Bye bye tree

Well in our efforts to re-constuct the crater that is our back yard, we discovered that our big beautiful canopy in the middle of our backyard was rotting, dangerously so. So today, we said bye bye. This is what it looked like inside, although you can't see the hundred of carpenter ants that were eating it. Ugh. It is quite a sunbath back there in the PM now. Also, here is a picture of the babies watching the tree come down. 

They did it!

The kids finished their first real gymnastics classes and I got to watch, and beam, at how much they had learned. It was neat to see them persist until they got something and they had a lot of fun. The cutest thing was the walk across the "Olympic" looking podium but the funniest was when they put on the upbeat music for the kids to walk across to. It was like a reenactment of Night at the Roxbury. My son just couldn't stop boppin his head, and he got in another little boys face until there was two boppin heads. It lasted the duration of the music and I was cracking up out loud at him from the stands! If your speakers are on you are listening to the song, isn't it funny just to picture it! Also, T-man got a special ribbon for the balance beam. 

 

 

I am getting it....I think

Well I made it through VBS, barely. All in all it was good for the kids and good to do a service for church.  I spent this week crashing at home until yesterday.....I threw my back out. So just when I was ready to get out and do something God sends me a reminder "Take it easy". I truly feel through readings this is what He is telling me to do. So I am trying to be very persistent in taking on no new commitments and just focus on my family and home. I am looking forward to this fall too. T-man starts preschool and Peanut starts CDO. I am looking forward to the routine this will put us in and to the alone time with Peanut. I think she needs some deliberate attention on certain things and it will be good just to bond, her and I, too. 

Chris for the third time

Maybe it is the weather, but life just seems really good the last couple of days... or it might be the fact that we did not have the children last night.  Yesterday I took a short notice vacation day and we went to The Butterfly House, which if you have not been there could also be termed "The butterfly and disgustingly-large-roach-exhibit house."  Don't get me wrong...  I loved the Butterfly House, the part where there were actual live butterflies; but I was a little surprised when one of the more prominent exhibits was a large, open-top display with no less than one billion roaches, the average of which was about 13 inches long.  I would not be surprised if they held events where the children could actually ride the roaches.  For a split second I lost sight of Abby and I immediately assumed she was swallowed whole by one of them.  These were not the cute roaches like from the movie Wall-E.  These were the gross kind that likely moved there from a dirty restaurant, and by moved, I mean they probably drove a car.  

Anyway, we went there, then last night Mary and I went and saw Harry Potter at the theater, or if you are rich, the theatre.  I have come to the conclusion that 35 year old males do not belong at the theatre at 8:30 on a Friday night during the summer.  The only people that belong there are:

• people between the ages of 13 and 13-and-a-half
  
• people with more than 2 things pierced
• people with some type of hearing deficit, whose "whispers" during the movie are heard by other movie-goers (at other theaters)
• people who have recently won the lottery and can afford the concessions  (for $18, my meal-deal better come with a side of crack)

So needless to say I no longer feel comfortable at the movies, or the mall, or any other place without the word "depot" in the name.  Nonetheless, we had a good time going out last night and sleeping in this morning without the kids, but you know the old saying,  "Absence makes the heart grow fonder... for more absence."

VBS

Well we are almost there. I picked up all the tees today which turned out beautifully. I am starting to settle down but my mind still races at times, especially when I am laying down to sleep. I am starting to come to the realization of what the hardest part will be, and it has little to do with the actual VBS. 

The hardest part will be getting my kids out of bed, dressed, fed, and up to church by 8:30, actually 8:15 would be better since I am the Director. Sadly, my hubby can't make it this year due to the business at work. Last year, he not only volunteered at VBS and supported me, he got the children ready to go and there by 9. 

Even though it has been a lot of work and details, I know in the end it will be so awesome. God is going to work on some little hearts next week, including my two little hearts. They are so excited. They put on their cool robot VBS tees as soon as we get home (Peanut's looks more like a dress) and they have been singing the songs already. Good stuff :-)

Good helpers

We are teaching the children to do chores and even though some things are like pulling teeth (i.e. picking up the playroom), for the most part they are eager to help

King Corn

We watched a very interesting docudrama called King Corn yesterday. It's about two friends who learn more about the gigantic corn industry in Iowa after finding corn in their hair. Corn products (i.e. corn syrup, corn oil, corn starch, corn fed beef, etc.) are in so many of our food products now that they joke if you were born in the last 30 years, you are made of corn! The sad thing is even though it makes for cheap food it is not nutritious and can have disastrous effects on your body. Btw, I checked this one out from the library for free :-)

Don't Worry, Be Happy

Sometimes all you need is a healthy dose of perspective. It cures stress and frustration real quick. 

Things to be thankful for today: 1) Our family  2) Our health  3) That heaven is a place without illness or tragedy

Things I can learn from my current situation: Today is all you know you have. Make the best/most of it and choose to be happy.

Matthew 6:34  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

MJ and JC

Well I'll admit it, I taped and watched the Michael Jackson memorial. I did it reluctantly but in the end I am glad I did. I guess my cold unforgiving heart just thought of Michael Jackson as lying, drug abusing pedophile. Yes, yes, the music is awesome but still.

Then I heard Lionel Richie perform "Jesus is Love". I have heard this one before and it was very beautiful this time too. It made me think, yes, Jesus would celebrate this man and the good that he did for people. He would forgive him. So, what a blessing that so many people are forgiving too. He did do a lot of good for people inside and outside of the music......and wouldn't we all want to be judged on the good and not the bad?

An 11th idea

My son used the crater as a baseball diamond last night. I should have known.

Burger....head

My children are learning to vent their frustrations by name calling. Since we won't let them use actually mean names: "Idiot", "Stupid", etc. they have started coming up with their own. It started out with the little man, he calls us "Burger" or just adds "head" to the end of any common word and there you go. 

Him: Can I have candy?

Me: No, not for breakfast.

Him: You Burger!.......cheesehead!

My daughter is even more original as she uses names that are not even words. 

Her:  You "biddy" "beady".........

Me: What???

They think, and I do too, that it is kind of funny. I try not to laugh in the moment though, don't want to encourage them. Occasionally they will throw in a "bad Mama" but I am just going to start responding with "bad kid". LOL.

Things I am thankful for today

1) My iPod

2) The kids playing nice, no fighting

3) Peanut pooping on the potty, I may throw her a party

4) A nice day

5) Trader Joe's

6) My hubby

Thing I can learn from my current circumstances: you only REALLY change from challenging circumstances, otherwise everybody would change really quickly (thanks KS). 

Votes please

I am taking votes on what should be done with the giant crater in our back yard. Here are my top ten ideas:

10) Fill it with salt water and buy a giant turtle.

9) World's largest sand box

8) Helicopter landing pad

7) Fill it with chocolate pudding and have a play date, I can just picture it :-)

6) World's largest bowl of cereal.

5) Merry-go-round.

4) Bomb shelter.

3) Biosphere.

2) Giant bird cage..............and the number one thing I would

 love to do and I know the kids would love too......

1) Two words: Bumper cars.