Bedtime Nazi

Oh, it is so fun to see that so many of you actually check my blog.  It makes it worth blogging to know that people are checking in to see what's going on at the Jacksons.  Plus, it is fun to feel like people care what is going on over here.  Thanks for keeping tabs on us.

This month has been the worst bedtime month of my life.  Seriously.  I spent a lot of time over the past 5 years trying to make sure that my kids went to bed when I said it was time for bed.  This month, however, I have gone to bed angry at my kids every single night.  They stay up until 11:00 and then are exhausted all the next day.  I have taken away cars, football guys, hockey guys, shin guards, treats, computer time, and even TV time (something I promised I would never use as a punishment, since it actually punishes me the worst!).  That is all in one night.  I have yelled and screamed.  I have said absolutely nothing at all.  I have researched on the internet, and I have tried a whole new program for bedtime and have found improvement.  I now put the kids to bed after our bedtime rituals and sit outside their bedrooms reading my book yelling "Shhhhhh" at every movement until they are in bed.  They also earned a sticker a day for doing a good job and got to pick something they could have when their sticker chart was full.  Sammi was the first to earn her's.  She chose a unicorn.  She earned it on Friday and we had a fun time on Friday picking out fabric for her for a pillow and a blanket.  She made them both herself.  I was so proud of her.  Here she is pictured with her new unicorn and the blanket and pillow that she made for them.  

FAVORITE STORIES OF THE WEEK:  We are going to Cabo in Mexico this Saturday, and I bought Sammi two new swim suits.  She was on cloud nine.  She kept telling me how lucky she was.  I teased her that she was spoiled.  She then said to Cooper, "Do you know what spoiled means?  It means you are really happy!"  I thought that very fitting.  Ev bumped his head and went into a huge fit of screaming pain.  I was comforting him saying, "No more tears.  That's enough.  Take a deep breath."  He stopped mid scream, calmly put his hand over my mouth and said clearly as can be, "Please stop."  "OK."  I said, and Ev picked up on his screaming and crying right where he left off.  I didn't say a word.  Scotti found that when he stands on our blocks on our linoleum they make great skates for our hockey games, so now everyone has to put on their "skates" before the games and slide around the floor.  The only problem is that it causes Ev, who can't seem to do it, a lot of grief!  Cooper has been disappearing all week.  I always find him outside on the tire swing in mismatched mittens, and hat, and a t-shirt and shorts.  It's warm, but not that warm (40 degrees or so!)