Weekend Recap and a Winner!

After a long day of having intermittent internet service (GRRRR!!!) I can finally post!

We had a really wet great weekend.

Thursday evening, with both vehicles packed, we headed about 35 minutes north to our favorite campground.  T helped me get the tent set up and all other necessities set as he was heading back home to work on Friday.  It would just be me and the kids until he returned 19 hours later.

Thankfully, the bee sting I got while setting up the tent didn't set the tone for the weekend. ;-D

It was H-O-T Thursday evening but the kiddos were tired from excitement and we drifted off to sleep rather quickly calmed by the sound of the fan in our tent.

On Friday, the kids and I spent the day playing at the playground, visiting with a few other families that had arrived early, went swimming, fishing, boating and painting.

Early Friday - before the other campers arrive. 

We were excited when Daddy arrived later in the day and we spent the rest of the evening visiting.  We went to bed, noticing 2 small stars in the sky - now, we wonder if it was our imagination.

We awoke after midnight (the kids slept through EVERYTHING) to rain.  The Lord was watching over us because through the rain, there was no wind with the storm and very little thunder and lightning.  We remained dry - others did not fare so well. :(

I pressed the light on my birthday present to see the time and was happily surprised when I found a cute little graphic on it for me!

It was still raining as we crawled out of the tent, so we decided to go out for breakfast, since we didn't have a tent over our food and making pancakes on the griddle in the rain didn't sound fun to anyone!  T's parents are on the site right next to ours, so they joined us for breakfast at the nearby truck stop!  My hubby treated, telling me it was my birthday treat... sigh!!! ;-D 



It rained on and off for a good bit of the day.  We decided to try fishing in the afternoon, and as we walked there, T said, "Watch it start pouring again as soon as we get to the pond."  And guess what??





The skies cleared and the sun came out in the afternoon, just before supper.  Some good friends invited us down to their campsite to have my second birthday meal of the day - Thanks Anne - I was so glad the truck stop breakfast wasn't my only "treat" of the day! ;-)

Sunday morning was cooler and things began to dry out.  And we could make pancakes!!

Flipping the tent to help the bottom dry!

I didn't grow up camping, but it has been something I now look forward to every summer.  And heading up the extra night was totally worth it - we hope to do that again next year!  Lots of fun memories made with some great friends!!!

And now, for our winner!!!

I numbered the "valid" comments in order and then went to random.org.  The number it selected was:

#8 - GINGER!!! 

She posted on her blog and on facebook and brought 8 more people here - putting her name in a total of 9 times!  LOL!!!  I'll be sure to get your info to CSN and have that $60 prize on its way to you!!! 

Thanks to each and everyone of you that celebrated with me!  It was a wonderful birthday!  And thanks to CSN Stores!

Celebrate with me!

Someone's having a birthday!!

I'll turn 35 on Saturday and the fine people at CSN Stores want to help me celebrate.  I get to choose one lucky commenter (on this post) to receive a $60 *SIXTY DOLLAR* gift certificate to use at any of their over 200 online stores - where you can find everything from cookware to cribs or even your most specific needs such as a bathroom vanity or a bird cage!


I'll be choosing a winner Monday, July 12.  So no entries after 11:59pm, on Sunday, July 11.  Only one comment per person will be entered into the drawing (sorry JM and G!) 


BUT, if you blog about it, tweet it, or facebook it and someone comments telling me that you sent them here, you'll receive an additional entry for each person!!!


So, what am I doing for my birthday?  Well, we have some plans to spend a lot of time outdoors this weekend.  While we desperately need rain  -  I'm hoping the predicted storms don't make too much of a dent in our plans.


So, I'm off to enjoy some wonderful time with my church friends and family!  All you need to do is enjoy the A/C for me and leave a comment below - and then go blog, tweet or facebook it! :-D

Triplets!

Elle - with her twin cousins (age 4).  This year at co-op, they will be in the same class (It's a split Kdg/Pre-K class).  We were at their house on Saturday to swim and watch the town's fireworks - which are put off right behind their house. 

We've been swimming everyday since.  We bought a pool membership this week - it is supposed to be 100 today.  I think this may have been our best decision .... EVER!

Elle and Quintin are finishing up their swimming lessons today and boy what a difference those classes have made.  Even Colin is beginning to enjoy the water a little more every day. 

We have a weekend of camping coming up and in a few short weeks, we'll be headed to the beach.  This summer is certainly flying by.

"Someone" has a birthday this weekend too - so check back tomorrow for a birthday giveaway!

That's all from here - how has your summer been?

More of You and less of me.

When this song cycled through my iPod 2 months ago, it grabbed me like I had never listened to it before.

(If it starts/stops a lot on your computer - let it play through and walk away, come back in a few minutes and then it will be loaded and should play straight through.)

I think so often, we forget - or don't want to realize - we need to be emptied.  We've gone along in our Christian lives -  happy go lucky - and when everything is good, we figure we're doing it all right.  But, God desires so much more for our lives.  No matter how long you've been a Christian - there is always more junk to get rid of.   I want Jesus to empty me and fill me with more of Him!

Holy Fire burn away,

my desire for anything

that is not of you and is of me.

I want more of you and less of me.

Holy Fire burn away,

my desire for anything

that is not of you and is of me,

I want more of you and less of me, yeah.

Empty me,

Empty me, yeah,

Fill, won't you fill me,

with you, with you, yeah.

Holy Fire, burn away,

my desire for anything

that is not of you and is of me.

I want more of you and less of me, yeah.

Empty me,

Empty me, yeah.

Fill, won't you fill me, with you, with you, empty me now.

Well won't you empty me, well won't you empty me now. repeat x2

I want more, I want more, I want more of you, Jesus.

I want more, I want more, oh.

Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you, Jesus, oh yeah,

Thank you, Jesus, yeah.

Holy Fire, Holy Fire, Holy Fire, Holy Fire.

 

Wordless Wednesday

What were my boys watching in Thursday's picture?

Elle at her swimming lessons!

The instructor is helping her get a backpack on - um, she's the only one that can't touch the bottom!  She's our little peanut! ;)

What are they looking at?

Wordless Wednesday

Today, 8 years ago, I became a mom - the best job in the whole wide world!

I keep him young! ;-D

I love my husband.  And I respect his wishes for me to not give his full name or talk about him a lot on my blog, although I have been known to do it in the past!  Just don't tell him!

One of my favorite things about him is his sense of humor!  And that he finds me funny! ;-D

After posting our wedding pictures last week, I thought about how dark his hair used to be.  We got talking about his gray hairs and I told him how much I love them (because it is better than the alternative that happens to hair when one gets older).  He gave me the usual "huh?" look, so I continued.  "I like them," I said, "because I proudly put each and every one of them on your head!"  His look after I said that told me he agreed with me! :-D

Last night, while the kids were having their bedtime snack, he was working on the laptop at the kitchen table.  So I grabbed my camera.  It was dark, I know - not a good time for pictures.



And, I just kept snapping.



And snapping.




And then I stopped with this one.



Because I knew if I kept going, there would be 3 new gray hairs on his head before we went to bed!

Weekend :)

Last week we celebrated our 14th anniversary with T working late to get things ready for events happening at work.

So, we waited until the weekend...and had a stay-cation.

Without the kids!  Thanks Grandma and Grandpa! :D



For more weekend updates, visit Michelle at My 6 in the City.

14 years ago today - June 15

14 years ago today, I was 20 and he was 22.

14 years ago today, I married my best friend.

19 years ago today - June 14

19 years ago today, I was 15 and he was 17.

He took me miniature golfing and I won.

At the end of the game, I hit my ball up a ramp and managed to win a free game.

19 years ...

to be cont,

Wordless Wednesday

They say (and do) the funniest things!

Putting Colin (3) to bed last week, he looks up at me and says, "Good night, don't let the bed bugs ... eat you!"

*****

Elle, fascinated with her new sil*ly bandz bracelets was in a panic the other night.  She looked at her left arm and gasped, "Where are my bandz?"  She was close to tears as she searched the floor around her and under where she was sitting.  In a moment of desperation and so close to losing it, she looked at her right arm, barely gathered herself, smiled in relief and said, "Oh!  There they are!"

*****

Quintin would like to be a chef when he grows up (this week - anyway!)  He was at the kitchen counter helping me cook when he said, "I'll want to be a chef - I smell real good."

Thinking he had said it because he had just grabbed a shower, it took me a few minutes to realize he meant smell with his nose - like he sees Remy, the mouse, do in the movie Ratatouille!

For more tiny talkers, visit Mary.

Bits of our weekend

Ok, so this is really only one bit of our weekend, but it was a big bit! 

A soccer tournament Friday night and Saturday morning.  The White team didn't have a great season, but they really came together and played well during the tournament.  Getting 4th place ... out of 4 teams.  They did have a great time and we were impressed with how they kept up with the other teams - more so than they had most of the season. 

Q had a goal in both of the Sat morning games, too!!!!  This was such a great group of kids!  Including one, standing next to Q, that is the grandson of the secretary from the school I had taught at!  It was great to see her and catch up at several games!

Way to go White team!!!

To read more "bits of my weekend" - visit Michelle at 6 in the city..

Feeling Crafty?

Even if you don't feel like a crafty person, I think you'll love this website and their weekly shows.  The DIY Dish (theDIYdish.com) was developed by the twin sisters who first showed us YouCanMakeThis.com.  A site which I've shared often with you.

The DIY Dish brings a weekly show with very do-able crafts.  This week's episode is posted below.



The entire group that puts this together is just amazing - and I'm blown away each week with their creativity.  Not only do they bring great craft ideas, but they also do amazing giveaways.  Which, about a month ago, I was special enough to have won!

I won a table runner and fresh flowers.  The table runner came last week and the fresh flowers came today - they are beautiful and smell amazing!

Wordless Wednesday: Pool's Open!

Summer Vacation!!!

Last Thursday, we finished up our school year!  Woohoo!!!  Our final day was supposed to be Friday.  However, after finishing Thursday's lessons, I told Quintin all he had was a spelling test and end-of-year math test - his response, "Let's do it now!"

I use our math curriculum (RightStart Math) to gauge our year's length.  So, technically my son is now in 3rd grade and my daughter is starting kindergarten as we head into summer.

I've found, and I think a lot of moms discovered this too, that my kids need a schedule over summer.  We can't just stop everything.  So, we'll continue working through the Adventures in My Father's World curriculum for the summer. 

We have 2 trips to the beach planned this summer and a family camping weekend with our church.  Not a whole lot more going on.  Which is just the way I like it!

What do you have planned for your summer vacation?

Evolution of a boy's dream, finale