Jeff's First Post

Ok, so this is Jeff actually, and this officially my first time of posting a blog. I've been reading all our friends and families and figured it was my time to contribute. I don't have any cool pictures that you would interested in unless you like looking at how a paver pattern adds to the overall experience of a plaza, or how a streetscape was ruined by the use of a particular rock mulch. But I do have a few touching stories of my pride and joy at home that I thought I would share.

1. So the classic children’s story of Bambi has touched Jackie such that she now prays every night that the animals in the mountains will be safe from the hunters. I asked her where she thought hamburger came from and she was rather shocked to learn the truth. Never-the-less, she still blesses the animals on the mountains.

2. Dallin has also been humbling me a bit when he tells me he’s not mad at me. The humbling part is that he tells me this after I get done scolding him. He says “It’s ok that you’re mad at me dad, but I still love you.”

3. Lately we have been trying harder to use positive reinforcement on our children and it’s amazing the results. I will come home and Becca will tell me the great helper that Jackie was that day and she just beams with delight. Other times I’ll see Jackie’s shoes and jacket on the floor and I’ll tell Dallin how happy I am that he put his shoes and jacket away, and next thing you know- Jackie will come running and put hers away as she craves that praise as well. It’s so much easier for us to find the faults in our children, but there is plenty of praise that they deserve and we just need to be creative in giving that sincerely to them as well.

Paper-Chain People

Last night Jeff made paper-chain people to illustrate a point in family home evening. The kids were amamzed. He folded the paper, cut, then the kids got to open them up. Their eyes got really big when they realized they were people (girls for Jackie, Boys for Dallin) all stuck together and all the exact same. The lesson was about how everyone is different, but we are all special in the eyes of God. Jeff asked the kids how it would be if we were all the same. They realized that would be wierd. Jackies first comment was. "What if I looked like Ikea and Ikea looked like me?" Ikea is a good "boy" friend of hers whom she insists she is going to marry. She did not think it would be good if they both looked the same. Jeff had them draw each person diffent - differt hair, eyes, clothes, spots. It was a fun night with the fam.