Car Seat Shopping!

Remember the "good old days" when our parents used to throw us in the back seat (or **gasp** the front seat) and take off for wherever they were going without a care in the world?? Well, now that is not the case! You must agonize over your carseat purchase and feel guilty if you buy less than the Mac Daddy of Carseats. So, as Haley had outgrown her baby seat

it was time to go shopping!

Well, obviously she has grown since that picture was taken :)
In case you don't believe me, here is proof:


then (above)


now!!

See? Now do you believe me? So, we had to start the search for the new seat! One that would make her happy (yeah right) but more importantly, safe! You see, even when Lindsay and Jared were babies there were only a few to choose from (or so it seemed) and no one had pink ones and such, so you just picked one that met the safety requirements. Now there is a brand (Britax) that costs $300!! Yeah, they are cool, but do you know that babies can be really gross? They get this thing called "Rotavirus" (which is dr. for "diarrhea and puking for 5-7 days straight") and other nasty things that involve bodily functions. So, if there were ever to be a time when the carseat was "uncleanable" I didn't want to be stuck with it since I paid $300 for it! (Not that we have that kind of money to spend on something anyways-but I was tempted for just a minute **blushing**) So, after agonizing (and driving everyone I talk to nuts I'm sure) I decided to get one at Big Lots that was sooo cool! Had all this fancy stuff on it and looked so comfy! Then I found out it did not rate well on safety tests!? What the heck? (If not for safety what for??) So, back to the store it goes. So, here is the one that we ended up with-cute and "they" say it's safe-whoever they are.

Jared and Linds

We went on a really neat fieldtrip this week to the Pickle factory! The person in the picture is called a "Picklesmith" he is the head honcho at the pickling factory and was wonderful at explaining to the kids what they do. He inspired us and next year (spring) we are going to try to grow some pickling cucumbers and play around with the process! How cool is that? :)


At American Heritage Girls this week Lindsay got to be part of the colorguard! She got to carry the American Flag and put it in it's stand. This was her first time as you have to be in full uniform to get to do this. She looked so cute! I was proud of her!


For Halloween the kids dressed up as a cowboy and a 50's girl. They were very good about not asking for expensive costumes. And it was their first time trick-or-treating. The most fun though was that we went to some friends' house and there were lots of kids and lots of good grown-up company! We had fun-and I'm usually a "Halloween scrooge".


We also got to go on a field trip to see a "tall ship" (that's what they called it) named "USS Elissa". This was a cargo ship from long ago that has been completely redone. It was a neat field trip and the kids really enjoyed it. Here is Jared steering the ship. What fun they had with that!


And here is Linds steering on her turn. See, who says we stay home and the kids get no social interaction or variety?? We have lots of fun!!! (We've prob'ly been on 7 or 8 field trips this year!)

What is a...

I would like to know what a STAY AT HOME MOM is and when do I get to be one?? I thought I was, but no, not so much. I'm never at home! And sometimes home is where I'd like to be!

Being Haley!

Ever since she's had any choice of where to be Haley has loved playing around the dishwasher...yesterday I turned my back for just a second-and this is what she did! She is standing on the door to the dishwasher playing with a spatula!!


I don't know if Haley loves necklaces or if Lindsay loves to put them on her, but she doesn't seem to mind. (We do take them off before she lays down ;) )


Awwwww, baby going night night-yeah right!


Here she is standing up on her own! This isn't necessarily a new thing, just thought it was a cute picture!

I will do a blog of Jared and Lindsay pics next-when I get a chance!!!

I pray...

I find myself constantly wishing days away and I feel really sad about it when I catch myself. I am always counting the hours until bedtime (or even rest time). But by doing this I am wasting the "stuff that life is made of" and missing out on the blessing of time with my children. I chose to be a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom) and I want to be here and can't imagine being anywhere else-would miss my kids terribly and wonder all day what they are doing and if they are hurt (physically or emotionally) but that's not to say that it's not hard work-and so draining. Everyone tells you you should take time for yourself, but where do you get it? I have found some time lately to run-which is nice to get out by myself.

I pray that God will help me to remember the days when I longed for toys strewn about my house-because there were almost 4 1/2 years when I wanted that more than life itself-literally. I also pray that He will help me to remember what a privelege it is to get the chance to raise 3 children for Him-after all they are not MINE. He has entrusted them to me! I pray that I will not do anything that will scar them for life (or at least nothing that's worthy of being on Oprah in 20 years-or worse, Jerry Springer!) I pray that they will have happy memories mostly-and have amnesia over the tough times-and that I will have that same amnesia! I pray that they all call me because they want to when they are grown and have lives and families of their own. But most of all I pray that they will be happy, well adjusted people one day who love God first and their family second. This is what I want for my children-not to flounder about for years like most of us do trying to find the right way. I want them to know that loving God and serving Him is about a relationship, not a list of rules that they must follow to a "T" or be doomed.

Sorry for the heavy post...I know that usually I try to keep it silly or lighthearted, but this is a big deal to me. My biggest fear in life is to fail as a mother. No other failure affects other lives the way failing as a mother does. I have 3 little people that depend on me to be what they need. Can I???

Pictures coming soon!! I have some, I'm just too lazy (or maybe it's too late ;) ) to get them onto the computer tonight!

A rare picture of Jared...it's just so hard to get him to sit still!!!


Haley learned something from Jared...she's hiding in a little cabinet in our kitchen-but peeking out to make sure I don't get too far away.


Here's Linds valiantly protecting her team's goal at a soccer game on 10/11/07. She did really well in this game. In fact she scored the only goal for her team that night! And she did actually block a goal or two! :)


Haley is saying..."hmmm, which way should I turn now?" (sitting in Jared's hummer)


And here are all 3 of them going for a ride...well, they would've if the battery was charged! All said though, sitting strapped into the hummer kept Haley happy for a good 20-30 minutes! I don't know why, but I won't question it. :)

Well, that's all for now. Hopefully after this week I'll have a picture of Jared as soccer star. His game was cancelled today, so no pics of that. We're doing okay. This week was very busy and we got very little school work done, but we're where we need to be still. Not behind.
I am so happy that my husband (wonderful man ;) ) found someone to take the stove we had in the backyard (since April). I would like to plant something there besides an appliance! (I am not a redneck! Really!) And we only have one lawn mower too--another happy moment for me. I'm easy to please. I'm not sure how happy that guy's wife is now! But that's okay-he can deal with her.
Now, if only tonight Haley (and both kids) will sleep. I'll be one happy mama! :P

Overwhelmed and Underinspired

Sorry it has been so long since I've posted here. Life has overwhelmed me to the point where I am underinspired. (Not sure if that's a word, but oh well). Ever since soccer and school started I feel like I don't have a minute to breathe-and if I steal the moment to breathe, then the whole house of cards starts falling. :(

Our schedule is something like this:

6:45 am-mommy gets up to exercise-hopefully alone
6:55 am (right when I push play on my exercise tape) Haley begins to wail.
6:56 am-mommy begins to panic thinking "I will be fat for the rest of my life."
7:00 am-plop Haley in her high chair in the living room where she can cry to her hearts content while I exercise anyway.
7:35 am-done exercising, try to hold Haley who has been mad this entire time
8:00 am-begin trying to wake Jared and Lindsay (if Jared is not already awake making very loud noises to try to entertain said squalling baby)
8:30 am-still trying to wake Lindsay...threatening her to never stay up late again
8:35 am-mommy gets in shower and hurriedly tries to get semi-clean
8:39-1 1/2 legs shaved, hair mostly clean...mommy gets out of shower to see why Haley is screaming again and Jared and Lindsay are fighting over who will entertain screaming baby...**eyes roll**
8:40-mommy gets dressed with Haley hanging on my ankles. (try putting pants on like that) and wads hair into a big clip with Haley hanging on same ankles...makeup? never mind
8:50-carry Haley (on my hip-her happy place) into kitchen to make a one-handed breakfast for Jared and Lindsay (who are usually dressed and ready for the day by this point)...when Jared realizes it's cereal AGAIN. He wishes for something else...too bad
9:00 am(hopefully)-starting school. cue screaming baby again...trying to teach Jared and Lindsay how to do things I barely remember while shouting over baby.
12:28pm (sparing you all the details of our school life-you should be thankful for small favors)-Harold calls and asks How it's going...puhlease...let me tell you buster
12:35-Harold is now sorry he ever called, let alone asked how things were going. He now knows how things are going (and yet he will ask again tomorrow...is this brain damage?)
12:37-fixing lunch for children with baby on my hip and still trying to talk to Harold while explaining to Jared and Lindsay why they are having sandwiches again for lunch. I really don't know why, other than when I try new things they don't like them!
12:55-Harold says he must go, he's back at work...oh, okay...
1:30-I have put baby in bed after feeding her and changing her and hugging her and she is now screaming herself to sleep (I don't think Dr. Ferber had children of his own) and I am about to cry...but instead I will eat a lean cuisine-that is comfort food, right? NOT What I really want is COOKIES! (said like Cookie Monster)
1:45-I want to play a game with the kids or read to them...but I am worn out. So, we all go to our respective rooms (except Lindsay who is booted out of hers and must stay in the living room due to sleeping Haley)
1:50-mommy yells at Jared because he has now gone to the bathroom 3 times since we went to our rooms.
1:55-mommy quietly yells at Jared to close his door if he is going to play with that noisy toy...
2:00-mommy puts her book down and dozes for a little bit before Haley-girl wakes up
3:00ish-everyone gets up/comes out and then we start getting ready for soccer practice. Unless it is Tuesday, then we get a break! Woohoo!!
5:30/6:30 (depending on day)-soccer practice is over and it's time to come home and do supper, bath and bed...fun fun fun
7:30-Jared is out of the shower and needs underwear (clean ones) Before this is over he will have said the word "underwear" 23 times and I will threaten him that if he says it again I will make sure he never has clean underwear again...
9:00-kids are supposed to be in bed except Haley who has decided she is now ready to play nicely and happily in the living room floor...mommy gives up
9:30-try to find a place for Lindsay to have peace while Haley learns (loudly) to put herself to sleep since she beats mommy up while rocking.
10:00-Aaaah, Haley is asleep! Lindsay can go to her bed...Jared is asleep!!!

12:30-Haley is awake. Neeeeeeeeeds milkies...**eyes rolling** will starve to death without it **ha ha** Fine...have milkies...
2:45-Haley is awake..neeeeeeeds milkies! will starve to death w/o it. Nope! I win this one
4:30-Haley is awake...this time I give her milkies hoping to buy myself the workout time in the real morning (the sane person's morning time)
6:30-didn't work. but luckily Harold brings her to bed where I can nurse her before I get up and put her to bed and start back at the beginning.

Sorry that was so long...but that's how my days are-L-O-N-G! But, the years are short. I am sooo blessed. I just have a hard time seeing that from the trenches of mommy-dom. My children are wonderful (really they are) and I couldn't imagine life without them. What did I used to do with my days and evenings anyways? I know at night I slept... I want to enjoy these years however I don't know that I will remember them. I think it will be like when you've been drugged. I think one day I will wake up and they will be grown and I will think "Where am I?" I'm afraid I will wish I'd played more and nagged less...I need the serenity prayer, but can't seem to remember it...So, I pray "Please God..." and that's all that will come to me. I'm glad He already knows.

Next time (soon hopefully) there will be less complaining on my part and some pictures that you can actually enjoy. I prob'ly shouldn't click "publish"-should just delete this sad story...but aren't blogs supposed to be real?

Why oh why??

Haley and Lindsay reading together!

pulling up in her crib

Pulling up on a folding chair (never a good idea):

Why can't I have a happy little blob baby!? My baby is happy, but far from the little passive thing that lays there happy to be where you put her! She must go and conquer at all times. At 6 (and almost a half) months she is already crawling (full blown for real) and is pulling up so that I had to lower the mattress on her crib and take down her mobile and otherwise "safety it up"! Just a bit ago she was standing up holding onto something and tried to let go...of course she plopped down on her bottom, but oh my gosh! Already?? We go to the pediatrician tomorrow to find out just how much she weighs...I'm very curious. My guess is about 18 lbs. (She was almost 16 lbs at 4 mos). She's definitely bigger than Lindsay was but worlds smaller than her brother. But in every other area she is 100% Haley! She has her own little personality. She's funny and gets "tickled" about lots of things (most recently by playing "This little piggy")She sometimes eats really well and othertimes clamps her little mouth shut and will even put her hand up to block the food! Hmmm, maybe she is picking up some attitude from her siblings!? :P
I'm attaching a few pictures of her from recently...And don't get me wrong, I'm happy she's so healthy and ambitious...it's just that I thought I had a little more time to "babyproof" for safety-and get the kids used to keeping all legos, etc put away!

Our Vacation-well theirs

We finally got to go on our much anticipated camping trip to Inks Lake (in central Texas) What I have discovered though is that it's only a vacation for the kids! :) The parents need a vacation to recover from the vacation...but we did have fun, so that's what counts right?
Here's the official version ;)
We left on Wednesday the 15th of August but the 2 days preceeding that we were watching the forecast for our travels and our destination...it did not look good. There was rain, rain and more rain (always fun when your plans revolve around camping and the great outdoors!). We decided to go anyways and make the best of it. We took the portable dvd player and games "just in case". We left (ON TIME) on Wednesday afternoon and the trip was okay-better than we anticipated with Haley's traveling personality. It was a little dicey riding shotgun with my husband driving in the "hill country" as I'm always terrified the road won't be there when you get to the bottom of those big hills-then what? He has this sense of trust that the road will always be there and no one will be broken down, etc in your way! So, (in my opinion) we were flying over these huge hills pulling a camper behind our van and I'm yelling at him to slow down. He tells me to close my eyes. UMMMMM, NO! Then I will not know what to yell at him about! Anyways, we got there (so I guess he was right, the road was there every time-lol) and got set up and all was good and even the next morning we had our camp breakfast of bacon, eggs, potato and cheese tacos!! Yum!! Then, right about the time we were about to go and check things out (the lake and camp grounds...) it started to rain. So, we decided to go to the other state park that was nearby and boasted a cavern. It's called Longhorn Cavern State Park and was just a few miles from the State Park we were at. The tour was starting in like 5 mins so everyone went to the bathroom and we strapped Haley into her Bjorn and down we went. They said it'd be an hour and a half tour. There was some really cool history for this cave. It had been the site of a speakeasy during prohibition. It was high dollar-can you just imagine all the rich people going into a cave in their fancy clothes? Just so they could drink? They showed us how the food was brought down into the cave (it was also a resuraunt) and where the lounge was and all-that was really neat. Then there was the story of the Commanche Indians kidnapping a beautiful, rich young girl and holding her for ransom. The Texas Rangers rescued her (even though the Indians outnumbered them 3 to 1!!) It was also a designated Nuclear Fallout shelter in the 1960s and where they would've taken President Johnson!! It was a bit mucky down there and there were some spots where you had to bend over to walk for quite a ways, but it was so neat and a lot of fun exploring.
Towards the end of the tour the kids were getting antsy to be back at the campgrounds to go swimming or fishing. We kept reminding them that it could very well be raining really bad when we exited the cave...luckily it was NOT!! Yay! It was cloudy enough to be cool (if you were looking for the benefit of the rain it was that it kept our temperatures very tolerable!)
So, we decided to Check out a place w/in the State Park we were staying at. It's called Devil's Waterhole and it's very pretty and there are huge rocks (more like cliffs) that you **can** jump off of (not if you're my child though). We decided to be adventurous and go further on our "hike" and we went over a large granite hill (quite the hike when you are barefoot and carrying a baby). When you went up the hill and down the other side and around a bend there was a neat waterhole and a waterfall where you could play and swim! It was definitely worth the hike-in fact we did it twice. But the first day it started to rain so we were literally running to get over that hill before it got too slick or parts got muddy or whatever! It was kind of funny prob'ly if you were to watch us do this! :)
The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful, just nice fun family time that we really needed. I did make my kids wear life jackets the whole time (I promised my mom I would as everyone is a little nervous of the water this summer after losing Eric) so you will see that in the pictures. The kids were very good about it and never complained and asked to take them off! :) Sorry to be so long winded, but what can I say? That's me!! :) :)
So, here are the pictures you really came here for...

Haley napping under a tree :)

Jared & Lindsay by the lake:

Haley sitting on a big hill made of rock (by the swimming hole/waterfall):

Harold and the kids near the waterfall:

Our rainy day breakfast-very healthy! ;)

Me and the kids outside of the cave:

The kids in the cave:

Pictures!

Look how grown-up she looks! :) :( (Mixed emotions on that one!)


Haley at the pool in her little floatie!! She LOVED it!


Haley "sitting pretty" in her new dress from Nana!!


Jared helping build shelves in the girls' closet-what a man!! :)

Rain Rain Go Away

Come again some other day. Do you know how difficult it is to entertain 4 kids (used to be 5) and a baby when it rains all day?? LOL This is a problem I never thought I'd have living in South Texas. Usually we're in a drought-as in "don't wash your car, water your lawn or fill a kiddie pool unless it's your day"!! Now, it just won't quit. I do have to say though that our temperatures have been much more tolerable than our normal July ones! :) We've been mostly in the upper 80s, rather than mid to upper 90s!! So, be grateful for the small stuff, huh?

Well, my baby is now sitting up and putting herself on her hands and knees and rocking back and forth. She's very intent on her "practice" too! The rocking is serious business-not just leisure activity! ;) She still has bouts of RBS (ok, honestly she exhibits definite symptoms most of the time) but is also soo sweet. Her hugs and kisses can feel quite rough, but she gives them freely :) Or is it that she's trying to tackle me and eat me?? I'm not sure...lol Another batch of babystuff ready for garage sale (when we have a break in the weather! and can have one) which is sad but happy-as we have very little space to put all of this paraphenalia.

Jared and Lindsay are doing good. I hope they're getting ready and excited about our new school year!! :) They don't seem as excited as me about the new curriculum books sitting in the living room...hmmm, go figure. They are getting so grown up in so many ways that it amazes me. It seems like yesterday that they were Haley's age...
:( What happens to the years??

Ok, that completes my rambling for today-stay tuned for more, if you can stand it! :)

PICTURES SOON!!!

This summer

This summer has drug on and on and yet it seems to be flying by too...We have one month left before our camping trip. (That is taking forever to get here) but Haley is getting sooo big, so it must be flying by, right? Haley-girl is now 5 1/2 mos old and is so fun (except the teething part). She is such a character and loves to watch her brother and sister-especially if they're being wild and crazy and on the verge of breaking something! She rolls everywhere, can sit up when she wants to and scooch-crawls (in other words it's crawling that involves rugburns on the forehead!) You almost can't hold her and do anything because she loves to grab everything! Plate of spaghetti?? Hope you have stain-remover! Sneak a bite of ice-cream out of the container? She's covered in ice-cream! Hmmm, how come all my things involve food?? Anyways, she's very grabby and curious. She wants to lick everything that she can reach with her little tongue! So cute-but so scary since we have so many little toys (legos, marbles, etc) all over our house these days!!
The kids are doing well. Our house has been in a state of upheaval this summer since I'm babysitting 3 kids (starting next week it's "just" 2 though) but they've handled it pretty well considering they're used to having mom all to themselves. Lindsay has lost her first top tooth (the bottom ones aren't so noticeable) so she's a little "snaggle-tooth" and Jared is getting so big and he has 2 loose teeth-but he could care less really! Isn't it funny how different kids are?? Linds can't stand the whole waiting game and Jared can't even remember which teeth to wiggle! :)
Our camping trip is planned for Aug 15th-19th but I made the mistake of googling "Water Moccasains"!!! :( They are apparently the only agressive water snake...so that's comforting. You'll know it's a water moccassain--as it's coming after you.!!! AAAAAHHHHH! I called the state park we're going to (Inks Lake-supposed to be gorgeous) and the girl that answered the phone said that in the 4 summers she's worked there although they do have them, there's never been an attack...yikes! What to do? I think I need to stay away from "google" as he is not my friend! Everytime I google anything I end up paranoid about something! I just keep telling myself that it willll be ok...really our odds are prob'ly pretty good...she said they don't usually hang around the swimming areas because of all the people-is that comforting? LOL Ok, I'm done babbling...here are some pictures I took of the kiddos on Sunday morning as I was getting ready for church :)
Lindsay was very proud of her new red dress...and Haley was wearing a "new" outfit. It's an adorable outfit that she's had since she was born (from Shelly) and hadn't gotten to wear yet!! The third picture is from sometime last week and true to form my son is picking at his nose (actually-he was scratching it but it sure looks like the typical picture where at least one kid is picking his nose, huh?)

Why?

I just wonder why children don't appreciate moms!? I wonder if God has some kind of plan in that...maybe we (as moms) are supposed to learn something from that. I know a lot of the things moms do are not "for" the children but for us (like mopping the floor-they could care less if their bare little feet stick in last week's kool-aid, right?) but they could at least see that we're doing it and CARE, right?

Yesterday Lindsay and I had a big to-do over homeschooling. They need to finish up a few little things (easy, fun workbooks I bought at Wal-Mart) to be ready for next year's curriculum...Well, she fought me every step of the way!? What in the world is the deal with that? I'd have loved those workbooks when I was a kid-I'd have finished the entire thing in a day or two! :p But I guess I'm a nerd. LOL Anyways, she fought me and fought me. I "threatened" to send her to public school **gasp** and she cried and cried ("You don't love me, you're screaming at me [I wasn't by the way] and you want to send me away to school"-Like I was sending her to a boarding school or something! LOL The drama in the life of a mama!) So, when Harold got home we talked about it with him and she finally came to realize (I think) that I'm doing this for her-not to her. I could easily and "cheaplier" send her to school. We told her of all the things I could be doing during the day when I'm choosing to try to give her the best I could (like relaxing, playing w/ Haley, going shopping, etc) and she seemed to get that... The funny thing is, she didn't want to watch tv or something, she wanted to read a library book. That's fine and good, but you have to know math too!! She already has a VERY HIGH reading level (I was reading over her shoulder one day and she was finishing pages before me!!) so I think her practice needs to be in other areas occasionally!!

Ok, I think I'm done with that rant! :) Here's a new picture of Haley-girl that I took yesterday!

Our **almost** all fun day!

Yesterday (July 8) we went to Fiesta Texas (a Six Flags theme park) with some friends-the people I babysit for. During this trip we found out that
A. Haley does not like long car rides
2. Jared does not like spinny, twisty roller coasters

We started our trip out at about 8:15 am (actually the time we'd planned on leaving! Woo hoo!)getting on the road with little trouble or fanfare. We stopped for breakfast at a fly-ridden McDonalds-which is why we ate very quickly (pretending it was a picnic-hey, those have flies, right??) and ran out of there-ewww...We'd wanted a real breakfast anyways, but there's not much between Corpus and San Antonio, so McDonalds it was. Then, Haley begins screaming as soon as we get back in the van. :( I finally nursed her while we were driving-a feat which my entire family thinks is hilarious as I have figured out how to hang my boob over the carseat-MOOOOOO! ;) During all this Jared and Lindsay were very happy watching their new Tom & Jerry DVD (except when they took a break every two minutes to ask why we were not there yet and were we aware that the day was half gone!?-ok, they get that from me as I don't like to "waste" time) We finally used the old stand-by "Don't make me turn this car around..." line that we were sure we'd never use when we were parents. So, because the ride was so enjoyble and gas is so cheap we took the long way **eyes rolling**. We finally get to the park and get parked (we've taken the opportunity of our long scenic drive to go ahead and eat our sandwiches so we don't have to get a $26 hamburger in the park) and go in. Now, at this point we have joined up with the other family and we now have 5 kids, a baby and 4 adults. (Our friends were so sweet to get us in free-with their season passes-and then insisted on paying for our drinks in the park! very nice of them!!!!) Cindy and I take the kids (all of them) to the kid area of the park and we let the men go to ride the big coasters (which I used to luuuuuuv but now have no burning desire to ride-ever. Another side effect of motherhood??) The kids were loving riding the smaller rides and on the rare occasion when Jared was too short to ride I told him since he had such a good attitude I'd give him a quarter for every ride he was not allowed to ride, I know silly, but he was so sweet about it... Then we meet back up with the men and decide that all of us except the other dad and Haley of course were going to ride the "Tony Hawk Big Spin"...this is touted as a family coaster (and each car even had 4 seats) so we took Jared and Linds and strapped ourselves in...for one lonnnnng ride (I'm sure in actuality it was only a minute to a minute and a half-but when you're watching your baby look very terrified and green it seems much longer) Poor Jared was absolutely terrified-and once it started there was NOTHING I could do. I don't even remember the ride really except that my baby boy needed me to get him off and I couldn't. :( :( :( I'm so surprised he did not throw-up or pass out. Poor baby thought they were going to make him ride it a second time because before they unload you they move your car all the way to the front of the line...He couldn't have taken it-I'm sure of this(and the pictures/video they take durning the entire ride confirmed I was not exaggerating how he looked during the ride) I guess I should say it was a full-fledged roller coaster with all the dips, hills, drops only the car also spins while you are going. The momentum of the ride makes it spin-uncontrollably. Phew...that was over and we headed for the water park (which by this time we needed) where we spent the rest of the day. Cindy and I took Haley and the men took the kids this time. :) All in all it was a very fun day. Haley was incredibly, unbelievably good during all this (except the driving part) and Linds had fun (although she didn't enjoy the Tony Hawk thing either-my impression of her experience is not as dramatic b/c I couldn't see her face) Harold definitely had fun...and we got home at 12:30 am-after eating at Taco Cabana on the way yome-yum!!!

Haley has acute RBS

Well, our baby, our sweet, sweet baby has been unofficially diagnosed with acute RBS. :( While some of you might not be familiar with the name of this disorder, it is prob'ly not uncommon...it is also known as ROTTEN BABY SYNDROME! ;)
In the past few days she has decided the only time she should smile or stop yelling is if she is riding around on mommy's hip facing out...the problem with this is that "mommy" has other jobs and a back that gets rather TIRED!! Actually she seems to be teething :( I think she might be cranky due to the teething and is distracted when she is carried where she can see what is going on.
Today we went to the mall and had Haley's ears pierced (and she only cried for a few minutes in case you're wondering),
Ogled the clothes at Gymboree and Dillards (well, Lindsay and I did, Jared and Harold went into the gun/knife store that is in our mall) that we can't have and then went to see the new movie Ratatouille (sp??). It was really good, and luckily Haley was good. So, the kids got to do something they really wanted to do and overall we had a nice family day!!
We also passed yet another "baby milestone" this week. Haley slept in her crib at night. Up until now I've been really holding onto the cradle in our room, but the time has come...she is sleeping through the night and there is no excuse anymore...
:(
We made it though the week with no head injuries or major catastrophies!! Woo hoo!! The babysitting I'm doing has gone to full time, but I'm looking at it as a blessing for the income-and I'm also very blessed that the mom that I babysit for is very grateful and makes me feel appreciated! She pays on time, picks them up on time and is sweet about the whole thing...I know that sometimes babysitters get taken totally advantage of, and that is not the case here!! All the stuff we did today? Would not have happened if it hadn't been for my job!
We're also looking at our new homeschool materials for next year-which I will have much more choice in what I buy now!!

I promise more pics later...

A Sad Time-In Memory of Eric 6/6/88 to 6/19/07

Well, the other day we had the unimaginable happen in our family. It was one of those things that only happens to "other" people...
Eric, my cousin, died while swimming in a lake. What a fun, harmless,all American thing to do on a hot summer day, right? But because of this fun, harmless, all American thing he is no longer with us and the family must learn how to go on with a piece of our heart missing...life will never be the same again for so many in our family. I guess you don't realize how much a part of your life someone is til they're not there. Sad but true that you don't know what you've got til it's gone... You know to take the time to appreciate the people who are older or more frail, but Eric was 19, healthy and young and larger than life (at 6'5" he was definitely larger than life!) He was a son, a brother, a nephew, a grandson, a best friend, a cousin...so much wrapped up in one person...How does everyone go on?? I guess the answer is with a hole in their heart that is Eric sized...
I guess if there's a lesson we can learn here it is that we have to live life to the fullest and that you should love God with all your heart. Always be ready to "meet your Maker" as the saying goes. I read on Eric's myspace this morning that he didn't regret the things he'd done, but what he hadn't done. How much more meaningful that is now.
I know that I am so far removed from the whole situation that to me it's almost not real, but to so many he was such a part of their every day life and will be missed every minute of every hour of every day. I pray for God's peace (the peace that passeth all understanding) to fill the hearts of those who can't imagine life without him. And may Eric rest in the arms of God...I'm ending now with a picture taken in September of 2005 right before his brother's wedding. Eric is the big tall guy next to Jared!! and in the second picture he is sitting down watching Lindsay play golf...

Our Weekend at the Beach-w/ a little rambling from me

This weekend we went to the beach (Haley's firs trip)! It was fun and she did great! The kids were able to run and play in the sand and in the water to their hearts content while we sat under our new cabana shade thingy! Haley just was her normal cheerful self-happy to be where the "action" is and watch things-then when it was her naptime she just took her nap! She really is the perfect "3rd child"-cause the third one has to be able to "travel well" :)
We even made it home w/ very little sunburn on any of us! (Just a few spots we missed with that sunblock!)
So, here are the pics from this week! There is also one of Jared's "head damage" as he calls it!
Oh, and Jared said something funny this morning...I was getting ready to take them to VBS and gave him my phone number to put in his pocket and he told me "Mom, there's just one problem that I don't think this is going to work very well...I have your phone number but I don't have a phone" :p

p.s. the first pic of Haley is one of her doing her "new thing"-she chews on her tongue...whaddya think? Should we tell her it doesn't look very intelligent?? ;)

Crazy days...

Life has taken a few twists and turns since my last post...I am now a WAHM (work at home mom) instead of a SAHM :) I have started babysitting 3 boys (aged 8-11) in the afternoons. They needed a new babysitter and we needed to supplement our income...so here we are! It's definitely been interesting this week (it's the first week). Days 1 and 2 we were feeling each other out...Day 3 (Wed) Several of the boys (mine included) tried to ride bikes/scooters down the slide-out of the fort!!! I stopped that but then...Jared got hit in the head with a baseball bat!!! :( The boys (Jared and 2 of the babysitting kids) were in the backyard playing baseball. Jared was thrilled as he is alllll boy and sometimes I think gets bored staying home w/ mom and sisters...So, I was thrilled for him! Until I heard the scream from the backyard (now, Jared is not into dramatics-he is tough and usually does not cry when he gets hurt). When I saw him I wanted to throw up...but I didn't. I wish I could say I totally kept my cool, but I can't :(. I did think to call my mom though and when I briefly told her what happened and asked what to do she said "The Emergency Room, take him to the ER" So, off we go-me and 5 kids and a baby...to the ER. I thought to call the pedi on the way and they said I could bring him to the office instead (he wasn't bleeding, hadn't lost consciousness or vomited). So, I call Harold and tell him to leave work and meet us at the pedi office where Jared gets sent to the hospital for a skull x-ray!! Holy cow!! Ok, long story short he's ok! He even looks really good-and it hasn't even been 48 hours yet. I'll try to post a pic of what he looks like today, but it won't show much-thankfully!! Well, while all this is happening and we're in the waiting room of the dr's office I happen to remember I was BAKING COOKIES when we left!!! I had to call Leah (my friend who lives a few blocks over) and ask her (pretty please) to wake her baby and take her preschooler over and save my house from fire!!!! AAAAHHHH! Luckily since we were in such a panic getting out of the house I had left the back door unlocked. She said there was smoke pouring out of the stove and my kitchen was full of it...**rolling eyes** But, everything is ok thank God!!!!!
So, yesterday I prayed for "boring"-and it was a good day! LOL I took all the kids to the pool as soon as they got here and they had fun and I didn't have to worry so much. (Since they are bigger plus there are life guards alllll over the place. Haley and I sat in the shade while she slept and they played. Great day!!! :) :) :) With happy tired kids at the end of it all...
Today-we took Haley-girl to the dr for her 4 mos check-up. She is a big girl now!! She is 15 lbs 15 oz and is 26 3/4 inches long!! She's in the 85% for her weight and in the 90s for her height!!! Her new accomplishments are: eating rice cereal every night, sleeping through the night (yyyyaaaaaayyyy!!), rolling all over the living room and beginning to sit up for very short periods of time (supported by her hands). In general she is a joy to have around! She smiles and "talks" constantly! And just melts my heart!! (Especially now that she is sleeping at night!) I guess it's about time to put the cradle away :( :( and put her in Lindsay's room. That means the end of newborn stuff.
We are getting excited about our camping trip in August!! (I know it's a ways off, but I can look forward to it! LOL) We're going to Inks Lake state park and we've never been there. Hopefully I'll have some great pics to post when we return.
Ok, I'll end this post right now. And try to put some pics on here!!! :)