We're Off to a Fantastic Start to 2011...

This new year has brought a few stressful things to climb through but mostly wonderful moments and blessings! 

This is one of those moments!  Last week, we just jumped on our bikes one day when the big kids got home from school!  Usually it's into homework and practicing the piano, but today it was soooo beautiful!  I can't describe the happiness I felt watching Spencer master is bike riding skills, watching Sarah turn circles around him (I never thought she would be able to do this), and then chasing sweet little Alli and keeping her out of the street.  My cup runneth over!!!

We've spent many hours at this piano this month too!  Such a blessing it is, and I get goose bumps when I watch Sarah and Spence playing away--I'm really enjoying teaching them this talent of mine!  I thought Sarah would NEVER agree that "Middle C" was just "Middle C!"  It's taken a year or two to calm her down and now that Spencer is learning to play she's motivated to keep up.  I'm really lovin' this!!!

My sweet Sarah is always begging and begging to have friends over.  I have to admit that I hesitate with her because these cute little friends come over and then she spends the whole time playing by herself or not wanting to share...a challenge for sure!  She's slowly getting a little better but I have to be pretty free and clear to help the playing along...a couple of days ago we picked up a friend for Sarah and a friend for Spence and headed to the park.  It soooo reminded me of when Sarah was about 3 and Spence was 1 and we spent almost everyday walking to the park and just playing together.  I love love love this!!!  I'm finding it doesn't happen as much now my kids are in school.

Those few stressful things I've been climbing through that were mentioned above have been intermingled with all these blessings...well, in my efforts to to "climb" through I have a secret.  I've done this for years really, but this is my thankful journal.  This one in particular was given to me by my mom, but I try to take a moment at the end of my day and just write a few things that I saw from my day that my Heavenly Father handed me or gave me or showed me.

I get a little choked up just thinking about how I'm poured out blessings every single day!  Some days it takes longer to think of them then others but they are always there.  I've spent quite a bit of time this month with this little book...a few more pages are full!

I came home from the Holidays and really wanted to have a spirit of patience and love in our home.  Not that it's not here but I just wanted it to ALWAYS be here.  I've prayed and contemplated this a lot.  I want to focus on praising my children more...saying happy, helpful things.  I realize that much of my day is telling them to hurry up, do this, don't forget that, you're going to sit and think about that, make a good choice.  I want  them to hear and know and feel how wonderful they are.

So...this is something that helps this happen.  I made this lovely little baseball diamond and I'm looking for opportunities to tell my kids good job, thank you, you're amazing, wow that was fast, love when you talk that way, etc.  I get to tell them to move their little magnets forward a base when I compliment them and each home run they get to pick something out of the basket...

I stuck things in there that certainly motivate my kids.  They happen to love coloring books, match box cars, baby bottles, marbles, bubble gum, word searches, and I even wrote a few coupons good for...invite a friend over, bike ride with Dad, time at your favorite park, you get to pick the family movie we watch, etc.

I'd just like to note that every day since I have done this, not one of my children have been sitting on the stool to "think."  I'm sure the novelty will wear off a little at a time but I know for sure that no body ever wears out of hearing compliments.  Hasn't it been proven that we need something like 10 compliments to every criticism?!?!  It's working!!! It's made my January lovely and hopefully will continue the rest of the year and more!