(on a recent family outing)
You know what is crazy? People are actually asking me for advice on how to raise great kids!
(although I do admit that my kids are great.
They are just assuming it is because of something that i did! ha)
Rewind 10 years ago........no one was asking me for advice. I had 5 kids under the age of 8. I was basically a walking add for birth control. ha ha. Seriously though, I was barely holding it together. Smart, imaginative, and confident kids aren't always so fun or easy to control when they are little. Picture in your mind hand drawn murals on your walls, forever escaping, and constant inappropriate comments. (And that was only Rachel. ha ha.) My mom wanted me to take Rachel to see a psychiatrist. Let me tell you, no one was wanting to be me 10 years ago.
So what is the secret? How do I have this strong, confident, beautiful, A+ student of a daughter now. Now that people have been asking me, I have been really thinking about it. What is the answer?
We all want it to be easy. A quick fix. But like everything, it is just plugging along trying to be a better mom every day. And that is a slow, long, and sometimes painful process. It is being humble and totally dependent on God to help you, and let you know what to do next with each child. It is listening and following everything that the prophet says. It is reading scriptures and praying every day. It is going to the temple at least once a month with your husband as an example when they are young, and taking them once a month when they are old enough. It is teaching them to love and serve everyday by example, and having them help you serve others. It is again, by being humble, and asking your child's forgiveness when you mess up (and that is often my friends). It is going to church every week to take the sacrament and renew our covenants with the Lord to love, serve and keep his commandments. It is putting God first in your life, and teaching them that everything else will work for your good if you do.
This last general conference of our church (when we hear the prophet, apostles etc. speak every 6 months), there was a great talk entitled
"Love her mother" by Elaine Dalton who is the president over the 12-18 year old girls in the entire church. The subtitle for her talk is...
"How can a father raise a happy, well- adjusted daughter in today's increasingly toxic world?"
The answer has been taught by the Lord’s prophets. It is a simple answer, and it is true—“The most important thing a father can do for his [daughter] is to love [her] mother.”
She goes on to explain why, and also other things that a father needs to do and be for his daughter. But interesting that the most important is to love her mother.
I know it is true as well. Lately my kids found out that Dave, while I was on my mission would send me cassette tapes of him talking to me. On one tape, he was in the car driving and played a song (totally illegal. ha) and sang along with it to me.
It is called "I'll Never Let You Go" by steelheart.
Well, all of a sudden, the song is on every one of my kids i-pods and they are listening to it all the time. The funniest is I see Lizzie at the computer doing something and she is singing a long with the song as it is playing (she knows all the words. I don't even know all the words). You will realize how funny this is when you hear the song. It's this total heavy metal old song. Cracks me up.
Then, it hit me. I remembered this talk by Sister Dalton and I realized my kids all love this song because it represents the love their dad has for their mom. and that is the most comfortable, safe, and wonderful feeling a child can have.
So the kids will put on the song and dave and i will slow dance together, while he sings it to me. They all watch on with sparkly eyes and faces.
So here it is. Enjoy. You are going to be dying laughing.
Especially when you think of dave and that last high note. classic.
PS-I was watching the video and Lizzie asked how do I know this song. I explained what song it was and she completely knows it. She looked at the guy singing and asked if they are just kidding, or if this music video is serious. I explained, they are serious, it was just made a long time ago. To which she replied, "scare me, scare me." which is what Ammon says when he is scared of something. too funny. When Jacob saw it, I told him that Dad would love to be the main singer here. Jacob's face showed great confusion, and he let me know that is the last thing he would ever want to do or be. So, I guess there is a generation gap. ha ha.
So every Christmas, we try out new recipes, new possible traditions. Lizzie picked out this idea and I think it is a keeper. In Martha Stewart's everyday food magazine there was a recipe for 
This isn't the greatest picture, but you have to see my shoes! I finally found an opportunity to wear them. I bought them in Seattle at nordstrom's rack the night before we flew out for korea. Is that the most ridiculous and impractical thing to buy knowing I had to add it to our already 40 pieces of luggage. I had to, it was love at first sight. So they finally made their debut at the medical group christmas party on Friday dec. 23rd. I'll have you know that my dress i got at a garage sale here for $20. It had never been worn. Just call me second hand rose. (name that movie!)
i turn around and there is dave meticulously gluing on googily eyes and pom pom noses.
after we were out until midnight caroling and delivering gifts. It was so fun. The kids fell into bed with no complaint, while dave and I stayed up until the wee hours preparing for the next day. All of his work came over for Christmas dinner on sunday. That was what they requested, being that they are all here without family. Dave did most of the cooking. He was amazing.
Rachel and Jacob scored Ipod touches and have been face timing each other ever since.
Ammon with his pooh bears and his new angry bird stuffed animal kickin it on the couch.
