Camping 2011

This year, we ventured to Lopez Lake in San Luis Obispo county--about a 4-hour drive (but really more like 5+ hours because of traffic and because Jon drove his company's big truck carrying all of the camping families' large items). We left on Sunday after church and arrived in the evening to the beautiful lake. Neil had reserved a really great group campsite, which, after having seen most of the campgrounds, we decided was the best campsite in the area! All of us (7 families in all) were in the same large space, right next to the lake, with a large blacktop/parking lot for the kids to ride bikes (and which stayed empty the whole time!), a playground a short walk away, and plenty of space for the kids to play and explore.





The weather was cooler than I had expected, mostly because of how windy it was. So we never did swim in the lake, choosing instead to stay warm by the fire in the mornings and evenings and taking a couple of day trips. Funny side story: Lucy wanted to wear her summer/sleeveless pajamas each night, even though I'd also brought some warm pj's for her. (Fine, I said.) One night, I woke up to hear her sleep talking: "I'm CHILLY," she noted. I got up and saw that she was sleeping on top of her sleeping bag, completely out in the freezing air. (It was really cold at night--I was still cold even inside my sleeping bag.) Her goose bumps had goose bumps. I put her back in her sleeping bag (amidst her sleeping protests).

Even though we didn't go in the lake, the kids had plenty of fun running around with sticks, riding bikes, and even getting splashed with water balloons:



Another difference from beach camping was all the cool wildlife we saw: wild turkeys, quail, deer, cranes, a groundhog, a skunk (who made a few unwelcome visits to our campsite), bats, millions of bugs (but no bites!), and lots of varieties of bird (wish Mama and Daddy were there to identify them).

The parents huddled around the fire each evening and talked late into the night. John Topartzer, a relative "newcomer," mentioned on the last night that he had never been around a group of people that so often randomly broke into song. :)

On our first full day there, we all went to Oceano Beach near Pismo, which is the only beach in California you can drive your car on.



It started off cloudy and cool, but the sun came out and it warmed up a bit. Levi loved exploring the dunes... and then he konked out in the car.




On our second day, Jon, Nate, Lucy, Levi, and I took a little trip to Pismo Beach. We walked on the pier and even rented one of those multi-person bike cart things. Jon and I got our workout for the week on that thing. :)




On the last full day, we spent the morning and lunch time around the campsite, and then we tried out the water park on the Lake Lopez campground (it was like 50 yards from our site). Even though it was windy, buggy, and chilly at our tent, the trees and hills surrounding the water park made it warmer and much less windy. The water was very cold, but the kids didn't mind--they had a BLAST, especially Nate.





Thursday we packed up and headed home. Lucy and Nate loved riding in the Isuzu with Jon (they rode up to camping in there too). Levi and I rode in comfort in the Durango.



Now we're home and I'm on laundry load number 8!

Lucy video

Here's Lucy doing a little song and dance. (She had been doing it with much more enthusiasm before I got out the camera.)

Weezer

On Thursday, August 4, we went to a concert held at the OC Fair with Neil and Casey. It was Neil's favorite band, Weezer. We went a couple of hours early so we could eat as much fair food as possible (including funnel cake, a huge barbecued turkey leg, chocolate-covered stuff, wine tasting, but--oddly enough--nothing deep fried). The concert itself was fun. There were no opening bands, which I loved because that meant I wasn't already tired by the time the headlining band came on. It was a GREAT concert and a great time with sweet friends.

Phew!

Boy, am I glad this past week is over! Like I mentioned, I had extra work to do for my job. Even an extra hour a day adds up to a LOT when there are three children to take care of, feed, dress, referee, and field questions/needs from all day. But this week was an extra two to three hours a day. Insane! Now I know why full-time, work-from-home moms have nannies. And now I know why I would never want to work full time. :)

Today we are packing and preparing for camping! I've set up a couple of blog posts to post while we're gone, so Nannie you can have something to read when you check the blog. Love you!

Extremely busy

I've been swamped with extra work from my Long Beach job this week and last. (The full-time proofreader has been out for over a week, and I've been covering a lot of her work from home.) No time to post on the blog!

But I had to come on the blog today to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my handsome, wonderful, humble, gentle, funny, smart husband. :)

Sewing to save some cash

The kids and I are out and about during lunch time a lot, and I always pack our lunches. I usually go through Ziplocs like crazy, but a lot of the time it's for things that don't make too much of a mess in the bag (e.g., carrots, dry cereal). So yesterday I used some scrap pieces of fabric to make some reusable, sandwich-size bags. Because a lot of the waterproof fabrics available are not food-safe (and the ones that claim to be are still suspect, I think), I used plain cotton on both the outside and inside and will wash the bags in the regular laundry. (Actually, one of the bags in the first picture does have a waterproof outside layer; it's a laminated cotton.) I played around with snaps and velcro closures and will see which we end up preferring.

Life with 3

OC Fair

Jon worked in the CEF booth at the fair again this year. He was assigned to Saturday, July 16, so at the last minute we decided to go a few hours early and take the kids. They were ecstatic.

Nate was a tiny (tiny) bit braver this year but still didn't ride most of the rides the other kids went on. Everyone had a blast!

Sweet pictures

The kids this morning. (Shocking side note: Lucy is the only one dressed. With no fussing. It's the sequins!)

Fruit of the Spirit project

In our "first full day at home" on Wednesday, the kids and I started this project, inspired by Casey.

While the kids colored these sheets, we read Galatians 5:22-26 a few times. Then they colored in the tree I drew while we listened to this song.



We picked a lemon for the first fruit and talked about what it means to love. How do we show love to one another? The kids' suggestions were cute. Lucy said, "When Nate or Levi gets hurt, when I go to the freezer and get an ice pack for them." Levi said, "I say I love you to Nate and Lucy." Nate suggested sharing toys and giving hugs. Then, throughout the day, I pointed out the times the kids were showing love to each other--and I even saw a few instances that wouldn't have happened if we hadn't been talking about it (e.g., at the park, Levi wanted the lower swing that Nate was on, and Nate, looking to make sure I was watching, got off and gave it to him--definitely a rare occurrence).

In response to the fighting among the kids and ungratefulness toward me, I thought this project would be a good summer focus for us. And as much as the kids need it, I probably need it more. In my own reading Wednesday, I read the verses that precede the fruit of the Spirit verses, where the "works of the flesh" include "outbursts of anger" (5:20). And man, have I really been letting that rule my life lately. I have not been practicing self-control or gentleness (hello, two fruits of the Spirit) at all. I really don't want to be a yeller. I don't want the children to get used to me treating them this way. I look at old videos from when Nate was small and Lucy was just born, and I was so patient. What happened? I know that motherhood stress and busyness and whatnot have taken their toll, but really, it comes down to whether or not I'm walking in the Spirit. When I am continually renewing my spirit by fellowshipping with the Lord and reading the Word, that's when I'm "in the light" and can avoid "carry[ing] out the desires of the flesh." When I rely on my own strength, I fail. So this summer project, like I said, is as much (or more) for me as it is for the children.

Today we will talk about joy. Anyone know a fruit that starts with J?

Too much complaining

I've taken the kids on several super-fun outings lately (e.g., water play in a friend's back yard with slip-n-slide, or meeting friends at the fountains at the Spectrum and bringing lunch), only to have what feels like the entire outing be filled with whining and complaining ("You didn't bring a sandwich for me?" "I wanted the other bathing suit!" "The water is too coooooold!" "This isn't what I wanted to eat!"). By the end of the play date (which has sometimes ended early because I make us leave because of the complaining), I am discouraged and frustrated (and mad) and ask myself, "Why do I even try? Why did we even come?" I feel like I put in a lot of effort and prep work for these types of things, making and packing everyone's lunch, packing swim gear, sunscreening each child, etc. I guess deep down I must feel like the kids should appreciate all that effort and be thankful and behave well and at least be happy--but those things (at least the thankfulness and behavior) don't come naturally. They need to be trained.

So today is day 2 of just. staying. home. I think we just need to slow down. I need to select our outings carefully so as not to overload our week. A friend (Kim) mentioned something recently about how she tries to do a day-on, day-off approach (if one day has an out-of-the-house activity, then the next day is at home). That sounds smart to me. Yesterday, in our full day at home, I noticed less fighting (I think) and maybe a tiny bit less complaining (maybe). :)

Life snapshot #2

It has been 8 months since I did my first "life snapshot," so it feels like time for another one.

The good

• Summer is awesome. This is really our first "real" summer, since Nate has been in school or therapy year-round since before he was 2. Everyone loved swim lessons. Pool days are perfect; everyone is at a good age/stage for them (Nate can swim now; Lucy is basically water safe; Levi is afraid of the water, which is perfect since he just stays on the steps).
• I'm so excited about homeschooling. OK, well, to be honest, I alternate between being super excited and being overwhelmed/anxious. Of course, that's only natural. I love the idea of doing the work and being organized. It's just a matter of making sure we do the work and stay organized! :) I also don't want to over-commit to activities and groups and whatnot.
  
• Levi is irresistible. I don't remember either of the other two children ever spontaneously saying, "I love you, Mama," but this boy does. (That isn't a slight of the other two; they always respond appropriately with "I love you, too" and give hugs and cuddles.) I remember back to 6 or 7 months ago, when I was spoon-feeding Levi his soft-boiled egg one morning (too messy otherwise), he looked up and said, "Mama, you're so sweet." Those were the only words he knew to express what he wanted to say. I melted. I just love his sweet kisses and words.
• I continue to be blessed by being married to Jon. He has been working HARD lately and under lots of stress, so I especially appreciate that he comes home and is still a terrific dad and husband.

The difficult

• Fighting children. It feels like much less fighting occurs when just two children are present, but when you add in the third (doesn't matter who it is), things blow up. Nate has been pestering Lucy and Levi a lot (feels like constantly).
  
• In fact, in general it feels like I'm struggling with Nate. (The Lucy struggles are still there, but those are "normal" at this point. The Nate stuff isn't.) He acts hyper and gets all up in Lucy's and Levi's space, pestering them and stirring up fighting. He has been speaking disrespectfully and in general just kind of "hard to handle." At this point, I shouldn't have to watch him like a hawk when we're on a play date, but I feel I have to to make sure he isn't mean to the other kid(s). Part of the issue here is that I know I avoid disciplining him at times because he reacts so strongly to the discipline and I don't want to deal with the 30-minute-long fallout. So, hello, this is all starting with me!

Video & pictures

I took this video wanting to catch how cute Levi looks scooting along on his little car. It also ends up showing what we have to do every few minutes when we're out on the street before dinner time.



Here are some pictures from the past couple of weeks:

4th of July year by year

2011


2010 (no picture of all three!)


2009


2008


It was so fun going through some older pictures and looking at how SWEET Nate was with Levi (and is generally with babies):

Happy 4th!

God bless America!

I read this article this morning and give it a hardy "Amen!"