How to spend the summer

Here is the field guide on "How to Spend your summer" because I know our summer is going fast but it has been so filled with wonderful memories -- and we only are half way through the summer!! I can only imagine what the rest of days have in store for us. This blog will be long because I have been gone for over 2 weeks. We have been chillin in tennessee enjoying the awesome weather and getting some sun! I am happy to have a tan finally. Rule #1 on how to spend your summer: Get Outside and enjoy the sun!!! I have to say I did this everyday on vacation. Sometimes to much, hence the one day of throwing up from sun poisoning..... but it did not keep me down I was out playing with the kids at the pool the next day (with SPF 50 on) LOL The kids are my big motivator -- as soon as X wakes up he wants to be outside. Now Gigi (the new nickname for G given by grandma because she kept forgetting G-Lo!) on the other hand sweats the instant she walks out the door. She is a girl who loves the air conditioning or a nice cool pool if she is outside. {Her Gigi is all ready to watch mommy and daddy play tennis! Our little rainbow!}

Rule #2 on how to spend your summer: Spend it with Family

There is nothing like being with family. It's a little chaotic when all 20 of us get together, but boy do we have some good laughs. The kids have a blast when they get to spend the night with their cousins and stay up later than they ever get too! No one knows you like your family and its fun to be around them because they can pick up on your weaknesses and compensate for them. Denise is an amazing cook, so she cooks these spectacular meals that we get to enjoy! Mom was constantly picking up after us (nate and I kept our room shut so she didn't see the bomb that went off in our room! :-) Kathy is the captain of the boat, something I dislike doing. Dennis was the dish washer -- it did not go unnoticied how many times before we were all up from the table that he was at the sink doing dishes. Kurt is the handy man aroudn the house. And Beth and I were busy trying to keep our kids away from anything breakable!!! It all worked out rather well! :-)

It is rare that the family is together this much so summer vacation is really the time to bond. I know the kids loved every minute of hanging out with cousin Faith, Will, Lincoln, and Mason. I didn't forget you Brooke but they call you an aunt -- so you got promoted!!

Rule #3 on How to Spend your Summer --Get plenty of sleep ..... Nate definately followed this rule to the letter!
Rule #4 -- There's nothing wrong with a little friendly competetion

{will and rosetta the best of buds}

Whether it be tennis, ping pong, jump roping, or even roasting a marshmallow my family puts a whole new meaning on competetion. I think tennis hit an all new high this year in injuries. We are willing to sacrificise our bodies to win a point or in some cases your teammates body. Mom got hit by a ball (nate), Denise got bit by a chain link fence and I rolled my ankle going for a ball. That is dedication... or pure grace! LOL The most memorable night has to be the Jump Rope competetion. It started out with just a jump rope laying on the front porch and soon it turned into a Girls VS. Guys who can jump the most match! I haven't laughed like that in a long time.

{Brooke showing that she really can jump rope -- no gym teacher is going to keep her from jumping} {R is showing everyone how to do it correctly! }

{Dennis showing his stuff}
{and Kate was in the zone}
{The peanut gallery}

It didn't take long for the competetion to escalate and someone looked at faith gliding on the driveway on the ripstick and said "that looks easy!" And Dennis and Kurt were at it seeing who could do the ripstick the farthest. Luckily there were no injuries!
{Kurt just couldn't get the hang of it!}

{Dennis got the hang of it after a few tries! His stopping wasn't that smooth though! }

{Faith showing the boys how the rip stick is done! In a skirt nonetheless!!}

Rule #5 -- Play with smiling babies

This is in here because who can resist!!! {Mr. mason}

Rule #6 -- Always Remember Safety First

Doesn't Lily look super safe in her "very uncomfortable won't let me move" lifevest! She couldn't even get her hand to her mouth. She sure didn't complain though, the first day in it she fell asleep in the water!

{Grandma Judy and Lily}
Rule #7 -- find any excuse to eat cake

We were able to celebrate 2 birthdays while we were in Tennessee. Mom and Faith's birthdays are in July so we always celebrate them on the 4th. Any excuse to eat cake is fine by me!!

{Happy Birthday Mom!}

{Just getting together is celebration enough!!}

{The kids had red, white and blue outfits for the fourth! }
Rule #8 -- Enjoy some fireworks.

And what better way to see fireworks than on the lake. Nothing like sitting by the dock watching firworks with family and hearing lots of giggles from kids who are way up past their bedtimes!! I will just forget the millions of spiders that were around us and the one I carried up to the house with me. Uh -- I have the creepy crawlies right now just thinking of it!!!

{watching the fireworks}

Rule #9 -- Just take it day by day and don't be afraid to be a little goofy!! {Brad and X giving their best mad face! X can't keep from giggling!!}
{Brooke and Brad}
{faith and grandma judy}

{Headed to the pool}

{I see a resemblence}

{This was my boy swimming under water!! What a remarkable change from the first day when he didn't want to get into the water!}

We even had a great time at the playground!! There was just so much to do in tennessee. Which comes to final Rule ... Rule #10 -- spend your summer somewhere other than your own house. I swear the kids get bored at our house the minute we wake up. But at grandma's house there was tons of things to do!! Never a dull moment. Now it isn't that fun living out of luggage, but the alternative was being at our house where mommy would see all that needed to be done and never have a moments rest. I enjoy vacation SOOOO much better!!! :-)

{Faith the water bug!}

{my little daredevil}

{Lincoln driving the jetski!}

{Lincoln and Gigi playing with the water table}

{Will and Faith}

Could you imagine that this little girl wouldn't let go of her tube on the first couple days! Now she is swimming in the lake like a pro -- And summer couldn't be complete without a campfire! We had to have smores..... the kids needed a sugar high!

And Gigi was in Heaven!!! So that's tennessee vacation for you, 2 weeks of utter fun! Hard to beat and hard to come home to piles of laundry, layers of dust and weeds to pull. I want to turn around and head back. But for now I better get some stuff done around the house! See ya --

Gray skies are going to clear up...

... so put on a happy face.
Okay so this blog is my journaling (since I definitely do not have time to both) it is a way to put my thoughts down, to document what is going on in our lives (to look back on later when I am trying to scrapbook these events -- when I sometime in the future get time to scrapbook), and as therapy (alot cheaper than a therapist!). Its been 3 weeks now since dad has past away and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of him at least a hundred times, and thinking of mom another hundred, each of my siblings at least a dozen times, and then of course thinking of my children constantly and nate -- NOW do you know why my head hurts all the time!! :-) It is difficult to know how to move on? It seems weird to go about everything as usual when someone who impacted your life so much is gone, but that is what we must do .... eventually. Every grieves differently too! Some people (like me) like to be constantly reminded of those who we miss and love to go through things that remind us of them. I can't tell you how many times I have looked at pictures or or read the book of questions dad and mom filled out (partially) or just listened to the song "beautiful Exchange" which will forever remind me of dad. Others seem to go on like normal but are grieving inside .. me I like to talk about it... hence the blog... hence if you don't want to hear anymore -- STOP READING. ;-)
This month has really passed by in a whirlwind and the kids weren't able to be there for the last few days of school, but it was special that the day we left Rosetta had her kindergarten diploma ceremony. I am still amazed that she is a first grader!! She ha grown up way too fast.... we are loving learning though. She can't get enough of reading, writing and spelling... we are so proud!

The kids and I have spent alot of time the last month back in Ohio. They are really enjoying spending more time with their grandparents and cousins. The day we returned they asked if we were going back to Ohio the next day, never mind the long drive we just took. Mommy is just getting the house back to normal (as normal as it is going to be this summer with all 4 kids at home!).
Mom took us sisters out to lunch one day while I was home and Lily got to go along too! Here she is all dressed up ready for a day out! She even brought along her purse.

I don't think the swing set has been used this hard for a long time. Everyone of the kids was doing something on the swingset. We spent alot of time trying the monkey bars and building up arm strength!

I don't think we were much help around the house for grandma... here is Lily trying to help. hee-hee

When we were back home in Iowa 2 weeks ago Nate's plant had their 100th anniversary. John Deere went all out and had a wonderful afternoon set up for all the families. The kids really enjoyed it and had fun at Johnny's Farm. They got to plant seeds, milk cows, feed horses, and go fishing all to learn about how each resource uses another. Very Neat Idea!!! Seeing where daddy works was a real treat. The kids got to hang out in daddy's office and see their pictures on his desk.

{Daddy and the kids in front of the Round Baler}

Then after a weekend in Iowa we headed back to the Buckeye state. We even got to spend a few days in columbus (something we haven't done in a loooong time!). Last Friday, Denise and I took the kids to the zoo and got to hang out all day. It was so much fun to spend some time with Jacob and Faith which I don't get to do anymore. When they were little Nate and I used to babysit all the time!! Now Jacob is all grown up and driving to the zoo!!! OH MY!
{The Zoo Crew}
Bad mommy got to the zoo and realized that I forgot all of Lily's bottles on Kathy's kitchen table. But lily was a trooper and wasn't fussy at all the whole time. I am truly lucky that could have been ugly!! Good thing I had brought puffs.

We didn't see alot of animals because there were so many people and it was so HOT, but the polar bear exhibit was really neat.
After the zoo we cooled off at Dennis' and the kids weared off some energy!

{Lily goofing off!}

Lily was entirely too spoiled on the whole trip. Even Dennis got in some lovin' time! The girl sure loves flowers already, must take after her mama!!

{such beauties}

So we have definitely been taking advantage of the summer. We are able to go anywhere at a moments notice because I don't have the kids in anything but spirit camp this week for Rosetta and we just plan on having fun! Too bad daddy isn't home during the day to goof off too! :-(

We did purchase a slip and slide that the kids have been playing with. Best 5.99 I have ever spent!! They usually only ran and jumped in the kiddie pool until there was not any more water in it anyways, so this is more appropriate.

Hoping to make more splashes soon!!!

Feeling a Little Blue

Tomorrow I will wake up and It would have been my father's 72nd birthday. For those of you who haven't heard my father went to be with the lord last Wednesday night. He had battled cancer for the past 4 years and my world has a little hole in it now that he is gone. He was the most amazing father in the world, really hard to live up to -- sorry nate! :-) He wouldn't want us to be sad on his birthday but I am just a little blue thinking of everything he will miss. BUT then I need to put my perspective on what he got to see -- he got to see his 5 kids grow up to the adults we are. I know somedays I probley disappointed him but hopefully there was a few days I made him proud.

I will always remember when I lived in Philadelphia over a summer and was SOOOO homesick and just wanted to come home and called my dad up and asked him if he would be disappointed if I would come home and finish school instead of live the year there in Philly. And he said he would be proud of me either way and I could make whatever decision I wanted..... I have never regretted coming home to be with Nate and not finishing my internship. I sure would have stayed though If dad would have told me too!!

He was my hero and protector, I don't even know how young I was when we were biking around the block and I was sitting on the bar in front of dad's bike and my ankle went in the spokes. He hoisted me on his shoulders and sped all the way home to make me all better.
Dad was there to see his 11 grandchildren -- he got to hold and play and have a relationship with each of my 4 children. Each of my children's lives are impacted by Grandpa Bob, and they will forever hold the memories of fishing and putting together puzzles with Grandpa in their heart. Dad got to see Lily grow up a little bit seeing her go from not doing much to crawling and moving around like a pro. It was cool to see Lily on one of dad's last days up at the hospital and when Lily was in his room all she wanted to look at was grandpa. She wanted down and to be with grandpa. Even as little as she was, she knew he was special. He was a great example to all of us on how to live life like Jesus and to walk with a personal relationship with the Lord. He taught everyone he met just how important it was to live life right and to be a good christian. He was so strong in his faith, even when he didn't feel good he would be up early on sundays dressed in his best, ready to go worship and give praise to God. I don't know about you but I am a perfectly healthy, young woman who sometimes doesn't feel like getting up on sundays to go to church just because I am tired or I have better things to do... (how wrong of me is that!! ) Just knowing my dad has made ME a better person and I know alot of people from all over can say that. We heard that by just listening to some of the stories people have told in the last week. I wonder if I thanked Dad enough for all the sacrifices he made for us, to let us have the very best? I hope he knows just how much he meant to me and to all of us. But dad didn't want his death to be a sad "grouchy" affair -- and it wasn't. Last week was a celebration of his life and it was a testament to his life to see so many people there saying good bye in a very special way. It is truly inspiring!!!

I know Dad isn't done teaching me a few lessons because I still have alot to learn but I cherish every moment we have had with him. I may just feel a little blue sometimes (or as Rosetta said today "mom is having a sad day") but thinking of him also makes me smile. He was alot of fun and could make a joke about anything. He was a HUGE fan of a comedian by the name of Brian Regan and was still making wise cracks and quoting Brian Regan last week. I just know when my kids are learning the solar system they will definitely learn --
"THE BIG YELLOW ONE IS THE SUN!!"
So Happy Birthday Dad, you had an amazing life and your legacy will live on in us. I'm sure you are up there dancing, free from this worldly body and looking down on us still guiding us from above.


2 Corinthians 5:1 NIV
Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

Dancing Ballerinas

Last Monday was parents night at dance for us to see their recital routines before Dance Recital on June 5th. I was so excited to finally see what they have been learning. R did so good, her jazz routine she knew Like the back of her hand and didn't even have to look at the teacher!

{R is the youngest dancer in her class and most of the dancers have 2-3 of dance already so she does keep up!}

{Munchkin can't wait to put on her tap shoes!!}

{G was extremely shy and didn't dance at all just swayed to the beat. The teacher said that isn't like her and she just must be shy and she told G that if she dances for the recital she would get her a chocolate ice cream cone!}

{G showing mommy her dance with her teddy bear.... for recital the bear has the same recital costume as G!}

{R and some of her dance friends... these three get into lots of trouble between classes! :-)}

{R doing her cartwheels for tumbling} Munchkin is just loving being on her feet and we can't keep her on the ground anymore. This is her favorite spot on the bottom of the steps!

Soccer stars!!

So I am a little behind on blogging on some of the events of the past 2 weeks. The kids finished up spring soccer and had a blast! X is a natural and is quick speed really helps him get the ball. We are so proud of how he has really listened to the coach and has learned to play defense and pass the ball to teammates. It was really funny when he passed the ball to a teammate in front of the goal and the kid missed, just barely. X was so disappointed and came over to me on the sideline and said "I would have made that!" He is working on his team playing skills. Here is X and a friend tackling each other on the sidelines. They had alot of fun!!!

{I am getting a little hungry so let's eat my toes!!}

Munchkin got her first taste of soccer this spring by watching many of her brother and sister's games.

{daddy and little girl}

{I found grass!!!}

R really progressed as the season went on in soccer. I just think she would have rather been in gymnastics since she kept doing cartwheels and handstands on the field.

{R using those long legs to help her at soccer}

I had to get the tire on the van fixed so me and the younger 3 went to Des Moines last week to get that fixed. The kids sat so well for an 1 1/2 at the dealership that I rewarded them by going to the mall and playing at the playground (it was raining!). We also stopped by the apple store.... the kids had fun.

{the kids at the apple store.... oh no I think they like technology like daddy, we may have problem!}

Sneak Peak-- spoiler alert!!!!

Here is Lilyana at 6 months... just a sneak peak into her 6 month photo session at a photographer in ottumwa. So cute!! So hard to make a decision on which one they are all so darn adorable. She was so easy going that day and smiled so big for the camera! Just precious!!
Of course this one is for daddy!