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. 

a Tennessee tour to cure the travel bug (12/2020)

Throughout 2020, we watched and waited for the opportunity to take the kids oversees to Albania and Greece for a visit of Omi and Grandpa's mission. However, as COVID continued and the holidays loomed, it became painfully obvious that this was another cancelled trip. (We'd also cancelled Bear Lake, a Chicago girls trip, and a flight to Salt Lake.) Tired of quarantining and fresh off of our own COVID cases, we orchestrated plan B - a Tour of Tennessee with Jordyn. We met up in Memphis, traveled on to Nashville and stopped in St Louis on the way home. The kids loved Graceland, paid homage to MLK, ate BBQ, swam every night, discovered diagonal crosswalks, visited Andrew Jackson's Hermitage, saw 'Mask Up' in Mighty Lights, listened at the Honky Tonks, snacked on bonuts, walked the country music hall of fame, made custom Goo-Goo Clusters, checked out Reese Witherspoon's closet, rode the arch tram, and played at the City Museum. (And don't forget brushing against the crime scene tape downtown.) It was a fabulous, unexpected end to 2020.

 

Stay Salty (8/2018)

We took a detour on the way home to enjoy a float in the Great Salt Lake. It's been on mom's bucket list for a very long time and somehow got overlooked throughout college. Dad and Jordyn, who had lived so close most of their lives, had also never been. Everyone enjoyed the wondrous waters until an unthinking adult (ahem Dad) mentioned that the swarm of brine shrimp were 'alive'. Immediately spooked, Dalia and Jack ran for the showers. The thinking adult exited too for the sake of their safety as they ran out of eyesight ...and managed to get a few pictures of said 'greatness'. 

Smiles returned once safely on land and exploring Antelope Island.

a gingerbread boat (11/2018)

We participated in (what we didn't know at the time was) the last gingerbread display at the Mormon Trail center. In years past, we had contributed to the ward display but I naively agreed to create our very own gingerbread product from beginning to end. I quickly felt overwhelmed by the learning curve of gingerbread but David was an enthusiastic force who jumped right in with confidence (perhaps overly so). Determined to create a gingerbread boat, he designed a vessel while I trialed various gingerbread recipes. Already frazzled by an argument about gingerbread firmness and texture, I followed Dad's good-enough cuts with measured pieces to ensure fit. Truthfully, we were the perfect mix of engaged creativity and cautious detail orientation but our patience with eachother's style was depleted long before the kids entered the picture. And when they did, with their wild hairs, I was fighting back tears trying to champion the cause of aesthetics while dad delighted in entertaining each and every idea. The question of how to construct a wrap around, clear window was the final straw and we elected to finish construction at that point... but we did create something pretty wonderful!