Floors on Monday

To try to keep my house from becoming dirty to the point of no return, Mondays are my days to clean the floors.  One positive from having a small house is that there is not a huge amount of floor to clean, but it still takes a bit of time.  The kids now love the vacuum since I am vacuuming on a regular basis (Nate used to be really scared of it) and play chase while I vacuum the floors.  Then comes the kitchen floor.  I never knew a floor could get so dirty...only after 7 days!  It does give me a sense of accomplishment though to go from seeing something so incredibly dirty with food, sand, dirt and other things to being shiny clean while the kids are sleeping!  I say while the kids are sleeping because as soon as they get up, juice will get spilled, snacks to end up all over the floor or dirt will get tracked in again.  I feel like my mom when I tell my kids, "Take off your shoes! I just cleaned the floor!!!"  Oh well.  Life will happen... and I'll clean it again next week.  And no, I do not want a dog to clean it for me as of yet.  Maybe when Nate is old enough to take it for walks...

On another note, I LOVE the H2O cleaning products I have been using recently.  Have you heard of them or use them?  And what is your routine for trying to keep your house somewhat clean?

18 months

We have had the privilege of having Chloe in our family for 18 months now.  This girl is a hoot and keeps me laughing... probably when I shouldn't be.  She is feisty and holds her own quite well when wrestling and running around with her brother.  She loves to cuddle and gives tight squeezes! She is quite sociable and had at least a 10 minute "conversation" with a random stranger in the dining hall today.  She has a high pain tolerance and will be bleeding profusely, but still wants to get down and play.  She likes to hit her brother and look at me just to see what I will do about it.  She is very tactile and will touch every person in line when waiting in a check out line or for coffee at Starbucks.  She is super adventurous and will explore places around camp she has never been... with or without me.  She doesn't stop when I tell her to...yet!  She is tall and quick on her feet and most people think she must already be at least 2 years old even though she just turned one and a half.  Her smile melts my heart every day.  I love you dearly little Chlo-bug.

Napless Nate

Ok.  I'm at my wits end.  What do you do with a two-year-old who will NOT take a nap!  Since being potty trained his naps have become few and far between.  Now they seem non-existent.  He has to stay in his room for an hour and a half, but he could REALLY use sleep.  He comes out of his room occasionally with different excuses and also wreaks havoc in his room making noise that will sometimes wake Chloe up.  Thats when I get seriously upset!

Help!  How do you make a child take a nap?!?! Can you give me any tips??

Summer 2012 "To do" list

We have slowly been chipping away at the list on our fridge for our summer activities.  Not sure if all will be completed by the end of the summer.. seeing as how it is already the end of August.  But I know that the plan is to do the first item on the list next weekend!  Woohoo!

Nursery duty

Joe and I were in the nursery a couple Sundays ago helping take care of the wee ones.  I know some of you that go to mega churches have like 3 classes for the 6-12 month olds.  Well, here we have one nursery for age birth-3.  It makes things quite exciting and lots of times is super busy and I feel like I am constantly on danger control.  The kids love it when Joe is there though...something about a male presence.  Anyway, we had lots of two year olds this particular Sunday.

Blondies having a snack.  

Everyone jumping with Tigger! 

Happy joy!

My happy girl

He wanted his picture taken as well. 

Anyone know what this necklace is???

Working together on a plan to take down everything from off the side of the fridge while standing on the coffee table. :)  Cute tush though.  

Shakes

The other day was nice and warm.  Ok, it didn't have to be warm... I still wanted ice cream.  I cohorted with my good friend Tifney and we decided to take the kids down to Red Hut, the local ice cream shoppe, for a shake.   We poured a little of the shake into a cup for each of the kiddos and they LOVED it.  Yes, this was around 7:30pm right before their bed times... but whatever.  Its summer!

Gig 'em

Nate picked out and decided to wear my flip flops today.

On another note, these are the only pair of flip flops I own... and I've had them since freshman year of college.  That is 11 years ago now folks.  I love these flip flops though, and even though there is not much padding or even sole left, they are my go to when going to the beach.  Otherwise, I just wear chacos most of the time in the summer.  

Book Review: Grace Based Parenting

I have not read too many "parenting" book yet.  Maybe I'm behind the times, but with my kids still being so little, I didn't want to waste the time if it would be more useful in a few years.  But I am ever so glad to have read this book.  It doesn't matter if your kid(s) is 2 months old, 2 years old, or 20 years old... its worth the read.

The whole concept of the book is if you wonder, "How am I to raise up children to love and serve God?" It is easy.  You simply need to treat your children the way God treats you.  And that is in His grace...and His grace is sufficient.

The book starts out by describing "extreme parents".  On one side of this are the parents who have erased all clear moral boundaries and really just let their kids run the show.  On the other side are the parents who restrict or control just about everything in there children's lives hoping somehow to make it safer for their children to go through life.  But as Dr. Tim Kimmel states, "One of the characteristics of God's grace is how much latitude He grants within His clear moral boundaries to make choices."

I LOVE it when he talks about not wanting to raise "safe" kids, but rather "strong" kids!  I think that these days people are so worried about what to expose their children to or even things they should be doing.  My kids get corrected IN FRONT OF ME all the time by people at camp telling them they should "not play on the rocks" or "they are in the water too deep" or "if they run too fast down the hill they will fall".  Thank you... I understand your concern.  But I am their mom, and I want my kids to be brave and explore on the rocks and not be scared of the water and run hard and fast!  Yes, occasionally they will fall and hurt themselves, but should we live our lives in fear?!? Ok... sorry... side note.

Anyway, I want my kids to be able to hang with the "shady crowd" and be strong enough to not be influenced but to have an impact... like Jesus did.  Yes, they will definitely have moral boundaries on certain things, but I want them to be strong enough in the Lord to think for themselves and believe what  God says when He says "I have overcome the world".  I have probably butchered this explanation.. but you should read the book and form your own opinion.

The second half of the book is dedicated to breaking down four freedoms we should be giving our children.  The freedom to be different, to be vulnerable, to be candid, and to make mistakes.

This book was an eye-opening challenging read for me but well worth the time spent reading.  I pray that God would continue to give ME the grace to give my children the grace that they need... and that my life would be an example to point my kids to Christ in my failures knowing that he is loving and forgiving and full of mercy and well....grace.

Have you read the book?  What did you think???

Blocks

Nate has really taken to these blocks recently.  Toys seem to come and go in phases.  Tunnels though is the thing to build right now.  Mom is not so good at them.  I think I make the same design every time.  But when dad is home and able to help, we get some great structures!  

Oh and knocking them down is always fun too.  As long as Nate can get to them before the little Chlo-buster!  

Tahoe sunsets

We have had some glorious sunsets recently.  I thought I would put up a few pictures just from the last couple of weeks.

These were taken on my drive home from a friend's house.  Yes I was driving and put my children's lives in jeopardy... but look at what great photos?!? 

If you climb out the window from our bedroom to the roof, you have a pretty good view of the lake and the sunset.  Joe and I have done this on a couple occasions to enjoy the beauty of the sunset. 

I had had a LONG day one day feeling like if anything could go wrong, it did.  Joe sensed that I needed a little "time out" so he took care of the kids bath time and sent me down to the water to watch the sunset.  It did not disappoint.  

"The Mighty One, God, the Lord,
    speaks and summons the earth
    from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
From Zion, perfect in beauty,

    God shines forth."

Psalm 50:1-2

"From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, 

the name of the Lord is to be praised." 

Psalm 113:3

A Legacy

Today Joe and I are going to be able to get away for a few hours to go watch the new Bourne movie called "The Bourne Legacy".  I have no idea what the movie holds, but it did get me thinking about the word 'legacy'.  The dictionary online (does anyone look anything up in books anymore these days??) defines the second definition of legacy as: "Something handed down from an ancestor or a predecessor or from the past".

It was a year ago today that my Grandpa Opp went to be with the Lord.  I've shed some tears today as I think about him because, well, I miss him.  And yet, his legacy lives on in his children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  He was always the life of the party.  He cared.  He told great stories.  He loved deeply.  He made me laugh.  He loved to sing and dance.  He was around.  Both my parents are originally from CA, so when my dad got selected as an astronaut we moved to Texas but still frequented the LA area and the Opps came out to visit us regularly.  Then I remember how excited I was when they decided to move to Texas and only be a few hours from us!  They then came to piano and dance recitals, got to spend every holiday with us either at our house or theirs, and came to different "Showcases" and choir performances in college among other things.  My close college friends could tell you all about my grandpa as well since I took various trips with friends out to stay with them for a weekend.  He was there at the hospital at the birth of my first-born and made numerous trips up to Austin to visit Nate and Joe and I before we moved to NV.  He also was married to the same woman for 60 years.  A legacy.  

Grandpa came to know the Lord in his 50's and I praise God for that.  He was not perfect, but he was special to me.  We would sit and drink coffee and read the newspaper together in the mornings when I went to visit and he was so supportive of me.  He got to meet both my children and my daughter was born on his birthday last year... the year he died.  She carries on his spunky vibrant spirit... another part of his legacy.  

Every day is a gift.  Live it to its fullest.  Even though my Grandpa lived into his 80's, you never know what you will be headed to see your Maker.  What legacy will you leave for your children, grand-children and great-grandchildren?

Summer tan lines

Just a cute shot of Joe and Chloe's feet.  They both have some good tan lines built up from wearing the same sandals every day.  Joe's are his chacos...standard... and Chloe's are Nate's shoes from last summer.  

Slack lining on a Saturday

Last Saturday we headed outdoors for some slack lining fun.  Joe had taken the kids on a short bike ride and we ended up at El Dorado Beach in the middle of town for a picnic lunch and some slack lining.  It was a lovely day to hang out in the pretty grass by the lake.  

On a side note, did you know that it is illegal to pee in public?  Well this is what the officer told me after Nate had hit a tree over next to our car in the parking lot.  Now, he was not all out in the open for everyone to see (although he has done that)... but apparently it is an issue of indecent exposure and subject to a hefty fine if someone complains.  Can you believe what the world is coming to?!?  A two-year-old with a busy mommy of two under two getting a talking to for peeing in public.  Geez.  

Survivor bracelets

The rescue band survival bracelet is your ultimate survival tool.  These bracelets are made of paracord over 10 feet long that can hold up to 550 pounds and which should help you survive in any situation where you would need long rope that can hold a lot of weight to survive. :)  But, they are very manly and my men look great it them.  Making these bracelets was one of the activities this summer in day camp.

Rides

Chloe loves to be in this stroller these days.  We found a way to put Nate to good use pulling her and they both are entertained at the same time. Brilliant I say!

Parking

When the truck was in working order, we would take it to our beach here at camp almost daily.  We would also always park it under this sign... just for kicks.

The other day, the maintenance guys made up a little sign for Nate's truck as we were up at the office visiting daddy and had parked the truck out near the parking garage.  We decided to take the sign home with us and put it right next to our "big car".  

P.S.  Nate is getting good at picking out his own clothes and getting himself dressed... so don't judge me on his outfit. :)