Back to School

I would like to think of myself as being super studious right now. I am taking two classes a week for the rest of the month. (Chad's not sure what to think about it. I think his response was, "Let's not keep trying to see how many classes we can take, okay?") Okay. This is good for now!

A couple of months ago was at my cousin's home in Alpine for a baby shower and that is where I became motivated (and extremely envious) of her home. Besides the fact her home is gorgeous, it was the pictures on the walls which had me envious. Every photograph in her home was taken by either she or her husband..it was all pictures of their family and places they had been, or it was a beautiful nature scene. I loved it! I decided then and there I was going to learn to be a photographer. (Okay, well not really professional photographer, but enough that I could take great pictures of the people and places I love most. I love the idea of covering my walls with my beautiful children!) So, I signed up for a photography class. It's only through the community and quite honestly the first class was not too thrilling--but I feel like I am learning a bit more about picture-taking.

Oh, and can I mention this is also a plug for Chad to make note that I really need that Nikon camera pictured up above. I think that just might be the ticket to me being a better photographer!


The second class I am taking is a Love and Logic course taught by a friend of mine from Heber. (Can I just say she is a great teacher!) I found out through her blog that she teaches these courses, and that she would be teaching one in Herriman. I recruited my friend Rachel to join me for the course (beings that she is from Heber too and knows Katie, the instructor) and also so we could both discover together how wrong we are in our parenting methods!

After our first class on Thursday evening I came home ready to try out my new parenting skills. Carsen was still awake and bouncing off the walls. I informed Chad that he was going about the process wrong of trying to get Carsen to settle down and he said, "How do you do it?" (I had forgotten). I told him to continue on with the 'old way' for tonight and I would start fresh in the morning!

One of the things you are supposed to do is go 'brain dead' when your child starts whining about something. Perfect, happens all the time at my house! So, the next morning Carsen was whining about wanting something and I did the 'ole brain dead routine. (Instead of negotiating and reasoning with your child, you are supposed to tell them ONE time why they can't have or do something and then after that you just keep saying, 'I know" when they keep asking and trying to reason.) After I said "I know" about five times to Carsen's reasoning, he looked at me and said, "Mom, stop saying I know." I think Carsen might have figured out my 'brain dead' routine.

Actually, it has been a good couple of days since the class. (Not that it was ever really bad). But, I haven't raised my voice once! (For those of you who never raise your voice at your kids...good for you!) For those of you who do...this class is awesome!