Bungee Jumping

It seems fitting that today I will post a crazy Adam story. I'm writing this post, almost to the minute, 6 years after this monkey entered our lives. We have lots of nick-names for him and they all describe his spirit. He is fun loving, creative and really keeps us on our toes. If things get to peaceful at our house you will always hear one of us say "where's Adam?"

This past Friday I was home and Kyle was at work. Adam was playing with bugs in the backyard and I was enjoying some couch time. The next thing I know he is on our back deck soaked, muddy and crying. "I ripped my pants" he's saying over and over. After some love he tells me that he was clipping his belt loop to our dog run. This is a rope tied between two trees with a leash on it so our german shepherd can run the length of our yard. This long rope runs horizontally to our drop off that leads to our creek. Well that crazy kid was clipped to the leash and throwing himself backwards off the drop and letting the rope fling him back up, that's right bungee jumping. Well you can all guess what happened, the loop broke and he went flying down landing in our creek. Oh Adam, only you. Luckily all was well, but it could have been horrible. I wish I had seen it, but I know in the moment I would have been terrified. Really though, I have to laugh because it's just one more of those moments in life where God has put a bubble around that kid and kept him safe. I figure God is saving him for something special as an adult.

What a special gift Adam is in our lives. He is an original kid that gives his love so freely. He is known to do sneak attacks of love - in fact just last week as I was getting in the van he said "I just love you so much I have to kiss you right now." And he planted a big one right on the kisser! What a joy.

He is now cuddled down to watch a movie, he has a cold on his birthday so I get to stay home from work with the birthday boy. I think I better go cuddle in with him! Happy Birthday sweet boy.

Spring Break Is Not Almost Over!

Oh wait, it is. How did the time go so fast. I actually totally forgot I had a blog I was so busy. But now I have had a relaxing break and remembered I wanted to keep this thing updated.

Alex has finished up basketball season, Sarah is full-on into her piano lessons and getting ready to celebrate her 8th birthday and Adam is still busy being Adam, almost 6 (what?). It's been a couple weeks of regression for the birthday kiddos however. Adam had a day where he was on criminal act number 20 when after riding the laundry basket down the stairs, drawing my attention, I realized he had cut his hair! Again!! The boy had no idea that I would be upset, or so it seemed because when I asked him if he had cut his hair he very calmly looked at me and said "yeah". I found the hair all over my bathroom later to prove it. Now he sports an odd uneven look in the back, how did he not draw blood? Luckily the damage in the front just blended in.

Then just a couple of days after that I discovered Sarah's American Girl doll, which she has only had for three months, had been given a trim. When telling this story people react with, "oh how could Adam do that", before I get the pleasure of telling them that my sweet daughter did it herself. She however did know it was wrong and felt so bad she asked for no birthday gifts, "just please fix my doll". So of course we were so touched by her attitude about it we got her gifts and we will also fix the doll. Suckers! So every pair of scissors will now be locked up and they are never allowed to touch them again! Or at least until I forget or until Adam discovers where we are keeping them and gives the cat a trim or something.

blurry picture from Kyle's iPhone. It's the most recent one I have sadly. Don't they look sweet having fun together?! No cutting tools anywhere in sight.

Love is in the Air

It's so nice when I plan a little something special for the kids and family and it actually happens! This is rare, mostly due to my schedule right now. But we have recently been working with our kids on the true meaning of love and I really wanted to come in and support that with actually celebrating V Day!

So on Sunday night I made a pancake dinner, heart shaped of course and set the table with goodies and I had bought a few treats for the kids to enjoy. I made them go upstairs while I got everything decorated and ready, then had them come down for the big reveal. They were so excited, so funny how easy it is to please them. Why do I forget that so easily and not try more? Mental note - must do this more often!

While we ate dinner I asked the kids who they loved. Adam had the best answer - I love Jesus because He died on the cross for my sins and I love mom and I love dad. Wow. He paused for a bit and then kindly added his siblings to the list.

I am happy to say that currently no kiddo in our family wants a girlfriend or boyfriend. Alex is actually grossed out at the thought. I think secretly Sarah wouldn't mind, especially if it was one of the members of Big Time Rush, but her dad is gonna be pretty hard to convince that a boyfriend is a good idea until she is at least 25!

Alex got a microscope. Not a great one, but when your 9 you really don't care.
Sarah got a knitting craft and Adam got a craft set too.
Kyle got bacon!
Our table setting - even broke out the china!
And our dessert, provided by Suzanne Schmidt. They were oh so yummy!!!

Holy Cow! I have a blog...

What?! Oh I still have a blog, hard to believe after 8 months of silence. However a few nights ago I stumbled upon my printed out old blogs and realized I needed to get back on the blogging ride. Mostly because it's the only journal my kids will have of their young life. I read back over funny stories of how they started school and were living life almost a year ago and was kicking myself for taking such a long break. So I officially announce my return to storytelling my life for my kids enjoyment later.

It seems silly to update the last 8 months, so I will just say that almost nothing is the same as it was when I made my last blog update. I have a new job, Central Linn Choir/Music slave :) Kyle is the band director at Jefferson High - we are hoping for more hours for him and a few less for me. We are still running a private studio and we are still doing photography (LOVE) when we can fit it in. To say God has provided is really not justice to all he has given us. We are thriving and did for the entire year of unemployment. Our friends loved us, our family helped us out and everyone was praying. Now we have a new look to our life and that may change again in this season of budget crisis for schools. But we are enjoying having insurance, having enough to pay the bills and the extra cash to eat out a bit more as mommy can't figure out how to work and cook yet.

Adam is a kinder - Sarah a 2nd grader and Alex a 3rd grader. All are doing well although Adams teacher did say someone may offer drugs as an option for him down the road. Her funny way of saying the kid is full of energy. She then suggested the boys and girls club for a chance to get that energy out somewhere other then school. What she doesn't know is that he purposefully saves up all his energy for school. He thinks home = vacation.

Sarah is in gymnastics and started piano lessons last week. She's still a mystery to me, not sure where she will land. But I do know she's beautiful, funny and smart. Now to channel all that in a way that pleases the Lord.

Alex is playing basketball - played football in the fall - and loving it and wanting to start some kind of martial arts this spring - which means no baseball for us this year. I'm really ok with that. He also fancies himself a writer. He has been writing a book since the fall and when I ask him about it he says he plans to send it to a publisher - his words. I'm worried he'll get in trouble since at times it is word for word Diary of a Wimpy Kid. He, however, thinks he's gonna make a million dollars and get a movie deal.

So that is my fast version of a catch up and now I will try and update this baby with the memories that we all enjoy reading about down the road. Without my blog amazing stories about kids screaming their heads off at me down the street, with snot running from their nose and bare feet while I put other kids on the bus would be lost forever. And that would be a shame ;)

Knead and Feed and some other stuff too

Kyle and I were blessed to have the entire holiday weekend alone in Seattle. My amazingly awesome parents offered!!! to take our kids! God bless them. The weekend started off with a bang, watching little Adam graduate from preschool. What an amazing experience we have had there, all three kids graduated from Judson Baptist Preschool and now an era is over for us. Hard to believe.

Here's Adam with his amazing teacher that took him such a long way this year. He is more then prepared to be a kinder and amazingly he has successfully learned to follow instruction and behave in a socially ok way. This is a big deal for this crazy kid and we are very proud.
I don't have any pictures of the first day or so of our trip. We took the long way, back roads, to seattle, 8 hrs people! But we saw some beautiful scenery and I took a lovely nap and no one was in the back seat asking when we would get there and fighting so it was all good.
Saturday was sleeping in, finding a yummy breakfast and shopping at some outdoor cottage type shops, then we read, for hours... and hours! Sigh, so wonderful. After all that relaxing we headed out for dinner at this place we found on line. It was in an old Seattle neighborhood and it was yum. Here's Kyle playing at the local park, and me outside the place we ate.
After dinner we took in some jazz, and our table was almost on stage we were so close. I was actually touching the stage most of the time, and it was great because we could really see everything happening. I love watching their fingers and hearing them communicate with each other.
On Sunday we hopped on the ferry and headed to Whidbey island. This for me was the highlight of our trip. Very cute - full of small towns that remind me of little fishing villages. Great shops and AMAZING food.
Here we are on the ferry, first time for me so fun memory to make with my main squeeze.
taking a walk on the beach, check out the shells they were everywhere. Huge whole shells.

Then we ate here, at this amazing wonderful place that I highly recommend. I suggest reservations, but they took Kyle's cell number and called us when they had a table free. So we were able to get our beach walk in while we waited for a table. Really you have got to eat here. If for no other reason then the toast!
I know, toast should not be a reason to eat somewhere, but oh how it is. The best toast ever, homemade and so buttery good.
And this wasn't to bad either :) Look at our cute table markers for the servers.
And what I wished I had room for as I walked out the door with my...
cup of coffee to go, free when you get coffee with your meal. Just make a to go cup to have in hand while you walk around town. So perfect!
All the stores and buildings had neat old, knobs on their doors. Here is just one of many.
We found an old block house at the museum and the light upstairs was awesome for pictures, Kyle went crazy. I love the baby cradle that you can see in this one.
The town of Coupville where we spent most of our time, isn't it cute!?
This crazy seal that was feeding the birds, not kidding you, he would come with fish and the birds would jump on his back and take it, then they would do it again. Crazy.
Me and my sweetie!
We ended the day by exploring the lighthouse and Kyle walked around Fort Casey while I read. (I started and finished a book, so rare.) Then we enjoyed coffee in another little down while reading at a table outside under an umbrella. Because of course it was drizzly, but we didn't care, it was still lovely.
So thanks mom and dad, we loved it, we are still feeling refreshed from it, and I can't wait to take my kids back to Whidbey Island. I think that's a pretty great sign that it was a successful weekend.

Band Man for Hire

The season is upon us for searching for that new job. The one that will finally give us some closure from Gladstone, the one that will help us feel more secure, the one that would help me not panic at all when I hear my childcare gig might be ending sooner rather then later and that unemployment is up soon and that our mortgage is going up... and so on. Of course these things all happen at the same time, because isn't that how it goes for everyone. But I have peace, supernatural peace that comes from my heavenly Father. I know He will provide, as he has all year. I wish I could say OK Lord I'm done, and poof it would be over, but that would be a shame because I would be missing out on something He has in store for me. I've learned and I think grown this year. We have relied on Christ and become more unified as a couple. We have truly found joy in our trial, all because of God. I know this is a God thing because I am a worrier. I fret and wonder and think "what if" and "what will we do"? But God has claimed all that from me, thank you Lord. Yet I still found myself rather teary as Kyle headed out Monday morning to turn in his remaining application pieces to Mt. Angel high school. I was praying, please God if this is your will, if this is a good fit, allow this job to happen. But more then that I don't want to fail, I want to stay strong in the Lord, I want to continue to rely on Him to let Him do it and not try and force this trial to be over. I want my husband to stay positive, to not lose hope or think himself less then he is. I can't put into words my amazement with him and how he has endured this, how he has stayed strong for all of us, and really lead my attitude through his own attitude. I'm blessed and I know that this year has brought that understanding even more to the surface, but pray for us. Pray first that we continue to rely on Him and second that if it's God will this trial will close for us soon. Thank you God for these days and for the plan I know you have for us and patience you continually grant us as we wait on You.

Birthdays + Easter =

No time for blogging and a whole lot of fun! This year Sarah had a PJ party minus the sleep over. She had a group of girlfriends, lifelong and school friends, over for the classic slumber party fun! There were makeovers and dancing and pillow fights... you get the idea. They ended the night with these little take home treats. Sarah's parties are so fun for me to organize, I love getting really girly even as I age, it's great living a little of my youth again by watching her.

Then we had the combined family party. Birthday's one week apart makes it hard, so they each get a friend party than they have one party together with the family. This year we played games with questions about the birthday sweeties and Sarah won for Adam and Alex won for Sarah. Nice to know the siblings know each other so well.
This was the beginning of Easter week, two parties down, but real life was also taking place. Like watching this little sweet guy! Yes we are teaching him to sing already.
And every night we had Easter practice - here I am with one of my PT peeps - that stands for Praise Team, a small group on mics. We had way more fun then we probably should have complete with some rad dance moves and a whole lot of laughter.
And by day I was still being mommy - Adam out front guarding the homestead. I feel so much safer with him around.
And more singing - yes we are getting down and loving it!
Mommy by day - Adam working on his new laptop that he got from grandma and grandpa all while sporting the batman PJ's.
singing monster by night - here we are doing our best to feel some soul while singing a gospel number.
Then the end of the week held a super cool Abbygail party for Adam - wow it was fun. I have an album on facebook that lays it all out there, but here he is watching as our surprise guest arrived, Abbygail herself. What a special celebration for a special 5 year old.

And we also had to dye eggs, this was actually the first time I had ever done this with the kids and it was really fun. While the kids worked on eggs and I helped them, Kyle talked about Easter and it's importance in our life. It was a nice way to spend Saturday morning before kissing them goodbye as they stayed with the grandparents while we camped out at church for the weekend.
Adam's egg says Jesus, I think.
Sarah went with a pretty little stripe.
And Alex drew a cross, I think there was more to his egg on the other side, but I don't remember.
The finished product. They actually ate some which shocked me.
Here we are Sunday morning after two performances Saturday night having some vocal warm-up. Really a great weekend, I loved the music and the message was clear.
I had to include this shot - taken by a photographer at church. These two played Adam and Eve, I think the hardest roles out there, they were really good sports.

The weekend was topped off with an egg hunt with the cousins at my folks place. Whew, it makes me a little tired just looking at all we did. God was so good and kept us healthy and happy. As always a great week, and a crazy week.
Can you see the egg hiding in the pillow case. The oldest cousins hid the eggs this year, they had some pretty clever spots too.

All the craziness aside, I have to say, I am grateful for my Lord and Savior. I am awed by Him and that is always renewed in this season. I watch as God puts our presentations together each year, and as he keeps everyone so calm and leaning on Him. There is no tension, no harsh words, no grumpy servants. Everyone is working together to please Him and He sees us thru. I get to thank God for not only the birth of two of my children at this time and the huge blessing that they are, but also for the eternity I get to look forward to with Christ. Thank you for the cross Lord, thank you for the price you paid. Bearing all my sin and shame in love you came.