Lock-Ins Where We Weren't Locked In

Some of my favorite memories are from my time at church, in our youth group. In particular I loved being apart of the lock-ins. Staying up all night long, hanging out, playing games and munching on snacks, what teenager could ask for more?!

(This was much of our youth group, I was one of the youngest- in yellow, in front of the building we used most often for our youth group meetings. It actually burned down, though I can't remember which year- I think it was when I was 17 or 18. The roof had caught fire and it was bad enough the building became unusable- at the time I was in charge of our AWANA store also housed in that building. I remember going through everything and it reeked of smoke, we couldn't use any of it.)

One of my favorite games was a form of hide and seek. Though the concept of a lock-in is being locked inside the church, our church was actually four buildings spread out over the church grounds, so we usually just took it as being 'locked' into the church grounds. So in the dark night, we would have 1 person go out and hide somewhere- inside or out. Then we all go out in search of them. The first person to find them is officially the winner, but once they are found instead of announcing it, you would join them in hiding until pretty much everyone was hiding there. One time when we were playing, it was my friend, Coley's, turn to hide. He found a great spot because we were completely at a loss and eventually had to start searching for him for real- game officially over. As it turned out, he had fallen asleep where he was hidden!! From then on we only played in partners.
At another lock-in, when we were playing that same game but in partners, it was Steve and Joe's turn to hide (at least I think it was those- but really any of the guys in youth group would've had this exact idea!). On our church property there was a huge back lot where a new building was always planned to be built (as of now I still don't think it has happened yet!). The ground was very uneven. Mounds of earth here and there, between ditches. During our normal youth group time each Sunday evening, we would often play capture the flag up there. It was perfect for it. Well the lot is surrounded by woods. Well Steve and Joe went out to hide, and pretty soon we all went out, in pairs, to search for them. After not too long, we started hearing this loud crack, I mean really loud hard to ignore, and if I remember right, there was also a bright flash of some sort. It seemed to be coming from the back lot, so my friend Shannah who was my partner, and another pair of girls, Deanna and Emily, all went up to the back lot. Of course it was dark and the ground was uneven, so it was creepy back there, but we walked along the edges, though not getting too terribly close to the woods. We were talking about how they better not be back in the woods, because that would be out of bounds. And then all the sudden they jumped out from the trees (well, not so much jumped as, set off whatever toy they were using to make the loud noise and bright flash of light, and they yelled something from up in a tree right at the edge- in daylight they would've been completely visible), catching me and the other girls off guard as we screamed and jumped back- me unfortunately into a huge puddle! I wasn't very happy at the time, but I smile when I look back and think of it now.
Why can't adults have lock-ins and play games like that?!! I totally miss it!

Top Ten Tuesday: My Plans While We Are HOME!

I am home for my sister's wedding and some much needed time with family and friends, most of whom I have not seen in 2+ years!! So while I plan to be checking in occasionally and maybe blogging a little, Jon and I have a lot of things we want to cram into a 3 week window while we are home. We aren't planning another visit to the states until our return home in mid 2012! Here are some of the many things we hope to do during the 3 weeks:

1. Obviously, I will be doing all the wonderful duties of not only sister to the bride, but a bridesmaid. Including throwing a bridal shower myself, attending another pajama party and a ladies luncheon in my sister's honor- complete with getting my nails done at the salon with the ladies before the luncheon, the rehearsal and dinner, then the actual wedding itself!

2. At my sister's request, we will be having either a double date with our men, or just some sister bonding time. I believe we will be going to Seattle!

3. At my insistence, Jon and I will be getting a date night of our own. If finances and timing permit, it will be a dinner cruise that we have both longed to go on. In fact, it the same one he had hoped to propose on if I hadn't been so impatient!

4. This is not only a trip to go for the wedding, but also our own family vacation. We haven't been on one of those in a long time!! So we are hoping to take the kids up to the Woodland Park Zoo in the Seattle area, which I have never been too. As well as the Aquarium which is in downtown Seattle- though they will probably need to be separate trips, because we will take the ferry on foot for the Aquarium. Though Jon was disappointed I had taken Natalie on her first ferry ride the last time just us girl visited, this time it will be Zachary's 1st time and we will all go!

5. Family pictures!! I already found and bought coordinating outfits for all of us, to do some in studio pictures at JCPenny. This is were we used to do all our pictures of the kids and family, but there isn't one in Guam! I have this framed print from them in our hall from right before we left, but it is missing our newest member- so we really hope to get something similar to add beside the earlier one when we get home! (Though I am still hoping to also do family pictures on the beach in Guam before Jon leaves for 3 months next year, I don't think you can ever have too many pictures!!)

6. A girls night, or day, with my best friend, Shannah!! We have been best friends for over 10 years, and I miss her a whole lot!! I plan on spending as much time with her as I can between all the wedding stuff and other plans, as well as have Natalie spend some time with Shannah's 3 girls!

7. We will be celebrating Christmas on Thanksgiving with my family! I am looking forward to it, even if there won't be a tree or many decorations up yet, we will still have the big meal surrounded by our family, and exchange gifts all together instead of through the mail!

8. A tradition my mom started when I was young, was that every year we would go see Zoolights at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. In general I spent a lot of time there growing up with my mom and sisters, so it will be a great blessing to now share that with my kids. Zoolights is a lot of fun, it opens the weekend after Thanksgiving and the whole zoo is decked out with Christmas lights! We bundle up, go buy hot chocolate and walk through the maze of displays lighting up the night! I have missed that, I haven't been to it in about 6 years!

9. I will be getting my craft on! I am looking forward to not only trying to creatively and inexpensively decorating for my sister's bridal shower, but also picking up the stuff I want/need in order to decorate Zachary's toddler bedroom- monkey themed! I almost all of the decor in my daughter's ladybug themed bedroom when we switched her to her toddler bed and took out the old nursery decor, and I can't wait to do the same for my son as he approaches 2 years old! And also I will be finishing up last minute touches on the homemade Christmas gifts for my family. We don't have a very great craft store here on Guam- there is one, but the selection isn't great and it is seriously expensive, so this is a big priority for me, I miss running to Michael's (or even Walmart sometimes) for all my crafting needs!!

10. I will also be trying to visit with many other friends I haven't seen in a while, including my friends Chris, Victoria, and Bethany. As well as family, my brother Daniel and my niece Miranda, and all the family attending my sister's wedding.

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What Kind of Man are You?

At some point in this past week, I was loving on Zachary and called him, "My little man!" And Natalie elaborates my statement with, "A cute, fluffy, little man!"
Needless to say, daddy wasn't a huge fan of Natalie's choice in adjectives for his son!

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Though I didn't catch much of what was said, in a case of what I am sure was being overtired after a later then usual night at church, Natalie began to chatter to herself...and kept going and going and going. She sat on the potty talking away, then moved onto her bedroom, and held a steady stream of one-sided conversation with whoever was listening, and didn't go silent until the lights were out! If I hadn't known any better, I would've thought her daddy had given her a cup of coffee with the buzz of energy she was running off of!

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Rings Aren't Tasty!

Natalie and I played a game of Pretty, Pretty Princess before lunch yesterday. We went around the board slowly collecting a necklace, earrings, a bracelet, a tiara and a ring. Natalie won the game by being the first one to be wearing each piece of jewelry all at once. Then after being declared the winner, she took the tiara off, and said, "Your turn to be the princess, Mommy!" And handed it to me. What a sweet little girl I have!!

(This picture is actually from last Christmas when she got this game as a gift. We forced Daddy to play it with us, and he actually won!)

But I was still missing the ring, so I slipped the large fake jewel on my finger and showed it off to her. Pretending to admire it, I teasingly said, "Oh, your Daddy has great taste!" Of course I did not expect my 4 year old to find the humor in that, but I got a smile out of it myself. But then Natalie pipes in with, "Rings aren't for eating silly!!" Then I got a really good laugh out of it! And she was right, rings are not for eating, and in all honestly, probably taste horrible.

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Top Ten Tuesday: What I Want From Guam

We have just under 2 more years of life here on Guam. And that is assuming our extension gets approved- which my husband insists should not be a problem (yet they are only supposed to take about a month to go through, and its been closer to 2 1/2 for ours with no word yet...). There is so much to do on Guam, and I want to take advantage of all of it before we leave- somethings with the kids, some not.

1. First on my list, my newest adventure I am so longing for, is to go boonie stomping to an underground lake we have been told about! Doesn't that sound awesome?!! Note: Boonie Stomping is a term basically meaning hiking. "Boonie" is a word that everyone uses on Guam, which I have been told basically means 'jungle'. So you have a boonie car (something you buy here, only to use here to get from point A to B, nothing fancy or expensive), boonie dogs (one of the many dogs you see who roam around in town and on the back streets who were most likely abandoned by there owners when they left Guam- there is no animal control service here)...

2. I want to go parasailing! Now when my mom and her husband visited last April they did this through a local beach club- but it was fully clothed sitting in some seat with a parachute attached- they didn't even really get wet. While it sounds interesting, if I had to choose, I want to go parasailing by being attached to a harness, directly attached to the chute. I want to feel a rush of adrenaline, not just sit in some ride like at a carnival!! So far though I am not sure if anywhere around here offers that.

3. I want to learn how to windsurf. There is a little resort island just off the southern tip of Guam called Cocos Island. All it is, is a resort because it is just a tiny strip of a beach basically! (And though I have heard it called a 'resort', I don't believe there is any actual hotel on the island, you just go for the day.) They offer lessons and then rental of the equipment. It happens all in one day- not like a lesson each night for however long, so all we have to do is get a babysitter for the day!

4. I would like to go to one of the water parks here (we have 3 I believe). Though I doubt they are anything super special compared to ones in the states, it has been so long since I have gone to one and I miss the thrill of dropping down twisty slides into a big pool! This is one I think the kids would also enjoy. Once Zachary begins walking more regularly out and about, we will definitely have a family day at one of these!

5. I want to go explore the tide pools! Now we tried this one right after labor day, but my kids didn't have as much interest in it as I did. Apparently next time we go, I will have Jon play with the kids in the sand as I explore a little!!

6. I want family pictures on the beach!! By this I mean good quality professional type ones, and I want to be in them, not taking them!! I know this may not sound like something 'to do on Guam', but with all the awesome beaches and weather, what better place could there be to get pictures done as a family to represent our time here on Guam!!

7. I have been told there is a botanical gardens somewhere on the southern end of the island. I have been to a few back in the states, always so beautiful. I would love to see if Guam's could rival those, in such a gorgeous tropical evironment, how could it not have some of the most beautiful flowers!!

8. Now on the top of my husband's list would be scuba diving. I don't know how much it would cost in the states, but I have been told it is dirt cheap here compared to stateside when it comes to getting certified to scuba dive. And here, as military, we can do it for the discounted rate of about $75!! And that certification is good for the rest of your life, anywhere you go!! How cool would that be?! Not to mention actually getting to go underwater in different areas of the island to see historic boats now resting on the ocean floor! And there are PLENTY here, after all Guam played a role in World War 2 against the Japanese. I think it would be awesome to see, the only reason it isn't higher on my own list- I am petrified of sharks!! I do hope to get over it though and go scuba diving sometime....lots of people do it each day around here and I have never heard of any attacks before, I am just so freaked out by the thought though!! I am such a wimp!

9. Back to the boonie stomping, I also want to go boonie stomping to the rugged coast lines! I have seen some great pictures, and I would love to know how to get to certain spots, just to see it for myself and take my own pictures! Words can't even describe some of Guam's beauty. You just look around in awe of our mighty Creator, and wonder how anyone could possibly think it is all just random!!

10. Lastly, but most importantly, I just want to spend more time at the beach in general. I want to explore different beaches, play in the sand with the kids, splash in the salty seawater, watch a sunset over the ocean. I want to enjoy it as much as I can before it is time to leave our tropical paradise!!

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Gravy Fingers

I have a double treat this week, since in one night both my husband and daughter had me in fits of laughter!

After church Sunday evening, we stopped by the Wendy's drive-thru on our journey home. At the first window, my husband hands over his card to pay. A minute later the girl in the window is still trying to swipe it but the card is just not working, so she calls her manager over. The manager is the first to notice, Jon had given his military ID (with a strip on the back to further fool the eye) as payment instead of his credit card!

Then after arriving home and playing, I mean, eating her dinner, Natalie was told to go get her pajamas on. So almost ready for bed, only task left is to go potty, Natalie comes out into the living room. We had asked her to use the potty, so before we could scold her for not doing what she is told she explains, "My fingers are gravy." Both confused by what she is saying as well as what this has to do with using the potty, it finally clicked...GREASY is what she meant. She couldn't get the door knob to the bathroom open because her fingers were greasy from her french fries!!

I can't wait to hear what funny and crazy things Zachary says someday! If he takes after his sister, he is sure to be a great source of constant entertainment!!

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Top Ten Tuesday: Rainy Day Fun

I actually love rainy days...as long as I don't need to go outside! I am mostly a 'homebody' anyway, so I prefer to be in the comforts of my own home except for the occasional itch to get out, especially if the kids are getting to rowdy for me inside! On Guam, we have 2 seasons, dry and rainy. I am not sure when the exact months outline each season, but right now and most of the end half of the year, it is wet! It makes it feel almost like fall to me if I stay inside and turn the AC down to a cool temperature and wear cozy socks on my feet. Of course as much as I would like to spend those days curled up in a blanket with a good book, the kids require other entertainment. So here is some rainy (or not so rainy) day fun:

1. Curl up with the kids and read to them. I enjoy finding a book that I can connect to some fun craft as well.

2. Bake cookies! My daughter loves to help by pouring ingredients in and mixing. And then of course her favorite part is helping to gobble them all up afterwards!! We even have an apron just for her.

3. Have an indoors picnic! I actually use an inexpensive vinyl tablecloth as a splat mat under my son's high chair, so I would just clean that off a little, lay it out in the middle of the living room and eat our lunch on the floor. I open the blinds too, so we feel like we are outside more, but we still stay dry!

4. We go to our local Aquarium, where we have a membership (so its free for us to go often)! Its called Underwater World, and most of it is this long tunnel of plexiglass, so you are actually walking through the huge tanks with all the fish, sharks, and sea turtles. I count this as a rainy day activity because we don't get wet, our parking garage at home is covered, and so it the one at Underwater World! So if I happen to have the car (one car family here), this is a good activity if we really need to get out, but don't want to drown in the downpour- seriously it can rain super hard here, but its still really warm and muggy so you don't really want to wear a raincoat to shield you, and with 2 young kids, the umbrella is hard to figure out and you only get wetter in the process!!

5. Movie time! I love movies and have a huge collection of children's and adult's movies. And we try to make it an event, with popcorn, and fruit smoothies, lights dimmed, and everyone cuddling on the couch (or in the bed, my daughter likes watching them in our room). Zachary is still too young for this though, so we save it for his nap time.

6. Creative crafts. I have a huge bin of craft materials I bought in the states for times just such as these! Some are kits, some are just random odds and ends to be really creative with. Though I am still working on just getting Zachary to figure out coloring and NOT eating the crayon!

7. Music video making. I love to sing, my daughter loves to sing, and my son...well he likes to make noise! So what could be better then pulling out any noise making toys or just pots and pans for him to bang on as Natalie and I belt out some tunes! Or sometimes we just put on some music and dance around! (Our favorites are songs by the Imagination Movers, its hard not to catch on to their fun and educational music!)

8. Build a fort. Oh how I LOVED building forts when I was a kid! I don't know a kid that doesn't like this, even Zachary gets pretty excited about it- then proceeds to accidentally pull it all down. But the beauty is, its never to difficult to rebuild, all you need are sheets or lightweight blankets, and chairs or other tall furniture and usually some weights to hold the sheet in place help too (think books or magazines, nothing breakable)!

9. Get dressed up! This one is a girl's all time favorite, but most young boys will join in for the fun as well! Zachary likes to try my shoes on and wear hats sometimes (just so he can pull them off and laugh as I put it right back on!). One day I hope to have more general neutral stuff for him too, like doctor outfit, police/fire man, train conductor, that sort of thing. For now its mostly dresses and necklaces and fairy wings for my daughter!

10. Go out in the rain...unless your children are made out of sugar and will melt (my daughter seems to think she is sometimes). Bundle up (assuming you aren't on Guam) the kids in their rain gear and let them go out and make mud pies, splash in a few puddles, and enjoy another day God has given us. The best thing about kids is that they are completely washable!! I do recommend dry warm clothes as soon as they are inside though- we don't want anyone to catch a cold after all!

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Project 52: S'Mores Please!

Since we missed quite a few weeks due to late work nights, we decided to do another one, now only 3 days after our last date night! And hopefully this weekend we will get out for another one even!

Jon was feeling to lazy to bother changing out of his uniform- though of course he took those awful boots that hurt his feet off!

So date night #3, and we had ourselves a little campfire fun! Jon used his charcoal starter to get a fire going on our patio (all cement so no worries), and we roasted s'mores! Yummy!

YUM-O!

We just sat out on the patio in the dark eating our delicious treats and talked about mostly Food Network. How appropriate as we enjoyed our gooey treats!

It was a nice date night, reminding me of many other fun bon-fires with my grandma where we would roast some marshmallows into toasted goodness before adding the chocolate and graham cracker! Ah, childhood, how we miss you!

My Own Obstacle Course

Have you ever run an obstacle course? One obstacle after another as you pray each one will be the last and hope the finish is within your reach? Well that is how my week has been! One obstacle after another! And actually, individually I would consider these each, just little things that add some excitement to life, but clumped together, I wonder when it will ever end? Is there a finish line in sight anytime soon?!
It started out as 2 very grouchy kids on Tuesday morning. Zachary continued to struggle with bumping his head on everything he came in contact with, and I had many tears to soothe as his mommy. Natalie woke up with her sassy attitude in full swing, which earned her more then a few spankings before lunchtime, and repeated the second half of the day. Don't they ever learn? Jon worked late as what has become the usual, and I was mildly craving some adult company by the time he did get home. After sharing that he felt the next day would be at least a little shorter, so I would be able to have the car, I opted NOT to get the kids up and dressed at 4:30 am, just to take him into work so I could have the car. Alas, Wednesday still brought children waking up on the wrong side of their beds, and a little more mildly fussy and naughty then the previous day. And by 4, not being able to reach my dear husband, I assumed I was not going to male it to church. But not taking him to work so I could have the wheels for the day was a blessing in disguise, because had I gone through with that plan, I may have been able to go to church, but I would've ended up having to pick Jon up from work with 2 overly tired and cranky kids at 11 pm!
However I did choose to take him in for duty this morning, because by now I was seriously yearning to at least see that there were other adult somewhere on this island! I had to get out. I am normally quite happy being a homebody, staying in my nice cozy home surrounded by the familiar, easily able to put my children down for their naps if they get out of hand. But by last night, I just needed to get out for a little bit. So after lunch today I decided we would run up to the Air Force base to do my favorite hobby- shopping! I needed a few things anyway, so anxious to leave I quickly packed the kids into the car the second they finished their last crumb of peanut butter and honey sandwiches. We listened to music for half the car ride, then I decided to give my mom a call. I hadn't talked with her in a little while, so we chatted a little until I approached the gate to get on base. I hung up and whipped out my ID. The DoD official checked the back and front of my ID at the guard house and allowed me to pass without a word. Barely past the guard house I saw the outbound lane blocked off and a long line of cars, and I thought, That can't be good! As I drove slowly forward and saw more of the extent of the line, I noticed many drivers had turned off their cars and were getting out and talking amongst themselves. Again I thought, That can't be good! As I moved forward, watching this seemingly endless line at a standstill, I also had the thought- I guess I will just take my time shopping and pray the line is gone by the time I am done- though I kept wondering what was going on.
I reached the fork in the road that normally splits off, on road in the direction of the commissary among many other places, and the other to the gas station, and Exchange, and continuing on to the schools and whatnot. Orange cones were blocking off the entrances and exits to this road, as well as a man in uniform directing you away. That can't be good! I still had no clue what was going on, but I found my way around to the exchange parking lot through a back road. As I pulled in, the parking lot was the fullest I have ever seen it. I parked in the back and noticed as I got the kids out that many people were sitting in their cars. Again, That can't be good!. As I walked up to the door, a few people were gathering, though the automatic doors were not opening. That's when I heard from a few others that the base was on a lock down from 2 separate bomb threats. No one was being allowed in or out of the exchange (or any other establishment), and no one was allowed to leave base (though coming on was no problem at all)! Luckily within a few minutes we were actually allowed inside the exchange with the warning, once you come in, you can't leave until the threat is over. I figured my only other option seemed to be sit and wait in the car, so we went in. There are much worse places to be stuck. Inside the exchange, there is a food court with play area, and of course shopping (including a furniture department with plenty of comfy sofas, and even some TVs hooked up to play movies). So we spent our time shopping, I bought the kids each a book, Zachary got a little turtle on wheels toy, and Natalie a tablet and coloring crayons, then we ventured to the food court for some cookies (and lunch for mommy who hadn't eaten), and then I remembered there was a play place, so Natalie spent some time climbing around as Zachary munched on some cheerios and got his diaper changed. We had actually went to use the bathroom when we came out and discovered the food court and store emptying out, we were set free finally! It was only about 2 hours for us, felt longer. The kids were good, but it still wasn't a picnic or what I had in mind when I was so desperate to get out of the house! I didn't rush out, though secretly I was very anxious to get off base. I waited about 15-20 more minutes to ensure the rush of people leaving would mostly be over. The last thing I wanted was to sit in traffic!
When I did leave, the obstacles weren't quite over yet. It began to rain, and I don't mean a light drizzle. I mean, if you stepped outside, you would have to swim to get to your car! We are talking, can barely see the lines on the road sort of rain. I have driven in worse before though- try driving in pouring buckets of rain in the pitch dark on a nearly deserted highway during a thunderstorm!! NOT fun!
But somehow we made it home. Back to our comfy, cozy little place in the world. And the outcome of all this? My restless desire to get out and about- TOTALLY cured...at least for now anyway! In fact I don't want to go anywhere but church this weekend, and I am certainly not looking forward to going back up to base for grocery shopping anymore either! And I have to wonder too, if maybe the lesson God was teaching me, was to have a little more patience, and just be happy I have a home, even when I am just itching to get out of it!!
Well that was my crazy week. Tune back in later for my Mommy's Piggy Tales post about 8th grade, it is still a work in progress at the moment!

Like Mother, Like Daughter...So It Begins!

After pulling into church Sunday morning and unloading our little family from the car, I began to walk my daughter in the direction of her Sunday school class. Before getting to far we ran into her friend Joel who was tugging on his dad as they waited to find out if this was the Sunday for class promotions.
Natalie was excited to see Joel, it seems the week she has been feeling deprived of social interaction.

Walking up and standing in front of Joel, Natalie held the sides of her skirt in her hands and swinging just a little from side to side, she says "So Joel, how do I look?"

It was just priceless! Especially as it reminded me of the way I ask Jon each Sunday morning what he thinks of any outfits I have put together, no matter how often in the past I have worn it. She certainly is taking after mommy!!

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Project 52: Scavenger Hunt

In order to keep things fun and fresh in our relationship, Jon and I are going to start dating again! This is a blog carnival by Simply Modern Mom.

As close to each week as possible, we will set aside some time just for us. Occasionally we may get a babysitter and go out to do something fun. But mostly we will stay in and just get creative in finding new fun ideas to do to spend time together around the house after the kids are down for bed. I already have a huge list of things just to do at home!! Part of the fun is you want to try to do something different each time. You don't want it to fizzle out if you just watch a movie every date night, then it won't be as special, it'll just become the usual.

So for our first Project 52: Date Nights, I came up with a surprise for Jon. I sent Jon down for a little swim in the pool for about 20 minutes as I 'setup' for his surprise (he knew something was going on). Swimming relaxes him, so though I initially had planned this for a night he got home later from work- something happening a lot lately- I realized those nights he may not be quite up for this type of date.

When Jon came back up from his dip, he found the first note on our front door, he was going on a scavenger hunt! This note explained the game and requested he not stray from his tasks, as well as provided him with where to find the next clue. He was confused because when he first came into the house he expected me to be hiding in the bedroom as the end result, and instead I was waiting for him still in my jeans and t-shirt, watching him follow along.
The next clue led to a toy, then to our iPod player where I had it already on our song, I Will Be Here, by Steven Curtis Chapman, when he pressed play. Then my note sent him down to our mailbox where I had hidden something special for him to slip into when he returned upstairs. He said he ran in his excitement to find out what everything led to! But when he returned from the mailbox I was hiding, as he hoped. But he wasn't yet allowed to come join me. First he went around the kitchen, from clue to clue, gathering strawberries, Reddi-whip, sparkling cider, and glasses. His last clue sent him to come find me in our bedroom where we enjoyed our snacks and cuddled. We had fun and just enjoyed our time together. It was the perfect first date for the beginning of our own Project 52.
And I had so much fun preparing and writing the clues, that even rhymed!! Just be sure not to make them too difficult, you don't want him to take too long figuring them out as you wait for him.And it was all very inexpensive too! The only things I had to purchase were the strawberries and the sparkling cider, everything else, even the Reddi-whip, we already had on hand! See, you don't need to spend a lot of money, or even leave your own home to have fun and exciting date nights at home!!
I hope this inspires others to do something creative for their spouses! Check back for more great, affordable date nights (and maybe some day dates as well)!

Hold the Flavor Please!

I just must share my daughter's most recent 'Kid's say the darnedest things' moment.

This is actually a picture of her from the Fourth of July, but you get the idea, the girl loves her corn on the cob!!

Jon had decided to grill our corn on the cob for dinner. Natalie is a huge fan of corn on the cob, so though she wasn't sharing in our grilled steaks I had made sure to get her some corn to share with us. As Jon brings in the slightly charred cobs of sunny deliciousness, Natalie scrunches up her nose in disgust and says "Can you take the brown off mine?"
Jon and I chuckle a little and he replies, "That's called flavor! It's what makes it good!"
After a few moments of deep thought, Natalie looks up again at Jon and asks very sweetly and innocently, "Can you take the flavor off mine?"
At this point Jon and I are laughing pretty heartily as Jon says "Sorry, but no kiddo!"
And Natalie refused to eat her flavorful corn that night! But I sure did enjoy mine, poor girl didn't know what she was missing out on!

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Crayon Therapy

Once upon a time I worked in childcare at our church on the East coast. I loved every minute of it! It was mostly nights, a few weekends if there was something extra special happening. I loved my coworkers and I loved the children. We did crafts, read books and colored with the kids. Before this if you had asked me to color, I would've stuck up my very mature adult nose at you and said, "Coloring is for children, I am an adult. I just don't color!" And if by chance I ever did, it wasn't with crayons, after all I am much more refined then that, I would use color pencils or markers. Of course this was all before Natalie hit the age when coloring became an art form. Now its one of her favorite pastimes. And sometimes I even join her.
Do you ever wish you could go back to being a kid again? Life seemed so much simpler, no stress and responsibilities to get in the way. I, being not a therapist but a regular patient to this form of therapy, propose that as adult when we are stressed out to the point of hair loss, deeply longing for something simple to soothe us, that we color. And not just color with anything! Oh for this therapy to truly work we must use the most essential medium available to children, the crayon. Let the crayon flow as an extension of yourself, as you concentrate on staying within the lines of any random picture in a book full of colorless pages. Use the repetitive and constant movement of your hand as a way to erase all the tension from your body and mind. Remember an easier life, filled with coloring pages, juice boxes, and cookies waiting patiently for you when you return home from school. Then be bold, post your newest masterpiece on display for all to see. The best of your work should go in a place of honor, right alongside the greatest artists of our time, our children, on the refrigerator. And as you stand back to admire your work, consider what your next project may be!
Need more therapy...give finger painting a try next!

Comparing Baby Pictures for Fun

Just for fun, I thought I would post 2 pictures from my kids early days.
This is my daughter, Natalie...

This is my son, Zachary....

Don't they look like they could be twins?!

Trying Something New

As part of our celebration for this Independence Day, our church did a big picnic, with carnival games and activities. It was so much fun. I was listening to them announce they were hoping to get a woman to join the watermelon eating contest Jon was already a part of. The thought ran through my head- sounds like fun, but I would be so embarrassed! I would make a mess and no way could I compete against the men! But as the time drew near I realized I really wanted to try. It was something new to me, and I could compete against Jon- the only one in my mind I really wanted to beat. So I just did it! I shed the fear of embarrassment, of getting too messy and just my general self-consciousness and decided I wanted to live life and have fun no matter what that means, even if it's a mess all over my face in front of people!
I usually prefer to go the safer route. Do whats familiar and avoid trying new things. In our time here on Guam though, I really feel like I am beginning to overcome that crutch that once held me back. I feel so much more alive here somehow. I want to get out and go snorkeling (which I have done), I want to take scuba diving lessons (which we still hope to do), as well as windsurfing lessons (again, its on my list!) and Jon and I hope to go para sailing before the end of the year. Growing up though I never had these desires. They looked good from far away but fear of the unknown held me back.
I think there is just something about being on a tropical island and having all these new things to do and try right within my grasp that is making me want to shout "YES!" Instead of sitting back while Jon has all the fun! I am learning so much here, about God, and about myself! No wonder I am happy about extending and having just a little more time to experience this adventurous chapter of our life.
It's also about wanting Natalie & Zachary to be brave and daring and willing to try new things. I don't want them to feel scared of life as they grow. I want them to grow to love God and love the life He has given them. I want them to experience life and not hold back. Dive in head first with all their hearts! And that I believe will make their lives unforgettable and 'unregrettable'!

*Note to self: Eating contests are much harder then they look! But if you are going head first into one, watermelon eating is a good first timers contest!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!