Author: Joy

Yesterday, my friend Jamie and I were discussing (on the phone) how even though we’re aware that there are a variety ways to be a “Good Mom”, we sometimes still feel like we’re not very awesome because we don’t do super awesome things that other moms do. (I know that comparing ourselves to others is just pointless, because it discourages us & we’re comparing our weak points with others’ strengths. But I find myself doing so, anyway!)

I’ve felt like I should make more creative craft-type items with/for my kids, because “Good Moms” do things like that all the time, but then I just think that the $ and effort to purchase/gather all the materials (and perhaps just wanting to throw it in the trash after a few days) is not worth it!That’s just my opinion.

So I take a simpler approach and do things like the following:

–Make & eat homemade popsicles (for these, we poured 100% apple juice into molds & dropped a few blueberries into each one, too—kind of nutritious!):

(Those Ikea popsicle molds were certainly a great investment. I didn’t know if they would be one of those things that you think you’re going to use, but never do. However, we’ve made a variety of pudding pops, juice pops, & yogurt pops over the last couple years. So easy & cheap!)

–Build things together (or just watch your kids & admire their creations) is another simple yet great thing to do:

–Give them cookie cutters at lunch time to cut out their sandwiches and gobble them up! Easy & fun.

–And then there’s the simple pleasure of spending time together, doing ANYTHING. (The Hottie below is watching Duck Tales with his kids, and cuddling with them. He also enjoys taking Chase to Home Depot the 1st Saturday of each month to do the free wood craft.)

I mean, look how much fun Charlotte is having. Ha!

–Another simple activity is going to Story Time at the library, checking out books & movies, then playing on the playground there.

…That list isn’t too shabby! Even if I’m not very crafti-licious, we can still do interesting things.

So my point is this: If you’re like me & feel like you don’t do enough super awesome things with your kids, think again, because maybe the simple things you do with them or for them are more valuable & “awesome” than you originally thought.

Grandma T. recently came to visit! Below are some photos that I actually remembered to take! 🙂

Right after Charlotte was born, my mom took Chase to run a few errands, and to this day, he considers those exact errands a tradition. (Side note: Whenever Grandpa T. comes, Chase believes that they have to get a “hamburger & root beer at BYU.” Because they did that once & it was fun = tradition.) So now he thinks that every time Grandma comes, they/we must go to the library, Funfinity (toy store), and the grocery store, preferably in that order. This time we did all those in one trip, and we also went out to ice cream at the SOS Drug Store! Watch out, that could become part of the “when Grandma’s visiting” tradition!

It’s such a cute little soda fountain that makes you feel like you’re back in the 50s or earlier. And it’s super inexpensive; that’s always a plus!

Note that Charlotte looks like a poor little orphan girl in the above photo. She’d had a MAJOR tantrum/meltdown previous to this, because Grandma got her dressed in a non-Disney princess shirt, and made her wear PANTS! I quickly stuck a bow in her hair & considered her to look somewhat presentable, but she immediately yanked the bow out. SO, oh well. (She’s been an angel again for the last few days, though!)

At the toy store, Charlotte got a box of princess accessories including several pairs of clackety high heels. She is now obsessed with them (along with a Barbie book she got at the library)! Chase got a science experiment kit at Funfinity, and we’ve done a few of them together. He absolutely loves doing experiments (figure most boys do)!

(These are some “wiggly crystals” that Pace & Chase just made tonight from the kit.)

We enjoyed a family day last Saturday when my cousin Leann’s daughter was baptized, her husband Jake went to the temple for the first time, and their family was sealed in the temple for time & all eternity. Amazing! BEAUTIFUL sealing; their 3 girls were radiant in their sweet little white dresses. (We also had our roof redone that day, and Pace & Casey put together our new shed that Pace bought in SLC!) That evening Mom put the kids to bed so we could go get In ‘N’ Out Burger & Krispy Kremes with Jess & Casey. Not the most nutritious meal, I know!

Mom & I had a blast shopping with Jess and chatting/hanging out in the evenings with everyone else, etc. I also enjoyed having someone around to help me cook, take care of the kids, & help pick up the slack (I would go to unload the dishwasher and it was already done), etc. Love you, Mom!

About a month ago, we tried moving Charlotte into a big girl bed. She was already sleeping poorly in her crib, so we wondered if she would sleep any better in the big bed. She didn’t, so she’s back in her crib and lately wakes up about once per night. Not too bad! Note the cute bedtime charts Pace has made for each of them. Chase has had his for a long time, but Pace just made one for Charlotte, too. We love following them every evening for their bedtime routine.

Charlotte thinks she’s a princess. She recently got into my mascara, and put it on her eyelashes (and around her eyes). I thought it was kinda funny (photo below)! And I was glad she didn’t smear it all over the bathroom or anything.

This girl also thinks she should wear summery dresses every day. Maybe she believes it will entice the warmer weather to come our way. I’ve been having to force her into warmer clothes and endure the craziest tantrums whenever we go somewhere! I haven’t even been bothering to do her hair because it’s already so hard to get clothes on her. Our little angel has become a bit of a challenge now that she’s a legit 2-year-old!

The other day I almost didn’t go to the grocery store because I dreaded getting her pants & shoes on (yes, I do give her choices, but she just says, “None!). I called my mom in desperation, & she said in situations like that, you just have to put your foot down, or the kid will be in control of the parent. So I persisted, I had to wrestle her to put her pants back on multiple times, she screamed her head off, and then she was just fine when we were at the store. So there you have it.

These are just a couple of girls that I love. I’m pretty emotional about Katie (middle) having to move away soon.

We bought one-year Trafalga/Seven Peaks etc. passes for $40 each. GG has yet to use hers because she’s been gone for such a long time! I recently took Chase & Charlotte to the Lehi Trafalga & met up with Becky and her girls. This type of place is HEAVEN for Chase. Becky & I loved chatting (as always), and our kids loved the rides!

Unfortunately, poor little Charlotte is 2 inches under the height requirement for the rides. She was sad to not go on the pirate ship ride with Brother. Maybe next time she’ll have grown 2 inches!!?!