Julyamish PowWow

I've been wanting to go to an Indian Powwow since I moved up here the first time. Well, I finally went. It was absolutely spectacular. Amazing outfits and ornamentation. I am very bummed I didn't bring my camera. Although, I probably wouldn't have been able to take many photos as the boys needed lots of managing. I am posting pictures from the website here just to give you all an idea of how festive it was. Amazing that the kids would wear these outfits without complaint. I wondered to myself how you wash them and store them and how many man hours it takes to make them. They were so intricate! The beading alone was amazing.

My neighbor Missy and her son Mason (who just turned 3) came with us. We had a really nice time together. We let the Masons jump in the bouncy castle for a little bit after the powwow and then we did a little shopping taking in the vendors. Missy and I bought a pair of very simple shell earrings. I chose pink and she chose green. It was 2 pairs for $5 dollars so we couldn't pass it up! :) I really like hanging out with Missy. She is fast becoming a good friend of mine. Our boys get along great and we are very similar which makes it very comfortable.

I did finish my Love and Logic parenting class today. I am glad I went. I really need to use the tools they taught me. I just need practice. I think I am going to take them up on their suggestion to write on poster board a list of behaviors with the corresponding consequences. I find that I get so flustered in the moment I can't remember what I am supposed to say and how to appropriately give a consequence. Usually I throw out a punishment and I do it with anger. I really need to work on my anger issues. It's a problem in so many areas. I just tend to let things build up and then in utter frustration I explode. Parenting should be fun and I should feel good about how my kids behave. I am turning the corner, I feel it. Things that would of been OK with two weeks ago no longer are and so I am already setting more limits. Mason doesn't like it but, for example, he is already not asking to sleep in Momma bed which is huge. I feel like I am being fair and consistent and that is definitely going to work for me. I have to remind myself that I can do it, the kids crave limits and I need my family life to be less work. I am going to visualize success daily so that I will have success.

BTW, at the birthday party yesterday, Talan fell off the picnic bench we were sitting on while we were doing arts and crafts. He bonked his head badly. I was sitting right next to him too but couldn't save him. It was a lot of drama and crying and ice-packs plus two droppers of Tylenol but he seems to be OK today although he has a golf ball size bruise on his forehead. Poor guy. This is his first big injury. I felt so bad for him. He has been sitting up great for so long, I just couldn't believe he fell backwards off the bench. :(