Camping

Disclaimer:  I am currently working on developing a more positive attitude in my daily life.  I am not an optimistic or overly positive person by nature (this is where Christ is so needed).  My husband is a very positive person.  And he calls to my attention this character fault of mine often enough.  Furthermore, I am a bit sarcastic (JJ appreciates this part).  I apologize if you do not respond well to a dose of sarcasm.   :) 

I've never been camping before.  I'm not sure I'll ever go camping again.  No, not true... I'll probably give it one more try.
Here's why...
So in the beginning, I was really excited.  I knew it wouldn't be a cake walk, but I thought it would be a somewhat relaxing recreational time to soak in nature and chat with friends (we went with two other couples and their families from church).

It was none of those things...because:
When we were all getting ready to go swimming, we realized that we left one bag at home... JJ and I's bag... no clothes, no swimming suits. So JJ had to drive back into town 45min. away.

Elsie was especially unenjoyable.  As soon as we got there she asked when we could go home.  She hated the water... lots of tears and lots of spankings, without JJ's help (he's gone getting our junk).


At supper (which is rarely enjoyable on any occasion...our kids are picky whiny eaters), we heard thunder and watched clouds roll in.  Hail and heavy rain was expected... in 20 min. So we threw everything back into the car...except the tent... crying kids and all.


Rain, rain, rain... lots of rain.  We luckily had a cabin nearby which we all crowded into to wait out the rain.    It was way past bed time.  I was cranky. Kids were cranky.  Jeremy and I were trying hard not to fight in front of our church friends  (remember we've just moved here... we need them to like us :), and I'm having a full out panic attack.  -all in another person's little cabin which he graciously allowed us to cram all 9 sandy/muddy/wet children and 6 adults into. When the worst of it was over we headed back to our tents.

In the rain, we threw our blankets, pillows, pack n' play, and children into the tent.  I, being a naive camper, burned my arm on the lantern.  I think that was the moment that I really became quite unpleasant in my spirit.


It kept raining- hard.  Then it hailed.  Amazingly enough Sadie was asleep through all of this, when the rain stopped, she woke up.  Classic.  JJ's was out fishing, and I was not liking my youngest daughter very much. 


About 45 min. after Sadie and I FINALLY fell asleep, JJ and the other men folk, decided we should bail.  More rain was coming.  I was thinking at this point... It was definitely a good thing JJ had wasted an hour and half to go back and get our swimming suits earlier. So at something past 3 in morning we all loaded back into the car and began to drive the 45 min. home.

As we're driving, JJ clued me in that he had a migraine and might need to stop to throw up.  There was crazy wicked lighting every 5 seconds all around us, heavy rain, and a way too awake 5 year old in the back seat who wouldn't stop freaking out about it all.  These all added significantly to JJ's migraine and my unpleasant demeanor. 

As I finally crawled into my warm soft bed I felt slightly more positive.  At least it was over.

Okay, okay... on a positive note, it was a good memory, a good story.  The land that we camped on was absolutely beautiful... even in the rain.  And Alice my oldest was actually quite pleased with the experience (she was big part of why we wanted to go in the first place).  Also the whole family took a really long nap today... which never happens.

So lesson to be learned... I don't like camping, but I definitely need to keep working on my positive attitude in less than ideal circumstance.  My friend, Kerstin, who was on the trip with us demonstrated this beautifully.  She had even more things to be grumpy about... she has four kids, invested alot more in the trip (food and such), had invited us (pressure), and had a leaky tent!!!!   Yet, she never complained and tried to see the positive in everything.  I have a lot to learn.  

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corithians 12:9

Someday I will boast of the change He's made in me.  Until, then I'll keep trying... and avoid camping trips.  :)

Antique Shopping

Today we (the whole fam.) decided to head out to Guthrie to do some Antique shopping. 
Since we've only lived in OK for 3 mo., this was our first real visit to the charming little town. 
I was planning on taking a massive amount of pictures of the down town's features, but it didn't work out. 
It was very hot,
the kids were cranky and impatient,
and shopping took the priority :) 
So I'll just tease you with this one simple picture.  It's not even anything special, but it'll give you a taste of what kind of town this is.... oh, so fun.

I'll go back...soon... without my kiddos and take some really fun pics to show you.
But I will show you a few pics of those cranky, impatient kids...
And some of my shopping finds...

I absolutely adore this set of wooden doll furniture from the 1950s... and I got it for an absolute steal!! 

We finished the trip with shakes for all and now we're on to packing for our camping trip tomorrow...
First time to go with the girls...
busy, busy,
fun, fun :)

A few things....good and not so good

THE GOOD:
I designed three new note card sets... I love them.  They're all part of a new line: Retro Carnival :)  (the name makes me smile -he, he.)
Hope you like them, too! Check out the rest of the pics on etsy...

Sadie wouldn't let me take the pictures... she kept lurking.  She was cute though...

Okay, now for the NOT SO GOOD:

I just have to vent... I can not keep Sadie out of the toilet!!!!   -3 times already today!  I know, you're probably thinking: "heavens, just shut the door!!"  And I would, but my 3 yr. old is at that stage where she waits till the last second to go potty then barely makes it.  A shut door is a problem at that point  :)   So it's either hands in the toilet or pee on the floor... AWWWWRRRR!

Spring Cleaning

Some things this week prompted some cleaning:

This mom, I don't even know which blog it was...I found it randomly, did some major cleaning.  She let her kids pick two toys each to keep, and the rest she put away in the garage.  Her plan was to see how they did and then re-evaluate at the end of the month.

We had a missionary couple visiting our church this week.  As I listened to them talk at various events throughout the week, I once again was reminded of how much (too much) we have. 

I've been noticing a bad attitude in my girls lately.  Spoiled- is the simplest way of putting it.  Alice, my 5 yr. old, comes to me daily asking for extravagant activities to do.  She asks when we're getting new toys (as if she's deprived), and acts dissatisfied with ALL that she has. 

So... I started cleaning.  I didn't go extreme, I just started taking out what they don't play with.  Then I went another round, and took away more.

Here's the results so far:
The most drastic change is in the stuffed animal collection.  When we moved here I had four large tubbies full of animals, and this was after the pre-moving cleaning!!!!  (I'm embarrassed to tell you that... my girls are obsessed with animals, you see.)  When we unpacked I put two tubbies in the garage.  Well after cleaning  yesterday, it's down to maybe one tubbie.  Pretty good for us!!

Next I tackled the plastic animals.  We had two smallish tubbies of them, and I let the girls each keep a lion family and a few other favorite random animals.  ...resulting in half of one of the tubbies.

I put away a large garbage bag of baby dolls and misc. doll clothes.

I put away a med. sized box of books.  I wanted to just keep out the good ones... ones that are worth reading over and over again.

I pretty much completely emptied the "random small toys" basket and left a few bouncy balls and cars for a small drawer.

I cleaned out the toy kitchen... putting away an entire set of dishes.  Instead of having a big tub of dishes and food to dig through, now there's only what will fit in the kitchen itself and what will hang on the wall.

Anyway... I think that's about it... I got rid of some baby toys too.  But I can already tell a difference.  They play with the toys more now.  For one thing, they can actually see/find the toys they like!!  No more digging through junk they don't play with.  Also, especially with the stuffed animals, it creates a sense of attachment to "what they've got."  Alice actually played quietly on her bed with one animal for 20 min. or so... I think she started because she was bored, but ended up having a good time :)

All in all, I hope it will make them less absorbed in quantity, more imaginative, and more content.

I also have a plan for how to keep my artist daughter from using piles of paper continually.... but I'll save that for another time :)

Not what I was going for...

I thought that it would be fun to take a pic of me with my girls... I'm never in pictures!
So I thought we'd all sit in front of this old mirror.
Yeah... not so good.  You can't see anything much.  The mirror is too old.

Then I thought... We'll all go in the bath room and take a sweet girls pic.
Yeah... that didn't work either.
In fact, it turned into quite something different.
But that's okay.... it was quite humorous and I had fun :)

Sadie shifted into the sink...naturally.

Alice took the opportunity to practice her animal sounds...Sadie thoroughly appreciates this.

 

Then, in the midst of the playing, Sadie discovers the handle on the faucet...   

 

And let the fun begin!

All in all... worth the mess.

FUNNY GIRLS

Sadie stuffing mulberries into the alligator's mouth... just cute.

All of my girls are spunky.  (for those of you who know me in person, you're chuckling and nodding your heads.)  Alice -my oldest- is so crazy, quirky, rough, and so smart.  She's like a boy with really pretty, although fuzzy hair.  Elsie is as sweet as sugar with sparkly eyes, yet has an explosive emotional side (typical girl, I guess).  Sadie is Alice and Elsie mutated into one scary yet irresistible package.  She's tiny, but packed with a mighty punch!  Sadie is so smart, so aggressive, emotionally explosive, and yet sweet and hilarious all at the same time!!  (big sigh... what's a mom to do?)  Every time I have another little girl I hope that this one will be the docile one...that this one will sit back and take the world in.  Yeah, right- Sadie blew those hopes out of the water!!   For being a household of girls, it sure is a crazy, loud, aggressive household.  For heaven sakes, they ALL growl like animals on a regular basis as a standard form of communication!  (I often catch Alice licking Sadie's head, like she's cleaning her.)  BUT no complaints here... I wouldn't trade any of it ...but you already knew I was going to say that :)

WHATEVER...

I sent Meg over at WHATEVER  a little gift the other day and she mentioned me on her blog!!  How fun!!  Meg is one of those people that I'm always looking up at... you know, one of those people that you can relate to or admire, but is in the next step ahead of you in life.  I've admired her since I was little actually... she was my sister-in-law's best friend in high school in my home town.  My niece's middle name is Megan in honor of her...  She was so pretty and was dating the star basketball player!  Now I admire her for her creativity, her vintage style, her ambitions, the fact that she has five kids, her faith, and her GORGEOUS HOME!  I think it's good to have people like that in your life... they keep you pressing forward.  So thanks, Meg... God has blessed you, thanks for blessing us with your beautiful blog!