ATVs baby

Nick and I went with my dad, Lindsay, and Nathan to ride ATVs on Joe's property (a guy who has taken Dad and Lindsay around the past 2 times they've come) but we didn't get to meet Joe... :-( He has a ton of land - sand, beach, red-clay ground with palm trees and rubber trees (it's a rubber plantation) and mud holes. 

It was so fun! We got stuck a couple times, but had a blast!!! 

Family Fun

Nick's family is all in town this week to be together and celebrate Brian and Audrey's graduations... unfortunately it's the same week we are in Thailand. The cool thing is that they are watching Taylor for us and she gets to play with cousins!!! 

We went to Pike's Place Market (I got to carry little Sydney while she slept) and we watched them throw the fish ;-) 

We had a long flight to Japan... and another one to Thailand, but it's worth it!!!

We are staying in the coolest hotel attached to the hugest mall!!! We are having a blast - shopping, eating, playing, chillin' and planning the rest of our trip. We go to Phuket next, where Nick, my dad, and sisters will run a 1/2 marathon. Gotta go... dad needs his laptop...

 Gotta love international food!!!

She learned her lesson! And so did I...

The other day, I pulled out an old binder of notes from a college parenting class. My professor gave us some good material! (Of course, it didn't mean as much before I became a parent.) Anyway, when certain principles are taught in story-form to me (real life experiences), they stick with me better. So, even though I've been taught all my life that you shouldn't try to control people,... that we've been given our agency for a reason,... that people learn better when their not forced,... I still have an urge to control my daughter. One of the stories I read in the parenting class binder was about being patient as your children learn lessons their own way. WARNING: this method requires patience and faith...
Here's my experience:
Tonight, Nick told Taylor she could either get a treat at Mix It Up or Emerald City Smoothie after dinner. Of course she chose Mix It Up (Snoqualmie's version of Cold Stone), but I can't stand by and watch my own daughter spend $3.50 on a single scoop of ice cream without at least saying something. Since I know it's wrong to take back daddy's promise, I decided to present the more economical OPTIONS to her and then let her choose.
So, as we walked her down the frozen aisle of the grocery store, I explained how she could use the same amount of money to get a carton of ice cream and mix in her own candy instead, or a box of popsicles to share with friends the next day. She defiantly said "NO" to all my suggestions, and despite the LONG line at Mix It Up, she came home with a tiny cup of cotton candy ice cream and white chocolate chips that hurt her tummy and ended up in the trash half-eaten.
What do you think she said when I asked her if she wanted to go back? You guessed it! "No mommy, I'm going to get a box of popsicles next time."
She learned the lesson through her own choices which is WAY more effective than by force. She would have resented me if I had said, "HECK NO! We're not spending $3.50 on one scoop of ice cream!" Hopefully, I can remember this method next time we don't see eye to eye. :-)
And since every post needs a picture... here we are after her tap dance recital :-)