Sparkles

Jacob just came out from his bed & I was waiting for whatever new tactic he has to get out of going to sleep.

He sat on the couch and started to fidget & when I asked if he needed to go to the bathroom he jumped up and started banging his foot on the ground.

"Is your foot asleep Jacob?" I asked

"No!", he said, "I just have sparkles!"

Sparkles - such a better name for having your foot asleep. Why don't kiddos invent more words?!

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Author's Note:

Our home has a similar layout on the first floor as we did in our apartment - I'll take pictures eventually but imagine you walk in the front door and immediately is the living area and off to the left is the Master Bedroom with a small hallway and the upstairs bath and Jacob's bedroom at the end of the hallway...it's only a few steps from the Front Room :) I immediately felt so comfortable in this home on the walk through and since then everything has felt like it's in the right place. I love that it's similar enough to what we had in NY so the transition was easy, but it has a basement and doubled the square footage. What a great bonus!)

Now on to the story:

Jacob is now in his bed and trying to talk to Bryson & I out in the Living Room.

"Dad - do you have to go to work in New York tomorrow?"

"No buddy, I'm here working. "

"That's great! Dad, I like you here working."

.....I'm not sure that Jacob fully comprehends that we have moved

here and that we aren't moving back to NY. However, he does get that we have seen Bryson/Dad more in the past 3 weeks than we did in a few months back in the city.

That is indeed really great!

attitude of gratitude

At the beginning of the year, one of my goals was to have a nightly catch-up with the children where we would each share at least one 'Attitude of Gratitude' Moment from our day. Following last October's General Conference where President Monson spoke on the topic of gratitude, it has been on my mind and I thought it would add to our family being able to see more easily our blessings. And to be sure that we then are giving thanks for these blessings - big and small.

The nightly habit went very well for about the first week...in fact I have a saved post where I was doing a recap of the things each person was grateful for that first week. Then the next week came, and schedules got in the way of trying to form a new habit - and so I didn't write down what we were grateful for....and I'm sure I missed a day or two of even asking the children what they were grateful for.

It's been on and off since then....mostly off which I am sad to say - as I still do believe it's a very important part of a daily reflection to talk about what we can be grateful for. And this past Sunday I was reminded why I should start it up again.

Nana and Papa Lord were visiting us, and we all went into Primary to hear Jacob give the scripture and Bryson Jr. give the talk. I slipped out after his talk to go to Sunday School, however Nana & Papa stayed behind to enjoy the remainder of Jr. Primary.

That evening when the little ones were tucked into bed, and we were in the Living Room talking as adults - Leslie (aka Nana) told us that we would have been very proud of our little Bryson during the Sharing Time of Primary. The teacher had been doing a lesson on Prophets and held up a picture of the Prophet that was called to tell the Nephites that the Savior Christ would soon be born. When she asked the children to identify the Prophet in the picture, no one responded....except Bryson. His hand came up to share that it was Samuel the Lamanite. She said he then opened up his Book of Mormon to find the same picture and showed it to the girl in his class (there are 3 children in his class....2 girls and Bryson - and the other girl was away that Sunday. They have such a small class!).

Sister Whiting continued with the lesson, and at one point held up a picture of President Monson and asked the children what he had asked us to do at the last General Conference.

Our little guy put his hand up and responded with, "Have an 'Attitude of Gratitude'!"

I can't remember if that was the specific answer that she was looking for....but he was right. The Prophet had asked us to have an Attitude of Gratitude among other things we are asked to do - and I am so grateful for his little reminder to our family that I need to work hard to make and continue this as a family tradition to share our gratitude one-liners each night. They are so simple. It shouldn't be hard....and who knows, it could just be the thing that opens up a discussion we will always remember and be thankful for later on. I want us as a family to always stop and share things that we are grateful for, to focus on the positive and to remind ourselves to give thanks for all things.

As so often - I was taught by my child.

And....better late than not at all - here are the 'Attitude of Gratitudes' that were shared in our family & written down....and now they are finally here. I am committed once again and can say with assurance - there will be more :)

Jan. 18th

* Bryson..... I'm thankful for wonderful books to read (we went to the library)

* Madeleine..... I'm thankful for the library to pick out books & movies

* Jacob..... thankful for pizza

* Mommy..... I'm thankful to organize and clean and the wonderful feeling with having things in a place, and that we have these things in our life.

Jan. 20th

* Jacob..... playing Magnetix and making robots

* Bryson..... I'm thankful for books, so I can read

* Madeleine..... I'm thankful that Mommy goes grocery shopping for us

* Mommy..... I'm thankful for good reports on my children - that they are doing what they are supposed to do (Ms. Alvarez, Madeleine's science teacher, had stopped me after school and had praised Madeleine saying that she was always doing what she was supposed to & absolutely a delight in class, with a bright mind and always doing what is right. If only every student were like her she commented, and I was super proud of her and all my kiddos and their good reports!)

Jan. 22

* Bryson Jr...... I'm thankful for basketball (his winter community class had just started)

* Daddy..... I'm thankful for healthy bodies to run and play basketball (he enjoyed 'parent coaching' and running around with basketball almost as much as Bugaboo!)

* Jacob..... My castle

* Madeleine.... Roasted peanuts from the street vendors (yummy!)

* Mommy.... Staying inside and being cozy

Jan. 24

* Bryson.... instruments to play

* Madeleine.... friends like Aoi

* Jacob.... to go to sleep

*Mommy.... to see Madeleine and Bryson dancing (tap & ballet class night where they had a Parent Open House. Bryson was having so much fun, and Madeleine was so graceful)

Jan. 25 (big snow day in the city)

* Madeleine.... snow that we can play in and have snow fights with each other

* Bryson..... for plants that give us food. Like broccoli and apples, which I don't even like but they do make applesauce which I like! (funny kid!)

* Jacob..... that I built a snowman!

* Mommy..... big fluffy snowfalls

Jan. 30 {Sunday}

* Jacob.... for snow

* Bryson.... I'm thankful for Mom and Dad so that I'm not homeless

* Madeleine.... my teachers that can teach me about the gospel, a car to drive us home safely

and mommy to teach us in music because she's funny

* Mommy..... I'm thankful for music - to feel the spirit and lead the Primary children again :)

* Daddy..... No cavities (ironically as he was munching on the carmel corn we had made for a FHE treat!)

We are truly blessed. We are truly grateful.

We will strive to be a family that says more often the things we feel as our
Attitude of Gratitude.

Redefining a Date Night...

On Friday night, Bryson and Madeleine had a daddy/daughter date.  Madeleine was SO excited to have a special night with just Daddy to herself.

Part of our resolutions with the New Year is that we can spend more quality one-on-one time with each of the children.  Madeleine was able to go first - probably as oldest, but also because we had tickets to an amazing show which I wanted Bryson to take her to...okay, I wanted to go as well, but Bryson Sr. had promised Madeleine last year that he would take her to a show for her birthday.  The promise only took 11 months to come about - but she didn't care, she finally was going with her Dad!  Also, we have noticed that one of the only memories Madeleine has of Daddy/Daughter date was back when we lived in Florida and she turned 4.  Bryson took her to Burger King for dinner, and let her play on the inside play area.  She STILL talks about that day with great excitement and has expressed that she really wants to do another event like that.  Well - luckily for her they don't have a lot of Burger King restaurants in NYC....instead there are incredible shows!

They went to see a Chinese New Year show at the Lincoln Center.  We found out about the show when a friend of ours at the school came to sell tickets to the show during our International Dinner last November.  She had a TV set up showing scenes from the production, and Madeleine was completely mesmerized.  With studying about China and the culture of the country last year in 3rd grade - she really does have a new love and understanding about the people.  We saw how excited she was with the "previews" and decided to go ahead and get the tickets.

{a late night - home at 11:30pm!  I'll have to talk to her Daddy about that one! ;) }

Thankfully all worked out so that she and Daddy could go on their date - we actually had more snow on Friday, although it ended up being more of a dusting than a storm.  Bryson has had some extra work this week, and has a big presentation on Monday....he had to work later than he had hoped, so they didn't quite get to go out to eat at a restaurant like we hoped...but Madeleine did get to eat dinner ordered in and enjoyed up on the 24th floor of his building with sweeping views of the city and over into Times Square before they went off to get the subway and head over to the show.  Perhaps that was a better eating experience anyway!  

Bryson Jr. of course wanted to go.  He was a little sad that he didn't get his turn, but I told him we already had the date set for he and Daddy to go at the end of the month...how exciting that they get to start their hang-out time at the Dentist office with back to back appointments!  He truly doesn't care what they do, however he has started to talk about different options, and asking Bryson Sr. what he might be able to do with his stomach still mending from the surgery/appendectomy.  As we drove home from dropping Madeleine off at Bryson's (Sr.) work, Jacob fell asleep and Bryson Jr. said from the back seat....'So maybe this can be like Madeleine and Daddy's date, and then you and I can have a date at the house, right?'  It was the sweetest request and melted my heart.  Which was a great thing.  This was a very hard week emotionally with that little boy.  He DID NOT want to wake up any morning and go back to school.  He was tired after the day and we had a few too many meltdowns - we both did.  I had a moment one day where I realized I really needed to find ways to enjoy being a mom to this boy - because it was a down in the trench moment and I could not think of anything to be particularly happy about at the moment.  So, I was thrilled to have our own one-on-one time together, that would be a much more positive experience than the previous week!

We enjoyed a little movie together once I got Jacob tucked back into bed (forget a transition going from a Parking Garage, walking over 3 buildings and bringing and elevator home!).  We popped popcorn, snuggled under a blanket and enjoyed a little show together.

All in all.....2 very happy children that got to spend extra time with their parents.  Moments of parenting where you get to have delightful and enjoyable moments with your children ---- priceless and very welcome!  I'm looking forward to more of our Date Nights or Special Hang Outs throughout the year....and I know 3 children that are as well!