What babies want their Moms to know

Disclaimer: No, I do not agree with everything Dr. Laura says.

But I do really like what she says here, and how she explains it. Just a minute long.

I didn't hear the original phone call the day before. So this is just a snippet of that call the next day.

 

If you missed it, take a listen to this wacky call of about 4 years ago.

Or how about this one from about 2 years ago, about a woman thinking of leaving the LDS church.

And if you want more, here is one of my favorites on marriage.

A First World Problem

I read in Real Simple Magazine this week about a couple who were in the process of selling their home.
Whenever they hit a snag in that process they would tell each other,
"This is a First World problem." 

Many people in this world need to walk miles for clean water or don't know where their next meal is coming from.
Remembering that, really puts my daily challenges in perspective.

Or like this couple said, "Filling out paperwork and dealing with movers 
becomes less irritating when we remember our troubles are a privilege." 

Our troubles are a privilege. I like that!

How to get what you want in life

Apparently, this all starts very early.

I'll show you 3 examples:

#1.  I was watching the twins do crafts in the playroom when Jonas wandered out to visit Grandpa down the hall.
He saw this...


I guess Jonas had eyed this game earlier....because he walked right in and asked Grandpa,
"Can I play your game?"

Since Dennis was busy filling out reports, etc he said 
very matter of fact to Jonas and in his monotone business voice, 
"No Jonas you can't play with that."



So Jonas leaves his office, comes back into the playroom and I heard him say to Téa,
"Let's make Grandpa laugh so he won't be mean and he will let me play with his game."

Dennis heard him say that to Téa, felt guilty and ended up letting Jonas play 
with the game for a little bit. Either way, it worked!
{This boy is learning people skills.}

#2.  Then today Jonas wanted to watch a movie 
but he knows Grandpa is the only one in this house who knows how to work the player. 
But he was on a business call and I told Jonas he would need to wait to ask him.

Jonas is not a good waiter. He started pacing, and then he stopped and said, 
"I know! Remember last year (everything is last year to him) when you made 
Grandpa a turkey sandwich and it made him so happy? Let's do that again! 
Then he will turn on the movie for me!"


His plan worked again!

Nothing quite like a movie with lunch.


  #3. Téa has her own method. 
While I was making lunch for them Téa asked if we could go in the garage 
and "get the thing for lunch." I told her there was nothing in the garage for lunch. 
She insisted, "You know the thing. It's in the freezer in the garage." 
I assured her again that we had all the food we needed for lunch in the kitchen. 
Soon she disappeared so I just figured she had gone to play in the playroom.

About 5 minutes later I went to check on her, and Jonas and I found her under the table crying softly.

 She was whimpering and said, "You told me last year (she meant last night) 
we could have that thing to eat in the garage and now you said no." 
Suddenly I remembered "the thing"....it was a juice bar! 
I did tell her that just last night but I had forgotten all about it!

I told her of course she could have a juice bar after lunch and I apologized for not remembering! 

At 4 years old they are all ready learning to work this world.

My Mom use to say we can catch more flies with honey than vinegar (Jonas' way)
But sometimes a few tears get our attention, too.

The Movie 42

Have you seen this movie?


Dennis and I finally did today at the $3.00 theater.
But even better than that, we got to take this sweetheart with us.

 

Our granddaughter Jessica has been with us since Thursday when she flew in from Logan, Utah.
She came to be with our granddaughter Kylie, but due to a bit of a mis-communication,
turns out this is the week Kylie is at Girl's Camp!

So instead we drew the lucky number! and we have been able to enjoy her the past few days.
Then Monday the girls will go to EFY together, just as they did last summer.

Our thoughts on the movie? 
Worthwhile seeing, but I have liked it more, after it was over and the more we thought about it.
However for both Den and I, it was painful to actually watch it.

Jackie Robinson was the very first black man to make it in major league baseball....
and it's not like he was taken in with open arms.
It was horrible the way he was treated by so many, and they got away with it!
Like it was okay to treat black people however anyone wanted in 1947. Completely appalling.

I felt so sorry for him but then suddenly my thoughts took a turn and I thought...
What if my own son was ever treated like that? That would be more than I could bear.

My favorite quote from this movie I had to really hunt for on the internet but found it:

"Someday you're going to meet God and when he inquires as why you didn't take the field against Robinson in Philadelphia and you answer that it's because he was a Negro it may not be a sufficient reply."

I also really like these 2 lines:

"Problems are the price you pay for progress."

         and

"You're changing the world, don't let it change you."




I like movies that make me think, and give us lots to talk about after. 
So for that reason, I'm glad we saw this. Besides, Jessica said it was awesome!

Did you see this movie? What did you think?
Please do tell.



See you in two years!

Our nephew, Davey, left Fresno very early this morning to begin his mission to Argentina.

First stop Provo, Utah to learn the language for 6 weeks.


Thank you Wendy for these pictures! 
She and Richard picked him up from the airport in SLC this morning.

 Exciting times, for sure.

I think he has grown a foot or two.
This picture must melt his mother's heart. Especially today.
He's as cute now as he was then. Well, almost.

Davey's been preparing for this day all of his life and it's finally here!

Sometimes it's a lot of working getting ready for bed

Especially when you are two 
and you're so tired and already in a daze....




But you need to get those babies to bed with you 
no matter how big they are



 You're on a mission and you are determined to stay focused.


You aren't going to let a little thing like 
dropping the children on their heads slow you down.


You'll just swoop them back up and be on your way..


Or so you thought.


You become weary and wonder 
if you can really accomplish this task

So you try Plan B. 
Hold one child by the neck and another by the hand.

Yep, I think this will work


We're almost there...

Bed at last. 
 Violet went out like a light.



In the same room with her sister.




With another sister who was determined 
to stay awake till their parents returned.
And she made it! 
Her parents knocked on the door seconds 
after I clicked this picture!

I think of this every summer.

Many things I have learned from my Dad....but you know something he did that really made a huge impact on me? I think about it every summer. Growing up, whenever we would go on a family vacation he had us all pack our church clothes. Where ever we were on Sunday, we would find a church to attend. I remember thinking even as a little girl, "My Dad loves this church so much that he doesn't even want to miss one week of it." A very simple thought but it spoke volumes to me.

It could not have been an easy task to find room for Sunday clothing for all 10 of us. 
But that's what we did.

And to this day, when ever Dennis and I are out of town, we find a church on Sunday.
And you know what? It's always the highlight of our trip.
Thanks be to my Dad.


Happy Fathers Day to all the fathers out there...
Especially the one who raised me, the one who loved me through marriage,
the two who helped raise my sons, and the four I gave birth to.


Joy School Graduates

Our grandtwins graduated from Joy School last Monday night.

Basically, the philosophy of this special preschool is
teaching children to love themselves and to love others.

I'm so proud of these 4 mothers (6 children including 2 sets of twins= 4 mothers),
and all the time and love they put into the past 2 years.


What they use to tell us....


I came across these old ads a few days ago.
This is what our culture use to believe back then because this is what we were told.

Makes me wonder what we find acceptable now, 
that will become ridiculous history for our children and grandchildren.

1956



June 1946





Dec 1963

1946





1957

I didn't know our sugar epidemic all started with Grandma.

I loved him more than the potatoes

I found this today. From my journal Jan. 8, 1996... 17 1/2 years ago!
Tyler was 10.


My mother's heart does not understand why I can't get in my car tomorrow, 
go back to that school, 
and find my 10 year old Tyler 
and eat mashed potatoes with him in the cafeteria.

Parenting is the best fun that ever was!

Our latest family gathering....

I knew this was going to be a good day when I saw my Dad and Susan both looking so healthy and happy.....
out of the hospital and on their way into church.


I thought I'd get there a little early to get a few pictures of family arriving. 
Carly and Enoch all the little Sears. 
(Little Zion, the one right and front, will always be Tennis Ball to me.)

Then after church and over to Robin and Dave's for Davey's farewell luncheon.

The soon to be missionaries, Davey, Austin, and Ty!


People people everywhere





People were spilling into the bedroom.





A great place for a picnic. Who would have thought.
Next time I have lots of people over I'll set some up in the hallway.




So good to have Hailey and Elora together even if it was just for less than 24 hours. 
Aunt Karen drove quite a distance too.



Erin's watermelon was a huge hit....


Especially Jonas would agree




 So fun to see these 2 cute sisters of Davey's together, Brooke and Lauren.


Not sure why Dave Swinney is in the middle of Jake and Katie, but ok....

Brock and Miss Violet


Cami decided she likes McKenzie's room the best.


Brett and Whitney lovin on Mara.

Chickie really is that animated. Especially when she is with Hailey.


Davey's has an award winning family.....



But I like the one right in the middle...."My Life is Based on a True Story."




I was standing by the girls eating and they asked, 
"Did you want to eat at the standing table with us?"
I said, sure, but then they pointed to a sign that said RESERVED.

I walked away saying, "Well I know where I'm not wanted!"


I was just kidding of course but Hailey and Elora thought they had hurt my feelings 
so they changed the reserved sign, making room for me if I wanted them to sign my name to it.


See, Grandma Honey could have been on the reserve list. 
Isn't that so sweet! But I had too many pictures to take.




Den and I were one of the first to leave the party, being we are old and all....

But when Wendy and Richard got back to our house, 
Wendy said this is how Davey ended the afternoon.


Thankfully someone grabbed their camera.


Look what happened last night

  Just a little pre-graduating gathering for our DIL Amy.... Not everyday a Mom of 7 and a Grandma of 7, graduates from college. It was not ...