outta here!

We leave here for our vacation in less than four hours and we are still awake.  The house is going to stay messy, but I'm over it.  However, we are packed and ready.  I'm most excited that we are leaving the computer home!  Be back with some pics in a few weeks.

Aloha, bloggies!

superhuman?

Ever wish you could be superhuman for a day??

Tomorrow we leave for an amazing Hawaiian vacation with hubby's fam.  We are really looking forward to it and have been anticipating it for a long time.  So, this post is NOT a complaining post at all, don't be confused...  We leave on a 6 am flight.  By this point, I had hoped to be just about packed, to have the house relatively straightened ( or maybe even close to all the way clean!) and just using today to finish up at work, and run a few last minute errands and get to bed early. Maybe even have time for a pedicure.  HA!  I, apparently, like to live in a dream world.

So today needs to be a superhuman day.  I need to be able to wiggle my nose or something and have the house organized and neat (busyness has certainly taken it's toll these last few weeks); have the kids wake up and offer to help in any way they can; be able to split into two people and have one of me go to work and one of me pack and run errands.  I need to have lightning quick decision making abilities as I try to figure out what to bring and what to leave behind for 13 days of fun in one 50 pound or less suitcase.  I need to stretch time, so Dave can find time to mow the lawn before we go.  And the list goes on...  I guess I want to be like the little boy Dash in The Incredibles who runs around so fast you can't see him.  Just for today.  

Well, unfortunately, I don't hold out hope that I will have superhuman powers today.  However, I do know that I have supernatural Power on my side.  So, I ask for God's help today.  To be efficient.  To not be neurotic.  To be OK with less than perfection.  To be content with what we are able to accomplish.  To go before me and make the path smooth...that the things I need to accomplish at church will fall into place quickly (like finding teachers for the empty Sunday slots while I'm gone!!).  To help me make quick decisions.  To help me remember everything. To help my kids channel their excitement into helpfulness, and to get along in the process.  To give me peace in the midst of it all.   

I have confidence that He hears my mundane prayers and is happy I know I need Him.

I know you think I should stop blogging already and start packing...time is a-tickin and I'm stressing you out.  OK, I hear you.  I'm off to pray. And experience the supernatural miracle of  hair color from a box.  Roots in Hawaii?  I don't think so.  I hear you have to forfeit your lei if you show up with roots.  

Aloha!

Top Ten Things I Love About My Dad

(this post is modified from something I wrote to my dad for Father's Day)

1.       He’s proud of me.  He came to my cheerleading competitions in High School (and kept score by his own scoring system).  He came to volleyball games – even though I was only the manager--to watch my friends play. He speaks highly of me to others, and thinks I make a great Children’s Ministry Director and church leader.

2.        I always have known that his family is his first priority.  In his busy jobs over the years…I remember calling his secretary  a few times just to ask a question — she would put me right through to him, even if he was in a meeting — because that is what she had been told to do.  We always ranked above everything else.

3.        He thinks I can do more than I think I can.  Dad was convinced I could win a college scholarship for which I never would have applied for.  He drove me from New York to Boston and back in one LONG day so I could compete for it.  That scholarship allowed me to go to the school of my choice.  He is also the one who encouraged me for years to think about Children’s Ministry at our church.  I wasn’t sure…but he was.

4.        No matter how old I am, I am still his little girl.  He looks out for me, protects me, brags about me and is always concerned if I am doing okay.  I know he cares.

5.       He loves God, and is a man of integrity.  He has given me that legacy of faith.  He is a wonderful example of a Godly man and husband.

6.       His goofy sense of humor.  He introduced me to Fawlty Towers.  He raised me on “punny” jokes.  He likes to laugh and even thinks I’m funny.  I have been caught trying to pass off dad-like jokes more and more often lately.  Can’t help it.  I hear them in my head.

7.         Anyone who knows my dad knows he is wise.  He is smart, but beyond that applies Godly wisdom to life situations. He is able to see the big picture, and bring out what is most important in a decision or situation.  Some of that has rubbed off on me, and I am grateful.

8.        His lingo.  We make fun of him, but it’s great.  He has his own way of saying things lots of times…and scarily, some of them are starting to make sense to me.  I mean, sometimes you just gotta “cube it out”!

9.       He is also a great grandpa to my kids.  Pickle and Bubba adore him and know he loves them too.  He goes to band concerts and soccer games.  When Aidan was alive…he spent hours at the hospital on his own, pacing at his bedside.  I recently learned he visits Aidan’s grave more often than I do.  He has a tender spot in his heart for each of his grandkids.

10.     He loves me.  I have always known this…and still do.

He’s a cool dude, my dad.  I thank God for him.  I love you dad!!

Welcome to the Bayou!

Check out our Crocodile Dock VBS decorations! I'm so proud of our decorations team!

This is what the kids see when they enter the church:

The main set:

Some other touches I really like:

The dock that leads down the stairs:

Day One down. Four more to go...

Yeah, I tend to overshare...

If you think I've got a lot to say....

imagine what she'll be like once she starts drinking diet coke! :)

I know...you think I must have been just like that as a baby. Back in the dark ages when I was a born, people didn't own video cameras. So, I guess we'll never know...

But, I must say, I totally get her.

There's some big stuff coming...

Don’t you love the slower pace of summer? Less places to be, less to do, you know, the lazy, hazy days and all that? Well, if you are enjoying summer slo-mo, you'll have to tell me about it…cause life hasn’t slowed down much for me. There is some big stuff coming, and the prep is keeping us pretty busy.

First of all, vacation bible school is only 5 days away. I can’t believe I just said that, cuase I think I am supposed to be way more stressed about it…since I am in charge, and did I mention it is only 5 days away?? I’m preferring to assume it is God’s grace and peace, rather than that I’m forgetting something huge. (I’m definitely one of those people who has recurring nightmares about taking a trip I forgot to pack for, or realizing at the end of the semester that I forgot all about attending one of my classes, or being on stage without having learned my lines.) I have a lot to do…but feel calm about it at the moment. Peace that passes understanding...and maybe a bit of denial.

Actually, it has been so amazing to watch the people from church step up and do what they are good at, and passionate about. I am blessed to have lots of help. I love that for the second year in a row snacks and crafts were the first areas to be volunteered for. I love that two wonderful ladies get so excited about decorating our church for vbs—nothing is too overwhelming for them (in fact, our sanctuary is already sporting a wooden shack, dock and cypress trees, and they are just getting started!). I love that one wonderful mom offers to contact the families of all kids with allergies and provide special snacks that accommodate those kids. I love that one friend is heading up a prayer team and plans to be on site praying each morning. I could go on and on…

Secondly, after VBS we are going to Hawaii!!!! We are going on a cruise with hubby’s whole family and we can’t wait! But, we must make sure we have what we need together, cause it will be here before we know it. So, swimsuits all around, closed toe shoes for hiking and the zipline, nice enough shorts and shirts and skirts to wear to dinner, etc. etc. so we’ve been shopping, and buying, and returning, and buying again. And wishing we were tan, and in shape. The Big D and I will apparently need to stand behind our kiddos a lot…they will look good. J

So there are some big things on the horizon…and I am so grateful for the awesome things keeping us busy. Not to mention, the first competition episode of So You Think You Can Dance has just begun…and I’m SO hooked already! The very first couple’s performance was amazing. LOVED it. Must. Stop. Blogging. And. Watch. The. Rest.

And then work on my hula...

Kerry inspired me to talk about reality.

My sister Kerry posted today about reality TV—and the two shows she’s hooked on at the moment—So You Think You Can Dance and The Bachelorette. Read her post here. I must admit I watch the same two…and I also like American Idol, the Biggest Loser and The Amazing Race when they are on. There have also been some non-competitive reality shows that fill our tube now and again…some Jon and Kate (although I can’t watch this anymore…due to the fact that I want them to tell the cameras to go away and focus on their marriage and family before it all falls apart in front of America…but that is another story), some Little People, Big World; Supernanny; and What Not to Wear--to name a few.

What is the draw? Why do I like these shows? I wonder if I am just a product of my culture—that somehow I have been made to like these shows. I’ve been courted and teased and have become the typical american viewer. the end. I’d like to think it’s more than that…but it’s probably not. Regardless, I’d like to pretend there is more, and mention some reasons I find these shows so appealing.

1) First of all, with the obvious exception of the bachelorette, these shows fit into a hard-to come-by “my kids can watch it and even like it despite the lack of Disney channel stars and Dave and I are even a bit interested in it” category. Something we can all watch together. Something that actually can lead to discussions about behavior and attitudes as we see both good and bad examples on the screen. This is our family TV these days, for better or worse.

2) I also think I like rooting for someone…the one I think deserves the honor of “winning” the show, or triumphing over a situation in their lives. It isn’t always the one that is the obvious favorite, but usually one that is in the background at first and slowly grows on me. Let’s just say I was a Kris fan more than an Adam fan. I am one of those. And every now and then I have the satisfaction of seeing “my person” do well, or reach their goal or dream. Like Kris. (Still happy about that one.)

3) When it comes to the non-competitive shows…I think they tap into some sort of socially acceptable form of voyeurism. that sounds creepy, but admit it…we get to be in other people’s business and apparently it is OK with them. I also think I enjoy seeing how they handle challenges I don’t have, like having tons of kids or being a little person. It’s interesting. I wonder if I would handle things the way they do. And I like to see if their houses get messy too. And if I’m a better decorator. Just sayin.

4) I also like a happy ending. When the proposal is made, the recording deal guaranteed, the makeover revealed, the new skinny person punching through the paper fat “before” mural. It’s a feel-good moment. Totally worth the hours invested in cheering these people on through my TV. I honestly feel so happy for these people. By that point I feel like I know them somehow. I find myself caring for them…even though that is kinda weird. They don’t know me. But I know which ones I would hang with. We’d be close. I’m sure.

5) I also secretly envy the hosts. I mean, what a job. all the perks without having to actually be talented. I mean, talking? I can do that.

6) And, last, but certainly not least, I watch because "this week will be the most dramatic rose ceremony YET!” and you can't miss that! hook. line. sinker.

(And can we give three cheers to whoever invented the DVR? Cause I love that I don't have to stay home to catch the shows I like...and I don't have to miss any either. It's a beautiful example of time management, don'tcha think?)

So, without giving it too much thought…these are some reasons I watch these shows. Got some reasons of your own? Come on…you know you watch 'em.

For Kerry and Jeff

I want to post this song in honor of my sister Kerry and bro-in-law Jeff who are grieving the loss of their precious daughter Sadie, born still just over a month ago.

Been through some hard stuff myself...and have been "held" over and over again.  Trusting you feel it too Kerr and Jeff.  I love you.

I love a pickle and a bubba

So, my hubby has asked that I not use my kids’ names in my blog.  I know lots of bloggers do and lots don’t, and I was on the fence about it.  When I’m on the fence I often ask hubby, or my mom, or one of my sisters, or someone at work, a friend or whoever’s nearby…because, you see, making decisions is one of my strengths.  J  Anyhoo (anywho?)…I asked and hubby said no names.  So I’m using their nicknames.  My daughter has been Pickle for a long time…short for Pickle-noodle of course.  Most boys in our family are bubba, bubby, or bubbsy at one point or another…and Bubba has really stuck with our little guy, who, by the way, is not so little anymore. Yikes!

 

So, Bubba’s summer is off to a good start:

 

On the last day of school we went out for ice cream with his buddies. 

 

On Saturday, he went to Lowe's and ate hot dogs from the vendor there with his dad.  That’s pretty cool in Bubba's book.  He loves to be with his dad (with good reason).  After Dave got dressed for the day and Bubba was about to go get dressed, he came in to our bedroom and said, “Dad, I want to be just like you today.” (So sweet) Dave, being a bit reflective, said, “that’s so nice, Bubbs, but also kinda scary.”  Bubba said, “what’s scary about it?”  His dad said, “well, I know me, and there are parts of me I’d rather not pass on to you.”  Bubba thought for a minute and then said, “Dad, I’m just talking about the way we are dressed…”   Love that.  Don’t get all deep on me dad…

 

Today Bubba started a session of swimming lessons—figured we’d get one in before VBS and vacation.  He loves to swim.  It was cool and rainy.  He didn’t care.  He got to swim…

jump in…

and was the longest water-treader of his class.  

Way to rock swimming class, Bubbs!

 

I’ll post about Pickle soon.  I’m absolutely positive she’ll want me to.

 

Happy summer break!