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Wednesday, September 24, 2008

A Tribute to the Farm

We decided last month to rent our beloved farm. After having it on the market for awhile....when someone came along that wanted to do a "rent to own" plan, we talked among all the families, and decided it was the best choice to make. We SO enjoyed every bit of the two years of going down and enjoying sleep overs, day long trips, cookouts and even birthday parties there. We all made so many special memories together and will treasure them for years to come. We only hope to do it again one day and make more memories. Here are a few of my favorite shots of us out there on our last night.
















We will really miss it, but are so very grateful for the time we had!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Our typical week

So........after being back in school for a month now, we finally have a rhythm to life. You know how easy momma forgets things, so I thought I would write down what our "typical" week looks like right now, so one day when it really is busy I will remember the "good old days"!

Sunday- church and out to lunch (usually at City Cafe or Mazatlans), home for naps (everyone) and then playtime, dinner, and time to prepare and talk about the weeks activities.

Monday- School day for Caitlyn and "Mimi's" Day for Caroline. Most Monday nights we eat dinner at Mammi and Big Daddy's house (and have guests). Your favorite part about this night is bathtime with cousin Mariana in the big tub!!! Caitlyn, you have homework every Monday night.

Tuesday-School day for both of you. We have finally gotten the rules down for morning activities and getting out the door easier!!! Tuesday afternoons usually consist of watching Bindi, the Jungle Girl and dress up time before dinner.



Wednesday- Get Caitlyn to school and then a Caroline and Mommy day (usually consists of errands or a play date), home to nap and then getting ready for dance!! Ashlyn Milom rides with us there--we look forward to this day every week. Caroline, you take first while Caitlyn hangs out and colors or reads until her class time. It's nice b/c I get time with each of you separately. Most Wednesday nights (if we are still holding it together) we go to church after dance class and a quick dinner.





Thursday-School day again for both of you, girls. Most Thursdays I come read in your classroom, Caitlyn. We both really look forward to that time. I love seeing you with your new friends. Thursday afternoon and evening consist of more Bindi, playing outside (while the weather is still warm) and other playtime fun.


Friday-YAY!! The weekend is coming....last day of school for Caitlyn and another Caroline and Mommy day (we are most often home this day, just hanging out and doing fun stuff-like making jewelry :)). We have all been WORN OUT on Fridays and usually end up just crashing at home.
Saturday-FAMILY DAYS!!! Daddy tries so hard to be home with us and not work these days. We try to just let the day unfold with no time constraints and soak up time with just the four of us. I can see these days being more and more precious for me as the years go on.

On a side note, here is Aunt Amy last week. She is now 25 weeks and getting bigger all the time. We are told HE (yes, HE!!!) will be named Josue' Daniel (Joshua in English) and will be due before January sometime. We are thrilled to be adding a boy in our mix of very girly girls!!! You girls just love trying to feel him kick and move and are so very ready to meet him.


Thursday, September 11, 2008

Times to remember...........

The last few weeks have been so busy and I have not stayed up with blogging much. Here are just a few moments I really wanted to remember............ The three amigos

Hanging out with Rachel and Brian




Great times from our bi-annual visit from Rhonda and Sam


Labor Day night with good friends


After school fun with boxes (WHY DO WE SPEND MONEY ON TOYS!!!)


Our post-olympic make shift balance beam
Check it............my lingerie IS actually being put to good use!!!!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Heart to heart

It's that time again.........yes, for momma to be emotional and nitty gritty(sorry, girls, this will happen more and more the older we all get!). Here goes.......

Well, we have almost made it through two FULL weeks of school. There have been many ups and downs.....for all four of us and we are tired. Any school year is a challenge: change of pace, time away from home, new people, new environment. However, this year has been different. I still feel soooooo very behind and that I just can't catch up. Maybe it is because we are in two different schools, maybe it is because we have to get up and out the door every day, maybe it is because I signed up for too much (surprise, surprise), or maybe it is just that I am getting older and my brain and body are slowing down. I'm not totally sure, but I know it has spurred me to seek out why and learn.

Ultimately, I realized two things this week. One is that I take life TOO seriously. Oh, how I want to lighten up and just ENJOY the little things (that really add up to BIG things) each day!!! I want to be able to laugh more and really, truly be calm inside more. I know you girls have picked up on my anxiousness---you know me so well--and it DOES affect you, too. So many of the things we get so worked up about, in the scheme of things, just really don't matter. I want to embrace each day and welcome whatever is to come.......yes, so that I can be happier, but so that you can, too. I want to do things well, but not consume over them. I want to be able to let my "plan" get changed without feeling frustrated. I want to give myself grace when I speak before thinking. I want to accept that the house will just be cluttered most of the time and truly be OK with that. I want to say NO more and every now and then, just SIT and READ or just BREATHE without feeling guilty that I am not being productive. WHEW!!!

The second thing that I have been sitting with is how much I am attached to you both to define me. You, as my children, are an extension of me. However, we are each very different individuals. Learning to separate who I am apart from you is very scary for me. I remember thinking when you were born that watching you grow up would be really hard for me and it is ---even harder than I thought. Apart of letting go is learning to let you make your very own decisions, even if they aren't what I would choose for you. Sure, the decisions you are making now are small ones, but the small ones will grow to bigger ones so quickly. It is also learning to let you fail, learning to let you NOT be liked by others sometimes, learning to let you stand up for yourself, and learning to let consequences teach life lessons. It is learning to let you cry and be comforted by someone else, learning to let you work out your own squabbles and learning to support and encourage you in the areas GOD has gifted you in--no matter if they are similar to mine or not. I want you to know, I am having a hard time with ALL of these things. Please be patient with me.

SO.........this Kindergarten thing has brought about lots of emotions and stirrings of the heart, but I am thankful. TRULY THANKFUL. It's all apart of growing up, isn't it?


On a lighter note, I have two confessions from this week to report. Unfortunately, I should have already learned from previous experiences with both.
1.) Got a ticket in a school zone.......doing 34 in a 15. OUCH!! I was looking at a note from Miss Anna at the time!!! Note to self---DO NOT pull out the school folders until I am completely stopped...once they are out, I can't help but check out the material inside.
2.) Left my debit card on top of the gasoline pumps after sliding it through to pay and completely forgot about it (I was on my phone at the time). Note to self--NEVER try to talk on the phone and pump gas (there are just too many steps for this pea brained gal!).

Monday, September 1, 2008

Bath time song

Bath time is becoming more challenging for several reasons....
1.) at the end of the day, we are all DONE and bath time is a guaranteed time for arguing
2.) you two are getting longer and longer and it is making it much more difficult to fit you both in the tub
So......the other night when one of you wanted a shower and one a bath, I happily agreed. Caitlyn, you are pretty much able to do a shower by yourself, with only minimal help. So, after getting you in and started, I came up to help little sister.
It was so nice just to focus on you, Caroline, for a few minutes. You are notorious for singing songs all the time, but especially in the bath. We had been singing, "I've been working on the railroad" that day and you must have still had the tune in your head. YOUR version went something like this......
I've been working on a rainbow, all the live long day
I'm a person and I can work
I can pray
I can color
Blow your horn


I love that creativity, babe!!!