Spirit of Approval #2 Gratitude Week

(I have decided to have a gratitude series this week. Yesterday was my first entry. This is number two.) Feel free to add your ideas!
Recently I have been thinking about how to motivate the crew at my household a little better. It is evident that where I am getting positive results in [...]

“I thought YOUR JOB was to take care of us”

This little story will break your heart. Every morning I usually read my scriptures in bed and write in my journal/blog on my MacBook. Recently I have been so exhausted between 6-7 am I have been hitting the snooze button and starting a little later. About 7:00am on the money- Noah comes [...]

Deep Family Traditions

It’s no secret that we love traditions at our house. We love to do the same things over and over again, year after year.
When I was a younger mom, I used to study out what made families strong and there was one theme that kept playing over and over – that was [...]

Deep Thoughts for a Monday Morning

There is a saying that big gates move on small hinges. Oddly enough, the seemingly small things we do make a huge a difference as parents. I am learning that as I embark on my 16th year as a parent. Everyday I realize now more than ever, that the kids rely on [...]

I’m an Emotional Mess about Time

Hillary started her first day of Community College, where she will be taking 3 courses as part of our homeschool program this year. Wow- that is a weird feeling. I couldn’t decide if we were throwing her out to the wolves, but their was a sense of excitement about the path she [...]

Want to be inspired today?

I am posting a fantastic talk that Sheri Dew gave at the recent World Conference on Families. It is amazing and so inspiring! I believe in every word that she says! I think there isn’t a better article to be added to my journal than this. I hope my kids [...]

Open Blender – Insert Life

 
About twice a year, I have a melt-down about parenting, children and just the general state of my life and relationships. I looked back in my journal and it’s seems to be about the same time every year. It seems to be mid-summer, when I hear “I am bored” twenty times a day [...]

I used to be a good Mom! What Happened?

Let’s be honest.  I am not doing a good job with my younger children.  The two of them get shuffled and hauled around everywhere.  They live a pre-teen life in younger bodies.  Compared to what I did for the first two kids, the bottom two, well are the bottom two.   Oh how I love [...]

mOneY!

Let’s talk allowance! Do you do it? Does it work?
We have been anti allowance, but would end up paying the kids for jobs like lawn mowing etc. The older kids would save their money, pay their tithes and were quite responsible.
But we weren ‘t consistent some of the time with [...]

To Trade or Not To Trade? That is the Question!

I woke up today and up pops an email from Anne, my friend, with an interesting article
from the NYC times. It raises some interesting questions about schooling and trades among youth today. Since we are all about math, english and writing in public schools and everyone wants their kids to go to [...]