change #2

The Second Change (see previous post if you want to know what I am talking about):
February is "No T.V. Month"
What?! Well....let me explain...
So we are not really huge T.V. watchers. Neither Scott nor I grew up watching a lot of television, so luckily this was something that was easy to agree on when we got married. Well, as children have come we (meaning I) have found it to be pretty easy to use the T.V. as a babysitter. Occasionally I don't really see this as a problem...the problem is that my children were constantly begging to watch something; especially Davie and that bothered me. No two-year-old should know so much about Dora, Diego, and Dinosaurs (he loves Dinosaur Train, which incidentally I do too...I think it is a pretty interesting show).

Just to give a little more background, we already had a rule in the house that Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays were "No T.V. days"...there is a reason for each of those days; Saturdays are supposed to be a fun day off...days off shouldn't be spent sitting on the couch, they should be spent running and playing. Sunday is the Sabbath and we feel like unless it is "Mr. Kruger's Christmas" (a personal favorite) then the T.V. should stay off. Tues and Thurs were just a nice way to get a break from the noise mid-week. So, already the television wasn't on four of the seven days a week, which was awesome, except that on those other three days there were nothing but begging, and then fighting all.the.time! It was driving me nuts. So couple that with the aforementioned problem with Davie the T.V.-junkie and I decided a change needed to occur.

Introducing the experiment....Early in January the thought struck me about taking a month off from the television. I wondered if we could do. I wondered if I would go crazy. I wondered how it would affect our home. There were lots of things I wondered. So I mentioned the idea to Scott...he liked it. I mentioned it to the kids...they maybe weren't as jubilant as Scott. Then I mentioned that there would be a reward if were successful. There spirits were lifted. Sometimes I feel bad for kids...here, they are born to two crazy people, who decide to do crazy things, and whether they like it or not we do them and make them do them with us. I think that would have frustrated me as a child, but I don't really remember, so clearly I got over it. I digress. Anyway, we (again, I) decided we would do it in February. How hard would it be? At least I picked the shortest month. Also, this only meant the T.V. in our house - Lily was worried that if her teacher showed a program in school then she would get in trouble if she wasn't allowed to watch it. I thought that was funny. No, it just meant in our house.

The first couple days were the hardest (and not even that hard to be honest with you). Seriously within four days there was no complaining or whining about it. When the kids asked to watch something all I'd say is, "It is a no-T.V. day, remember." and that was that! Even Davie. Amazing! So let me tell you about the results: I may never turn the T.V. on again! My home has been so much more peaceful. The kids don't fight as much...seriously. They look at books more. They listen to music with me and ask questions about it (I love that and didn't expect that). They play with the toys and imagine things more. Grace and Davie interact in such a positive way; they have become such buddies. They color and paint more. We talk more and I really like it. It has been WONDERFUL! The only downside...my house is a lot messier; after all, I don't have the T.V. on to distract them, so they are busy making messes. I am okay with it though because they are good messes. They are messes that show me that little brains have been working and creating and I like it. Plus I have tried to mellow out about the house looking perfect at all times.

Our month is coming to an end here tomorrow and Scott and I have talked a lot about what our next move is regarding the T.V. We don't want to ruin a good thing. We have decided that we will just have one T.V. day a week and that will be Friday. It seems to make the most sense. So that is the big change around here. I have been so proud of the kids because of what champs they have been this month.

The sign on the television.

What do you think? Is this something you would do?

Transforming in all areas....

When we started this new year Scott and I decided this was going to be a great year. We decided that our family was due for some good changes. Personally I feel like I have been in a slump the last couple years and this year there has been a new fire lit within me to become a better mother, homemaker, wife, member of the Church, and all-around person. It has felt good to make a commitment to become better.

Because this blog is dedicated to change I have decided that this might be a good spot to chronicle the changes not just in our home but in our family and lives as well! Doesn't that sound like lots of fun?!

The first change....
This year the bishop in our ward challenged every family to read to Book of Mormon together EVERY day....not to miss! This seemed a little daunting to me. We have always tried to read as a family but not with a whole lot of success. I could tell you all the lame excuses, but they are just that...lame and they are just excuses. There are really very few valid excuses for not reading together as a family! When he challenged us I really took it heart and could see this was a needed change in our family. Scott felt the same way. So we have been doing it. I will admit we have a missed a couple of days here and there (after all going to from rarely doing it to everyday is a big jump) but for the most part we have been faithful. I will tell you that it has completely transformed our home! Seriously! There is an added measure of peace here, I kid you not. I have been so grateful for a good bishop who in earnest issued this challenge! If you are not doing this with your family, then start today! I have little kids, so that isn't an awesome excuse. I promise they won't listen...mine sure don't. But my big kids listen (kind of) and Scott and I listen and it has just been nice to have something that we are all trying to do together! Do it...it is worth the hassle!

The second change....
I will share more on this later! It is a good one.....I promise!
Right now I need to make a run to Costco; we are so low on many many things!!!

So, I hope you won't mind that I will be invading my "home" blog with personal things as well...