Colorado

We made a trip to CO over our Christmas break.

Enjoyed the mountains. Took the kids skiing.

Marveled at a new cousin

Passed on some "daddy wisdom".

And went a little crazy with a seester! :)

Vacation

I tend to consider "vacation" with mixed emotions.

Although I look forward to the time we get to spend together as a family, making memories & enjoying the moments, there are aspects that I dread. With vacation comes planning, packing, and laundering. During vacation there are still meals to be made/eaten, dishes piled high, clothes that need cleaned, arguments resolved, activities instigated, all responsibilities a Mom can't seem to get a "vacation" from. Then there is the packing & unpacking, and the inevitable "catching up" that occurs upon our return.

Don't get me wrong. It's not that I mind the work so much. The work is the reality of what it takes to make a fun trip happen. And there is a break from the urgency of house work that often seems to scream at me when I'm here. I get to read more and stress less.

It's just that I often come home feeling like I need to GO on vacation when we've just RETURNED from one!

But for this last trip, that was not the case. I got to have my own little vacation within our vacation.

And it was wonderful.

I didn't make my bed. I didn't pick up any one's dirty underwear but my own. I didn't have to be the referee. I got to swim all by myself without little minions latching on. I got to go to a museum, and listen to the tour guide, AND browse over the items, and it was wonderfully devoid of stress brought on by supervising curious hands. I got to spend time with a great friend & have "adult conversation" for 48 hours, without interruptions!

It was a vacation I won't soon forget.

The newest member...

We had a fun weekend in Dallas meeting the newest member of the family - Elliot Ray. The kids had fun holding him & making him smile.

He is such a sweet baby & very easy-going.

Saturday, we went to a park & had fun exploring the grounds,

despite stepping in the mud & getting bit by fire ants!

Noah loves babies & Elliot was no exception. He always wants to be right there, watching & helping. He's going to be a great daddy some day.

The girls had fun helping feed Elliot too. It was about the only thing that could distract them from the Wii. That...and meal time! ;)

Thanks, Jeremy & Rachel for letting this crazy, loud family come & invade your peace & quiet! :) It was fun to see you as a "family" & rejoice with you in God's blessings & provision. Thanks for the counseling ;) and the laughs too!

Blue Goose & Big Bass

The girls & I had a fun time in Dallas with Phil's sister & her husband. They treated us to a delicious (Tex-Mex) dinner @ the Blue Goose one night. Disguised as a "work" trip, this really ended up being a wonderful vacation (for me) & a fun time with my girls. An added bonus was finding a Brazilian store & stocking up on some favorites. Plus, I had a blast watching Nacho Libre. I feel like I "bonded" with my bro-in-law, and I am very thankful that he does not enjoy wearing stretchy pants. Well, maybe he does, but at least he didn't wear them while I was there!! ;) Now the real work begins as we get into a schedule and enjoy the activities of summertime!

These hydrangeas grew on campus & smelled wonderful. Had to get a picture. My girls thought I was being ridiculous..."Mom!" It will not be the first time I do something they find embarrassing & unnecessary.

Yesterday, Phil & his buddy, took the kids fishing to a farm pond. The fish were biting & everyone caught a fish. Noah was sad his got away, but he had fun anyway. Phil's friend was worried Daniel's fish would pull him into the pond! Phil's birthday is tomorrow, but I think we'll be celebrating early with a fish fry tonight. Yum...

Such a proud father-son moment.

On the road...again!

We're one week into summer vacation & I've been gone more than I've been home. I'm loving every minute of being away!! ;) We had fun in AR with Phil's brother & family. The guys worked on projects, the kids had fun playing with cousins, and I sewed to my heart's content. I haven't sat down to sew in a long time and it was fun start & finish several projects. I also got to spend time with my sister-in-law.

My life is blessed with six sister-in-laws. We are all so very different...controlling - passive-aggressive, pleaser - confrontational, workaholic - relaxed, diplomatic - intense, scatterbrained - organized, emotional - practical, dramatic - hilarious, keeper - thrower. It's a wonder we get along! But we do...and I've come to appreciate our differences and how we provide perspective & balance.

We came home from AR on Monday night. Tuesday I unpacked & packed again, as the girls & I left on Wed. morning for Dallas. I came to help pack for their move next week, but it's been a vacation too. The girls love playing the Wii & swimming; I was thrilled to browse through Target. I think I'll just travel the country visiting my sister-in-laws.

Just kidding, honey. I'm coming home. I promise.

Just not yet.

Camping...in a nutshell...

Beautiful Colorado

We had a wonderful week in Colorado with Phil's brother & family. They gave us a gift of free lodging & a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take our kids skiing. We stayed in Vail & had fun riding the gondola our first day there. We visited the Science Center at the top of the mountain, enjoyed chicken noodle soup near an open fire pit, and later Phil, Matthew, Abbie, Grace, & Noah got to go on a snow shoe walk under the light of a full moon.

Nothing like some yummy hot chocolate on a cold, cold day!

Another day, we explored a bit of Vail & took the kids to the Colorado Ski Museum.

Catching up

I have wanted to post some recent pictures from our last trip, but I left my camera in Kentucky. It arrived in the mail this week, carefully padded with ghost shaped Halloween marshmallows. I laughed when I opened the box. Thank goodness for God's Pantry, free products, & a creative sister-in-law! :)

We were all running different directions during our week in KY. Philip was busy installing windows, I had fun helping in the kitchen, Abbie was a camper, and this posse roamed the camp.
They sure are a cute bunch, aren't they? :) Thanks to Ryan & Kris for supervising them at mealtime. They were very brave & gracious to put up with a table full of loud & rowdy kids 3 times a day!

I had fun getting to know Kris. It was one of those "I know we've never met, but I feel like I know you" kind of instant-friendships. I have no idea when we'll see each other again. Maybe at camp. Sometimes in bloggerville. For sure in heaven. But it was definitely fun to hang out & talk with someone I could relate to.We enjoy traveling as a family, and this trip we expanded our "family" to include Abbie's best friend, Jordyn. It was her first time away from home and her first time at camp. Her mom was very brave to send her off with us for the week, but we had fun with her along & hope she did too. At least she doesn't cringe as much when I hug her now. :)

It was a fun week away from the everyday. Now that I'm back in the thick of "reality" I wish I could go back. Maybe next year...

Put on my travelin' shoes...

We're back home again after a whirlwind trip this weekend. Phil's cousin got married in Kearney, NE on Saturday. We loaded the car on Friday night & left home by 4:30 the next morning so we could "make it to the church on time". The wedding was beautiful, and you know me & weddings...more boo-hooing. By 6pm, we were headed to Uncle David's pig farm to be with family where I could do what I love...laughing. :) We weren't there five minutes when Daniel came running back from the pig pens to inform Noah, "I can't even tell you what that pig was doing!" We were a little curious, what with several prize winning studs in the pens, so we asked, "What did you see?" "That pig just went to the bathroom right there!" This is our third trip to the farm & when we were there in the Fall of '06, we couldn't get Daniel off this toy tractor. This time he got to ride with Uncle David to feed the pigs. He was in hog heaven! Pun intended. :) He talked Uncle David's ear off, and later informed him "I want to feed the pigs with you everyday."

Grace was shy at first around Megan. After the wedding, she whispered, "I'll see you back at the farm." They became fast friends and were inseparable. We left the farm Sunday morning, and I soon noticed that Grace had gotten really quiet. I looked back to find her crying. When I hugged her close, she confessed, "I didn't want to leave Megan."

We arrived in Omaha on Sunday afternoon & got to spend time with my cousin & her family. I was able to go to the hospital & meet Judah. I have to admit, it's hard to find the words. There is so much I could say, but sometimes words are not adequate to describe emotions. Sometimes it's enough to just feel & not explain. He is a beautiful baby...a baby God is holding in the palm of his hand...a baby that in his short life, has touched the hearts of many people. He has brought the family of God together. People that don't know this family personally are praying for this precious boy. It's a beautiful thing to see.

We left Omaha last night & got home in the middle of the night. Yes, it was a whirlwind trip, but it was worth it. It makes me look forward to heaven. Not only will I get to spend eternity with Christ, but I'll get to fellowship with family...God's family. And I can't think of something I want more than that.

Sunburned, Tired, Tick-bitten, and Happy

It used to be, when we went camping & I wouldn't take a single picture. I was always too busy caring for a baby or chasing a toddler to have time to think about anything else, much less take pictures! But as my kids grow older, I find I have time for all sorts of things: like visiting with other adults, or going to the bathroom unaccompanied, or eating an entire meal in my own chair! It may not seem like much, but after 10 years, it's a milestone. Believe me.

This past weekend, we went camping with two other families to Osage Hills State Park. Despite a thunderstorm on Friday night (which made things exciting), we had beautiful weather, and enjoyed a relaxing weekend together.

Thankfully, there were plenty of helpers around camp

...and plenty of work to do.
On Saturday, we took all these crazy kids (and one beautiful baby) to Woolaroc for the day.

We fed the lama. We met the Mountain Men and threw a tomahawk...or two.

We enjoyed the wildlife. After our fun outting, it was back to the campsite for some yummy food. We ate way too much until our tummies were full. Then we laughed until the wee hours of the morning & worked it all off.

Today we hiked down to the river & played above the falls. It was cold & slimy, but it was fun.

The girls got brave enough to leave the rocks.

And the brave boys scared the mommies, who insisted they should stay on the rocks!

Phil's a great daddy. He took all the kids out on the rocks one by one.

It was a fun weekend. Now to make a dent in this mountain of laundry...