Is It Naptime Yet

Lately we’ve been having a lot of discussions with Lilah on trust, telling the truth, and lying.  Mostly we’ve tried to give examples of lying and then talking to her when we think she’s lying.

Like she had this rude habit of growling at you if you said or told her to do something she didn’t like. It might have been slightly micromanaging, but we we’re trying to teach her it’s not polite to growl at us just because she’s upset at what we had to say. When I’ve pointed out she’s growled and made her go to time out she would lie and say she was just clearing her throat. I would calmly confront her and explain why I thought she was lying about clearing her throat, but she would continue to deny it was a growl at us. Fortunately the growling has stopped, but there continue to be other teaching moments about lying.

When Lilah lies I try not to lay on the guilt or discipline super heavy. We try to explain that a loss of trust is what happens when she lies, and that is the main consequence. When she growled at me the time out was for growling at me, not lying about growling at me.

Tonight Lilah had her first “confession” of something she had done wrong. I’m know their have been other times she’s lied, but she could have gotten away with it tonight had she not felt guilt and the need to tell us what she had done.

The girls had been put to bed and about 20 minutes later Lilah came out. I asked her what she wanted, and she just continued to go to the kitchen. I told her to get back in bed and eventually she came out of the kitchen and went to Jon. She then started to get teary eyed, something I had no sympathy for. Jon asked her what was wrong and she told us she had eaten a piece of candy. Apparently she had taken this candy to bed rather than putting it in the candy bucket, and after eating it needed to throw the wrapper away.  We reacted calmly and told her the consequence would be not having candy tomorrow, but were thankful she had told us. Jon put her into bed and I came into give more hugs. I talked to her about the candy incident and she began to cry again saying she had forgotten, her most used excuse. I stayed calmed and talked about why I knew, she knew, that candy was not allowed that night. I let her know that I loved her and was happy that she had told us the truth, but she wouldn’t have any candy tomorrow. Some might see her crying as a manipulation, but I know it was from feeling bad that she had done something wrong.

We’re dealing with lying on a very low key basis. We’re trying to instill that  a loss of trust means a loss freedom. If I can’t trust her to not tickle me when I hug her, than our hugs are restricted to such a way that she can’t tickle me. If I can’t trust her to not play with the tape measure, it’s taken away and I mention that the consequence is from a loss of trust.

I want my children to feel that they can still come to us without us blowing things out of proportion if they’ve lied to us or someone else. A loss of trust can be a devastating thing, they don’t need to feel any extra burden of punishment from me. I want them to feel the loss of trust, which then becomes a loss of freedom,  is the worst consequence, not my wrath.

Saturday we had a few events.

I had a bridal shower to attend, which I brought Eden with me. Lilah had her primary program practice, which Jon took her too since I was at a bridal shower.

After the bridal shower I headed over to the chapel to watch the end of the practice. This was to be Jon’s study time so I was trying to stay out of the house. After the practice we headed over to Sam’s to decorate the playhouse and get the backyard presentable for the party on Monday. Sam’s husband mowed the lawn and tidied out the play house. He killed three black widows that were living under the few pieces of wood he had in there. We didn’t see any after that.  I cleaned off some bikes and outside toys. I killed 5 spiders in the process. It makes me wonder what spiders we might have on the girl’s, not played with very often, outside toys.

We returned home around 5:30 and had dinner that night.

Sunday was Lilah’s primary program. We tried to get to the church early, but ended up there right on time. Luckily, Jon’s mom and sister Dara were there early and were able to save a pew for us. My mom, Carolyn, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law Dara came to watch Lilah in the program.

Lilah was one of the more enunciated children in her age bracket. Her line was “The scriptures teach me about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and how to return to them.” Lilah was on the left side of the podium and consequently could not see the conductor when they sang songs. Her and her other two classmates seemed to focus on whatever suited them. They still did pretty well on singing and were very well behaved.

During one song Lilah started playing with her curly hair. She was fluffing it and bringing pieces over her head and then did a classic hair toss. Jon said she was practicing for her shampoo commercial days.
She was really cute and we had lots of fun watching her.

I gave the closing prayer, or benediction, and had to teach Gospel Principles so we headed right to class.

Story about the closing prayer.
Last week Jon was asked by the executive secretary if he and I would give the prayers for sacrament. Jon declined for himself but said he would give the message to his wife. He gave me the message and we left it at that.
Sunday we showed up right on time, but I wasn’t positive I would be giving the benediction.  We got there and I looked in our bulletin, but it said: Benediction- By invitation.
So I listened intently to see if they would announce who was giving the closing prayer.
They didn’t.
We sang the closing song and I had my eye out to see if anyone else would stand to give the prayer, particularly the wife of the brother who had said the invocation. She didn’t move so I quickly got up to say the closing prayer. Luckily we were close to the front and I had the isle seat.
It frazzled me for the rest of the day since I get really nervous speaking from the pulpit and because of my confusion.

Jon ushered the girls to their classes and I ushered Carolyn and my in-laws to my class. The class did not go as smoothly as I would have liked, but I guess that’s just the way it is some days. ( I was teaching and with our busy schedule had not gone over it has much as I should have, plus it wasn’t really a big discussion lesson and I had family, which do make me a little more nervous.)
We then went to Relief Society and then to our house.

My MIL made the stop by our house to see my painted bedroom and finished curtains. I think it’s been nearly two years since she’s been to our house and she was interested in seeing our few, and minor, improvements. She and Dara only stayed for a short time since she needed to get back to my FIL.

Carolyn spent the day with us because we had family home evening that night, and it was at the Lee’s house, who live just a couple miles up the street from us, and she lives on the other side of town, like 20 miles one way.

She entertained my children while I did some much needed house work. We also made the sugar cookies that were for decorating at the party the next day.

At family home evening we saw our first cousin’s once removed little girl, who was not yet three weeks old.

All these babies make me want to have a baby, but that will have to wait.

After a night of family we came home and I slept through the make-up yoga class on  Monday morning.

Tonight we went to the Springs Preserve for their Haunted Harvest festival. They had decorated it with lights and different scary things. There were scarecrows all around for a contest and we visited different areas of the preserve to get candy for the kids.

The girls seemed to really enjoy it and we might have spent more time had we gotten out of the house sooner. (I tried to have dinner ready early, but it wasn’t finished early enough to have Eden have plenty of time to not eat it. She didn’t get to go trick or treating, instead Lilah just got her candy, but it all goes into the same bucket, so really it’s not a big deal. She hasn’t been eating many of her dinner meals lately, so I’ve been frustrated with her a little. )

I forgot my camera, otherwise I would have taken pictures of some of the scarecrows and Lilah dancing.

We also had a couple young children, like two or three, be weary of the girls in their ghost costume make-up. They just stared at them, or walked very far around them.  We thought it was kinda funny that our girls were ghouls, were as all the other girls were something nice, like fairies and princesses, nothing against those, just funny that ours are such the opposite.   I bought some glitter make-up to put on them, but the white and black make-up doesn’t dry and the glitter make-up doesn’t work on it, it’s kinda like crayons and they just don’t write on the wet make-up. I wanted to make them more pretty ghosts, but I still think they’re cute. I guess they’re my scary ghosts.

After going to the Springs Preserve we quickly visited Jon’s parents so they could see the girls in their costumes.

Two parties down, two to go.

Last night we went to our first Halloween party of the season, we have four total. It was for my sister Carolyn’s work. The parties are for families, and since she has no kids, and even when she does I hope she continues to invite us, she invites us to be her family.

My girls love Carolyn’s work, though you wouldn’t know it by the expressions on their faces. Whenever we go, even on regular days, they’re so excited to see Carolyn. People at Carolyn’s work love my girls and sometimes I wish my girls were as excited as the people who see them are.  Lilah has become more outgoing, but Eden has become more reserved.

Anyways, as I was checking the time and trying to figure out when we needed to leave I realized I hadn’t called animal control on the cat we had caught the night before. I called, but they were not coming as quickly as I needed them too, so Jon had to come home, rather than stay on campus and study, so we could head out to the party. Since I wanted to be ready as soon as possible, in case animal control came quickly, the girls sat in their costumes and make-up for around an hour and a half. I had PBS kids on in hopes they wouldn’t touch their faces too much, and they did a pretty good job.  (I was going to go to JoAnn’s before the party, but we had to go after.)

Jon got home so we gave quick hugs and left. (Animal control came around 7, I think we were probably a last stop back to the office since we’re close by it, so it was a good thing Jon came home.)

We got to the party and ate. I had the girls on an empty desk which had a wall behind it, and many people commented on how cute they were, and some even said they thought they were apart of the decorations since they were siting so nice and still.

We went trick or treating to each office and the girls even went into a haunted office. Eden was holding my hand very tightly. A witch that had been going around, who scared and made almost every child cry who was under the age of 5 except my girls, was in the office. There were a lot of witch cackles, which made Eden nervous, but they did well and made it out OK. It was “just the right amount of scary” Lilah said,  according to my sister Carolyn’s blog.

Carolyn’s boss, Tim, was dressed up and sitting in one of their rooms to scare the kids. He gently got Lilah and mostly just hugged and gave her a few kisses, I think she was only slightly scared, but we told her it was Tim, so she seemed OK with it. When I took a picture of him with the girls, Eden was definitely not enjoying sitting on his lap, and even when he took the pantyhose off his head she was weary of him, though Eden’s pretty much weary of everyone lately.

It was lots of fun and the girls were pretty happy with their loot.

Lilah with her hair braided to crimp it.

My scary ghosts.

The girls with Tim. He was scarier with the lights out, which they were but I have a good flash.

The loot.

Last week was my niece Zarina’s first birthday.

She was asleep when we called to have the girls sing happy birthday, so we made a little video of them instead and e-mailed it to my sister.

Just for fun, and because I don’t have much more to blog about, here’s them singing.

Enjoy, and happy belated birthday Zarina!

Friday was a good day. I knew it would be since we had planned on going to the Springs Preserve with Sam, Britta, and they brought Izaak along, a young boy from the mommy class we use to do.

Before heading to the Springs Preserve we went to Trader Joe’s and my in-laws house.

At noon we meet Sam and the gang. The kids ate lunch and played. Britta split her lip open, but other than that it was a mostly smooth afternoon.

The kiddos had lots of fun and Sam and I were able to chat  and get adult conversation in. We actually talked about more than kid stuff, like politics, which luckily we agree so it was a pleasant conversation. Fortunately, our conversations are pretty broad and I am able to talk to Sam about a lot of different things.

We did the usual activities and then the girls and I headed out before leaving Sam, Britta, and Izaak there.

We stopped by a local gas station to use our gas cards. They’re only $10 each and you have to do a complete transaction for each one. As in pump gas, return nozzle, wait for a receipt and repeat. I had to figure this out, so it was rather annoying.

Then we headed over to a local store I rarely visit, one, because It’s on the way to places I go, but not really on the way home and two, it’s not a very tidy store. They had the fun sized candy bar bags on sale for $1.50, which are usually $2-$2.50, on sale.  I bought eight bags for Halloween and I guess  to gain a lot of weight with. Usually we have to buy candy for Halloween and the trunk or treat, so eight is about right, but this year, once again, our ward is having the ward party on Halloween, which I’m so against, so I’m not supporting the activity in any way, where as last year I think I still donated candy. I just don’t like ward activities on Halloween night.

We bought lots of candy and the cashier was nice enough to ring it up twice for us, because there was a limit of four bags per transaction. I didn’t know, so I would have stuck to the limit, but it was very nice of here.

Friday night was normal.

Saturday I was busy cleaning and trying to create order in our house of chaos. I then sewed the skirt on finally. I’ve actually finish everything on the dress, except the buttons, because we don’t have enough and we’re waiting for them to be transferred to a closer store.

Saturday night the girls and I gave Jon some study time by going to JoAnn’s and then to Carolyn’s work to help her office decorate for the Halloween party. It was fun, the girls had tons of fun and Lilah now prays for a very scary Halloween.

Sunday was a normal day.

Monday I made the apron.

Today I’m working on the pantaloons, which I didn’t buy enough lace for so they won’t get done till Thursday or Friday, or after I go to JoAnn’s again.

Now I just need to cut out the bonnet and sew it together.

I’m almost done with the costume.

Then next week I’ll begin table runners for my friends wedding, which have to be done by the 15th of November.

I’ve never made table runners, so I’m a little nervous. I’m mostly nervous about cutting the fabric completely straight so the seams turn out straight and so they’re retanglular table runners and not trapezoidal or some other parallelogram.
I think I’m a little crazy.

My apron and robe will probably be Christmas presents to myself.

On Saturday we went to the Las Vegas Natural History Museum. My sister Kristi was taking her family to celebrate my nephew’s birthday and they invited us along. I haven’t been since I was a kid, and Jon wanted to check it out, so we all went.

I didn’t take my camera, so no pictures, but the girls seemed to enjoy themselves. They weren’t freaked out by any of the stuff animals, though I slightly wanted to be, and they loved the fish tanks and shark exhibit. They have fake dinosaurs and the T- Rex makes a loud growl/noise and that freaked ’em out a little, but they just kept their ears covered and still enjoyed the dinosaur exhibit.

It was fun and I may buy a family pass there, since it relatively close and all indoors. I do like the Springs Preserve more, but you have a lot of walking outside, with the animal exhibit also outdoors, and as winter comes this might be a nice getaway, and it can be good for the summer too.  I debate between getting a pass to the Natural History Museum or the Children’s Museum. Both are a little ghetto, but all indoors, and it mostly depends on where they would have the most fun, for the least amount of money.

We came home and I tried to watch General Conference. They girls were either pretty loud with their coloring, or I was falling asleep once I got the laundry folded.

I went grocery shopping later that afternoon and used my three reusable bags and didn’t need any plastic bags. Since Eden is potty trained now we don’t need plastic bags to put diapers in, and now I’m trying to go green. It felt good to not waste any plastic bags. Now I just need to remember to bring my reusable bags in on regular shopping trips to Target or other stores.

Last week my eldest brother Glenn got remarried to a wonderful woman, AnnMarie.

They had the wedding in the chapel, so no picture taking was allowed. My battery started to die during the reception so I have some pictures, but we probably would have taken more had it not died.

The reception was held immediately after the wedding. Things went pretty quick so I wasn’t able to get a picture of them cutting the cake, since I was returning from taking Eden to the bathroom when I realized they were cutting the cake, and the camera was in my purse.

Here’s my view, with a few pictures that Jon took, of Glenn and AnnMarie’s wedding.

Bride and groom with parents. AnnMarie, Maggie Harvey, Larry Harvey, Glenn, and Norman Homer.

Shawn, the best man, with baby Zarina.

Dad and Glenn.

Part of our table: Katy, Eden, Lilah, and Jon.

Beautiful Carolyn.

Amusing story: I was eating right handed with Eden on my lap. It was quite awkward and we kept getting in each others way. Carolyn suggest I eat left handed, and I mentioned that I would probably drop my food since I was right handed. She said “Look it’s not that hard.” and attempted to eat with her left hand only to drop the grape on the floor. Point proven and very funny at the time.

Cute Zarina.

The cut cake.

Derek is so GQ. It makes me want to have his soda.

How much food can Lilah fit in her mouth?

Wait, Carolyn’s back. Let’s take a picture of the happy couple…Well, at least one of them is happy.

Having fun with Daddy.

Cute Eden.

The couple dancing.

Look over there so I can steal your food.

(Dad and Mom with neighbors Nancy and husband…I can’t remember his name.)

The crazy Parks, Andrea, Zarina, and Brien. One is definitely a little crazier than the others.

Glenn dancing with Mom.

Getting the car ready. This was just the beginning.

Eden was never in the confetti filled car helping to put toilet paper on the seat belts, I swear.

Having fun.

One sad thing. We decorated the car, only to have the couple slip away without anyone knowing.

Yesterday was a day of errands. I picked up the correct prescription of contacts and my glasses. Though I feel like one of the lenses is not quite at the right angle so things just look a little off.  I’m happy with my new frames and Jon calls them ‘geek chic’.
My errands went as ordered:

Picked up contacts.
Waited at Carolyn’s office while she took forever to run a “ten minute” errand and then we saw her for like ten minutes.
Went to Target.
Ate lunch with Anna.
Went to Jo Ann’s and spent money on the most perfect apron fabric.
Lastly, stopped by Costco to get glasses and buy food.

It was a fun day and the girls were relatively well behaved. Since Lilah will be in girls sizes I bought a few things on clearance and hopefully she’ll be able to wear them in the appropriate season and they won’t be too big next year.

Today we ran to Smith’s to pick up mason jars. Then onto Beth’s for class and then to Sam’s. We wanted to prepare and get the jars into the dishwasher to sterilize them for canning. While they ran through the dishwasher we went to ‘home on the range’ where Sis. Burns taught us a little about canning. They made some fabulous apple pie filling so we decided to make a batch with our apples, rather than making just applesauce.

After home on the Range Sam and I went to her house to start the canning process. We both worked on the apple sauce and then the pie filling doing different jobs and keeping one another company. I left her house a little before 6. She had all the dishes done, we had canned everything, and we had just one batch of jars to put into the steamer. I did a lot of prep work and she did a lot of cleaning.

My jars of homemade applesauce and apple pie filling are still at Sam’s house so the jars can cool, but from the taste test of left over applesauce the girls loved the final product.

It was fun canning, but is is definitely time intensive and not any cheaper than buying it at the store.
With being at Sam’s house the girls had lots of toys to play with and they acted and behaved wonderfully. We hardly noticed they were there. Britta was coming home from California with her grandparents, so sadly it was just my girls.

I picked up a pizza for dinner and now the girls are playing Go Fish with Jon and he’s trying to teach them not to show one another their cards.

Last night we played Domino’s, the Blake way, and Eden won two games, Lilah won one, and Jon won one of the four. I think it ironic, the youngest person, who had no game strategy, won the most games. Eden was doing a pretty good job matching the numbers on her own and saying pass when she couldn’t make a move. I don’t know if she was counting or just going by the colors, though I think it was a little of both.

Later this night… Eden fell asleep on the couch with me while I chatted with my sister, Jon fell asleep on our bed, and Lilah fell asleep on him.

I guess it was a long day for us all.

Jon and I both donated blood recently. I donated on Saturday, the 20th, and Jon donated yesterday, the 30th. I haven’t donated blood in a long time. I use to be on the calling list, but once you were eligible to donate again they would call like twice a day until you made an appointment. Life is busy and I have just a small window where I have feel strong enough to give blood so making and keeping an appointment can be hard and we’ve both asked to be on the ‘do not call to remind and make an appointment list’ to keep our own sanity from the ringing telephone.

Whenever I give blood I become keenly aware of how weak I am and I often get lightheaded and queasy on my way there. I think it’s more mental than physical but, I have passed out twice and nearly passed out one or two times, so I am always nervous. I’ve also been unable to donate due to low iron and low blood pressure at different times. I donate whole blood rather than plasma because I seem to always have a problem once they try to return fluids half way through the process and have only finished the process once out of four tries.  Jon had to do the plasma donation yesterday because of his weight. You have to weigh 130 pounds to donate whole blood and he only weighs 125.

I donated on Saturday because it’s been somewhere around a year and they were giving away two free movie tickets. I don’t get paid to donate blood, and I have done it when their have been no incentives, but incentives do make it a little more appealing and since we’re trying to save money where we can a free date is always welcomed.

Jon donated because they sent a postcard with the incentive of two free tickets to a local comedy magic show. I’m pretty sure my friend Alana’s husband works for that show so it was definitely something I thought would be fun. Then he got the voucher  and it shows it’s for two free tickets but we must spend a minimum of $9.99 per person on drinks. I feel it’s kinda a bust, but not all things come without small print. I have a feeling we’ll be drinking a lot of lemonade that afternoon, or very little overpriced lemonade.

I guess we’ll do anything for free/ bargain priced dates nowadays. I’m just happy I only had to give blood and not an organ. 😉