The Fashion Police

As we are driving to the museum yesterday:

P: Oh my gosh, Mom!
me: What? (looking all around to see if I am about to hit someone with my car.)
P: What are you going to do?
me: What are you talking about?
P: You still have your jammies on!
me: What? No, I don't.
P: Oh. Well, that shirt looks like you are still wearing your jammies.

Gee, thanks.

My Randomness May Have Been Passed Down

Since it was raining and cold all day, I thought I would get at least one thing off of my Summer To-Do list. I figure if you can't go outside, and you don't feel like doing chores inside, you may as well do something fun inside.

The museum it was.

This particular museum is currently running an exhibit where you get to visit about nine different biomes. We trekked through dessert, tundra, Savannah grasslands, and a rain forest to name just a few. There were all sorts of hands-on activities for the kids to enjoy as well as all sorts of trivia and information stations. It was pretty fun, and very appropriate for my kids' ages. We also took in a movie on the "Extreme Screen". It was about elephants, which I love.

The Girl loved every second of today's adventure. She soaked in as much information as she could. The Little Man had fun too. He was excited to be able to look around and explore stuff without being told he couldn't. He was also very excited to be able to share the fun with his cousins, who came along for the adventure as well.

He hasn't changed one bit when it comes to movies though. When the popcorn runs out, he's ready to leave. For him, it's all about the food, and the movie is something going on in the background while he chews. Thankfully, the movie was just under an hour long. I rationed the popcorn accordingly.

Tonight, as we sat around the dinner table, the kids re-lived their favorite parts of the day for their daddy. At some point, The Girl, thought it would be appropriate during her story-telling to act like a statue.

It just keeps things interesting to freeze mid-story.

We weren't really sure what she was doing. When we asked, she wouldn't answer us.

She was a statue.

Statues don't talk.

Finally, she held up her hand, as if holding up a torch.

The Hubs asked, "Are you the Statue of Liberty?"

Finally, she answered, "Yes, I am a statue!"

Going off topic from our museum tour, since we had pretty much left that conversation somehow, The Hubs asked, "Do you even know where the Statue of Liberty is?"

She answered, "Yes, DAD! It's in New York City."

"Uh-huh. Very good! I didn't know that you knew that," he responded.

"Yes, it was from France. It was a gift to the US from France. It's like the biggest gift EVER," she came back with.

Then there was a pause.

"Well, it's not the biggest gift ever. No, it was just slightly smaller than Jesus. Ya, Jesus was the biggest gift ever."

Biomes, The Statue of Liberty, and Jesus all in one ten minute conversation.

At least that's all cleared up.

This is Just the Short List

Things I would like to do this summer:

1. Wear flip-flops every day.
2. Go to the pool at least three times a week.
3. Hit the Zoo.
4. Maybe the Museum too.
5. Eat fresh salsa from our garden.
6. And cucumbers too.
7. Don't forget all the green beans.
8. OH! and the carrots. Mmmmmm.
9. Watch The Little Man be a baseball star.
10. See The Girl become a tennis champ.
11. Run in the rain.
12. Camp in the backyard with the kids.
13. Enjoy dinner out on the deck.
14. Ride bikes as a family to get ice cream.
15. Read a few books.

Stop What You're Doing: I Have Something to Say...

I don't know how many of you have seen this, but if you haven't, take the five minutes. I'll wait.

I found it fascinating.

Very eye-opening.

And convicting.

And totally spot on.

I don't know how many people really read this blog. I mean, I know my mom and mother-in-law do (Hi!). But beyond that, I really have no idea. Nor do I know what type of backgrounds you all have. Since the blog is out there in cyberworld, in the back of my mind I know that it can be accessed by anyone at anytime. Sometimes, when I log-in to write, I can see in my live traffic feed that there are people that stop here (even if for a brief second, and by accident) from all over the place. So for all of you readers, or people who happen to accidentally stop here after using Google, desperately seeking the answer to some question you have (sorry, you were led astray. You aren't going to find it here), I need to tell you something.

I am desperate for you to know that there is more than this life in this world. I want you to know that there is a God who has promised you life everlasting. The condition? You have to believe in your heart, and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and that He came to save you from this world.

What? You think you've done too much wrong and made too many mistakes? You think God would never want to save you because you've gone way too far past the line? We all have. We all are sinners. That is no surprise to God. That's why he sent His one and only Son. He sent Him to live a perfect and blameless life. He sent Him not for the perfect people, not for even the good people, but he sent Him for us "while we were still sinners"(Romans 5:8). Then while we were still doing everything wrong, and as we spit in His face, He laid down His life for us.

God is not surprised or caught off-guard by your sins. He knew you would be a sinner when He created you. It didn't stop Him from bringing you into this world. He still created you because he loves you that much. That same God wants to spend eternity with you.

It's never too late. You will never do too much wrong. He is waiting for you with big open arms, and once you allow Him to grab hold, He will NEVER let you go.

I realize that some of you who will read this may still not believe me. For whatever your reasons are, I will still pray for you, as I will also continue to pray for Penn. I pray that one day this truth will become real to you. I will pray that it doesn't happen too late. Because, just as Penn said, even though I don't know you, if there were a truck barreling down on you, and you didn't see it coming (or believe it was coming), I would try to do something to save you. And, again to restate what the video already said, this is WAY bigger than that.

Your life is at stake here.

Your eternal life.

I just needed to share that with you.

"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" --1 Peter 3:15

School's Out For Summa!

Oh yea! I have been wanting to post that title for WAY too long. It feels good. Even though coming back for ONE day this week felt so wrong. I should have titled this "Randomness" because that is what you are going to get. Just a bit of random goings on around here the last five or so days.

First, our garden is doing wonderfully. I really was a bit worried because the beans were not the first to pop through the soil, as they have always been in the past. Hubs planted the beans and carrots this year. I usually just draw a dainty little line in the soil with a trowel, drop the seeds, and lightly cover them back up again.

Hubs had a full size shovel.

So, his was a bit different than my approach.

When I told him that I was a bit nervous about the beans not popping through, he said, "Don't worry. When they pop through, they'll be the strongest beans we've ever grown." Personally, I like my beans tender, but who am I to judge.

No worries, they are here.

Next up, Field Day. The Girl had her first Field Day the last Friday of school (which should've been the last day of school in my opinion...have I shared that already?). Hubs and I were ready for some relays and racing.

Not so much.

That's not how they do it anymore.

So we did some jumping:


Some running to get a good jump in:


Some parachute play:






If you still feel like you need a little more competition after all that parachute play, well then, we have some croquette:


This was The Girl's favorite station of the day, Face Painting.


Followed very closely by the Playground Station (I can't even make this stuff up. The pictures are proof.)


Oh, look at who else was there:


The last station of the day, was a little Sack Race:


The kids, by this time, were DYING for some sort of competition. They all gave it there all, and were even cheering and hooting and hollering. Thankfully, The Girl, she's had plenty of experience with the Sack Race. She KILLED it.

OK, so that comment was a bit violent for a Kindergarten Sack Race, but all the pent up competitive spirit was brewing over at this point.

All in all it was a good day, and good fun was had by all.

Finally, in order to say good bye to the school year properly, we had Kindergarten Graduation today.



After some songs and a video montage of the year, diplomas were handed out.


But, only to the ones who passed:


Oh, I kid.

Of course, they all passed.

And, a picture with her teacher:


It was a special first year of school, and we were lucky to have such a great teacher and fun class.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a bunch of NOT running around to enjoy.

The First of Many, I'm Sure

First off, I was crabby yesterday! Whew! I am much better now. I don't know what that was, but I had a fever for three days and nothing else. No sore throat, no swollen glands, no runny nose, or headache...weird. All that matters is that I am better. Sorry for the crabbiness.

Today, thankfully, was also a beautiful day outdoors, so I didn't miss the nice weather totally. Since it has been so nice lately, the kids have been outside so much more. It's these times that I wonder how I even kept my sanity during the winter months when we are all locked inside together day after day.

The Little Man has been getting so much braver these days. Last year, it was an achievement for him to be able to climb the ladder into the top of the swing set fort. This year he is jumping out of the fort without the aid of a ladder. I swear, he hits the ground so hard sometimes, I can't help but cringe.

Today, he thought he was brave enough to jump from the ladder to the monkey bars.

My heart stopped, but he made it.

Then he had no clue what to do.

He was too scared to let go with one hand and get to the next bar, and also thought it was too far to fall. Considering he jumped from the fort several times, I am not sure where this fear came from. So he just sat and screamed.

And screamed.

And cried.

And screamed some more.

The Hubs went to get him, and tried to encourage him to try to cross the bars or to jump down, but he was having none of that. So, eventually, The Hubs got him down. We thought that was the end of that.

No.

Of course it wasn't.

And, of course, he waited until we were both back inside, in the basement before he tried again. Then the screaming started all over again. We thought he would just let himself drop, but no such luck. The Hubs went back out to get him, but the screaming kept on. Finally, I went outside to see what all the fuss was about. Apparently, he did drop to the ground, and was complaining that he hurt his knee so bad he, "Couldn't walk ever again."

He did actually stay on the ground and wouldn't move until finally The Hubs carried him inside where he continued to wail. He put ice on it to see if that would help, but no, it didn't. Eventually, I went over to take a look at the knee. There wasn't even a scratch on it. No bruise either.

I was just about to say, "You'll be fine in a bit," when I saw something funny. No, not a broken bone. It wasn't a dislocation either. It was a sting mark.

Yes, a bee sting.

When he fell on the ground, he landed on a bee and was stung.

Wait. It gets even more bizarre.

The bee...He was dead before The Little Man had even fallen on it.

The Hubs had noticed it earlier in the day when he was mowing, but figured since it was dead, he'd just leave it since it wouldn't hurt anyone.

Wrong.

Lesson learned: If you are on the monkey bars and you need to drop, check out the ground below. You could land on a dead bee and get stung.

I somehow feel like this could be just the beginning of a crazy Summer Break.

I Wish I Could've Saved This For a Rainy Day

It was 90 degrees today.

Right up my ally weather-wise.

I was inside with a fever.

Still.

I did get to take two naps today, though. So, all in all, the day was a toss-up.

The end.