Rainy day...

"Those who say they hate the rain,
never splashed in the puddles."

Swim lessons...

This summer was full of swimming lessons for Calla. The way our pool is set up, they have to pass each two week session before moving to the next level.

Level 1 - Learn to not be afraid to dunk your head under water. Check - no problem.

Open your eyes under water to retrieve rings from the bottom of the 2 foot water. Check.

Jump off the side into 2 feet deep waters. Check.

She obviously passed this session with ease.

Level 2 - Learn to dunk under the water for 10-15 seconds. Check. (She loves being under water.)

Learn to do basic front or back floats for 5 seconds each. Check.

Learn basic underwater strokes. Check. (She could swim the length of the pool, coming up for breaths, by the end of the session.)

Using a pool noodle, dive off the diving board into 12 feet. Check. (She even threw her noodle in the second time around and jumped in after it.)

This session was a little more challenging. She was the smallest and youngest in her class. Several students were leaping into the pool and swimming around on the first day. But she did pass. So we went on to Level 3.

Level 3 - Learn basic strokes above water. Still working on it.

Learn to do several "dives" of the side of the pool. Still working on it.

Learn endurance while swimming dofferent strokes. Still working on it.

Dive into the 12 feet without a pool noodle and swim to the side without assistance. Check. (Even though this mom held her breath until Calla resurfaced the first time. Whew!)

So we will repeat some things next year. Our goal was to get her comfortable in the water. Next we'll work on the swimming. She is well on her way.

My graduate...

Summer's here...

I have never truly appreciated summer the way that I appreciate summer 2009. Once just another season of occupying my children, this time in extreme uncomfortable heat, has turned into a season of freedom that I almost forgot existed.

I am a stay-at-home mom. By choice. By blessing. By design. And yet in the last year I have become a stay-at-home mom with a child in school. Man, oh, man is that a change in job description. I remember calling my mom sometime in late September and rambling on and on when asked, "So what are you up to these days?" She wisely told me that my season of motherhood had hit a new milestone. School. It changes everything. Schedules. Grocery lists. Responsibilities. Freedom to do as I wish on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis.

But now it is summer. The season I once loathed. But summer brings me back to a flexibilty of kids' time. Play all you want. Get dirty. Let's do a craft. Read a book. Go to the park. Go to a friend's house. Get extremely tired out and go to bed happy. We get to do it all again tomorrow. No schedules...

A late night catch up...

We took Calla and her cousins to McDonalds for lunch on Calla's actual birthday. Chrissy made her a sweet card and taped some candy to the inside. We bought her a horse necklace that she loves. It was a little trip to us, but it meant a great deal to a certain just-turned-six year old.

Cory took several hours last Saturday to assemble the trampoline we bought for the girls' combined birthday gift. (I picked it up at 5:00 a.m. on Black Friday. It was a great deal. Obviously. Why else would I be up before sunrise?) The kids love it. They can go in the backyard and have more than dirt to play with. Calla will no doubt be tanned and toned by the end of the summer. She has yet to miss a day jumping around out there. On a totally selfish vein, it sure helps them sleep well at night, too!


Easter is always a fun time. There are so many different aspects of the season. A few years ago, time had to be spent determining how we wanted our children to spend their Easter each year. Dying eggs. The Resurrection of our Saviour. Baskets full of candy. Special church services. The Easter Bunny. Family dinners. The list is long! And very diverse. So how did we intend to make The true meaning of the holiday more apparent to our children? We decided that Sunday would be dedicated to celebrating the reason for our hope, Christ's Resurrection. Nothing else should detract from this celebration. We do have dinner with family as well.
All of other celebrations happen on other days. This year we did baskets on Saturday. Calla got an Etch-a-sketch and a Beatrix Potter DVD. Amelia got a Mrs. Potato Head - Easter bunny edition. Lots of candy and gum, too.
We attempted to go to the town's annual egg hunt on Saturday morning, but my brain unfortunately registered the time an hour too late. We arrived as the last few remaining egg-gatherers were leaving with their baskets chocked full of eggs. Maybe next year.
We had Mom and Dad over for Sunday dinner. I made a full ham dinner. Somewhat successful. My mother-in-law had a great idea about publishing a cookbook geared toward how to have a successful Sunday meal at lunchtime when you are at church until after noon. I'd buy one.

Today was a fun-filled day. Tomorrow brings an all-day field trip with Calla's school. And Wednesday has some excitement as well. This should prove to be an eventful week.

The party...

I think I've set a record...

Has it really been 5 weeks since I last wrote? I almost can't believe that much time has passed. I faithfully read several blogs. Some are updated daily if not more. Some linger on the same entry for weeks. And it frustrates me as the reader. Ok. Not frustrates, like I get aggravated and want to throw or break things, but I want to read more about them. Has nothing new and interesting happened lately? And then I realize I am chiding myself! Lots has happened. Here it is - in a few nutshells...


On March 6th, we had our first ultrasound appointment to check to see if our newest baby was thriving. It was an emotional viewing. The little heart was beating away. It gave us complete confidence that this pregnancy would be uneventful. We are truly thankful. My due date is October 24th. I will be fortunate to go in October at all, if history repeats itself.
About two weeks ago, the baby sickies hit me hard. Just in time for company and a huge production of a birthday party. I am so thankful for a mom that is willing to come in and take over any project. I am still in the middle of the nausea, but am trying to remain grateful for it's cause.
My mom came to town two weeks ago. My sister and her husband and my other sister and her daughter joined us the Thursday before the party. Everyone was so willing to help out. But I was encouraged to do something on a smaller scale next year. We'll see.
The birthday party was chaos at best. 10 little girls in tutus and fairy wings. Trying to eat supper on the floor. Trying to color pictures to gain their fairy dust. Trying to ring the flowers to earn their crown. Trying to all be in the front row to see the mass chaos of opening gifts. Then all the adults came. 34 people in our living room. Yowza! But the girls loved it. Well, save Amelia. She characterized the phrase, "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to..."
Cory was sick with the same flu that hit everyone in our house. He got sick before mom came and was sick through most everyone leaving town. Not much of a host. But we kept it low key. I do think I could drive the route to the airport and back in my sleep. But that would be dangerous...
Mom left today. I will truly miss her here. She has an uncanny way of being around just when I need her. She was so helpful for the two weeks she stayed. My washer and dryer and dishwasher haven't ever seen that much use. She was dubbed the "laundry nazi." No clothing left laying out was left unclean. It is so appreciated, all joking aside. My mom is also one of the people who feeds me encouragement. She is honest. But she always leaves me edified. She loves me despite my faults. It is a blessing.
I have a few more things, but they deserve their own posts. We'll see how long it takes to get them posted...