Add it up!

$2.57 - the cost of the gas to go to the dollar store.
$9.66 - the cost of three helmets, three shields, two swords and one battle axe.
24 minutes - the time it took to make the round trip drive.

Three happy "warriors" in the backyard and a little peace for Mommy - PRICELESS!!

AJ the Terrible! AA the Avenger! E the Mighty!

Ahh, the great outdoors!

We went on our one (and probably only) camping trip this year (the snows fly early at the higher elevations) and we really got to experience God's Creation - all of it!!




We went up near Tarryall Reservoir, an area that is on the edge of an old glacier field. There were many quaking aspens, pines and tons of very cool, very small plants that we had not seen before. The kids were so excited to be going camping - AJ for the very first time.

We got to our site and the sky was bluer than blue and with a fresh breeze blowing through our hair, we got our tent set up and commenced camping! Friends of ours who came up brought two hammocks, which provided hours and hours of fun. There were also the intermittent but loud and beautiful storms that blew through. Nothing like being near the top of a mountain, outside, while a thunderstorm barrels towards you!!

We ate s'mores, hot dogs and drank gallons of water out of green jugs. Then there was the fun of taking a potty training little boy to the bathroom, when there wasn't one!! The camp latrine was not set up until Saturday, so the boys got to practice their aim, shooting for small plants and large trees!
Our Friday night campfire was cut short by a doozy of a storm, but the next day dawned with beautiful blue skies and off we went, looking for adventure. While Steve went off shooting with the guys, the kids and I and my friend Jane went for a hike and found some great rocks for the kids to climb. What is it, I ask, about little boys and the edges of tall rocks that is so fascinating?











Saturday was made most special by s'mores before dinner! Wow! Whodathunkit?? I figured, why not, and this way, they had time to run them off before we had to coral the kids in the tent. More rain blew through but it did not hamper the campfire, and a good time was had by all!


As you can see, they were all tuckered out and ready for some zzzzz's by the time we headed home. Can't wait to go again!!

t

You know your the mother of preschoolers when...

Today, at breakfast, a sweet little tyke sitting at my table said these words: "Mommy, I put more water in the potty"!! To which I said, "Sure, let's go!". So we did, and he did and Mommy did a happy dance bigger than Michael Phelps when he won his last gold medal!! Now, you must understand, that he hasn't offered to do it again today, but it was a ray of light at the end of a long dark tunnel - that boy will be potty trained before he goes to college!!

;-))) happy, smiling mommy

I am proud of my girl!

I am so proud of my girl!! She decided last summer that she wanted to grow her hair and donate it to Locks of Love, to be made into a wig for a child who has lost their hair due to cancer treatment. We ended up going with Pantene, because they only require 8", and they make wigs for kids and adults! I will post the link below if you are interested. Any way, there were several times she thought about getting her hair cut before it was long enough, but she stuck it out (her choice) because she really wanted to help out! I am really proud of her for making a decision and sticking with it! The link for Pantene is: http://www.beautifullengths.com/en_US/requirements.jsp
I am going to post these pics there too!

What is the verse that has helped you get through"

I was posting a reply to the above question at another site, and thought that I would add it here.

Philippians 4:6-7 (Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.") has gotten me through two miscarriages, a crazy job and lots of other "stuff", but it wasn't until I adopted my third child (a real doozy) that I went back and read the verses before 6 and 7:

Phil. 4:4-5: "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand."

On those days, when my sweet son would scream at me all day long, I would just sing a little louder "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice!". Often, he would stop screaming just to try and figure out what was wrong with mom.

And the reminder to be gentle with this angry child, who was just reacting from his damaged soul, always helped me to get through those long first days and months. I would just imagine Jesus, sitting there in my chair, with his arms open, ready to hold both of us.

God is good!!

Where has the time gone?

I am working on getting some pictures together to take to our family reunion and came upon this picture of "Yaya" & "Bubba" on their first overnight with us.

When I look at Yaya and see how small she is, I am amazed! She looks so tiny, so young and fragile, that I am amazed. I never really "saw" her that way. She is, as one of her caseworkers called her "a wise old woman" and her personality is so big, that I always saw her as so much older than she was. It makes me really sad, because I feel like not only did I miss out on the first four years of her life, but because I was not seeing her clearly, I also missed out on the time that I did have with her when she was with me, as a tiny, little girl!

So, since there is no going back, I am going to go forward with certain plans to build a relationship with my daughter that is true and strong. Our upcoming "girls trip" will be a good way to start, I think. A good time for some Mommy and Yaya time, with no little brothers demanding my attention. Say a prayer for us, won't you?!

This next picture is of all the kids on Father's Day. They gave Daddy a rolling tool chest, but really, they were just after the box!

t

Now I understand!

I never understood why, when I get worried, anxious, grumpy, etc, I end up in the kitchen - not just getting a snack, but more often - cooking! I was making ketchup today (yes, making ketchup, and I don't care if you laugh at me!!) when I realized why I like cooking so much, especially things like canning and baking bread. I am a kinesthetic kind of girl, so standing there, holding a warm tomato in my hand, while I peeled the skin off, smelling that fresh tomato smell and hearing the water boiling on the stove, I was getting info via all of my senses!!

Ahh, I can finally relax and not take offense when people call me "Becky Homeckie", and make fun of me because of what I like to do. I guess that they are just missing out on the pleasure of using all of their senses while serving their families...

Speaking of ketchup, I forgot it is on the stove, and unless my Mom has stirred it for me - it is all going to be burned - aaaaagh!!!

t