WANTED: Potty Training Advice!

PLEASE if you are reading this and think, oh, well, I don't know... YOU DO.  I always love to get advice from other mommies all the time.  I figure they are the experts, they have been there, done that, and most likely MULTIPLE times.  They have figured out what works, what doesn't work. So, please any advice would be SO greatly appreciated! I have heard, just wait until they are ready and I'm starting to get anxious as she is approaching 3 next month!! 

Here is what we have done:

-I made her a potty treat jar and when she went to the bathroom she could have a treat (well, she's just not that interested in the treats and they sit on the dresser untouched ( well, i did catch Jason in the potty jar a few times! )

- She's obsessed with princesses! So we got all these stickers and every time she goes, she gets a sticker to place on her paper and when she gets it all filled up she can go to DISNEYLAND! Yea, are we crazy or what? She's super excited and knows what she needs to do... but she goes sometimes and not very consistent at all! 

-we've gotten books from the library and read them about potty stuff... 

 

  So, just wondering am I on the right track? I even bought her panties (princess ones) and she knows when she goes consistently she can WEAR them.  Should I just put them on her and she'll learn REALLY quickly that the potty is essential for keeping clean? I think that is my next move! My home teacher came over and he has raised 7 kids and his advice to me was... 'I've never seen a 6 year old come to class in diapers'!  He teaches school and assures me that it will happen! 

      

My Triathlon!

RUn Forest... RUN! That's funny that the guy in front of me was totally looking at the camera! That's me in the all black behind him.  It was FREEEEEZING that morning.  I had a jacket on and never took it off! 
The biking part.  That hill you see in the distance... killar!!! Seriously, I'm getting nauseated looking at it  (It probably wasn't that bad, but after already running and biking 8 miles, it was bad).  

My sister,  Heather, and her kids came! My mom was holding Gracie and she came too! 
Jenny was there too with her kids cheering me on when I was almost done the running section, she was there yelling for me! AWESOMEness!  
This was afterwards when I was all wet after the swimming part and very cold..... yeah, I wonder why I'm SO sick today.  My girls were there to support me and give me loves! 
             Yikes! That's kind of a scary picture.  It's funny it looks like we posed under that sign, but I just noticed it above my head.  It's written on the high school at Mountain View.  Funny!





On a side note- sorry about the terrible quality pictures! Our camera is finally dying :-(  Does anyone have any good recommendations for a new camera? I know nothing about cameras! 

      As I am writing this as I am sniffling and have my huge wad of tissues because I am sick as a dog!! We have had this terrible, terrible virus attack our family and hasn't left yet.  It's been around for 2 1/2 weeks and I have finally got it.  The morning of my triathlon I woke up with a stuffy nose and a headache and of course doing a triathlon under those conditions wasn't helpful, so my body is hating me now.  I have a wonderful sister, Jenny, who offered to take Jade so I could get some good rest! Love my sisters!! Thanks!

    Okay, so another one down!! YEA! I did it! It felt soooo great! There is just something so satisfying when you've worked your TUSHY off training and finally accomplished your goal! It made all those times worth it when I had to drag myself out the door to the gym when I was exhausted and would have rather just read a book or watched T.V. but I knew I paid 40.00 for this stinkin thing and I didn't want to die during the race.  My sisters and my Mom came out to support me and of course my wonderful hubby who stood by me and motivated me all the way! He was staggered throughout the race at points that were going to be the hardest and when I would need extra motivation! It worked! :-)  

    You know what the best part about it is? It's doing something all together with people you don't know, people you never will see again, but you cheer each other on and you feel connected to them in a weird way because you know each person has a personal reason for finishing the race! You lift each other up, you root for each other, you cheer one another on! That is something we need MORE of in this world! Motivating and building people, instead of always being competitive and tearing each other down.  When I hit a hard point on the bike, I was super tired, and this old man rode up beside me and said, "hey, how are you doing?"  I looked over and said, "I'm hanging in there."  Then he sped off.  Later in the race, I was biking up this Ginormous hill and he was beside me again.  I leaned over and said, "hey, how are you doing?"  He smiled and said, "oh, hanging in there." I said, "you can do it, keep going."  Then I rode past him.  It was so neat to be able to share warm fuzzies with strangers and know you are helping them to accomplish their goals and to inspire them to keep going! Okay, sorry, enough of the sappy stuff!!

        Okay just kidding, one more sappy thing... You know what else?? Our bodies are amazingly strong!!! Seriously, they are stronger than we give them credit for! Some of you reading this, are thinking, wow, I could never do that.  You're WRONG! You can TOTALLY DO it! There was a point on the bike when I wanted to cry when I looked up and saw this HUGE hill I had to climb at the end of a 10 mile stretch and my legs were already burning... but I kept telling myself, Emily, YOU CAN DO IT... go girl! My body pushed through it! I NEVER would have thought I could do that without getting off and walking my bike up.  But I did.  We have great strength and power hidden inside us sometimes that we don't even know is there! :-) Do i sound like a motivational speaker? Sorry, I just had all these great moments and thoughts that I wanted to share! So I can't wait to do it again.  Eventually someday I want to train and do an olympic distance triathlon.  Not for a while, but someday.  So, go out and do something you always wanted to do!! IT feels GREAT!! My sisters are all gonna do one with me next time... huh girls? It will be fun and they will ROCK IT!!!

          

InSpiRaTionAL!

I was telling my brother and Sister in law about my triathlon on Saturday and my brother joel asked if I had seen the story about the father and son triathlon pair? I was like, WHaaaat? Oh man, this was so inspiring! Wow! Makes me feel like I can do ANYTHING!
It also brought tears to my eyes because it reminded me of Cassi, Jason's little sister. I've seen her father, Scott, carry her multiple times on hikes and wheel her around numerous places even carry her around the bases for softball. She hasn't let anything stop her from doing things she enjoys and having a father, so dedicated to making it possible! She is an inspiration to us and this story just hits a little close to home!! I Love it and I'm grateful for amazing people like this who cause us all to stop and reflect on our lives, and see all we've been blessed with!!

A cute Easter Egg Variation!

Does your husband have any old, ugly silk ties lying around?  Well, this cute idea puts those ties to good use! The uglier the tie,  the better the egg turns out! 

Click Here for the instructions!

Happy Coloring!! 

Seven Years Ago...

                             WE WERE MARRIED!!! 

Blast from the PAST! Look how young we look? This was on our honeymoon in Mazatlan Mexico! 
              
         We look so young, it's crazy! This was the front of our announcement
  At the Tuscany restaurant- we ate there for dinner on our anniversary this year. It was very nice! Beautiful restaurant and nice ambiance.  
       This was at the Hines Mansion in Provo at the Bed and Breakfast.  They serve a nice breakfast in the morning at a big table with all the other people staying there.  It's really fun (and i think my camera is dying).  

 Wow, I feel old! Already!  This weekend we celebrated our anniversary, April 3rd.  I just want to give a BIG THANKS and a VIRTUAL HUG (squeeeeze) to my sister Jen for watching the girls for us overnight so we could enjoy a little (well, let's just say, FUN)!!  It was perfect and relaxing.  It was a nice dinner, a nice in-room couples massage, and a quiet and relaxing bed and breakfast.  Thanks SISTER! 

We had a great time and remembered that special day when we were sealed in the temple FOREVER.  That was the best thing I've EVER done in my ENTIRE life and I wouldn't trade ANY second of it for the world! I'm SO glad that I could be married in the Temple and have the blessings of being married to my best friend FOREVER and EVER! That knowledge has surely given me so much peace through the years as we've been faced with trials that tested us and our faith.  I'm thankful that Heavenly Father loved me enough to give me Jason! I thank Him every night!   

Where's Gracie?

(remember to turn down the music player at the bottom)

This was Awesome! One night while we we were there, Jason took Jade and Gracie to get ready for bed and I came in the room at the perfect time and GRABBED the camera! I just love how JAde thinks she has to 'help' Gracie by pushing her head down, and then Gracie finds a distraction on the carpet, once that is gone, she goes right back to playing! ... so cute. i love them.

Just another Day in Paradise

  This was at La Jolla beach where the seals just come up like once a year to have babies and 'hang out in the sun'! Can ya blame them? 

We went to San Diego again last week because it was the kickoff to Jason's second year of his masters program.  He had to be there in school for a few days and so we left on Friday, and traveled straight there, then came home the following Saturday! So it was wonderful, as usual.  Although, I'm slowing realizing that sometimes vacations  with children aren't necessarily a VACATION or my definition of vacation! haha.  Gracie woke up every morning by 6 a.m. ready to go! It's only one hour time difference but she never got used to it! My definition of vacation is getting to SLEEP in!  No, really it was such a great time, and I'm not complaining!! I'd rather wake up at 5:45 THERE, with sunshine and birds singing, then 7 o'clock here with SNOW and the wind blowing! 

      It was great and we enjoyed the visit with my Grandad and Uncle Mark.  We played the game SEQUENCE almost EVERY night! IT's a great game! They loved it. The best part of the trip was getting to spend quality time with my Mom! She came along and it was great to spend time together ! I just loved being able to visit with her while we cooked dinner (well, while SHE cooked dinner, I pretended to help). I would ask questions about her growing up and parenting, her conversion, it was just so nice and I hope to share more times like that together. She's awesome and I love her a lot!