Twins on the way

Sunday, September 24, 2006

We are having the Richards over today. They are very good friends of ours. We enjoy their company. Gavin is trying to get his hunting license so he can go with Jeremy Richards. They have a new baby girl. I am thankful today to be able to hold the baby and visit with good old friends.

Monday, September 25, 2006

Today I was able to go with Clarissa to Timpanogus Cave in American Fork Canyon. We hiked to the caves and took the cave tour with her 4th grade class. We have a history in our family with the caves. Martin Hansen is my great great grandfather. The tour guide knows my grandfather, who still lives in American Fork, they worked in the School District teaching together and actually grew up together. He knows the family history and made the tour really fun for Clarissa. We were very lucky. His name is Arlough Shelley. They Shelley Elementary in American Fork is named after his Grandfather. My grandfather was the principal there for years. I really enjoyed today. The fall leaves are beautiful in the canyon. It felt really peaceful to be in the canyon and I enjoyed the day with my daughter.

Talk to Yourself and Affirmations discussion:
The things that I felt were most important were the ideas for re-programming my thinking; using self-talk, writing and recognizing the things that I say and think that are negetive, and the effective way that Helmstetter presented the process of truly controlling your own success by taking responsibility for your negative behaviors and thinking. This book affected my life by giving me the opportunities to recognize so many of the negative behaviors, habits, and attitudes that influence my feelings and actions. While I as reading I found myself saying..."I do that...oops, I do that too." I went back over the previous chapters when I realized how much I was being affected by reading this and really marked up and underlined and commented about the points presented. I found myself beginning to change the way that I self-talk and how I am raising my children by about chapter 5. I have even shared a great deal of the knowledge with my older children, ages 9 and 12. I told them to start thinking about what they say and think and that they really can change their own negative thinking about homework, school, etc. by being positive and realizing their infinite potential. Tonight as I sat to post this I said something negative about how I was running out of time to take the test on the book and how I was getting frustrated as they all have needs and questions for me at the same time. I even commented that I was not on the level of some of the other moms we know in being able to meet their needs "perfectly" (very sarcastic and negative). My son pointed out to me that I was not thinking very positively and he said, "Mom, that was not really a positive self-talk now was it?" He told me I was doing fine and that it really didn't matter if I made home made milkshakes or had a perfectly clean house, he was doing just fine without those things. I really saw what Helmstetter talks about with raising children and it being probably the most productive area of improvement. Children are very much the example to follow. They accept things and apply them. Hopefully I will better begin to apply the lessons in this book and recognize the simplicity in living a positive life through re-programming the negative influences that I have thus allowed to penetrate me so deeply. This book really does make you stop and think....before you speak. I think that for me I loved the idea of looking at what outcome you desire and then working backwards from that. Recognizing the idea of programming....understanding your beliefs....how they effect your attitude....which creates in you feelings....that you act upon....and you have results in your life. I will certainly begin to apply the positive re-programming in my life and I will be successful at it because I will teach it to my children and they will continue to remind me and exemplify its concepts. Thanks for a good read!



Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Today is Pack Meeting for scouting. This is my Gavin’s last Pack Meeting, as he will be twelve in two days. He is helping the troop retire a flag. It will be a beautiful ceremony. They are going to talk of liberty and freedom and the flag, then play taps and do the flag burning, in respect. I think it will be a good experience for our family, especially looking toward Veterans Day in November. I try to teach them to be so courteous and respectful of the flag and America.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

The meeting yesterday was all I expected. My kids could really feel the reverence for the flag, something they and I will never forget. I was really proud watching Gavin help with the ceremony and be so respectful. Today Gavin has a court of honor; he is being awarded his aquaknot. This should be fun, with the older scouts. Today I am really thankful for friends who see me struggeling and help. Wednesdays are always really busy, with Piano, Library, Scouts, Soccer, so many activities on one night. My neighbor friend brought us some dinner that she had left from her family tonight. I was very grateful to her.




Thursday, September 28, 2006

Today is Gavin’s 12th Birthday. He has soccer tonight, so it will be pretty much a typical day. My little boys are so excited to do something for Gavin. They have wrapped up some of their precious toys and given them to him. He was really cool about it. We are taking Gavin out to dinner tomorrow night. Today I as thankful to see how much my kids love each other.


Friday, September 29, 2006

Today is a vacation day for the kid’s school. I had to find someone to watch them for me to go to my Math class. Gavin went with me, he is taking Pre-Algebra in his 6th grade class and it was really fun to take him with me to my lecture, although he chuckled at me learning this now, in my “old” age. I took him to the bookstore and he spent an hour picking out a pen for his birthday. Tonight we are going to take him to dinner and to buy a suit.

Saturday, September 30, 2006

Last night was fun. We took Gavin to dinner and then to a movie he wanted to see. Brian is going to take him shopping for a suit today. We just wanted to have a relaxing evening, and Gavin really wanted to see School of Scoundrels. It was a funny movie, and fun to watch him laugh so much. Today we are going to the Cabin for the weekend. I picked up my niece yesterday when we visited my grandparents in American Fork. She will be going with us for the weekend. Her mom is carrying the twins and due the end of November. She is on bedrest and so we are trying to help with Zoe as much as possible. My brother called from Portland, he is going to come back here to help with my sister on Wednesday and stay for a while until the twins are born. We hope that Sheri will be able to carry them as long as possible.