So much going on so little time.

While we were in Wyoming I spaced it and didn't bring the pack and play....so Kate slept in a suitcase. LOL
I love all her little leggings. She wears them often to help encourage her to use her legs.

Kate trying to figure out the rolling thing.

Sometimes while we were driving Austin and Kate would just hold hands. I thought it was so cute!


Yikes! Time is just flying by so fast I can hardly focus. So much has been going on lately I don't even know where to start. Here is a list of some of the stuff we have been up to.

Funeral in Wyoming
Trip through Yellowstone
Camping over 4th
Tons of days at the waterpark
Trip to Canada
Girls Camp
Visit to Rexburg and BYU-Idaho
Long hours at work (for Devon)
Busy busy with vinyl
Kate's Birthday
My Birthday
Grandma and Grandpa came
Nana and Papa coming Wednesday
Weekend in McCall
....and that's just the big stuff

Things have been so fun and the kids have been good for the most part. We had some drama getting the right paperwork to cross the border to go to Canada but it all worked out and everyone now officially has passports/cards so we won't have to deal with that again for a few more years. Kate is doing good. She is starting to scoot everywhere, she is really happy that she is mobile and I hope it encourages her to shift it into second gear. Austin is being a typical 2yr old and is really fighting me for independence. My #1 goal right now with him is to not yell. I know that I still do and it is just second nature to me but I know that I can get the same results if I ask in a normal voice or in a yelling voice so I am super concentrating on NOT yelling. If I start yelling I just stop..give it a second and say it again. I am learning that he works really well with concesquences so instead of yelling for him to do something or stop doing something I just have to quickly tell him what I want and what the consequences will be.

Example: Austin loves Kate to death, and because of this he usually ends up hurting her so normally I would yell (and not always yelling yelling, sometimes just speaking very sharply). Austin! Stop! You're hurting Kate! Now I say something like, Austin let go of kate or put your nose in the corner 1..2..3. Counting is magic for Austin. 9/10 times if I count he will react. He's learning now that when I count he has a little bit of time before it has to be done. Before I would count 1....................................2...........................................3................................ but recently as soon as I say 1 he knows he has a little time so he will run away or run outside or go do something crazy but by the time I say 3 he's on his way to doing what I asked. So now I count 1.2.3. and he quickly does what I ask.
Example 2: I notice Austin needs to go to the bathroom.
I normally would ask a couple times then end up yelling "Austin go potty NOW!" But I don't want to be one of "those mom's" who has to yell for there kids to move. So now I say Austin you need to use the potty then you can get a treat. Go now. 1.2.3.

This is (although I am sure boring to read about) so hard for me and I catch myself slipping daily but it is really something I want to fix. So wish me luck as Austin tries my patience as he gains his freedom. LOL

New news. We are house hunting! While I was gone to Canada Devon met with a loan officer and got the ball rolling on a home loan, then found an amazing real estate agent. We met with him last week and he sent us tons of home while I was at camp. We are going to start looking at some of them and hopefully get into a house soon. Definantly before the end of the year because we want to cash in on the new home buyers tax credit. We are looking to stay in Star and are trying to buy in our ward but don't know if it's going to work. Right now there are only 2 houses for sale in our ward that meet our requirements...and both of them don't really met the requirements....but we would make due to stay in the ward. ( we want 4 bedroom the ones in the ward have 3 bedrooms and a bonus room. I need a room for an office so we will have to check them out to see if they would work.) I'll keep my blog up to date on our house hunting. Now that we got a feel for it in California it should be fun here.

I think that's about it for now. Hopefully things will calm down and I will post more frequently.

Stacy