Let's "take ten"...or "ten time"

Whatever you choose to call it, it's MAGIC!
I recently purchased an online parenting course.
I have only been trying to think about some of the things they talked about in the free webinar (the link is the recording of it) I watched, and already I am seeing a difference in my home. And in my children.
But the real difference? It's ME.
I'm behaving differently, so my children are too.

In the first lesson we are given the "Mind, Body, & Soul Time" tool.
Which is- 10 minutes 2x a day with each child ONE ON ONE.
We have chosen to call it take ten or ten time.
We did it yesterday for the first time.
It was great.
The biggest challenge? One child not interrupting the other's ten time.
I'm sure it will come. With time. And consistency.
Just like everything in life.

Blessings Noticed

Today I was driving in the car with my family.
My children wanted to listen to the "Friend" magazine on the Mormon Channel radio.
We do this often.
We have the app on our phones.
Tonight as we were listening to the March 2011 issue
The article by President Eyring really hit me.
He said that when his children were young he didn't let a day go by without writing down blessings he noticed, in his life, that day.
I thought- What blessings did I receive today?
Here are some that I have thought of.......

• The cashier at Walmart add matched my groceries....without saying anything to me. And even without that act of kindness I still have the means to buy food for my family.
• The husband's parents returned home, SAFELY, from their 18 month mission today.
• I was able to spend the day with the husband
• My yard has less weeds because I am healthy enough to go out and work on those weeds
• A friend directed me to a parenting webinar today. I had the opportunity to implement some of the things I learned- and they worked! And I did not have to "loose it" to help my son learn the lesson I wanted him to learn!

These are just a few of the things I have thought of.

I was surprised to see so many. 

I don't know why I should be so surprised.

God loves me.

And THAT is not a surprise.

So neither should be the NUMEROUS blessings he sends me DAILY.

All MINE

                   I don't eat cereal often, but when I do I want to eat one that I like. Who doesn't, right?

I found the best cereal EVER!  {provided you are a fan of cold cereal, that is.}

And the best part about it is........NO ONE else in my family will eat it! So I finally found a cereal that I actually get to eat more than one bowl of before it's all gone. 

Try it, You'll like it!  {provided you already like raisins and almonds, that is.}

RAIN! and Lunch with a friend

I love love LOVED the weather today!
Sister3 and I worked together at Dad's shop for a few weeks. And it seemed like we missed enjoying every rainy day this winter. These are the days you sit at home in frumpy clothes, curled up in a cozy blanket on the couch with either a good book, or a good movie. And we missed them. Because we love our dad.
But today! AHhhhhh today. I still did not sit at home and frump around. Instead I went out to lunch with my wonderful friend LW. Oh how I love her! And I could not have thought of a more lovely way to spend a couple hours, on a lovely day, than with a good friend!

Old Shows

I have decided that there is no TV like Old TV.
Shows like The Bob Newhart Show, Mary Tyler Moore, The Odd Couple, Bewitched, etc...
They make me smile.

NEW!

YAY! New year! New beginnings! Can I tell you my word for 2013? POSITIVITY! Isn't that a great word!!? I am so excited about it. I want to focus more on being positive. I think if I can be more positive it will "fix" most of what I think is wrong with my life. Because really, there's not a whole lot I REALLY have to complain about. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

The pioneers did without it, so can we!

We have a van. It has all kinds of fun things that the little white car didn't have. But we have had the van for about a year, so you would THINK that the newness and excitement of all these things would have worn off by now. NOT SO.

Our van has automatic passenger doors. They are a favorite "toy" of the children. I can't stand it. If you will recall, not too long ago, the boy got hurt by the car door. Though that was through no fault of his own.

Well, yesterday, they were at it again. We were leaving to go to the dance studio. The boy got in the car and pushed the button before the girl could get in and said,"Hurry!", hoping she would jump in real fast before it closed. She did not get in. Then I had to run in to the house to grab one more thing. When I came out the boy was crying and out of the car, while the girl was getting her seat belt on inside the car. When asked what happened I was told that the door shut and the handle hit him in the head. He had a little bump.

That was it! I had had enough. I flipped the switch so that they could not use the automatic doors any more. I told them that until they could show me that they could listen and not use the doors as toys they would have to open and close they doors by hand.

Now I tell you all of this so that I can tell you the REAL {2 second} story I wanted to tell in the fist place..........
Today we had to run some errands after gymnastics.
When we got to our destination, and were getting out of the car, the girl says, "Mom, I almost forgot and pushed the button. But then I remembered and used my hands instead!"
"Oh good!", was my reply.
Then she continued, "Now I know how the pioneers must have felt!"