Too much fun June 19, 2008

This is what the kids looked like when we got home from camping.  We left the campground around 10:30 am and Lucy slept until 5 pm.  Then she went back to sleep at 8:30 and slept through the night.  Becca & Emma woke up when we got home, but we let them veg out and watch TV most of the afternoon.  Brady still falls asleep on most long car rides, so it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for him. 

I could have taken this same picture tonight on the way to Emma’s T-ball practice.  She fell asleep in the van, so we decided to skip it.  Summer is hard on them.  We don’t let them stay up a lot later, but all the swimming, running, and just plain old fresh air really wears them out!

Camping June 18, 2008

Scott completely redeemed himself on Friday morning.  On his way home from work, at about 6:30 am, he called my cell to let me know he was on his way.  We were chatting and my home phone rang.  I was my dad telling me that some people had left after the storm Thursday night and there were some spots open.  I quickly relayed this info to Scott.  He said he would turn around, go back to GPC, get his dad’s truck (his doesn’t have the right hitch) and pull the camper up to West Lake ASAP.

He got home by 7:15 and Lucy was awake.  She is all about her daddy right now, so she wanted to go with him.  The two of them headed up and got us a spot.  Becca and Emma were SO excited!!  And very thankful that their Daddy would forgo his sleep (which we all know he loves!) to get them a camping spot! 

Everyone had so much fun!  My Dad and Betty, Betty’s daughters Marci & Jessi, and Jessi’s family were all there.  We had six kids ranging in age from 6 months to 8 and they were all very well behaved.  

Lucy decided to cling onto Jessi this weekend.  She’s good at picking someone and just sticking to them like glue.  I guess she can get away with it because she’s just so darn cute! 

The girls rode their bikes most of the weekend.  They love to have pavement to ride on.  I bet they put more miles on their bikes then they have total in the past!

One of Emma’s preschool friend’s family was camping too, so she had an extra playmate all weekend.

On Saturday, we went to the beach.  The sand was rocky and the water was dirty, but the kids had a blast.  (Yes, this is Lucy…she’s doing her best Dutch child impersonation with the new bangs!)

Brady stayed back at the camp site with Grandpa.  They played a little and did some bonding – aka slept in the lawn chair!

We all had a great time & hopefully we can go camping again soon!!!

Pictures June 13, 2008

A rare picture of all four together! 

Lucy has figured out she can climb into Brady’s crib – not a good idea, but they were so cute!

He’s getting so big.  And those eyes just melt mommy’s heart!

Rain, rain, go away! June 13, 2008

We had plans to go to Sugar Bottom at Coralville Lake camping this weekend with Dad, Marci & Jessie.  All week we’ve been checking the website, calling the campground, and we were ready to go.  I cleaned everything in the camper.  I had my grocery lists ready to go.  Then this morning we hear I-80 is going to be closed at the Cedar River.  O.k., Dad comes up with an alternate route.  Then we check the website one last time – Sugar Bottom to close Sunday at noon.  Ahh!  We collectively decide that if it’s getting bad enough to close the entire campground we’re not going, but we really want to go camping and the girls’ hearts are set on it. 

Scott comes up with the idea of trying West Lake.  They don’t take reservations, so if we hurry and pull the campers up today we could get a spot.  Everybody hurries to get campers hooked up.  They’re not packed, but we can bring up supplies on Friday when everybody gets there. 

Scott & Lucy head up to the lake and I stay here with the other 3.  He calls me and says, “We’re all going to get a spot.”  The girls are thrilled.  Ten minutes later he calls back, “Bad news, I had a spot, but wanted to see if there was one closer to the toys and when I got back all the spots were gone!”  I’m so frustrated at this point that I call him a not very nice name (in front of his mom no less!) and hastily hang up.  The girls were pouting and mad at their dad.  (I explained it wasn’t really his fault – even though I was still a little angry myself!) 

The other two campers did get spots, and are insisting that we come up and stay with them.  I’m a little hesitant to move all 6 of us in with someone else, but we’re going to give it a try. 

All this confusion led to me being about 3 hours behind in my process of getting ready.  My mom said she would stop and pick up some dinner, and watch the kids while I went grocery shopping.  Of course, as we were sitting down to eat, more storms start rolling in.  I waited out that round of storms and then Lucy & I left for Wal-Mart.  While we were there another storm came rolling in.  We left the store in the pouring raining and more lightning than I have ever seen.  I threw Lucy in her carseat and loaded the groceries as fast as I could.  I was getting drenched, and holding a metal cart in a lightning storm didn’t seem like the safest place to be, but I got them all in the van and into the house without melting!

I sure hope we all have fun camping!  It has to get better than today!:) 

Failed!!! June 13, 2008

I’m on the computer…my house is no where near clean!!!

Banned! June 11, 2008

I’m banning myself from the computer until my house is clean.  Pretty sure my computer will be an antique before that happens, but I’ll try. 

Oh no, Brady’s crying…putting off cleaning a little longer!

That dirty bird! June 10, 2008

All of a sudden, at Emma’s first T-ball practice tonight, I felt something slimy running down my leg – yep, some dirty bird pooped right on me!  Gross!!  (Let’s face it, I get pooped, puked, and drooled on all the time – it’s just not usually from wildlife!)  Somebody told me that if a bird poops on you, you’re going to have good luck.  I hope that’s true, but I kind of think all you really get is lucky enough to clean it off!

I remember one time sitting on my grandparents deck and a bird flew over and pooped right on my Pops’ bald head.  All he said was, “That dirty bird!” 

It’s hard to believe my Pops has been gone for more than 6 years now.  Becca remembers going to the nursing home and pushing him around in the wheelchair, but he died the day I announced I was pregnant with Emma.  Unfortunately, he never knew who Becca was even when he did see her…sometimes I think he thought she was me.  Alzheimer’s is such a terrible disease.  Hopefully there will be a cure someday.

 

Tortise Triathalon June 9, 2008

The Y is having a “Tortise Triathalon” from June 1 – July 15.  The idea is to complete an Ironman (or woman!) triathalon at your own pace.  That includes 26.2 miles running, 112 miles biking, 2.? miles (176 lengths of the Y pool) swimming.  My mom thought it would be a great idea to sign up.  She said she would pay for my entry and if I finished I didn’t have to pay her back.  I’m not sure the $10 entry fee is that great of an incentive, so I’m telling everyone that I’m going to finish it.  I have confirmed the fact that I am not a strong swimmer (my mom can definately swim better than I can – but I could run circles around her!:)) and that bicycle seats are very uncomfortable!!  I have 19.5 more miles to run (no problem), 93.5 miles to bike (ouch!), and 136 more lengths of the pool (yikes!) – I hope I make it!

Oh my…4 kids! June 9, 2008

Summer is a little more difficult with 4 kids.  I’m not sure if it’s the fact that there are 4 of them or more that 2 of them are under the age of 2.  I tried to take them all to the pool last Thursday – something that we have been doing at least twice a week for the last couple of years.  Well, I’m not sure we’ll be investing in that family aquatics center pass this year.  Becca is fine.  She can swim and always finds a friend or two to go on the water slides with.  Emma is good too.  She’s not a great swimmer, but she knows how to stay within my view and she usually finds someone she knows to go on the little slide in the shallow end and play with the squirters and stuff.  Brady likes to put his toes in and is perfectly content being held all afternoon.  Then there’s Lucy…I thought for about 20 minutes everything was going to work out.  I sat at the side with Brady and she splashed around right there with us.  That end all too quickly.  She has absolutely no fear.  She started walking out towards the toys in the deeper water.  (By deeper, I mean waist or chest high on her.)  I decided to follow right behind her but not really stop her, thinking she would get scared.  Nope, no such luck.  She quickly figured out that when the water got deep she could just bounce up and down a little and her face stayed out of the water.  I took her back up to the shallow end and successfully distracted her for awhile.   Then Brady started getting tired and Emma wanted a snack, so Lucy needed to get out of the pool.  She decided that she didn’t want to get out of the pool, so I had to drag her over to our seats kicking and screaming.  I LOVE looking like the mom with too many out of control kids!!!!  Our next visit to the pool will be with Scott!  (And there probably won’t be any pictures of our adventures to the pool…too much work and also no need for any swimsuit pictures of me!)

Yesterday, we thought it would be a nice idea to go down to the bike path.  Becca & Emma could ride their bikes, Lucy & Brady could ride in the bike trailer converted into a jogging stoller, and Scott & I could get a little exercise.  Becca does great on her new bike, Emma did great on her bike (still with training wheels, but that’s Scott’s project for the summer!), and Lucy & Brady hated riding in the stroller.  Lucy cried almost the entire time, which made Brady cry.  It got really hot and the two crying babies were sweating like crazy!  Scott thinks we just need to take them more often so they get used to riding in it – so if any of you are on the bike path and hear 2 screaming babies, I’m very sorry for disturbing your walk! 

I keep telling myself they grow up too fast and to enjoy Lucy & Brady being little…but these times make it hard not to wish for them to be a little older.  I know they will be going off to kindergarten before I know it & then I’ll wish they were babies again!! 

Anyway, a lot of blabbing and no pictures…sorry!

Fun day! June 3, 2008

At about 7:30 am Emma comes bouncing into my room singing about Sophie coming over to play.  She was so excited -probably because I’m not very good at having her friends come over for playdates and she hasn’t seen her friends since preschool got over.  We weren’t picking Sophie up until 10 to head down to storytime at the library, but luckily the morning rush around here makes the time go by pretty quick. 

At about 8:30, I realized that the pouring down rain was not going to stop anytime soon and called Joyce to see if Brady could stay with her.  She, of course, said sure. We dropped him off, picked up Becca at Madi’s, picked up Sophie, found a parking spot fairly close to the library and made it in just a little wet.  The girls really seemed to like seeing the “bug guy” again.  When we got home, Emma & Sophie spent about 1/2 the time making videos with my digital camera and the other 1/2 watching them over and over! 

This evening Johnny, Betsy and baby Charlie came out and brought us dinner.  Becca got to pick since Johnny had to miss her First Communion/B-day party, so we got Chinese.  After we ate and visited for awhile, we ended up playing Wii.  Becca beat Johnny in boxing and Betsy kicked my butt at American Idol.  (No one told me she could really sing – hello, I’m horrible.  I’m holding out for the “So You Think You Can Dance” game!)  Lucy just loved Betsy.  After they left she stood at the door and said, “baby’s mama bye-bye” over and over.  Hopefully we can see them again soon!

A few pictures from tonight:

Brady & Charlie:

The whole gang – Charlie, not so happy!

Everybody cry!:

“Dude, you got a little something on your bib!”: