How to teach what we learn.

I have just learned that I need to help Carter learn common sense. How do you teach someone something you never had to learn your self?

The other night he was getting ready to go out to dinner with his friend. Dinner was at 6:00 and I made the mistake of telling him at 4:00 (as a bribe to get him to clean his room) he did nothing for the next hour but count down the minutes. So the second hour I caved and made him watch cartoons. Before he left I noticed he was sniffing. I told him to blow his nose so he wasn't sniffing at dinner, never thought anymore about it. Today Carter came up to me and told me I was right. I asked him what I was right about. He said that if he blew his nose he wouldn't have to sniff. I wish that I could have taught him that when he was two! All it took was to explain why and just do it.

I often say that I never signed up for this. It makes you realize how much we take for granted all that God created including ourselves.

First day of school

Sorry hun I know you LOVE it when I take pictures like this but I am to tired to figure it out.

He is the kids first day of school pics.

It kills me to send this one off to school when he begs me not to. I hope and pray that it will get better with time, His day was normal " horrible".

Here is Shay's first day.

She told me in the hallway. "I will See you later Mom" She looked tired but said she had fun. It is so much easier sending a kid to school who likes it!

Kofford Reunion

Rex playing the 4 note harmonica

Grown ups with Cree'l dancing to YMCA.

Sheila's boys

Grandpa Carter acting out Clearance Kofford (with grandma's hands)

Ducks and Fishing with Tara

This is how we fish without dad.

walking in the water

Trying to catch a duck

Feeding the Ducks

Day Camp

Look who we found..
I want to build one of these

unsure of the boat

checking out the rockets

Early morning

Cabin with Grandma

Building a path

PLaying cards. It was cold this weekend.

The kids all went in the cabin and when we came back in ALL the glow sticks were open.

4th of July Cookies

Working together.

Innocent, sweet and helpful

Then this happens when mom takes a potty break!

Another year gone by

Sometime I don't even understand why I go through everything at the school to get Carter help! Once again another year gone by with nothing that was promised done. Don't get me wrong Mrs. Jackson has been really good for Carter this year. She had been the best teacher so far but a little communication could have been better.
The School sociologist was suppose to be pulling Carter out of class for social groups, this has never been done. The other day at the school we walk past him and Carter could not even make eye contact with him. I guess the fact he was able to say a word back means that he is just fine.
I also wonder why kids are so cruel! I was talking with a little girl today and she told me that a boy in their class told Carter he was stupid because he has brain damage. She asked me if this was true because Mrs. Jackson had told them that he did. I was trying so hard to hold back tears. I am just sick of this school and don't understand WHY I have to put my son through this every day at school..........

Parenthood

My Aunt called me a couple of weeks ago and told me of the show "Parenthood". She said I should watch it because the little boy Max has asperger's. I have been recording this show (the only way I have time to watch it with out the kids) the last one I watched Max took this rubber band ball away from his cousin. When the parents found it they told him that he could not have it because it was not his. He said "you told me if I ask I can have it, I asked ,that means I can have it". I laughed so hard and told Matt that is something that Carter would do. The very next night at dinner he said the exact same words! Matt and I were laughing so hard, poor Carter had no idea what was so funny!

Have you ever seen this horrible back pack things! I bought one when Shayla was little because she is Shayla! The thing resurfaced, Shayla put it on and stated she was ready to go to Walmart. Oh no not with that on, I told her. She said but WHEN I run away you can just pull on this. I told her you don't need that because if you run way I will just spank your bum! I guess that was good enough for the store, She took it off.

If you are thinking of getting one DON'T. Shayla would just crawl around barking like a dog and neither Matt nor I would hold the other end. We tried to use when Carter was in baseball. I never thought those days of baseball would end so soon :( I don't miss Shayla running away, I miss watching Carter play and hoping he would get the hang of it and love it.

Egg Hunt #2

Carter at Matt's moms

Shayla

Shayla loves to cross her eyes. Then she taught Grandma how to do it!

Wonder how long it will take before my mother-in-law sees this? Michele don't tell!

Egg Hunt #1

Each year my mom hides eggs for the kids. They all have their own color of eggs to find. This makes it nice they all get the same amount (except the few ever year that can not be found) and the fighting

Brynlee

Gage

Lauren

Shayla counting Eggs

Carter and Shayla

Dying Eggs

Carter's eggs had to be perfect. Dipped in every color.

Perfecting his egg.

Check out the hands.

SURPRISE! Shayla were clean.

Holes and Shayla

I thought Shayla had found all the holes on her body. Well Sunday we were on our way to get a dime out of her throat. The dime was stuck and she was crying and panic was all over her face. Finally she said it went down. I am so thankful that we didn't have to take her to remove yet ANOTHER object from her body!

Carter is into the coins collecting lately and I told him if it was one of his he wasn't getting it back. He didn't think it was to funny till he realized that his coins were in the truck.

What life will be like?

I often ask myself this question (every morning).

I have been thinking about what I am going to do next year with two kids in school. I envey those people who's kids can get ready on their own. For this reason I would need a part time job. Carter (at this point) can not do this. I have to follow him from room to room every morning. It takes me from 7:30- 8:10 to get him out of bed. Then from 8:10-8:45 to eat breakfast then I brush his teeth (or it would take 35-40 min for him) and comb his hair. Then it is off the find the velcro shoes (what am I going to do when he out grows the velcro) the ties "BUG" him, the socks "BUG" him and half the time he comes home from school with out them on. Not to mention the non stop phone calls from the school.

I often wonder what his life will be like when he gets older. I know he will not have a hair cut. To get this child to cut his hair is dragging him into the building then removing the death grip from the waiting room chairs and not to mention the silent treatment to the hair dresser. His teeth might not ever be brushed because he cannot stand the texture of the tooth paste on his teeth. He might walk around with untied shoes and no socks. Whatever he may be I am SURE he will have a collection of many items. Only time will tell.

Photo shop fun

All of Matt's time on photo shop I guess pays off. Here are some of his pictures that he took and edited.

I Loved this little barn. It is no longer there.

This is out our back door.

SLC Temple

Our Kids


Tara took this one. Matt just played with it.

Nothing new.

Carter has finally got brave and learned to climb the tree (I think he just got tall enough).

Shayla, being herself. Yes, her shoes are way to big but she had to have them.
Grandpa would be so mad if he new who moved the rocks.

and then there is poor Caroline!

I am suprised that this chicken is out best layer. Maybe Shayla just scares them right out of her!

Cake...

I made this cake for the Blue and Gold. I can't wait to cut into it to see how the inside looks and to see if it even tastes good. The inside is blue and gold (yellow) layered. I am going to attempt to make Shayla birthday cake. I noticed I really need to purchase different plates and cookie cutters that are not Christmas.

Can't Run Fast Enough

Do you ever feel like you need to get away from someone or something but, it always comes back?

We went to Carter's class display last night. He was so excited to show me all the things that he had made. We got to the first table which had necklace on it, I noticed one necklace that did not look like the rest and hoped it wasn't his. Which necklace is yours, Carter? I asked. Carter responded, "the one that is not wrapped around, I didn't finish and the teacher took it anyway". Ok, good enough. Next was the tee pee table. Oh no, one is standing out. Carter, is that tee pee yours? I asked. "Yep that is mine", he stated. This tee pee was black and all the rest were brown.

Ok, I know Carter thinks like no other child but something is up. Here come Mrs. Jackson from across the room. I asked Carter to go do a make and take. Here it comes what is he up to now. Mrs. Jackson is worried because Carter uses the bathroom every hour. I told her I was not sure what was going on but I will talk to him about it. She is having a really hard time getting him to stay focused and to finish anything..... I didn't want to have this conversation, not this year. I want to to live in my bubble and pretend that it has all gone away, he is normal has friends and can pay attention in school and understands when he is being bullied. Do I really have to face reality?

Starting to feel over whelmed, I feel a little person hugging me. I looked down to find a little girl in my last years primary class. This little girl has such a sweet spirit and her family found out that her mom has Cancer and it doesn't look good. I was so relieved after last year that I wouldn't have to look this little girl in the face at the most difficult time in her life because I was no longer her teacher..... well she is turning 10 this year and they moved me to the ten year old class so I get her again this year. I left the conversation with Miss Jackson and went with the little girl.

We sat at the make and take table. We talked about prayers being answered, being sick, her spirit and I realized that I can run all I want from my fears of death but I can never escape her. She trusts me enough to open up to me, to tell her sister to wait in the hall so she could finish her conversation with me in private (we were at a table with lots of other kids, I guess they didn't exist at the time). She was sad that her Mom was to tired and sick to come. I responded that her Mom loves her and would to have loved to see all the neat stuff that was displayed and that not being able to do things like this is harder on her them the medicine. She came up with a great plan. She is going to make a display stand at home and take it in to her Mom's room so she could feel like she was part of it. I told her that her Mom would love it!

I came home and broke down. It is not fare for her and she told me that she was praying and Heavenly Father was not answering her prayer, he was not healing her Mom. They are going to finish this round of Kimo (spelling) and then they are done. What do you say???

I figured out last night that I have to put my fears of death behind me. She trusts me and needs me to help her stay strong. I know that our Heavenly Father answers our prayers, he answers them in a way that strengthens us while here on earth. It's not always the answers that we want but it is what is best. Heavenly Father knows us better then we know our self.