Wii got a Mother's Day Gift

For Mother's day, Wii got a Wii Fit. I thought that it would be a great game for our family to use and me to exercise with. It is very fun for the kids and me too. I have been exercising daily and my muscles hurt! I can't believe after a short while how much my legs ache - I am so out of shape! It is suppose to strengthen you core muscles which both Grant and I need. I am just happy to be exercising again, I needed some encouragement. I had been trying to walk before the kids got out of school but I also need to do some toning exercises as that was just not enough. So I am excited to exercise! Hope I can keep that enthusiasm.

Our Weekend

We did go camping and it was cold, rainy, sunny and windy! How's that for a weekend all wrapped up! It was very windy Friday but we got to sit by the fire and visit with friends - what a great thing!
Saturday it rained early morning - nothing like sleeping in and hearing the rain on the top of your camper. We went to Walmart and found my Mother's Day gift(more about that in another post). We then had a good evening and a rousing game of kick ball. Glenn was pitcher because he can't run because of his heel, but during the game he must of twisted his back as he ended up with a back ache Sat night and Sunday.
Sunday: We went to church with his dad and to the cemetery. Then back to the camp ground. Glenn's back ache was so severe that I thought I was going to have to take him to the ER but we had our doctor friend on the phone order a prescription in and that eased some of the pain. We didn't see much of him on Sunday. I took the boys to the beach on Sunday.
There was a guy who was wind surfing and he asked the boys for help to get his sail out. Grant helped him and he gave Grant permission to take his board out to surf on. Grant did actually stand up on the board and ride the board in -- it was that windy! Grant said afterward, "That was actually a dream come true!" He was so excited about it. Grant caught a couple of fish, too.
Monday we left bright and early, so Glenn could take his pain med at home. So we got home around 9:30am. We unpacked the camper, mowed, ate a big breakfast and lazed around.
(Glenn's back is feeling a little better today.)

Memorial Day Changes and Sameness

We are heading out camping. We usually camp Memorial Day, but it's a toss up. The weather can be really nice or really yucky. As I look out at the grey clouds heading in, I think the later could be true. I remember one time when just the moms were out at the campground on Friday - the dads ran back into go to work, it was so windy that we went to play land at McDonalds to get out of the wind! Yeah, we do not tent, we have a camper. I am not a backwoods-survivor-camper- girl! I like my own place to go, get away, and read my book if I chose. I commend all who camp au natural, but that's not my style
Always on Memorial Day, Glenn's mom's family gets together for a picnic. It will be really strange this year without Glenn's mom. Last year she was there. She went for a walk with her sister and sister-in-laws. It will be different. The firsts are always strange, because you remember the past but it will never be like that again.
Last Saturday, we took Glenn's dad out fishing in the boat. This was a first for us as we had never asked his parents along. He didn't fish but seemed to enjoy the time in the boat and the weather. We took his lawn chair in the boat as he has a bad back. We were out there a couple hours and he said it was pretty relaxing. When Glenn's mom was alive, I don't think we would have asked! We asked him to come out for supper when we are camping - now it will probably depend on the weather if he comes but they rarely came out when his mom was alive. It's funny how things change.
When we were fishing I was the only one to catch a fish! We said when we started that the first one to catch a fish would be the "rotten egg"! - Guess that was me. We had to throw him back as he wasn't quite big enough. I was laying down on the back of the boat when I caught it! My dad laughed, because that was how I used to fish growing up -- I had a book in one hand, my pole in the other, placed between my toes for support! - and I would catch fish!
So on this Memorial Day weekend, I am reminiscing about changes and sameness. Hoping you have a chance to do the same!

Laminin

I found this video. It's about 8 minutes long but worth it! Enjoy!

Dandelions

Lord, I want to be like a dandelion.
I want to close up at night to pray.
I then want to open up to your Son each day.
I want to stand out for you in a sea of green.
Bright yellow, with a sun-shiny face, not mean.
Lord, I want to be like a dandelion.
And when I get old and grey,
I want to plant seeds everywhere, if I may.
Seeds that tell of Your sacrafice and You,
And Lord, let it be many and not a few!
Lord, I want to be like a dandelion.

I know that dandelions are weeds, but I saw this beautiful field that was filled with yellow flowers today and it reminded me of how I want to be.

Coleyisms

We call them "Coleyisms", words that Cole uses that just don't quite mean what he thinks they mean.
Today at lunch there was a black bird on our bird feeder eating the suet we have out there. Glenn said that if he doesn't leave it alone he would get his pellet gun out. Cole says, "Maybe we should "distinct" them, dad." He meant extinct.
This morning before church he was waving a rope in front of the cat's face. He told Glenn he was "magnetizing" the cat. He meant hypnotizing! LOL Gotta love those Coleyisms!

Kindergarten Field Trip

These are some pictures from the Washington "Pazillion" as Cole says! It was great fun. I asked Cole what he liked best of the whole day, he said both - the "Pazillion" and the zoo.

Watch out Cole -- there's a dinosaur behind you!

Future Space Explorer

We hit the zoo after dinner and most of the animals were sleeping! Except the bears - two of them almost started fighting! This one played King of the Mountain.

Everyday Happenings!

I am so excited the sun was actually warm outside today! I planted some flowers and cleaned my camper. I hope that it will be decent tomorrow. Tomorrow is Cole's field trip to the zoo and the Pavilion. I am looking forward to it. I hope to post pictures tomorrow. Last night we had our annual Jog-a-thon for our school. It was 48 degrees! We had to wear gloves and winter hats! It is much better today! Just got invited by my neighbor to come over for Chai - not sure what that is but will try it! Talk to you soon!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Dayto all mothers and everyone else! How are you celebrating? My family is coming for dinner and we are also celebrating my nephew's birthday! We are having birthday cake and icecream for dessert! Hope you have a great day!

Bible verses

Cole and I were practicing his Bible verse for school - Matt 7:7
after we went over it two times, I asked him to say it without my help.

Me "Ask..."
Cole "Ask and the door is open"
Me, "No, Ask and it will be given to you"
Cole, "Oh, Ask and it will be given to you"
Me, "seek..."
Cole, "seek and you will find"
Me, "Knock..."
Cole, "Knock and you can come in." (generally that's how it is at our house!)
Me, "no it's Knock and the door will be opened to you."
Cole, "ohh....Knock and the door will be opened to you. Song 6..(Cole thinks everything is found in Psalms)

Video of Tornado

I found this video of the tornado -- check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gbIcMwbX2k

Wow!

Praise God in the Tornado

The song, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow" has just come to the for front of my mind lately. Last night again, coming home early from soccer because of lightning and thunder. I noticed a policeman drive through a stop sign, chasing no one. I thought that was odd. I knew we were under a tornado watch. I noticed he went up the hill on the highway toward our house. I was half way up the hill when I heard the tornado siren. Then I saw a dark ominous cloud like thing in the distance. I informed the boys when we got home they were to go directly into the house down the basement. I explained that the sirens were for a tornado that was spotted. I sped home! I parked the vehicle, shut the garage door, making sure that our basset was still in the garage and followed the boys who were already in the basement. We sat there a minute, then I went to get Grant's clock/radio. The boys were scared. I was too. I knew Glenn had stopped by the nursing home to talk to the staff - not about the tornado but other stuff, so I knew he would not be coming home. We prayed. Cole's prayer was God, keep us safe, Amen. Grant then jumped to I don't want to die. Cole says, but we will go to heaven. So we talked about heaven and the streets of gold and who they could meet like David, Moses and Grant added, Elijah. I then wondered if the electricity got shut off, what was I going to do with two boys, two cats in a dark basement bathroom? So I dashed upstairs to get a flashlight. Then I saw it moving about a half mile away from the house! I ran downstairs, twisting my ankle and skidding down the last 6 steps. The electricity did go out, so I was glad we had the flashlight. We sat there for what seemed to be a long time, but then I ventured out. I couldn't here the siren anymore. There were some neighbors in the street talking. Grant and I went out, but I think it hit Cole more after it was over than during. Our neighbor said that he saw it move around our houses, then over another house and then he saw sparks and our electricity went out. We could see a tornado in the clouds in the distance. We went back in the house, the boys took showers by candle light. Glenn came home and he watched it, said it was like the finger of God just move the tornado all around our town. We couldn't reach each other because the cell phone service was down as was the electricity. The electricity came on when the kids went to bed. Cole needed reassurance from Dad before he went down to sleep.
Wow - praise God that no one was hurt, we are safe.
Thank you Lord.

Parenting and Piano

The mom's tip for the day talks about "Choose your battles wisely ~ give patience where patience is due, and continually ask God for wisdom in discipline." I think that piano lessons is a battle that I want to pick now. I know that it is good for sensory integration(each song goes from right hand to left hand), I know that doing the lessons will promote a healthy sense of accomplishment when they are completed(a sense of "I know it was hard and I didn't want to do it, but I got it done and I did it!") and that in the long run they will help with homework and chores. So why does it have to be so hard. As you can tell this morning was a rough morning. I did not blow my cool but I sure wanted to. I asked God for help and this Mom tip is for the day... coincidence? I think not. Raising kids is tough, tougher than I realized before I had kids. I admit that I did not know what I was getting myself into -- maybe that's good or we would never have kids! I love my kids so much but it's hard. This song has been going through my mind today:
"Praise God from whom all blessings flow..." (Lord, I thank you for my children. They are so much your blessings, help me to remember that.)