Starting Over

I had a client recently tell me (re: her marriage) that she needed to just start over. Yes! I totally agreed with her, and NOT that she needed a divorce, but that their relationship needed a new start...get rid of old baggage, do something different, make it better!! I think I've had plenty of times in life when I needed to "start over" and that's not so bad! I was thankful for Amberli's post a while back on 'doing something different'...it inspired me to make a better plan for my scripture reading, seeing as how 11:oopm wasn't really working for me-- I tried something different and have been very happy with the results! So, if something is not working in your life-start over, do something different, and find a better way!

All that rambling really was for me, because for several weeks in a row I felt super frustrated with the amount of whining/not "nice" talking in our house. My reminders, pleas, threats, etc. were not helping the problem, so finally I remembered to do something different! and I made a little chart...

Every time the kids get there magnet to 15, they get the "prize" previously agreed upon written on the sticky note (the latest challenge: a frosty from Wendy's) Anyway, it's going amazingly well so far...but I'm sure there will come a day in the not-so-distant-future when this chart doesn't work so amazingly, and I'll "start over" again!

Addison is 2 days away from being done with Kindergarten! But he definitely has mixed feelings, he has told me more than once that he doesn't want school to end- but I assure him that the summer will be loaded with fun stuff, and then school will start again!...I think he'll be okay

I'm sure he'll be doing a lot of this, along with Vacation Bible School, a trip to the lake (or 2!), a Harvey family reunion, visits from aunts, nanas, and cousins, and a big 6 year-old birthday party!

So far Laynie has proven that she will be exhausted all summer long. Whenever she spends time out in the sun, she is one worn out little girl! Last Thursday she went to bed all by herself at 5:30pm! Kelly even tried to get her up to eat some dinner, but she wouldn't have it! She slept until 7am the next morning!

And this is evidence of how hard Laynie plays! She and her friends made mud pies, mud soup, and everything else there is to make out of mud this past weekend! It made for a dirty little girl and a cute picture!

Miss Hailey loves the summertime! She is all smiles when she is outside, at the splash pad, or even just watching the kids play...but let's be honest, when is Hailey NOT "all smiles?"

I believe I will have an eventful summer too- in addition to all of our fun activities, I also received a new calling yesterday- Primary President (help from any of my more experienced friends and family would be appreciated!!) I had a different plan in mind, so I was surprised to receive this calling! But I sure love our primary kids and I'm happy to serve them.

Insanity= a trip to PA!

As a counselor, I have come across quite a few definitions of insanity...I would like to add one to the mix: Insanity is taking your 3 children ages 5, 3, and 1 on an airplane across the country from Spokane to Elizabethtown all by yourself!! Actually, for the record I didn't really have any disasters and really the kids could have been MUCH worse I'm sure, and after all the trip was WELL worth the moments when I was sure I had lost my mind, so no more complaining--

It was a great trip!

The pictures above and below are the Ditto kids reuniting with the Thomas kids! They were so happy to see each other, and so sad to leave at the end of our trip!

Addison broke down in tears on the airplane and told me he already missed Claire and Ayden...and Nana (sorry that you were the last one he mentioned Mom, but at least you made the list!!)

Hailey was the life of the party in PA- As soon as she warmed up to the idea of performing for a bunch of strangers, she was all over the idea! She talked and giggled, and played peek-a-boo to satisfy everyone's cute-baby-yearnings! She also went to town on a chocolate-chip cookie in her pretty white Sunday dress-- Thank goodness for bleach!

Addison and Laynie looking at their old house...

Actually, I was a little bit bold and asked the current owners of our old house if we could walk through it (it's okay, we're Facebook friends!!) Anyway, she said "of course" and so I got a glimpse of how someone else would decorate my house (funny that I still call it my house huh?) Anyway, it was adorable and not THAT different, so that was a relief!

Here is my handsome Addison on a walk with Papa (of course, who else could take such a great picture?!?) Addison got to miss 4 days of school to visit PA! But he was excited to go back yesterday-- only 10 1/2 days left and he'll be a first grader!

On the plane ride Addison looked out his window and could see the wing of the plane- he must have seen the symbol indicating that a person should not stand on the wing (i.e. a man inside a circle with an x through it) because suddenly he turned to me and said "Oh no mom, boys aren't allowed on the plane!"

Laynie on the way home from the memorial day parade-- She had a tough time with the time change (or maybe she's just having a tough time in general!) So we re-instituted nap time for our vacation and tried to put up with the DRAMA!

Papa actually let Addison take this picture (that was super brave of you Dad!)

Doesn't the weather look beautiful? Well, this was Monday and then it rained everyday until Saturday when we left! So the big plans to go the Dutch Wonderland and Washington DC were canceled, but I didn't mind- that meant more time to hang out and spend some quality time together!

There are many ways to wear sunglasses according to Addison and Laynie, this is just one of the MANY ways they discovered!

I felt just like I was home being back in PA- I L.O.V.E.D. seeing my family and friends and spending time catching up. I loved going to yoga with Tiffany and having playdates with Amber and Kirsti. But perhaps the most meaningful thing for me about this vacation was being strengthened by the faith of my friend Ellen.

Ellen and I were pregnant last year at the same time, her little Daniel was born just a few weeks before Hailey. On Wednesday night Daniel died of a brain tumor. I had the cherished privilege of visiting Ellen and hearing her talk about the experience. Her testimony of forever families and of a Plan of Happiness was amazing to me. She knows that she will be with Daniel again someday and she counts her blessings in the face of perhaps her most difficult trial. Thank goodness for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for eternal families, and thank you Ellen for being an incredible example of a woman of faith.