I can't give it up

This is my favorite food. I could eat popcorn everyday and I would never dull of it. It is perfect you can eat it with your fingers, it's salty, and fun to eat. Popcorn is something that I can not give up for lent. Just looking at the picture makes your mouth water, doesn't it?
This is my famous popcorn pot. It is a heavy cast iron dutch oven and it works wonderfully. All you need is some olive oil and butter in bottom and your good to go. Of course you must salt the crunchy treat after you dump it in a bowl.
And look who has raised their ugly head in my house again. The dreaded sock monster has returned with more power. There was a full scale battle last spring and I was victorious. There remained only a slight remnant and it seems that the remnant grew. I do not know where this monster gains his strength but I must beat the beast.

Oh No!

Whoever would like to see a picture of me big and pregnant needs to check out nanaporcupine (My Mom's blog). She posted a picture of me the day before Wyatt (my fourth) was born.

This little girl

This is my third daughter ,Constence, and is she something else. I do not know if it is because she is the third child or what but she is different then all of the other children. Usually she is a very soft spoken girl and almost whispers. I am constantly telling her that she must speak louder while she is telling of her dreams or about a story she made up. She will talk quietly to herself most of the day and imagine the wonder and exciting things. All she needs is two pony tail holders and their will soon be a adventure happening. But watch out if she if fired up about something because she can be a ball fire. The loudest thing in the house running to and fro. She will laugh so loud and squeal that it makes our ears hurt. Her whole goal in life is to be 14, have braces and talk on the phone. So I guess I better watch out. A few days ago she had a bad dream during the night and talked about for most of the morning. She told her dream to everyone and we were all getting a little sick of it. Suddenly she starts telling me that today she will be praying to God so that she will have good dreams. When a child speaks of such things it helps to let you know that something is sinking in. This morning I was reading her one of her favorite stories and she wanted to know both of the girl's name. Wouldn't you know it, but this story did not give us the name of the main character. It was a beginner reader book. She then decided that she would name the little girl. After a little while she comes into the kitchen and tells me the girl's name. "I named her Sarah, Mommy" she said. "Oh", I said. "Yeah, it's in the bible you know." said Contence. I just smile and finish making the oatmeal.

James won

I must brag about the beautiful springer spaniel that won at Westminster last night. James was just wonderful. I really did not think that he would win. As the judge was looking at all of the dogs a second time he walked right by the springer and did not even look at him. I was very surprised when he won the competition. He is just beautiful without any spots and his markings were beautiful. Does anyone else enjoy dog shows as much as I do?

Vanentine's Day

Wyatt's Birthday party on Sunday was very nice. We had my husband Mother, our friends the Bolin's and our friends the Kuhlman's over for goodies. We had cake, ice cream, brownies, nuts and popcorn. I thought I should have a little more than just cake and ice cream because there were 27 people in all. I was a nice time to visit and watch the little guy open a few gifts.

Today is Valentine's Day and the children are all very excited. They awoke to find a little pack on homemade valentine cookies taped to their door. They were surprised that I let them eat both cookies before breakfast. I knew that I would be making waffle this morning and they always take such a long time. The cookies would then buy me a little time.

Oh Yeah, when I went online my Google home page said that it was -3 degrees. My feet are chilly today.

Super Duper 2 year old

Here is the newly potty trained Wyatt. He really think that he is a super duper. He came up with this word when we bought him his superman underwear. Today he wants to wear his favorite pair outside of his pj's so he looks really super. He also like to wear his cape very day.

Here is a picture of Wyatt when he was only 1 day old. Now little guy is turning two years old. This afternoon we will munch on a large cookie for his small birthday celebration. My friend Leslie sent a gift for him and he has been looking at and wanting to open it all week. He will open that gift today and maybe one small one from us. On Sunday we will have a few family and friends come over for a larger birthday celebration.

Potty training 101

I now have a potty trained 23 month old. We began training 3 weeks ago this Tuesday. The little guy is doing just wonderful and has only had 6 accidents. I thought I would make a list of training hints.

1. There must be a lot of hype leading up to training day. I am talking "super bowl" hype. I started talking about potty training about 2 weeks before we started. We looked at his favorite underwear at the store. We talked about how these underwear could not be dirty and he must keep them clean. All of these discussions were done in a very upbeat and positive way.
2. More hype : we talked about how fun the potty chair would be and he watched older brother and sisters use the potty.
3. The day before we bought a new potty chair for him. (Our old one would be used in the upstairs bathroom but there would be a new one down stairs.) Hey, if $6.99 helps train a boy why not pay the money.
4. We bought the Superman underwear that he had been looking at for a few months at the store. He carried them through the store and we made a huge deal about them being kept clean and dry.
5. He got to the unwrap the potty chair and underwear when we got home.
6. He sat on the potty without a diaper and reminded what would happen when he woke up.
7. Before bed we (he was involved) set out his pile on clean underwear (I always have at least 12 pair on the back on the toilet) and we also got both potty chairs in position and ready.
8. Right before he went to bed, we went to the bathroom and looked at the potty. We put his favorite superman underwear by the potty and I told him that tomorrow he would not ware any more diapers. He would go pee on the potty as soon as he woke up in the morning. After that he would get to wear his underwear.
9. I made him repeat the words I just said, "Tomorrow I will not wear diapers, I will pee and poop on the potty."
10. Then bright and early as soon as I heard him we hurried to the potty and he peed on the potty. Huge HUGE excitement is them showed by everyone in the house and the little guy was given a small (one smarty) piece of candy. This reward is then given every time he pees for about a week.
11. That whole morning until noon you talk to the child about keeping their wonderful underwear clean and dry. You remind the child every five minute about staying clean and dry and have them sit on the potty chair every ten minute at least.
12. Chips, popcorn, drinks and snacks are given as bribes for sitting on the potty chair. He can see the snack but will not have it until he has sat on the potty chair.
13. When the child has an accident then you must be disappointed and he should feel bad about messing up his underwear.
14. Practice time. From ten location in the house he will practice saying "I have to pee" running to the potty chair, being placed on the potty chair and standing up. I say the same exact thing every time we practice and talk him through the whole thing. Your job is to teach and you must tell and show them everything.

This is how your life will be for about three days. Mom and Dad must be wonderful actors and make this very fun and exciting. On the first day of our training with Wyatt my wonderful husband came home and ran a bath for me then said" Go enjoy your bath, I will take over." Of course he also knew the whole training routine. Believe me, I needed a break by that time. At the end of that day we had over twenty picture book and other various toys in the bathroom from spending so much time in there. My older two spend the day reading to and playing with my four year old and letting the dog out so I focus on training Wyatt. Meals were also very simple that week and we did not go anywhere until church on Sunday.

Here is another resourse that will aid you in training your child. I found this book very helpful.