Pics of Sydney (Syd)

Yesterday I posted a couple of close up pictures of Tyler and Dallin. I found a couple pics of Sydney that are a little better. This one was taken by Kristi last Easter. The hairstyle she has in the photo is the only way she will fix her hair right now. She won't let me put anything in it- she feels this is her most flattering, natural look. I gave up on fighting this battle. Maybe someday she will change her mind- or maybe not.

I did get to play with her hair for a few years and I made sure to french-braid her hair once in a while. It's hard to let go of the control of your children and let them decide for themselves their clothes, hair etc. But the sooner we do, the less fights ensue. They then learn for themselves the "logical reasons" for not wearing shorts to school in the middle of winter, or long shirts in the middle of summer or my favorite, whether things should match! Eventually, they want to fit in with their peers and matching clothes doesn't become an issue. In the case of Tyler, I learned that he believes jeans don't go with every color.

One day he came to me complaining he had nothing to wear and I knew this was not true- I had done the laundry a couple days before. I proceeded to pick out a pair of jeans and a shirt and gave them to him saying this would look good together. He promptly informed me that it didn't go together, and I insisted that jeans go with every color. He eventually found something he liked and I still don't know what was wrong with the outfit I picked out! Don't get me wrong- I will ask once in a while about their wisdom in their choice of clothing, and on special occasions insist on a certain style.

I've noticed some of my friends suggest parenting books that they have enjoyed. I've enjoyed the "Parenting with Love and Logic" book by Jim Fay and Foster W. Cline and the classes taught by other psyhologists and/or educators that teach this method. I've gone to a couple different sessions of this class because I can't seem to remember the techniques from year to year. It really helped me whenI was doing childcare and dealing with kids from different backgrounds and parents. Some of the videos they show in class are funny and you tend to have those Ah-ha moments when you realize the truth of what is being taught (I should probably go again or atleast read it again!). I recomend looking up the website "Love and Logic". There is also a book called "Teaching with Love and Logic" for teachers who loose control in the classroom.

Now, back to the pictures of Sydney.....

This one of Sydney was taken about 3 years ago, but this is the best one of her face that isn't copyrighted. I am alowed to share this low-resolution photo from Walmart. Isn't she adorable? Notice I was still allowed to fix her hair then!

Here is a picture of my house. It's nothing fancy, but has a lot of space which we have filled up! Notice the lack of flowers in the front, I've not done much with the front this year since having Dallin, and the weaping cherry tree has grown over my mums and the pretty rocks. I had trimmed the cherry tree, but it grew another couple of feet in the branches. The rose bush in front of the porch has been trimmed monthly because it grows wild branches all over. When it is in bloom though, it has hundreds of light pink hybrid tea roses. We salvaged that bush and a few other rose plants from a house that was being demolished to make room for a new subdivision. They have turned out to be extreemly hardy bushes!