Starting a new "evening ritual"

One of my favorite websites is, "Home Making Cottage." I read about an evening ritual that a family started and the mother hopes it lasts for years in her family. I changed it a little. If it is our job as mothers to allow less media in our houses, less distraction, less activity that draws our children away from our home.................well, I better get busy. I've been thinking I need to give our two children more of my time (uninterrupted). I made a new schedule for us that I hope our family sticks to forever. We've been pretty successful because we were kind of doing alot of the things on my schedule. We just need to stick to it closer and I added a few things. This is what our schedule consists of:

6:00am....Wake up
Make our own bed
Straighten up our own rooms
Personal prayers
Aubrey soaks her retainer before Anson showers
Anson showers and uses bathroom (shaving and all those things he does)
Aubrey gets dressed while Anson uses their bathroom
Aubrey uses bathroom after Anson (don't forget your retainer)
Family prayer before we go downstairs
Breakfast
Leave by 7:50am
4:00pm...Homework
5:00pm...Free time (No TV)
6:00pm...Dinner
7:00pm...Our new ritual! Since dad loves puzzles, I decided I'd work our scripture study into puzzle time. The first half hour, we take turns reading scriptures while the rest of us work on the puzzle. The second half hour, we work on the puzzle while we just visit and talk about our day. The kids just love it. Aubrey said today, "Mom, I pay more attention to the scriptures this way." We don't answer the phone or the door. It is our time with the children.
8:00pm...Family prayer
8:10pm...Aubrey showers while Anson shoots baskets.
8:30pm...Reading
9:00pm...Lights go out

I feel so good doing this. They are my responsibility. I have to remember to make home a little bit of heaven. A place where they can leave all the confusion and wickedness outside the door.
After they go to bed, I feel like I gave them my unconditional time and I didn't let the TV babysit them. I hope I can be dedicated enough to do this while we have them here at home. I also hope we keep our evening ritual for years to come. Maybe they can make it a tradition and do that with their children. Dick is such a wonderful support and he gets to work on his puzzles.

Starting the puzzle

Anson fit 11 puffy cheetos in his mouth

Wisdom Teeth

Posing with the cute Piggly Wiggly Cold Pack Sissy gave us.

The swelling has gone down... a lot!

They pulled all 4... The one broke into several pieces.

All of our family will be in the same place, at the same time!

Giselle bought her plane ticket to come home for the wedding! She will fly in on June 13th. Bree and I are so glad we will have her here a week before the wedding. I'm sure she will be a great big help with her wonderful ideas. We will be seeing Richie and his family around the week of May 14th! Great times! It will be so wonderful to have everyone at home for the reception. Picture time you guys!!!!!

Beautiful Aubrey's Easter Pics

Confetti Filled Eggs

Growing up as a child we filled egg shells with confetti and cracked them on eachother's head for Easter. They don't practice it in Mexico or the Northern part of Texas. It's just a Rio Grande Valley tradition. Our family practices this tradition every year. It is so much fun! On Thursday we colored them. On Friday we filled them with confetti and covered the hole with tissue paper. My kids love this tradition and Sissy makes these eggs in Virginia every year too. Her friends love them! We had our ward Easter breakfast and egg hunt on Saturday. I took a dozen of the confetti filled eggs. I cracked them on some people and on Sunday lots of people were telling me they were going to get even. So I'm worried. Sunday, after church, we had our egg hunt then we ate dinner.

Black Light Miniature Golf

For Spring Break, on Tuesday, we went to Ogden. Dad and Bree had their visit with their Endocronologist. When Dick had his heart attack and was at the McKay Dee Hospital, Sissy kept the kids busy every day so I could stay with Dick at the hospital. She discovered a wonderful miniature golf place that the kids are always talking about. Sissy highly recommended it and we just loved it! Thank you Siser!

On the way to Ogden

On the way home

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Playing on the swingset

Dad


Group shot

The kids

Bree & Mom

Enjoying our Easter meal

The weather was amazing!

Last years 2007 National Walk for Epilepsy!

It was also the first day of the National Cherry Blossom festival!Such a beautiful day!

Last years team The Panthers!

Richie & Sis (Richie's scared the walkers behind us won't stop while we pose for our picture)!

Sis and Katie (Katie's also scared the walkers won't stop)!

Rich & Katie getting their walk on!
On the metro after the walk (on our way to have Brunch with Chrislynn and lil' Richie)!

Aruni, Chrislynn and Richie having Brunch at Silver Diner.

Cute lil' Richie!

The above video is too funny (wish it had a better sound track), I found this video on YouTube today. To my surprize some of our cute faces appeared! When the time reaches 2:45 you'll see Sam (hand in his pocket) and Aruni (blue visor). Then when the time reaches 2:59 you'll see Richie, Alyssa, Sis and Katie (I yell a shout out with thumbs up then Katie and I wave). You'll have to look hard but we really are there!

To Join The Walk...

You can join the Epilepsy Walk as a "virtual walker." Just click on the link at the right, entitled, "Polar Bear Team."

Giselle and the Walk for Epilepsy

Last year was the first annual National Walk for Epilepsy on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Giselle never stops amazing me. In a little town like Burley or a large place like DC, she takes over. Last year she organized a team to walk with her. I know in that team that walked with her were some of her dear friends and our Richie. Richie drove all the way from New Jersey to support the team. Ever since Dick was diagnosed with epilepsy, Giselle has been on a quest to find a cure. She is always sending us articles on epilepsy and lots of intereting literature. Maybe a cure won't happen in Dick's lifetime, but this walk does raise awareness. Dick living with epilepsy has had a big impact in our lifes. I never thought that someone as strong, as busy, as smart, (almost genius) as dedicated, and as hardworking as Dick had to cope with epilepsy. I never knew lawyers, marathon runners, models, some movie stars, etc., did everything they do and cope with the illness. I always thought that people with epilepsy stayed home and didn't work. Well, Dick is one of the most hardworking persons I have ever met in my life. He is my Knight and shining Armor. He takes care of me and the children, the yard and the garden. He is a bestfriend to lots of his students and so much more. Giselle, if we were there, all of our family would join you on the walk. (You know that, girl!) We will do the next best thing. We will be "virtual" walkers like last year. We totally support you for supporting the Epilepsy Foundation. Love, Mom.

The Countdown Begins...

Yellowcard

In the car on the way to the concert. No, the car wasn't moving at the time, and no... I don't normally wear black nail polish.

Anson made these hot shorts in Home Ec. just for the concert. He's such a stud.

My little brother is not so little anymore. Look at his hand compared to mine.

It was SO cold outside, we waited out there for over an hour. It was worth it.

mmmm mmmm mmmm

The beautiful grapevine!

And the raspberry bush...

Our little garden of Eden

When I posted the pictures earlier, I didn't have the time to write very much so I thought I would write a little bit more. I love dad's garden! I've never seen a garden as beautiful as ours. It's almost magical. Dad can grow anything! He calls it his scientific garden and it really is a scientific garden. (No weeds, no bugs and no ugly vegetables) Dick is amazing! He grows a little of everything and everything tastes wonderful! Next to the garden is a dog kennel that is covered with two giant grapevines. Red grapes and green grapes. It is the most amazing grapevine I have ever seen. If I was a little girl, the dog kennel would be my playhouse and I would spend all my time in there playing and eating grapes. We also have three apple trees. Some are ready in July, some in August and some in September. I never tasted apples so good. I also love going outside and picking a delicious and crispy apple anytime I want one. Oh and the raspberries on the north side of our house are great! I've learned to make a wonderful raspberry jam.

Dad's Garden 2007

I miss Dad's garden in the Spring. I miss the wonderful apples on the trees and our grapes. I can't wait for the garden!!!