A Milestone...

So, I posted this on our personal family blog, but I was soooo excited that I thought that I would share it with the rest of you! So here it is.

"This afternoon was quite the milestone in Tuttle Family History-it was a long time coming! I do have to say that I am quite sad that Tyler wasn't here to enjoy it, but hopefully the tradition will continue! We do miss our dad and husband as he is traveling with work! Come back soon! So picture this-I walk into Sacrament Meeting to sit down with Porter, Claire and my sister Stef. (Yes, we are STILL in Utah for those of you who were wondering!). I told the kids before church that they each got to bring one quiet activity each and one book each and I filled snack bags for each-portion controlled. (That has been one of my pet-peeves that my children have come so dependent on SNACKS during Sacrament meeting that it is so out of control. Church is NOT snack time! Can you feel my frustration?) So, of course I braced myself for another migraine to follow Sacrament Meeting-as it always does with all the chaos going on during the meeting. Porter chose a great workbook to practice writing his numbers and letters with a bunch of fun connect the dots and matching games. Educational-hopefully soon we will get away from all of that and just have church things at church. How I can't wait for that day! Well, I chose for Claire. And did I ever choose right! She is OBSESSED with stickers. So, I brought a packet of stickers and along with the two books that we brought (don't worry these are church related thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Lehman...I love church open the flap books for Christmas Gifts! Great idea!) she was entertained for the ENTIRE Sacrament meeting except for the last 60 seconds before the closing hymn. WE MADE IT! I have never been so STRESS FREE in all my years of parenting (yeah, not that many I guess...four and a half years) at the end of a Sacrament Meeting. Porter sat there the entire time connecting dots and practicing writing while Claire transfered the same ten stickers onto different pages of the books, onto herself, onto my arm, onto the back of the chair...etc. I actually was able to listen to the meeting and one of the high-councilmen gave an incredible talk on the Book of Mormon and the validity of it. At the end of the meeting I was so relieved, refreshed and revived. What a milestone. Who knew stickers and a connect the dots book would have been our answer to all of our problems? Not to mention Claire didn't touch her snack bag and Porter had about five wheat thins is all-SNACKS were definitely not the focus! So tomorrow I hit the dollar store-what in the world I don't care if they cost 100 dollars I would buy those stickers and connect the dots books! They are like gold to me."

So usually after the end of Sacrament Meeting we will think to ourselves that we couldn't possibly have more children. And yes, that thought ONLY comes after Sacrament Meetings. But today was different. Any other day of the week we love to talk about having a bigger family. Today was a serious breakthrough-a breakthrough that made me think maybe we are ready to consider another one! That is serious progress folks!

We love all of you and will post some cute pictures soon. Claire had her first haircut yesterday-so say goodbye to the mullet! How we don't miss it, one bit. (I won't be able to post pictures until Tyler gets home-considering he hasn't even seen it...so you'll have to wait a few more days.)

Love,
Erica