Looking back...

Looking back over 2011 makes me realize just how much God has shown himself to me this year.  So many things that have been evident, not just this year, but all along.  I think that my eyes just really began to open this year. 
I am sorry if this post seems a little scattered, I am just feeling so blessed I just don't know where to start.
I think that right now I am just grasping how blessed I am by the amount of wonderful God loving examples God has place in my direct path.  My dad has always been an amazing example of faithfulness, love, forgiveness, and patience.  I am not saying that he is perfect or that any of the people I will talk about here are because they aren't, they have all fallen and they have faults, but they do their best to put God as the center of their lives and to set an example of a life lived to serve Him.  My dad is the one who taught me how to show love, how to compromise, how to sacrifice, how to work hard, and how to be thankful.  He has taught me so much more, but I don't think that I have the words or the time to talk about all of the many things he has given me.  I have watched my dad walk through trials with an amazing faith that has left a lasting effect on my heart.  I have begun to truly learn the power of prayer from my dad. I am forever grateful that God chose him to be my daddy. 
My mom is facing something head on that she thought was bigger then her.  I am sure this has to be one of the hardest fights of her life, but she is going to win because God is giving her the strength and the grace to walk through this fire.  My mom has always been an example of acceptance and unconditional love.  There are times when I want to run away or just push the pause button because my kids are driving me CRAZY, but instead I think of the love that she showed me when I was driving her crazy.  She has been a great example of a mother's love.  I know that I am a better mom everyday because of the examples she sets for me.
My husband is a lot like my dad.  He is very hard working and would sacrifice anything for his family.  He not only works hard to financially support his family, but he works hard to be a good husband and a good father.  He walked into a ready made family and over the years we have added to that family.  Even though I came with two that were not his, you would never know it.  He loves all 4 of OUR kids.  He is my best friend and God could not have blessed me with a better man to walk through this life with.
Those are just the people that are in my everyday life.  My Uncle Bill, cousin Damian, his wife Adrienne, my cousin Cory, my father-in-law Mike, my mother-in-law Merle all teach me things  without even knowing it.  I had the pleasure of seeing my cousin Damian in his element yesterday when he performed our cousin Cory's wedding.  He not only did an amazing job, but he set a great example of a God loving man.  These people are all amazing in their own rights and when I think about them I can draw from their examples of how they live for God and I can begin to do the same.  I am so very grateful for such wonderful people.  If I had the time I would go into detail about each one of them because they are all very special to me.  Although, I think that each one would need their own blog post, lol.
Outside of this last year there are two more examples of God's amazing love that he placed in my life.  These two people I have known since I was a little girl.  One of them has had his wings and has been home with Jesus for a long time, but the memory of his example still remains in my heart and I think about him a lot.  David Smith was a wonderful man whose love for God just radiated.  I think he was an angel who walked the earth.  I can remember him stopping by randomly and he would always say that God told him to stop by and pray for me or that God put it on his heart to come see me and tell me that God loves me.  I know that I am not the only one that David, or that God had David do that for.  Whenever I am praying for a friend or thinking of someone that God has put on my heart I always think about David.  I think about what he would do to serve God's purpose.  That example has made me a little more extroverted with sharing God with my friends and praying for them.  The other person is Pam Beavers.  This woman, oh man, lol.  She has to be the most outgoing, unfearful, faithful, and God loving woman that I have had the pleasure of knowing.  I can remember riding home from church with her on Sunday afternoons and she would just randomly stop the car on the side of the road, get out and walk up to some stranger to ask them if they know Jesus.  She shared God with everybody.  I never saw her hesitate or question whether or not it was "safe" to share, she just did it.  She knew that she had God with her and she wanted everyone else to know that they could too.  Thanks to her example I have been listening a little closer to God when he talks and I have actually gone out of my comfort zone and prayed with a complete stranger. 
God has really given me so many wonderful examples through out my life. My New Years resolution is to continue to draw from these examples and use my life to serve God.  I hope to be an example of God's love for my children.

Happy 8th Birthday Ryan

8 years ago today God blessed me with the sweetest, smartest and most compassionate young man for a son.  Everyday I am blessed in some way by Ryan.  He is definitely my little buddy. 

To celebrate his birthday we had a TKD (Tae Kwon Do) party at the studio where he takes TKD.  It was the MOST amazing party.  Master Bang (pronounced Bong) and Instructor Ryu (pronounced You) are amazing people and are so incredible with the kids.  They played and interacted with the kids for the entire 2 hours.  They played dodge ball, did relay races, and played lots of other games.  Ryan got to cut his cake with a real Samurai Sword and was able to show off his board breaking skills by breaking a couple of boards. 

And of course you can't forget the birthday spankings.  Master Bang started off with hugging Ryan before he gave him his birthday woopins.  Myself, daddy and Nana all got a shot in too. :)

Ryan is obsessed with Super Mario Bros. right now so I made him a Mario cake.  He was very surprised and thrilled with his cake!  Not only was it super cute, but it was super yummy too!!!

The party was unforgettable and will definitely go down in the memory books as one of the best parties!

  

  

To top off the entire 8th birthday experience daddy woke Ryan up this morning super early to surprise him with a trip to Lego Land.  They are on their way now and I know they will have a blast!  Ryan has been wanting to go for quite some time.  I wish I could be there to see his face, but I am glad that daddy is getting to do something special with his boy.

Cooking Class 101

Well we have decided to go back to homeschooling.  YAY!!  I am SO excited!  My how I have missed it.  Yesterday was the 2nd day of school and we had a cooking class.  One of the things I love about homeschooling is being able to incorporate real life situations into our lessons.  I was scheduled to bring dinner to a mops mommy who just had her baby and Skyler's best friend just got home from spending 3 days in the hospital so I also wanted to bless their family with a meal.  So instead of cooking it all myself and trying to cram in school (which is pointless right now since we are so far ahead already) I decided to recruit Ryan and Zayna and use it as a lesson.  Ryan cooked the main part of the meal.  It was a taco casserole.  He did everything, I was so proud of him.  He boiled the noodles, browned and seasoned the meat, opened and drained all the corn, beans and tomatoes and put it all together.  Zayna baked the cupcakes and made the frosting (from scratch) and then frosted them.  All I did was add a few little veggies to the salad.  It was a great day and a great lesson.  Ryan made a tripple batch of the casserole so he was able to not only feed our two friends' families, but ours as well.  They both had so much fun.  Ryan wants to cook us dinner every night now he says. LOL!!  LOVE IT!

12 Years Ago Today...

I was blessed with my second little girl.  I went into labor at 10:30 the night before and went to the hospital around 1:00 a.m.  After being monitored for a couple of hours or so the nurse said that she called my doctor and he said to go ahead and send me home because I still had at least 16 more hours of labor.  I guess she thought she could see into the future, lol.  I pleaded with her to listen to me because this wasn't my first labor and I know how my body is and it's going to take a turn and it will be a quick one.  She still insisted that I go home, so I did.  We got back home around 3:30 a.m. and Skyler's dad went back to bed.  I tried to get comfortable, but I just couldn't.  I got up to go to the bathroom just before 4:00 a.m. and when I came back I told Skyler's dad to get his shoes on because we needed to go back to the hospital, but by the time he had his shoes on it was clear we weren't going anywhere.  I asked him to call 911 and he thought I was joking at first.  Once he realized I wasn't laughing he quickly dialed 911.  Little Ms. Skyler made her arrival at 4:16 a.m.  The paramedics arrived about 15 minutes later and took us to the hospital in an ambulance.  God was definitely watching over us that day. 

Today Skyler is healthy, beautiful, funny and an absolute joy.  To this day she still does things in her own timing.  I love you baby girl.  Happy 12th birthday Sky Pie!!!

Sewing

It's been 2 years now since my good friend Rossie taught me how to sew.  We used to hang out just about every day after our kids finished their school work.  We would sew and they would play.  I miss those days!!  Rossie moved to Montana and is well on her way to becoming famous! :)  She is so intelligent and crafty and the sweetest, God loving example of a mother and wife.  Can you tell I miss her?  LOL!  Anywho, I didn't sew for almost a year because I was so sick when I was pregnant with Emily and then I didn't want to put her down after she was born.  I have been getting back into though and having lots of fun with it.  I have made several dresses and skirts for Emily and a couple of pairs of frilly pants.  The frilly pants are another creation that I learned from Rossie.  When she came back to visit for a bit she showed me some pants with ruffles at the bottom that she had made her girls and they were the CUTEST things ever!!  I have been dying to make some for Em, but my sewing machine broke, I was so bummed.  Then one day Pete's grandmother asked if I would like to have her sewing machine and I was very blessed with a very nice machine.  My husband also bought me a serger which I have yet to take out of the box because it intimidates me.  So I finally sat down and took out Pete's grandmother's machine and went to work on some "frilly pants".  They are so adorable and I can't wait to make more. 

Pants from the Goodwill - $2.50 each

Material - $2 each

 

 

 

It's been a long time...

since I have posted anything.  I have been so busy experiencing the holidays this year that I didn't take time out to document the things that we did as a family and with family.  Sometimes I get so wrapped up in just being a part of it all that I forget to step outside of it and take pictures or write memories down. :(  That and we have had two extra house guests for a month now and that has definately thrown me off!  I truly cannot wait to have my home and my family back.  I love our guests, but they are not exactly the examples I would like around for my kids nor are they good for my stress level.  House guest #1 - Pete's cousin Adam.  He lives in Montana because he cannot live here without falling into life destructing drug addictions.  He is actually doing well in Montana.  He came back for Thanksgiving and asked if he could stay until Christmas because the last two year he has spent it alone and didn't want to do that this year.  I completey understand that one!!  So of course we said yes he could stay.  Now I am ready for him to leave!  He is messy, he is an alcoholic and an ignorant, loud  and sloppy one at that.  He showers maybe every 2 to 3 days (YUCK) and he has the mouth of a sailor.  Definately different values and outlooks then my husband and I share!  Then there is house guest #2 - my brother Drew.  He has actually been on his best behavior and has been pretty good around the kids.  He watches his mouth with the occasional slip, but he is putting in his best effort.  He works long hours so he is gone most of the day.  I don't really have any complaints about him being here other than his dog is making my dog miserable and every once in a while he has a day where he is down and out about his life situation right now and he mopes around all day while he drinks.  I think my biggest issue with them both being here is the alcohol.  I don't drink and Pete has the occasional drink.  Now I am not against people have a drink or two whenever they see fit.  However I don't like the excessive drinking or the insinutation of the need to drink.  It drives me nuts!!  Not to mention that they both partake in other extra carricular activities that kind of annoy me too.  Pete's cousin is here for one more week and Drew is here until we can find him a house.  I CAN'T WAIT!!!
I have been using them as examples though for my kids of who they do not want to turn out to be like.  They are the perfect examples of what poor choices and lack of initiative will get you.  I think the biggest tole has been taken on me...on my spirit.  I have been so stressed trying to monitor what my kids are exposed to and trying to keep peace.  I am so tired and I am OVER IT!  That and of course it is playing it's part on taking a tole on my relationship with my husband.  I feel so far away from him.  We have had NO time together in months.  That's a whole other rant, but this situation definately has not helped.  Sigh...pray for me.  I need it right now.  I know this time will pass and things will be back to normal soon I just wish today was soon...

Emily's 1st Birthday

It came WAY too fast.  I cannot believe that my baby is 1 year old.  I am loving every moment of watching her learn and grow, but I am so sad that I can't stop time.  Emily, Princess, you are very smart and you learn things so quickly.  It is truly fun to teach you and watch you learn! 

Emmy's party was a ton of fun!  We had taco soup for lunch and then blueberry and oreo cake for dessert.  She had so much fun running around with everyone, dancing and playing.  She enjoyed opening her gifts with daddy too.

I just want to list some of the newest things you have started doing that I think are stinkin' adorable!!  I love the way you put your hands over your face and say Peek Boo and then take them away really quickly and laugh out loud, I love the way you run around the house and scream really loud just to hear your voice, I love the way you laugh when we laugh just because we are laughing, I love the way you snuggle your stuffed animals and carry them around everywhere with you, I love that you want to give me hugs and pat my back 100 times a day and I love the way you reach up to hold my hand so that we can walk side by side.  You are such a sweet, smart girl and I love you VERY much Peanut!!!  This has been an awesome year with you.

Halloween

This was Emily's first halloween and we all had so much fun with her.  She followed her big sisters and brother to every house.  Walked up to all the doors stuck out her bucket, gave a big smile when they gave her candy, turned around and walked down the sidewalk ready to go to the next house.  She knew what to do and was enjoying doing it.  She didn't want to be held, she wanted to walk by herself.  They scary houses didn't even bother her.  She is something else.  I have to say though that after yet another year of obtaining WAY too much candy that I am NOT going to let my kids eat we as a family have decided it will be our last year of trick or treating, at least for a while.  The kids don't need the candy and they don't even really want it.  Next year we are going to decorate the house all up, go extreme with make up and costumes and create a halloween environment to spook all the trick or treaters and pass out the candy.  The kids are all on board witht he idea for next year and are really excited about it. 

Oh man....

tonight at the dinner table we are talking and watching the baseball game.  Right before they go to commercial they show Alcatraz Prison.  Pete rewinds it and tells the kids look at this to which Ryan replies "Oh that looks haunted".  Pete and looked at each other and laughed.  Then Pete tells them it is Alcatraz and Ryan says "Oh I have seen Alcatraz in a Scooby Doo movie before."  He goes on to tell us all about the movie and how someone lost their right hand from a shark attack in 1986 when he tried to escape.  HOLY COW....REALLY?  The memory and the detail in the memory on this kid is amazing.  He has seen every scooby doo movie ever made!  He has been a fanatic or has he says a "fan of Scooby Doo" since he was 2.  The fact that he can reference them and pull out facts that he remembers from them is so cool!  I love his brain and I love him!!!  He is such an awesome kid.  I have a house full of awesom kids!!!  I am truly blessed!  Thank you Ryan for making me smile tonight!

Uncle Randy

This may or may not flow and make sense.  I am not sure how it will work out.  I haven't even begun to deal with the loss so my feelings are all over the place.  I am just going to write and I may re-write at a later time.  My Uncle Randy went to be with Jesus on Tuesday.  Even as I am typing it my heart still refuses to believe it.  I just know that if I called him he would answer the phone.  He went in for what they thought was going to be a routine surgery, at least that's what I was told, and during surgery he had a heart attack.  He was on life support and in the ICU.  He seemed to improve over the first 24 hours, but that didn't last long.  He had a long list of health problems and I guess in some eyes this was inevitable, but in mine he was indestructible.  Between Saturday and Sunday my Aunt Elaine noticed a change in her husband, how amazing to know someone so well that even when they couldn't communicate to you that something had changed you could see it!  The doctors ran tests and discovered he had a stroke.  That was the straw that broke the camels back I guess.  Tuesday they took his tube out and within minutes he left this world and went to a better, brighter place.  My aunt said that he was peaceful and comfortable when he passed.  I guess if you have to go you can't ask for much more than that.  That's how he died, but I have so many memories of how he lived!  I don't even know if I can describe how special he is to me.  Next to my dad their isn't another man that holds that kind of place in my heart.  He was honery and funny and loud and one of the sweetest men God ever created.  He was full of life and spunk and he was who he was!!  Everybody who knew Randy loved Randy.  You couldn't help but love him, he was such a force!  I remember as a child going to his house and my cousins and my brother and I would want to walk to the store so they would send me to ask him for money because we all knew he wouldn't say no.  As we would walk down the street we would laugh because we could hear my mom and my aunt Elaine laughing so loudly and mostly at whatever was coming out of my uncle Randy's mouth.  Their laughter would carry all the way down the street.  There was one time when I wanted a Popple and for whatever reason, I am sure it was a good one, I wasn't getting it from my parents.  When I got to my uncle's house I told him that I wanted one, but my mom and dad didn't buy me one so he took me to the store and bought it for me.  I remember getting in trouble for standing on a chair and reaching across the table for food so my uncle picked me up and sat me down in the middle of the table and told me I could have whatever I wanted.  I remember spending weeks during the summertime with them and having the best time of my life.  I remember my parents and my aunt and uncle going out while we stayed at the house with my cousins and they let us watch Goonies, lol, we all got in trouble for that one.  I remember going out to Kettleman City to ride dirt bikes and falling off, my uncle walked over to me, told me to stop crying and get back on the bike.  Tough love!  He was good at that too.  I remembr as a teenager I was at my boyfriend's house and I got a call telling me to come home and bring my boyfriend with me.  When we pulled up my uncle was standing outside waiting for us.  HOLY CRAP I thought.  I walked up and gave him a hug and he told me to go in the house.  I of course did as I was told, but I was worried.  He had a little heart to heart with my boyfriend about what his intentions where and how he was going to treat me and what would happen if he didn't listen.  LOL, he broke up with me a few days later, guess it wasn't meant to be.  I will always hold onto all of my great memories with my uncle and his entire family.  Thankfully I can continue to make memories with them and share in our memories of him.  He was one of  a kind! 

Now I think the hardest part of dealing with all the pain is the pain that keeps coming.  I had intended on going to visit him on Friday, but I was not able to get away and do that.  Therefore I did not get to see him before he passed.  No final goodbye, I didn't get to kiss him one last time or hold his hand.  And to top it all off I don't even get to go to his funeral and be a part of that.  I have never felt pain like this before...     

11 Month Old

I am late on this one too.  Emily you amaze me everyday.  I don't know why I deserve to be so blessed, but I am thankful. 

• You pick everything up so quickly.  We show you 1 time and then you do it.
• You are "talking" like crazy and you have a handful of correct words.
• You love to climb on everything.
• You have now progressed to running.
• We have not found a food yet that you do not like.  Onions, peppers, beans (of all kinds), mushrooms, avacado, brocoli, spinach, kiwi, banana, apple, orange, rice, chicken, celery, carrots and the list goes on.  You are an excellent eater!
• You love to be outside.  Anytime anyone opens and then closes the door to the outside you cry because you want to go.
• You have quite the little attitude!  When you don't want something or someone you have started to give the stink eye and swat at the person or thing that you don't want along with a grunt.
• You shake your head no.
• You pout and it is so funny!
• You love to snuggle and give hugs.
• You are SUCH a daddy's girl!!

You are growing very quickly and learning at super speed.  We love you and we are so happy that God blessed us with you!  It has been an amazing 11 months.

Ryan turns 7

I should have done this on Sunday, his birthday, but things have been so crazy around here I didn't have the chance.  So we are just going to pretend that I wrote it on his actual birthday, lol.

7 years ago today I gave birth, after 18 1/2 hours of labor, to the most beautiful little boy.  You were the happiest of happy babies, always smiling and laughing.  You were an active, funny and VERY SMART toddler.  And now at 7 years old you continue to be a blessing to this family everyday.  You have the sweetest little heart and you are amazingly intelligent.  You keep me on my toes, you make me smile, you make me laugh, you make me feel like such a good mommy, you are amazing and the best son in the entire world!!!  We love you little man!  Happy Birthday!! :) 

Sigh...

I just cannot believe how quickly Emily is grasping onto things.  I was really hoping she would be lazy, being the 4th and all and having 3 older siblings to do everything for her, but NO.  She is only 10 months old and she should be learning to do things she started to do 2 months ago.  She is walking and communicating so well.  She lets me know when she is hungry by pointing to her mouth and smacking her lips, when she starts to walk a little to far away from me I ask her to please come back and she immediately turns around and walks back to me, if she is asked not to put something in her mouth she won't, if she wants something she will point to it and make a noise and if she doesn't want something she will arch her back and begin to squeel LOL, but then I quickly look her and say no thank you we do not throw fits to get what we want and she stops and start using her "words".  She is amazing and I as much as I am sad that she is growing so fast I am enjoying every moment of it.  And Emily is not the only one growing too fast.  They all are.  Zayna is a freshman in high school and working her first job.  She is really showing responsibility and maturity.  She is busting butt in school and talks a lot about her future which excited me because at least she is thinking about where her choices are taking her!!  She is enjoying soccer and just signed up for the film club at school.  She is also going to be joining Future Leaders of America.  She is smart and beautiful and a HUGE help to me everyday.
Skyler is really starting to blossom from a little girl into a young lady.  She has the cutest sense of humor and is our comedian!  She keeps us laughing.  She is also pretty sassy, but we are working on that. ;)  Skyler has done so much better with soccer this year than last.  She scored a goal in her game yesterday! YAY Skyler!! She is doing better in school this year too.
Ryan is my little stud!  He loves soccer and is pretty good at it too.  He also is really enjoying TKD (Tae Kwon Do) and is excelling at that as well.  He gets to test for his yellow belt on Wednesday.  He loves to learn and he picks up one everything so quickly, just like Emily!  He has really begun to enjoy reading and has been reading chapter books that are at a 3rd or 4th grade level and will sit in his room for hours just reading.  He is like his mama there, once you get us into a good book we don't want to put it down.
 I have the most wonderful kids!! I am so blessed.  Not every day runs smooth or is perfect, but I have so many blessings to be thankful for! :)

10 Months Old

I swear just as soon as I update on a month it's time to do it again.  You are growing up too fast Ms. Emily!  Let's see what you were up to this last month:

• You now have 8 teeth.
• You wave hello and goodbye.
• You took your first steps a few weeks ago and are now walking EVERYWHERE like a pro.
• You give the best hugs.
• You love your daddy.
• You think your big brother is the best and you want to play with him all of the time.
• You are such a snuggle bug.
• You still love to nurse.
• You don't like it when your brother and sisters have to get out of the truck to go to school.
• You like to play with the toilet paper in the bathroom.
• You can say Mama, Dada, Dog, Bye and No No.
• You are a very well behaved baby.
• You have the cutest personality.
• You blow strawberries.
• You laugh a lot and you do it sometimes just to get attention.  It is SO cute.  You scrunch your eyes and laugh out loud.
• You dance everytime we turn on music.

You are definately your own little person now.  You are growing and learning so quickly.  We love every moment of everyday with you.  You are our sunshine.  You are the cutest thing to walk this earth.  I love you baby girl!!! 

9 Months Old

WOW!  I cannot believe that my baby love is 9 months old already.  SLOW DOWN, SLOW DOWN!!  Well Emily we were quite busy this month.  Let's review.

• You now have 5 teeth.
• You have climbed onto the dishwasher door and stood up attempting to help unload it.
• You have climbed onto and over any and all baracades the kids have tried to create to keep you in or out of a room.
• You are standing more now unsupported.
• You think it's funny to bite, not bite to bite, but it's more like knawing due to teething.  Either way it hurts and you find it funny.
• You give the BEST open mouth kisses.
• You are very attached to mommy, but are really starting to snuggle up to daddy more and more.
• Mommy left you for the first time with daddy and sissy for 3 hrs so I could get my hair done.
• Mommy and daddy also had our first date this month.  We went to dinner and you stayed with Grammy, Pops and Sissy.
• We went on our first family camping trip and it was your first camping trip period!  You were so awesome!!  You loved riding in the boat.
• You swung in the swings at the park for the first time and you thought that was just a blast!
• You are such a snuggle bug and we love every minute of it.
• You tried avacados and mushrooms for the first time this month and you like them.
• You clap your hands.
• You started waving.  You are the cutest!  You do the open and close hand wave with your left hand and your beauty queen wave with your right hand.
• You also moved into your "big" car seat this month.  You love it!

I know I say this every month, but that's only because it's true.  You are such a blessing and a true joy to have as a part of our family.  We love you so much Peanut.  You are the most beautiful baby and you hold all of our hearts in your little hand.  You couldn't be any more perfect!!

Edison Lake Camping Trip

Well, we are home from our final summer vacation.  For 8 years now my husband has been trying to get me to go camping with him up at Edison Lake.  It's a long time family tradition that has died down over the last 10 years.  He has really been wanting to start it up again with our family.  His mom's dad and mom camped all the time and all the kids would camp with them even after they grew up and started their own families.  Obviously the memories that were created for my husband were strong ones because he really wants to share the experience with us.  I finally gave in to the daunting thought of all this camping trip entailed.  I went for my husband.  We decided we were going for 1 week.  His mom and dad decided to join us because they had been wanting to go back up there for a long time too.  We  packed the boat and the trucks Tuesday night in preperation for leaving Wednesday morning.  We got up and headed out around 8:30 Wednesday morning.  We stopped in Fresno to borrow a rifle from his dad, we needed to be prepared!  Then we continued on our journey.  About an hour after leaving Fresno is when the drive really began to get beautiful.  Lots of green pine trees!  I love the smell of pine.  I started to think to myself "This might not be so bad".  We drove through Shaver, stopping only to grab a snack for the kids and some water for me.  Then we drove through Huntington and continued to head for Edison.  Outside of Huntington the road narrows to one lane for two way traffic.  Narrow mountain roads lined with trees.  It really wasn't so bad.  We finally arrived at Edison around 3:00 or so.  A few of us got in the boat with the 1st load and boated across the lake to the spot that my husband had been dreaming of for a long time.  The spot he camped with his family for years.  As we get closer we see that there are already people there.  This didn't set too well with my husband, he was disappointed.  So we boated along the shoreline looking for another spot.  We came across a spot that looked pretty good.  It had an entire little kitchen area built out of wood between some trees and a shelf between two other trees.  Obviously a popular spot for the hikers.  My husband was not yet impressed.  He dropped us off and went back for another load.  After 3 trips we had everyone and all of our stuff at the camp.  It was dusk now so it was mosquito city and I was FREAKING out!!  Nothing was set up so there was not place to hide.  I started to second guess why I had agreed to this.  TAKE ME HOME is all I wanted to say, but I didn't.  I sucked it up and started to help set up camp.  Day 2: Skyler, Ryan, Pete, Zayna and I went out on our morning fishing trip.  I caught a small rainbow trout.  We would have let him go except I kind of hooked him through the eye and head and he just wasn't right after that so we kept hime for food.  After that the kids enjoyed an afternoon of gathering wood, swimming and running through the forest chasing chipmunks.  That night around the fire we heard 6 gun shots.  They sounded like shots from a hand gun and then a few minutes later we heard a rifle shot.  We assumed someone shot a bear.  Day 3: Pete, Ryan, Skyler and I went on the morning fishing trip.  We were on our way back to camp when our of NOWHERE our dog Duke decides to jump out of the boat.  Now we were going about 10 miles an hour and he jumped over the front of the boat, went under the boat and was spit out by the boat propeller out the back end of the boat.  Before we realized he had jumped he was out the back end.  We turned the boat around and I grabbed him and pulled him in the boat.  He was cut up pretty good from the propeller.  We were all so horrified by what had just happened.  All I could do was hold him until we got back to shore.  We radioed to camp what had happened so they could be ready with a towel.  When we got to camp Duke got out of the boat on his own and walked up to lay down so we could look at him.  His outter cuts weren't too bad, but we were concerned about internal bleeding.  After assessing him for a few minutes we decided that we needed to try to get him some help.  My husband and my father-in-law took him to the pack station where they vet their own animals and had them look at him.  They said nothing was broken and as far as internal bleeding we just ahve to keep an eye on him and watch his bowel movements for blood.  While at the pack station Pete also confirmed that the gun shots we heard the night before took out a bear they had been having problems with.  We were all shaken up pretty good for the rest of the day, but the kids had another afternoon of swimming and playing.  That evenings fish I caught a 16 inch German Brown.  Day 4: More fishing, more fish, caught by Pete and I, now we were in a competition to out fish each other LOL!  Had a storm this day.  Thunder, lightening and rain.  Another gun shot around the fire that night.  Day 5: Confirmed that the gun shot was another bear.  Fished, played, swam, gathered more wood and had another storm.  More rain and thunder.  Storms are quite different when you are over 9,000 feet up!  By today Duke was doing really well.  He was chasing chipmunks again and jumping up and down out of chairs and off of logs.  Our miracle dog bounced back and survived an insane accident.  He gave us quite the scare!  I am also thinking by this point that as much as I can't wait to get home I really like it here.  It's peaceful and beautiful and there was no one, but us.  Day 6: Fished, swam, played and enjoyed our last day at Edison Lake.  Hung around the fire a little longer this night.  I think we were all a little sad that we were going home the next day.  Day 6: Pete, Ryan and I went out for one last fish.  Pete and I didn't catch anything, but Ryan caught two rainbow trouts within 10 minutes of each other.  Then we went back to camp, packed up and headed home.  My kids learned how to find and chop wood for the fire, create a wind break with some rope and blankets (thank you Grammy), how to gut a fish (thank you daddy) and some other survival skills that will stay with them for a lifetime.  We can't wait to go back next year and every year after that!!

Roughin' It

For the last 8 years my husband has been begging me to go camping with him.  It's not that I am against camping, I actually enjoy camping.  However, our ideas of camping are somewhat different.  I think of the Sequoias, or up in the canyon or even over by the beach.  Pitch a tent, have a camp fire, smores, games you know stuff like that.  Pete's version of camping: Drive 4 hours, go over Kaiser Pass ( a VERY narrow and steap road), boat across the lake (30 min trip which has to be made multiple times to get all people and gear across the lake), hike (small hike, but still a hike) to camp site, bring rifle in case of bears, shower bag for showers every 2-3 days, fish most of the day so we can eat, and a portable toilet set over a hole dug by yours truly.  WHAT?  SERIOUSLY?  Oh my, oh my.  I have finally caved in and am giving him his family camping trip.  This is where he grew up camping.  His grandparents and entire family used to go every year.  I am terrified!  I know we will have fun, I am looking forward to spending time with him and the kids, I am excited about being in the beautiful mountains too, but there are definately parts of this experience I am still dreading.  I will make the best of it for my husband.  I will not complain or make things difficult.  I will make sure that he enjoys this vacation!!  So before we leave on Wednesday for our week long camping adventure I am going to spend the next two days finding all of the positives and getting myself ready to enjoy my husband's way of camping.  

I did it!

Yesterday I went to the salon and I did it.  I chopped off ALL of my hair.  My haircut is definately shorter than I had wanted to go and I am going to have to get used to it, but good news is I don't hate it.  I didn't leave the salon and cry!  LOL!  I actually like it.  I think I will like it more once it grows out just a little bit, but all in all I am happy.  It was a whole new experience washing it in the shower this morning.  I feel almost bald.  I am happy that, shower included, it only took me 45 minutes to get ready this morning.  Shower, hair and makeup.  If I had performed that routine with my old hairstyle it would have been almost 2 hours of getting ready.  I must say it was kind of nice.  :)

Before

After

Here we go again...

it never fails.  After every baby I get ancy and do something different to my hair or my overall look to feel better about myself again.  It usually comes within a few months after the baby is born, this time it took longer.  I didn't mind all the sacrifices this time around, not that I really minded them before, but the were welcomed this time.  My baby girl is 8 1/2 months old now and I need to do something.  Usually I drop the baby weight pretty quickly, but this time I am struggling with losing anything.  I still weigh what I weighed when I left the hospital with my Peanut.   My husband tells me everyday how beautiful I am and how much he loves me, but I don't feel beautiful and right now I don't so much love me.  My hair is long, way too long and plain.  It is hard to manage so I just throw it inot a ponytail everyday.  I don't see how my husband finds me beautiful when most days I am unkept.  My hair is NEVER done because it would take over an hour just to do it and I don't have that time and I don't ever do my make up because I don't feel put together with a ponytail.  I know it's all probably silly, but it's where I am at right now.  I have been looking at hairstyles online and I have found a couple that I really like, but they are a HUGE change from where I am now.  I don't know if I have the guts to do it, but I sure would like to.  I have until Thursday to decide because that's when my hair appointment is. HMMMM....what to do, what to do.

8 months old

Well Ms. Emily it has been 8 wonderful months since you joined our family.  Let's review this last month.

• You have a total of 4 teeth now.
• You say Dada with intention on getting daddy's attention and you say Mama when you want mommy. 
• While standing up you will let go of whatever you are holding onto and continue to stand pretty solidly for a few seconds before falling down.
• You have a lion that you can push across the room and you love walking back and forth across the living room with it.
• You give the sweetest open mouth kisses!
• You are going through stranger danger big time.  Anyone you don't know talks to you and you cry.
• If anyone walks out of the room, no matter who is still in the room with you, you cry.
• You clap your hands and say "Yaaaaayyyy".  It is so stinkin' cute.
• Your sister looked at you the other day and tilted her head to the side and you copied her.  We all love getting you to do it over and over because it is so cute.
• You LOVE the shower.  Most of all you like to sit in the shower directly under the water so that it is running down over your head.
• You will sit up on your knees and sometimes have one knee down and one foot on the ground.  Almost like you are going to just stand up.
• When we turn on the music and brother starts to dance so do you.

You are growing and learning so quickly.  It is such a joy to watch you.  We love you Peanut!!