I wonder...

...if these girls are sisters????  Can you tell who's who?

SOLD!

Recently my parenting world has been totally transformed.  I went from a toddler who was a super "hitter" to toddler who is a little angel.  What was the ticket...  Love and Logic.  I first heard of Love and Logic when I had a client with three-year-old triplets, an 18 month old, and one on the way.  Her children were SO well behaved.  I was beyond impressed.  I asked her what her secret was and she said "Love and Logic."  Well, I ran to get the book ASAP after that, but it got pushed aside, accumulated dust, and I forgot about it.  Thank heaven's for Courtney, my dear friend, who reminded me of the books, offered me her copy on CD, and rescued me from the frustration of parenting.  I have listened to the books, applied the principles for about 3 weeks now, and have a totally different kid.  Hallie, who was so cute but super sassy, is now even cuter because she doesn't hit, doesn't whine near as much, and is actually learning and growing through the Love and Logic methods.  She seriously hasn't hit for about 2 weeks, when before she was hitting multiple times a day.  Now, we were disciplining Hallie all along.  I thought we had tried everything possible, but we were doing it all wrong.  I am such a huge believer in the Love and Logic system now.  The book gives you SO many tools to use in frustrating situations and teaches parents how to celebrate mistakes instead of getting mad.  I am so excited about the outlook it has given me in disciplining and guiding my children to responsibility and confidence.  It is making parenting LOTS more fun.  I just thought I would pass the word along because it is AMAZING!  I am totally, 100% SOLD!

Hallie + Dax

These two are BFF's.  The moment they are separated, Hallie starts asking if Dax can come back over.

Sometimes they pick on each other like siblings.

Dax loves to tease Hallie....

... and Hallie loves to retaliate with violence.

But most days...

...she LOVES Dax...

...lots!!!

They are adorable together.

Beautiful and growing

From then to now

I have been thinking lots about my marriage lately.  Eric and I have known each other since I was 15 and he was 16.  We first laid eyes on each other at church.  I was in the foyer holding one of my leaders cute little babies and Eric thought I was this baby's mom.  He says he had to repent for lusting after a married woman, haha.  Once he figured out I was his age, he chased me like a mouse after cheese until, finally, the stars aligned, and on his 18th birthday and we had our first kiss.  Since that point, we have had lots of ups and downs, many trials including his mission, our separation for such a long time, and then figuring out life together once he came back into the real world.  We got married soon after that, December 2005.  I was 19!!!  I still can't believe that.  I was such a baby, but I thought I had life all figured out :)  Sometimes when things get a little complicated, I wonder if we did things right.  I am not doubting that I should have married Eric.  I know he is so perfect for me, but I wonder if we should have waited and not rushed into marriage being so young and with Eric basically on his death bed.  This past weekend was General Conference, which is were all of the leaders of the Latter Day Saint faith speak to all the members across the world.  There was one speaker in particular who really touched me this time, Elder Richard G. Scott.  You can watch his whole address here, but he basically recounted his life with his lovely wife, memories together, events with their children, lesson's taught by one to the other.  He celebrated his marriage and the beauty of marriage in general, and while listening to it I just felt super comforted.  I know Eric and I did it right.  It made me think of all the wonderful memories Eric and I have had together because we have been together and loved each other since our teenage years.

I've been thinking about my wedding ring.  It is so insignificant from a worldly standpoint, but so rich in memories and love.  When Eric and I were reunited after his mission, we were so passionately in love and were determined to do whatever it took to be together everyday 24-7 no matter what.  But, like I said, Eric was extremely ill and, likewise, extremely poor.  He had only $300 for a ring and had looked and looked but had no luck with anything.  Well, just when he was about to give up, he found the beauty that is sparkling on my finger right now as I type.  It was already marked 80% off with additional mark down that day for a daily sale.  It was perfect, exactly $300.  When he bought it for me he said, "We can replace the center for a bigger diamond as soon as we have the money."  Before recently, I was so cool with that idea, but now I don't think I will ever replace this little ring.  It reminds me of our young love, of our persistence to be together no matter the elements that wanted to pull us apart, and of our trying poor times that have brought us so close to each other and so reliant on God.

Even today, I find myself falling in love with him all over again.  Like a few weeks ago, we were at KangaZoom and he was jumping and playing with Hallie in one of the bounce houses.  I was holding Saige and watching them, when he popped his head out of the door way with his hat on backwards and a huge grin and said, "Hey mom, can I have a Capri Sun?"  and then went right back to jumping.  I don't know why, but that little boyish charm he has just get me every time.   The butterflies started and I fell in love with him all over again there in the middle of the crazy bounce house with millions of kids going wild all around us.

I don't know why I felt like sharing this tonight, but I did.  I am so happy to be married, to have a great husband, to be even more in love with him today than yesterday, and to know that no matter what happens here on earth, we will be together for eternity.

Meet my new love...

My dearest friend Heather recommended this cook book to me and holy cow how I LOVE it!!!!  I am not exaggerating, every single recipe I try from it is out-of-this-world incredible.  Tonight I made fish for the very first time using one of The Food Nanny's recipes.  I have always steer away from it in fear, but decided to give it a shot and it was so so yummy.  This cook book has a great meal planning set up, gardening ideas, easy delicious recipes and really I just can't say enough good things about it.  So, go buy it!

We'll sing and we'll shout!

I am soooo beyond excited that our Atlanta temple is going to be up and running again here in a few short weeks.  It has been under extensive renovations for almost 2 years and oh how I have missed the comfort, peace and little slice of heaven that comes from attending the temple regularly.  This building is very near and dear to my heart.  I have had many of the most amazing personal and spiritual experiences in my life occur surrounding temples, including my sweet marriage in the Mesa, Arizona temple.

SO, the exciting news for everyone in ears reach is that for the 2 weeks the temple is having an open house and EVERYONE, member of the Mormon faith or not, can tour it. After that, it will be dedicated and only members holding a current temple recommend will be able to enter.  This is not because it is a secret and we do weird things in there, but because it is special and sacred.  The tours will be wonderful and are not meant to convert (though I am sure any questions will be answered if sought) but to inform and familiarize the public with the truth about our faith.  Anyone wanting to go to the open house, let me know and I will gladly go with you.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Here is a link to where tickets can be reserved for anyone interested.  They are free of course :)