How Engaging!

See that lovely couple beneath me-self, Husband, Sara Love, and Matty Babe? 

Well, THEY ARE ENGAGED!
Officially. Happened T minus 3 hours ago, or something like that.
And I couldn't be more thrilled for the two of them. No more Daniel in St. Louis going to law school without his woman. The perfect woman for him, and to be my new sister-in-law this December, I might add. They only have to play the heart-breaking long distance game two more times, and then thank heavens for no more goodbyes! They belong together. I felt so close to her from the very beginning, and soon her name will be Alicia Ditto. Then she'll finally understand how fun it is to marry into that name. She is already a kindred. Aren't they such a gorgeous couple? They are also hilarious together, which makes it all the better.

Alicia, love you to pieces already, Sis.

Boo Yah!

I am a facilitator of Love and Logic Parenting Courses and I love teaching these classes to parents throughout Utah. I have taught three in the last year, and I am so thrilled that I was just offered to facilitate another in Sandy! (Finally, something is looking up!) But all that information is just to preface what I would really like to document today.

I used Love and Logic on my husband last Sunday. :-)

Jonathan has sooo many strengths. One of those strengths is NOT punctuality. Now, it's not like I am great at being on time. However, I am better at it than Jon. And Sunday after Sunday after Sunday, I felt like MOTHER. Trying to wake him up, (he is still under the false belief that he can get ready in about fifteen minutes. This theory of his has been proven untrue basically every Sunday we have shared in our marriage) waiting in the car, and continually walking in late to sacrament meeting. And week after week, "Sorry Rach. I'll be on time next week." Well words weren't cutting it anymore. His late habit had to be broken. And with me walking in to sacrament meeting in a crabby mood so often, I decided it was time to utilize in my personal life what I teach in Love and Logic parenting courses. :-)

Especially when we discovered that our ward begins at 8:30 am.

Ready for this?

1) Ownership of the Problem: what can I control and not control?

Saturday evening around 7pm. (The conversation went something like this...)
 Rach: "Husband, I love you. And I would like to take the sacrament tomorrow in a happier spirit rather than being so grouchy about being late. Does that sound fair to you?"
Jon: "Of course that sounds fair, Sweetheart."
Rach: "Good, I'm so glad. So here's what I've come up with. Our car will be leaving tomorrow at 8:20am with or without you in it. I love you."

2) Hope that your child (in my case, husband) blows it. Opportunity for thinking/decision making.

Sunday morning, I get up and get ready for church. By 8:00 am, Jon is still sleeping. 8:10 rolls around, and he's so peaceful in our bed. I smile to myself. This is going to be a great day.
8:15 - He gets up and starts running around. I am a little disappointed but also very happily enjoying myself
 as I wasn't playing MOTHER today.
8:20 - I give him a kiss and walk out the door.

And as I walked into our parking garage, I heard frantic, pounding footsteps in the apartment floor above me. Ah, that would be my husband running around. Jon barely made it to the car before I turned the corner. With shaver, socks, and shoes in his hands he jumps in and remarks "You're awesome." (I think deep down inside he wants to break this Hawaiian habit of his.) And I was in the best mood I've ever been in on a Sunday morning. What a lovely, refreshing day!

So he made it the first week. What happened last week, you wonder?

Saturday night before bed.
Rach: "Hey Babe. You remember our deal, right? Our car leaves at 8:20, with or without you in it?"
Jon: "Yeah yeah I remember." (Taking me less seriously this time????)

3) Follow through with loving action.

Sunday at 8:23, I walked out the door and left a man still enjoying his breakfast. Love in my heart, of course. Malice is not endorsed by any Love and Logic facilitator. And it's not like I didn't miss that handsome man of mine, as I walked into the meeting alone and sang the opening hymn without the accompaniment of his pleasant voice. He managed to hitch a ride with a friendly neighbor. And as he sat down next to me on the pew, with a smile on his face he said, "Wow. I'm never going to be late again."

I guess we'll see.

He certainly improved his punctuality this morning for stake conference. Granted, that started at 10:00 AM.

Maybe the funniest part of all is that as I turned the corner last Sunday and pulled out onto the road in front of our complex, Jon opened the door and we straight up made eye contact. What did I do? I drove right on. Thank you, Love and Logic. Putting the fun back into parenting, and guiding children (and spouses!!!)  to be more responsible.

Do's and Don'ts de Placement Break

DO have a sleepover in your front room. To maximize the experience, build a fort as well!

 DO act like a kid. In fact, do it often.

DO NOT act like a bass fish at the aquarium at Cabella's.

 Unless you are rather used to being fools in public together.

Certainly, DO hike to the Timpanogos caves when the surrounding mountains have recently been sprinkled with snow.

DON'T forget your tennis shoes! Choose to be more comfortable than we were. 

 Do watch Planet Earth - Caves before you go! (Nerd confession #1)

Should you find a Rubber Boa crossing your path, DO NOT pick him up!

 Unless you are positive he his harmless (luckily a forest ranger was walking with us) and you take immense satisfaction out of doing something, every day, that scares you. Little Rachie's heart was POUNDING. 

 Little Jonny's was not.

 Do Say hello to a forest ranger! You never know, he just might be your blast from the past and eighth grade science teacher! Mr. Ellison? RANDOM. Yes, I trusted his judgment when we discovered this snake. I well remember this man's passion for Bill Nye the Science Guy. Anything more foolproof than that? Please. That is pure scientific knowledge at its best.

And lastly, Do fall in love with the children in your life. These are five of my 39 little students. From left to right we have Mr. Chris the Red, Paisley the hip-shaker (and only lady in her class), Auggie the fohawk guy (riding a bull maybe?), Shane who wears a Buzz Lightyear shirt daily, and Mathias who has recently become Shane's shadow.

I got to play on this blowup slide with these little babes. Brightened my entire week. :-)