Praying for Ames

So Much To Do!

Last week Bennett had an eye appointment in Iowa City, so the kids and I went down and spent the night with Thaddeus' parents. We always have a great time at Ted and Lori's house, and there is always so much to do!

Our evening was filled with races on the driveway...

Running up and down the sidewalks...

Taking care of the flowers with Grandma Lori...

Smelling all of the flowers...

Playing in the pool...

And watching Fifi try to get the pet toads!

Never a dull or boring moment when we're with the grandparents!

Potty Training Advice... Please!!

It's potty training time in the Seydel house... or at least I would like it to be! Conrad turns 3 in October and we have attempted to start potty training with him 2 times now. The first time was at the beginning of the summer and the second was in July when the boys were staying with Thaddeus' parents (So thankful that Lori gave it a try!) Basically, he knows when he has to go #2 and will tell us... He is always asking to wear underwear and be a big boy! But when we put underwear on him and fill him with fluids and sit him on the potty nothing happens... so we let him get up and then he goes in his underwear and doesn't tell anybody he went. So there is an obvious red flag... he doesn't mind sitting in his pee/poop.

Like I said before, Con turns 3 in October and I have him signed up for pre-school... but he can't go unless he is potty trained (or at least in the process), so this is why I'm starting to get a little antsy about it all!

He is so strong willed!! If something is not his idea then he won't do it! So, I need help!! Any advice on some strategies for getting Conrad excited about using the toilet/preschool/being a big boy?? I have tried a few things... offering treats like McDonalds or a new toy or candy... and also trying to explain that he can't go to preschool unless he uses the toilet (he is so excited about preschool, but me telling him he can't go doesn't really work for him.)

Gunnar was so easy to potty train, and he wasn't even 2 1/2 when we did it! I made a sticker chart (which he loved!) and that was it... it took 2 days and barely any accidents. Gunnar's personality is so different than Conrad's... Gunnar is a pleaser and Conrad is just plain strong willed!

So, please comment or write me on Facebook if my comment section isn't working... At some point in August Thaddeus' Mom will be taking Gunnar and Bennett for a weekend so I will have time to devote soley to potty training... but I just don't know where to start!

Baby Love

Bennett sure loves her Grandpa Teddy!

Shaving Foam Mania

Last Friday the kids and I went to a play date at my friend Quincey's house... it was her 3rd annual Shaving Foam Mania play date!

She laid out a tarp and all the kids wore their swimsuits and everyone brought shaving cream and we let the kids go crazy with it!

Here is Gunnar... he loved the shaving cream! He was the first kid to be totally covered and I think he had a smile on his face the entire time!

It took Conrad awhile to really get into it, but he had just as much fun as Gunnar!

Here are the boys totally covered!

And even sweet Bennett enjoyed playing in the foam a little! She would have played on the tarp had I let her, but she was pretty content in the grass with the leftover foam!

This was so much fun for the kids, and cheap too (shaving cream is $1 at dollar tree)! Thanks for hosting Quincey, such a great idea!

Rhythm

Join us at Rhythm Church this Sunday night and worship with us... we'll be playing the Time Has Come!

Check out www.rhythmchurch.org for more details

Chart Time

Believe it our not, my boys do not always play well together (like in the picture below!) And for awhile I have been thinking about starting an obedience/chore chart.... After a week with grandparents it seemed like a good thing to start! I made my own chart, but I stole the idea from a blog that I follow(it's one of my favorite blogs!)... you can check it out here: http://hollyfurtick.typepad.com/the_preachers_wife/2010/06/summer-chores-and-money-management.html

So, here is the chart that I made. I used picture's instead of words since the boys can't read. We chart Monday through Saturday and on Sunday we do our money management. The boys get a sticker for everything that they do and a X for the things they don't do. Our categories are: Make your bed, brush your teeth, listen the 1st time, take dishes to the sink, share toys, pick up toys, and feed our pet toads. The nice thing about making our own chart is that we can work on the things that the boys have a hard time with (picking up toys, sharing, listening the 1st time) and daily living things (brushing teeth, making bed). At the end of the day I sit down with the boys and we put stickers and X's and talk about what we did good and what we could do better.

Then on sunday we work on money management. For every sticker they have on the chart they will get 10 cents. We will lay the dimes out on the chart (over the stickers) and then in the votive holders I have pictured below we will sort out the dimes. Our categories are God (tithe) Save and Spend. For every 10 dimes 1 will go to God, 1 to Save, and the rest to spend.

Growing up I never really learned the importance of giving money to God or even saving money... I was given an allowance and I spent it. It is very important to us that our kids know how to manage money and that they are obedient to us and other adults, so hopefully this chart will be a great teaching tool!