My family is a bunch of show-offs!

Day Fourteen.

We've made it two weeks!  And, thankfully, it's getting easier.  Sure we've--okay I've had some bumps in the road (those leopard shoes for child #2 still haunt me) but the last few days have been easier to keep focused on the needs vs. wants.  So I thought I would use today's writing to give you an update on my family's progress since you constantly get to hear about mine.

The small ones are doing remarkably well: 

The oldest--let me just brag on her a moment--I cannot believe the impact this is having on her attitude and generosity.  I mean she's always been a sweet, caring girl but there is a noticeable difference.  As I hoped, it's spilling over into other areas--books, toys, clothes, supplies for arts and crafts, even with her time with her siblings she's more generous.  Her gratefulness all the way around is improving tremendously.  And, if she needs a little reminder, I am always astonished at how far a little sentence like "It's our grateful month." can go to change her mindset.  She's not perfect, but I'm not expecting her to be.  I'm so pleased by her overall attitude that her minor hiccups are nothing. Plus she is only seven; if I can't offer her a little grace at seven what's my hope for grace at 34?

The middle one is doing well too.  She has always had a more....."expressive" personality.  And those of you who know her well know that can be actual words or not-so-subtle body language and gestures.  For such a tiny thing she has a huge personality. Ha!  So with that over-sized feistiness I was expecting much more resistance. However, her sweet spirit has come shining through.  She is showing kindness to her siblings more often and rarely complains about her food--which may be the biggest feat of all (she HATES eating anything but most fruits and veggies, PB&J's, and sweets)!  She may need a few more reminders than her sister, but she is also nearly two years younger, so I feel that is more than fair.

The youngest....well he's three and that is a struggle in itself.  It's a little more difficult to fully explain our family challenge to him, but I still do just so that he hears the words again and again.  One thing I have noticed is the more strict I've become with "This is our grateful month so eat it or wait until [enter the next meal here]!" the more he's getting used to it.  I rarely made different foods for the small ones vs. us adults (usually only if it's too spicy for them) so that's not what I mean--more that he can refuse the food but that means NOTHING else for hours.  I used to be guilty of forgetting he didn't finish and offer a snack when we was hungry; now he knows that he eats or he's hungry.  Case closed.

The husband has been my biggest supporter.  This was an idea I presented to him with a bit of hesitation and he was immediately on board.  Through my hiccups and successes he's cheered me on and has always encouraged the kids.  He appears to have more self-control than I do (I'm fairly sure he only misses pizza and Taco Bell).  I would like to believe that is because he isn't used to doing the shopping and he's at work a lot of the time anyways, but I'm beginning to think he's just a goody-goody. 

So to summarize: my family is doing remarkably well and has been practically the entire time.  I'm so happy for them and proud of their attitudes and accomplishments these last two weeks.  Now if some of it could rub off on me. Ha!  ;)