Sheesh! STOP reading!

Our most current battle is the battle of the books. I realize as I say it that it could be soooo much worse. We could be battling drugs, friends, health issues....but we are battling books.

Tiffany LOVES to read. I don't mean like the average person likes a good book. Books transform her to another place. She blocks everything out and is not even in the room when she is reading. Two weeks ago we went on the library's web site and reserved or got in the request line for every Beehive book. (These are the Utah award books. There are 12 non-fiction titles every year. She has read all 12 for the past 3 years.) Last week we came home with 4 books (about 250 pages each), she checked out a book from her school library and she began reading one of the books Jocelyn told her was one of her favorites.

Which brings us to the place we are now. Each day while walking home from the bus stop she reads a book. If I don't catch her before she disappears down the hall to her room, she will go there to read and not come out until my shadow covers the page in the book she is reading.

At our house when you come home from school there is a 30 minute grace period where you can read, surf the internet, get a snack, watch TV, take a nap or whatever you want. Then comes homework time, followed by straighten your room and bathroom. When these things are complete you can do whatever you want. Of course, for Tiffany, that is reading.

Unfortunately, she is having a little trouble coming out of the 30 minute grace period, and moving on. I am trying to decide if it is wrong of me to take her book away. Really one of the worst punishments is to take her book away. I did it 3 times last week. I feel like the worst mom. It is like saying "That's it! No more vegetables, or sleep for you."

We laugh about it when I do it. In fact she told our new Chinese intern Way Yen (phonetically spelled) that I take away all her books and make her work.(...yeah I am making a good impression for all Americans, thanks for noticing.)

I think we fixed the staying up until midnight, hiding under the covers with a flash light last week when she missed her bus and was tired and emotional all day. When she walked through the door from school, she looked like I do at the end of the marathon. She said "I need to stop reading after 10pm and go to sleep."

Isn't it great when your kids realize that it is not about controlling them, it is about helping them do the things they want to do. :)

Bedtime Routine

So I decided the other night, when I was at the end of my emotional rope at 11pm trying to get Gdog to "STAY IN HIS BED", that perhaps the problem is my own.
I don"t think we have had a "regular" night at my house for months. But with school in full swing, Jocelyn away at college and Gdog starting preschool, I think it is time for us to get back to basics and get Gdog to bed before 9pm. (Cause seriously I am not really rational after this time at night.)
So I decided to begin a "bedtime routine" beginning with a bath, after dinner, then out "flush, brush and wash" scenario. Followed by kisses all around, prayers, a story or two and a song. Surprisingly this lasts a mere 30 minutes as opposed to the 2 hour "GET IN BED" method.

Last night he requested I sing a song. When I asked him which song he said I could pick. I made up a song about pigs oinking in the sky to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. We giggled and joked out way through a couple verses. As I was leaving the room Gdog yells, instead of the traditional "I love you Mommy" ..."You're a PIG!"
I respond, "Hey that's not nice."
Gdog repentantly looked at me and said "no Mommy, not a bad pig. You're a STUD PIG!"

Thank you Marissa....

Another BYU Convert!

So, as I knew I would, I really miss Jocelyn. It is really strange not to have her around. She has left little notes in various places and I love finding them at random times and thinking of her.

As many of you know, last year this time her heart was set on attending Southern Utah University. In fact when anyone talked positively about BYU there was some eye rolling and quiet murmurs of students "looking for their eternal mate", instead getting an education.

No amount of encouragement, logic, reference to ancestors or begging could sway her.

(I have previously shared the reversal of her decision before so I won't bore you with the details about her "change of heart" again.)

I have been a little worried that despite the BYU hype and the divine inspiration, she might not find the love of the Y as we all previously did.

This morning I logged onto Facebook and saw this picture of her.

I guess a picture really is worth a thousand words.

Let's Tie it to Something

Gdog just found a hair ribbon on the floor downstairs. I am busy typing on my computer when he comes to my side and asks "Mommy, can we tie this to something?"
"Sure" I absently respond seeing the ribbon in his hand.
"Umm, le's tie it to this light." and I proceed to tie it in a cute bow, with long streamers.
Then as I am turning back to my computer I hear him say to himself
"Great! Now I can swing from it!"