Monday Madness

Madness it was. 

Monday is laundry day.  I had my second load in when Makenzie flipped my trigger again.  This girl was giving us a run for our $$!  Big time!  Since the weather had turned all rules went out the window and listening is the last thing that she wants to do.  So she didn't.  No listening and bad attitude.  That Monday morning was it.  I was done.  Whatever we were doing wasn't being done right or working for her... we needed to change... then was the time.  

I sent her to her room so she could calm down and get dressed and I went to the laundry room to advance laundry as I was thinking. 

My mom was headed to the zoo with a kindergarten class and invited us along.  The weather was kind of iffy.  I hadn't made a decision yet, waiting to see how the girls were and how the weather turned.  I checked the weather again... was looking good.  Open the washing machine and the top layer of clothes were dry.  Uh oh.  Weird. Try wash again.  No go.  This Monday keeps getting better.

The day is what you make it right!  So I decided we were going to make it a great day. 

I went into Makenzie's room, she was on the floor crying.  Typical.  She didn't want to get dressed.  I sat down and we chatted.  I went over how the past few weeks had been really rough and no one was really happy.  Things weren't working and we needed to work together to make things better.  I told her I wanted to be done with time outs and taking things away from her because of bad behavior... why don't we choose good behavior!?  When you are good, good things happen.  I told her I wanted to show her what happens when she chooses good behavior and to make good choices!  So I asked her if she wanted to go to the zoo.  You should have seen her face light up!!   Perfect.

We ran thru a bunch more "situations" and had her come up with the solutions to them and how she chooses what to do.  I could see light bulbs going off! 

We had SUCH a fun time at the zoo.  The weather ended up being just perfect and Madison and Makenzie were just a blast.  Madison's enthusiasm even before we got there was just so contagious!  She was so excited to see "zoooooo, zoooooo.  Monkeeee!"  

"Here, let's take a picture before we go in!!!
We can show Daddy how excited we are!
Bad idea. Obviously."
Madison is so into temper tantrums.  Terrible two's here we are!
Makenzie is eyeing playground.

Now we are happy!! But still not posing for a picture.

In we went Madison in the stroller and Makenzie navigating the way next to me. At the first exhibit Madison nearly leaped out of the stroller. I've never seen her stand up so quick and she was just going!  She walked the WHOLE time.  No fear... she'd go as close to the animal as she could get.  Makenzie, ha, not so much.  She's content standing back, at a good distance, watching, maybe even riding in the stroller :-)  Love seeing the difference in the two.

  

Makenzie figuring out the map.

I just couldn't catch it on camera.  My goodness.  The enthusiastic pointing she has!!
Knees would be bent, face scrunched up, finger pointed, body leaning towards point... HILARIOUS!

Miss Madison had found the Monkey's.  As we were watching them she sucks in a great big breath and yells at the top of her lungs: DUUUCKEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!  Ducky Ducky Ducky!  Seriously girl... we see ducks all the time!  LOL!

A Bongo running after a duck!

Otter is standing up on a log.  These two (otters) were SO fun to watch!

My girls just cruising along.

A little cottage JUST their size.

Practicing horseback riding... Giddee Up!

Grandma and Makenzie checking out... something!  :-)

What a great day it turned out to be for starting so rotten!  

As for my washing machine.. it was done.  I went without one for just under two weeks... after 7 years it bailed on us with no warning.  Very excited about my new one tho :0)