I'm a mess...

So this week was going to be an absolute crazy busy week for me, so what did I do about it? I THREW OUT MY BACK!!! That's right, I am once again down and out with a messed up neck and back. I have to give a shout out to some of my friends for being absolutely amazing. I called my friend to see if she had a good doc I could go to and with in minutes she not only had a good doc, but she also had planned babysitting for Linkin for the entire day!!! My friends have been so generous with watching Linkin this week and even coming over to my house to play with us here so I could lay down and heat my back. I ended up going to the urgent care and all they did was give me meds and send me on my way. Thanks girls for helping me this week! I seriously couldn't have done it with out the help! You girls are awesome!

I also have to say that Doug and Linkin have been amazing this week as well. Doug picked Link up from my friends house on his way home from work the night I got hurt and they stopped at the store to pick mommy up some presents. Linin was absolutely set that he had to get me yellow tulips and a football balloon. Doug was trying to convince him that roses and maybe a get well balloon were more appropriate, but Linkin would not budge so Doug just went with it. haha. It was so funny and adorable to watch Linkin come running inside with the balloon and the flowers. He got a little excited giving them to me, so during the exchange the balloon popped and the flowers got a little droopy. haha. All in all it was a great surprise from my two favorite boys on earth! Love my guys! =)

Who put the puffy in the puffy jar???

For the longest time I have felt like all I ever do is tell Linkin, "NO!!!" Do you know how I feel?? I follow him around making sure he's making good choices and help redirect him when he needs some correction. I finally decided I have had enough. Linkin and I just seemed like we were arguing so much and I didn't feel like my house had the feeling in it that I wanted it to. I decided it was time to put that Education Degree of mine to work so I got thinking on some positive reinforcement ideas.

Here's what we got:

(this is the Puff Jar and the extra Puffs. It takes about 30 Puffs to fill the jar)


We now have a Puff Jar! The Puff Jar is absolutely amazing! When Linkin makes a good choice or does something nice he gets to pick out a Puff and put it in the Puff Jar. When the Puff Jar is completely full he then gets to pick a prize out of the Grab Bag! He was a little confused at first because he thought if he got a Puff he also got a toy. After some modeling and explaining, he now has the idea down. It has been lots of fun because now instead of saying, "Linkin don't do that." I can instead say, "Linkin if you do (insert something here) you can put a Puff in the Puff Jar." This has already worked great with having him share with others and play nicely. If we have friends come over I tell him that if he is nice he can put a Puff in the jar when they leave.

(This is the Grab Bag. He gets to pick out one of the things from the box.)

A few weeks back we started the Naughty Box. (Dun Dun Dun...) The naughty box is exactly as it sounds. When Linkin makes a naughty choice such as throwing a toy at mommy, that toy is put in the naughty box. I felt like time out had completely lost its punch and he didn't care if he had to sit in time out, so we installed the naughty box. Loosing toys definitely effects him more so than time out did. I still do time out when it is required, but the naughty box has been a huge blessing for us. He can earn the toys out of the naughty box, but he has to do something really really good to get them back.

I did a discipline box and a reward system separate of each other because I didn't want him to get the two mixed up. Once he earns a Puff and puts it in the Puff Jar he can not loose that Puff. It stays in there until he earns a toy. I DO NOT take them out. I think that is so important for him to see a physical representation of all of his good choices. The naughty box is the same idea to see his naughty choices but it also shows that you can make those naughty choices into good choices by fixing your mistakes. This is my new system, so I hope it works!!! Hopefully there isn't so much frustration in our home! :)

Happy 3rd Birthday Linkin

Linkin! I can't believe you are three years old today! I don't know where the time has gone. I remember when you were first born I was so excited for you to start walking, crawling, and talking. Now I want to just sit and snuggle you just like I did when you were a baby! These three years have gone so fast and your dad and I love you soooo much!!! You are such an amazing spirit in our home. You bring laughter and love and a pureness like none other. Happy third birthday my special baby boy. I love you!

This is Linkin the day he was born. He was only 5 pounds 5 ounces. That binkie takes up half of his adorable little face! Sooo cute!!

Linkin on his 1st birthday! He has always loved the color yellow. I absolutely love his outfit here! :) That boy is big pimpin'! jk

Big boy on his 2nd birthday. He's trying to get that whole bite of cake in his mouth. Go for it Linkin!

I took this picture just last week at the park. This is Linkin at 3 years old! He is getting so big and so independent. His favorite things to do now are to play with his Thomas the Trains, Cars toys, Toy Story toys, and of course "help" mommy do the cleaning and the cooking.

Each stage with Linkin has been unique and I have loved watching him learn and grow. I love you baby boy! Happy Birthday!!!

FOOTBALL!!!!

Yesterday was football Sunday in our house. Linkin wanted to play football with Doug for like an hour while poor Doug was trying to watch the game. It was soo stinkin cute though I had to get some video. Linkin would hunch down when he saw the football players do it on the TV and than when they stood up to play so would he. It was sooo funny to watch him imitate the football players on the TV. I don't think Doug has ever been prouder of Linkin! ;)

Exploritorium

Linkin and I went to the Exploritorium with some friends today in San Francisco. It was soo much fun!!! The exhibits were a little over Linkin's head but he couldn't have cared less! He thought he was one of the big kids that were there on their school field trips. He did everything they did. It was so cute to watch him do all of the activities. We will absolutely be going again! Above is a picture of Linkin and I at the duck pond right outside of the Exploritorium. The pond is so gorgeous and it has some of the most amazing architecture. It kind of reminded me of the Forum in Rome. It was so pretty!

Future broadcaster, right?! jk. Linkin just called this the microphone and he waited FOREVER to get his turn on it. It was cool because it was teaching the delays between when you talk and the other person receives the transmission in their head set. Both educational and fun! Who knew?! :)

Linkin and Michael talking to each other through the microphones and head sets. It was so cute because they were kind of having a conversation. They started telling each other they loved each other and Amberly and I started laughing hysterically! So funny!!!

If we go somewhere and there is "bells" to find, Linkin will be sure to find them! He is drawn to them by some magnetic force. He LOVES playing the "bells."

This was a really cool exhibit. The blocks were magnetic so you could build a really big tower. After your tower was built you turned on the vibration and it showed how buildings collapse during earthquakes and stuff. Linkin had a great time playing and knocking it down.

Linkin played with this toy for a good 20 minutes! Who would have thought it would be so fun?! The black circle spun around and you could put the sand on and make different patterns and stuff out of the sand. It was suppose to show some scientific thing, but I don't remember! haha. All I know is Linkin played with it forever and I got to sit and rest a little bit. ;)

I know this picture is random, but it is taken by the duck pond outside the Eploritorium. Isn't this so cool?!!!

These little yellow cars crack me up! These cars are usually rented by tourists so they can put put around San Francisco and check out the sites. I think they are so funny. I don't know why but they make me giggle. I guess it's more funny when you see two people crammed inside because it looks like a clown car. haha.

Thanksgiving and other fun

Our family picture on Thanksgiving Day. This was also our Christmas Card picture, so Merry Christmas! :) Linkin was not into taking the pictures at all, so this was the best we got out of him. I think he still looks adorable though!


Doug and I were goofing around on Thanksgiving in the kitchen when we were suppose to be in the other room at the table eating Thanksgiving dinner with everyone. This was too funny though I had to put it on the blog! My dad was yelling to us at this point to come in and sit down. haha. Doug and I are just little kids stuffed in grown up bodies! lol :)


Doug had to go home the Sunday after Thanksgiving but I was lucky enough to get to stay until the following weekend when my amazing niece Karlee got baptised! It was so great to be able to share that day with her. We were so thankful to be there and loved watching the special event. Karlee you are an amazing little girl and we are grateful you are in our family! We love you so much! Here is a picture of all of the cousins that were there to support Karlee on her day.
(side note: Linkin did try to climb over the wall and jump in the water when Karlee was getting baptised. Sooo embarrassing, but still pretty funny. Crazy Linkin!!!)
Here is me stealing a quick picture with Karlee after her baptism at my parents house. Isn't she gorgeous???? Love you girlie! =)

Since I was there for a week and a half we had lots of time to meet up with our friends from Scottsdale. Here are just some of the kiddos crammed into the wagon at the train park. Love these kiddos and miss them sooo much! (This was for Slade's bday, so Happy Bday Slade!)

Linkin and Slade found a puddle and thought for some reason it was one of the coolest things ever. Who knew a puddle could be so fun? They played for a good 30 minutes in this tiny puddle. Funny little boys! (These two really could be twins though it's crazy how much they look a like even when they aren't dressed the same. lol)

Kade, Slade, and Linkin doing a goodbye hug. This was a sad goodbye. =( We will see you kiddos again soon! Miss you all!

Christmas 2010

It has taken me FOREVER to put up our Christmas pictures! Here they are! My camera died and so I missed half of the fun stuff we did while we were down there. =( These pics will just have to do for this year. Above is our cute little family picture on Christmas Eve. As you can tell Linkin just LOVES taking pictures. NOT!

The annual nativity skit done by all of the kids at Christmas Eve. Linkin has the shepherds can in one hand and of course he had to have Mader in the other. That tow truck from the movie Cars is almost always stuck to his hand! Heaven forbid when we loose it! :) The kids did a great job with the skit. And don't they just look so dang cute?!

Christmas morning started Waaaaay early! We had a late night the night before playing some pretty intense games of ping pong in my parents garage and the kids woke up at like 5:30 am!!!! Mamma don't do 5:30 am folks!!!! ;) Here is Linkin playing with his fun tag reader. Linkin is really into the show Super Why right now and the main character has the "power to read." He has a little "why writer" in the show and this is Linkin's "Why writer." He loves playing with his books that read to him. It is a way cute toy! (and educational :)

Linkin playing with his car tracks. I don't know where this toy ended up. I don't think it made the flight home to San Francisco. :( Hopefully we will find it somewhere when we go back to AZ to visit.
Here are the kids showing their biggest treasures of the morning. Linkin would have just been happy getting that Percy train for Christmas! Monterey with her treasures and Alexandra with her hamster. Good Christmas morning for all!

Nana and Papa on Christmas morning. Does anyone else think it's hilarious that my dad already has a tie around his neck?! hahahaha!! Love you dad!

Linkin was soooo tired after the BIG eventful morning that he just layed there and watched his Dinosaur Train track go round and round. We actually took a nap that day too! (naps don't happen these days!) He slept for like 3 hours after this! Such a fun morning!

My camera died after this so I don't have any more pics. =( We had a way fun time the rest of Christmas day at Doug's parents house doing secret santa and having Christmas dinner.

New Years was also super fun at our friends house Chad and Krissie. They just moved into a house 5 minutes from my parents house so we had to have New Years there and break their house in for them! Thanks for all of the great times guys!