All in all it took about 2 hours. Not terrible, but when it only lasts a day or two, definitely not worth it to do often. I didn't realize how long my hair had gotten so I got a few inches cut off later that week.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Before and after
A few weeks ago I decided to undergo my once every two or three year hair straightening drama.
After blow drying.
After straightening.
All in all it took about 2 hours. Not terrible, but when it only lasts a day or two, definitely not worth it to do often. I didn't realize how long my hair had gotten so I got a few inches cut off later that week.
All in all it took about 2 hours. Not terrible, but when it only lasts a day or two, definitely not worth it to do often. I didn't realize how long my hair had gotten so I got a few inches cut off later that week.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Weekend fun
This past weekend was a busy and fun one.
Friday afternoon after an assessment that we all participated in for a program we are beginning with Clara soon (more on that later), Clara and I had a mommy daughter date to enjoy a middle school production of Beauty and the Beast, Jr.
It was a cute production, but frankly, eighty percent of the fun is in the anticipation. Clara would tell me every day last week, "Friday we're going to Beauty and the Beast, Jr, right, Mama?" She did a good job sitting in the folding seats (up until this year, literally, those types of chairs were scary for her and she wouldn't sit back in them).
Clara told me as we waited, "Thank you for inviting me to the play, Mama." Blow me over with a feather; boy, that filled me with gratitude.
A very small sixth-grade boy played Gaston but hammed it up well. I was nervous about the scary wolf scene, but they had cleverly adapted it to have foxes instead, who danced to the music as Belle's father would cry out, "What does the fox say?"
While Michael was at work Saturday morning, we took advantage of a large cardboard box and made a house. They're the best. Another special quote: Clara told me as I was cutting out windows, "This is the best morning ever!! I love you love you love you!"
One of my dreams is to ride bikes as a family. Coming from me, who am not a good biker, this is a big deal. I've just admired how Michael's family has used biking as a way to have a family activity that everyone can do. So Michael and I finally bought bikes, and a fabulous friend is letting us borrow their trailer for Robbie.
We have been working for quite a while on how to help Clara ride and participate until she can learn to balance and feel comfortable on a bike (we've tried lots of things), and the bike shop let us borrow a tag-along to see how we liked it. I think we'll get one, although there are disadvantages (it doesn't teach her balance, she doesn't have to pedal, and she doesn't learn to negotiate going down hills or turns, etc.). However, it was great to be able to do something that we all could participate in. We'll see how it goes. The current major downside is that our hilly neighborhood doesn't lend itself to biking with kids, so my supportive husband had to take half an hour to strap the trailer on top of the Subaru, the two bikes on the back on the bike rack, and the tag-along in the trunk. Phew.
Robbie tolerates being strapped in as long as we're moving, preferably very quickly.
We enjoyed the sun and are going to enjoy another potential snow storm this week. Come what may and love it.
Friday afternoon after an assessment that we all participated in for a program we are beginning with Clara soon (more on that later), Clara and I had a mommy daughter date to enjoy a middle school production of Beauty and the Beast, Jr.
Clara told me as we waited, "Thank you for inviting me to the play, Mama." Blow me over with a feather; boy, that filled me with gratitude.
A very small sixth-grade boy played Gaston but hammed it up well. I was nervous about the scary wolf scene, but they had cleverly adapted it to have foxes instead, who danced to the music as Belle's father would cry out, "What does the fox say?"
We have been working for quite a while on how to help Clara ride and participate until she can learn to balance and feel comfortable on a bike (we've tried lots of things), and the bike shop let us borrow a tag-along to see how we liked it. I think we'll get one, although there are disadvantages (it doesn't teach her balance, she doesn't have to pedal, and she doesn't learn to negotiate going down hills or turns, etc.). However, it was great to be able to do something that we all could participate in. We'll see how it goes. The current major downside is that our hilly neighborhood doesn't lend itself to biking with kids, so my supportive husband had to take half an hour to strap the trailer on top of the Subaru, the two bikes on the back on the bike rack, and the tag-along in the trunk. Phew.
We enjoyed the sun and are going to enjoy another potential snow storm this week. Come what may and love it.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
St. Pat's
Being proud of my Irish heritage (okay, so it's three greats back, but still), I thought I'd celebrate the day very authentically.
Monday, March 17, 2014
Positive and negative
{Disclaimer: One of my yearly goals is to blog three times a week. I only have blogged once this month, so please excuse the bevy of potentially lame posts to be forthcoming.}
Mornings around here are often pretty rough. I think they are for most mothers trying to get their children on the bus or to school on time. Add Clara's challenges and we frequently have high levels of stress before the clock even says 7:45am.
After some not good days last week, I informed Clara that I wouldn't be nagging her anymore. She already has two alarms, and I would remind her one other time, but then I wouldn't continue to remind her to do every step of her morning routine (are you dressed? have you made your bed yet?, come downstairs, shoes and socks!, quick grab some bites to eat!, hurry get your coat on, the bus is coming!!!!, etc. etc. etc.). If she missed the bus, she'd either pay me $5 to take her to school, and then when she ran out of money (which would be very quickly), she'd have to stay home and do chores all day without music, books, or shows, etc. On the reverse side, however, I would be giving her points (we call them dots on her dot chart) for every time she made good choices and would be earning prizes, etc.
Well, we had some not so pretty days where I took Clara to school last week and I ended up in tears. And I realized after talking with her fabulous special ed teacher that perhaps she isn't quite there yet to have full responsibility and that I need to praise her for every little step of the day. I do that already but I am upping the ante and giving her a dot for practically every single good choice she makes. I worry that she will never do something because it's the right thing to do but because she expects a reward, but I have decided that I want to create a good habit and that it's okay right now, especially on her maturity and understanding levels.
I also added an alarm on her bathroom clock and on my cell phone, giving a total of 4 alarms throughout the morning to remind her to kick it in gear. Yes, it's a lot, but I'd rather have the alarm be the reminder instead of me. (When we gave her an alarm clock in the morning a couple of years ago, it was so helpful to have a neutral object as the "nag;" it also teaches personal responsibility--I hope--and is a skill she can keep as an adult.)
So we've been doling out the dots like crazy and Clara is eating it up and loving all the praise. I also had her re-make her morning routine chart (we've made so many of these throughout the years!). She really enjoys and responds well to reverse psychology. For example, I tell her, "No! You cannot make your bed. That would be responsible and make you feel good and we just cannot have that. You must be lazy and do nothing and live at home the rest of your life." And she'll yell, "No!" and then go and gleefully complete the task.
Along those same lines, I made a "natural man" morning routine chart (a.k.a. the opposite of what she should do) and she made her real chart. I also wrote down the chores she'd be doing if she stayed home, as well as the rewards she'd get when she earned a certain number of dots.
Mine (devil's advocate):
1. Stay in bed.
2. Leave covers on the floor.
3. Never talk to Heavenly Father.
4. Leave PJs on floor.
5. Stay upstairs. Read on toilet forever. (She seriously sits there for like 20 minutes reading)
Clara's:
1. Get dressed.
2. Make bed.
3. Say prayers.
4. Get PJ's in drawer.
5. Go down to breakfast.
Jobs if Clara misses the bus (just a few ideas I had off the top of my head):
1. Clean bathroom floor by hand.
2. Wash windows.
3. Dust stairs.
4. Fold laundry--match socks.
Rewards for Clara being self-motivated:
- Dot per step (on routine) she does without being reminded.
- Dot when she gets out of shower without being prompted.
- Dot when she packs her bookbag.
10 dots = prize from treasure box (little dinky toys, gum, etc,)
50 dots = trip to SweetBee (frozen yogurt)
100 dots = Rapunzel doll (that she's been wanting for ages)
Now getting her to reference the chart is another skill, but she really knows what to do anyway. I've been very proud of her these past few days and recognize that she actually makes dozens of good choices every day; it's just so easy to focus on the negative. So many wonderful things I am learning.
Mornings around here are often pretty rough. I think they are for most mothers trying to get their children on the bus or to school on time. Add Clara's challenges and we frequently have high levels of stress before the clock even says 7:45am.
After some not good days last week, I informed Clara that I wouldn't be nagging her anymore. She already has two alarms, and I would remind her one other time, but then I wouldn't continue to remind her to do every step of her morning routine (are you dressed? have you made your bed yet?, come downstairs, shoes and socks!, quick grab some bites to eat!, hurry get your coat on, the bus is coming!!!!, etc. etc. etc.). If she missed the bus, she'd either pay me $5 to take her to school, and then when she ran out of money (which would be very quickly), she'd have to stay home and do chores all day without music, books, or shows, etc. On the reverse side, however, I would be giving her points (we call them dots on her dot chart) for every time she made good choices and would be earning prizes, etc.
Well, we had some not so pretty days where I took Clara to school last week and I ended up in tears. And I realized after talking with her fabulous special ed teacher that perhaps she isn't quite there yet to have full responsibility and that I need to praise her for every little step of the day. I do that already but I am upping the ante and giving her a dot for practically every single good choice she makes. I worry that she will never do something because it's the right thing to do but because she expects a reward, but I have decided that I want to create a good habit and that it's okay right now, especially on her maturity and understanding levels.
I also added an alarm on her bathroom clock and on my cell phone, giving a total of 4 alarms throughout the morning to remind her to kick it in gear. Yes, it's a lot, but I'd rather have the alarm be the reminder instead of me. (When we gave her an alarm clock in the morning a couple of years ago, it was so helpful to have a neutral object as the "nag;" it also teaches personal responsibility--I hope--and is a skill she can keep as an adult.)
So we've been doling out the dots like crazy and Clara is eating it up and loving all the praise. I also had her re-make her morning routine chart (we've made so many of these throughout the years!). She really enjoys and responds well to reverse psychology. For example, I tell her, "No! You cannot make your bed. That would be responsible and make you feel good and we just cannot have that. You must be lazy and do nothing and live at home the rest of your life." And she'll yell, "No!" and then go and gleefully complete the task.
Along those same lines, I made a "natural man" morning routine chart (a.k.a. the opposite of what she should do) and she made her real chart. I also wrote down the chores she'd be doing if she stayed home, as well as the rewards she'd get when she earned a certain number of dots.
1. Stay in bed.
2. Leave covers on the floor.
3. Never talk to Heavenly Father.
4. Leave PJs on floor.
5. Stay upstairs. Read on toilet forever. (She seriously sits there for like 20 minutes reading)
Clara's:
1. Get dressed.
2. Make bed.
3. Say prayers.
4. Get PJ's in drawer.
5. Go down to breakfast.
Jobs if Clara misses the bus (just a few ideas I had off the top of my head):
1. Clean bathroom floor by hand.
2. Wash windows.
3. Dust stairs.
4. Fold laundry--match socks.
Rewards for Clara being self-motivated:
- Dot per step (on routine) she does without being reminded.
- Dot when she gets out of shower without being prompted.
- Dot when she packs her bookbag.
10 dots = prize from treasure box (little dinky toys, gum, etc,)
50 dots = trip to SweetBee (frozen yogurt)
100 dots = Rapunzel doll (that she's been wanting for ages)
Now getting her to reference the chart is another skill, but she really knows what to do anyway. I've been very proud of her these past few days and recognize that she actually makes dozens of good choices every day; it's just so easy to focus on the negative. So many wonderful things I am learning.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Frozen, the Book of Mormon, and Other Random Thoughts
I haven't really been in much of a picture-taking mood of late or felt a huge need to share something, hence the recent lack of posts. However, for journaling's sake, I wanted to write a few lines about what's going on over in these parts.
1. FOURTEEN SNOW DAYS AND COUNTING . . . We have had lots of snow and ice and delays and no school. I am happy to say that I am getting better at being more flexible when these throw off my routines. I realize that I have no control over it, the days will be made up, and I might as well try to live in the present and enjoy it. Robbie loves the snow, and Clara went down our little front yard hill sledding all by herself this week. I remind myself that winter means not having to worry about summer clothes and bathing suits and all that nonsense.
2. FROZEN MUSIC IN MY HEAD . . . Since I purchased the vocals from the soundtrack, Clara has listened to these songs a hundred times. Seriously--they are often in my head in the morning and when I go to sleep at night. I have thought about the lyrics quite a bit and realize that while I do sometimes wish I could "let it go"--be it my responsibilities, my worries, whatever--I recognize, like Elsa eventually does, that running away (even mentally) doesn't change the situation. This morning wasn't my proudest mommy moment during some very frustrating interchanges with an extremely defiant--at the time--daughter. I felt dark and angry and so darn mad at myself and my weaknesses and inadequacies.
I asked her forgiveness via a hastily scribbled note, and she so readily forgave me and thought it was great. I am thankful for her forgiving nature. I feel unworthy of God's love (I know those thoughts are from the adversary), but I just keep pressing forward, mostly sluggishly, sometimes unwillingly, hoping that someday I'll be better than I am. Unlike the "Fixer-Upper" song states, though, I have faith that we CAN really change through the grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ. While I rarely feel I will ever be good enough, I am trying to remind myself that Heavenly Father's love isn't contingent upon how I feel about myself. It's just there. (Repeat mantra hourly as needed.)
3. COMPUTER TROUBLES . . . Like car troubles, these just are so annoying. Dozens of video clips since 2012 have disappeared from Picasa. I have uninstalled and reinstalled it, etc. I unknowingly downloaded Re-markit malware and am unable to uninstall it despite following many instructions online. iTunes wasn't working and I uninstalled it only to be unable to reinstall it again. Blah blah blah.
4. CHARITY FOR OTHERS . . . Michael was called into the bishopric again this past week. I am happy that he can serve in this way again, but I confess I've really enjoyed sitting together the past eight months since our move. Since Robbie prefers him to me when he has the two of us to pick from, Michael's presence is sorely missed. I am praying for those sitting around us to have charity as they hear and see two children, one of whom is twenty months and the other who frequently acts like she's three. (Can I just have a sign that says, "Don't judge us; she has autism"?)
5. READ-A-THON . . . The young women and young men in our ward are reading the Book of Mormon in thirty days as a March Madness challenge. I have read the Book of Mormon many times but never in this way before. I am appreciating the broad stroke perspective with an increased testimony of its truthfulness and the reality that there is no way that a farm boy from New York with a minimal education could have written such a beautiful and powerful book which testifies of Jesus Christ and also of the truthfulness of the Bible. (Get a free copy here.)
6. BIKING . . . We purchased bikes for Michael and I this week. I've wanted us to get bikes for a while now as it's an activity that every age can do. We got an adaptive trike for Clara (I'll post a pic another day), which she was very scared to ride, but with the incentive of a treat at the end, we borrowed our friend's bike trailer and briefly rode around Grottoes this evening. We were very proud of her. Now, the fact that she had to pee so badly at the end of the ride and we didn't have a bathroom handy so I blocked the view and let her pee in the grass in said friend's backyard (yes, Emily, I am sorry!!) and she peed on my shoe and jeans and all over her pants is just par for the course. But on a positive note, I was very proud of her being willing to be flexible to use the bathroom in an unusual place.
Well, I am sorry that this post is a little on the negative side. I guess the bad days help us appreciate the brighter days. The sun'll come out tomorrow . . . right?
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