WHY DO I FEEL GUILTY?

The boys and I went to Hawaiian Falls again today. We do not go every week and got season passes to enjoy this summer, but I feel guilty about it. My house was a mess (dishes, rinsed off, by the sink, toys every where, and beds unmaid) when I left this morning and there goes Jeff off to work for another long and exhausting day. Jeff was okay with me getting the passes and does not seem to be bothered by it...I just feel almost as if I am taking advantage of me being at home. Then I ask myself, "Why shouldn't I be able to take some fun time?" I mean, I have the boys 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and rarely do I get a vacation. The last time I was away from Andrew was April and that was for one night. Jeff can take a vacation from work, although he still checks his e-mail, and from the boys since I am always there. Then there is the business of the house work. I could have cleaned up before I left, but I did not want to. I told myself I will do it as soon as I get home...we all know that I am going to rest and check e-mail when I get home. So, does anyone else feel guilty about all the "play time" you get while your house is a mess, or your husband is at work?

3 BOYS AND A BABE!

The Moats family (Jeff's baby sis, Kristen, her husband, Les, and the twins) was in town this weekend for the baptism of Morgan and Jack. They wanted to have the babies baptized with family around and at the church Kristen grew up in (mostly). We enjoyed seeing them and the babies. The boys enjoyed the time as well...poor Morgan and Jack will go home with red marks on their faces due to Andrew always wanting to touch/slap their faces.
Below is one of the only pictures I was able to take of the kids...my camera battery was drained. I bribed my boys to stay on the couch and take a picture...Andrew was only to hold the sucker. He figured out how to get the paper off quickly and the sucker in his mouth.
I hope to have a picture of the baptism soon.


Jack (almost 4 mths), Joshua (almost 4), Andrew (almost 1), and Morgan (almost 4 mths)

LITTLE GOLFER

Jeff and I took Joshua to the driving range this past weekend. It was the first time we had taken him, but his Grampie takes him most every time he stays with Grampie...his golf clubs even came from Grampie. I am sure there will be some very memorable boy trips playing golf.
First Joshua practiced using his driver. Once he started hitting the ball he went to his iron. After hitting the ball a few times with the iron, he was ready to go to the sand traps. I wonder if this is his routine with Grampie...he is first born you know!


Driver

Swinging the Iron

Iron

Waiting while dad hits his balls.

Maybe I should suggest a father son trip with some of our friends and their children to the driving range...

FIRST CAMPING TRIP

I took the boys on their first camping trip. We went to Cooper Lake in East Texas with my mom, sister, and sister's three boys (she has 5 kids total). We stayed three nights and three days...I have to say that camper camping is much easier than tent camping. I had a good time and Joshua tells me he would do it again...we are already planning the next trip. Maybe we can get Jeff to go next time.
Jeff asked me if I was planning on staying a month with all the items I took. I told him that we had to bring food and entertainment, so it looks like more than what it really is. We all slept in the camper, the boys did not want to sleep in their tents (Joshua lasted 40 minutes one night). Nights were a little rough with everyone in the camper...Leelan, 2, relived his day while sleeping. Kalab, 11, could not stop grinding his teeth. Joshua kept thrashing about. Andrew would not stay asleep...he wanted his bed.
We hiked, swam, played on the playground, played ball games at the camp site, and played card games into the wee hours of the morning.

Andrew at the swimming hole.

The boys and I at the swimming hole.

One of the hiking trails...Joshua was napping during this hike.

Mom and the four boys...there is one more grandson that lives in MI.

Sleeping quarters for three nights.

The boys at the playground.

CLOSE TO WALKING

Andrew is close to walking these days. He was walking along the couch, fire place, and coffee table for about two weeks before I got the walker out. Joshua was more excited about it at first. Now, Andrew loves pushing it around...not always the correct way as you can see below. We will catch him trying to stand at times. He gets his bottom up in the air and just cannot seem to push his top half off the floor...so funny! I tell him that there is no pressure, but his cousin, Oliver (two weeks older, Andrew will be 11 months at the end of July), has been walking about a week now.

THANK GOODNESS IT WAS NOT A FROG!

I guess Joshua has reached the age of putting things in his pockets. I washed some of his shorts tonight and found a few golf tees and a nickle...thank goodness it was not a frog! He will be very excited I found them. What do I have to look forward to?

NOTHIN' BETTER...!

Kids bring about so many emotions. They can make you laugh and cry all in the same minute. Today Joshua was playing his guitar in his room...I told him he had to play it in there with his door closed so that Andrew would not break it. Well, Andrew wanted to be with his brother and so Joshua let him in the room and shut the door. They were being aweful quiet, so I peeked in on them. A smile appeared on my face bigger than I have had all day...the boys were playing together! I love seeing them together. I love that Andrew follows Joshua around like a puppy dog. I don't think there is anything better than seeing siblings, brothers, play so well together. I look foeward to seeing more of these moments. I also pray that Joshua will always let Andrew in his room!

WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION?

I feel that everything I have or am I have worked hard for. Now, don't get me wrong. I do feel blessed by the Lord in many ways. One way I know he is with me is that he has put people in my life that assist me in making good decisions. He is also my motivation! I do admit that he is not my sole motivation (I am working on this). Depending on what we are talking about in relation to my life depends on what motivates me. Take for example my workout life. I have slacked in working out lately. I can give you a ton of reasons as to why...good reasons too. However, what does that get me? It gets me feeling the way I do today...lazy, angry, and worthless. No one wants to feel that way. Sometime you have to wake in the morning and "Just Do it", Nike has it right, so you don't have time to think of all the excuses to get you out of working out (or cleaning, or gardening, or making dinner, or anything).
I worked out tonight for the first time in a long while. I jogged for about 30 minutes adding some calisthenics while jogging. My recent motivation came from the Summer Olympics. I have been watching the Olympic trials...watching them makes me want to be in tip top shape, to be better. Although some would argue that it motivates me because I am competitive...okay, maybe so. I know that I cannot beat these people, but I know I can be better than my current self. Just enough motivation!
What is your motivation? What makes you get off the couch, or computer, and do something for your health? Let me add that my husband is and will always be a motivation as well. He and I workout well together. We do not play sports well together since we are so competitive...we push each other in a good way to be healthier...now if we can get back on that kick with two kids.
Workout of the month...add to your workout a shuffle step (think guarding an opponent in basketball). I did it the length of my street on the right and the left. Be sure to push yourself, but don't burn yourself out the first time. This will give you strength in your thighs.
Good luck and let me know what motivates you...maybe someone will read and be motivated by what you write.

DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES!

Those of you with more than one child, at what point did you notice that your children have different personalities? I think I realized early on, but it is becoming more and more noticeable these days. What I have noticed recently is that Andrew plays so well by himself. In fact, he loves playing by himself. Joshua always wanted someone to play with. I mean he had our full attention and ate it up, but not sure if that is why he always wanted and still does want someone to play with. Andrew, does not get our 100% attention. Our time is split between he and Joshua. So, is that a learned trait, or would he have been that way anyway?
Andrew has also learned a lot from his brother. He already knows how to play with the kitchen, throw and roll a ball, make a car go, and get into things he should not. It is a new world with two...mankind is amazing!

WATCH OUT STARR PHOTOGRAPHY...

Watch out Starr Photography, he is only 3! Joshua is always wanting to take pictures of anyone and anything. At first we would just delete all the pictures he took (love digital). Now, we go through the pictures because we will get a few that are pretty good. I should have fixed the red eye before I posted...either way still a good picture.

I DID IT!

I did it! I broke down and got a small kids pool for the backyard. They were not on sale, but you really cannot beat the price in the heat we have been having. Now we have two options. One, we can go to Hawaiian Falls anytime we want to and stay for as long or as little as we want. Two, if Andrew is napping or if I just don't feel like going to Hawaiian Falls (gas prices and heat) we can just go to the backyard to play in the water.




Hours of fun playing basketball, sliding, ring toss, or just relaxing in the pool.

BEST FRIENDS!

Our adult sunday school class had a class picnic on June 14th at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve. It was a pretty warm day, but the park has a nice picnic area that offers a large amount of shade and is open enough to allow the breeze to flow.
We always look forward to these times because Joshua (Andrew will soon) has a number of friends that are children of our classmates. One friend in particular he has a great relationship with, Cade Braaten. They seem to get along great...if Joshua is not bossing Cade around and Cade is not bossing Joshua around, good times are had. You can see them below in chairs they "borrowed" from Kristen Henricks. I love seeing them play together. I always seem to learn something from them, either about friendship, or discipline...I look forward to the years to come.


They look like they are planning something...hope it is good!

GOOD TIMES WITH THE GIRLS AND LITTLE BOYS!

Since December I had been working on a trip to Breckenridge, CO. I love CO in the summer! You can do so many fun activities...hiking, biking, water rafting, horse back riding, being out in the fresh air all day, relaxing on the patio while reading a book just to name a few. So, I was excited that the trip was planned to go to CO in June with two friends and their children, Meredith Braaten and Emily Rissmiller.


The girls and I made a plan of to do's before we left...most everything went as planned. We flew out on a Monday. Altough there was a close call of missing the flight by one of the girls, we made it to Denver. All the boys had fun on the flight and I think they had to replace the shade to our window seat since Joshua would not stop lifting it up and down...he also tried to direct Cade to shut his window often. Tuesday we went hiking at Turqoise Lake. Although the lake was very low (I have hiked the lake before later in the summer when all snow has melted and filled the lake, much more beautiful), the mountains were beautiful and the hike was nice. We ended the hike 30 minutes in due to a bridge that was out, but a blessing in disguise since the boys that were walking (Joshua and Cade) were ready to get back. They enjoyed leading us through the hike. However, throwing rocks into the lake was much more fun. Wednesday we rode the Georgetown Loop Railroad and picnicked at the local park. Again, a big machine thrilled the boys. If they were given the chance to toot the whistle we would have been there all day. We hiked into town on Thursday with intentions to shop and go to Peak 8 for some put-put and a big slide down the mountain. Our plan changed when Cole was pushed off the slide at the Welcome Center playground. Cole fell about 3 foot and hit his head. After medical attention Cole turned out to be fine and all mom's rode the bus and hiked back up to the house to have a few drinks. All the boys still seemed to enjoy themselves and were completely pooped by the end of the day. Friday was spent relaxing and preparing for our flight back home where very excited Daddy's waited at the airport. I think the trip was great fun and I would love to do it again...Dad's would be great to have there as well!


Now, you have to remember that children can change your life...having young children and no sitter limited the activities on this trip (time was an issue too). However, I found a new joy...seeing my children love the fresh CO air and enjoy some of the activities that I do.

Thank you Dave and Lynda (Jeff's parents) for the use of your home in CO. Good times and memories were made...