Bullying

My child is a bully.

He does not play nice with other kids lately and it's more than just irritating me. I need some serious, real, hard core advice and suggestions because I have NO CLUE what to do.

He pushes for no reason, he body checks, and constantly grabs toys. If he pushes or body checks people I give him only 1 warning and then send him to his room if he does it again. If he grabs a toy, I ask him who had it first. If the other person did then I tell him he needs to give it back and wait his turn. If he had it first then I remind him that we need to share and that he can play with the toy for x amount of time and then the other person gets to have a turn with it.

Clearly, this isn't working. Or maybe it isn't working lately because he does it all the time. Sometimes I even tell him he won't be able to go over or have friends over if he keeps doing x. I also tell him that that behaviour is not nice or not acceptable or unkind and mean and that we need to treat other people kindly. Sometimes I have even said "Do you think Heavenly Father and Jesus would want you to be mean or yell(or whatever the behaviour is)?" Sometimes he says "no" but then keeps doing it.

My problem is the punishment/consequence. I'm not sure if what I'm doing is working or not. Right now, this week, it's not. It's kind of a hit and miss some days. How do I encourage him to share? It's very frustrating...ahhhhh!

Something kinda fun

I promise

I know everyone knows how I feel about lateness so I promise that I will not complain about it anymore on bloggerland. I may make a comment about someone being late but I will never write a post about it again.

Today I am catching up on some good old Grey's Anatomy...I swear, that show is my biggest weakness. Anyways, then I am going to do some baking for our yard sale this weekend. I am totally crazy for doing this because it's supposed to be 30 degrees today. And why don't computer keyboards have a "degree" sign??? Do the makers of keyboards not think that anyone would ever want to use something as useful as that? How do the cooking show websites get it on their websites? Where is it????

Anyways, I am looking forward to selling all the junk, soon to be found treasure for the buyer, we have. We're selling a bunch of baby things, a toy work bench, some toys, some clothes, my cards (calm down, I took out a handful that I am not willing to part with. Plus, I don't know if all the cards will sell.) and just a few other Nick knack kind of things. I do have a tool belt that Matt only used 2 times that I'm selling if anyone is interested. And a thermos. I'd really like to sell some of the baby clothes I have but I have to wait until my sister has her baby before I can do that. OH! I also have a bunch of Tupperware that I'm selling. It's stuff that I have never used and probably never will. Things I thought were a good idea at the time I got them or wanted them, but then never used. So that's about it. Until later or tomorrow.

A fun day

Today is my friend, Susanne's, birthday. For her birthday a few of us got together and had a little surprise party for her. It was so much fun! Here are some pictures from the fun time together.



Here's one of my best friends, Sharon. Isn't she cute!




Here is her family. Aren't they all so cute!





Shelby, Tanner and Anna eating...only because they knew cake was coming



Nicole and Susanne. Nicole and Susanne grew up together




Susanne and her cake. The wind blew the candles out so we had to pretend that she blew them out. That's why she looks so surprised.




So we had a great time...well at least I did. I've never thrown a surprise party because someone has always upstaged me or taken my ideas and did the party themselves. So I am happy that I FINALLY got to throw one. It was so wonderful to be with amazing, wonderful friends and have our children play and visit with each other. I am so so so eternally lucky and blessed to have such terrific friends that love me and stand by me and support me no matter what. Friends that I care for so deeply and feel so loyal to them. I just really love my friends. Life would not be the same without them.

I love friends!

Great website

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Kindred Spirits

If you have ever seen the movie "Anne of Green Gables", you know what I'm talking about. If not, then you should watch it because it's a really great movie.

Anyways, when I was younger and watched that movie I always wished I had a friendship like Anne and Diana's. They were kindred spirits. My sister's all seemed to find their kindred spirits while we were younger but I hadn't. Although I have always had one or two best friends in my life, I have never felt like we were kindred spirits. Don't get me wrong, I love all my friends but there's a different kind of connection with someone that you consider a kindred spirit. There's something about having and being part of a kindred spirit kind of friendship that is hard to explain to someone who's never felt that way. I didn't really feel like I had a kindred spirit until just recently. Now, I'm not going to reveal who this person is because I don't feel it necessary to do so. I LOVE ALL MY FRIENDS unconditionally.

Sometimes you just find a friend that you connect with on a different level than you do with your other friends. A friend that fits into your life like a puzzle piece that you didn't know was missing. Someone that you feel a deeper connection to than someone that maybe you've known for a long time. It's hard to explain in words what makes a friend not just a friend but a kindred spirit. It's like my friend and I were made to be friends.

I have a handful of friends that I love and adore sooooo much. Friends that I try hard to stay in contact with because of distance. Friends that I love to be with and hang out with. Friends that love me. Friends that I really would willingly give up my life for in a split second no questions asked. Friends that mean everything to me. Friends that I could not imagine my life without. I value and love and treasure deeply all my friends and the friendships I have with those I call my friend.

But this friend is someone that happened to come into my life in the most natural, unprovoked way. I'm not even sure either one of us was seeking the other out to friendship.

I always sort of envied people that had that kind of relationship with each other. You know that kind where when you see them together, you just know they are meant to be friends. The kind of friendship that last forever. The kind of friendship that when you're with the person everything else that might be wrong in your life is okay. The kind of friendship that has an unspoken comfortableness. The kind where even if you're not talking and silent, you still feel connected in the heart and soul. She (this friend) is like a sister to me.

A friendship like Anne and Diana's or Lorelei and Suki from Gilmore girls or Meredith and Cristina from Grey's Anatomy, or Monica and Rachel from Friends, or Ruth and Naomi from the Bible. A true, honest, unfailing, spirit to spirit kind of friendship.

I am so glad that I found my kindred spirit and that we have the rest of our lives to be that way. I am at total peace and comfort when we are together. And that's the kind of friendship that you never let go of.

August 4

This weekend I am having a yard sale. That's all I really have to say tonight. My new laundry line works great. I am happy about that. Anywho...until tomorrow when hopefully I will have more to write about.

Guess who's back?

TANNER!!!! We just got home a little while ago. Everything that comes with Tanner is back...noise




that smile






his laugh




his messiness



I'm SOOOOO happy!

Laundry

This last week I washed our couch cover because it was getting pretty dirty. So I washed it and hung it out on the line to dry. Didn't think anything of it. Off I went to take Tanner to meet my Mom for his fun weekend and when I got back...no cover. Hmmm....what a wonderful husband I have to bring it in for me.

Well, that's not really the whole story. Apparently the laundry line broke because the couch cover was too heavy. I didn't notice that little detail when I got home and noticed the cover not hanging outside. So for the last 3 days, I think "what am I going to do for laundry? I don't want to hang all the laundry inside in nice weather. I'm just going to have to wait to do laundry".

So today we had to go into town to get Matt some work pants...I guess one pair isn't enough since he's practically rolling around in dirt and who knows what else on the ranch while building a fence. Anyways, into town we go. I really like going into town when it's just Matt and I. We don't have to think about if Tanner's hungry or if he's going to want something at every place we go to. So we go to Value Village get his pants and then we head off to Canadian Tire because I saw one of my friends bought a really nice clothes line and she said that's where she got it. So we get there and I see the clothes line and look at the price and I think "we can NOT afford that". So we settled for just the clothes line wire (if that's what you can call it. It's more like cord). I didn't even get the handy pulley system. We just got the $10 30meter cord. I'm really excited to try it out. My amazing husband is still working on putting it up so it's nice and tight. He's so wonderful.

As he was working on it, I picked a lot of Raspberries and weeded around them because I think Matt sometimes forgets to weed around them. There were quite a bit of weeds and I just did it myself so he wouldn't have to.

Anyways, I'm off to work at 4:30. I have an 8 hour shift so it will probably be a long night.

Tomorrow, one of my best friends is having her baby blessed and then having a luncheon after that we are going to. Then we get to pick up Tanner! Today, I really miss him : ( Only 24 more hours!!!! It will be nice to be able to sit through church without any distractions from him or potty breaks. I am looking forward to that. We aren't really doing anything special for the holiday. What is everyone else doing on Monday?

Until tomorrow...

August 1

As a goal for the month of August I have decided to write on post a day. I guess I should have saved one of my posts from yesterday for today because I don't have much to say. I made cards today and worked on another little project. I did get up a little earlier today...10am. Last night I watched my Grey's Anatomy. I watched 3 episodes. I really think that is my biggest indulgence right now. I love that show. I don't know why, but I just really like that it.
So, for now, I think that's all I have to say.

And just because I can, here's a picture of Tanner.