Dawson 1st day of Fishing!!!

I'm new at this so here we go...I asked Dawson if he wanted to go fishing today and he said, "YES!!". We went to the fishing pond that is by Indian Hills Elementary School. I was prepared, bringing a cooler with lunch, lawn chairs, the camera, and fishing poles thinking we were going to be in it for the long haul! I'm no fisherman because I haven't been too interested int it and only knowing the basics thanks to my dad. The first cast didn't amount to anything and I had to redo the sinker and hook placement. On the second cast Dawson got a bite and then we were able to pull in a little baby trout. He was hilarious when the fish was up on the bank check out the video! Dawson said that he wanted to take it home so, "Mommy could cook it and so I could eat it." We casted one more time and caught a second fish that was a little bigger. He handled the second one a lot better. Enjoy the photo's and the video's. -Brandon

Yelling from across the room

I read somewhere that in order to really get your kids attention, talking to them rather then yelling at them is more effective. I didn't post yesterday because I was really tired, but I really want this to be real and not just something that I want to do, but become serious about it, so I decided to post this morning. Yesterday went really well. I was aware of what I was doing with my actions, words, and emotions all day. When we were outside playing and Dawson was acting really tired (he hasn't been sleeping well because I think he feels the anxiety of what is coming up next week) so when he was starting to act out, when I told him to stop doing something and he would have melt downs I just gave him choices. For example I told him either he could put himself into time out and come out when he feels like he has calmed down enough to play nicely or I could put him into time out and he would have to stay in there longer and wait until I told him to come out. That seemed to work really well. Disciplining children is such a trial and error part of life, something might work for one kid, but not for the other, or it may not work all the time. But yesterday since I was more aware of my actions and feelings it felt like I was more aware of what Dawson's feelings were and that seemed to prepare both of us of what to do next when those fits arose. I felt more bonded with my kids. I have tried to use choices with my kids in the past, but I wasn't very consistent. Sometimes I would let them choose what could happen and how it happened, but most of the time it was my way or the highway and that is when the yelling episodes would usually happen. But yesterday I tried to give my kids options more often and that seemed to calm them and myself down quicker and it was just a lot more effect. Since I've had this goal in mind and literally in my mind all the time I have been happier and yesterday proved that because I actually just forgot that my dishes needed done for a moment and sat down to read books with my boys while Sydnee was at school and we all enjoyed it. It felt good to hold my boys on my lap with them not fighting, but just enjoying the company of me and each other. I read to my kids, but it's always rushed and "just one book kids", this time I read until they decided they were done. Sure my dishes still need done, but I can do that this morning while Brandon is home playing with them and I can enjoy their laughs and giggles from the kitchen and be grateful for my life and who is in it. And when Syd got home from school I was so excited to see her and she was happier because she went to school happier because I didn't yell at her to hurry up and get ready. I was calm the whole morning and we enjoyed each other. We are still not perfect and this is going to take a lot of work, dedication, and time, but I'm so grateful I have decided to change and work for it. I told Brandon what I was doing and he is so supportive and we are doing it together. I think it will be easier with him around because we can be reminders of what we are trying to do. One thing I have learned from yesterday is that yes sometimes you have to yell at your kids, but I want to call this yelling towards them, because you're not in their face yelling at them, but rather you aren't next to them and they are about to run in the road when there is a car coming. That I feel is an ok time to yell towards them as a warning to stop so they don't get hurt. Another thing I learned yesterday that when I am needing something done by my kids or I need them to help me with something, when I would yell for them or at them from across the room or down the hall and they weren't doing what I wanted them to do then that is when I would want to yell at them for not doing what I asked them to do in the first place. I learned that it is more effective when you go to them and say to them "I really need to get your toys cleaned up so we go to bed, or eat dinner, or play outside" and then if dinner wasn't on the stove then you could have a bonding moment like teaching them how to clean and making it fun. I have known all this of for a while, but I am finally making it an action rather then just a thought in the back of my mind. It's becoming so much more clearer and I'm felling good about it. I do still believe you need to be stern with your kids, like when they are being mean with other kids, but being stern and yelling are two different things completely. You can go up to them if they hit another child and talk to them like they are a person. This can be a learning opportunity for them to learn to apologize when they have done something wrong. I feel that there still needs to be consequences when they are in the wrong, but they won't hear you if you are yelling it to them. All they hear and see is your mom or dad being scary and they can't understand what you are saying. I am so glad I have started this goal and I am so excited for the difference it is going to make in our family. I'm far from perfect at it and I have so much to learn, but I will be learning for the rest of my life with every situation that comes and different ways to handle it with each child. But this is a goal worth working for.

A year without yelling

Wow it has been a little over a year since I have last posted. A lot has happened, but right now this is merely for me and kind of journal entry. You are welcome to read, but I will be trying to post almost everyday, so I understand if it gets boring or too blah for you who choose to start to read it. But I have really begun to realize that I need to make some changes in my life and the life of my family. My eyes and heart have been opened recently with our finding out that my three year old son Dawson is needing and having open heart surgery May 29, 2013. I have realized that I need to be consistent in riding in a journal. I guess I kind of use facebook as a journal, but there are just too many things that I need to be writing that don't need to be said on facebook so I have decided to really work on posting here. Speaking of facebook I recently read an article about a mother of 4 boys who worked on not yelling at her kids for a year and she gives some amazing ideas, support, reasoning, and just plain amazing motivation to start it with my family. Go to theorangerhino.com for all the advice and support you can use. I grew up in a yelling a family and I hated it. My parents are amazing parents and they love me and my family and all my sibling and their families, but I do remember being yelled at and doing a lot of yelling myself and vowed to not be a yeller to my kids when I had them. Well I have three kids now and I am sad to say that I have turned into a yeller. I go to bed some nights feeling regret and sadness that I yelled at my kids in their face and said things that made them sad and not feel important. I never want my kids to feel like they are not important to me or anyone else for that matter, so I decided after reading that blog article that there needs to be a change and I needed to start now! So today May 23, 2013 was my first day of a year of not yelling. I'm proud to say that I did ok. There were moments that I struggled and I had to pull myself away from the situation. Like when my 1 year dumped a brand new box of Life cereal all of the ground while my three year old was just standing there watching him laughing and then joined in my grabbing one of his big cars and crushing them into carpet, all the while telling me they were big rocks that he had to use his car to crush them. (And during this I am sitting on the toilet watching them so I wasn't exactly in the position to jump up and stop them.) Yeah what a lovely start to my goal ;o) However during that time I did find myself yelling for my three year old to stop his younger brother rather then just watch him. At least he was using his imagination and gaining an enjoyable memory with his little brother. I have decided with this goal in mind that I am going to write down goals for each week and figure out what triggered those moments that made me want to scream at my children. My goals for this week is when I feel the urge to yell is to leave the situation and go yell in my pillow or walk away as I'm growling like an animal. The point of that is that I'm not yelling at my kids in their face. Yes, I may still be yelling, but I need to start out reasonably and I'm hoping as time goes on and my patience grows that I won't even need to yell in my pillow or growl like an animal, but it will come naturally to calm myself down before the urge even surfaces. Another goal is look on the positive side of things. Another one is to get more sleep and exercise and most importantly to spend more one on one time with my kiddos. I find myself way too often getting distracted on my phone, Ipad, or cleaning that I don't sit down to read a book or color with them. I feel that by spending time with them that our relationship will become stronger and I will be able to get to know them and understand them. Also by doing this we will be making memories that will last forever. I need more of these! My kids deserve to feel loved and important and I always want them to know that I love them and am grateful to have them as my kids that my Heavenly Father entrusted me with. I know I will be referring back to the website a lot for tips and support and I am grateful that I have that. I'm excited to start a new life with my family and teach my kids to love each other and others. One of the biggest eye openers that really got me to want and need to do this was noticing my kids yelling at each other and saying things that I have most likely said to them. That is not acceptable. That just broke my heart and after that I knew I need to change and today I'm starting and I will succeed. I know it is going to be hard and somedays I'm going to want to give in, but my kids are worth it! Along with all of this I need to write down the moments that made my day special to remind me of the tender mercies the Lord gives me everyday. Wish me luck!

our life in pictures! OVERLOAD!

Our life as always and like everyone else's is crazy. We are loving it of course, but somedays it is just so nice to stay at home, not shower (I know gross), and relax. I don't get many of those, but today is one of those days. We have been potty training Dawson since Saturday and he is doing pretty well so far. I'm just scared to leave the house by myself with all three kiddos with him still learning, but we are getting there.
Brandon is working hard right now and will be starting a masters program here at ISU in the fall. It's a year long program that I really don't know much about, but I'm proud of him. He will be reapplying for PA schools this summer. Please keep us in your prayers for him to get into somewhere. I'm so proud of all his hard work in his calling, work, and schooling. He is our rock!
Sydnee is growing like crazy even though she still only weighs 33 pounds and she is 4 1/2 years old. Dawson is 30 pounds and 2 1/2 years old so he is right behind her. Syd is our very dramatic little girl, but she is such a great big sister to Dawson and Emery. She loves to sing "I am a Child of God" to Emery with he is sad or fussy. It is so precious. We love her so much and are learning patience because of her.
Dawson is our crazy, make us laugh kid. He is always saying some pretty funny things and acts so weird, but funny. Just ask my sister Jami. She has heard and seen him say and do some pretty silly things. He is so good with Emery and loves him so much. He is so gentle with him and I am so grateful for that. We love Dawson so much and can't get enough of his dippled smiles.
Emery is growing growing growing. I love this stage so much. He is 2 months old already and smiling and talking. He is such a chunk and loves to eat and sleep and smile. He loves Sydnee and Dawson and gets excited when they come near him and give him attention. He is such a joy and love in our lives.
I am doing pretty well on sleep deprivation. No it's really not that bad. Emery is a better sleeper at night than Dawson is most of the time. We are currenting looking for a new place to live that is bigger because we have out grown this little 2 bedroom apartment. I am going insane in here with no place for the kids to run. Someday!
Well here are some pictures of all of us, but mostly of the kiddos. Some of the pictures are from the end of March when we went down to St. George Utah to visit Brandon's brother Radlee and we had so much fun that we didn't want to come back. It was perfect weather and we were spoiled by Radlee with his presence and a place to stay. IT WAS AMAZING!!! The sites were beautiful and the kids did amazing through it all!
Some of the other pictures are of when my amazing sister-in-law Julie took some pictures of Emery when he was only a week old I believe. (I know I am way behind.) She did an amazing job and most of them weren't even edited yet, but they still looked great. Thank you Julie so much!!
And Some of the pictures are just random from St. Patricks day and every day life so enjoy! By the way the pictures are kind of not in order, but I am way too lazy to move them around. Sorry.














































































































Here are some pictures of all three of our kids as newborns. I can't believe how much they looked a like.