Oh Blog.

No one has been blogging lately.  I think Hannah is the only one to post anything in the past month :/ I know I've been slacking, but with Facebook, it's easier. But here's some thoughts I've had recently...

I love prayers. I really truly have been enjoying our family prayers morning and night. It makes our home feel perfect. I love it. We've been struggling a bit though, because Madison has been REFUSING to pray at all. For months we weren't able to get her to say a prayer at all.  We tried all sorts of things to get her to pray. We told her she couldn't eat her dinner til she blessed it.  2 hours later, she was asleep from crying so much while refusing to pray, and after a nap, she woke up, we reheated her food, and she ate without praying. We've tried being the sweet Peter Priesthood/Molly Mormon kind of parents.  We've tried all sorts of stern looks, voices, punishments. We've had talks about Heavenly Father and who he is and that he loves her and wants to talk to her. It seems like she's honestly afraid to pray. I have no clue why. But a couple nights ago, we sat down as a family for our night prayers. She was refusing to pray, and our girls can get crazy shy at weird times, so Chris and Taylor went to the other room while I tried to coax a prayer out of Madison. We talked, I tried everything... I finally got her to pray by tricking her.
Me: Can you say tractor?
Madison: Tractor
Me: Can you say TV?
Madison: TV
Me: Can you say Dear Heavenly Father?
Madison: Dear Heavenly Father
And on went our prayer. She knew she was praying though, but she repeated what I said anyways. Trying to help her feel better, and recognize that prayer is a good thing, I had her pray for comfort from Heavenly Father and to know that He loves her and wants to talk to her. The spirit was so strong, we both started tearing up. It was so sweet to share that moment with her, and to know that she felt and recognized the Holy Spirit.  She's said a few more prayers since then, but we still have to try hard to coax them out. Hopefully with positive reinforcement, she'll keep it up and soon be saying them on her own again.

Taylor had also been in a bit of a rut, repeating the exact same prayer for the past 6 months or so.  We've told her over and over again that you can pray for anything, and tell what you're grateful for and such, but it hadn't worked.  But the past few she's said have been so thoughtful and heartfelt.  It's so sweet to hear their prayers. It always makes my day.

We've had some changes here at home... We moved rooms last month.  The girls now are in the back room, and we're in the front one. Thanks to Jennifer and Kyle, we finally have a gorgeous bedroom set (why we had to change rooms, it wouldn't fit in the other one.) It's been a few years since I had a dresser of my own, and I'm loving it.

Chris went to Minnesota for work training for a week. I think it's the longest we've been apart since our first date. :/ I missed him like crazy.  But he did exceptionally well. The trainers even emailed his boss about how well he did. (Is it any surprise though? He's great at everything! Seriously.  If he doesn't know how to do something, he learns, and he's good at it! I wish I could have 1/2 his talent.) We're glad he's back, and I'm sure his work is too.

I also am now only watching one sweet little boy during the day. It's much easier to manage, and I can fit 3 carseats in the back of my car, so we're able to run errands and go have fun during the day instead of being stuck home all the time. We've gone to the park and mall a bit. And done a little bit of shopping. I'm glad that we're able to go out and enjoy summer a bit more, since Taylor will be starting Pre-K in August.  She'll be going all day, everyday.  I'm definitely going to have a HARD time. I already am. I'm way excited that she got into this program, but she'll be in school full time a year earlier than we thought. :/ I'm going to miss her, and I'm sure Madison is going to miss having her big sister here to play with.  But she'll still have the boy I watch as a playmate.

This week is girls camp for me. I get to be the Cabin Mom for our ward's Young Women's camp. I'm so excited. I LOVE camping, but the majority of my summers in Young Women's were spent in Arizona, so I only went to camp like 3 times. I'm hoping before summer is over, we can take a family trip camping as well... maybe out to fall creek falls.  I know the girls will LOVE it.

In a couple weeks Taylor will be going to gymnastics camp. Then the week or so after that both girls will be going to dance camp!  I thought these camps might help her open up a little bit more before school starts.  She'll have to make other friends with kids she doesn't know and get used to a teacher. In September, the girls will be starting their dance classes every week. I'm so excited to buy all the little dance wear stuff. The shoes, the leotards, the tutus. I can't wait. I'm probably more excited than they are.  But I think once we get their outfits, they'll get more excited.

We're also planning on getting hair cuts soon. Me and Taylor at least.  I haven't had my hair cut in 2 years.  I love how long it is, and want it to get a bit longer, but It needs a trim... badly. Maybe some layers... I dunno.  Taylor has never had her hair cut (in all her 4 years) and I thought it'd be fun to get it cut before she starts school. We're not actually cutting any length off (I think Chris and my dad and family would flip.) but since she's never had it cut before, she needs the baby fine ends trimmed off.  I think it'll help thicken it up. I'm afraid she may lose some of her curl though. But it may also get curlier since it wont be quite as weighed down. Who knows... we may actually do that today!

We had a great 4th of july weekend. We got to spend time with our families (who are the absolute best.) We had delicious food (Jeremy is a grilling god!)  We were able to hear Grandpa's band play (we have to make those Grandpa's Groupies shirts next time.) And we saw and shot fireworks.  The only thing that could have made it better is if it didn't have to end today!

I do have pictures, but I need to edit them.  So be on the lookout for a post soon. Or I'll just post them on facebook... So yeah... Later!