okoboji: 1, droid: 0 (9/2018)

I grew up hearing all about Lake Okoboji and drooling for a trip there. Naturally, when we got a boat, it was one of the first places we visited. My parents met us at a swanky hotel on the lake and we settled in for the weekend. But it ended up being a fairly disappointing trip - with choppy, crowded waters and an inaccessible, algae- infested shoreline. There was also the fact that I dropped my phone in the lake on the very first day of the trip. It wasn't all bad - we introduced our kids to spudnuts, the orphaned cat giftshop, and visited Arnolds Park. We just don't have many pictures to show for it...

 

I was a Girl Scout & so are you (3/2018)

Mom grew up in Girl Scouts so when both girls expressed interest, they were quickly enrolled. However, Girl Scouts never seemed to capture their attention... that is, with the exception of pedaling peanut butter patties 

and daddy daughter dances  

Turning 10 (3/2021)

Some things we've learned about Dalia this past year:

- She loves watching Hallmark movies. (Somewhere in mid October, she discovered their Christmas movies but enjoys a good wedding/ love story year round.) 

- She's got goals!

- Blissfully unconcerned about details, she inquired, "Mom, how do you spell Geneva?" (She also hasn't yet really taken the time to figure out time expressions and analog clocks.)

- She wants to add the guitar to her performing repertoire and is obsessed with fame. (She is currently doing her wax museum project on Doris Day and is mesmorized by Lisa Marie's airplane.)

- She frequently forgets to eat breakfast but never forgets to feed her beloved "Shelby" every morning. (Can you believe that the 'rescue' turtle has survived in the basement for a year now?)

- She patiently waits for the front desk staff to beep her in at dance every week rather than learning the door code like every other dancer. (The same holds true for the garage door code at home on early out Wednesdays)

- Her mind operates just like Marco's on Mulberry Street but she isn't afraid to exaggerate the details. With baby Jo (who is 8 months), she tells us that the baby verbalized 'puppy' and pointed to indicate preference.

- She needed glasses after all! (Early morning, sometimes agitated scripture reading is so much better!)

- to celebrate, we had a Supermarket Sweeps party. (Dolly always lets me try out my most unique ideas on her.) It was a wild trip down the aisle! And everyone at the store was quite impressed too.

his and hers first temple trip (4/2018)

As the COVID pandemic drags on, the temple has become even more precious and the special occasion of being with our kids there has become priceless. Here they are, pictured at their first temple trips. 

April, 2018:

January, 2020:

nicknames 2020

Mandy never lent itself to many nicknames. The name itself is a common nickname. My dad did call me his 'little gourd' and my mom referred to me as 'missy'. My best friend Stephanie and college pal called me 'Mands' and I always loved that. In middle school, there was a boy who had a nickname for me based on the size of my buttocks. Mandy-pants was used by Dave's friend when we dated because he giggled that I called him Davey-pants. But that's been about it and nothing has really stuck. 

I absolutely delight in nicknames for the kids. 

Kinni, Kinni Cocoa Pop (Shimmy Shimmy Cocoa Pop) or Cocoa, Kinia, Missy Moo

Doodle/Doodles (Polly Wolly Doodle all the Day) Little One or Little, Tippy Tippy Tap, Walia or Lollia

Jackers/ Smackers, Mister, Parry, Tiger, Handsome-pants, Buddy

a more reverent Halloween (10/2020)

David has a hidden affinity for Halloween. He hides it with procrastination, but inevitably on October 30, he's searching for last minute options. Some years I play along... but sometimes he has irreverent fun on his own. Like this politically charged costume back when we lived in a very poor ward in Phoenix and I was the RS president handling welfare:

2018 was a clever couples costume. On the heels of having 3rd hour church overhauled, we dressed up as the 3rd hour protestor and the 3rd hour killer.

In 2020, we decided to be punny and got a win with Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head. (Complete with a couch potato decorated trunk and potato chips as treats.) There may or may not have been some bias for a bishop win!?

other memorable years:

2017: (Price is Right contestants)

2019: (glammed up for an 80s themed Halloween)

teen parenting hacks 2021

Raising teenagers is not for the faint of heart. I recently ordered two self-help books, am downloading podcasts and just had a screaming parent fail after witnessing my 12 year old throw an object at his sister's face. But there ARE some things we're doing well thus far:

Sinking 30 grand into a boat and buying a truck seemed like a bit of a reach for the unbecoming waters of Carter Lake. We'd always dreamed of boating at the mountain reservoir but leaving Omaha isn't yet in sight. So, while we must irrigate our noses afterwards, days at Carter are a fun way to spend time with our teens. 

A wise friend once told me to avoid carpools because it was one of few moments that you'll hear about their day. After being pressured to join a carpool, having a miserable experience, and squirming out of it with broken relationships as a result, I heeded her advice. (Even under constant pressure from next door neighbors with same aged children.) And I have found that she was right - it is indeed one of the only  times I hear candid updates as they no longer deem them important once stepping across the threshold.  

We gifted our kids monthly dates after not being able to implement them routinely otherwise. I felt it was a nice chance to connect with them on an individual basis- which seems to be their developmental love language. We also seek out opportunities for running errands with them individually.

We've been inclined to allow Jack to surpass the one sport at a time rule. Thinking initially that I was subscribing to sexist principles (and knowing that I likely am), I've found that he truly does needs more physical outlets than an allotment of one.

After my unfortunate hand injury, Kindin began doing laundry. It came at a time that she began feeling stressed about how to pay her monthly phone fee with a babysitting gig waning. It also came at a time that I realized the value of delegating a responsibility to my work/ family life balance. And she was doing a great job of it. Thus, it became a permanent solution for paying for her phone.  When Jack wanted a phone, the dishes were reserved for him to help cost-share.   

Kindin is an indecisive soul when it comes to clothes purchases.  Erring on the side of understated and then constantly second guessing her decisions, there were clothes with tags being ignored in her dresser. I began resenting the 3 or 4 repeatedly worn outfits because I knew how many other outfits were being neglected. David thought of offering a clothing allowance as a solution to avoid the argument. It's worked perfect and eliminated all arguments! 

In addition to what you'd consider commonplace cell phone rules, we also randomly and unannounced call for phone fasts in which the phone stays home. Our hope is that it dismembers the phone as a constant appendage.   

Finally, there are a few oldies but goodies that I think still serve us well:

- In the rechecking of homework, Dad enforces 10 pushups for every incorrect answer - hoping that this encourages them to find their own errors. 

- You're allowed to pass on what's provided for dinner BUT it will be tomorrow's breakfast. 

- Dad initiated a no whining about prayers rule: if you whine ("I've given them ALL the time"), you automatically say the next 5.

- KEEP every ribbon and award won easily (and somewhat tidy) when hung from their curtain rods.