Thursday, June 18, 2009

School's Out, Let's Roadtrip!!

SUCCESS! We have now completed our second family road trip of 2009. This time we traveled across the uninhabited state of Wyoming to the north western corner where God created the incredibly beautiful and mind boggling underground (at this moment in time) volcano called Yellowstone.



We traveled with our dear friends, the Bisping family. We each had our own RV. Yes, this is everything the Bispings packed and brought laying on the ground next to our RV. Due to some scheduling and logistic issues we had to do some fancy loading and unloading and reloading.




Early one morning we stoked up the campfire and roasted s'mores. Yep, after breakfast because the night before we landed in our campsite way after bedtime which also means way after s'mores time.



Bison are HUGE and bison are EVERYWHERE in Yellowstone. The first day or so we'd stop for every sighting, near or far. After the first day we quickly learned there are thousands of bison in the park. There is no need to throw on the brakes every time a bison came into view thus causing major traffic jams on the thin two-lane roads.



Never-the-less to be so near the largest mammal in the North America is completely awe-some



"Yes, baby boys, turn your backs on the ginormous animal behind you, look at me and smile!!" These animals could crush these baby boys with a single snort from their nostrils. It is an amazing amount of trust to turn their backs to the bison, scoot backwards toward it (I kept pushing Elias closer to it) then casually smile at the camera - CRAZY!!



With a slight turn of our head to the left or right we'd move from God's great bison to one of the most powerful volcanoes of our time simmering beneath our feet. This geyser is called 'Dragon's Mouth' because of the sound it makes as it releases built-up pressure.




Does he look bored? Yes, there are hundreds of geysers in the park but come on each one is so unique!



Yes, we are wearing coats and gloves! The weather was still quite chilly. Every day we saw every sort of weather from the warm sun to sprinkling rain to driving rain to sleet to snow. We even drove through blizzard conditions over a mountain pass late one night as we tried to get back to our campsite!! If I had to do it again I would still go up early June as the park was pretty empty.




One of our most favorite things about our trip to Yellowstone was seeing all the wildlife. This little herd of mountain goats stopped us still. The baby danced back and forth over the road as the adults casually grazed on the grass along the edges of the pavement.



The waterfalls were powerful.



Addie wouldn't go near the red dirt. She truly thought it was disgusting. There were beautiful colors everywhere, in the dirt, on the rocks and in the water. The volcanic activity and chemicals cause all kinds of different reactions to various elements.



Our grand finale was to visit Old Faithful. Here is the whole gang, drenched from a down pore minutes before the eruption of good ol' O.F.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Dinner Time Conversation

Tonight at dinner was one of those times that really makes me proud to be the mama of our three little treasures! I am seeing the fruits of my labor and it feels great!

As we often do during dinner conversation I threw out a question to the children. Tonight's question was: "What is your favorite Bible verse?"

Traeton immediately answered without missing a beat, "In God We Trust!!"
Hmmmmm, the verse that is printed on our currency?!?!? Oh, my, at least it has to do with God.

Addison went next, "What is a Bible verse???"

And so it ended, just as quickly as it began.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Another Uplifting Conversation...

As a parent I take my job extremely seriously. I devote that largest part of my day to our children, helping them to be all God has created them to be. I also spend tireless hours developing myself as a mother, reading, studying, praying and conversing with other mothers in my same stage.

It is very disappointing when conversations happen like the one I posted a few days ago entitled: "Dinner Time Conversation".

I was comforted by a dear friend of mine as she shared a recent conversation with her children.

Speaking of a fabulously touching, meaningful conversation with children:

On Mother's Day, we're driving out of church.
Dad: "Let's all give 10 reasons why we're so glad Mommy is our Mommy. Cole? Why don't you start."
Cole: "Uh....."
Dad: "OK, what about the great things she cooks?"
Lacey: "Uh...."
Mom: "Anyone?? Anyone??"
Children: "Uh....well, uh...."

And thus the conversation ended.

Tooth Fairy Failure!

What happens to a mama and daddy when they fail at the very simple job of being a tooth fairy!?!? Todd and I found out very early this morning...

Traeton lost his third tooth yesterday afternoon. We had a crazy, busy evening with Growing Kids God's Way, rushed bath time and several other little things. I admit I completely FORGOT about the tooth! It is quite amazing that I did forget because most of his classmates have lost 6-8 teeth and this was only his third - quite a momentous occasion - especially since the last time he lost a tooth was almost two years ago. Loosing teeth is not something that happens here very often!

Anyway... It is about 5:30 a.m. I am just getting Elias his morning coffee (hot cocoa) and getting ready to put him in front of Sesame Street for 30 minutes so I can find a moment alone with the Lord before our day gets rolling too fast for me to catch it.

Traeton's skinny little bod slinks around the corner in a very down-trodden way. This is NOT my boy, I know immediately that something is not right. The fact that he entered the room silently was alone enough to alert me that something was amiss. Traeton is the loudest moving child ever to exist, we call him 'Thumper' because he runs, jumps and thumps everywhere he goes. Every single morning I know he is awake not because I can see him but because I can hear him.

Even after this odd entrance I am still completely oblivious to the fact that I forgot the tooth! Then he opens his little hand and his itty-bitty tooth is sitting in his palm and the tears begin to roll. 'She forgot me.' He says. The pit arrives in my stomach. He was so, so excited for this.

My mind races, 'how can I fix this??' I grab my phone, I will text Todd who is still upstairs getting ready. He can rush in and put something under the pillow while I distract Traeton. I have half the text written when Traeton sobbingly says, 'I am going to tell Daddy that the tooth fairy forgot me.' Crumb, what do I do now...

As soon as Todd and I have moment alone we begin scheming - after we admit we are the most rotten parents ever - about how to fix the situation. Todd has the grand idea of pulling out a 'bigger' gift from the gift cabinet and put it into his backpack with a note saying, "Sorry Traeton, this was waaaaay too big to fit under your pillow, I hope you don't mind that I left it in your backpack instead." So into the backpack goes the gift with the note.

Traeton eventually discovers it all and doesn't believe, even for a second! He was totally on to us. Todd, being the very black and white kind of man he is couldn't pull off the lie and admitted the whole thing, guilty. So now Traeton knows the tooth fairy does not exist and he knows that we totally forgot him and his tooth last night.

Parenting is so hard. Can I get an 'Amen'?

Pool Opening Party - part III

So this morning everything was a go! All the food ready, the volunteers showed up and worked hard, the weather was beautiful! Perfect setting for a pool opening party.

The party was slated to begin at 12 noon. At 11:30 I run home to heat the Chick-Fil-A nuggets. I am home for just a few minutes when the phone rings and I am told someone pooped in the pool! Thirty minutes to go time - poop in the pool! The pool is emptied of all warm bodies. Emergency phone calls were made. Pool people show up and measured the chemicals - they add chemicals - we wait 30 minutes - they shock the pool (more chemicals) - we wait another 30 minutes. Finally the party ends at 3 p.m. with the pool still closed!

I have a marg in hand and I am heading out back to sit in the sun and read a book.

Here's to the 2009 Weatherstone Pool Opening Party!

Pool Opening Party - part II

I don't have much time to write. Todd is waiting for me to watch a show with him, one of our many, many recorded shows.

Anyway, it is Saturday evening. The pool party did not happen today. We are on for tomorrow. I just wanted to share that today's weather was absolutely gorgeous! We could have easily had the party. As a matter of fact the pool was packed all day!

I know I am whining...but it is what it is....

Pool Opening Party

As a Weatherstone Block Captain we are required to help host one event a year. For the past few years my event has been the pool opening party. I don't know why, we are not huge pool people. Probably because I am perfectly fine being at the pool for several hours during the event, not wearing a suit and working the event.

It is pretty easy and this year will be much easier since we are having the food brought in by outside vendors. In years past we've rented a ginormous grill, had hots and hams donated and found volunteer grillers to grill the whole time! Ugh!

Anyway, this will be the sixth year (not my sixth year) of the event. It was scheduled for tomorrow 12-noon to 3 p.m. Yes, I say was because we changed it! The weather forecast for tomorrow is rotten, windy, cold and rainy. Easy decision, right?? Well, the hitch was that today was absolutely beautiful! One of those days that you think, how in the world could tomorrow be so bad that we'd have to cancel the event?? I mowed the lawn and got a sunburn! It was very difficult to make the call but we did.

And now as I am typing this post the rain is pecking at the window. The cold front has arrived, whew! I don't think I've ever been so grateful for a cold front to arrive as I am right now.

So, the Pool Opening Party is now going to be Sunday, same time, same place, different day!