Summer thus far

We are almost done with summer vacation. The stores have unleashed the school supplies at extreme savings. I don't think I'd fight over glue sticks if they weren't priced at $1 or $2 orginally. But for some reason when it's priced $.20, I have to have at least 10. Oh well, they'll come in handy...or dry out by the time I get to them. :) Anyway, I know school will be starting soon, six weeks! Can you believe that??? It only seems closer than what it really is, because we sent Taylor to summer school. It was only for half a day, and most of the time she really didn't want to go, and I'm not sure if it helped at all, but she went, regardless.
Summer thus far has consisted of going to the pool. Dave did have shut down during the fourth of July, so we did go to the pool and then went to a hotel for their pool, because the pool we were going to was just boring for Dave. (I bought a pool pass to Brookside for me and the kids, Dave and Amy included. But it was really for me and the kids. I take them, they play, I get a tan, I can get in the pool, I can sit and lounge, the kids play....without me. All of this was boring for Dave...for me, survival. Love my kids, but I can not take "I'm bored, can we do something, go somewhere??" The pool was my answer to summer.)
While Dave was on shutdown, we did a few things extra that we normally wouldn't do. We went to Sandusky's indoor/outdoor waterpark Kalahari. It's an African themed hotel, with lots to do, you just have to pay for it. :) The best was the heated pool outside.....it felt so good! It was like bathwater....only it was 4ft. deep!!! Nice. The kids loved it! The pool started at zero depth, so they went as far as they were comfortable.....Ethan went all the way to 2 1/2 ft. without hesitation. If he fell, he would have died. The water was up to his shoulders and he didn't care....because it felt great! (Bathwater) There were slides outside and inside for the kids. The girls, for some reason, liked the ones inside. There were only two, side by side, in the baby pool. Straight down, nothing fancy, and they loved it, kept going up and down, Ethan even did it!
So that's what we've done....thus far. Had a pretty good summer so far. The days before the pool were spent at Kim's house.....but once the squirrel hit the pool, we've since to swim. :) I think it's safe though....we'll find out at Sam's party...but I'll let the kids in first. (love ya, Kim) Now Kim goes to the pool with us....she actually gets in, too.....I've seen it! And we went to the library a lot, before the pool pass. We still end up there on rainy days and after the pool closes. I must say there is something comforting in have a public place purposely be quiet. I would spend more time there if my kids let me. :)

Avalanche Ranch VBS 2007

Taylor, my 6 year old, has finished kindergarten.

Jamie, my funny girl

My Ethan, the twinkle of my eye!

Sunday, June 3rd's sermon

Mark 4:35-41 Jesus Calms the Storm
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

Does Jesus really care? Does he care about me? The answer---yes, he does.
We assume things are as they appear. We get mad and frustrated that things aren't working out how we planned. But God's working on our behalf--maybe not the way we want it to happen--but he's there. It may take a while to see it, but you'll see it, someday a lightbulb will come on and you'll see he's been there the whole time.
Many times storms come in quick. Your faith is truly tested during our storms. When the storms come and you can't see through it, you have to hold true to what you believe. So what is it that you believe? What do you believe about Christ? Haven't you seen God work before? Has God not ever answered your prayers or been with you through hard times?
Jesus cares about you--where you are. He's very aware, very concerned. No matter the storm, Jesus is in your boat. A calm is coming.

The Joys of Motherhood

Anyhow, I had a pretty crazy week with my children last week, but somehow this week they have made it all better. I'm happy life is that way sometimes. Kids drive you just crazy enough to want to get rid of them, only to turn around and hug your neck and tell you how much they love you or think you are pretty. :) Melts your heart!!
Shall we start with Ethan? He is all boy, all the time!!! Thankfully, he had two older sisters that has influenced a calmer side of boyness, so far. Yet the boy still seeps out of him!!! He does not mind to get dirty at all. He has purposely found the only puddle in the parklot to jump into. He heads for the mulch piles at the park or dirt mounds.....just to play in. Sadly, this has rubbed off on Jamie and she enjoys it just as much! When he eats, the hands immediately hit his pants or shirt when there is something on them and he wants it off. No napkins for him! He does use one for his face, only because he hasn't figured out how to wipe it on his shirt too. The funny thing about this is when Jamie ever gets anything on her shirt....even just water, she changes it. Ethan, the other day, had more pudding on him than went in him. And he just sat there. He probably would have just been fine in this chocolatey mess had mom not freaked out and whisked him away to the bathroom to get cleaned up and new clothes.
None of this is to show that I am annoyed or unhappy with him. It's just to show that I'm coming into this all new. Having two girls, I cried when I found out we were pregnant with a 3rd child and I think I cried even harder when we found out it was a boy. I come from a home with two sisters. So I had no idea what to do with a boy. These past two or so years with Ethan has been great. He's been a wonderful addition to our family....and I didn't cry when he was born because he was still a boy, but I cried because I had accepted the fact and was happy to have a boy. :) And I still am today. A few weeks for the first time he showed interest in himself.....down there. :) And he wanted to use the potty.............and he went....twice!!! I'm sure this is just a fluke....and thus has proven that, but I'm excited and we are all trying to be as encouraging as possible!! But any suggestions are welcome!!! Right now we are just going like girls do....I'm not even messing with the standing up thing yet. :) That's Dave's job.

Now my girls! I love them and they drive me crazy.....just because they can! They cry when they get hurt (seems like forever), they cry when there is a bee around, they fight like maniacs, and they scream and yell.....but oh how they scream....especially Jamie. I wish motherhood was just about all the fun and enjoyment of children....but lately, I have had to just grin and bear it. Not so much fun. However, come this Friday, I will have a first grader. That is the plan anyway. This has been a new whirlwind this year, starting school and having to do it on my own, so it seems...with Dave being at work in the evening. However, we have made it through. I am so proud of Taylor. She has made lots of friends and learned so much. She went to the dentist twice for fillings and made it through...even though she sooooo does not like it. But who does?? She has created herself a little bit of an attitude, though. I would like to think that with time it will go away, but I know better!!! I was a daughter at one time, still am. And I still do not like being told what to do!! :)
Next year Jamie will start preschool, so I am sure she will develop a new independence from mom as well. She already seems so smart in what she knows, I think just from having Taylor to be her example. She is my helper and my little mommy, though. She makes sure things are taken care of, like Ethan or grandma next door. She, however, does not like to be the helper when mom asks to, say, pick up her toys or something. She has this little problem with lying right now.....she knows that she is doing it too. So far we can tell when she is doing it....we best break her soon of it!!!! I love her to pieces, along with all my kids. And without them, I would not be in the midst of my joyful motherhood. :)
I hope all my mothers out there had a wonderful mothers day! Filled with homemade gifts, hugs, kisses, and great expressions of appreciation. I can honestly say I appreciate my mom more now that I have kids, than when I did when I was younger.
So here is to you mom! Love you!

Grocery shopping and coupons

Well, ever since I was little, I was exposed to grocery shopping with coupons. Coupons were treated just as important as money. I actually get disappointed when I lose a "good" one or when a "good" one is expired. Recently a friend of mine, Kim, introduced me to the grocery game. You can check it out at www.thegrocerygame.com . Anyway, this website gives you a list of what's on sale at the stores close to you and tells you what coupons to use from which week they were put in the paper. I haven't been doing the grocery game as loyally as Kim, but I look on there once a week to see what the best deals are. I know have enough tooth paste to last me a year or more, that I got for $1 or less for each. I also have enough health and beauty to start my own little store in my bathroom. With as much cleaning supplies I have gotten for almost free, you think I would have the cleanest house. However, there isn't a coupon for time. :)
For the past couple of weeks, Kroger has been doubling a $1 coupon. Kim and I get all excited and it seems we compete almost to see who gets the most stuff for the littlest price. She even posted on her blog a photo of all the stuff she bought. So in the spirit of shopping, I'd like to share my most recent shopping endevour.

I went to Kroger with my $1 coupons! and I got lots of stuff. I got some FREE gum, listerine strips, toothpaste, pads, pasta, and Hamburger helper. I also got 2 Manwiches free when I bought 1. I got deodorant for $.50 and crossiants for $.50. I got some other things that were $1 or more like shampoo and vitamins, but it was fun trying to find all the goodies. I spent $64.54 and saved $75.62. I saved more than 50% on my total bill, even with pull-ups and Dave's none sale items!!! Gotta have his gatorade for lunches...and Ethan likes his string cheese!!!
I encourage you to take advantage of all the free stuff out there!!! I think Oprah is having a super shopper on her show tomorrow!
I have to go cut some coupons now! I just need to find a better way to organize though! I think I need a coupon intervention. :)
Happy shopping!

LOL

Do you really laugh out loud? Or have laugh out loud moments?
Well, I had a few today. I'm not sure why today in particular was a laugh out loud moment, but I caught myself doing it quite often today. This morning I got dressed and headed to church for the Tuesday morning Taebo workout a couple of the girls from church have been doing. Well, I showed up and no one was there. I called one of them to find out that she was still out of town. I laughed...out loud, because I had already started putting away chairs before I had called her. Seeing how I had put away half the chairs, I finished stacking and putting away the rest of the chairs and left. Well, I had every intention of working out at church and I wanted to workout, so Dave did Taebo with me. It's very hard to workout and laugh....so I really tried to workout, even though, Dave kept trying to hit me when we where doing the punching exercises. Or when we were supposed to be working faster, he would do a little dancing jig or act like he was skating. It was just really funny and I can't laugh and workout at the same time....so I had to stop working out to get my laugh on!!!
After the workout, I was busy with laundry and trying to get cleaned up. Ethan came in the room, chattering something...he does that...just starts talking. He knows what he's saying, but it takes the third time for him to say it for me to understand it. Anyway, he was wearing Car pajamas and pointing to his shirt and saying "Ka chow". The funny thing was that we haven't watched that movie for a long time and "Ka chow" is what the car on his shirt says. I thought it was funny and Dave did to, so Dave proceeded to have Ethan repeat it along with other phrases from the movie, like "Ka chigga". another LOL moment.
The reason for this posting was that most recently at 11 o'clock at night my daughter Jamie in her sleep induced state came out in the living room, crouched at the end of the recliner and urinated. At this time, my back was to her, because I was on the computer. I heard her come out of her room and heard her get on the chair. I figured she was just coming out of her room because I wasn't in bed yet. I assumed that until I heard what sounded like her pouring water on the floor. Get ready...you know you are about to laugh. I turned around to see her crouching on the edge of the recliner and peeing. My first reaction was "stop, what are you doing?", that reaction jolted her either awake? or to a state of mind that it just wasn't normal to do that. Either way, I wasn't mad...but I was overwhelmed with the odd scene of her going to the bathroom in the living room and I laughed out loud!!! I asked her what in the world she meant to do and she simply replied, she didn't want to use the potty. Oh well...all I could do was laugh.
I hope you had a good laugh, I know I did today.

A chronic case of boo-boos

I must say I am certainly looking forward to the warmer weather...not hot weather, just warmer. My children have managed to share colds, viruses, and the flu continuously this year! And I myself have had strep for about a month now. I'm almost through my second antibiotic and I don't feel like I'm over it, isn't that great. I still have my tonsils, so I'm sure I get to try ever antibiotic that is possibly out there, only because I had a reaction to penicillin in the 7th grade. Now I can't even take it as a percaution.
My beautiful daughter Jamie has been a test to me these last months. First she cut her hair, which caused me emotional distress. :) Since then, she's been a normal 4 year old. She torments her little brother, tells on her older sister, and makes sure her needs are priority. Most recently, she has had a chronic case of boo-boos. If you don't have girls, you may not know what that is. Let me explain. With my little Jamie, if she gets a boo-boo...even just a little hang nail, paper cut, scratch....not anything that actually bleeds, it's the absolute end of the world...her's anyway. It hurts, she cries, it hurts, she tells you, it hurts, it needs immediate assistance, it hurts, it needs a bandaid, it hurts, she can't get it wet, it hurts, IT DRIVES ME NUTS!!! I purposely bought extra bandaids this month just for Jamie.
Thankfully Taylor has grown out of this for the most part, or she just doesn't get into things that cause her boo-boos, like Jamie. I have hope that once the warmer weather comes, Jamie's boredom with her boo-boos will cease and her need to play outside will cause her tantrums with aches and pains to not last a long. I can hope, that's all I have now. :)
so I'm praying for warm weather for my sanity and my health ( want to be over the sore throats, coughs and yukeyness).

Dance Revolution!!!

Last Friday night Mrs. Brenda Brown throw her 3rd annual all girls sleep over. I do look forward to it each year. I just wish we did something more than once a year. :) The night was filled with laughter, indigestion, games, talking, eating, farting, and DANCING!!!
I don't know if it's peer pressure or just plain fun. But I honestly don't think my first choice at a party would be to dance in front of all of them. Since we all love Brenda so much and didn't want to hurt her feelings, we did some Dance Revolution!!

Brenda had the crazy chicken going!!




Now this was the first time I spent with Sarah Jo...which won't be hard at all to remember her name!!! I got to say, she can dance! :) Well...we all kinda could on the easy setting...but she was the best...she gave Brenda a run for her money. Now when Brenda changed the settings to a little bit hard (from tutorial to easy), we all got our sweat on! It was worth the laughs, though.



Sarah Jo and Jennifer take on the dance revolution....they don't do too bad, either. :)

Oh, NO, She didn't!?!?

Well, Little Miss Jamie decided she just couldn't wait any longer to look like Taylor and Mommy. For a while now, she has been asking if she could get her hair cut. I don't know why she just couldn't wait. She had the cutest hair.....it was long and curly.

This is her just the other day when we played in the snow. Well, today, I left the house (first mistake). While Jamie was supposed to be taking a nap, Dave was watching a movie...we trust our children in their bedroom by themselves...usually. Now she usually messed around, looks at books and plays with her toys, but today she wanted to play "haircut". She didn't say anything about it.....and me, mommy, didn't notice anything different, until Kim came to pick her kids up.
OH MY GOODNESS!!!! What did you do???? The back of her hair was still long, but the sides were noticeably shorter when she was playing around with Kim. I seriously wanted to cry...and when Kim left with her boys, I did.
I love Jamie's curls. I loved Taylor's, too, when she had them. I cried when I had to cut Taylor's hair because of a huge knot she had in it. I cried tonight because my little girl didn't want to have her little girl hair anymore.
Jamie was terrified she'd get a spanking and she cried when I called Dave to tell him what had happened. I realize it 's just hair and Jamie was just being creative....wanting to be like her sister and mommy and have short hair. No spanking tonight...I think we all were a little shocked tonight by it, though. I finished what was left of the long pieces and tried to make it look the best I could. Tomorrow will we be going to the hairdressers though.



After I managed to get control of my emotions and Jamie realized mommy was okay with the haircut, she was happy too.



She's happy, but look how short it is!!!! She looks like Taylor from the back! I already call them by the wrong name...now it's really going to mess me up. :) Oh well, what are you going to do?

SNOW!!!!

It snowed!!! And stayed!!! Seeing how we haven't had any snow this winter season....well any that has actually stuck around, we seized the opportunity to go outside and play in it!!
Sunday afternoon, Dave took the girls out to play in the snow. They broke in the snow! They scattered footprints and snow angels onto any available fresh ground. They tried to have a snowball fight, but the snow was too powdery...and the girls aim isn't very well. Monday after school we had a few places to go, but as soon as we got home, that's all the girls wanted to do, go outside and play!!! Now it's 5:30 in the evening on Monday morning.....and I'm home by myself, getting three kids bundled up to play for what, 5 minutes?? Taylor was pretty easy to get dressed, Jamie had a few more things to wear than Taylor and she couldn't find glubes (gloves), and Ethan dressed pretty easily....we just had to find glubes for him. :) Ethan didn't have gloves when we went outside, but soon realized that he needed them.....that white stuff is cold!!!! And it makes my hands cold....get it off, get it OFF, GET IT OFF!!!!
As the sun set and the street lights came on, we played in the snow, on the slide, with each other. More snow angels, more attempts to make snowballs to get mommy, more bottom landings off the slippery slide. Jamie, little sneak, kept running off and when she'd reappear she'd have ice balls or something. I tried to make snowballs and failed, but Jamie found something that stayed together. If only she had better aim, she would have had me. :)
It was fun playing outside, but I tell you, my kids didn't want to come in for nothing. They're noses were red, Ethan's was running into his mouth. They didn't want to come in.....at all!!!
But we did manage to come inside, had some hot (warm) chocolate after undressing in the doorway....which was just as much fun as getting dressed.
I'm sure we'll be back outside today! Any chance for my kids to get out a rid themselves of some energy.....but then I guess it takes some of my energy too. Oh well. Take a chance to play in the snow with your kids....I was actually laughing out loud with them last night! And it was great!!! Had I had more than lined swishy pants on, Iwould have been making snow angels too.
Happy Snow Day to you!!

Happy Belated Holidays!

Oh I'm so happy the holidays are over. This year was fun, but it's nice to get my house back in order. We had a little extra room to play with this year, because my youngest sister moved out. We had the tree in the corner of the house and really didn't notice it there....except when the lights were on...which was all the time that the girls could get to it. Once Christmas hit, they couldn't get to the tree....Santa, Dave and I, and my mom had bombarded the tree. We spent most of the morning opening presents and once evening came, the girls asked to open more. lol Boy, were they lucky that it was Christmas. :) We just told them to go play with something.
God love her and I love her, but I'm glad my sister Amy went back to school. She was home for 3 weeks on break. And just about every night she wanted to play a game or watch a movie after the kids went to bed. I'm finally catching up on some sleep. I was just exhausted. One night we went to the zoo lights and I just wanted to sleep...which happened on the way home. I didn't even want to get out of the van. We went in the house and my mom and Amy were watching a movie. I knew Amy would probably want to play a game...but I just could not do it!!! Dave put the kids to bed and I was out like a light. The next day Amy asked what happened. I was just so tired!!!! But I'm going to rest up, so I'll have the energy to endure game night every night when she comes home next. :)
The best thing about the holidays was having Dave home for a week. I got absolutely nothing done around here, but it was nice to have him here. Now that he's been on second shift, we don't get to wind down together in the evening. That is something I miss that we used to do. I like to say we get that on the weekends, but that usually only happens every full moon...so maybe once a month. :) We also got to spend a significant amount of time together without kids!!! Those times are definitely cherished! I can actually remember why I fell in love with him, or that I really do like spending time with him. I only hope we get to do it again soon. I love my kids, but I love my husband just as much. :)
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! And if I missed sending you a card, please forgive me. Let me know...I have extra. :)

Our Merry Family on Christmas Eve!

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