Wacky Tuesday

Tuesday was a weird night at our home...

While I was passed out in bed, the kids thought it'd be fun to go WILD. Laney dressed up as a princess...

Max took this picture of himself trying to stay cross-eyed as long as possible...

And no, there's not trouble in paradise, but Jeff is no longer wearing his wedding ring. It seems his finger has swelled up to the point where it's cutting off his circulation. I don't know if it's summer heat or weight gain. NO MORE COOKIES! Unfortunately I purchased a titanium ring for him, which means it's unable to be re-sized since the metal is too hard. Oh, well. I'm not wearing mine either until he can wear his! :)

And here I am in bed...Jeff kept trying to snap unflattering photos of me, recovering from a migraine, back injury, and sprained ankle. Ugh...Thanks again to Mom Hopkins for sending over lasagna and rolls. It was my only meal of the day!

Little Galilee Camp

Jeff & I took the kids camping at Little Galilee in Clinton. It's a Christian-based camp on hundreds of acres of forest. It's one of the most peaceful places I've ever enjoyed.

The kids especially enjoyed paddle-boating on the lake. I don't think they've ever done that before...and they preferred it to the tipsy canoe. The lake is 17 feet deep and full of snapping turtles, fish and algae...so wearing life jackets are a must before coasting along the water!

Jeff encouraged them to also fish along the bank of the lake. I was so grossed out by his splitting the worms in two before hooking them on the poles. I really think it's cruelty to worms!

Max kept saying, "I'm the king fisherman! Grandpa says so!" He caught a total of three fish while Laney caught two. I don't care for fishing myself but it was nice to enjoy the peace and quiet of the lake and watch other families spend time together.

The hiking trails were outstanding in their lush greenery. Every path was surrounded by a forest of trees and a lookout point to the lake. I enjoyed sneaking away every now and then to listen to music in my iPod and observe nature.

Sometimes Jeff and I would go off by ourselves when the kids were occupied playing games with their friends on the field...we brought the game bag and played Elasund. I beat him for the first time! A big bonus about the camp is that there are tons of counselors and trustworthy adults on hand to keep an eye on the kids. I felt completely safe letting them run around.

Being a Christian-based camp, every morning kicked off with prayer and a devotional at the flagpole on this field. A pastor from Lincoln led the group in singing and a scripture lesson. From 8-9am every day we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast and then split off into adult Bible lessons/kid crafts and games until noon.

Of course, the one day that Jeff and I decided to skip the second Bible session and go canoeing, a storm brewed and we got stuck in a downpour in the middle of the lake. It was hilarious! We were soaked. Jeff kept asking, "Is it safe to be out here in the thunder and lightening?" My clothes are still wet!

The outdoor pool was freezing at 72 degrees and the kids shivered while they swam but they insisted on staying poolside and sliding down the magnificent slide contraption. Jeff tried it, too, even though it hurt his back.
Speaking of backs, I hurt mine by falling on a slippery spot...right after getting my sprained ankle bandaged in the first aide station! Needless to say I was in a world of pain upon our return from camp. But I had such a wonderful time with the kids overall, I can't wait to return next year!

This time I intend to reserve the premier lodge on the property a year in advance. I'm done with sleeping in the dorms! It was like a germ-fest with girls packed in bunk beds like sardines! It's way too roughing it for me. Laney loved it and made a new friend. But I was not raised to enjoy dirt and germs. In this picture I look dazed and drugged...I had Jeff take me to Wal-Mart for sleeping pills to get some rest!

Tonight I will be grateful for my pillow top bed, hot shower and a husband who will hopefully wait on me hand and foot as I recover from my weekend injuries. But boy did we have a blast...now we have a treasure trove of memories to draw from until we have the courage to camp again.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

"I Am Abe Lincoln"

Laney begged the whole family to watch her 15-second school performance of Abe Lincoln. It was pretty cute to see her, along with her classmates, recite a short monologue of historical figures while decked out in character.
Laney did a great job paying homage to the country's 16th president and pride of our state.
Alrightee...that's all the energy I have to blog now. Please pray for safe travels, nice weather and full sanity as Jeff and I take the kids camping this weekend to Little Galilee Christian Camp in Clinton. With gas prices spiking to $4.05, I don't want to go anywhere this summer! But we're hoping to expose the kids to fresh air, hiking trails in the country and canoeing.
For now I need to spend the next hour searching for blankets and sleeping bags. Have a great Memorial Day everyone!

The "Goodest" Day

This weekend while Laney attended a horse show with a friend, we had Max to ourselves. Jeff taught him how to make a strawberry-banana smoothie...

Max got to enjoy his lunch of choice--Mac & Cheese, of course!

And we played upteen rounds of "Guess Who?" Max proclaimed, "Laney missed the Goodest Day Ever!" It's nice to spend time with the kids one-on-one. Max tends to be overly sensitive and quiet when his sister is around but he's incredibly well-behaved and talkative by himself.
Jeff and I have been married 8 months now...but just the other week I told him I finally felt like our family has adapted to a "normal" routine and dynamic I find relatively comfortable. It's hard enough to adjust to marriage but it's pretty challenging to create a "new family" while being respectful of the "old dynamic" you're walking into.
For the very first time Sunday night I felt like a true parent. Jeff had a guys game night at a friend's house so I watched the kids.
Everything was great until I heard the kids scream and wail at the top of their lungs at each other upstairs over something silly. I rushed upstairs and yelled, "STOP SCREAMING THIS INSTANT! You will not raise your voice in this house unless you're seriously hurt!" I've never raised my voice at them--EVER! I've always been afraid of scolding or disciplining them because I don't want them to hate me!
They were instantly quiet and just stared at me. It took a while to sort out the situation, talk to them about respect for others, and encourage them to make up with hugs. We said prayers together and I tucked them in.
All the while I was thinking about a comment Max made earlier that night. I told Jeff, "It looks like I'll play nanny while you're gone." Max responded, "You're not my nanny. You're my Miko Mom."

Fashion No-No

I about fell out of my chair when Jeff walked downstairs to announce he was ready for bed. His nightpants from the 80s paired with his ratty "I Love NY" shirt screams, "I BELONG IN GOODWILL BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS ME!"

Get a load of this tight shot...they just don't make 'em like this anymore--for good reason! It'll never make a comeback because it wasn't "in" in the first place!

For another fashion flash-back...here's Laney trying on Jeff's old wig he got at Disneyland when he was a teen. He said Alice in Wonderland commented, "Nice hair." I think not!