power of praise

Soo...the downstairs was cleaned yesterday...all by Luke.

First it started off by, "Luke it would make me really happy if you would pick up ten things downstairs."

Ten things didn't make a dent. Then thirty. So then I bargained that he could play video games if the downstairs was completely clean and vacuumed and the whole time I kept saying how happy he was making me and it worked! The place is beautiful and it was a trash bin before and he got to play video games and got lots of hugs from his mama so he was happy too.

Yay! Baylie picked up a few (cement is in her legs I think) things but then finished feeding Ivy and she did a really good job. Ivy was covered with food but she was opening her mouth for her and did great. Yay! some more. Darby was her regular helpful self.

Then we put ornaments on the tree and it was probably my favorite time ever. The only goal was for the tree to be covered and ornaments on. I don't care that all the birds are clumped together (maybe they want to hang out). Cause that is my tree, full of kids stuff and pictures, homemade ornaments and old ones from when I was a kid. Nothing is really breakable and we have about 8 nativities are there. I think we average that the tree will be pulled down at least two times . We listened to Christmas music all the while and have found that it really helps me to listen to Christmas music during dinner cause thats a stressful time for me and it works! Yay!

Pretty dang good day considering I had giving up at least 3 times earlier and had a good cry. Baylie got a big goose egg on the back of her head but its better this morning and Paisley's only mischief was finding and eating about 8 mini lollipops but that made her really happy too even though I'm thinking she might need to be a sleuth because I still don't know where she got them!

Finished the nite eating my friends red velvet brownies with cream cheese frosting (thanks Amber!) and they were everything I want in a dessert and more. Now go find them on Pinterest.