Bloggity Blog just to Blog :)

I'm trying to blog every month so I figured I better get at August's post!
Yesterday the boys and I started their school. The day went very well, I was happy to see they were actually a little excited about starting. Josiah wasn't excited about the actual work but more about being a 4th grader! Yes, 4th grade...I have a 4th grader...*sigh*. Feeling...much....much older. I know we've officially started when I've got a computer on my kitchen table, paces spread across the other side of the table and a pencil box buried somewhere beneath a pile of "nice job!", "Wow!", Super Star!" sticker sheets. Also somewhere on the table is the book I am trying to read in between questions and complaints, my cell phone that just bing binged me (got a text from you Katie!), and my thumbdrive needed to back up Siah's work....oh and the usual kitchen table stuff, salt/pepper shaker and some napkins. :) Earlier this kitchen table was an art center for the up and coming, soon to be famous painter, Tara. :) She loves to paint and I love to let her b/c it keeps this 2 year old happy, content and very mucho busy for at least 30-45 minutes! Today we used an old poster board and some washable paint and she painted me a beautiful picture of who knows what! I did get a sweet little Tara hand print in there too! She also painted a little of her dress, elbow and lower lip...not sure if she sneaked a taste while my back was turned...hmmmm.
Here in about an hour this school/art table needs to be a dinner table so I'd better stop my bloggity blogging and get to cleaning and cooking!

Summer Camps

Last week Josiah went to church camp for his 2nd year. A couple of months ago he told me he wasn't going, and I told him Yes you are! :) I knew he would have fun, just as he had last year. It was weird not having my Siah home with us but I'm so glad he did go b/c he got saved while there! Thursday, July 14th he accepted Jesus as his Savior! Also this brave boy of ours sang a solo at camp! He was asked if he wanted to sing and he said sure! He chose to sing Jesus Loves me, in Japanese. All the people there thought it was pretty cool, from what I heard. Our boys from our church also won 1st place in basketball and baseball, I think. Josiah had the winning hit and run for baseball! He didn't even think to tell me about that, I had to hear it from his counselor. I'm hoping to go as a counselor next year to jr camp b/c I'd love to be there and watch him play in the sports and maybe sing again! Also Gaber will get to go next year. :)
This week Jeff is gone with the teens to senior camp. We both were hoping that I would get to go too but we couldn't find a babysitter. I was starting to feel frustrated about this b/c I was wanting to be there and help Jeff and to be there for our teen girls but then our pastor said something in one of his sermons that got me thinking. He mentioned how one of our missionaries was needing money to fix their house b/c scorpions were getting inside and biting/stinging their children. I sat there and thought about how I was thinking that I had it so hard b/c I don't have family near that can babysit, but here are people putting up with much harder difficulties! That really put things into perspective for me. As bummed as I felt about not going, I really don't have it that bad! I may not be able to find a babysitter easily but I'd rather deal with this than the other! So, I figured I wasn't meant to go this year to camp. God must have wanted me to stay home with my children, which is not a bad option :).
So far my week with the kids isn't too bad. I took them to the pool this morning when I realized Tara's fear of planes is much more serious that I had thought. Any time she hears one she comes running to me and clings on for dear life. She hasn't always been afraid of them though. About one month ago we were at the pool and two F-16 (i think) flew right over our heads, so low you could see all the details on their planes. Well, it was obviously super loud and she flipped! So now anytime she hears one she comes running. Poor girl! Hoping she gets over this since F-16s flying over is a common occurrence here by the air force base!
I had better get to doing the laundry, I have a lot to do from Josiah being at camp! Lots of stinky boy clothes to wash! :)

Our Weekend

We had a busy and fun weekend here and it went way to fast like always. Saturday morning we had bus visitation. We take the 3 kiddos along with us, they mostly like to go, but Saturday was so hot that even I was dragging out there in that heat. Tara loves going. But she is a little confused. She thinks the bus is called bus visitation. So when we get off the bus she yells out, "Where's bus visitation? I get on bus visitation!" :) After bus we went to Taco Bell with the kids and one other guy from our church. On our way there Tara yelled, "I want Taco Bell water!" Thinking the heat was getting to her too! The rest of the afternoon I cleaned while Jeff and the guy from our church played a game then that night another guy from church came over for a bible study and then guitar lessons for Jeff. They made a deal that Jeff would teach him more about the bible and in return, that guy would teach Jeff how to play his guitar. :) I really hope they stick to this b/c I would love for Jeff to learn how to play! :) After their lessons we went out bowling with the kids and the 2 guys from church plus others. Gaber had his first winning game against Siah which made him smile from ear to ear! I helped Tara bowl and we managed to score a 77. :) After bowling we came home and put the kids to bed and rented a movie and had lots of junk food. I felt very blah after all that soda and candy! :) But its so good while eating it!
Sunday we had church, of course, and then we had our all day teen activity. We played softball outside in the 99 degree heat from 1-4pm! They all had fun though and no one got dehydrated, thank God! Then we had church again and after church Tara was able to pull a whole group together to eat at McDonalds. I don't know how she did it! My plans were to go home and eat something small and healthy but she managed to get a group of us there!
Well we had a great weekend and now I'm having troubles getting motivated to do anything on this Monday. I gotta get busy though b/c the guys are coming over again tonight for another bible study and more guitar lessons. Thankfully they are guys and they could care less how clean my floors are or if there is some dust on the table! :)

#10

Today is Jeff and my 10th anniversary! I say this a lot, but time really goes by so fast. I just can't believe we've been married for 10 years and have 3 wonderful children.
We've been threw so much these past 10 years and I'm so thankful for where we are today. I love Jeff so much, I love our family and I love our life together that God has given us.
So now I will try to name what we've done every year to celebrate our anniversary. I think I did this last year, I will try not to peak at my answers from then. :)
1st- in Spokane, WA we went to a waterfall and out to eat
2nd- in Biloxi, MI we left Josiah with some friends for one night and we went to the Six Flags in LA.
3rd- in the Azores, we went out to eat at an Italian place and I was prego with Gaber.
4th- we were in FL for Jeff's sister's wedding. Can't remember really celebrating that one. :(
5th- back in the Azores, pastor's daughter babysat while we ate out somewhere.
6th- in Okinawa, Japan. We celebrated early b/c Jeff was about to deploy. We ate at a yummy place called Arin Karin and then went to the Macaroni Grill for desert.
7th- in Okinawa, prego with Tara. Jeff's parents were visiting us. I think we celebrate at Okuma, a military resort there.
8th- in Okinawa, still :), hmmmm...may have to peak at my answers from before. I can't remember!
9th- in Georgia, and...um...we ate out somewhere. Its funny that I'm forgetting the most recent ones! Sheesh!
10th- we went on a cruise to the Bahamas! Tonight we are taking the kids out to eat with us to the Olive Garden. :)

Maybe someday I will scan some wedding pictures of ours so I can post them. Jeff and I got married back before everyone had digital cameras...man we are old! hahaha

Back to School

The kids and I have been enjoying our break from school work for the past 3 weeks. We had lolo and lola here for about 2 weeks, Jeff and I went on a cruise, and we have already visited the pool countless times. I am determined this summer to help my boys remember what they learned last year by continuing with school through the summer. To my surprise they were actually a little excited to get started again. Today Gaber is doing his English class, which amazingly is one of his favorites. Josiah is working on multiplication today, which has been the hardest thing for him. We have been working on memorizing his multiplication for a while now and he still does not have it down. I've tried so many things, so if anyone out there has a good idea please let me know.
We will still visit our pool every week and enjoy summer but will try to not loose everything this summer too! :) Hopefully we will be ahead of the game by the time we start 1st grade and 4th grade!!!

Cruisin'!

Jeff and I got back on Saturday from our 10th anniversary vacation. We went on a cruise to Key West and then to Nassau, Bahamas. :) It was a lot of fun and very relaxing. Jeff's parents came down to GA to watch the kiddos for us, thank you lolo and lola! While in Key West we went para sailing and shopping. In the Bahamas we went to the Blue Lagoon and also shopping. :) I didn't get to do much shopping in the Bahamas b/c to our surprise all stores close down at 6. As we were walking around the streets all the doors just started closing on us and I started to panic b/c I still had not found a present for the boys! Luckily we ran across one store closer to the cruise ship that was still open. Today is our 3rd day back on land and I still feel the rocking motion of the ship. I'm not feeling sick just feeling like I'm still on the boat. Luckily I did not get sea sick, we weren't to sure if I would or not since I get sick easily on rides and even in the car if I look down to much.
Here are a few pics from our trip...


a little windy that night



enjoying a nice evening out on the deck



para sailing

Thursday Family Night

We have been doing a family night every Thursday for a year or more now. It usually includes a kid friendly meal either cooked by me or ordered in, icecream, and games. Lately the kids have been wanting to play a board game like Sorry or Monopoly. For icecream we usually end up at DQ. Last night we decided to change it up a little and go out for pizza at a new place. We took them to Stevie B's pizza which turned out to be really good. Its a buffet like Cici's but also it has crazy pizza creations and an arcade. Jeff and I tried their loaded baked potato pizza which was really good dipped in marinara and we also tried their cheeseburger pizza which strangely reminded me of a cheeseburger from McD's. I think the kids stayed safe with cheese pizza and pepperoni pizza. Gaber and Tara also enjoyed the dessert pizzas and icecream. As good and fun as it was, buffets are just a bad idea b/c Jeff and I left stuffed! I probably ate twice the amount that I usually do! I just had to try it all! :) At the end of the night we went bowling. This was Tara's first time bowl and she had a blast! Mommy or daddy would take her up there and help her push the ball down the lane. She would tell us, "you watch" and try to push us away! I think if we would have just watched, no one else would have a turn b/c the ball would never make it down the lane! She did pretty well with a score of 20 something and only one foul. :) Gaber did well too, of course he had the bunkers (is that right? bunkers? that doesn't sound right?) up and he scored in the 70's. Josiah did really well with no bunkers but scored in around 30.
Between pizza and bowling we had one extra stop that is not part of family night. We took the kids to the funeral home for a viewing of one of our church members who died Tuesday night. This lady was also Gaber's sunday school teacher so we thought it would be good for them to go and learn from this. I explained to them there is nothing to be afraid of, that it is just a part of life. Gaber had many questions when he saw her laying there. First of all he asked who it was, it just didn't look like her. Then he asked why she was in that box. Then he wanted to go up closer to see her better. I'm glad they all did well with this and understood that she is in heaven now.