blogging much for a while. I'm headed here for a Masters Degree. I'll pop in when I can.

Fall Pictures in the Backyard

2010-09-23T07:44:00.001-07:00

Ready for School?

2010-09-06T19:41:00.001-07:00

This week I had a short conversation with a barely 5 year old boy. He is entering kindergarten. My heart ached as I saw several behavioral and academic indications that he would struggle in school. He is delayed. Sadly, he may have been ready to enter school by now if his parents had worked with him on some academic and social skill development. He may not catch up without intervention. He is a bright child who hasn't had much training or adult interaction. I wanted to tell his mom to keep him home another year. I didn't. It really isn't my business. I probably couldn't have extinguished her determination to get "free day care" as soon as possible anyway.

I'm not writing this post as a parent. I'm writing it as a teacher. Being a parent is hard, and sometimes there are factors outside our control that impact our children's ability to be successful in school. There are, however; many factors within our control. Moms and dads can do much to prepare their young children to be successful in school. Seeing this young boy reminded me to re-double my efforts to teach Logan. I don't want him to struggle because I didn't help him prepare. Below are some skills we have been working on at home. While this teaching is very intentional, it is rarely formal. It just happens as opportunities arise throughout the day:

1. Coin recognition
2. Rhyming
3. Letter name and sound recognition (while shopping, reading books, driving in the car)
4. Sight word recognition
5. Tracing/writing names of family members
6. "Reading" books (Even if they are memorized, this is a great confidence builder. Logan has a pile of books in his room that he can "read" to me.)
7. Following directions the first time
8. Social problem solving skills
9. Taking turns
10. Simple math story problems (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division)
11. Following the rules in games
12. Measurement (How many blocks long is the couch?, play with a measuring tape, measurement while cooking)
13. Counting
14. Shapes and colors
15. Exposure to narrative and informational texts (I often ask Logan to predict words or events as we read, I also ask him to re-tell portions of the story as we go.)
16. Singing
17. Story telling (Logan tells the stories)
18. Working on a difficult task for an extended period
19. Address and phone number
20. Fine motor skill activities (stringing beads, coloring, playing with small toys)
21. Respect for adults other than me
22. Saying thank you
23. Cleaning up after himself
24. Geography (we look at maps and discuss where animals live and why)
25. Drawing pictures

I am amazed at how receptive Logan is. He is like a little sponge, and he longs to be involved and to be taught new things. Sometimes children lose that desire for interaction. I guess I'll take advantage of it while I can.

Pet

2010-08-22T18:16:00.001-07:00

As you may have noticed in previous posts, our Grandma is cool. Sometimes, she catches pets for Logan. Her latest catch was a very small toad she found hopping through the grass in her yard.

My idea was to let Logan play with him for a few hours, and then let him "live in our ditch"... (let him go). After a mild chastisement from my mother for denying my child the joy of such a wonderful pet, I conceded.

And built him a terrarium.

Logan named him, Caterpillar Toad Boy (The toad eats caterpillars, and he is a boy... what brilliant logic.) He also eats ants, which we catch and feed to him daily.

He eats them like this... sort of.

Ribbit.

Irrigation Day

2010-08-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I struggle to get a good smile out of Logan when it is time for a picture. Not on irrigation day.
It is the best day of the week.

What more could a boy want than to go fishing off a bridge in his own back yard? Who cares if there aren't even any fish!

We know our Uncle John would not approve of this rudimentary method of recreation...

but we do.

On irrigation day, we don't wash our faces.

Potato bugs are abundant. Today there was even a bonus (not pictured). Logan caught a "swim worm". It was a worm swimming in the water. It is now living in a jar in his bedroom.

Please notice the twisted overalls. Logan dresses himself in his best watering clothes on irrigation day, and heads for the ditch.

According to Logan, there really isn't a better way to cool off than sitting in the cold gutter...

and visiting with fellow irrigation day lovers as they ride past.

Phone Call

2010-06-22T18:18:00.001-07:00

You might not laugh at this post, unless you know both Logan and his cousin George. If you don't know them, but you are familiar with the personalities of their parents who are siblings, you may still laugh.

Ring ring ring.

"Hi Grandma. Can I talk to George?" (Logan's darling cousin pictured with frogs below who was playing at Grandma's house.)

(George picks up and says hello)

"(Excitedly) George! Hi, do you want some curry for dinner? It is very good and spicy, but not too spicy."

(No response from George)

"(Exasperated) George, George, GEORGE! Do you want some curry? George, are you there? GEORGE!"

(Still no response. Logan hangs up, frustrated.)

"Hmmmph. I just can't handle him. He only said one thing! I'm calling him back. He is my BEST friend. I want to give him some curry."

(Logan begins redialing... probably 911 or something... and puts the phone to his ear. When it doesn't ring, he asks me to call him back. Logan is only 3. He doesn't know how to dial phone numbers.)

"Hi George!"

(George answers, but doesn't have much to say about curry or anything else. He was obviously busy playing.)

(Logan hangs up mumbling under his breath) "I just can't handle him."

Frogs

2010-06-09T16:53:00.000-07:00

Family Pics

2010-06-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

Since it has been quite a while since we have taken any of these, I figured they were worth posting.

Logan Would Like To Wish Y'All a Happy Spring

2010-04-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

Monday morning we went outside to work in the yard. Sometime between Saturday and Monday morning, our nectarine, plum, pear, and peach trees blossomed. Logan was thrilled. He ran next door and got our sweet neighbor (and gardening mentor) yelling, "LOOK WHAT HAPPENED!!" It was a true springtime miracle in the eyes of this 3 year old.

We are also happy to announce that we have begun planting in the garden again. This season we are going to try a few new things. Our experimental vegetables this year are potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower. We are also starting an asparagus patch and a blackberry patch. We don't know much (except for a bit of pre-planting research) about these crops. If anyone has any expertise, it would be appreciated.

It Rained Last Night

2010-04-13T14:24:00.000-07:00

We are sealing part of the foundation on our house. We spent Saturday digging a big hole so we could expose the crack. Dang. We should have checked the weather forecast before we exposed the hole!

4:30 am - Wake up to a shallow lake in the basement and spend the next several hours quietly mopping up water that was still coming into the house as quickly as I could clean it up.

8:00 - No progress made on the lake. Water still pouring in.

8:20 - Father-in-law shows up to drop off a wet/dry vac. Thank you! Spend the next several hours running between Logan, work, and the lake, trying to get things dried out.

12:30 - Inside lake empty, but water still coming in through crack. Go outside to see 50+ gallons of water trapped in the hole, still funneling into my basement. Wanted to swear but didn't. Maybe I should have. I might have felt better.

12:45 - Breaker goes out from running vac and fan. Switch outlets.

1:00 - Logan is helping me dry. He threw his sippie cup on the ground (for no apparent reason) and it bounces and hits me in the face. I lose patience and send Logan upstairs.

1:15 - Black eye forms from sippie cup incident.

1:30 - Smack head hard on board above crack where water is coming in. Goose egg forms.

1:40 - Smack head again in the same spot. Goose egg grows.

1:45 - 3 year old who is still not down for a nap is quiet upstairs for a surprising amount of time. Go upstairs to find him "watering the plants (seedlings for the garden)". Mud and water all over bathroom.

2:00 - After cleaning bathroom (with help from Logan), attempt to put him down for a nap. He cries because he is hungy. Of course he is hungry. He had to find himself food all morning while I mopped and vacuumed water. All he ate was potato chips, popcorn, and chocolate milk all day.

2:10 - Bad Mommy feeds Logan chicken, rice, and apples.

2:20 - Logan goes back to bed for 5 minutes and then cries because his feet are cold. Of course his feet are cold. He waded through a soggy basement all morning helping me.

2:25 - Cuddle Logan. Tell him a story about a little bat (his request). Bundle up his feet and warm him up a rice bag for his chilly toes. Kisses and hugs. Good night, Logan.

2:30 - Reflect on what a dreadful mother I was today. Catch up on work. Check water in hole. Almost gone. Water coming into house down to a trickle.

3:00 - Check weather forecast. Rain tonight.

Utah Coalition Against Pornography

2010-04-04T18:37:00.000-07:00

Topher and I attended a conference last week that was put on by the Utah Coalition Against Pornography. If anyone is interested in purchasing the complete conference on DVD, you can do so at http://www.utahcoalition.org/. The DVD costs $25. The sesions were very informative, and I thought I would share a few of the things I learned with any of you who are working to protect your families.

1. Do you have a filter on all of the computers in your house? You can download a free filter from http://www1.k9webprotection.com/ or http://netnanny.com/. These tools are user friendly, customizable, and allow you to monitor web-activity accessed through your internet browser.

2. Most internet filters (including the ones above) are NOT comprehensive. Pornographic files can be downloaded from Peer to Peer applications (Napster, Bear Share, LimeWire, etc.) and the files will not be blocked by most internet filters.

3. The number one use of Peer to Peer applications is the distribution of child pornography. Peer to Peer applications access files by connecting to other computers and downloading files directly from those computers.

4. Gaming Consoles (XBox, PS3, Wii) have unfiltered internet browsing capabilities. Children who are playing games on consoles that are connected to the internet can also access the internet.

5. In order to protect better against the possible danger of Peer to Peer Applications, and internet browsing through Gaming Consoles, it is necessary to have a filter on your internet router. This type of filter can be purchased through http://www.pandorashope.com/.

6. Patrick A Trueman (US Department of Justice) called cell phones "porn in a pocket". Some cell phone providers will filter the internet. Others do not. Call your cell provider to see what filtering tools they can intall on the phones your family uses.

7. "Sexting" is a new trend. Children and teens are now producing and distributing child pornography (of themselves) via their cell phones. Monitor your children's text and picutre messaging. It was recommend that cell phones and computers not be allowed in bedrooms. All cell phones should be plugged into a charging dock in the evening so children aren't text and picture messaging in the night.

8. Do you know the laws that protect you and your family from indcency in our society? You can read some of the key laws here: http://www.strengthenthefamily.net/law_legal_def.php. Sadly, many of these laws are not being enforced. Did you know that it is illegal for hotels to sell "hard-core" pornography from hotel rooms? It is. Under the Obaba administration, these prosecutions, along with many other prosectuation against the illegal distribution or pornography have stopped.

9. Read the Harmful to Minors Law in the link above. As citizens, we can respectfully approach business owners to request that they adhere to these laws. Many sexually explicit and indecent magazines are displayed at children's eye level. Many popular magazine titles sold in grocery stores are acually owned by the sex industry. Magazine owners purchase their spots on the racks, and they place these magazines where children will be exposed to them purposely. The objective is to hook young children on sexual material. This is a similar tactic by the sex industry that we once saw with Camel cigarettes marketing with a cartoon to incite children while they were young. This week I spoke to the owner of a gas station about the magazine rack that was displayed and children's eye level. I thanked him for putting some of the indecent magazines on the back row of the rack where the title of the magazie was visible, but the pictures on the front were not. I pointed out one magazine that I was concerned about being visible to my son. I found that he was receptive to me, and respectful of my request to move the magazine.

10. Here are some articles you can read about promoting decency in our communities: http://www.strengthenthefamily.net/index_model_city.php.

11. When an individual has a gaming addiction, it can be much easier for them to become addicted to pornography because they have learned to meet many of their basic psychological needs through a virtual reality. This link: http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=afee15e67b5b2210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD will take you to an article that discusses how to identify gaming addictions.

12. MMPORPGs (mass multi-player online role playing games), such as Second-Life and World of Warcraft are housed on the internet. These types of games are highly addictive. Additionally, child predators also flock to these sites because of the chat capabilities.

13. Pornography addictions are no respecter of persons. Men and women and boys and girls of all ages and social classes are suceptible to this new highly addictive "drug".

14. Children should be taught not to interact with anyone on the internet that they and their parents do not know in real life. They also need to be taught what type of information is appropriate to share online.

15. Check out the resources tab on http://www.utahcoalition.org/.

While there are many things we can do to protect ourselves and those we love, the most important protection is spiritual. We need an internal personal filter. Sadly, we can no longer wall ourselves or our children off completely from exposure to sexual material. I hope the information in this post will help though. We have a lot more information. Contact Topher or me if you have questions. We are happy to share more.

This Post Exposes One of My Weaker Moments

2010-04-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

as a mother. Since it was one of Logan's best moments, I'm posting anyway.

Last Saturday Logan went to bed late. Sunday he can't take a nap because of our church schedule. By Sunday night we were all exhuasted, Logan was whiney (rare), and really getting on my nerves. I was getting ready for bed, and he was standing next to me whining about something. I stopped and abruptly said,

"Logan, I'm sick of your whining. Go OUT."

He exited the room, head hung. He turned around when he reached the doorway and said through tears,

"Mommy, I'm going to say a prayer for you that you can be nice."

He proceeded to kneel down, crying, and make the following requests in his prayer,

"Please help my mommy to be nice, and please help me to forgive her."

Sweet baby. I'm glad God sent him to me. Sometimes I wonder who really needs who.

Oedipus Rex

2010-03-18T17:07:00.000-07:00

Logan: "Mommy, when I grow up, you can be my wife."

Mommy: "Logan, I am already Daddy's wife. When you grow up you will meet another person who will be your wife."

Logan: "Mommy, when you grow up, you will be a person. Then you can be my wife."

We'll just have to resolve this when he gets a little older. I couldn't bear to break the heart of my 3 year old.

Hold It

2010-03-07T10:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Topher took Logan for a ride to the grocery store. When they were a few minutes from home...

"Daddy, I have to go pee pee."

"Logan, HOLD IT. We'll be home in a few minutes."

Seconds Later...

"Daddy, it is coming out!"

"Logan, I told you to HOLD IT."

Logan does not respond. When they pull in the driveway, Logan does not jump out of the car like he normally does. When Topher opened the back door to help him out he found Logan sitting with his legs spread and his hands carefully cupped between his legs.

"Logan, get out of the car."

"But Daddy, you told me to HOLD IT." (Holding his pee in his cupped hands, trying not to spill.)

I'm Always Looking for a Good Excuse to Open A Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

2010-02-15T15:33:00.000-08:00

This week's excuse: These are growing in my front yard!

Why not celebrate with some Lime Pie. I can't very well call it Key Lime Pie, because I used normal limes. It was yummy, and today I am EXTREMELY proud of myself that I have not touched it. It is still covered and half-eaten, tempting me in the fridge. I am not including a picture. I don't want anyone who is trying to be good to suffer.

Just combine and mix well:

5 beaten egg yolks

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup key lime juice

Pour into a prepared 9 inch graham cracker crust and bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Cool. Top with whipped cream if the above mentioned ingredients don't provide enough calories for you.

Easy.

Lately, we've been...

2010-02-11T09:31:00.000-08:00

Making Valentines and

building monkey caves. We are still working on correctly assigning animals to their habitats. Monkeys generally do not live in caves, but I have decided not to make an issue out of it.

Going on train rides to play in Salt Lake

to celebrate Daddy's graduation.

We have also been practicing a variety of new skills, despite the risk of frosting on the walls and ceiling (which miraculously did not occur). Wow.

We've been learning to make beds,

and visiting Temple Square.

Logan has been asserting his independence in a variety of impressive and entertaining ways.

We have taken up bowling as a hobby.

Logan insists on doing it all by himself. Thank heaven for bumpers.

We have also enjoyed visiting lots of new places and learning new things. The above pic is a T-Rex track. Wow. Huge. I'm finding that mothering a two-year old has ignited my love of learning. His excitement of discovery is contagious.

I Should Probably go to Therapy for This,

2010-01-22T06:46:00.001-08:00

but before I break out the big bucks, I'll seek some advice from y'all.

I do my best not to have good treats in my house. My personal rule for treats is this: If I want it, I can have it, but I have to go out and get it. When I really want something yummy, I pack Logan up and we go get treats. Our favorite destinations are the hand dipped chocolate shop down the street, and the gelato cafe by Grandma's. We usually take these outings monthlyish.

I do keep some yucky treats around the house for Logan occasionally. He doesn't know they are yucky. I did the same thing in my classroom. When I gave the kids treats, I chose treats that I could resist. I do not have a weakness for some things (gummy worms, taffy, sweet tarts, jolly ranchers, hard candy, etc.).

Why have I resorted to this? Because if I have a bag of Almond Joys, a box of chocolate cake donuts, Oreo cookies, or a large quantity of some other delectable indulgence sitting around, I will eat it until it is gone. Some people can eat things until they are gone over two weeks, or a month. I eat it until it is gone in two days.

My brain damaged thinking in the moment is this: If I eat this, it will be gone, and then it won't be here to tempt me anymore. Wow.

In a moment of strength, I have been known to throw very yummy things away so I won't eat them. Ashamedly, I have also been known to pull things back out. Wow.

Logan and I love to bake on Sunday. I usually justify breaking my rule about going out to get treats in the name of a math lesson on measurement and some fine motor skill development. This week we made chocolate coconut cookies. I decided to only cook one pan and freeze the rest of the dough. I woke up the next morning and started eating the dough. After eating half of it, I just baked the rest, most of which I ate. Again, wow.

I have tremendous admiration for people who can keep a candy dish with M & Ms in their living room. Part of me wants to have things around, and learn to not eat them, so I can model healthy restraint for Logan. The other part of my does not want to fight the personal battle that would require.

After Opening Christmas Presents

2010-01-02T14:09:00.000-08:00

we set off for our annual pilgirmage to the beach. I still feel like a little girl when we finally make it to Hwy 1. I still want to jump out of the car and run to the ocean. We had a glorious trip.

Logan made great use of his bucket and shovel.

Grandma and Grandpa started this tradition 50 years ago. They are nearing 80, but they are still coming.

Logan is digging a hole for the octopus. No kidding. A real one. Very cool. His hole also temporarily housed a purple sea slug, about which he was very concerned. "Mom, it is bleeding purple blood." Ink.

Notice the kelp on the tower. Nice touch.

Logan watching the football game from the sidelines.

Logan on his way to body board with Uncle Steve and Grandma.

Ocean kayaking in the campground.

Forgetting Something?

2009-12-22T15:04:00.000-08:00

It has been snowing all day. By 3:00 pm, Logan was tired of being in the house. He got himself ready to go out. Can you tell?

Angels

2009-12-21T08:54:00.000-08:00

Angels bore the news of Christ's birth to the shepherds in Bethlehem. They still bear glad tidings today. I don't think angels only reside in heaven. I happen to know a few.

If the angel who left an anonymous gift for me on my porch today reads this blog, thank you. Logan asked me if I was sad when I saw the gift, because I started to cry. I told him that sometimes we cry when we feel happy.

Today I said a prayer that I can be an angel for someone else this Christmas.

Thanksgiving Weekend Pics (we did eat, even though there is no proof in the pics)

2009-12-08T17:02:00.000-08:00

Logan getting congratulated by his cousin after scoring his first touchdown.

Digging.

Hiking. This spot was a bit precarious with a two-year old. I caved to the peer pressure of my cool uncles though and took Logan up this narrow steep passage. Luckily, we didn't fall to our deaths.

Huddle.

More football.

If Your Baby

2009-12-02T19:08:00.000-08:00

ever climbs up into a very high cupboard, using his high chair as a ladder; so he can eat a bottle of these,

you can call poison control.

Their number is 1-800-222-1222. They are wonderful. They will tell you that lots of iron isn't good for babies, and it can make their tummies bleed. They will keep calling you for several days to check up on your little one.

Luckily, the smart folks who made these very tasty dino vitamins knew that they better keep the total iron content low enough that it wouldn't kill babies who ate the whole bottle. It would just make them a little bit sick.

Meet the Newest Member of our Family

2009-11-12T04:24:00.000-08:00

Notice his fancy, dangley, carefully-crafted earring. Compliments to my sister-in-law for that special touch.

Does anyone have name suggestions?

Yesterday Morning Logan's Cousin Came Over to Play

2009-11-10T08:07:00.000-08:00

We missed a really darling picture of them both pretending to be asleep in Logan's bed. George cooperated when we asked them to re-stage the cute scene. Logan didn't.

This Morning...

Logan: "Mom, is George coming over today?"

Mom: "No, not today."

Logan: "Oh, crap."

Play Kitchen

2009-10-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

Sometimes Logan pretends to prepare food for me. He stands behind his toy box and uses it as a counter. Today he asked me for my order, which he normally prepares promptly.

Me: Can I have some strawberries?

Logan: No

Me: How about bananas?

Logan: I don't have any.

Me: Do you have any apples?

Logan: I don't have those either.

Me: Pizza?

Logan: No pizza.

Me: What can you make for me?

Logan: Coconut Extract

Me: Smile.

What a well-trained child. In two short years he has learned the secret of a gourmet chef!

Who Said Two is Terrible?

2009-10-25T05:35:00.000-07:00

Logan loves kangaroos. Sometimes he asks if he can sit in my pouch. That means he wants me to sit cross legged and let him sit on my lap.

When I do something he wants me to do he smiles and says, "Yes! Good job!"

Sometimes he makes up words and asks me to repeat them syllable by syllable. He always praises me after I repeat them correctly.

He is "reading books" to himself and to me. He has the text memorized in some of his books, which he recites. In others, he makes up the story as he goes along. Even if he is saying "made up" words, he still says them slowly and pretends to sound them out.

He is also still calling Santa Claus, Noah. I just can't correct it. I love it.

By Request

2009-10-20T05:23:00.000-07:00

Some of you have asked that I post the reasons why I didn't like Where the Wild Things Are. To be clear, I think it would be a fine movie for adults to see. I may have enjoyed it more if I hadn't seen it with Logan. It was free from language/sex. There were a few intense emotional scenes but no violence. My main problem was that it was marketed as a children's movie, but it did not appeal to children.

Here it is in short:

1. It was very gloomy. There are very few laughs.

2. The movie is about everyone's "issues". Max and the Wild Things and everyone else all have "issues".

3. Out of control behavior from children is presented as acceptable.

4. There are some dark intense scenes that are frightening for young children. We took Logan out for part of the movie.

If anyone has seen it and has an opinion to share, I would love to hear it.

Do Yourself a Favor

2009-10-13T16:01:00.000-07:00

Don't bother going to see this one with your kids. We saw the movie last night. I won't subject you to the oration my family had to listen to about all of the reasons why. If you insist on seeing it, wait until it comes out in the Redbox.

More Love and Logic

2009-09-30T08:19:00.001-07:00

Another jewel from my studying this week:

Parents of young children should allow them to make mistakes and learn from them. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn. The price tag of learning from mistakes made by a three year old, is much lower than the price tag of learning paid by a 20 year old.

Comment of the Day

2009-09-21T12:34:00.001-07:00

Today we were walking through Lowe's. Logan saw a huge blow up statue of Santa and Mrs. Claus. He became very excited and said, "Look, there is Noah and his sister!"

Runner up comment of the day:

"Mom, my nose smells runny."

Love and Logic by Jim Faye

2009-09-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

Have you read this book before? The version for teachers was one of my favorites when I was in the classroom. I'm now reading the early childhood book as a mom. The principles taught are so helpful. My reading came just in time for some of the "negotiations" (i.e. tantrums) Logan likes to put forth.

Here are a few principles from this week's reading:

1. Even though children don't act like they want boundaries and limits, they do. Boundaries and limits make children feel safe.

2. Give children lots of choices about little things that you don't care about. When they are sharing in the decision making on the little things, it helps them be willing to comply on the big things. Below are a few of the choices Logan has been making. I have been giving him dozens of choices each day. Even though if feels silly to me, he loves it.

-Would you like to read one story before bed, or two?

-Would you like to wear your basketball shirt or your dinosaur shirt?

-Do you want to get out of the bath right now, or in 5 minutes?

-Do you want to eat apples or cantaloupe with your lunch?

3. Show empathy. When they make a bad choice and get a consequence, let them know that it is a sad thing. No need to get angry (sometimes very difficult). Each time I have administered a consequence this week I give him a hug and say, "This is so sad." The authors suggest using the same phrase each time a consequence is administered.

4. Let consequences teach, not words. If they are making a mess with their food, take the food. If they hit someone with a toy, take the toy. If they are climbing up the stairs when they have been asked not to, move them to a place where they can't go up the stairs. Consequences are more effective than reminders, scolding, and lectures.

More to come...

Calming

2009-09-12T13:23:00.000-07:00

We head up to the mountains to find water when we can. There is something peaceful about sitting by a river.

Summertime at Our House

2009-08-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

Every morning when Logan wakes up he says, "Is it summertime?" He has summertime and morning mixed up.

We have loved this summer. I'll be sad when autumn comes and I'll have to explain that it is no longer summertime every morning when he wakes up.

Peeking through the corn stalks

Loving the apple tree

Eating corn on the cob for breakfast

Playing in the ditch out back

Homemade Granola Recipe

2009-08-05T14:12:00.001-07:00

5 C rolled oats
½ wheat germ
½ cup sesame seeds (could substitute sunflower seeds or flax seeds)
1 cup chopped nuts (optional… I like almonds)
1 cup shredded coconut (please don’t offend me by leaving this out, it is the best part… however, you could use chopped apples, dates, raisins, or some other granolaish thing, if you must)
1 tsp coconut extract (not necessary, but extra yummy… maple extract is also tasty)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup oil
½ cup melted butter or margarine (you could use all oil if you are trying to be healthy… I like the butter though)
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup honey

Mix all ingredients together. Spread evenly onto a greased cookie sheet (or several cookie sheets). Place on center racks of your oven. Cook overnight at 170 degrees. Crumble into airtight containers. Sometimes I mix the granola with Cheerios or grape nuts to make it go farther.

Enjoy!

When We Picked this Cabbage,

2009-07-28T06:22:00.000-07:00

Logan cried. These basketball sized vegetables have become his favorite plants in the garden. He begged me not to kill it. I had to explain that we grew the cabbages so we could eat them. I told him I would take his picture, and he could help me make a salad that we could share with our neighbors.

He felt better.

This Weekend I Was Out With These Hot Ladies

2009-07-21T19:01:00.000-07:00

...at the Shakespearean Festival. Please go see Secret Garden if you get the chance. We also loved Comedy of Errors and As You Like It. Some weekends you need to go out with the girls and laugh until you pee your pants.

Lessons From the Garden

2009-07-14T04:49:00.001-07:00

It is a tough time to raise kids. I worry about Logan falling into the traps of entitlement and laziness. I worry that he will be disrespectful. I am working hard to combat these vices that have unfortunately become the socially acceptable norm. Even though he is little, I believe that now is the time to really begin teaching him to be respectful, hard-working, and grateful.

This summer he and I have worked hard growing a beautiful garden. It has taken us out of stores, away from the screen, and away from the battles being inside brings. After months of tilling, weeding, watering, mulching, thinning, and transplanting, we are finally picking. If anyone comes to visit, Logan wants to take them out to see our garden to show them the vegetables he has grown. Even though I could have completed the necessary tasks much more quickly if I had done them alone while he played, I'm glad I let him help. He pushed most of the seeds in the ground himself. He spread the mulch. He even knows how to tell the difference between the weeds and the plants. I hope that learning the Law of the Harvest while he is young helps him do more than just plant gardens one day.

Pics I Should Have Posted, but Didn't

2009-06-24T18:07:00.000-07:00

These are from our excursion to New Mexico.

Concerning Trend

2009-06-18T12:09:00.000-07:00

I'm working as a mentor for college students in an online university. I love what I do. After several months of interacting with students, I have noticed an interesting trend. Not many people do what they say they are going to do. Of the 90+ students I work with, I would say I can count on less than 20% of them to consistently keep the commitments they make to themselves regarding their progress at the University. It is a sad truth that many people are willing to betray themselves. When considering trust, it is important to have others trust you. It is perhaps more important to be able to trust yourself. More and more it seems acceptable in our society to say what we think we should, or what sounds nice, regardless of what we actually intend to do. Even in cases when the right intentions are there, so often the discipline to keep our word is not.

Happy Birthday to Me

2009-06-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

For my 27th birthday I went to a fantastic little pizza joint with one of my favorite people. Girls night is such a wonderful thing. Thanks for the fun Marissa!

Please Allow Logan to Give You a Tour of our New Backyard

2009-06-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our new yard!

We have lots of potato bugs and ants under rocks.

This is our shed. It is where I keep my tools.

This is a little running path.

This is an old pole I found in the bushes. It is good for lots of things.

Here is my garden. Mommy helped me plant it.

This is my little river. I find things in it.

I like to play in the water. I'm usually muddy by 8 am.

We have lots of plants.

This is my raspberry patch.

Caving Through the Eyes of a Child

2009-05-21T13:54:00.000-07:00

Logan and I came to New Mexico to visit some of our favorite people. We had the pleasure of visiting Carlsbad Caverns this week. I kept telling Logan that we were going to visit the caverns, which he insisted on calling "caberns". When we entered the cave and he saw all of the big stalagtites hanging down from the ceiling, he looked up at me with concern and said,

"Mommy, the caberns are biting us."

I May Be Jumping the Gun,

2009-05-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

but I'm fairly concerned that Logan is color blind. He has learned so many concepts with ease, that I may be expecting too much of him. He speaks very clearly in complete sentences (all day long), can name his shapes, animals, numbers, and even recognize some small sight words. He shows no promise of recognizing his colors though.

When did your kids learn colors?

Logan's Mothers Day Greeting

2009-05-10T21:06:00.000-07:00

Me: "Good morning Logan."

Logan: " Mommy, can I have a treat since it is Happy Mothers Day?"

Thanks to my Wonderful Sister in Law

2009-04-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

for documenting our weekend Easter fun. You saved me an hour. For the latest update on my life, please see the post from 4/14 on lifeupstream.blogspot.com. Please pay particular attention to the pinata story. I'm sure Logan will look back on it as one of the traumatic events of his childhood.

Wisdom From a 17 Year Old in Rehab

2009-03-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

I am a math tutor. Several of my clients are boys at a drug rehab center who contracts me out. I spend a great deal of time with these boys, one on one, replacing the curriculum they lost (usually grades 4-9) while they were doing drugs. Most of them grew up in very wealthy homes. Some of their parents funded their addictions. My observations over the past 2.5 years have been that this center does an excellent job helping these boys move out of very destructive patterns into lives of recovery. Most of them never go home permanantly. They stay in treatment until they move into another program that helps them transition into adulthood. I have seen many success stories.

Currently, I am working with a boy who has been in recovery for about 1.5 years. I have been tutoring him for almost a year of that time. He has become a very responsible, considerate, honest, hard-working boy. His transformation has been remarkable.

This morning I asked him what advice he had for a mother of a young boy. He told me he thought I was smart to ask him, because he knows so much about what can really harm kids. He opened up to me about some of his life experiences. He told me about selling drugs, committing violent acts with skinheads, and being beaten nearly to death. He told me about being kicked out and living on the streets of a huge urban city during a very cold winter. He told me about being arrested more than 20 times. He told me about driving drunk. As he told me these devastating experiences, I could see the sorrow in his eyes. Not sorrow for himself, but regret for the sorrow he has caused. He told me that one of the horrors he has to deal with daily is that he has done so much to hurt so many, and he has no way to fix it all. Perhaps the most painful memories of all were those he told me the pain he caused his family.

While he blames no one but himself for the choices he has made, he did talk to me about some of the factors that he felt influenced him. He told me that he had access to money without being required to work. He told me that when parents think they are helping their kids by giving them everything they want, they are actually hurting them. Kids don't need stuff. Kids need boundaries. He told me that now that he has boundaries, he feels safe. Parents have more influence than they think. He believes that privileges should always be tied to appropriate behavior. When behavior is inappropriate, all privileges should be taken. He also said that sometimes (especially when kids are older) their parents have to accept that they can't control them anymore, and they need to let their kids bottom out, and accept that it is not their fault. He told me about hitting bottom. He said it was one of the best things that ever happened to him. It gave him the desire to change.

When I have tutoring sessions like today, I feel like I'm the one learning the more important lessons.

Still Working on These Names with Logan

2009-03-21T15:21:00.000-07:00

Gasoline

Goliath

Peter (not to be confused with his cousin and playmate)

Quotes from Logan's 2nd Birthday

2009-03-14T06:34:00.000-07:00

Daddy, tell me bout your day.

Can I bite your sandwich?

Sing Happy Birthday one more time. (Sing) Sing Happy Birthday one more time. (Sing) Sing Happy Birthday one more time. (Sing) Now sing about froggies.

Hey, help me with this. This is hard. It is hard to do this. Help. (Putting on shoes)

See what happens? (Amazed at his new magnets)

Can I read the book to ya?

I can do it all by myself. (Taking paper off birthday cupcake)

The lizard don't eat my gum. (Toy lizard apparently isn't a significant threat to gum chewing)

Here's a blanket for ya... can I have that blanket? Oh, we're sharing!

Can I blow on it for ya? (My pasta)

Can I hold you? (Wants me to pick him up)

I reply: Logan, you're getting too big.

He replies: I'm so tiny.

Where's more candies? I eat em all gone.

(Handing him a glass to drink out of) You have to be soooooo careful.

Mommy, read me this book.

Reply: Logan, this kind of book is a calendar.

Logan: No it's not.

Daddy, can I have a piece of gum.

Reply: I don't have any gum.

Logan: Maybe in your car?

The Best Present I Ever Gave Myself

2009-03-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

As We Suffer Through the Last Few Weeks of Winter...

2009-03-05T09:17:00.000-08:00

we are fondly remembering our beach trip (of which I never posted pics). Hopefully our happy memories will help us endure.

Apparently Logan Likes Mangy

2009-02-23T13:39:00.000-08:00

A couple of nights ago I slept with wet hair. It was a mess when I woke up. I walked into Logan's room when I heard him stirring. He opened his eyes and looked up at me with a curious expression and said,

"Your hair looks good Mom."

Big Boy Bed

2009-02-07T13:03:00.000-08:00

I guess my mom got tired of me resisting my little one growing up. One night while I was away she had my step-dad convert Logan's crib into a toddler bed. Needless to say, Logan is thrilled. He is actually doing much better staying in his room. Every night when he climbs into bed he says, "Grandpa fixed it for me!"

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa.

Here's to Brave Moms Everywhere

2009-01-28T17:43:00.000-08:00

I spent the day with my friend Lilli and her two little ones. Her three year old Grace did not eat her lunch. Lilli told her that if she chose not to eat her lunch she would not be able to eat any snacks until dinner.

A couple of hours later we decided to take the kids to Arctic Circle to have ice cream and play. In the craziness of the afternoon, Lilli (and I) forgot about the promised lunch consequence. After ordering our treats, Lilli remembered. Instead of going back on her word, she chose the hard road of calmly and kindly telling Grace that she could play on the equipment, but she couldn't have any icecream because she chose not to eat her lunch. Grace wailed and cried. She even exclaimed through tears, "I just can't believe it!" Lilli persevered through the embarrasing display. The kind employees at Arctic Circle even came into the play area twice to offer courtesy cones in hopes to help calm Grace. After a few minutes, she resumed playing. This was a small victory in teaching Grace that our choices carry consequences. When we make a choice, we had better make sure we want what comes with it.

I admire parents who choose to be conisitent and do what they say they are going to do. This builds trust and enstills a sense of security in children. Children who can trust that their parents words and behavior will match feel safe. How wonderful to learn important life lessons when you are three years old in Arctic Circle rather than when you are an adult, and there is much more at stake.

Pics at the Park

2009-01-25T19:19:00.000-08:00

Suggestions?

2009-01-18T18:59:00.001-08:00

Logan started sleeping through the night when he was 10 days old. For those of you who hate me now, don't. I've had plenty of other rough things to make up for that lovely blessing. Anyway, he learned how to climb out of his crib recently. This new exciting activity has greatly disrupted his consistent sleep habits. Basically, whenever it is time to sleep he climbs out of his bed and stands at his door and screams. He can't open his door because after several days of him escaping, I put a handle on it that he can't open. I've had a few suggestions already:

1. Put his crib upside down (cage him in).

2. Take the springs off of his crib all together and put the mattress on the floor. The top of the mattress is still higher than the bottom of the crib. Hopefully dropping the mattress a few inches will make it so he can't escape.

3. Benadryl.

4. Just give in. Give him a toddler bed and accept it. This, however, still doesn't solve the screaming at the door problem.

So far, I'm considering option two as a temporary fix. Has anyone else figured this one out yet?

The 10 Best Gifts I've Received

2008-12-20T14:34:00.001-08:00

Today I received a two gifts that made the list. These are in no particular order.

1. My dear friend asked me to be at her house at 9:30 this morning. She didn't tell me why. If she would have, I certainly would have tried to stop her. She dropped me off at a fantastic spa for a massage and took me to lunch.

2. When leaving my parent's house after a nasty snow storm I went out to my car. My step-dad had been there first. He scraped it and warmed it up for me. This is my least favorite chore. I felt very grateful.

3. Logan's first real smile was on Mother's Day.

4. Once when I was out of the house for the day (and very pregnant), Topher cleaned the whole house (oven, microwave, did all laundry, scrubbed showers, etc.) and made dinner.

5. When I was six I got an electric keyboard.

6. The Christmas after my dad died, someone left a little Christmas Mouse on our front porch with $100 in it. My mom gave my brother and I each $20.

7. My friend made us a hand crafted Settlers of Catan game. Any Settlers fans out there? You've GOT to see this!

8. On my 26th birthday my sister-in-law wrote a list of reasons why she loved me.

9. My mom has spent her whole life sacrificing for me.

10. This one is under the tree. I'm reserving a slot for it. I think it is going to be fantastic. I'll be posting about it if it is everything I hope it to be.

Another Bedtime Negotiation

2008-12-13T05:03:00.000-08:00

My aunt with 6 kids has been giving me some parenting advice. One of her great secrets is to teach her children to chew gum from a very young age. She thinks it helps them be quiet in church. We've tried this a few times with Logan. He will now chew for about 30 seconds before swallowing. He continually opens his mouth to show us that it is still in there. We haven't done chewing practice for weeks.

Last night after bath, jammies, brushing, reading a story, and hugs:

Mama: "Logan, it is time to go night night."

Logan: (Starts gnashing his teeth...pause...thinking) "Piece of gum? I'll chew it?"

Mama: Laughing hard (I always try very hard not to do this. I know. It reinforces. Sorry, sometimes you can't help it!)

Who Needs Disneyland? Costco is Just Around the Corner!

2008-12-12T17:00:00.001-08:00

I went to Costco last Saturday afternoon. Whoa! For anyone planning a trip to an amusement park soon, you may want to try Costco instead. A weekend December trip to the warehouse includes crying children who are in serious need of naps, very long lines, and at least a $100 bill.

Costco also has the added benefit of closer parking and free food samples from smiling elderly folks in aprons. Honestly, I'd way rather have free food than an autographed notebook from mute caricatures.

Our Beach

2008-12-03T19:18:00.000-08:00

My favorite holiday tradition is going camping on the beach between Christmas and New Year. Since before my infancy aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins have all packed up the day after Christmas, and taken off for the sandy, sometimes sunny, shores of California.

Spectacular sunsets

Long sandy beaches perfect for a friendly football game

Caving for the brave

Tide pools for exploring

Only 23 more days!

Bedtime Negotiations From a 1 Year-Old

2008-11-30T17:08:00.000-08:00

Mama: "Logan, it is time to go night night."
Logan: "One more minute?"

Mama: "Logan, it is time to go night night."
Logan: "Hold you?"

Mama: "Logan, it is time to go night night."
Logan: "No. Playing with toys."

Mama: "Logan, it is time to go night night."
Logan: "Rocking in the chair?"

Mama: "Logan, it is time to go night night."
Logan: "Crackers? Yogurt? Strawberries?"

Mama: "Logan, it is time to night night."
Logan: "Daddy's pillow?"

Mama: "Logan, it is time to go night night."
Logan: "Mommy and Logan cuddles?"

Yogurt?

2008-11-21T18:35:00.001-08:00

Good News Bad News

2008-11-03T20:02:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the time change, the clock in my car now displays the correct time.

Unfortunately, Logan didn't get the memo about the time change. He is still getting up very early.

Thanks Grandma

2008-11-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

Perhaps it was teaching on Halloween that made me dislike it. I loved teaching most days of the year. The big exceptions were Halloween and Valentine's Day. Anyway, even though it has been two Halloweens since leaving the classroom... I still haven't recovered.

Poor Logan. While all of his friends' and cousins' mommies were purchasing darling costumes weeks ago, I did nothing of the sort. I was going to put him in a cowboy hat, give him a plastic gun, and call it good.

Grandma vetoed. Logan got a cute little pumpkin suit. Please notice the sucker slobber on the collar. It is my favorite part.

Likes

2008-10-14T21:06:00.000-07:00

1. Eating hawaiian pizza

2. Camping on the beach at Christmastime

3. Painting my toenails

4. Walks on summer mornings (Curse the dreadful season approaching!)

5. Talking to Logan about animals, bugs, toys, and tools

6. Evening outings with my girlfriends

7. Helping small struggling students with their math

8. Having a warm rice bag in bed with me

9. Brownies on Sunday

10. Great jeans

What are yours?

Language Problems

2008-10-13T07:30:00.000-07:00

Logan is experiencing a little confusion.

He is frequently calling Grandma, Grandpa, Daddy, and I by our first names.

My mom got him a big black truck to play in outside. He loves it. He calls it his #%$@. You guess. We're working very hard on the "tr" sound.

Dear Gelato,

2008-10-09T03:25:00.000-07:00

Our relationship has been getting much more serious lately. I dare say I could hardly live happily without you. The folks at your shop know me by name and smile when I come by. Thank you for having so many wonderful flavors and textures. You are a worthy expense no matter what the economy does. Don't worry, I'll quit driving my car before I give you up. This week when I noticed two new flavors in the freezer, my little heart sang with joy. I also love to mix flavors. The best combinations so far are (in order of excellence):

1. Coconut Almond and Bon Bon

2. Coconut and Dark Chocolate

3. Coconut and Pineapple.

The best stand alone flavor is a new addition to your case:

1. Yogurt with Blood Orange and Peach

Thank you for all of the summer evenings. I promise I won't turn exclusively to hot chocolate as the weather turns cold. See you tomorrow.

Much love,

Teacher Mama

$ Menu Opinions

2008-10-02T19:20:00.000-07:00

If I choose to intoxicate my blood stream with sodium, fat, and preservatives, I don't like to spend a lot to do it. I also end up with less of a stomach ache if I eat small portions of grease instead of large ones. For anyone who cares, here is my take on fast food dollar menus.

Wendy's

-Best chicken sandwich.

-Rip off! They removed the small frosty. You can get a child's size for $.50 though. That is just about the right amount for me.

-Good nuggets. Logan loves to dip them.

-Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger is a tasty option. The lettuce always seems to be cold and crispy.

McDonalds (Does this one need an apostrophe?)

-The double cheeseburger is very tasty; however, it is dripping with grease.

-Spicy chicken is gross. What exactly are the spices they use? They are bright orange!

-The fruit yogurt parfait is fabulous! Give it a few minutes at room temperature before you eat it. The strawberries need to defrost.

Burger King

-Definitely the king of burgers. Whopper Jr. is the best $1 option.

-Yuck on the nuggets. They are the shape of crowns (or chicken feet... I can never tell).

-Wraps are over-rated. Again, why ruin the chicken with nasty bright orange spices?

-Best fries! Lots of dip choices.

Arby's (How about here?)

-Please get on the bandwagon. I do not want to buy 5 things to get a good deal.

-Best commercials.

-An interesting side note... when I was little I thought the Arby's hat was an upright fish.

There you have it. Please add your likes and dislikes to the list. Proofreading help would also be appreciated.

Exceptions

2008-10-02T13:46:00.000-07:00

I dislike banana flavored things. Except for Creamies.

I dislike cherry flavored things. Except for Nibs.

I dislike grape flavored things. No exceptions.

I dislike squash. Except if it is buttered and grilled, or served in a curry (Indian style).

I dislike winter. Except if I am at the cabin with a cup of hot chocolate.

Logan Down South

2008-09-26T19:05:00.001-07:00

How Do Small Boys Learn These Things?

2008-09-26T18:59:00.000-07:00

1. Picking up your legs and hanging when adults are holding both of your hands.

2. Putting rocks in the back of a toy dump truck, "driving" them to a new location, and dumping them.

3. Swinging on the bar that separates check out stands (often encroaching on the space of the neighboring cashier).

4. Turning on a power drill and "fixing things".

5. Putting on his daddy's shirts and shoes and clopping around the house.

6. Tackling.

7. Growling.

8. Taking things apart.

9. Locking and unlocking the car door (from the outside... he can find the right key on my chain).

10. Saying "Why?".