Clifton Rocks Jar

Updates on Clifton -
So last week I talked a lot about how we have been struggling with Clifton to make good choices and do good things.  Well I have been thinking a lot about it and decided that maybe I need to watch for things he does good.  And let him know he can get attention by doing good things.  So I decided to put together the "Clifton Rocks Jar".  We went on a walk and found some rocks. Then he cleaned and painted them.  I explained to him that every time he does something good, like eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, fold arms during prayer, quiet while I am putting McKay to sleep, etc.. we can put rocks in his jar.  But if he makes bad decisions we will have to take rocks out (only if he needs something more than a time out).  And at the end of the day, if his jar is full of rocks, he gets a treat.

He enjoyed the process of collecting, cleaning, and painting them.  It took him a day to catch onto the idea.  But thus far it seems to be working well and I seem to realize he does a lot of good things and not focus so much on the negative.

Funny things he said this week.:
- we have been talking about the word dangerous lately and so he has started using it in his everyday dialogue.   I was tickling him and he turned to me and said "No Mom.  Tickling dangerous!"
- At lunch he told me "Cracker has ouwy.  Fall down crossing the street."

Updates on McKay -
I am loving the stage she is at.  She is happy, silly, and a joy.  She is getting so big and so much fun every day.  She turned 7 months this week!  She is still not on her hands and knees crawling but she army crawls and is quite fast at it.  I am not sure she will crawl on her hands and knees. I think she might just go to walking.

The boys and I enjoy playing games.  I try to think of fun and new games for them.  These week we sent a lot of time working on our letters and colors.

We played a fishing game where we would fish for magnetic letters.  I would have them tell me the color and  try to see if they could name the letter.  They really like this game.

Then we got another game out.  The boys would spin and tell me what color they landed on.  We would find the candyland guy that matched that color and then match the guy to the color circle. They did pretty well at this game.

A random picture of Clifton rocking out!

 Another random picture of Clifton just being Clifton.  A couple captures of my everyday experience.  Clifton is sure silly!  Nice outfit huh?

My mother came into town this weekend.

She got to come cheer me on with Alex and the kids for the Whaling Days 4 mile race.  I just passed Clifton and he is watching me finish.  He is so cute.  I am so glad I can be a good example to him.

I ran with a couple of friends this race and it was a lot of fun.  My time was not great but that was due to some illness stuff going on.  I will mention later, but still an okay time.  36 minutes for 4 miles.

Clifton wearing my medal after the race!  He was excited to wear it.

We then stayed for the parade!

 We sat at the end of the route for an easy escape.  There were some benefits, one float had huge balloons they were giving away them at the end of the parade.  Clifton was so excited to get one.  Thanks to Grandma for taking him out to grab it.  Sadly it popped in the car:(  But it was fun while it lasted!

 We got fireman hats!  Clifton wanted McKay to have one too.

 

We also walked around the fair a little.  Them being silly!

Later we went on a family bike ride.  Grandma has not been on a bike in a LONG time so we took a short ride over to the next neighborhoods park.

She is seriously too stinking cute!


Well this week I lost 1.5 pounds.  So 3.5 and I will be at MY perfect weight.  I hit a road block on running and losing weight this last month.  I had had boils a couple weeks ago and ended up in the urgent care.  They took a culture but never got back to me.  I figured it was nothing too serious so I took the medication and went on with life.  After I finished the antibiotics I felt horrible.  Well I felt horrible while taking the antibiotics but thought it was due to the antibiotics.  Anyway I felt real bad and really tired.  I just keep trying to ignore it until I got another boil:(  I got into the doctors and they had to drain this one too and put my on new antibiotics.  The doctor then told me that my culture says that it is MRSA!  Well that would have been good to know.  So this week was a long tiring week.  But I started feeling better and getting more energy a few days after taking the new antibiotics.  So I am hoping this is the end of it.  Because it sucks!!!!