We love each other more and more with every Family Night

It was family night at the Kellogg house. We are making it a goal to go and DO SOMETHING fun as a family at least once a week. So, I have dutifully compiled a list of places and events that are free or super cheap that we can try. Tonight's family activity.....THE MONTE L. BEAN LIFE SCIENCE MUSEUM! Yeah! (For those who don't know that is code for lots of dead stuffed animals). Dallin is obsessed with the movie Night at the Museum and also lions from The Lion King so we thought he would enjoy it,
and he DID (or at least all the lion or lion type animals). "Mommy look it's King!' "Lion is cool!" "Kind says Raaarrr" "I pat it" (no Dallin, you can't pat it, sorry). "I hug it" (No Dallin, no loveys either) "Look look, it's King. Raarrr" He probably would have been content to just sit on the little bench in front of the Liger the whole time, but we drug him around the museum anyways...fortunately there were lion like animals all about which would temporarily stop his screaming at being removed from his perch in front of the Liger exhibit. Plus they have a live animal show every night. Tonight was reptile night. (Oh goody!...but Dallin thinks they are dinosaurs so I tried real hard not to swear and removed myself from the situation as fast as I could when the guy started bringing the snake around) The live animal show was interesting, but way too slow paced for a toddler. Too much talking, not enough petting. Dallin had 1 time out during the show. He sat long enough to pat the snake (almost squeezed the poor thing) and then we took mercy on him (it had already been like 20 minutes of talking and only 1 time petting--Dallin kept yelling "I hold it! I pat it!"). I think it would work if you just let your toddler look at the exhibits and come pet when it was time to pet, but otherwise...no kid is going to sit there for that at 2. It was still a fun adventure though.
Afterwards we went to McDonalds and I finally took the kids' pictures with Ronald.


Dallin always sits with him, pats him, hugs him, talks to him whenever we go and I never have my camera. So here it is. Dallin with his look alike double. Hmmm...which one is the bigger clown? LOL Even Kate got a turn. She seemed so surprised! Overall, it was a fun night and we are looking forward to going out again and trying something new!
KATE THE GREAT UPDATE: Kate is growing so very quickly. Here she is looking so big and cute with her lil hair clippie (that STAYED IN!) She claps (loves "If You're Happy and You Know It". She has 4 top teeth and 1 bottom one (yeah!) that she uses (OUCH!) She will babble and make little noises all the time just to hear herself. She "talks" so seriously to you. She can actually say "Mama" and says it all the time. She loves to tag along with Dallin and pester him. She is very happy and sweet and starting to stand more and more on her own. She is getting pretty confident and I think she will be walking within the month. She is also VERY emotional. If I so much as have an upset tone with her, she will pull a pouty frown and bawl (oh the perils of having a girl) Next week we will have back professional pictures and hopefully a checkup report.

Whaddya Lookin' At?!

So perhaps some of you may have noticed....possibly. That as of late I bear a striking resemblance to one of these 2


Now I don't have many recent pictures of myself but I am thinking that if I did...you may not be able to pick me out of the lineup. I have realized that I am a very negative (and sometimes downright mean) person. Instead of focusing my energy on doing the things and making the changes I would like, I spend a whole lot of energy being upset, disappointed, angry, and beating myself up over these things. After a very difficult week (especially Friday) at work and feeling like a failure at home (still or again..not sure) I just feel so emotionally worn out. Sometimes it just feels like success at work, at home, or in my personal life is just so far out of reach. I thought about quitting my job or just being lazy and angry at home (yes,...it IS indeed possible to be even lazier!) but I realized that ultimately, I am the only one who is going to be hurt by that. Work is not going to change. My home is not magically going to change. But I am going to change. I can choose to be more positive. I can choose to be a straight shooter while NOT being angry or mean. I can choose to work harder. I can be more consistent with the kids. I can organize the house (it may take an act of God, but it can be done). I can lose the weight. I can like myself. I am the only person I can control, so I suppose I should get to it. I am going to make some kind of plan for myself. Wish me luck! Hopefully, it's the last we'll see of those 2 characters.
P.S. I could really use some tips from my faithful readers out there. You all seem to have things so together. I am very envious (and unworthy..LOL).

McDonald's Smack Down

Ok so I went on a Mommy rampage today at McDonald's. I know that Dallin can be handful, high spirited, a turkey...even a brat at times...but he has not (to my knowledge) deliberately beat the crap out of another kid AND lest anyone forget...he's MY brat! Harm a hair on his head, and I'll take your head off! LOL Ok maybe not quite THAT bad, but I can definitely pull a Mama Grizzly Bear when my Cub is in danger.
So...back to McDonald's. Dallin was playing at McDonald's...typical playplace. We were out with my cousin, Jen, and her 3 kids. Luke, Jen's 3 year old son, came down off the playground and told his mom that there was a mean kid who was hitting him and spitting on him. Well, Jenn was on the phone with her hubby and kids will be kids (someone is always "hitting" "pushing" "yelling" and they are ALWAYS ALWAYS telling on each other even when it is nothing). So assuming it was typical kiddo behavior she told her son to stay away from the other kid and go play. While he was turning away, I noticed an ENTIRE HAND PRINT on the left side of his face. Bright red, every finger! When he came back around and Jenn was off the phone I told her what I had seen and that it probably wasn't an accident. I had Luke turn his face towards his mother (it had been away before) and you could STILL see it! She again told him to stay away from the other kid. Luke kept talking about it, but tried to stay away from the other kid. I was pretty mad. I told Jen that if that child hurt one of our kids again I was going to go off. Kids were crying all over the playground with choruses of "he hit me" and this kids mom just SAT THERE!
So fast forward....our kids remained safe for a while. Then Dallin and Luke came running to the table to get a drink and I noticed a big red welt on Dallin's forehead. Well, he's not the MOST coordinated so I asked him what happened. Luke piped right up and told me that the mean hit hit him "punched him right there in the forehead!" and was spitting! I was FURIOUS! I told Luke and Dallin to stay away from that kid and asked Luke to come and tell me the minute something happened. Well...didn't have to wait long. Dallin turned around and started to go up a tube (the right way) and I started hearing the scream that every parent knows. He was hurt. I ran over there, looked up the tube and saw that 3 year old sitting there with his shoes on above my child who was clutching his face screaming. That brat kicked Dallin right in the face! Oh and lest I forget...the mom was standing no more than 5 feet away waiting for her kids to come out of the playground. I was soooo mad! I could barely see straight.
I managed not to yell, but what came out was something like this:
V: What do you think you are doing!?
Kid: (stares)
V: You do NOT do that! That is NOT ok with me!
Kid: (stares with wide eyes)
V: Where is your mother?
V: (looking at mother who had moved to tube) Are you his mother?
Mom: Yes
V: He has been beating up every kid on this playground. He needs to GO!
Then I snatched up my sobbing baby and loved on him. She took her monster over to a bench and said something to him. Then they got ready and left.
Mom: Sorry
V: (almost said that's ok, but thought better of it) Thank you. (kind of angry tone)
So...Dallin has a black eye from McDonald's and I almost took out a 3 year old. Yep...a successful evening! Here are some pics of his war wounds.

Hard Core Parenting

This post is unplanned with no pictures or anything else exciting...just me ranting...so feel free to skip over.
I'm sure my mother told me growing up a million times(and I know she has told me since I have been an adult and a mother) but parenting is so hard. A million decisions, constantly questioning if you did the right thing or if you just screwed up your child for life. And for some unexplained reason, I was certain that if I just did everything "right" than parenting would be so wonderful and problems would be limited.
OK so reality sets in. God sent me Dallin. Today I am not sure if this is a blessing in my life or in his. What am I doing? How did I possibly think I could raise a child? And even if I was capable...THIS CHILD?! Come on! I have never felt so inadequate in my entire life. I am constantly able to rattle off about a billion mistakes I make in a day (and not just the stupid things like...what laundry detergent would make his clothes the brightest and whitest? but things I think maybe he'd be better off if he had a shot with a better mom) At this point I am not sure if his behavior or mine is the problem. If I wasn't so lazy...If I was cleaner...If I was better organized....If I was more consistent....If I interacted with him....If I didn't yell...If my discipline was more appropriate...if if if if...would he be a better kid?
Tonight, I went to gymnastics. This is his third week and he is always so excited to go. I knew he was tired today...we just got back from California and he started sharing his room...which means no sleeping and LOTS of partying..and bugging Kate by throwing toys into her crib and climbing in himself for a jump jump while she is asleep. But off we went to gymnastics. I got my neighbors to watch Kate and everything. After 10 minutes of gymnastics class, being treated like Dallin had the plague by the mom of the little girl he adores (it was like she couldn't stand Dallin being around her daughter), 2 wildly unsuccessful timeouts, and a head on collision with a little girl (the same one with the annoyed mom) after he wouldn't slow down and quit running around we went home. I am at the end of my rope here...I am trying to get Dallin around some other kids who are well behaved, but, of course, they don't want their kids around him for fear his behavior will rub off. I get that, but that is what we are HOPING for ....the good stuff rubbing off. I put Dallin straight to bed when we got home.
I was so humiliated and angry and upset. He is so wild and so defiant and he's 2...he can also be sweet and adorable. So I feel like I have created this monster and now I don't know what to do with it. I am feeling really overwhelmed by all of the changes to be made and I am not sure I am able to do it all. I'm not the patient mom or the consistent mom or the nice mom or the fun mom or the clean mom or anything.
Parenting is hard core....praying for a better tomorrow and some divine intervention.

The One...the Only....Dallin

Yes, my post this week is 1 day late, but it has been a terribly busy week. Early in the week, we went out with friends several times and enjoyed ourselves tremendously. Here is Dallin and Kate after a day of fun with friends, Emma Luke and Jenna Higginson. They were so tired. Dallin fell asleep sitting up!
We also got to go out with Uncle Willie and Aunt Tammy to McDonalds. Dallin has now associated Uncle with McDonalds, and regularly calls him on the phone when he wants to go there. It is really funny!
As I said I would, I enrolled Dallin in an activity. And the winner is......AirTime Gymnastics Mom and Tot class! Yeah! Unfortunately, earlier that day Dallin tripped and fell (while throwing a tantrum) and found the window sill with his face. His teeth (we aren't sure whether it was top or bottom, went clean through his bottom lip and we found ourselves making phone calls and on our way to the emergency room. He was a trooper and ended up with 3 stitches...2 on the outside and 1 on the inside. (And yes, we ended up back at McDonalds afterwards....it was a bribe). Mom also did really good. I am always proud of myself for not passing out or throwing up in the ER with Dallin (for those who don't know this is his second set of stitches in the past 7 months). I do not do well with blood, but my desire to be there for my baby wins out and I try to act like it is no big deal. I don't think he notices that I look away every once in a while while they are stitching him up. I always feel really sick and dizzy. LOL Here is a picture of his stitches. You can barely see them. They are under his lip. Tomorrow we will go and get them taken out.
And...we STILL MADE GYMNASTICS!

It was fun and I think Dallin really enjoyed it. He had a hard time sitting still and listening during the explanations, but he really took to the actual activities. And I know I am biased, but he was WAY better than most of the little girls there who had been coming for months. He did awesome on the tramp, especially when he got to do straight jumps "rocket jumps". He also has really good balance on the balance beam, and some amazing airplane arms. He popped right up into a headstand too. What talent! Those little girls got nothin on my guy! Here he is at the gym. The pictures are a little blurry because he was moving.
Finally, here is Dallin playing with his special get well soon gift from his Grandpa and Grandma Kellogg.

He got it in the mail (very exciting stuff) and was so excited to open it. It was a cookie set with food coloring pens to decorate the cookies. They also sent him a little wooden rolling pin. He has been rolling everything ever since. LOL We HAD to use it right away. So here he is decorating his cookies. He had a blast and even called and thanked his grandparents. What a cutie. Poor Kate got stuck with the packaging. She made a grab for the roller once, but Dallin hit her in the head with it....sigh....well not a perfect day, but hey. LOL
We hope you all have a wonderful week!
P.S. A little news on Kate the Great. She is standing alone more and more now, and this week officially said her first word (MOM!...Yes!) and her second word(Dada!). She also has three top teeth that are through...where oh where could those bottom ones be? LOL

The Tooth the Whole Tooth and Nothing But the Tooth

Yes, I know this picture is blurry. Yes, I know you can't even see the tooth very well, but there it is! Perhaps someday in the future I will be able to get a picture of Kate, proving that she has teeth once and for all, without feeling like I am in a rodeo or trying to torture my poor daughter. I couldn't get her to lay there and smile while I was also holding the camera trying to take the picture so I had to wrangle her and hold her lips...yeah...she LOVED that. Note: Yes, my daughter is some kind of hillbilly freak because her only tooth is on top. Hmmmm...I have never seen this before..usually bottom ones come in first. And in all our wrestling, I did notice that the other front tooth is dropping and the tooth next to this one is almost through. (Still all top teeth, but improvement nonetheless).
Here are some pictures of Kate proving that she is indeed happy and not being tortured all of the time.


This week Kate has been sick and we had to go to the doctor. Lots of decongestant later...here she is with only a few traces of crusty boogers and a VERY sore nose. At one point after I cleaned it she started bleeding all over the place. She must have super glue boogeys or something. She has really enjoyed being a big girl this week and loves eating her table food...especially at snack time. She has stood a few times on her own now (just letting go of what she holds onto) and she can really cruise with her push toy. She also tags along after her brother wherever he goes. She thinks he is the best! I love these pictures because you can really see her blue eyes. I know I am biased, but isn't she georgeous! Look how blue those eyes are! Man...can I make em good or what!? LOL


These random pictures of Dallin are courtesy of the fact that every single time I pull out the camera to take a picture of Kate's first tooth (or anything Kate for that matter), he jumps in front of me and yells "CHEESE CHEESE!" until I take his picture. He really likes seeing them on the LCD screen after they are taken. This week has been a big one with Dallin. We were all very sick and he really really pushed things. We have purchased a parenting book called "Parenting the StrongWilled Child" by Drs. Foreman and Long. We are hoping that it will help. So far it is almost creepy because it is like someone has been in our house watching us and now they are writing a book about it. Hopefully, our parenting skills will get the CPR they so desperately require. It has a five week program for us to go through. Wish us good luck! Dallin is becoming more and more verbal. New words and sentences are escaping his lips daily. Some of my favorites are "McDondalds!", "God" (yes, grandma...used IN context and appropriately),and "I cooking". Dallin helps me cook many meals now. He also seems to be very into describing when we all do things together. I guess it probably doesn't happen enough. With our current work schedules, someone is always home with the children, but we tend to tag team it. I am glad that he enjoys it when we are all together.
Finally, we are all getting better again and are looking forward to a better week. Here is my final picture. It may look like a normal pizza box except for the inscription which Pizza Hut provided. I was having a REALLY REALLY hard day and being very hard on myself. I managed to get both children down (or at least sent to his room) for naps and spent the next 3 hours sobbing. I called my mom and she ordered me my very favorite deep dish cheesy pizza and Pepsi from Pizza Hut (which I don't normally order because everyone else wants toppings). She must have told them I was having a hard day because this is what they wrote on the box.

Yes, I spent at least another 10 minutes bawling over that when I saw it. PIZZA HUT IS THE BEST!
This week I am going to enroll Dallin in some kind of mom n me classes so that he can get some one on one time, get out of the house, and make some nice new friends. Any suggestions? Also, I am looking for a cheap class or something for me. I need some me time now and again. I am thinking about maybe doing the rec center aerobics class or something...again...suggestions? Hope you all have a great week. See ya next week!

New Year New Post

As many of you out there, I am resolving to post more regularly. My plan is to have a new post every week on Sundays. I hope all of you had a fun Christmas. We had a great time in Coalville (haven't gotten our pictures back yet...sorry). The kids were totally spoiled. Dallin loves his moon bounce and train and Kate got cute clothes and girly stuff.
In other news. It is the beginning of the end. We bought Dallin his last case of diapers...then we officially begin potty training. Here he is sitting on them looking very proud. He always tells me when he is pooping now and really wants Thomas the Train underpants.
Kate has 1 tooth now. It is a top tooth so she looks a little funny. I am hoping to get a picture of her tooth on here next week now that you can see it really good.
Dallin and Kate are starting to play together (and also fight sometimes). They will just start giggling with each other and it is so cute. Here they are looking out at the snow. Dallin kept telling Kate all about it and she kept looking up at him like he was the wisest person on the planet. Every once in a while he would lean down and love on her. So sweet! What a good brother.
Here are some pictures of our recent family home evening (or daytime in this case). We had a great time out in the snow. Dallin gets such a kick out of it. We pulled them around in the sled out in the parking lot. Both kids seemed to really like it.




Note: 2 days later Dallin got really sick....we are on 4 medications now.