Daybook Ocober 22, 2008

My sister Emily had done this on her blog and I really liked the idea. I think I'll give it a shot as a weekly post and see how it goes. I think it gives me an idea to start writing with and might give you, the reader, a little insight to my days.

Outside my window: I can see the beautiful trees in my yard and how the leaves are finally starting to fall off the trees. I think about all the work we have to do to rake it to the front of the yard so the city can suck them up. I'm wondering when we'll have time to do it.
I am thinking: I am thinking about the new job I've taken on with watching a three month old in my home everyday from 7:45 in the morning till 3:45 in the afternoon. She' a very good baby but it is strange for me to go back to the days of feeding, changing diapers and wondering. It is especially difficult with taking care of a baby that is not my own and always wondering if the parents are going to be pleased with how our day went. You'll hear more about this subject, I am sure.
I am thankful: I am extremely thankful for the great husband I have! Yesterday I was having a pretty bad day and he was so good and patient to let me unload on him. I've told him on numerous occasions that I believe that he has saved me from a life of prescription medication because he had kept me grounded and calm...well most of the time. (Don't get me wrong...some folks really need medicine no matter what anyone else does for them...I understand the nature of the beast!)
From the kitchen: Today I have plans to make the kids some chocolate cookies...maybe after the baby gets picked up by her mom. Cookies are my absolute favorite things to eat and I don't have a lot of control around them so I get kind of scared to make them. Cookies, get thee hence!!! Tonight for dinner I think I'll make Shrimp Alfredo. I made it last week and it was a huge hit with all the kids. I have left over ingredients so I better use them up.
I am creating: My blog! In the last couple of months, I've learned so much on the computer. Still have a long way to go!
I am going: No where! With watching someone else's newborn, I think I'll be pretty much staying put for a while.
I am hoping: I am hoping that I will keep up with my workout routine. Feeling better than I have in a long time!
I am reading: Stuff on the internet. I know I shouldn't spend so much time on the computer but I guess I feel like I'm making up for lost time. We were without the internet for two years and I missed it so much. I really do need to find a new book that will capture me. Any suggestions?
I am hearing: Rush Limbaugh on the radio in the kitchen. Love that guy!!! (I am my mother's daughter, for sure!!)
One of my favorite things: Having a clean and organized house. Lately it's been cleaned and organized in parts of the house at a time but I'm having a hard time getting it all done at the same time. A part of life!
I am wearing: A pink, ribbed, turtleneck top with blue jeans and a darling necklace and earring set that Mom made for me that goes great with the top. I especially love the necklace because mom incorporated a polished stone that Grandma Fay had made and set into a silver thingy (Don't know the term...but you get the idea)
A few plans for the rest of the week: Not much going on during the day besides watching Mikaela and doing a few haircuts this week, but we do have plans for the weekend. On Saturday we have football for Connor and a boy scout hike for Stuart in the morning. In the afternoon we're going to head to our old town of Gresham to go to a wedding reception. That night we'll sleep at Auntie Sarah's and then go to church with her on Sunday. Looking forward to seeing all my old friends there.

Fall Football

FOOTBALL SEASON

This football season was crazy with two boys playing!

This was Connor's first year playing and he loved it! We think he actually liked getting all dressed up in his uniform more than he really liked playing!

We were really proud of Connor who decided that he would miss the first three practices because they were on Sunday. He knew that this would mean that maybe he wouldn't get as much playing time and would be behind the other boys in learning the plays but he was ok with that.

This year Stuart played for the seventh and eighth grade teams. His number on his jersey was #15, just like Papa's number, when he was in his glory days.

Stuart is a bit smaller than some of the kids his age, but that doesn't keep him from plowing right into a kid that is twice his size. He's pretty fast and doesn't have a lot of fear. A couple of the other parents and coaches told us that he is so much fun to watch play because he has the biggest heart out on the field. He gives it all he gots!
Coach Schmidt told us at the end of the season to make sure we "hung Stuart on the laundry line to stretch him out a bit before next season and give him piles of pasta every day so he can bulk up". We'll see!

Oliver enjoyed going to the games because then he'd get to play ball on the sidelines with his buddies and his dad. He can hardly wait till he's in 3rd grade so that he can suit up.

Chloe and her dad messing around on the sideline.

Chloe always liked to go to the games because one of her best friends would be there. Her name is Raina and her brother played on Stuart's team. The girls would walk back and forth on the bleachers and make 'grass cakes'.

During Homecoming every year they have a tradition here to go out during homecoming week and toilet paper the town. They toilet paper their school, main street, the elementary school, the police station, the library and all their friends houses.

It's kind of interesting to me because the police supervise them and make sure everybody is safe and not getting into too much trouble. I guess that's good. It's the only time of year that it's allowed, so they get it out of their systems and you don't see the toilet papering any other time of year. The town looks like a mess for a couple of weeks until the toilet paper all disintegrates. If I remember correctly, when I was in high school in Utah we never toilet papered our own school, we would go to our rivals school and do something...but I was NEVER involved with anything like that! :)

Discipline in the Robertson home!

I'm sure a lot of you parents out there can agree that finding effective discipline is never easy! We struggle to find what works the best and when we do find it, it looses it's affect. We've done just about everything, minus beat them silly. When they were younger we would have them get out my old baby dolls from when I was a kid and they'd have to sit and practice being nice to the doll. They didn't like that so much, especially when Dave threatened to send the dolls with them to school.
Another method of torture we've used is to have them do chores together. They usually end up fighting more than not so then I have them do more chores. It's a very effective way to get a lot of work out of them but not so effective in stopping the fighting!
A new method that I have recently incorporated is that when they misbehave or fight, they have to walk on my back or rub my feet. I love it!! If they're going to upset the spirit of our home, I might as well get repaid for feeling sad because of their misdeeds. Is that bad? All I have to do is threaten a need for a massage and they get the message! Very effective!
The other night, they were going at it again so Dave had them sit and hold hands together while they looked at each other and smiled. They had to do this for ten minutes. If they let go or started arguing again the timer was reset. Pretty effective!
Oh...just a minute...someone is knocking at the door...what did you say, Connor?...Social Services is here??? Oops got to go!!!!!!

I guess I'm a tree hugger!

Poor Oliver!!

He looks like an absolute mess!! He was playing outside and had a run in with the apple tree in the front yard. It kind of scared me because he scratched his face right across his eye and I was worried that he poked or scratched his eyeball. No major injuries except he looked horrible.

The next day we went to Green Bay to play with his cousins and he got even more scratches on his face from jumping on the trampoline!

At church on Sunday when everyone asked what happened to his face, he just shrugged his shoulders and said, "Well, I guess I'm a tree hugger!"

Look who can reach the pedals!

Chloe has waited a long time to reach the pedals on her tricycle so that she could cruise the neighborhood with the big kids. We went outside the other day and it was gorgeous. It was the perfect fall day. We wanted to stay out and play so we pulled out the bikes and what do you know? Chloe finally reached the pedals. We had made an attempt in the summer but it wasn't quite time. But she must have had a growth spurt in the last couple of months because now she can ride like the wind! She was absolutely proud of herself and showed all the neighbor kids and her brothers.