From Cutie: How did Heavenly Father make us? Did he do a science experiment?

A Breakthrough(or two)!

I posted this picture a couple of years ago never imagining that I would ever want to do anything but stand on the sidelines taking pictures of others crossing the finish line, but as I've shared before I felt prompted to start running about 1 1/2 years ago. I had heard from several people that if you can run three miles you can keep running and running and running. It doesn't really get any harder but up to now I have never been able to feel that for myself. I pretty much always take breaks and walk. Sometimes a LOT.

It's been getting easier lately. I don't know what has made the difference, maybe just experience, but this morning I ran 3.4 miles without walking at all. It felt really good and I wasn't any more tired than when I walk a lot. I really could have kept going for a long time more. That is amazing to me and that is breakthrough #1.

The second breakthrough is definitely of more importance. I've been reading the book Christlike Parenting by Glenn Latham and decided to apply these principles in my parenting. Last night I found out about a meeting I needed to go to at the last minute and left my children home with instructions to make dinner. I came home an hour and a half later to half made dinner and chaos. But remembering what I had been reading I used a calm voice, I didn't criticize, I didn't tell anyone anything they already knew and the results were miraculous. When I calmly asked DaVinci and Superstar to look around the kitchen and see what needed to be done to be ready for dinner they both jumped to clear and wash the table off and set it for dinner. Then DaVinci proceeded to start doing the dishes so as to save him work after dinner. It's not that there was no contention--that might take a little more time--but the fighting was over who could get the work done the quickest!

Cutie really likes to think he is a baby and can't do anything for himself---that has really been a pain lately. But last night and this morning he was telling me wasn't a baby. He didn't want to get dressed this morning and time was running short. I told him that he would deny himself the priviledge of wearing clothes to school or having breakfast if he didn't get dressed in time. When the full responsibility of the choice and consequence was put on his shoulders he was very quick to do what he was supposed to. 

I am very grateful for the principles taught in Christlike Parenting and one of Dr. Latham's other books, The Power of Positive Parenting. They've helped me so much!

Signs of Fall

I just got home from walking Cutie and Superstar to school. I saw an interesting sight on the way home. There are grasshoppers everywhere this year. They are so annoying...especially when I'm walking to church and I think they're going to jump up my dress! But this morning I noticed where some of them go at night when it's cold. They were under the yarrow blooms in a neighbor's yard. They were like little umbrellas with big, ugly grasshoppers sleeping underneath. I just had to take some pictures.

I LOVE fall. I love the colors. I love the cooler temperatures. I love getting ready for the holidays. Fall is such a relief from the heat of the summer(although this week is forecasted to be pretty summer-like in temperature!). In front of the school is a small tree looking so fallish(?). The leaves had all changed and half of them were in a pile at the base of the trunk. All the kids were walking by and commenting about the leaves having fallen off already.

It's such a miracle to me to see the seasons change. Heavenly Father made such a beautiful world for us to live in and I'm so grateful to be part of it!

September

Bales of hay on a golden field

Sunflowers sag with their load of seed

Sizzling temperatures fizzle out

Green and yellow speckled trees

All the world glows green and gold

September's here again

Hiking to the Wind Caves

We had my nephews and niece staying with us last weekend while their parents were off on an anniversary trip so to get out of the house we took them on a hike to the Wind Caves in Logan Canyon.

Poor Pete(or lucky?) got to ride on people's shoulder's the whole time. Here you can see Juice's hair(she took this picture). He fell asleep on Stephen's shoulders about 3/4 of the way up.

It was lots of fun(and hard work)!

Discovery Gateway

We had some free passes to go to Discovery Gateway in Salt Lake. DaVinci got them at school so we decided to use them before they expired at the end of August. Cutie thought the life flight helicopter was pretty cool. But the biggest hit by far was the area that had all kinds of building toys. Everyone insisted that they had to have their picture taken with their creation made of these Wedgit(?) toys. We spent a really long time there and had to drag everyone away when it was time to go :)

Cub Scouts

I know this is kind of out of order but on July 24, Pioneer Day in Utah, Superstar got to march in the parade here in Logan with his Cub Scout pack. He was sooooo excited. Thank goodness for new leaders(instead of me ;) that have new ideas!

It's kind of hard to see him in these pictures but he's the one right in the middle with the cowboy hat and cub scout shirt :)

In August there was a Raingutter Regatta. I must say that this is my favorite cub scout derby because the actual race is so interactive. The boys have to create their own wind power instead of just watching a car go down the track. Superstar had so much fun even though he didn't win :(

First Days of School

Wednesday August 18 Cutie and Superstar started first and fourth grades. Cutie was SOOOO excited. Superstar was much less so but here they are in front of the school on the first day :) (By the way, Superstar has decided maybe it's not so bad now that three weeks have gone by)

DaVinci started MIDDLE SCHOOL (!?!) on Thursday, the 19th. How did he get so old? He was excited and nervous and all the things that go with moving up to middle school and he's doing fantastic. I don't have to remind him about homework or anything!

Sonny Pie didn't think we should take a picture of him on Friday, his first day as a SENIOR at Logan High School so here's a picture of his belated birthday cake we made for him the night before. He got home from camp Thursday evening and went to school the next morning. No worries about him! He's getting letters from all kinds of colleges(even Harvard!) and just doesn't want to have to choose :)