So it seems that bribing motivating Eden is not going to work. For a few days it worked, she has four stars on her calendar, and now, she just doesn’t care. I’m not really sure where to go from here. Usually she is so passive and obedient, but when she gets something in her head, she will not budge.

When I was talking to Jim about my frustration, he just said, “You’re underestimating the Jim in her.” And while I can SO see that, it doesn’t help. Our biggest fight with her is always when we want her to say something. She won’t say, “Thank You.” or she’s supposed to be memorizing a memory verse for my mom who does Bible school with her every week. She knows the verse, but she won’t say it. This is the kid who I have to ask to stop talking once in awhile just for a moment of peace.

sigh.

Weren’t they supposed to come with user guides? Maybe I lost mine at the hospital when she was born.

I got some great stuff in the mail over the weekend. I was so incredibly excited to get this necklace in the mail. I swapped the leg warmers for it. Isn’t it amazing? It’s vintage lucite. Check out Courtney Dougal Handmade Jewelry.

(pardon the poor in the bathroom with bad flash photo)

And my new quilt. I love love love it. Now I need to paint the bedroom to match. I’m thinking brown and teal. hmmm…

I don’t know what it is about it, but getting stuff in the mail is WAY more fun than buying it at the store.

It actually snowed last night. Not quite enough to make a snow man (it was still powdery when we were out there anyway) but enough to make a snow bird and a snow angel. It’s almost all already gone… stinking Western Colorado.

All Honor really cared to do with the snow was eat it, he even resorted to laying down on and eating it directly from the ground. mmmm…

Here’s the long awaited snow bird being made.

And the old folks.

Monday
Bean and pasta soup

Tuesday
lentil soup (didn’t have it last week and Jim will be gone, he hates lentil soup)

Wednesday
leftovers, Jim will be gone again so no need to fuss.. maybe we’ll just eat popcorn!

Thursday
Potatoes Anna and grilled Chicken

Weekend options
Spaghetti Puttanseca (didn’t make that last week either)
Southwestern turkey wraps
Tomato and olive penne

I’ve been having the most terrible time with Eden lately. She’s been in this phase where she thinks she can’t do anything for herself. We’re talking things that I know she can do for herself, like getting dressed. So, in a moment of desperation I tried bribery. I told her that if she could be big girl and do things for herself for a whole week, that I’d buy her a new groovy girl. She said that she wanted the groovy girl car and I said fine (little did I know the car cost FORTY dollars, eeesh!)

I printed her out a calendar and taped a picture of the car on it and she gets a star every day that she can be a big girl. This means no significant fits or that she straightens up after a gentle reminding about her car. So far it’s working fantastically, she’s got two stars on her calendar. Motivation is a powerful thing. And mommy has learned that she shouldn’t promise toys until she realizes how much they cost!

Ok, bloglines (who should be paying me for this endorsement!) is a web based application that allows the user to subscribe to different RSS feeds (like blog feeds, news feeds, etc.) From your personal bloglines page, you can see when each feed you subscribe too has been updated, and either read it directly on your bloglines page, or click to go to the website. The only thing you can’t do directly in bloglines, is comment on a blog post.

It has saved me a lot of time, because usually I’d go through all the blogs I read and only half of them would be updated. It takes me way less time to read blogs now, so I actually do it a lot more. And there you have it.

In completely different news, we got to see our 6 month old niece for the first time on Tuesday. Jim’s oldest sister is caring for her while the babys mom is in the hospital. She is such a sweet, happy baby. It was really great to be able to see and hold her. There’s so much more that I’d like to say, but it’s probably not wise to post such things on the internet. Just if there’s any extra prayers any of you want to throw towards Jim’s family, it would be greatly appreciated. And at least I can rest easy in the fact that I know right now, my little niece is safe.

So I’m thinking, forget New Years Resolutions, I’m going for blogolutions. I resolve to be a better blog reader, and to do that I need your blog address! Joelene talked me into using bloglines, and it’s definitely changed the way I read blogs. (I admit it, Jo, I’m hooked.) So, leave me your blog link in the comments so I can start being a better reader!

Also, I resolve to do better about updating my Menu page, which I did this week! Yes, I deserve a pat on the back!

There you have it, my two measly blogolutions. Lets hope I can keep them.

I’ve been knitting like a mad woman lately. And I still have models to get done for my classes, not to mention three friends with babys coming soon!

The collapsable cloche, a model for the store.

Some more legwarmers for a swap, I’m getting the most beautiful green vintage lucite necklace in return!

And the mens beanie that I’m teaching in a couple of weeks. I wrote the pattern.

I also went through and updated a whole bunch on my knitting page yesterday, so check it out!

Monday
red beans and rice with chicken and sour cream

Tuesday
pasta salad with roasted broccoli MS Everyday food #29

Wednesday
lentil soup

Thursday
hamburgers

Friday
date night? I hope, I hope, I hope!

Saturday
pizza

Sunday
spaghetti puttanseca MS Everyday food #7

Ok, this is who I’ve got signed up:

Joelene
Sarah E.
Sarah Grace
Heidi
Jen
Elizabeth
Samantha
Jasmine
Stephanie
Danielle
Candice
Brooke
Me!

That makes 13 people. So, please make 13 squares – knit or crochet in the colors black, white or grey. They should be as close to 6″h x 5″w as possible. Label each square (with a pinned note card or sticky note or something) with your name and, if you wish, your email/url. I think it will be fun to know where each of your squares comes from. The deadline for your squares is Feb 15th. Please have your squares in the mail no later than Feb 15. Don’t forget to send along a self addressed, postage paid envelope, so I can send it back to you. The sooner I get all the squares, the sooner I can send you out your scarf!!

I will be emailing you with my mailing address. If anybody has decided to back out of the swap, let me know immediately so I can tell the others to make fewer squares.

Let me know if there are any questions.

To sum up.
13 squares – 6 inches long and 5 inches wide
Self addressed and stamped envelope
Mail by Feb 15.

This will be fun!