As expected, I am MUCH less stressed out today. Shifting some of the home equity line into the checking account has taken away my bitter fear of not being able to make the necessary bills and such. I can not handle financial stress. I can not stand it. I will be relieved when the debt building years are over. I'm always happier when I'm paying stuff off!

Tomorrow is Monkey Girl's soccer try out. We are ending up taking two other girls as well. It would be nice if part of the team could stay together. I would be especially happy to stay with her one friend as T and I get along great with the parents. It is nice when you are friends with the parents of your kids friends.

We have been making the effort to have a family dinner hour and it went MUCH better last night. Now that this is becoming a routine the kids are getting better at getting to the table and acting a bit more civilized. Hubby is listening to me more on how he is talking to the kids. We've been chatting about the need to be a Dad vs. a sibling. He is getting it and is starting to try more. He says he appreciates when I point it out to him, but I would pretty much hate me at this point. I don't like correcting him, but he sounds like a total prick sometimes (sorry, there is no other way to say it). When I started explaining to him that I'd act up for him if I were his kid he was pretty surprised. He agreed to listen to the Parenting with Love and Logic stuff again.

We played Sorry last night after dinner and Monkey Girl only had 2 meltdowns. She would lose her mind, I'd talk calmly and point out the whining, she'd smile and act normal again. Somehow things remain calm when I refuse to let them escalate. Apparently someone made ME the captain of this ship! "I'll be happy to talk to you about this when your voice is as calm as mine" is a magical phrase.

I'm also using the energy drain strategy. If the kids do things that drain my energy they need to do something to put it back -- like doing a chore I would normally do but no longer have the energy to do since they drained me with their behavior choice. I need to brainwash myself to the point where I use these strategies without thinking. The key is staying calm and making them make the choice. The "I'll be happy to....." makes me come of as agreeable and pleasant. Wonder Boy finds my constant pleasant attitude a bit annoying so he is working on making Hubby crazy. Apparently he likes to get the reaction. Hopefully I can train Hubby not to be so easily manipulated. Or is that manipulating of ME? Hmmmmm..........

I can't wait for the 4th of July and the trip Up North! I love the hydrangeas and the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore! The picture above is from last year.... Can't wait to go back!