Before You Give Up On Me, Let Me Explain...

I realize that I have been a total slacker when it comes to my blog...and as anyone who reads this blog regularly can attest, no posts for 2 1/2 weeks has to be some sort of record for me! So this is what I have been doing...

I found this site and joined the group and started the baby steps...which led to reading this book...and keeping my sink looking like this...all the time...
which led to taking a lot of this (this is one of more than 5 loads...and I am not even finished with the upstairs) to the D.I. and garbage cansand after/amidst that, feeling inspired to do some touch-up painting/redecorating and making my room look lovely...seriously the flylady is amazing!

Watching a lot of this...which was very entertaining...

with her...

and him...And watching a lot of this...which was quite exciting after he reacclimated to the concept of swimming...

There has also been a lot of watching this...

laughing about stuff like this...hanging out on the sidelines with her...
and enjoying moments like this...
I have cleaned up a lot of this...and this...because it is worth it when I see this...
I have been enjoying the sound of Seth and Morgan doing this quite frequently...and feeling happy about seeing a lot of these fresh cut from my garden...I smile thinking about how he picked this outfit out all by himself...because it "matched his orange flip-flops"... and knowing that she is doing this now...Honestly, I can't get enough of this girl...she is just so darn sweet!

So, that is a quick snippit of what has been keeping me from writing these past couple of weeks...of course there is plenty more I could say and so much I didn't capture in pictures (mostly of the wonderful times I have been able to enjoy with my sweet husband), but I think I'll leave it at that!

Where Have You Been Hiding?

For the last year, bedtime with Morgan has been extremely frustrating! We tried not giving him attention, taking him back to bed a million times, yelling, threatening, reward charts, special time with Mom and Dad, taking away priviledges and even "swats" (a gentler version of the spanking), but nothing worked. Finally, as I have mentioned before, we resorted to taking away his lights and locking his door to keep him in bed.

With the looming prospect of moving Chloe into Morgan's room (and a very unsuccessful attempt at doing so), we have been searching for guidance on how to make the transition go smoothly. As I was searching, I came across this book...

As I read about it, I was skeptical - I am not a big meditation/yoga enthusiast and the book taches kids relaxation, breathing and visualization to help them sleep. But in desparation, I reserved a copy at the library and started reading it. Once I realized that it really was more like a game than anything, I got excited to try it out.

Thursday was the day I planned to start the program and bedtime (6:30 pm at our house) arrived...dun dun dun. I made sure Morgan had his lights in his room, got Chloe into bed, put Brynn down for a nap and let Callie out to go potty. Morgan had seen me reading the book over the past couple of days and was excited to start the "game to help him sleep better". I read through "week 1 day 1". Morgan loved flopping his arms and body and was caught up in the vizualization story and by the time I finished, Morgan rolled onto his side and went right to sleep. I went down to his room at least 5 times to make sure his lights weren't on, and sure enough he had gone right to sleep at 7:00 am. I was ecstatic, but thought it might be too good to be true. But, sure enough, Friday night, Morgan rolled over to go to sleep before I even got to the visualization and he didn't even move when I kissed his forehead before leaving his room. (Even more impressive when you note that his aunts and uncles were upstairs playing Wii). Today, he asked to play the flop game when I put him down for a nap and I he stayed in his bed for about 30 minutes before getting out and playing quietly in his room. Then tonight, he had a lot of wiggles and pent-up energy from our day of errands and I could tell he was having a hard time relaxing his body as we were going through the relaxation segment. I figured he would get up and I would have to go back to locking his door tonight, but he only got up once and then we got out some wiggles, talked more about his visualization and he went right to sleep.

I am AMAZED that this is working and I could not be more excited about it. I just wonder how I didn't find this sooner!!! I hope it continues to work, and I am excited to try it out with Chloe (even though it is for kids 3 and older). It is so nice to flip on the light switch in Morgan's room and actually have lightbulbs there to turn on! :)

A Daily Occurence

Chances are good that if you were to stop by the Tate house, this is what you would find...

Two little Tater-tots snuggled together reading books or coloring/writing letters.

Awww...it just warms my heart!

Bedside Books Tag

I was tagged to list the books at each of my family members' bedsides, but nobody in this house really keeps books by their bedside other than scriptures (Seth and I keep our scripture quads on our nightstands, and Morgan has his picture Book of Mormon as well as his Book of Mormon stories board book which should be in Chloe's room).

We do most of our reading in the living room, so that is where our latest "reading material" is strewn. Unfortunately, I have been decorating and cleaning all day, so I am going to have to give you the rundown of today's books mostly from memory...

Seth...
This is tricky because he uses his commute-time and walking across campus time to listen to audiobooks for his leisure reading, and I have absolutely no idea what he is listening to right now. I do have to move his enormous Pathophysiology book and various other textbooks out of my living room almost daily, though. Plus, I am pretty sure I put away his Aaronic Priesthood lesson manual today too.

Jen...
I am a slacker! I am an avid reader and read a rediculous amount every day...however, all of that reading is from magazines, blogs and children's books. Here is my latest reading material strewn throughout the house. Ensigns and New Eras, Parenting magazine, Parents Magazine, Simple Scrapbooks Magazine, Creating Keepsakes Magazine, Redbook Magazine, Digital Scrapbooking Magazine, No Doubt About It by Sheri Dew (I have been "reading" this book forever! I don't think I will ever get through it). I also have Behold Your Little Ones (the new nursery manual) in my queue of things to read.

Now to the easy part!!!

Morgan...
Snowmen at Christmas (Caralyn Buehner)
Snowmen at Night (Caralyn Buehner)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Dr. Seuss)
King Bidgood's In The Bathtub
The Cat in the Hat (Dr. Seuss)
Sesame Street (That one is in Morgan's room where he is sleeping, but I can tell you it was brought to you by the letter "F" and the number "4")
Arthur's Baby (Marc Brown)

Chloe...
What's Bigger than Me? (Baby Einstein)
Go Dog Go (full length by PD Eastman)
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (Dr. Seuss)
Touch and Feel Christmas
Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? (Dr. Seuss)
Goodnight Moon (Margaret Wise Brown)
Once Upon a Potty (Alona Frankel)
Little People Go to School Lift the Flaps

And those are all ones they/we read today alone (most could have been on either Morgan or Chloe's list) - and I am positive I have left a few out. So, despite my neglect for my own reading, I am not failing my children completely in the reading department.

Anyone who feels so inclined...blog your bedside books - I am sure to see it because your blog is something I will actually read! Oh, and Seth - feel free to add any books that are on your figurative bedside!