Ok so remember back here and I talked about having 8 posts that were started and not finished. I did one of them… so I should have 7 left right…well I added three more to the list, so before it gets crazy out of control I thought that I had better get started!!... It has been hard to keep up, first not having the internet, and then there has just been so much on our plates that I couldn’t even bring myself to do anything extra that wasn’t necessary. Like I’ve stated before, I’ve really missed blogging it is something that I really love and enjoy. I told myself that I can’t get caught up on reading all of yours until I get at least 2 more caught up on mine. So I’ll be checking in on yours VERY SOON!!...

p.s. They obviously are not in the correct chronological order but I will try my best to have some sort of order. Oh and I got a great link from a good friend to a site that you can turn your blog into a book (among other ideas as well), which is one of the two reasons that I really started blogging, before I knew how much I would love it and what it would evolve into. The first two reasons were:
1. A record for the Boys for their time here with us (ie: the book)
2. So that our family (none of which lives nearby can watch the Boys grow and keep up with them.

Now… I just really enjoy it for so many reasons and the fact that I can have a “written record”!!!... I can’t wait to put the blog into a book form. How fun will it be :)

Today Jimmy, Chris and I went to Jimmy’s school early and did the morning family reading program together and then ate donuts afterwards. It was a lot of fun.. then Jimmy and his class (along with many other classes) went on a field trip today. The got to ride on school busses and go to Salt Lake City to the Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum.

So as you might have guessed Chris didn’t take to that very well…. He wants to be in school so badly!! But he’s just not ready and still has another year to go, which is good he really needs that year as his Joy School “mom’s” would attests to. Well since he’s had some issues lately about feeling left out and such I decided this was a good time for us to do something just the two of us. So Chris and I went on our own field trip. We went to the Bean Museum and then the park to play and have a picnic “home packed” lunch.…GOOD DAY for all :)

p.s. It started out a really nice day, you know the one that let’s you know that Spring is in the air. Well that faded quickly and we moved the picnic into the truck. That wind just cut to the bone today. It was still fun and some quality time for Chris and I that we needed.

Well what can I say it’s been another month… It’s been a really long month for me and our family. It’s a little ironic that my “electronic journal” and my “written journal” reflect each other, in the way that when things aren’t going so well I have a difficult time writing. It’s not that I can’t find the positives because I normally can do that fairly well, it’s that I don’t want there to be a “recorded” record of what is going on. I guess it’s a way to not admit that everything isn’t “ok”, like you tell everyone. I took a class (that I really should have shared with everyone) and one of the things that we really stressed is that we need to be more honest with our feelings and how we really are doing like when someone says “how are you” you should tell the truth, not just say “fine or great”… you know all of our stand by’s.

So anyways… I’m still not prepared to talk about what we are going through, but give me a few weeks and I’ll tell you all about it (well what I feel like I can share), after all this is suppose to be a story of our lives for the boys and our family, and this is a big thing/time for us. In the mean time we also haven’t had the internet. Every once in a while around midnight I can get a weak signal. So here I am at midnight getting this out. I just needed to post and work my blog. I can say that I have truly missed blogging and all of my blogging friends. I am behind once again with all of yours, right after I had just caught up again…lol… go figure… I think in the next few days we will have a working connection. Then I will get caught up on all of your happenings and see if I can get you caught up on ours.

I do want to say that as far as Chad and I, we are really good, probably better than have been in a really, really long time. The same for the rest of us, it’s not anything like that. Health is good, THANK GOODNESS :), relationships are good, and best of all the boys are doing great!!!

I also would like to thank all of our family and friends that have been so supportive with us and the kindness that you have shown. How VERY blessed we are to have each and every one of you in our lives. I told a friend just last week that after nearly 20 years I finally REALLY feel that I have found my place, a place that I can call “home”. A place where we feel we belong, our friends, our church “family”, excreta. I’ve waited a long time to have that feeling again and I’m just thankful that we’ve found it. Again, THANK YOU dear friends for being the people that you are!!!

I have eight posts that I have started and have saved in drafts so I didn’t forget to write about them. My memory hasn’t been so good lately due to some medical reasons, which I’m working on. So I decided even if some of them are old I want to finish them, something about accomplishing something you’ve set out to do and the way it makes you feel.

FIRST OF EIGHT:
So in January the topic at Joy School was Goals and goal setting. Chris decided on his own that he wanted to learn my phone number (I gave him several ideas). He has been working on it very hard and is getting it. A little slower than he was suppose to, his goal is suppose to be done, but he’s still working on it and I give him props for that. After all he did pick something challenging and I’m proud of him for that.

Well from this experience we have started Charts for both boys and they are loving it!!..

We started back in November with Chris and having a “good boy” chart. He picked that he wanted to go to Chucke Cheese’s. So he had to get 50 stickers on his chart in order to get his trip and he got to invite 1 friend to go with him, he choose immediately that it would be Jimmy, what great brothers they are!! He couldn’t have any whining or fits, be good at school and primary, and take rest time with out issues. Those were the main criteria that he had to follow to get his stickers. I’m so amazed at how well it worked and seems that it is still having real positive affects for all of us. I’m happy to say he filled his chart!!! On January 24th (a few weeks latter) we made our trip to Chucke Cheese. We had a blast, played and made it all about Chris and his day!!.. we all thanked him for being so good so that we could have a fun day together. He’s like a totally different kid right now.

**ops a totally 80's moment...lol I'm leaving it just for that reason... lol

(you should see how many times I read, re-read, and edit my posts to get them to what I think is right)

Before our trip, but after he had finished his chart, he and I had a really bad breakfast experience. He is a VERY messy eater, and after our fourth clean up in one meal I had had enough!! So I found on one of my sites that I have referred too in the past, a chart maker!!! YEAH FOR THE INTERNET!!! (of course the family friendly kind) His reward was to be able to go get an ice cream with me, just the two of us. He did it!! We went out for our ice cream, and there wasn't even a mess!!! Yeah!!! Meals are SO much better, even enjoyable!!

Well we started something because Jimmy then wanted a chart so he did a reading chart, he’s still working on his. Here are the chart subjects we are now all working on, and they wanted more, I had to draw the line though. They are doing so good at them and so excited to put their stickers up, that they got to pick out themselves.

POSITIVE reinforcement the ONLY way to go!!... ok the best…I’m NOT perfect in anyway!!

1. Jimmy: Reading Chart (still) Chris: Learning Chart 10 min intervals (abc’s, numbers, and phone number)

2. Brushing Teeth for both of them; 3 opportunities a day for 3 weeks. 20 days to establish a habit!! :)
*Reward for these they can pick; go to the Chocolate Store (Sees or something of the sort) and pick out any treat they want, go out for ice cream, or go to the store and pick out a toy (not the dollar store).

3. Chores for both of them: Making their bed, Dirty clothes put away, and Putting all the toys away before bedtime.
*They get an allowance for getting stickers on this one, but they can’t miss more than 5 stickers each week. They can get anything from $0-$2.00 for the week depending on how many they get.

They are SO EXCITED!!! It’s so great to see them working for their stickers. They get something done and then come running to me to let me know and/or inspect (even their teeth).

They make me smile EVERYDAY!!

Any of you that know me, know that I love to cook. I didn’t have time to cook for a long time when I was working so much, but I’ve finally convinced my family (ESPECIALLY CHAD) that I need and want to try new recipes. So I called my friend Jenny to ask her about her "Café’ Rio" style Pork recipe. So many of you have been talking about going and eating there lately. I crave Bajio’s *basically the same type of restaurant but I prefer it- the corn and onions have me*. Since the budget can’t support a trip right now I decided that I wanted to make some of my own. Jenny shared her recipe with me.

Oh my goodness!! It was AMAZING!! I shared dinner with a friend and her family and everyone was VERY pleased with the meal :). I must say that I couldn’t tell the difference between the restaurants salad and mine. I did it as a salad (my favorite) instead of the burrito style. I also took the advise and got the uncooked tortillas from Costco. This was my first time using them (didn’t even know they had them) and I have to say WAY GOOD!!... I don’t know if I can use store “pre-cooked” ones again.
YUM-O as Rachael would say :) My mouth and tummy was in HEAVEN ALL night!!

A new MUST on our MENU!!

p.s. I just found another recipe that is a little different... it looks good I'll have to try it and see how it is.

**not that yours wasn't AMAZING Jenny, I just want to try the rice I think that your pork is much better**

This is Gabbi at Jimmy's Birthday Party
On the 17th, yes I’m behind again uugghh, Jimmy had his first girl birthday party with his best friend. She had a cooking party (she loves Rachael Ray she's got GREAT taste). Jimmy knew that there were other boys invited but he was the only one that showed up and he was ok with that :) Before we got there he told me, “don’t worry Aunt Tammy if the kids don’t want to do what Gabbi wants to do she won’t have to worry because I’ll stay with her and do whatever she wants to do so she won’t be by herself”. He has the MOST TENDER HEART. I think that he was worried that the other kids might not want to cook or something. He also picked out her gift himself, cooking show Barbie. Well they made pizzas, cupcakes, and a drink (if I remember it right). They got a chef apron, hat, and balloon for party favors. As you can see Jimmy loved his balloon! He said that “they had so much fun!” but was upset that I was on time; they had just begun to play. I’m really happy that he has made such good friends!

New LDS Draper Temple Open House

As I’ve stated before, family and friends mean a great deal to me. Tonight we went to the open house at the new Draper Temple with two of our friends families there were 18 of us that went together. It was a really great night. 12 of the 18 of us were kids; they were all so good and took it all in. I was so happy with the boys and how well they behaved. They really understood the importance of going into Jesus’ home. Here are the pictures of us being there. First we were at one of the many Stake houses, then the bus ride there, and then at the Temple doors getting ready to go in. Some of us made dinner and took it with us; we sat in the parking lot and ate a yummy dinner. It was good for us to be able to reflect on were we had just been and what our favorite parts were. When we got home and pulling into the driveway Chris said as honest and sweet as could be, “Thank you for taking me to the Temple tonight”. We all smiled and agreed that it was a good night for all of us. If you live near by I really suggest the experience for you and your family, you won’t regret it.
You can go here and get the info for tickets.

Chad hates to give me a good picture…he really said that he had a good time even though it doesn’t look like it in the pictures :)…
I love the nut!