Thursday, July 23, 2015

Mouse Tail Landing

Almost everyone from our small group at church loaded up and went camping at Mouse Tail for a night.  With kids we had over 40 people, it was crazy and loud and so much fun.  We canoed and went swimming and sat by the fire and went swimming again.  
This was on the way up there and Caleb was really asleep, he loves her so much


 Of course with this many kids we would have some incidences.  Calebs friend Kellan banged up his knee, this floaty thing Norah has on was thrown away because as soon as she got in the lake it flipped her on her stomach and she couldn't turn over (with her face/head in the water).  I was able to get to her fast but still scared me to death.  Then after supper Norah fell off a bench and bit her tongue…again.  Afterwards she fell asleep in my arms so we sat by the fire until after 10.

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Sigh

Oh my Savannah Rose is one curious little girl.  Since she could talk she would ask me the HARDEST- soul wrenching questions.  Not only does she have no filter with her questions, she comes up with things that I would never think of or that I would have NEVER asked my mom.  She wants to know if I've smoked, done drugs, wore short shirts, how do you get a baby in your belly, where does the baby come out, have I actually heard God talk and on and on and on…. and ON.  She has been asking about Santa since she was 3 and I always will ask her what she thinks, which would get her talking and she would usually end up content.  
One night we were all in the shop and she said "is the tooth fairy real" and I slipped out the door as fast as possible so Michael could handle this one.  She came up to me later and said "mom I really need to know if the tooth fairy is real, daddy said it isn't him but I need to know" and she stared into my soul with those magical beautiful eyes of her… and there sitting in the front yard, I told her the truth.  I made it fun and light but she was having none of it.  Her tooth fairy had written her letters and sent pictures of herself, they were pen pals.  Then without missing a beat she said what about Santa and the Easter bunny and leprechauns and our elf nevalyn… and I told her the truth.  I pulled out everything I had ever read on pintrest on telling your kids and I told her about the real Saint Nicholas and how my parents were my santa claus and now she can help us… and she was broken.  Nothing I was saying was making her feel better, then the tears started and they were real heart wrenching tears.  It was a disaster.  She's wanted to be an elf when she grows up since she was first asked.  She said "why did you tell me I could be an elf if they are not real"  and I told her because I still think she can be one.  Elves help people and bring joy and there is no doubt that she will do that when she grows up, she already does it now.  But its not the same.  She thought santa would pick her up and fly her to the North Pole.  I held her for the longest time and she cried and I cried… it was crazy.  Michael came over and said "is innocence lost" and she lost it again.  He picked her up and she melted into him.  
It did surprise me how deeply she believed and how hurt she was, it was heartbreaking.  She settled down and we played in the sprinklers but she was still sad.  That night she said "I feel like all is lost" and that she is not going to tell her kids that Santa is real and it really made me doubt our choice of doing Santa.  I prayed so hard for her little heart that night… Savvy asks some big questions but she is still my little girl.  She has since recovered and we have talked and talked and talked about it.  She  hasn't brought it up in several days but it still is tearing me up inside.  Who would every think a man whose stomach shook like a bowl full of jelly could break our hearts

Friday, July 3, 2015

Savannah's Recital

I love this picture of the kids because it showcases their personalities to a T.  Savvy sweet, Cohen a ninja, Caleb with Indie and PJs on under his clothes and Norah…. norah :)
Mom won tickets to see Robert Plant at mud island and gave them to us!  It was a beautiful night and I LOVE the amphitheater.  We stayed for about a hour, the music was good and we smelled some interesting smells and large white clouds of smoke coming from the couple in front of us
Sweet Savvy had her dance recital.  She decided to take hip hop this year and was flat out adorable.  I have countless reasons to be thankful for my mom but one is that the woman can sew.  When savvys costume came in it could fit me… it was huge.  It was no problem for mom and it turned out perfect


This is the video from the dress rehearsal… I love her sass at the end

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Nashville

The kids and I took a short trip to visit Jessica and this trip had been planned out for weeks and was the only time for the whole summer that worked for both of our families.  We were under an hour to her house and Savvy threw-up… I called her to tell her we were going to turn around and then we talked each other into still coming and we would keep savvy away from everyone.  It was a 24 hour bug and she got a fever and sick a few more times but she was such a trooper.  We stayed in and rested our first day and then she was ready to go!
 We stopped by and had dinner with Uncle Drew… Norah was thrilled ;)
 we went swimming, learned how to shoot the bow (which I loved), watched movies, collected the chicken eggs and just had a great time!
 The night before we were set to leave I was rubbing Parkers head and found lice!  We both looked and  and found maybe 2 more but no eggs.  Cohen and Parker had slept together the night before so I was sure they were going to give us lice and we were going to give them the stomach bug.  Jessica and I turned into lice ninja's, we treated all of us (minus Norah) then spent a few hours at the laundry mat, then rubbed coconut and tea tree oil on everyone.  We left in the morning and I put oil on everyones head again and put so much on Cohen that it was dripping.  I wrapped him up and we set for home… this picture is still cracking me up
We always have some crazy adventure when we are together!  We love them and had so much fun.  We didn't get lice and they didn't get the stomach bug so I say it was a win-win trip :)