Truth be told....this one's for Sonya

Okay, so I had a yummy girls' lunch at the Cheesecake Factory today for Claire's birthday. We got on the subject of blogs. Sonya expressed her frustration with them that they were too close to a Christmas brag letter. She told of a time that she was reading mine about Lance being so good, meanwhile her kids were screaming in the background. She couldn't take anymore blogs after that.

So, this is for Sonya. Let me reassure you that this is not meant to be a brag blog. This is our family journal....to help us remember all the good times, because if we rely on my memory we won't have a single story to share. (In fact, Sonya can probably tell more memories about my kids when they were little than I could). If others care to read our blog, we'd love to share the joy. But, I'll warn you that 90% of the time it will be joy. Not that our life isn't filled with trials - kids arguing, me pulling out my hair, or getting a migraine, etc....but I don't care to share that with everyone. And, I especially don't care to share that with my children.

I was raised by a very positive, loving mother. She makes me believe in the self-fulfilling prophecy. So, I really try to dwell on the positive. It makes me soooo much happier anyways. I want to focus on my children's strengths, so that they, too, will focus on them. I think that makes the kids feel good about themselves. I believe that one's children should never hear their parents talking bad about them...so that especially includes blogs that the kids or their friends might read. In fact, we are taking a parenting class right now (since our kids aren't quite perfect). They even mentioned purposely complimenting your children to a friend when the children are in the room so that they can overhear it and feel good about themselves. Children need to believe in themselves!

My kids don't need to read a blog about their mother being frustrated by her motherly duties. That's not good for them. Even if it's ten years down the road, I don't want my kids reading that. Maybe it's not living in reality, but it's my preferred version of life. I want my kids to remember the good times. There are some not-so-good times, but I don't really think anyone wants to read those. Personally, I love the positive Christmas brag letters. I don't want to get depressed by receiving fifty Christmas cards from friends that all talk about what a horrible year they had! Come on!

So, here's to the good....maybe an occasional not-so- good to make us laugh...but most of the bad and especially the downright ugly we'll keep to ourselves. But, don't think that it's not there. We're not the Cleavers or the Watsons...we're the _______. (sorry, no last names on our posts:).

**Sonya sent me this comment and so I thought I should add it**
- Catherine,I totally agree with you to only be positive to my children. I meant it as a joke about MYSELF!! I in NO way meant to put you down and how you do your blog!! I apologize that I conveyed myself that way. I think you are an amazing Mom and wouldn't want you to be any different. I love you!! Your friend, Sonya .

Sorry, I think she thought that my feelings were hurt. I told her it just got me thinking that maybe others thought that about blogs also....like the people that think the same things about Christmas cards. (You know who you are:). So, I just wanted to post about it and share my opinion. But, no feelings were hurt. Sonya, you know I think you're just awesome! and send love back at ya!

Success Again....if you can call it that

So, Wes went pee in the toilet again this morning. WooHoo. (Yesterday, consisted of one pee in the toilet, one in the grass without pulling his pants down though, and one on the carpet. So, I got to pull out the ol' wet vac). This morning, I put him in the bath again cause he wasn't getting the pee to come. And so, once again, he got out and peed again...some in the toilet, some on the OUTSIDE of the toilet...and some all over the shower curtain. A little too much pinching action?! So, the shower curtain is in the wash and we'll work on aiming it gently. ARGH. I thought my bathroom smelled like pee this morning (before he went). I'm starting to wonder how well he aimed yesterday. I guess I'll be sanitizing the whole bathroom.

WooHoo!!!

So, Wes wakes up dry (pull-up) this morning.

So, I say, "let's go peepee in the potty."

"No".

"Mommy will give you a new car". (thanks Jan for the idea) " The Blue Lightning McQueen!"

"No, thank you."

So, I put Wes in the bath. "Now, don't peepee in the bath. If you have to peepee, get out and go in the toilet." And, I leave feeling hopeless.

All of a sudden, Zane yells out "Wes is peeing in the toilet". YEA! Sure enough, he got out and peed in the toilet. It's a first. YEA!!!


And, so he now has the Blue Lightning McQueen. (The red he already had for going #2 in the toilet). Well, I now feel that there's hope after all. At least, I know he CAN pee in the toilet. I was beginning to wonder.

Scooter Hair

Wes took a bath and got ready for bed the other night. When he heard that Todd was headed out to deliver some banana bread for Home teaching, he just had to go too. So, they made their delivery on the scooter, of course. He came back with his hair all punk'd out by the wind. He didn't want his picture taken at first. But, then I convinced him that his hair was just too cool not to take a picture of. So, he posed for me. All punk'd out.

Irrigation Visitor

This is more for us....for our family ....just to remember. One of our favorite things about irrigation, besides running like mad through it, is our visitor, the killdeer. Don't ask me who named them that. But, we love them. Sometimes, we will have several out there at a time. They can fly, but they seem to run first. They have the sweetest call. I love being out there when they are running around and sounding off. Last year, Sierra came up to me with a baby one in her hand. She thought it was hurt. I told her to go put it back out there though. As soon as she set it down, it went running off again. They are adorable. If we ever move (probably not) we will miss our sweet killdeer.

Now That's a ROCK!

Occassionally, when one rides, a rock can get stuck in his horse's foot. But, never have I seen a rock this BIG get stuck in a foot. Everyone was so shocked, we had to get a picture of it. No wonder Cherokee started limping. Poor guy. That thing was just the right size....any bigger and it couldn't have fit.....any smaller and it probably wouldn't have stuck.
I couldn't even pry it out with my leatherman. Jason had to hit it out with another rock.
One of our highlights of the ride or any ride....seeing the wild horses that live down by the river.

Makes A Father Proud!

So, Lance worked at the shop with Todd the other day. After work, Todd, Lance, and the employees went to lunch. The men decided that they wanted pizza. Well, Lance saw the sub. place next door and decided he would prefer that. So, Todd handed him some money to go get a sub sandwich. Lance is gone for quite a while. Hmmmm. Finally, he came back and Todd questioned him why he was gone so long? Was the sub shop really busy? Lance said no....and proceeded to tell Todd that there was a hardware shop next door so he went in to browse and lost track of time.

Todd was grinning from ear to ear. He had to hold back the tears in front of his employees. You know you've done something right as a father when your son loves to browse the hardware store. Makes a father proud!....at least it does for Todd:) (And, Todd was still grinning as he told me the story - too cute.)