Something I Value

I know this can be touchy, and I don't mean to offend and hope no one feels the need to defend. I just want to say that I appreciated this post:

http://ellenpatton.blogspot.com/2012/06/dishing-out-advice.html

I have great memories of road trips and want to build relationships in my family. I love the idea of great trips with fun activities and games. I think it can be possible.

On Learning to Write

Amy has a cold. Yesterday she lost her voice. So Matt taught her the word "hoarse". This morning I was impressed that she remembered the word. She thinks it's a funny word for the funny thing that happened to her voice. So I explained that it's spelled differently than "horse" (her favorite animal.) She asked me to show her the different spellings.

That led to getting the whiteboard out. I wrote the words and mentioned that they are homophones. She drew pictures, and we talked about them. Then she decided she wanted me to write words on the whiteboard. She wanted to identify the letters. Then she wanted to practice writing the letters. Now I write a word, and she copies it on a paper on a clipboard. She's loving it, and she's totally in charge of this activity.

Can I just say that this is better for me than making Amy copy and trace each letter a billion times to write perfectly? (That's how I remember it at school; that may be a little exaggerated.) That's not meant to offend anyone who likes that method. I'm just saying that I like Amy's enthusiasm for learning writing right this minute which may go away next minute, and I like doing it this way instead of drilling each letter lots of times.

Thanks for the Love to Eliza

I loved the comments. I especially wanted to say thanks to my sweet cousin, Aly, who doesn't know Eliza because she lives in Texas who still wanted to say she loves her. That's just how Aly is - so loving to everyone. We love you too!

Happy Birthday Eliza

Today is Eliza's birthday! We're excited to celebrate (in a low key way like saying happy birthday a million times to her.)

Here are things I like about Eliza Ruby:
she grunts and growls - especially when she laughs
she smiles at my sister EVERY TIME Laurel smiles at her
she's always been a happy baby
she has begun babbling and I think it is SO CUTE
she likes to play games - especially tickling games
she used to shake her head back and forth to hide to let us know she wanted to play peek-a-boo
she loves to cruise and has taken one step (and immediately fallen), she's practicing standing with no hands
she loves cherries
she LOVES baths and bathrooms - sometimes this is dangerous
she loves stairs (I don't actually love the last two facts about her, but we manage)
she likes people
I get told at church ALL THE TIME and sometime by people I don't really know how cute she is
she likes to smile and wave
we call her Lize Lize
she has an adorable face

For Eliza's birthday, if you know her, will you share something you like about her? I'll record it in her journal.

Happy Birthday Best Baby!

Special Father's Day Surprise - Amy Style

I asked Amy what we should do since it's Father's Day. (I love asking Amy open-ended questions; you NEVER know what she'll say. I was thinking about being especially nice to Daddy.)

Amy suggested we play hide and seek and only let HIM be the counter. (Now, that's love. :)  She said we could all hide in a special place together, the best hiding place. Do you want to know what that place is? (Don't tell Daddy.)

Disappear.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day everyone! Especially from me to Matt, my dad, and to Matt's dads.

As far as fathering goes, my favorite thing about Matt is that he just keeps getting better and better at it. How these girls adore their daddy!

Speaking of girls adoring their daddies, I have always felt that way about mine. I was a daddy's girl as a kid, and I don't think I ever grew out of it. I still LOVE any time I get to hang out with my dad. It's a little different as an adult. I still love to play games with him. Now I am also grateful for interesting and enlightening conversation, for his approval of me and my choices, for the things he teaches me and the things he has always taught me. For example, I always credit my dad as the source of my determination to have daily worship habits for myself and to help them along in my family - dad's unwavering consistent example taught me that.

I am thankful for Matt having two wonderful dads. I always feel grateful to anyone who helps my children. And how grateful I feel for loving parents who taught and helped prepare my husband to be a wonderful person, husband and father! The main lesson I have learned from all of Matt's parents since becoming a part of the family is generosity. I have realized from them what a wonderful thing that is to develop and have so appreciated all the generosity shown to us.

I love you to all these wonderful dads!