Love Languages

I really enjoyed reading the 5 Love Languages and think about it often especially when it comes to my girls. So I decided to pick up the children's edition and read over that. The books are great quick reads but very enlightening.  In case you don't know what the 5 are they are:
touch
words of affirmation
quality time
gifts
acts of service

And no one person really relies on just one but without recieving love in their language can make them miserable. Kids of all people really need all 5.  The other intereasting thing is that how you feel and show love can be different. Really a good book to read. But anyway on to my girls.

Mike and I have discussed our girls alot with this. We had figured Rachel certainly shows love through gifts and we were pretty sure that's how she recieves it too. But a year ago gifts were given to her all the time and she started seem ungrateful (hence the decision to not have a 5 birthday party for her) so lately I've been thinking maybe that's not it maybe it's quality time.

Ashley we nailed down as touch because she always wants to be snuggled, tickled, wrestled, given a pony ride etc. But she doesn't like to be verbally scolded or get in trouble at all so I thought maybe words of affirmation since a single word sometimes brings her to tears.

So I'm reading the book and at the beginning and end of each section has kids who have answered the question "How do you know your parents love you?" and obviously the answers fit the section. I kept thinking I wonder what my girls would answer. This morning I had time individually with them and had the chance to ask "How do you know daddy loves you?" Here's the answers.

Rachel: "Because he buys me things like clothes"  
We were right!

Ashely: "Because he cooks really good food for us"

Ashley's response floored me because that's an acts of service love type (this is the one i can never remember) so I asked if there was any other

Ashley: "Yes because he's always giving me hugs and kisses before bed"

I thought aha there's the touch so it is important to her just not first. This also makes sense because like today at the library she picked out a movie knowing her sister will want to watch it. She's also always wanting and willing to help.

These love languages are different from myself which is quality time and with that said I'd encourage you to find out your family's own love language.

October Update

October is a very busy month in the Anderson home with lots of fun Halloween Activities. We start our by going to the pumpkin patch the first Saturday of the month. We each picked a pumpkin. Rachel found hers right away. Ashley searched and searched. She wanted a round one with no green, no blemishes, no bumps (good luck with the bump thing), and finally she found one that I don't think meet her criteria but she was happy. We finished the trip to the orchard with fresh apple cider donuts to everyone's enjoyment.

With Rachel in school we had the pleasure to go to her first school fall festival on the 18th. They had carnival games and trunk or treating. The following morning we woke up and got ready to check off another family tradition- The Classic Car Show and Trunk or Treat.  Wendy was able to join us again this year. The girls were not scared of the decorations this year which was really nice.

sitting in the firetruck

helping build a spiderweb

This is Ashley's favorite car, she wants one in rainbow

She asked the owner if she could sit in it- answer yes

That evening we held our 7th annual caramel apple dipping party and enjoyed socializing with our friends. The following we attended the Candlelighters' Halloween party and our ward chili cookoff.

Then Monday night we carved a pumpkin, went to Ashley's first dance recital which is posted on her blog (click here to see that post) and then came the actual Halloween! Papa Keith was in town so we joined him and Grandma Wendy, Aunt Melissa, Maren, Evey, and Anna for some trick or treating and trunk or treating. The girls had a great time with their cousins.

Rachel actually enjoys scooping out the guts

Ashley on the other hand wants nothing to do with the pumpkin tradition

all the girls on Halloween night

Trick or Treat!