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Blog Post: Praising in the storm

Wed 1 Sep 2010 19:48:00 CST

Life is not easy. Shocker, I know. As a child of God, I was never promised that my life would be a bed of roses or that I would never encounter difficulties. I have friends who are going through some trying times. From fighting breast cancer to dealing with a pending divorce, life is throwing them curve balls. As I was headed to town this afternoon, I was listening to the local Christian radio station and heard "Praise You in the Storm", a song by Casting Crowns. I've listened to the song countless times, however today, with my friends' situations on my mind, the lyrics took on a whole new meaning. No stranger to trials myself, I was reminded of how God is always with us, in the wonderful times and the not-so-wonderful times. We are never alone. A friend's status on Facebook today was along that same vein: God's still on the throne. When everything in our lives seem to be spinning out of control, all we need to do is keep our eyes on the One who is on the throne.

Praise You in the Storm

I was sure by now,God, that You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes onto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.

So to my friends who are experiencing a "speed bump" in life, don't lose hope. You are not alone. Keep your eyes on our Heavenly Father who has never left your side and will give you the strength you need. You are all in my prayers.

Blog Post: Just one of my many happy places

Mon 23 Aug 2010 21:29:00 CST

As I'm sure you have figured out by now, there are many things that put me in my happy place. Scrapbooking, playing with Adam and Aiden, and reading a good book are just a few. There is another item on that list, an item that I am sure most of you will not be surprised by. It is because of this that I was looking forward to tonight for awhile. Now I know what you're thinking...Why on earth would anyone look forward to a Monday? Well, it's quite simple really. Tonight was the start of the fall volleyball season. Ahhh...pure bliss! Volleyball was such a large part of my life in junior high and high school. And even in college I would often find myself playing sand volleyball in my free time.

I am so thankful for the chance to play volleyball every fall with a great group of women. I love getting a great workout while playing a sport that I love so much. I love everything about the sport whether I'm playing or watching. I have so many wonderful memories surrounding volleyball. Some of my fondest memories are when my dad and I would go on a father/daughter date that would involve dinner at a restaurant and then a USA volleyball exhibition match.

So for the next few months, I will get to play what is, in my humble opinion, the best sport on earth. Regardless of the position I play, whether setter or hitter, I will most likely have a silly grin on my face at some point during the game because I'm just so happy to be playing.

Blog Post: RFKC - Day 3

Sun 22 Aug 2010 16:46:00 CST

Wednesday is definitely a highlight for all of the kids at camp as every year we have a huge birthday party for the campers, complete with cake and presents. Some of these kids have never had a birthday party, which saddens me especially when I think about the birthday parties Aiden has been fortunate to have in his first 3 years on this earth.

The day itself was very similar to Monday and Tuesday's activities. But the real excitement started building late in the afternoon as the birthday party neared. We girls' afternoon activities ended earlier than normal so that we would have time to get ready for the party. There are fun dresses to wear, and we have a beauty salon set up for the girls where we do their hair, paint their nails and put on makeup. One of my favorite pasttimes is people-watching, and at the beauty salon at camp, it is even more enjoyable. Some of the girls are a bit on the tomboy side and aren't too sure about all the girly stuff. I remember one girl in my cabin who was soaking it all in and turned into quite a diva. This year Cristine had bought tiaras for all of us girls to wear.

Once we were all ready for the party, our "carriage" (a pick up pulling a trailer) came to pick us up. I love the ride from our lodge to the dining hall as I am able to sit with all of the girls and see the excitement oozing from their pores. Some are more than willing to "strike a pose" as I tell them how beautiful they look, while others are much more subdued. As our "carriage" pulls up to the dining hall, the guys get down on one knee and make a path for us. Cristine had got crowns for all of the guys to wear, too.

Instead of the usual cafeteria line, we immediately sit at our tables and are waited on by the camp staff. One returning camper was telling a new camper about the birthday party beforehand when she said, "And we get our own servants!" Ummmm...I think the word you're looking for is "servers". By the end of the meal, excitement is at a fever pitch as all of the campers know that presents are forthcoming. We sing "Happy Birthday" to all of the kids and then chow down on some yummy cake that was provided this year by last year's Grandpa and Grandma.

In years past, the kids would open their birthday presents in the dining hall. This year, however, Cristine made a scavenger hunt for the kids to find their presents. Adam dressed up as King Xerxes and stopped in at the party. He told the kids he was upset that he wasn't invited so he hid their presents. He then rushed out of the dining hall. Queen Esther apologized for his behavior and told the kids she had left some clues for them so that they could find their presents. The kids were so excited to find their presents. However, there were two little girls (sisters, in fact) who were extremely upset with the turn of events. So while Cristine took the two girls to the end of the hunt, the rest of us took the kids on the scavenger hunt. The girls I helped with were so excited and ran, not walked, to each of the spots along the way. I really enjoyed watching the girls work together to figure out each of the clues. At the end of the scavenger hunt, the kids ripped into their presents, eager to find out what was inside. Each kid has several items in his/her present. It is fun just to listen to the kids talking as they open their presents. I heard a lot of "Oh, wow!" and "Awesome!"

That night, back at the cabin, I just sat and watched the girls in my room play with their new treasures. One girl got a jewelry making kit and impressed me when she was willing to share with the other campers in the room. This particular girl is not one to share with others, unless forced to. I have helped with this girl the past two summers, and it is amazing the changes I have seen in her just since last summer. Bedtime after the birthday party is always a bit of a challenge as it is hard for the girls to put their presents away and go to sleep. But after much prodding and encouragement, everything was put away and five little angels fell asleep, which I'm sure was accompanied by dreams of the gifts picked out just for them.

I absolutely love the birthday party. It is one of my favorite parts of the entire week. It is so much fun being able to celebrate each one of the campers and see their faces light up as we sing "Happy Birthday" to them or as their partaking in the birthday cake or as they unwrap their presents. It is such an honor to be a part of Royal Family Kids Camp.

Blog Post: RFKC - Day 2

Fri 20 Aug 2010 16:35:00 CST

Tuesday started a little earlier than usual as we had our polar bear swim at 7:15 a.m. I chickened out last year, but me and a fellow staff member would determined to participate this year. Imagine our relief when we realized we would be having the polar bear swim in the heated pool. Ahhhh...jumping in wasn't bad at all. What was hard was the long walk back to the cabins as I practically turned into one large goosebump. I decided it should be called "polar bear walk".

After a quick shower and morning exercises with Coach Jon, we ate a yummy breakfast. Nothing like a swim and a brisk walk to work up an appetite. The counselors then had another break while the kids spent time at either Breakfast Club or Activity Centers. A fellow staff member and I took turns helping out with either Breakfast Club or Activity Centers. Breakfast Club is mostly a puppet show which the kids absolutely love. There is one character, a snail named Leroy, whom all of the kids, especially the boys, love the most. It's great to see their eyes light up when they see Leroy and start chanting "Leroy! Leroy!" The morning Activity Centers are fun, too. The kids had the options of:

Face painting;
Bathing babies (the girls just love to bathe dolls and then dress them);
Air hockey;
Finger painting;
Decorating a pair of flip-flops.

The afternoon activities were the same as Monday's. In the evening, however, we headed to another nearby camp so that the kids could go horseback riding. Most of these kids had never been on a horse before, so you can imagine the excitement level as they received their instructions. It is impossible to put into words the look of pure joy on their faces. One young boy was overheard saying to himself, "This is a memory I will treasure forever." Seeing the looks of joy on the kids' faces is something I will treasure forever.

There was one young girl, though, who was immediately petrified upon being placed on her horse. She obviously then waited with us for the kids to return. Feeling bad that she was missing out on such a fun activity, even though it was by her choice, Adam and I, along with two others, took her over to look at the goats, llamas and chickens. I will never forget the happiness that practically oozed from her pores as she fed the goats. Nor will I ever forget the sound of her delighted giggles.

Blog Post: RFKC - Day 1

Thu 19 Aug 2010 10:30:00 CST

Monday is always a fun day as the kids arrive in the morning. Jon called Cristine when he was close to camp, so we all headed to the camp entrance, ready to give the kids a royal greeting. There we were, dressed in our matching camp shirts and holding either the kids' name signs or pom-poms. As the bus pulled onto the campgrounds, we began cheering and waving the pom-poms while we chased the bus. It is truly a sight to behold. Some kids are waving and smiling at us (usually the returning campers) while others usually look at us as if we have lost our marbles (usually the first-time campers).

After greeting the campers and helping them get settled into their rooms, we had our first "Royal Court" which is where we sing, watch skits and have our Bible lessons. One of my favorite things about Royal Court was when we were singing. It is a chance to get crazy with the kids as some of the songs require a lot of silliness with the hand gestures or just all-out craziness.

We then ate lunch with the kids. Meal times are always interesting as there are kids who have definite food issues. One little boy said his favorite thing about camp was the food. Given the loads of fun activities and experiences he had during the week, he still chose food as his favorite thing about camp. Some of the kids hoard food as hunger pangs are usually a part of their daily lives, and they never know when their next meal may come. We reassure them that they will have three meals a day as well as two snacks.

The main part of the afternoon is spent either swimming or in Activity Centers. We don't refer to it as craft time because "crafts" can have a negative connotation to the camper coming from group homes and/or therapy. Activity Centers allow the campers and counselors an opportunity to sit down and accomplish a project. It is so awesome seeing the look of joy on a camper's face when they complete a project. There were many activities to choose from:

Making a wooden box and then painting/decorating it;
Shrinky Dinks (always a favorite with the kids);
Melting beads;
Nature prints;
Making gak;
Jewelry making (another favorite of the kids);
"How's it made?" (yet another favorite - we brought old computers, keyboards and mice for the kids to take apart)

A couple Shrinky Dinks

The boys would swim first while the girls were at Activity Centers, and then after 90 minutes, each group would have a snack and then switch. On Monday and Wednesday, there was also the additional options of the rock wall or the zip line during Activity Centers. I didn't get a chance to go down the zip line this year, but I conquered my fears last year. One of the young girls was wanting to try the zip line again this year but was very fearful. Her counselor prayed with her, that God would give her the courage she needed. As soon as they were done praying, that young girl jumped off the platform without a moment's notice.

Swimming with the girls is always such a fun time. I participated in a variety of activities at the lake. The younger girls were usually playing in the shallow water or building sand castles, although there were some who could swim surprisingly well for their age and didn't even blink at the thought of going to the deeper parts of the lake. The other girls were usually jumping on the floating trampoline or riding the large "Aqua Slide". Much of my time was spent giggling on the trampoline.

In the evening we had another Royal Court after supper. The kids loved the skits we put on for them. Adam did especially well in his role as King Xerxes. Afterwards the kids and counselors go on a prayer walk. There are a few crosses along the path back to the cabins, and we stop at each cross and pray or thank God for specific things such as our future, our new friends, etc. I was amazed at how many kids wanted to pray this year. It was so cool to see them excited about talking to God.

After some quiet time in the cabin with the counselors, the relief counselors/staff step in and put the kids to bed while the counselors have a meeting and a break. I love this time with the kids, even though it can be a bit challenging at times to get some of the kids to go to bed and/or be quiet. One girl in particular fought sleep and would ask questions about any noise she heard and was usually still awake when her counselors came back.

Blog Post: RFKC - The Preparations

Sun 8 Aug 2010 11:47:00 CST

Since the vast majority of you, my faithful readers, have yet to experience the awesome-ness that is RFKC, I thought I would spend the next few days sharing with you just what we did each day at camp. It is a week filled with so much fun along with many challenges.

Just like last year, I was part of the staff as a relief counselor. My favorite part about being a relief counselor is that I get to know all of the kids, boys and girls. A lot of my time is spent helping the counselors and girls in the cabin I am assigned to, but I also spend quite a bit of time helping with the other girls' cabins as well as getting to hang out with the boys.

Adam was camp photographer for the third year. He is such an amazing photographer, and I am so proud of him in all that he does to help give the kids a memorable week at camp. The kids absolutely love "Photo Man Adam" as most kids just love to have their picture taken. Many of the girls in my cabin would request his presence at our table during meal times.

On Sunday afternoon, after one final mini training session, we settled into our respective rooms and ate supper together. We then set about preparing the camp for the kids' arrival on Monday morning. The cabin I helped with had three counselors and five campers. The counselors get together ahead of time to decide on a theme for the room and then buys decorations and gifts for the girls in keeping with the theme. The cabin I helped out with decided on a garden/princess theme. It was fun decorating the room with the counselors. We spent the remainder of the evening giggling and talking while we made signs with the campers' names. We also put on the signs what each camper's name means.

Some of the staff also participates in the drama portion, so we each picked a part and then read through the skits for the first day of camp. This year the drama was about Queen Esther (in keeping with the Royal theme for camp this year), but with the exception of the role of Esther, the rest of the roles were male. So I decided to be Mordecai, Esther's cousin. Adam took on the role of King Xerxes, which provided many laughs for us and the campers over the coming days.

I stayed up way too late that night and should have gone to bed much earlier given the energy and strength the week would require of me. But it was totally worth it as it was a nice time of getting to know the counselors with whom I would be spending a lot of time over the coming week. As I finally crawled into my bed well after midnight, I fell asleep, excited for what the week had in store for all of us.

Blog Post: Be End

Fri 6 Aug 2010 18:50:00 CST

For quite awhile now, Aiden's bedtime routine has involved a time of singing whilst lying in bed. I love singing with him, and I love just as much listening to Adam and Aiden sing together. Lately I have been a little sad that this song time has been replaced. But this sadness is short lived due to the song time's replacement...story time. Not lie-in-bed-and-read-a-book story time, but lie-in-bed-and-tell-stories story time. Aiden has had me laughing quite hard at times as I listen to the stories he concocts. He has such a great imagination, although I will admit that I am growing weary of one element that seems to show up in quite a bit of his stories...poop. *sigh* He is definitely a little boy and has quite the fascination with excrement. Thankfully this fascination is only in verbal form and has not extended to his own. But feces aside, I think my favorite part of Aiden's stories is the end. Not because it's over, but because of how he says it. "Be end."

Blog Post: A day in the life

Thu 5 Aug 2010 20:28:00 CST

Since I don't have the pleasure of seeing most of you regularly, I thought I'd fill you in one what a typical day is like for me. It's nothing glamorous. Then again, the life of a stay-at-home mom is rarely glamorous, but it is incredibly fulfilling and life-changing. I love that six days a week I get to hang out with the cutest little boy who never fails to bring a smile to my face. I love that no matter how my day may be going, Aiden thinks I'm the best mom in the whole world.

Being the mommy of a three-year-old boy means that I am often playing trains or cars. And when I am not playing with said toys, it is not usual for me to be found tripping and/or stepping on them as they lay strewn all over the living room. One of my favorite things about being home with Aiden is that I can hang out with him whenever I want, playing trains or cars or even just cuddling on the couch.

I also spend a few hours a day working from home for a local bankruptcy attorney. I am immensely grateful for this part-time job which affords me the opportunity to be at home with Aiden and Adam. I really enjoy working in the legal field and am glad that God provided this job for me.

As most stay-at-home moms can attest to, I spend part of my day in the kitchen as I prepare meals for my family. Most days I actually enjoy cooking, although there are occasionally times when the last place I want to be is the kitchen. That being said, I am thankful for my role as a stay-at-home wife and mom and seek to glorify God in even the most common, everyday tasks, such as preparing a meal.

No day would be complete without some one-on-one time with the washer and dryer. Unlike most people I know, I actually enjoy doing laundry. I love being able to throw dirty clothes into my washer, which will clean them for me, and then into my dryer. What I am not fond of, however, is the part that involves putting away the clean clothes. Someday I'll train Aiden to help me with this part of the laundry process. I say "someday" as he is currently only fond of unfolding the clothes and knocking over the stacks of neatly folded laundry. This is why I generally do any laundry folding when he is either in bed or hanging out with Adam.

There is a part of my day that often involves boo-boos. I have learned that my life as the mother of a little boy will usually entail some sort of "owie" as Aiden seems to be a magnet for all manner of mishaps. As such, I have quite a large supply of Band-Aids in a variety of characters...Curious George, Cars or Scooby-Doo. It is amazing how well a Band-Aid can immediately heal a boo-boo (at least in the mind of a three-year-old) and dry any tears.

Well...there you have it. Like I said, it isn't glamorous, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I love being able to spend my days with my boys being the wife and mother I have always wanted to be.

Blog Post: Wordless Wednesday

Wed 4 Aug 2010 20:25:00 CST

Blog Post: A wish fulfilled

Tue 3 Aug 2010 20:48:00 CST

Anyone familiar with the Back to the Future franchise is well aware of what a DeLorean is. It is hands down one of the coolest cars. For me, there is the nostalgia factor as I grew up with those movies. I was thrilled when Adam received the entire trilogy on DVD for Christmas several years ago. To this day, most of my favorite movies are from the 80's. (I'll share that list with you another day.)

Adam has always said that he wants me to buy him a DeLorean. How cool would that be to actually own a DeLorean?!?! Since dropping at least $30K on a fun car we want isn't exactly in the budget at this time, Adam has been DeLorean-less. Until recently, that is. Aiden and I were running errands in town and stopped in at Pamida. I had promised Aiden that I would buy him a new Hot Wheels car (a whopping $0.99) if he was well-behaved while we were in town. (On a side note, I wish it would always be possible to make his day by spending just $0.99.) So, there we stood, in the Hot Wheels section. Aiden was trying to decide which one he wanted to get when I spotted a miniature DeLorean. I quickly grabbed it and showed it to Aiden who was not nearly so thrilled with my find as I was. He told me that it wasn't cool, and I told him that Daddy and I think it's very cool. So I bought him some random car that he wanted, and I threw caution to the wind and dropped a whole dollar on a DeLorean.

So Adam's wish has been fulfilled. I have now technically bought Adam a DeLorean. Granted, it is a lot smaller than the one he had in mind, and it may not be as cool as the real deal, but it's still fun to look at.

Blog Post: A perk of living in the country

Mon 2 Aug 2010 16:05:00 CST

I love the sunsets we have here in the country.

They're even better along the river, in my opinion.
Something to do with the sun's reflection on the water.
I gotta give God a big thumbs up for the beauty of the world He created.

Blog Post: RFKC

Sun 1 Aug 2010 14:24:00 CST

Headin' for a Royal Family Kids' Camp,
headin' for a lot of fun.
It's great just knowing I'm a part of God's Family,
playing under the sun.

Swimming and splashing and having a good time,
Grandma, grandpa, PMA, devotions.
It's a great time for the good news that God loves me.

That's the song that we will be singing a lot over the course of this coming week. It's the theme song for RFKC, and it is quite amazing how that song can get stuck in my head for days on end. Hard to believe it's been a whole year since we were at camp. But a year it has been, so we're off for another fun-filled week at camp. We dropped Aiden off at Ben and Connie's where he will have a fun-filled week of his own with Grandpa, Grandma and Emmy. I'm so excited to see the returning campers as well as meet some new kids.

Given that the goal of this camp is to create positive memories for abused and neglected children, it is no surprise that Satan will do whatever he can to see that we don't achieve that goal. It goes without saying that we need and appreciate your prayers for this coming week. It is an exhausting week, physically, emotionally and spiritually. But seeing the looks of joy on the kids' faces, along with knowing that we are giving these kids a glimpse of the happiness that comes from having a relationship with Jesus, makes it all worth it. If you happen to think about us this next week, we would really appreciate your prayers:

For wisdom and strength for the counselors/staff
For safety for the campers and counselors/staff
For patience for the counselors/staff
That each camper would feel the love that our Heavenly Father has for them in what we say and, most importantly, in what we do
For an awesome, fun-filled week of camp!!!

Blog Post: You can't go wrong with a good campfire

Sat 31 Jul 2010 20:00:00 CST

With Carson and Camden here for a few days, we had a cookout down by the river. I love living so close to the river and being able to enjoy it, without any crowds. The weather was absolutely perfect for sitting around a campfire and roasting hot dogs and marshmallows. Whoever came up with the s'more is an absolute genius in my book. So messy but so unbelievably yummy!

Aiden is either (a) recounting the fun he had playing
in the river or (b) pretending to be a robot

Aaron and Adam roasting hot dogs over the fire

Grandpa and Camden

Carson picked some flowers he found along the river

Blog Post: No, not really

Fri 30 Jul 2010 19:53:00 CST

On one of our trips to town, I decided to treat Aiden to some ice cream since he had been the model child while I ran my errands. We each ate our yummy McFlurrys from McDonald's on our way home. We were almost home when Aiden informed me that he was finished with his ice cream. As he handed me the mostly empty cup, I asked him if it was good. His reply? "No, not really." Hmmmm...the nearly empty cup and the ice cream on your upper lip beg to differ, my child.

Blog Post: Clearing up the confusion

Thu 29 Jul 2010 12:12:00 CST

There seems to be a misunderstanding with the local deer population. Just like the coyotes are of the mindset that I have cats for their dining pleasure, the deer have come to the conclusion that we plant trees to satisfy their hunger pangs. This is simply not the case. We recently planted two Bradford pear trees. We were irritated, but not surprised, to discover a few days later that some deer have eaten most of the leaves off one of the new trees. So annoying. If we lived on a desolate prairie completely devoid of any vegetation and the only food to be had was our tiny trees, I would understand. Oh, I still wouldn't be happy, but I would at least understand. But, given the fact that we are surrounded by a multitude of trees, shrubs and all manner of plant life, I am so frustrated by the deer munching on our new trees. Thankfully, they have left my new bushes alone. Hmmm...I hope I didn't just jinx myself.

Blog Post: Wordless Wednesday

Wed 28 Jul 2010 15:02:00 CST

Blog Post: Frogs, trains and baseball

Tue 27 Jul 2010 09:00:00 CST

One wouldn't think these three things would normally have anything to do with each other. But when you get two boys together, their interests collide. I took Aiden up to Adam's parents' house to play with Camden yesterday. They play so well together, and Aiden was so excited when I told him that Camden was here. We went on a walk around the farm and found lots of frogs, some of which Cam put in a little bucket. (I wonder if those poor frogs were ever freed. Hmmmm....) The boys marveled at the abundance of frogs, but then their attention was soon diverted to having swords and guns and tracking deer.

When Todd got back from irrigating, he and Cam played baseball. I am always amazed at Camden's ability when it comes to anything athletic. He is definitely a natural. We got out the t-ball stand so that Aiden could hit a couple times. He hit the ball both times, but then just stood there while Cam told him to run. So cute. He clearly isn't as enthralled with baseball as Cam is. So while Cam and Todd played baseball, Aiden spent his time pretending to be a train or a robot....oh, and harassing Connie's kittens, but they didn't seem to mind because they kept coming back for more.

Cam with one of the many frogs we found

Whee!!

Cam was looking for deer tracks, but Aiden kept giggling
and wouldn't focus on the "task" at hand

My little train, complete with whistle

He actually hit it, but would just stand there, as if thinking, "Now what?"

Cam is an amazing athlete for his age

Blog Post: Patiently waiting

Mon 26 Jul 2010 12:05:00 CST

One of my favorite times of the year is when the apples are ripe on our apple tree. I have made apple crisp off and on over the years, but for some reason, I think apple crisp tastes so much better when the apples are freshly picked. Same thing goes for BLT sandwiches made with garden fresh tomatoes. Yummo! I went out to look at the apples this afternoon and my mouth started watering as I imagined the delicious apple crisp I would be able to make with them. We eat a lot of apple crisp around here in the late summer/early fall...or until we have picked the tree clean, whichever comes first!

Blog Post: First come, first served

Sun 25 Jul 2010 19:40:00 CST

Adam and Aiden were hanging out in Adam's office while I was at work yesterday afternoon. Aiden was playing with some Magz, a magnetic construction toy that contains magnetic bars and steel balls with which you can make just about anything your little heart desires. Aiden loves any sort of toy that allows him to construct something, whether it's a train track or a complex Lego structure. The following exchange took place after Aiden had been playing for a little bit:

Aiden: Look, Daddy! I made a circle.
Adam: It looks like a bracelet.
Aiden: It is a bracelet. I made it for Bugs Bunny...or maybe it's for Baby Jesus. I don't know...we'll see who shows up first.

Blog Post: Aiden really needs a new hobby

Fri 23 Jul 2010 19:38:00 CST

We had to make an unexpected trip to town this afternoon. I was not expecting to leave home today since I'll be going in to the office tomorrow. However, if there is one thing I have learned, it is that life rarely goes as planned. I was working at the kitchen table while Aiden was enjoying his last few minutes of freedom before nap time. I was interrupted by a small hand tapping on my forearm. "Mommy? My glasses broke." Oh, great, I thought, preparing for the worst. When he handed them to me, I quickly ascertained that the glasses themselves were fine and that the only problem was that both of the nose pads were missing.

We have been less than impressed with his current pair of glasses in that they seem to bend easily and the nose pads are continually falling off...on their on, at times, and other times, with help. It seems that Aiden has a new hobby...removing the nose pads off his glasses in such a way that they are broken in the process and therefore unusable.

Like I said, I wasn't planning on going anywhere today, but Aiden apparently had other plans. C'est la vie! So off we went to town. As usual, Aiden charmed the ladies at the optometrist's office. Since he was well-behaved while we there, I decided to treat him to some play time at the park before we headed home. I love being a stay-at-home mom which allows me the opportunity to play at the park with my little boy on a warm summer afternoon.

Blog Post: Conditioned response

Thu 22 Jul 2010 19:57:00 CST

As I have mentioned before, Aiden loves Looney Tunes. So every once in awhile, he will want to watch some Looney Tunes before he goes to bed, in lieu of a bedtime story. So we cuddle on the couch while he gets to watch one "short". When it's done, either he or I will say "It's time for bed!" and we promptly march to his bedroom.

Well...the other day while I was working, I let him watch some Looney Tunes so that I could have a few minutes of uninterrupted work. I heard the typical music signaling the end of one of the segments which was shortly followed by Aiden saying, "It's time for bed!" I laughed and asked him, "Do you want to go to bed?" It came as no surprise when he replied, laughing, "Of course not, Mommy!"

Blog Post: Wordless Wednesday

Wed 21 Jul 2010 13:33:00 CST

Blog Post: Splash zone

Tue 20 Jul 2010 20:35:00 CST

With Carson and Emmy staying with Ben and Connie for the next few days, Aiden and I went up there this morning so that Aiden could have some "cousin time". Aiden obviously wanted to play with trains, so he and Carson began putting down the track. Emmy is such a good sport and plays trains right along with them. After lunch, the kiddos changed into their swimsuits and we headed out to the wading pool and waterfall. It was so much fun watching them play together, even when it involved a lesson about sharing.

When you're the only girl cousin, you spend
a lot of time playing with trains

Aiden loves holding Callie, my kitten Kaylee's sister

Ready to play in the pool & waterfall

My Emmy girl having so much fun splashing in the water

Carson thought it was funny to splash Grandma

Blog Post: Insert contented sigh

Mon 19 Jul 2010 14:41:00 CST

I love the Internet. I love how there is a vast amount of information right at my fingertips. I was doing some web surfing with my mom while they were here, when she asked me how to spell frappuccino (which I apparently didn't remember just now, as I had to look it up again!). I googled it and found the answer for her. I noticed in the search results that there was a recipe for Starbucks' mocha frappuccino, my favorite beverage from that establishment. I've also grown quite attached to McDonald's mocha frappe, which is a just-as-yummy but cheaper version of Starbucks' yummy drink. So we decided to try the recipe and were delighted with the results.

It has been so nice being able to make this drink before I head to work at the office as all who know me know that it is all I can do just to get to work on time, let alone have enough time to stop somewhere beforehand. So now I just make my mocha frappuccino before I head out the door and am feeling much more awake by the time I arrive at work. All I know is that my blender has been used more in the past week than it has been used ever.

Blog Post: The summer experience

Sun 18 Jul 2010 21:47:00 CST

Tonight we headed up to Adam's parents' farm for some good old fashioned summer fun. We roasted hot dogs over the fire pit, then Aiden and Emmy played in the wading pool and in the waterfall. While the kiddos played, I roasted a couple marshmallows for some scrum-diddly-umptious s'mores. There's just something about the smell of burning wood, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, and bug spray and the sounds of crickets, a crackling fire and giggling children that put me in a happy place. I just love summer.

We went inside for a little bit to enjoy the yummy ~~homemade~~ store-bought peach and apple pies I had brought. I enjoyed a little bonding time with Aiden and Emmy while they both sat on my lap so that I could read them a book. My lap was pretty full with two of the cutest kids EVER. I try to soak up moments like this, no matter how fleeting, because before long they'll be too big to sit on my lap.

Once the sun had officially set, we all headed outside for our own fireworks display, courtesy of Aaron and Todd. Aiden absolutely loves fireworks and has been looking forward to this for awhile. Even in the pale moonlight, I could see the look of pure joy on Aiden's face as he watched each of the fireworks display. What a great way to end a great evening!

I think it's impossible to not have fun in a hammock

Lovin' playing in the pool

Aaron eating a s'more made with some jumbo marshallows...so messy!

Reading books with Aiden and Emmy

Aiden wasn't too interested in taking a picture with me
as he was worried he would miss the fireworks

Photo Album: Fireworks!

Sun 18 Jul 2010 19:00:00 CST

Blog Post: What are the odds?

Sat 17 Jul 2010 20:18:00 CST

Last year, while I was visiting my parents in Phoenix, we stopped at Costco and my dad and I witnessed a woman with one ginormous head of hair. It was unreal how much hair she had. Since I had my camera in my purse (like I usually do), my dad said I should snap a picture so that we could show it to my mom. I chickened out and, when trying to explain the sight to my mom, regretted not taking a picture.

Well...fast forward to last week when I was introducing to my mom to a fun website which is a large collection of the ~~strange~~ interesting people seen in WalMarts all over the country. So you can imagine my surprise when, lo and behold, I came across the same woman I saw in Phoenix last summer. Her hair isn't as big as I remembered, but that can probably be attributed to things becoming exaggerated in my mind...something akin to the "my fish was this big" stories.

Blog Post: The magic word

Fri 16 Jul 2010 14:56:00 CST

As a parent, I have discovered that there are things I love about every stage of Aiden's development. When he was just a few weeks old, Adam and I would find ourselves staring at Aiden for hours on end, just waiting for a glimpse, however fleeting, of a smile. Later, we found endless enjoyment at Aiden's jabbering as he learned to walk. Fast forward a few years where we now find much amusement in the words, phrases and sentences that emerge from Aiden's mouth. His complete honesty at times is so refreshing and makes for some hilarious moments.

As you already know, we went on a road trip to visit some relatives in Holdrege last week. My mom was sitting in the back seat with Aiden who wanted my mom to do something for him. Helping us in our quest to instill good manners in our son, she prompted him by asking, "What's the magic word?" When I was younger, my parents would ask me and my brother that question to which we would reply with "please".

Aiden got a perplexed look on his face as he pondered the answer to that question and then replied with uncertainty in his voice, "Abracadabra?" We instantly started laughing as it is a magic word, although not the word my mom was needing to hear from him. It then dawned on my mom that Adam and I usually say "What do you say?" whenever we're prompting a response from him such as "please", "thank you", and the like. I can just imagine the things going through his head when my mom asked for the magic word. ("What does that have to do with anything?") As I've said before, Aiden always keeps us entertained.

Wearing my mom's sunglasses while chillin' in the backseat with my mom

Blog Post: Kaylee

Thu 15 Jul 2010 19:07:00 CST

So I recently told ya'll that our cat Mal was the sweetest cat I have ever known. Well...he doesn't know it yet but there is a new kitten in town who just may yank that title right out of his paws:

Meet Kaylee (and yes, she is named after yet another character off of Firefly). She is one of the Zoe's kittens, and she loves people. There were two calico kittens from Zoe's litter. The other calico, Callie, now lives with Adam's parents. If you want to know what the other calico looks like, just switch the coloring on Kaylee's face. They are exact opposites of each other, but they both have the exact same endearing personality. Kaylee quickly became one of Aiden's favorites, as he looks for her whenever we're outside.

Blog Post: Wordless Wednesday

Wed 14 Jul 2010 13:39:00 CST