Photos from last weekend

Katie LOVES to float around the pool.


JM was not allowed in the pool on this day (long story for another time), and he wasn't thrilled about it. But he survived. Notice the RAIN drops in this photo? How cool!

Then...the entire series of Samuel jumping....he didn't stop and he LOVED every minute of playing in the pool.










Okay, so this is a COOL series right? Only you wonder how in the heck did I click the shutter that many times?! I didn't. I pushed it once and held it down until the camera stopped, or Samuel was in the water. On most cameras you have a "burst" mode as an option in "shutter drive" - single shot is one box, the stop watch is the self-timer, and then there is another option of MULTIPLE boxes stacked on top of each other. That is burst mode, and the number of frames per second is totally dependent on your particular camera. My sister's new point and shoot will do about 3-5, the 30d that I was shooting with will do 7-9. The 5d? something like 3 if I'm lucky.

Each camera is designed for a different purpose. This is why I can't recommend a particular dSLR or camera to any one person without knowing what they want the camera for. It's just...well, so dependent on how you will be shooting. KWIM?

When do I use burst mode? Well, mostly during sporting events (or swimming). I've used it to capture my younger brother doing his crazy dives off the diving board (lots of fun), I use it during baseball games to capture the hitting of the ball (or the entire swing), and I've used it to capture my boys sliding on the slip and slide (will re-do that later this summer as well).

I do NOT use burst mode to capture portraits. It's overkill. It's for capturing the motion of actions. It ends up making a GREAT "flip" movie book, or a storyboard. ;)


NOW....for the photoshop portion. ;) Compare these two versions of the same photo. One is "batch processed" with my basic edits, the other I edited fully.



and before I get any criticisms about no one being right next to Katie....my BIL is a lifeguard and was in the pool and within quick reach of her at all times. Of the 3 kids in the pool, there were 8 adults around the pool. ;) 1 big kid sulking and wanting a chance to jump in, and one 3 year old who was REFUSING to even get on the steps.

Wordless Wednesday

3 Things

Okay, so you remember my big huge idea concerning a day of rest and my lightbulb moment. Yeah, sometimes it takes me a little bit. We're still going strong with that 24 hours thing, and loving it.

However, well, the other 6 days of the week are still just too busy and I've been struggling with THAT this year. 2008 was the day of rest, 2009 is the 6 days of the week are just too busy! I'm starting to see a pattern here - my life is BUSY. ;)

So, one day I was chatting with my sister (oooh, how we did not get along that great growing up but now, in the past year or so we chat at least once a week if not daily...and I LOOOOVE it). Anyway, I was complaining to her that my life is just too busy. I try to not overschedule things, but it happens anyway. She was agreeing, and then she said something.

"I try to not schedule more than 3 things to do in a single day."

Huh? What did you say? 3 things MAX in a day? What do you mean? It turns out that Sis has a friend who was reading a self-help book that recommended you only schedule 3 things max in a day (well I guess besides cooking, dishes, etc.). ;) That invariably something would come up and need to be added to that day, but trying to keep it to no more than 3 things would help free you up.

LIGHTBULB MOMENT!!!!

But then, it got better. You know those BIG plans we always get involved in (well I do at least), you know like hosting a baby shower for a friend that you know through another friend, like say through monthly Bunco nights? Yes? Well, you are asked to help host, and it's on a date that you don't currently have 3 things scheduled...GREAT you can help. But can you REALLY? What else is needed to help host? Invitations mailed out 6 weeks prior (or however earlier?)...look at your calendar THEN and see if you do have time to devote to picking out, creating, addressing, and mailing invites? Is it booked solid with other commitments? Yes? Then you do NOT have time to help host, it would stress you out too much.

LIGHTBULB MOMENT #2!!!!

I always, always, always forget about the prepping stages of things. ALWAYS.

Now, I'm working on not being so busy and I recognized something important. I have been trying to put all sorts of therapy appointments, doctor appointments, etc. on days we were already leaving the house. Well, it's no wonder I got so stressed on those days as I had 5 things scheduled on some days. Phew. I started moving things around as best as I could and things are going better. Still not great, but better.

Just a hint, I'm counting FAMILY TIME as a scheduled event now. It doesn't necessarily happen daily, but I try to get time in for playing with my kids. They are only this little once. If I have days where I need to do MAJOR chores, then those get scheduled into the "daily plan" as events. If I have a project with the school to do, it gets scheduled. I schedule specific days for "business" work.

I'm still busy, but I'm finding that more often I am less stressed because I have my life more under control...well at least it's an illusion of control. ;)

Test Results

No, I'm not going to post the kids test results exactly here...but I am struggling in the interpretation of them.

For example, JM took the 4th grade test as he is officially in 4th grade. He was 10 years 3 months (hey...wait a minute, the form says 10 years 4 months....), and then it gives us number possible, number correct, scaled score, national PR-S,and AACS PR-S (that's the American Association of Christian Schools) and then Grade equivalent. I understand THOSE things...it's the numbers associated and how to "understand" them in regards to my child.

For example, I have a Number possible of 114, number correct of 99...scaled score of 675. With national PR-S of 86-7 and AACS PR-S of 78-7 (Huh? what's that -7 mean? 78-87? or something else?). Then grade equivalent of 8.3. I *think* that means that he scored as well as an 8th grader in their 3rd month on taking the 4th grade test. Right? Maybe?

then we have Samuel. He's in K and I had him take the 1st grade test. He scored fairly well for taking the 1st grade test a year early. :) But what does that MEAN to his scores? Do I take the scores of grade equivalent of 1.9 to mean he's doing the work he should be doing?

Regardless, it' s a good gauge for us to see where we need to work more on...no surprises there. LOL

Word Study Skills
Language Expression
Spelling
Language

yeah. Did I mention before that they are total science and math "geeks" yet? Glad to have the test results, and I've "filed" them away for comparison with later years (and looked back over JM's results from previous years...he's doing rather well). I can tell, for example, that our hard work in Math this year paid off. I can tell that he make great strides in grammar and word study skills as well.

Onward to next year...which starts June 1st. Poor kids have to start school back on June 1st. But then again they've been "out" since early May, and being "out of routine" is really starting to show.

Heard today...

"oh Mommy, dat's boo-tiful."

"Yes, it is a beautiful castle Katie."

"Boo-tiful Cin-er-ella Cas-sell, see Cin-er-ella Cas-sell?"

"Yes, Katie, I would love to go back and see the beautiful Cinderella Castle again. We need to ask Daddy don't we?"

"Yep. Cin-er-ella Cas-sell boo-tiful."

A few hours later, Daddy calls for some reason and I'm talking to him. Katie runs up to me and yells, "HI DADDY!!!!"

"Boo-tiful Daddy."

To which we end up trying to figure out what she's saying, and we go through Daddy is boo-tiful, Katie is boo-tiful...and then I remembered. I show her the photo of Cinderella's Castle and she tells Daddy, "Cin-er-ella Cas-sell boo-tiful. See Cin-er-ella Cas-sell?"

I laugh. I really do. Daddy has to tell her no, but he stalls by telling her not right now, but probably in 2 years. Like she understands 2 years. LOL

Tonight, after her bath...many hours later.

"I go Cin-er-ella Cas-sell? See boo-ti-ful cas-sell?"

No Katie...not right now. But be sure to ask Daddy again. ;)

Who saved them?

This has the potential to be controversial. It's one I hesitate to post, but it's something that I've been pondering for a long time now. Is it ME causing something good to happen or is it G*d causing something good to happen.

What if you were following a car, and were the witness to that car being in an accident. A TERRIBLE accident, so terrible the driver was near death. But, you had recently been through CPR, or were a doctor, or a nurse. You were "in the right place" to offer aid. Through YOUR actions, that person was saved. Did YOU save them? Or did G*d? If you believe it was you, and you had not been there...then that person would have died. If you believe it was G*d saving them, then you would have to believe that they would have survived without you there...possibly because G*d would have had someone else there.

What if, through your direct actions you were in the right spot at the right time to adopt YOUR child who needed medical care. Who needed medical intervention that you were able to provide (thinking of the twins who were hospitalized while in China), a little girl who was in desperate need of heart surgery, a little boy whose heart needed immediate intervention...what IF that were to happen to you? Did you SAVE your child? Or did G*d save the child through you? Do you think that had you made a different choice your child would have died in China? If so, then it was not G*d's plan that your child live, but if you believe it was G*d's plan that your child live...then HE would have had another family (or perhaps medical doctor or orphanage worker in China) step in and make the appropriate choices or provide a miracle healing.

After thinking about this, pondering this, I have come to believe that if/when I am in the place of being "in the right spot at the right time" that it is because I am being allowed to WITNESS firsthand the MIRACLE of a life being saved. If it is because I knew the Heimlich maneuver, or CPR, or some other reason then G*d just used me for HIS purpose.

If the miracle occurred because I adopted a child, I would not want that child to grow up hearing how LUCKY they were to be adopted by my family because we were able to provide their medical interventions. I would tell them that we wanted to adopt them to be a member of our family because G*d led me to that decision and we are GLAD they are my child. Their medical interventions are just a part of their story, not the main focus of it.

I think it all comes down to WHO you believe is truly in charge? G*d or yourself.

It's a bleh kind of day

too much left on my to-do list, enough time to tackle a few projects...but no motivation. Why is that?

I feel like my life is an endless cycle of laundry these days. Start a load, "re-boot" the load, fold that load, and put it away....and always...ALWAYS there is a load right behind it!

We moved Katie into a twin bed, installed ceiling fans, and realized Samuel's bunk beds MUST go. After a craiglist listing, they are sold and Samuel now has a twin bed...without a headboard for the moment.

I've been falling behind in my exercise. No big surprise. But I feel so much better when I've been consistent with it...probably need a better motivation. Dh has his, he watches 24 season episodes while doing his exercise.

It has rained entirely TOO much lately. Between that and "piggie flu" baseball games are having trouble getting made up. Thus, 2 this week and 5 next week. I feel like in between laundry loads I'm living at the ballfield.

I'm in the "creative" stage where my work stinks. It stinks to be here. I know it's a cycle, and it typically means I'm "growing" but dang...it's hard to look at stuff and think "I don't like that at all!"

School stuff for next year is arriving. Yippee. I think.

I can't believe June is almost here.

I'm not a very patient person, and waiting on decisions from other people is hard. It's hard not to push, or anything. HARD.

Less than a month from now I will leave my oldest child at a summer camp. His first spend the night camp. ACK!


It seems to me that people have vast potential. Most people can do extraordinary things if they have the confidence or take the risks. Yet most people don't. They sit in front of the T.V. and treat life as if it goes on forever. - Philip Adams

I want some of that confidence.


Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. - Theodore Roosevelt

Ah...that's much more appropriate for my life...at least I feel like it is.

Fashion Friday...not too bad this week.

One of her favorite shirts (and OH so apt), and you missed the pink snow boots she originally had with it. The Cinderella socks really go too...*giggle* She wanted jeans, but I talked her into shorts as it was 75+ outside. She liked the "orange" shorts.



Yes, she picked this one...it has JEANS! Who cares that the "top" is a size 12 month dress from last summer...right?



Even at 10, they still don't quite get it right...it was APRIL and he picked a Halloween shirt. *shrug*


Check out other fashionable kids at Salsa in China

Wordless Wednesday

2009-2010 School Year Curriculum

It's coming up, and I have finally...FINALLY ordered our curriculum. Samuel will be 1st grade and JM will be 5th grade.

Are you ready? It's...well...quite interesting.

Both boys are going to do Horizons Math - Samuel will finish up grade 1b and then complete 2a and 2b. JM will finish up 5b and complete 6a and 6b.

Samuel and JM are both using Abeka Language Arts this year. We need help with word skills and grammar, and I'm hoping this will work. I've heard good things. Samuel will be in Language 2 and JM will be in Language 6.

Samuel will have Abeka Spelling 2nd grade as well. I ordered the Abeka Spelling 6th grade for JM but it is going to be too hard for him, so we'll go back to Spelling Power for him. I'll have to figure out which level he is though.

JM will be doing Abeka's 6th grade handwriting. Samuel will be doing A Reason for Handwriting Transition.

Samuel will be doing the Bible lessons from Sonlight Core1 - Leading Little Ones to God. JM will...errmmmm....I'm not really sure. Oops! I'll head to Lifeway and browse for something for him.

Both boys will be doing Apologia's Astronomy (at least through Christmas). I'm personally VERY excited about this one.

Samuel will be doing Sonlight Core1+2 with Regular Readers for History and reading. I think the readers are "below" his level, but I'm trying to boost his comprehension skills. If, by Christmas, he's WAY beyond them, then I'll purchase him some extra books off the Intermediate and Advanced list from Sonlight.

JM is doing Abeka 4th grade History - History of the United States. He's not gotten a full curriculum of this yet, and I felt this was a good year to do so. We are supplementing with 10 books off of the Sonlight Core 3 and Core 4 lists. I chose them based on JM's interests. He'll have to write book reports on them as well.

They will continue the city league sports and Karate to fill in for their PE.

Personalities of our kids

Be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you; be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them. - W. Clement Stone

In thinking about this quote I started thinking about my own life, and particularly how this will affect my children. Which led me to think about their personalities, and who they are.

While in China I remember telling Cheri that I felt like we were all given children with personalities and quirks that we were best able to handle. That something about the makeup of the parents' personalities fit in perfectly with what the child needed. With the boys it's something we just assume, they will have personality traits that match either myself or my husband.

But, really, is personality genetic? Or is it learned? Or is it a little bit of both. I mean, Katie could NOT have learned to be a grouchy grump first thing in the morning from ME on her first morning with us (she woke up JUST like I do and has continued to wake up like that). It was not learned from me, but is exactly like me. Is it a genetic thing, or is it learned from perhaps her foster parent?

When I was dreaming of my "perfect" daughter, I told my husband that I wanted a girl who would want to dress up like Cinderella but play sports against the boys and beat them....wearing her tiara in the mud. Can you see it? (another photographer I know) That link was the embodiment of what I wanted MY daughter to be like.

At our last post placement meeting with our social worker, I was asked about Katie's personality. When I mentioned that she was fit in perfectly with our family, with personality that meshed with the boys just as if she'd born to us. Our social worker commented that everyone feels that way.

Why is that? Why does everyone feel that way? Is it like voices, accents, talking, etc. that our kids can end up sounding just like us (yes Katie is going to have that lovely southern accent which is going to make learning Mandarin just that much harder). Is it because liking to play sports, or liking to watch NASCAR, or liking music, or liking games like spades or Monopoly, or any other thing that we consider part of the personality is environmental?

Will Katie be strong willed because of genetics or because of her environment? Will she be patient? Will she be honest? Will she be thoughtful? Will she be demure? Will she be an extrovert or introvert? Will she like science and math OR will she like the arts?

With the boys we sort of figured that they would be more science and math kids (with 2 "geeks" for parents did they even stand a chance?). But with Katie we don't know. It's actually kind of fun and interesting to see her develop her own interests and personality. I'm anxious and excited to see what and who she becomes as she grows.

But to be honest...she's the female version of our boys in likes, dislikes, personality traits, interests, and such. It's enough to make you go, "Hmmmmmm....."

Disney 2009 - Chapter 6 - Magic Kingdom

Wednesday February 11, 2009 - Magic Kingdom (to Epcot)

Again we were up early to make it to the Magic Kingdom for rope drop, and this time we were actually earlier than we’d been the entire week. I stood in line next to the opening near the strollers so I could grab it and go to Fantasy Land quickly. Dh took the kids to watch the opening show because they were going regardless of whatever we told them. Clone2 really wanted to see the opening show from in front of the train station. I just smiled and told Dh that it’s Disney. It’s all good.

Well, it was all good until a family with 2 small children in a stroller had one start vomiting standing 2 people away from me waiting on rope drop. Poor little thing was coughing, and it sounded very much like what Clone2 had been doing and his Mommy was not patient with it at all. We survived, and rope dropped and we made our way down Main Street. The Cast Members were waving, the characters were out, and the bubbles were blowing out of the trash cans! Princess Peanut and Clone2 were really excited about the bubbles, but we had them in the stroller by this point and I just pushed them past the bubbles. We laughed about the trashcans burping bubbles for a good little bit.



Our reason for being at rope drop was Dumbo, and we quickly made our way to Dumbo and got on the 3rd ride of the day. We were hoping that Princess Peanut would love the ride, and she did! We had to encourage her to sit on the seat, but once that elephant started flying she was all smiles. Thinking we might have turned the corner on the rides department, we sashayed over to Peter Pan and basically walked on, Princess Peanut buried her head for the entire time again! We finally started putting it together that she would like the outdoor rides but not the indoor ones. So, we went directly to the carousel to make it up to her. She loved the carousel, absolutely loved it. At this point we were debating, and not fully following the plan as this morning was all about Princess Peanut for the first time. Did we do It’s a Small World again, or do Pooh? Dh thought Small World would be better for the Princess because we had fast passes for Pooh and could ride it later, and as it was an “indoor” ride it might not go over well. Small World she’d ridden before and liked it so he thought it would be a good one to try. Okay, it was a morning ALL about the Princess afterall. Clone1 was oh so thrilled.



After Small World we decided to try seeing the Princesses and found the line to be posted at 15 minutes (time on exif data on photos says 10:16am). Not too bad, but the Fairies line? It said 75 minutes! What in the heck? We decided it wasn’t worth that. Princess Peanut did not react well to the face characters at all, not even for her favored Cinderella. We got our photos, and Clone2 got his photo made with them. Princess Peanut told them all bye and blew kisses, but wanted nothing to do with getting closer than seeing them from Daddy’s arms. She’s excited to see the photos now, so it was worth it.


We left the Princesses and decided to see how long the line for Mickey was. Dh played FPV and got Space Mountain fast passes as the boys really wanted to ride this again, and they had been so very patient with the morning that was all about Princess Peanut. Mickey’s line was really short, but after a few minutes standing in it we realized that it was not moving at all. Having been in this line before, I realized that only one Mickey must have been back there. VERY slow moving line, so we left and made our way to Tomorrow Land where we were able to get on Buzz Lightyear easily, and then Dh took the Clones to Stitch’s Great Escape. I sat outside in the sun and enjoyed the warm day with an overly active Princess Peanut. After a few minutes Dh came out with the clones, and Clone2 told me that he did NOT like that ride and refused to ride it! Okay by me, so Dh and Clone1 got back in line and I sat with the kids outside eating a snack.

Right before lunch.

I rode Space Mountain with the boys after securing a Rider Swap pass for Dh’s trip later in the day. Then we made our way to lunch, and caught the show in front of the Castle. Yep, Princess Peanut yelled at Dh to stop the stroller so she could watch. Clone2 enjoyed it as well. Clone1? Well, he went with me to grab some grapes and water to help round out our lunch and we made it back to the show for the very end. The younger kids really enjoyed it, and I’m glad they were able to “work it in” at that point.

We ate lunch and headed toward Frontier Land, and I knew we were getting close to really being off our normal schedule, so we talked about what ride the kids wanted to do and Splash Mountain won. Dh was FPV and got fast passes for those as I made my way that direction. Clone1 had asked if we could please do Tom Sawyer’s Island this trip, so I figured that now was a good time for it. Tom Sawyer’s Island was “eh” to me, but the kids seemed to enjoy it. Time stamp on these photos is around 1:15 pm.



We finished up with that and went to Splash Mountain. We were seated in rows 1 and 2, and I got soaked. I dislike being wet, and getting soaked at the beginning of the ride was the pits! Oh well, the boys thought it was hilarious. When we finally exited we saw Dh with Princess Peanut first in line to see Goofy! She went up to Goofy with Clone1’s encouragement and even gave him 5! (Time stamp here is 2pm)



We left Frontier Land and made our way back toward Fantasy Land where we rode Pooh with our fast passes, and Princess Peanut seemed to like it (she only buried her head a tiny bit). We headed on to Tomorrow Land for that Space Mountain rider swap and to use the Buzz Lightyear fast pass we’d grabbed earlier. Princess Peanut was in my arms for Buzz Lightyear and she actually tried shooting her gun the entire time! We were making definite progress. When we exited Buzz, the Princess saw Stitch and insisted on getting in line for him. I didn’t argue with it, and sent the boys ahead to Space Mountain.



Our experience with Stitch was awesome. Princess Peanut really started opening up to the “furry” characters, and as she had her squeaky shoes on Stitch really got down and played with her. It was adorable. Princess Peanut went up to Stitch (he was down on her level and let her approach him). The only problem came when we were leaving, Princess Peanut blew him a kiss and said “bye” then started walking away. Stitch followed behind her looking at the shoes, and Princess Peanut freaked out a little. Poor Stitch was so sorry that he’d scared her. It was okay though as Princess Peanut blew him another kiss…safely from my arms though. ;) (time stamp here was 3:55pm)

We made our way to Space Mountain to wait on the boys, and I made Princess Peanut get into that stroller where she proceeded to show off all of her “two-ness” for everyone.



I used her Nemo towel and played peek-a-boo which got her giggling again. Phew! The boys finished their blast through space, and we headed out of Magic Kingdom to hop to EPCOT. I knew that Princess Peanut would fall asleep in the van (why we drive to all the parks), and we were able to let her get a 30 minute nap in.




Once in the van we decided a quick 30 minute or so stop at the resort for the boys to experience the water slide at our pool. Great plan, well, sort of. I was going to rest with Princess Peanut in the room, the boys were going to swim. The slide was NOT working that day, so it was a quick disappointing “rest period” in the pool. Still fun, still a quick rest period for Princess Peanut who really needed it at that point. But we still had a park to see that night! The plan…I was insisting we stick to the plan.

When we got to EPCOT we sent Dh on to get Test Track fast passes, and then the boys all rode Mission Space. We grabbed the Rider Swap for this one as I knew they’d be riding it a 2nd time back to back (we do green with Clone2 then orange with Clone1 for each time of riding it). Dh and I swap off riding with the boys as well (I only ride the green though). We made our way over to the Land for dinner, and noticed the Soarin’ wait time was 40 minutes. We agreed to wait to ride it. We then went to ride Jounrey into Imagination because the Clones asked us to. We knew Princess Peanut would hate it, she did. The kids played in the exit area for a little bit, then we headed over to ride Test Track with the Fast Passes. We got our rider swap, and I rode with the boys. We left there to ride Mission Space again (hey the boys love it), then we went back for Dh to ride Test Track with the boys on the Rider Swap, but it was “down.” Clone1 asked to ride Spaceship Earth, so we went to ride that and enjoyed the updates. I miss the whole ending that was the “future” but were things that were actually happening now. I remember riding it as a child/teen and being amazed at the thought of communicating over the computer with another country!! I was looking forward to pointing to that and saying “We DID that while in China!” Oh well, the computer thing was cute.

Unfortunately Test Track was still down when we exited, so we had to skip it. It was almost time for Illuminations by this point and I feel like I forgot some of the stuff that we did that night, but it’s really starting to all blur together now.

We made it back to our room and promptely fell asleep so we could be back at EPCOT for rope drop the next day. Why didn’t we just stick around at the hotel after we “rested” I wonder? I'm also starting to wonder if anyone here would ever willingly travel to Disney with us now? LOL

Fashion Friday

Yes I let her leave the house like this. She was so proud of her outfit choice!

To see other cute kid created outfits visit Salsa In China's blog.

PS - those shiny leg warmers are Fancy Nancy leg warmers from Target that go with those ballet slippers that are waaaaaay too big that go with another set of ballet slippers that she was originally in and they must have fallen off and she put these on. ;)

Disney 2009 - Chapter 5 - "Rest Day" and Disney Quest

I've sadly neglected our Disney tales! So, after our awful evening at Disney Studios, we luckily had a "rest" day planned. This means we sleep in, it does not mean we just sit around the hotel and actually rest, to the chagrin of many who think they would like to travel with us. ;) If you have forgotten our magical tale, click the Disney labels link and bring up all the posts about Disney for the beginning of this story and hopefully I'll get it finished before we go back (which will probably be in about 2 years).


Sleeping in plans didn’t go so well, but at least we were able to sleep later than the 6am! We were ready to head out around 10am to go eat lunch at Earl of Sandwich at DTD and do a little shopping. Princess Peanut saw the carousel and pointed with excitement. I thought that perhaps we’d have to do that, not even thinking that there is a HUGE carousel in the Magic Kingdom.

Shopping with 3 kids in the slightly overcrowded areas of Downtown Disney is not my idea of great fun, but we survived. We got a few ideas for things, bought a couple of things, forgot to look at even more things…

But finally, we were on our way to Disney Quest. The Clones adore Disney Quest. They talk about it to complete strangers when the subject of going to Disney World comes up. I could spend that time shopping if I could, but I love the Clones so I go for them (dh needs help keeping an eye on them). We’d done this arcade with a toddler previously, so I knew what to expect with Princess Peanut. Surprisingly right after getting to Disney Quest I sat down with Princess Peanut in a quiet food court area, in a darkened area and she fell asleep. Princess Peanut, who has NEVER fallen asleep in my arms except once in China, fell asleep. Yes, she was THAT tired. Then I fell asleep, for about 30-60 minutes. Dh woke us up and off we went to play some video games with us girls all refreshed. ;)








As always, Pirates game was our family favorite. We met up with Friends here, and as we thought 14 year old son loved it. Unfortunately the Dad had caught our “plague” and wasn’t feeling the best in the world. I felt bad that Clone2 had sneezed and coughed directly on him earlier in the trip.

We finished up at Disney Quest and headed back to the shopping and doing some of the big souvenir buying. A few tantrums later (same child as the one with the Nemo tantrum), and we were out of there with me drooling over the Mickey Mouse “silverware” sets! Oh and some lovely lunch type plates and glasses for the kids.

We met Friends at Whispering Canyon for dinner, and it was “okay” but still fun. After dinner was our BIG debate. What to do? More shopping? Mini-golf? Swimming? Or the surprise Dh sprung on me…we have an extra park day! WHAT?! He bought us an extra day as he thought we might like it and it was only $9 more total.

Awwwww….

But with paying for parking and all, we chose to go back to the hotel and swim. Well, okay, the kids and Dh went swimming. Princess Peanut got in the pool and actually had fun!

A zoo trip...

A recent family trip to the zoo.


A rare moment of sibling unity and love....



Did I mention rare? How about fleeting? At least no one is screaming here, just climbing and not listening to me like normal. Okay, so honestly, I let them climb on that rock and right after this photo I went over and stood behind Katie just in case...and YES the rock is on the pathway side of that rope.


Discovering the animals that we hardly ever see...except on our various zoo and aquarium trips that is.


Umm, this is a "statue" and she had to pet it like she did the animals in the petting zoo. I believe she ended up a wee bit confused.


and a wee bit taken aback. Well, the photo right after this one that I took she is laughing her little head off because she found this HI-LAR-I-OUS.


an even RARER photo of us two.


Our favorite animal of the day...that is Dh's and mine. Katie liked this weird bird thing, Samuel liked the monkeys, and JM...I think he liked...wait...we didn't see any lions, he can't claim the lions were his favorite of the day....I'll get back to you on that one!

Taking a Day of Rest

Last year I was incredibly busy, busy all day long, every day, and every weekend. So busy that I was tired...and worn out...and I looked back over the year in December and thought, "wow...I missed out on A LOT by being so busy."

I had let "things" overtake what was truly important in my life, and it was brought home to me through so many ways over a very very long time. I'm a wee bit stubborn and it takes time for me to "LEARN" a lesson it seems. At least time to get it through my thick head, think it through, then put an action as a reaction to it.

I remember last May, being on vacation when SCC's daughter Maria Sue was killed in an accident. I remember hearing the news a day after I yanked Samuel back from stepping off a sidewalk into the path of a charter bus in downtown Washington D.C. Yeah...it brought it home in a way NOTHING else could have. I had loved the song Cinderella prior to this, but after May I cried every time I heard it. My heart ached. My soul yearned. I felt sorrow for Maria's family, but this was a personal ache...and personal thing going on...a stirring. A quiet little voice told me to spend more time with my family...to keep the Sabbath holy.

Did I mention I'm stubborn? Well, in September or thereabouts I went to see someone I have nicknamed "The Magic Hair Lady" because she makes my curly hair beautifully straight. ;) Her neighbor at the salon was not there as she had been. I remember for some odd reason getting on to a subject about this neighbor hairstylist and the days/times she takes off. See, I had noticed on Friday late afternoons in the winter she was rushing out the door so as not to be late getting home before dark.

Y'all...she's Jewish. I knew that, but it didn't HIT me until that day talking with Magic Hair Lady. Y'all...I KNEW Jewish businesses closed at "Sundown" on Friday and reopened "Sundown" on Saturday (just look at BHPHOTO.com to see WHY I know this). I knew Jewish holidays would close businesses (again, thanks to bhphoto.com). I had taken college classes from a Jewish professor, and it was a 6 day a week intercession course...we didn't meet on Saturdays AT ALL and he had our final exam moved from a Saturday to a Monday. I KNEW THIS PEOPLE!!!!

It hit me. This neighbor stylist to "Magic Hair Lady" was keeping the Sabbath HOLY.

Okay, perhaps I should back up...remember the stubborn me hearing a quiet voice inside my head tell me to keep the Sabbath Holy? I had tried. But the 24 hours that are Sunday was too tough. I was staying up too late to start working AFTER Midnight so it was Monday. I was frantically trying to cram as much as I could into SATURDAY so I could take the Sunday off...and it was stressing ME out. I couldn't do it, and thus I was "failing" as this taking the Sabbath Holy.

Of course I had not mentioned it to my husband at all so I wasn't getting support in my endeavors from THAT direction either...but that's MY fault. ;)

I left that salon with beautifully straight hair, and a HUGE BIG IDEA. One I could not implement at all due to an overfull calendar. In November, the day after Thanksgiving when I had a photography session that I realized that I truly did need to "carve out" time for my family. I had to keep it sacred. I realized I needed accountability and support.

I told Dh about the now 6 month thought process and struggle. I told him my BIG IDEA, and we chose to make it a WRITTEN GOAL for 2009. See, we're big on written goals and not resolutions. We don't make many, and those we do we really strive to complete....we're not perfect with it, but we're better than if we didn't write them down. I told him that while I had been literal in the "Sabbath Holy" portion, what I now felt like was that I was to take a day of rest...a literal 24 hour period, not a day on the calendar. 24 hours...that starts at some predetermined time...and what better than with a visual clue of NIGHT FALLING?! Then I exclaimed how it was so great that even though sundown changes throughout the year (and thank you Daylight Savings Time for making it really late or really early), but even though it changes Sundown to Sundown remains just about a 24 hour period!!!

He gave me that look. He didn't get the big huge lightbulb revelation thing y'all.

It's now been a year since that voice started nagging me, and here is what we do:

From Sundown on Saturday evening until Sundown on Sunday evening, we do NO WORK on business related things or household chores that MUST be done. We don't work on school stuff (not sure if this would work if we weren't homeschooling). We set aside time to play games with the kids if we feel like it. We set aside time to watch a movie. We go outside and play. We ride bicycles. We go on trips. We do things around the house that we WANT to do but never seem to find time to do. However, there are times when something MUST be done, like a crunch time at work when Dh worked 80+ hours in 1 week....he HAD to.

I no longer have the stress of trying to get things done Saturday so I don't have to stay up late on Sunday (I still do but I can start the Sunday work related things I do to set up the week when the kids go to bed). We do more with the kids. It was freeing to us to have a day at home that NEITHER of us were required to do something, like laundry, or pay bills, or a thousand and one other things. I don't get jealous of the time Dh spends playing games, and he doesn't get jealous of the time I spend reading a book...it's our DAY OF REST and I have come to guard it closely in just 4 months!

We have more Cinderella moments now...like on Saturday evening recently (before SUNDOWN too) when I took Katie outside to swing and she giggled those great big belly laughs and told me to push faster! The neighbors were smiling at her JOY. She didn't want to stop swinging, then finally she moved on to the slide and I had to stand RIGHT THERE and she played with me so happily and excitedly...a perfect memory in my mind now.

Oh...and for those who are wondering. If Sunday had not fit in with how things would have to be for our family, then we could have chosen another day such as sundown Friday until sundown Saturday...or even a weekday if neither of us worked on a weekday. The day of the week is not important in this for me, it was a day that we could decide on was going to be the best day for us to spend as a FAMILY. Yes I still cook, but it does not seem like a chore. :)

Keep in mind this daily notion: There are no ordinary moments. - Dan Millman


How better to celebrate ordinary moments than to bake cupcakes for NO reason. Yes, I was feeling particularly domesticated this past weekend, probably brought on by the forced indoors due to piggie flu and rain combination (we are healthy but the rest of county has had a few cases and as a result the kids activities were cancelled...then it rained meaning we were forced to enjoy one another's company for 4 days straight).



The boys quickly ate their cupcakes and went on their merry way, with only the paper left behind. Katie? Oh she proceeded to thoroughly enjoy her cupcakes (mini ones of course), and ate only the frosting off the top. She knew what was best about them and decided to satisfy herself with only the best part, as that was all she needed.