Summer pics

Summer pics!

Gotcha Girl!

Next week marks 1 year since we Gotcha, Piper! And we just happen to leave for Hawaii that day, so we are going to celebrate in a huge way with a fantastic trip! Dennis's company is participating in a conference-ish thing there and they pay for spouse's to go...how incredible is that? We decided to extend the 3 day work part into a week and are bringing the kids and my mom is coming, too. We may not have a cake to celebrate her Gotcha Day, but we will celebrate all week long.

The boys have been taking swimming lessons so that they are ready for our trip. Camden is swimming now and can do a few "tricks" and Bro isn't far behind. Peeps is not afraid of the water at all and if they did lessons for 2 yr olds w/o the mommy-and-me type of waste-of-money class, she would show them how it is done. It was really important that they learn to swim and well, because I can't take them all swimming by myself during the week because of the different stages they are in at their ages. And swimming is a must when it is a 100 degrees on a regular basis. It is too hot for them to do anything else outside and well, I am sorry, but the thought of us all cooped up inside for 3 months straight and for 14 hours a day makes me shake, shiver, and a little nauseous. Camden is reading up a storm and is ready for kindergarten to start. He can not wait. We even had to take a picture of his school so he can look at it. And Brodan, well, let's just say he doesn't have the interest in learning that his brother does and I was a little worried. The whole ABC thing was completely lost on him. I bought the Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD and after about a week of playing it on the TV, he has it down! I can not believe it. And do you know that Piper is telling me the sounds the letters make??? At 2 years old? I SWEAR by that video, even though I cry a little bit when I hear it now because it makes your ears bleed after the 150th time. It is her favorite video and she asks for it at least 10x a day. She is getting funnier by the day. The other day, I said something to her and she looked around both ways and said, "you talkin' to me?"(said WITH the accent and attitude, thank you!)

When school starts I will be teaching my own class at the parents day out, yay! I have been an aide in the past. I am so excited. I love the 4-5 age, so it will be fun. I have been exercising at the rec center for a couple of months now and I love it, however, I have lost a total of 3 stinking pounds. What is up with that? Granted, the eating has not changed at all, but I go for about an hour 4x a week and do cardio and weights. My clothes fit the same, too. It is a little discouraging. Anyone an expert on that stuff? I alternate upper and lower body, too. I guess you have incorporate the diet portion of it all. I have done diets before, or excuse me, lifestyle changes, but never the workout part. And I lost weight eating less and thought maybe that would be the case with just working out, too, but I guess that was just dumb wishing on my part. Whatever. I have to assume SOMETHING good is coming out of it, anyways.

Summer fun

Happy PreK Graduation!

Yes, I know it is silly that they do "graduation" for the kids at Parent's Day Out. I really thought so always, that is, until it is my kid's turn. It was something exciting for the kids to do and got them excited about going to kindergarten. What parent doesn't like watching their child in a program of any sort?

Anyways, my baby boy has grown into my little boy-goofy, goofy, goofy. He makes up silly words, laughs at anything poop and fart related, and has made his butt cheeks talk to me on more than one occasion. And now his brother, who is a year and a 1/2 younger, is just more up on the take on it all. I love little boys :)

And my little girl? She is quite the pistol and loves to announce her own bodily functions at the dinner table...gotta keep up with the bros! Not to worry though, she is ALL girl- she loves her shoes, necklaces, and purses. And she can flip through a small board book for an hour. There is NO WAY the boys could do that. She has a great sense of humor and LOVES to tease. In her future, I definitely see the words "strong woman" attached to her and for those who can't handle her, I am sure they will use another word. But I am so glad to see that my daughter will hold her own when she needs to! I would not have it any other way!

Work in progress.

Some things I have noticed and I have wanted to blog about but find that I don't have the time to think it through and do:

1. I am incredibly suburban. I am pop culture, pop music, married with 3 kids, on my way to having some bumper stickers on the back of my SUV, blah, blah, blah. I can't help it. It is who I am. I have made peace with it. But I hope my kids are weird. And by weird, I mean not scared to be who they are. I think it was bred into me to be mainstream and and that the only reason you should stand out is because you do something better than others. Not different, better.

2. I am not above stealing quotes from other blogs. Matter of fact, every quote I use is off of another blog. Not because I read something profound in a book that I am reading to further myself and not scripture out of the Bible. Just good ole' stolen material. I do give credit, though.

3. I love Haiti. And because of Piper, I love Ethiopia. I think I love anyone that I see is suffering. It really tears at me. And I wonder what is next for me and my family. Hub unit is going on his first mission trip this year. I am stoked even though that means I can't go. This time. Next year is all mine!!!!

4. I am tired of being fat. I joined the gym and I am loving going even though I will spend $4 in gas every time I go. I think I have just gotten so desperate for alone time (hello! can I go to the bathroom w/o an audience telling me good job when I'm done???) that if it means 30 min. on a treadmill is the way I'm going to get it, then so be it!

That is all my self revelation for now. Dennis needs the computer.

That Jesus Guy

ETHIOPIA




HAITI

If you want your problems, your fears, your dreams, passions, and hobbies to feel incredibly SMALL…visit Haiti. Caring for orphans, widows, the broken and oppressed is surely the most valuable and holy thing we can do. And must do. That Jesus-guy was really on to something.

-Aaron Ivey (adoptive father of Amos, in Haiti)


You can insert many places into this quote. I love the end of it! You don't have to peer down from the pulpit quoting scripture to sound like you know exactly what is up!