We saw a caterpillar.
We ate.
We walked.
We fed fish.
We went home.
They boys are sleeping well now...
Now that's what I call a good day.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Good Day for a Picnic
We played.
We saw a caterpillar.
We ate.
We walked.
We fed fish.
We went home.
They boys are sleeping well now...
Now that's what I call a good day.
We saw a caterpillar.
We ate.
We walked.
We fed fish.
We went home.
They boys are sleeping well now...
Now that's what I call a good day.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Summer Time Equals Pool Time
My sister is staying with us for the weekend and since the temperature has been residing in the mid-nineties for the the past couple of days we decided it was time to do some swimming. Of course, for these very same reasons - along with the fact that the public pool has just opened - I had no desire to camp out around a crowded baby pool. We chose instead to head to Wal-Mart and purchase one of those molded plastic pools (we used to have one, but the dog ate it - another story for another time). We stood in line just in time to buy one of the last ones in stock - thank goodness we got up early to do our shopping! Then we shoved it in the back of her SUV and headed back to the house to unveil our gift to Logan.
He was thrilled...really, he was...this picture doesn't do his excitement justice, I promise...
He was more than happy to "help" Justin fill the pool too...
And Bram...he was excited to drink out of his new super large dog bowl...Logan did not approve...
Soon the pool was filled and the boys were really excited to get in...
Gavin was extra excited...he practically threw himself in at one point...really, the little man is that strong if he wants to be!
Of course, swimming had to wait. It was only 9:30 in the morning and the water was COLD! I had very disappointed children, but patience pays off. By 3:30 that afternoon the sun had warmed up the water, naps had refreshed my children (except not really for Gavin since he barely slept an hour), and the boys were ready to swim!
Much to my pleasure they actually did really well together in the pool! For the most part Logan was very careful around Gavin - very little splashing and he didn't once come close to knocking his tiny brother over! That didn't stop Gavin from face diving at one point when reaching for a toy though...no worries because a few tears and a snuggle later he was right back in the action!
Pool time was definitely a success! Made an even better success by the fact that I now have two very tired boys tucked in to bed...maybe I'll even get lucky enough to have them both sleep past 5:00 in the morning tomorrow! So cheers to a great day in the sun with my family!
He was thrilled...really, he was...this picture doesn't do his excitement justice, I promise...
He was more than happy to "help" Justin fill the pool too...
And Bram...he was excited to drink out of his new super large dog bowl...Logan did not approve...
Soon the pool was filled and the boys were really excited to get in...
Gavin was extra excited...he practically threw himself in at one point...really, the little man is that strong if he wants to be!
Of course, swimming had to wait. It was only 9:30 in the morning and the water was COLD! I had very disappointed children, but patience pays off. By 3:30 that afternoon the sun had warmed up the water, naps had refreshed my children (except not really for Gavin since he barely slept an hour), and the boys were ready to swim!
Much to my pleasure they actually did really well together in the pool! For the most part Logan was very careful around Gavin - very little splashing and he didn't once come close to knocking his tiny brother over! That didn't stop Gavin from face diving at one point when reaching for a toy though...no worries because a few tears and a snuggle later he was right back in the action!
Pool time was definitely a success! Made an even better success by the fact that I now have two very tired boys tucked in to bed...maybe I'll even get lucky enough to have them both sleep past 5:00 in the morning tomorrow! So cheers to a great day in the sun with my family!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Joplin
Yesterday Justin went to Joplin with a work crew from our church and another church here in town. They left at six o'clock in the morning. He spent his morning unloading supplies from trailers and putting them on palettes to be distributed as needed. He then ate a free lunch provided by some grateful citizens in the parking lot of the destroyed high school. Next he spent the afternoon hauling away debris at a couple of different homes. And finally, he came home to us at seven that night tired, dirty, and even a little sick from breathing in all of the smoke and dust.
He didn't have a lot to say about what he saw at first. I think he was having trouble finding the words to describe what is really like in Joplin, what the citizens of that community are living and struggling with everyday. I'm not sure it can be explained - I'm beginning to think it must be something you have to have seen in person to ever really understand. I'm beginning to believe that the pictures on the news and the pictures he took on our little point and shoot only begin to scratch the surface of what has happened and is happening in this town.
At first he showed me the pictures he took (most from a moving car while traveling between job sites). Then bits and pieces of stories came out - good and bad, hopeful and discouraging. There were hundreds of volunteers lined up waiting to be sent somewhere they could help -so many in fact that some groups were turned away. And then there was law enforcement and military everywhere; looters being arrested on the street as they passed by. There were groups of people providing free meals for any worker and before the workers could even get a thank you in the people providing the food - the people who had just been through a catastrophic event - were sincerely thanking them for everything they were doing! And there was the overwhelming job of clean up - an entire day spent working and yet it seemed like so little was accomplished, like there was just so much left to do.
Our church is planning another trip down in two weeks. And another trip after that. And another. And another...however long groups will be allowed to come down and volunteer. However long there is work to be done and hands to help. Justin will go back as often as he can. Maybe I will go too...though I'll admit it scares me to see this all up close and real, but I want to help too. I can't help but want to help.
These are a few of the pictures Justin took on his trip. They're SOOC (straight out of camera), and like I said earlier, mostly taken from the back of a moving vehicle.
These are just a few of the pictures...I'm hoping that as we continue to travel down to Joplin to help we can continue to take pictures and be witnesses to the amazing recovery of this town...and then continue to share it with everyone else.
He didn't have a lot to say about what he saw at first. I think he was having trouble finding the words to describe what is really like in Joplin, what the citizens of that community are living and struggling with everyday. I'm not sure it can be explained - I'm beginning to think it must be something you have to have seen in person to ever really understand. I'm beginning to believe that the pictures on the news and the pictures he took on our little point and shoot only begin to scratch the surface of what has happened and is happening in this town.
At first he showed me the pictures he took (most from a moving car while traveling between job sites). Then bits and pieces of stories came out - good and bad, hopeful and discouraging. There were hundreds of volunteers lined up waiting to be sent somewhere they could help -so many in fact that some groups were turned away. And then there was law enforcement and military everywhere; looters being arrested on the street as they passed by. There were groups of people providing free meals for any worker and before the workers could even get a thank you in the people providing the food - the people who had just been through a catastrophic event - were sincerely thanking them for everything they were doing! And there was the overwhelming job of clean up - an entire day spent working and yet it seemed like so little was accomplished, like there was just so much left to do.
Our church is planning another trip down in two weeks. And another trip after that. And another. And another...however long groups will be allowed to come down and volunteer. However long there is work to be done and hands to help. Justin will go back as often as he can. Maybe I will go too...though I'll admit it scares me to see this all up close and real, but I want to help too. I can't help but want to help.
These are a few of the pictures Justin took on his trip. They're SOOC (straight out of camera), and like I said earlier, mostly taken from the back of a moving vehicle.
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| For the Camino folk out there - in the distance you can see what is left of the steeple at St. Pauls UMC |
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| Justin told me this is the high school...I love what someone did with the sign in the picture below... |
These are just a few of the pictures...I'm hoping that as we continue to travel down to Joplin to help we can continue to take pictures and be witnesses to the amazing recovery of this town...and then continue to share it with everyone else.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
You Capture - Games
There wasn't a lot of games going on in our household this past week as the boys and I have been sick. Really sick. But, after Gavin's doctors appointment yesterday, some antibiotics, breathing treatments, and tylenol, we were all able to spend some time in our backyard. Playing. It was so very nice.
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| The throw... |
 |
| ...the take off... |
 |
| ...the catch... |
 |
| ...the return. |
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After about 50 rounds of this, Bram is finally tired.  Now our dog may have been tired, but not Logan. He went on to play Power Rangers. (I seriously didn't even know he had ever heard of Power Rangers until this moment...ahh, the things they learn at day care...)    And lets not forget Gavin...he may be feeling under the weather, but he still has fun playing with his mama's camera case and while watching his big brother. And to think, yesterday morning I didn't think I was going to have anything to post for You Capture today! Turns out we got to play some games after all...and I got to work on taking some action shots! For more You Capture posts head over to Beth's at I Should Be Folding Laundry! |
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
This Mama Knows
Yeah, that's right. I won my own bet (except I didn't bet I guess). I took Gavin to the doctor this afternoon and sure enough, he has not one ear infection, but a double ear infection. And wheezing. And a goobery nose and eyes, and an irritated throat. My baby is sick.
I'm not quite sure why I even had to take him to the doctor. I knew he was wheezing yesterday and we started breathing treatments. If I could prescribe antibiotics I would have done that yesterday too. This mama knows when her babies are sick. It may be because Logan had more ear infections than I can count on my fingers all in an 8 month period (he ended up with tubes). And Gavin, at nine months old he's already trying to best his brother's record in that area. I've done a lot of ear infections. And the wheezing - I know what to listen for there too. Probably because Logan got pneumonia when he was 6 months old and continued to have wheezing issues up until he was two. And Gavin, he tries to get wheezy on me every time he's sick too. (Dang sibling rivalry....) Needless to say, I know wheezy. This mama knows!
But I take my children to the doctor anyway...because someday there might be something I don't know (and I can't prescribe drugs). But this time, thank God there's nothing out of the ordinary. I can handle breathing treatments and force feeding antibiotics - I'm a pro at both. I got this one. Now if only Gavin would cooperate!
He pretty much hates breathing treatments...of course he might have hated it a lot less if I would have put down the camera and snuggled him....(don't worry, I did just that after I finished taking his picture). Now if only I could get a picture of us force feeding him antibiotics - now that is a face worth capturing...unfortunately it takes two to stuff those icky drops down his throat leaving me without any free hands!
I'm not quite sure why I even had to take him to the doctor. I knew he was wheezing yesterday and we started breathing treatments. If I could prescribe antibiotics I would have done that yesterday too. This mama knows when her babies are sick. It may be because Logan had more ear infections than I can count on my fingers all in an 8 month period (he ended up with tubes). And Gavin, at nine months old he's already trying to best his brother's record in that area. I've done a lot of ear infections. And the wheezing - I know what to listen for there too. Probably because Logan got pneumonia when he was 6 months old and continued to have wheezing issues up until he was two. And Gavin, he tries to get wheezy on me every time he's sick too. (Dang sibling rivalry....) Needless to say, I know wheezy. This mama knows!
But I take my children to the doctor anyway...because someday there might be something I don't know (and I can't prescribe drugs). But this time, thank God there's nothing out of the ordinary. I can handle breathing treatments and force feeding antibiotics - I'm a pro at both. I got this one. Now if only Gavin would cooperate!
He pretty much hates breathing treatments...of course he might have hated it a lot less if I would have put down the camera and snuggled him....(don't worry, I did just that after I finished taking his picture). Now if only I could get a picture of us force feeding him antibiotics - now that is a face worth capturing...unfortunately it takes two to stuff those icky drops down his throat leaving me without any free hands!
Oh, Hello there June
Dear June,
I love you. June is a perfect month. I was born in June - that alone makes you a good month, right??? And, my son was born in June and, in my opinion, that makes you an even better month. Oh, and June, you are the first month of summer break which is really important for a burned-out teacher coming off the end of a school year (name me one teacher that isn't burned out come the end of May - I dare you!). You are also not too hot yet and it generally doesn't seem to rain as much in June as in say, May. I love you, June.
Except for right now.
Right now, I hate June. (Sorry, June, it's just how I feel.)
Let me explain.
Now, my kids will probably still go to day care, but I'll stay close to home just in case. Sure, we will still run to Springfield because I need to pick up the pictures, but we won't linger. I'm not really up for a movie anyway. Plus, I need to be here to take Gavin to the doctors in the afternoon.
And now, it's after 3:00. It took a long time to write this one, but only because I had to stop and take care of a crying Gavin - my poor baby. Oh, and I'm tired, but wired (stupid allergy medecine) so I'll probably stay up for awhile...I'll probably go to bed about the time the boys are waking up, and then I'll have to get right back up again. Oh well...
So June, right now I hate you. I hope we can be friends again later - maybe after we have all recovered from this crud??? In the meantime, could you maybe please straighten up your act??? I'm sure I'll be able to move past this then and go back to loving June.
Your Biggest Fan (except not right now),
Kass
I love you. June is a perfect month. I was born in June - that alone makes you a good month, right??? And, my son was born in June and, in my opinion, that makes you an even better month. Oh, and June, you are the first month of summer break which is really important for a burned-out teacher coming off the end of a school year (name me one teacher that isn't burned out come the end of May - I dare you!). You are also not too hot yet and it generally doesn't seem to rain as much in June as in say, May. I love you, June.
Except for right now.
Right now, I hate June. (Sorry, June, it's just how I feel.)
Let me explain.
- Today is June 1st and is 2:34 in the morning. I should be in bed, but I can't sleep because I have a horrible sinus cold brought on by allergies. I'm sure it started as allergies because I am currently covered in hives. *boo* *hiss* I think I'm going to have to go to the doctor and this is bad because I never go to the doctor.
- It seems I have also passed this sinus cold on to my youngest as he ran a fever for two days, and today, just when I thought he was getting better, he proved that he his not. His fever may be gone, but he is still miserable. He struggles to fall asleep, and then, once he does fall asleep, he struggles to stay asleep! And, he's tugging on his ears. He has a doctors appointment tomorrow. I'd bet everything I own that he has an ear infection (but I won't, because the one time I'd bet on it, I'd be wrong just because I made a bet - I have really bad luck that way....).
- And my oldest, he has not been immune to this illness either. He was fine Monday morning. I should have known not all was good in the world when I laid him down for a nap, he fell asleep right away, and then proceeded to sleep for 3 1/2 hours (I had to wake him up)! And, when I woke him up, yeah, he had a fever too. At least he was doing much better
todayyesterday - aside from the hideous cough that is.
Now, my kids will probably still go to day care, but I'll stay close to home just in case. Sure, we will still run to Springfield because I need to pick up the pictures, but we won't linger. I'm not really up for a movie anyway. Plus, I need to be here to take Gavin to the doctors in the afternoon.
And now, it's after 3:00. It took a long time to write this one, but only because I had to stop and take care of a crying Gavin - my poor baby. Oh, and I'm tired, but wired (stupid allergy medecine) so I'll probably stay up for awhile...I'll probably go to bed about the time the boys are waking up, and then I'll have to get right back up again. Oh well...
So June, right now I hate you. I hope we can be friends again later - maybe after we have all recovered from this crud??? In the meantime, could you maybe please straighten up your act??? I'm sure I'll be able to move past this then and go back to loving June.
Your Biggest Fan (except not right now),
Kass
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