Family Rules

While Lyndsey was here we started talking about my children's lack of obedience...specifically the first time they were asked (unfortunately she noticed). So knowing Lyndsey had been studying these very things and what works I picked her brain a little. While picking her brain this book kept flashing in my head:

We've read this one on numerous occasions to our children, but when the older two were much smaller. In it the children and Dad (he always seems to be on the same level as the kids and I find it quite humorous, Andy on the other hand does NOT appreciate that about these books!) are often behaving poorly and seem to be out of control. So the mother puts her foot down and writes some rules and consequences along with those rules.

Combining Lyndsey's counsel and and the idea from the BB book I felt it was time to have an FHE on these very things. We decided to create our own rules and discuss possible consequences for them. We came up with 4 rules and 4 consequences...and only after texting with Lynds as to how things were going with them did I realize how humorous they actually were. They are as follows:

1. Obey the first time OR take out a trash

2. No Arguing OR clean up one pile of dog poop

3. No back talking OR clean a toilet

4. Put your shoes away OR organize the shoe holder (all shoes)

If this isn't a direct reflection on our family I don't know what is. I mean is there any other family in the world that would have 'put shoes away' in their TOP FOUR rules? I'm not so sure.

We also incorporated a warm fuzzies jar (which we've done before), but this time added prizes to it. To focus on the positive things they do they get a little fuzzy pompom aka warm fuzzy and put it in a jar. We are doing it as a group effort simply because we have competition issues when done individually. Once they get to certain levels they get to pick from the treasure box and that has kicked them into HIGH gear to be super helpful and kind. I've always struggled with giving tangible rewards for things like this, but we need an intervention! We trained our dog this way and she doesn't get treats anymore, but still obeys...hopefully it works on children too!

All trash cans have been empty all week :) It's wonderful! The dog poop and toilet consequence must be a goods one because we haven't needed them yet.

This will be a fun to look back on.

Lyndsey again...

Well my sweet sister Lyndsey just received her mission call tonight. She will be going to the Carlsbad, CA mission, and habla-ing Espanol :) (Yes I did take 5 years if Spanish in HS, and NO I don't remember much...obviously. Do not laugh.)

What a great Woman she is becoming! Now to explain to Tyler we can't go to Legoland until AFTER her mission...hahaha...

Lyndsey

I am sad already now that Lyndsey is gone. I LOVE having family around. It just gives me that extra scoop of happiness that I could indulge in for the rest of my life. Thanks for coming Lynds and suffering through the exceptionally memorable Sunday and surely dealing with other “fun” moments I haven’t even heard yet. You are one awesome chica.

We decided to come home a day early from our little trip to Austin for several reasons. First off it had been raining the ENTIRE time we were there and all of our outdoor adventures went down the drain fast and second because we wanted to spend some quality time with Lynds before she left J We had a great time both on our very late anniversary trip and our time with Lynds!

Yesterday we went to Brazo’s Bend State Park and were literally walking around alligators…it caused a little anxiety at first but as we got used to it my heart rate went down significantly. While there we took many pictures. Several of them turned out just darling.

I can not deny it

It's interesting...I've never blogged my thoughts or feelings for the most part; thus I am not what the traditionally defined blogger is, but today I feel strongly to declare my most personal thoughts.

I have been thinking a lot about my inner core, what my strongest beliefs are and how they came to be. Much of this has been a product of family members that have recently left the faith I've always known and loved. Quite frankly it has hurt me, unintentionally it poked at my heart. Whether it's meant to be or not, this has been personal to me. I feel as if they are loudly proclaiming all of my personal revelations are are a lie. As though all of the times I have definitively felt the Spirit speak to my heart are just a figment of my imagination. When in fact I can NOT deny them. I can not deny the truth that has been spoken to me. I can't deny the Spirit of God I felt in the Sacred Grove. I can not deny the powerful witness I have received when sitting across the alter in the Temple. I can not deny the numerous occasions I have felt ancestors that have passed on standing in the room with me as I have walked through those Temple doors. I can not deny that my God has spoken to me through the words of The Book of Mormon. I can not Deny that the daily promptings I receive are because my God is absolutely involved in the upbringing of my Children. I can not deny the Power of the Priesthood as hands have been laid on my head and unknown, personal things have been said. I can not deny these things. They are as real to me as the nose on my face.

The Church is true. It is of God, run by imperfect men. Mistakes may be made, but it doesn't discount all that I have felt, all that has been personally revealed to me. By their fruits ye shall know them...Whatsoever is good cometh from God. This church is good. The fruits of it are wonderful. It is of God. Jesus Christ is the head of this Church, man is simply the tool. I know of no one who has been perfect save our Savior, Jesus Christ. I say this, in His sacred name, Amen.

Tyler the Pilot

Tyler wrote a paper about how he wanted to be a pilot like his Grandpa :) It follows:

Imagine your right beside the pilot while you are flying. Suddenly he says, “You can take the controls now.” This dream came true for me. I was sitting in the co-pilot seat and my grandpa was the pilot. When I grow up I would love to be a pilot!

Flying is a blast! This is one of the reasons why I’d like to be a part of this profession. Cars are extremely slow compared to planes. My Grandpa flew the U-2 spy plane, which can go 410mph! The airplane I flew went 150mph, which is still pretty fast!

There are such cool things to see in an airplane. The cockpit has so many buttons and gauges it would be hard to remember what they all do. The science behind all the different gauges makes me shiver. The pressure gauge catches my attention the most. Knowing what the gadgets do would be so interesting.

Taking off makes your stomach lurch, this makes so it fun. I think lift off is the most exciting part of flying. It is so loud you have to talk through headphones to communicate. Landing also exciting, but it takes a lot of skill to do it right. To be a part of this profession I would have to go to college and aviation school.

You can never get bored of flying. To fully understand the joy of flying try flying yourself.

Happy Birthday Sam!

We flew home from our Whicker family reunion/Christmas vacation on Sammy's first birthday. So we celebrated a few days late. She was so unsure of what to do with this, but as soon as we lit that candle she HAD to have it :)

She loves food, and is always such a happy little girl (except when she's not, ha!). Really she is a light in our family with such sweet, sunshine demeanor. Just a joy.

She has come a long way in her first year of life. From failure to thrive and barely hanging on to the first percentile, to being in the 99th and above percentile! She is one healthy and happy baby.


Love you Sammy girl!

Thanksgiving fun!

We started off our Thanksgiving week with the arrival of the Grandparents! We had a lot of fun and enjoyed their company so much. Samantha particularly took to her Grandma and would go to her whenever she could! Wish I got a picture of that.

A little random, but we made homemade pasta one evening and I ALWAYS have so much fun making it!! It's like playing with play-dough, but as an adult. LOVE it.

All three of the children had "Thankful" parties at school. Tyler and Audrie and Kaylee basically had them all at the same time, so we had to get creative in our responsibilities. Whenever their are special events at school I always have the words run through my head, "if you're not there, for whatever reason, all they know is you're not there. So BE THERE, no matter what." So hopefully someday they will appreciate the effort it is to always be there for them even if it means juggling a baby while running from one classroom to the next :) Andy and his parents went to Kaylee's party and I had the camera, so thus no pictures of her.

Cute Audrie making her "Thankful" craft :)

Our special visitors, Grandpa and Grandma Hart. Love them.

Samantha in the Texas tradition for Thanksgiving week. Too bad that's about as much football that happened in our house! We just aren't football people, but man she looks cute!

We went to the park the day before Thanksgiving in order to get out of the house. The weather was GORGEOUS and the kids (and Mom) had a great time. I love that little Sammy's hair...

While making pies and getting the festivities together Samantha found something to entertain herself. She had SO much fun emptying that cupboard. She was completely inside of it once she was finished. She is so dang cute!!

It's no secret I can't seem to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving, so this year I delegated to Andrew. He immediately ordered an oil-less fryer. It turned out great! Little does he realize that this will forever be his job now ;)

This is our other special guest. Elder Lindsey, my cousin. Obviously my Whicker cousin. He is actually on his mission here in our ward and has been for almost 9 months! Samantha was only 3 months old when he got here and I was in the thick of baby craziness. It has been so much fun to have him here and he has been a great blessing to our ward, in fact our whole area! They just LOVE him here.

Thanksgiving dinner. I'm hungry just typing this, yum.

Elder Lindsey the comic relief!

We played some classic Whicker games. It really was fun and surprisingly we didn't have any tears! Hallelujah!

Clearly this was one of the funnest games we played. Everyone had such a good time. I can't help but giggle every time I look that this. It captures everyone in the BEST way. CLASSIC.