Sarahisms

Sarah has been asking to go potty all the time (even waking up at night to go).  It is not easy to remove her diaper and put it back on again.  So, I decided to just go for potty training.  AGAIN.  I have been working on her photo book for her birthday.  My last sentence in her book last year was that she wasn't quite potty trained, but would be soon!  Hmmm...one year later.  Anyway, today they brought her from nursery so I could take her potty.  I got her on the potty and as soon as she started to go she said, "TA-DA!"  Love it!

Jars of Kindness

We have been having a rough time speaking kindly to each other (especially in conversations between Libby and Sarah--but occasionally I have trouble with this too :).  So for FHE the other night we each got a kindness jar.  When we are kind, we get a penny in our jar.  When we are unkind we lose a penny.  It sounded like something my mom would have done with us--maybe she did.  It has been amazing how they caught on to the concept.  They are so unhappy when they have to lose a penny.  They have really worked hard on being kind.  I have even had Libby say, "No thank you Sarah,"  (then turning to me) "Now can I have a penny--I was kind!"  Or "Mommy, you are going to lose a penny if you don't turn on a movie for me (or do something else that she wants)."

Tomorrow night is the moment of truth.  The FHE where they get to go buy some treat with their pennies.  (I have long since stopped actually remembering to put pennies in the jars--better fix that!)  I think the real treat has been having them work on kindness!

Libbyisms

This week Libby was practicing her scripture for primary.  She started saying it in a funky accent.  I asked her to please say it normally.  She informed me that she was saying it in Spanish that she learned on her mission.

On Friday we were leaving the gym to go have a playdate with the Fillmore boys.  She got so excited and told the ladies that we were leaving to go see her "husband" Reid.

Sarah is wearing panties today.  I asked Libby to help her put on clean ones after she had a little accident.  Libby gave her this lengthy and adorable lecture on how to put on panties.  Then proceeded to help her put them on backward.  I couldn't stop laughing.

Baby Ben

 People ask me all the time how Ben's sisters like him....how could they not LOVE this little face!

I have been enjoying taking pictures of Ben lately.  It is so much more fun now that he can  hold his head up better.  He has gone back to sleeping through the night.  6 nights in a row I believe.  Hooray.  

Heal ME!

On Sunday Libby had a freak illness.  After church she started complaining of her stomach.  She started running a fever.  I thought I was certainly in for a night of cleaning up barf.  During the afternoon while she was crying and writhing she took breaks to watch Living Scripture movies.  One was The Miracles of Jesus where Christ heals a particularly dramatic woman.  In the evening Libby kept crying--"Jesus, please heal me!"  It was so cute.  And actually, there was no barfing.  She got up a couple of times in the night.  Once because she had to go potty and once because she bonked her nose (or was that last night)? On Monday morning the fever was gone and she was better.  I think her prayers (and mine) were heard!

My Surprise Date

Derek worked every night this week but one.  4 Mariners games, 1 Sounders game and a movie theater shift.  (and actually he worked the movie theater last Friday and Mariners last Saturday).  Then, when he is home between his regular shift and these night gigs, he is exhausted.  Put all of this together and there has been a lack of quality time together lately.  So I decided to surprise him.  Now I am not at all good at keeping secrets.  But I did it!  I managed to connect with Jen (adopted sister) and we decided we would go to the movie theater and see Derek and a movie on Friday.  (I forgot to tell her it was a surprise though...)  I lined up a babysitter without letting Derek know (which was pretty tricky), made cookies, got the girls and Ben in bed and headed off to the theater with some cookies for Derek.  It was hilarious how I felt.  I was so excited.  Like a high school or college girl taking cookies to a love interest.  Jen got there before me and Derek asked her what she was doing.  She said, "going to a movie with Trish."  He said, "Trish, my wife?"  I got there just after that.  It was a blast!  We didn't actually go to a movie (I wanted to see the Help, but they didn't have it) so we talked to D, went and had dessert crepes at a shop next to the theater, and then talked to Derek some more.  It was so fun to be out.  It was also fun to give my husband a happy surprise.  I am always happy to see him, but usually I am thinking more of how he can help me with the dishes, or dinner, or changing diapers.  It was nice to be reminded that I am actually still in LOVE with him!

Ups and Downs

This week I made stewed tomatoes.  Some I canned and some I froze.  I am writing this to remind myself in writing that I should not be doing any big projects like this when I am on my own with 3 children.  I had my worst parenting meltdown ever on Tuesday night trying to get the girls to clean up.  But I made it through and so did they.  Whew.  The week got better from there!  Ben is eating in the night every night again.  Not sure what I am doing wrong.  Hopefully it is the cold and a growth spurt or something,  I am exhausted.  One night this week I had to get up with all 3 for different reasons.  Bleh.  I am ready for 2 or 3 full nights of sleep in a row!