Walking On Water

One of the highlights of our trip last week in Panama City Beach was the paddleboard tour with Gabriel from Walkin On Water Paddleboards.  It was so much fun.  I would highly recommend it and we will definitely do it again when we come back.  

Sydney did really well on her own board. (It was the most challenging of the boards he had out there.)  Hannah and Cullen both got to lounge on the front of the two larger boards. It was a great tour. Gabriel gave you the just the right amount of instruction without being overwhelming and he was very patient too. He spent extra time with Sydney in the beginning to get her comfortable.  Hannah rode with Corey on the way out and me on the way back.

Gabriel also provided just the right amount of history about the Camp Helen State Park during our tour.  Interesting tidbits of info:

• ·         Lake Powell is made up of both salt and fresh water and one of the largest coastal dune lakes in the North America.
• ·         Camp Helen was a company resort from the mid-1940s to the late 1980s.  Some of the buildings have been restored and I felt they were very reminiscent of the Dirty Dancing set. 

Next time, we will plan to allow more time to walk around and take in this hidden gem. 

Another tidbit of info, Gabriel's ‘day’ job is a fireman and you can tell he has a passion for SUPing.  Love what you do and you’ll never work another day in your life…I need to work on that.

Back to blogging...

I can't believe I haven't thought of this blog since 2010. Journaling is something I struggle with but always say I want to get better at. So here's my attempt to hold myself accountable. Starting today, a post at least once a week for no one else but me. Time goes by too fast and we get too busy to forget the moments that make us smile on a daily basis. I'm blessed to have many reasons to smile daily and some of those moments will be captured here.

Soggy Moon

Sunday night on our way home from a trip to the mall, dinner at Ruby Tuesdays and Wal-Mart, Hannah looked up and noticed the fog around the moon. “Look at the Soggy Moon!” she said. It took me a minute to realize what she was talking about until I look up in the sky and felt like I was looking at the moon without my contacts in. It was a blurred, distorted yellow blob in the sky. Corey had mentioned it was a foggy, cloudy night on our way out of Wal-Mart. Hannah must have heard him say foggy but instead of using that word she replaced it with soggy which is probably much more familiar in her vocabulary considering she has a bowl of Golden Grahams pretty much every morning for breakfast. It reminds me that children may not always hear exactly what we’re saying but they are listening.

Last week Hannah and I were on our way to get Sydney from school after work. We had already covered our normal how was your day/what did you do today routine and we were both quietly listening to the radio. About a year ago, I started listening to 88.3 The Wind most of the time we are in the car. It’s a Christian radio station that focuses on “clean air”…always positive, always uplifting as their slogan promotes, and it truly is. I have thought of it mostly as a way to ensure I don’t have to worry about depressing news or bad words while the girls are with me. (It seems our media is very focused on desensitizing us with what is now tolerated on TV and commercials all hours of the day.) I find myself listening to 88.3 Wind even when the girls are not with me. I love the music and I’m amazed how God works through this station to have the right song played just when I need to hear it. Back to last week when Hannah and I were on our way to get Sydney, the song “This Man” by Jeremy Camp came on, two lines in the chorus go, “Would you take the place of this man, Would you take the nails from His hands”, Hannah asks me, “Mommy is he talking about the nails in Jesus’ hands?” Wow! I listened to the song a little closer the next time it came on and nowhere in the lyrics does it mention Jesus by name. I may just be a proud and biased mom, but I was amazed that a 3 year old made that connection. It reminds me that our little ones are always listening, watching what we say and do and what we allow them to watch and hear. I’m thankful to have Hannah’s question from that song about Jesus as a reminder of how important it is to always be mindful of what I do and say.

Conversation with Hannah

On our way home from the Y last night Hannah was talking about what she did in the Kid Zone:
Hannah: I saw a baby.
Me: Was it a real baby?
Hannah: Yes.
Me: Was is a baby boy or baby girl?
Hannah: Baby boy.
Me: Was he a sweet baby boy?
Hannah: He smelled.
Me: Did he smell good or bad?
Hannah: He smelled...hmmm...weird.
Me & Sydney: Laughing
I guess that new baby smell doesn't really appeal to a 3 year old or maybe he did have a poopy diaper. It really cracked us up though, I don't know that I had ever heard Hannah use the term "weird" before.

I hope you were sitting down

It's true! It's an updated post...more than a year overdue. I wanted to post some pictures of our trip to Colorado over the Christmas break. We had so much fun with Corey's family. We had a little trouble getting there after a big snow storm hit Kansas City and Kansas State pretty hard. We ended up staying a night in Hays because they actually closed down I-70. Well it was closed until right after we checked into our hotel, if we would have kept driving we would have been fine. But we didn't know, and it's much better to be safe and warm in a hotel with an indoor pool than to chance being stuck on the highway in sub freezing temps.

I was so proud and thankful at how well Sydney took to skiing. We put her in ski lessons the first day at a place called Ski Cooper. It's a smaller place about 30 minutes from Beaver Creek and half the cost of lessons there. Syd was right at the pace I like to go when we skied at Beaver Creek the following two days...sticking to the Greens, taking on a easy Blue now and then. I think she will probably leave me in her snow spray next time we go. Which is fine with me, Sydney loved skiing and I'm glad that Corey has someone who can share his love for of it. I'll schedule myself a massage next time and meet them at the bottom of the slopes with hot cocoa and a beer. :)

Hannah loved spending her days with cousin Cullen, Grammy and Aunt Julie. We all met back at the end of each day to have dinner prepared by a different family each night and fun games afterward. There were 11 adults and 3 kids total in 3 different condos. The rooms were Candy and Terry's Christmas gift to all of us this year and what a wonderful gift it was. We will keep those memories with us for a long time.

We laughed until we cried playing games most nights and one particular night when we were playing Catch Phrase, guys against girls, it was down to the last clue and you knew it was the last clue 'cause the timer was beeping so fast. Corey was delivering the clues and not having much luck, "Another name for Big Foot, Big hairy monster, Hairy creature", he was getting some guesses but none were the one he needed. The girls thought we had this round in the bag then Andrew, who been in the bathroom, throws open the bathroom door with his pants half buttoned, yelling "Sasquatch! Sasquatch!", just as the buzzer went off. Needless to say the boys ended up winning that round, but we will take the loss for that one. It's a moment that will deliver side splitting laughter years to come...just at the word "Sasquatch!".

P is for Pumpkins!

We took the girls to an Outdoor fall store this afternoon to pick out some pumpkins and other fall decorations. The girls had a lot of fun deciding on which ones would get to come home with us and be a part of the front porch fall extravaganza. Hannah really enjoyed her time there and the wagon ride throughout the place. She was crying for "mo' pun-kins" when we left.

Where's Waldo?

This picture is funny for two reasons. The first is Hannah and the dress she wore to church this morning. This was one of Sydney's dresses and for some reason the dress is size 18-24 months but the hat is 6-12 months. It was never an issue with Sydney because she was not a big fan of hats. Hannah on the other hand, loves hats and insisted on wearing this too little for her hat to church this morning. Secondly, have you found Sydney? She sometimes has a little trouble sharing the spotlight and even though Corey tried to get a picture of Hannah alone... Sydney still somehow managed to get part of herself in the shot.

Picture of the week

Corey look this pic this morning before church while the girls were eating breakfast. It's a favorite of mine now so I wanted to share.

Z is for Zoo!

Friday Sydney had the day out for school so we used the afternoon to take some time off work and take the girls to the zoo. It was a great day to go, it wasn't too crowded, the weather couldn't have been better and because it was so nice all the animals were out too. Hannah loved feeding the giraffes...and Sydney liked it. The raccoons were very excited to see us and we thought it must be because somehow they knew Sydney's soccer team was called the Maroon Raccoons, but we found out that is was almost dinner time when we walked up and they probably thought we were there to bring food. The best part of the day was when we ran into a friend who I grew up with at church who now works at the zoo. She let the girls come right up to the fence of the deer and feed them a whole bag of carrots. We then got to go over to the Mountain Lion cage and Sydney got to pet a Mountain Lion. It was through the fence, she wasn't actually in the cage with them. They would rub up against the fence like a cat does against your leg and Sydney would put her hand right up against the fence to pet it as it walked by. Hannah didn't stick around for that part though. When the girls first got up close to the fence the male and female Mountain Lions had a few words with each other because the didn't want to share the attention. Hannah decided she didn't like that and quickly changed her mind about being that close to a big kitty kitty.

A Beautiful Sunday Afternoon

Sunday afternoon, after church and after naps, we headed out to the new Ruteledge-Wilson Farm. We hadn't been out there before and we were impressed with all the things to do. They have lots of farm animals to look at including two HUGE pigs and some roosters and chickens. Hannah was a fan of all the animals especially the rooster. She started to get a little too close to the fence and I was afraid she might get pecked at and then she and the rooster would no longer be friends, luckily that didn't happen. Sydney was very proud of the frame she made with the fall flowers glued to it. We then headed to the play ground and let the girls run around for a while. The only problem with the afternoon was that I think everyone else in Springfield had the same idea as us and the place was very crowded, we will pick another day and try to go back again hopefully when everyone else doesn't have the same idea.

Dressin' up in Mommy's shoes

Sydney has already started teaching Hannah the fun of playing dress up. Saturday morning, before they were out of their PJ's, Hannah and Syd decided to walk around in my shoes after breakfast. Considering both pair have a heel, I was impressed with their struts and turns. Lookout catwalk...here they come.

What a fun weekend!

Saturday morning started with Sydney's soccer game after my run. Aunt Missy was in town so she and Hannah got to watch the game from the sidelines with Grandma and Papa. After the game Corey and Hannah went home for a nap and Sydney and I went to Michael's to make a free jeweled American Girl t-shirt for her American Girl doll. Saturday night was the big event, Sydney and I went to see High School Musical at the Springfield Little Theatre. I'm always impressed with the productions they have there. We really enjoyed ourselves and the show. I think the most memorable part of the show was when a little girl in front of us, probably around 5, farted around an unusually quite time in the show. I think everyone in the balcony heard it. Sydney looked at me and smiled, but we had a good laugh about it when we got in the car after the show.

Sunday after church we went to Grandma and Papa's for lunch before Mis left and after lunch we went down to the dock at the lake to feed the fish. That's always fun, there are these HUGE fish, maybe Carp, and there are so many of them and they are so big and they create a layer of sucking lips across the top of the water that ducks can walk across. It's really pretty weird looking and I do have fear of falling into the water and being sucked to my death.

I think the running bug is back.

I'm training for the Bass Pro Half Marathon Nov. 2nd but I must say I'm very behind right now. My heart just hasn't been in it and guess I forgot what I like about it until Saturday morning. After I ran the Chicago Marathon in '05 I didn't do much running after that, a few 5Ks here and there but nothing regular (I did have a baby in there somewhere so I'll use that as part of my excuse). I think the build up and actually running in the Chicago Marathon was so much work and then such a high to finish, I didn't want to go back to the build up of anything again, I didn't think anything could live up to that race. But on Saturday morning I remembered why I like to run. It's such a great reflective time for me. I like using the time to pray and be thankful and just to think. I like the challenge of my mind pushing my body when my body says stop.

I had a God thing moment on Saturday, as I was driving up to the park where I run, I prayed that I would run into Corey. He had a 22 miler that morning getting ready for Chicago and had left over an hour before I did. I was thinking that he could probably use a running partner for a couple miles to take his mind of the distance he had to go and I thought I could use the challenge of running faster than I would by myself. As soon as I started on the course, I looked up and saw him coming right toward me...the timing couldn't have been better. I must say my body is letting me know that I was not prepared to run as fast as I did for the first 2 miles, but you know what they say... No Pain, No Gain.

Oh those special sisterly moments

Hannah just loves to read and be read to. She will pick up a book and start flipping through the pages and makes her voice go up and down like she's reading the most interesting book and then when she gets to the last page she will she "De en". Sydney has always loved to read and be read to as well. It's just amazing how much they learn when the start school and reading is her best and favorite subject so far. I wanted to try to capture one of the times Sydney was reading to her little sister. Hannah sat still long enough for the picture but as you can see from the sub-second video...she turns into Hurricane Hannah rather quickly when she decides reading time is over.

2nd grade, here she comes...

Here are a few pics of the first day of 2nd grade for Sydney. She was very excited to start back to school again. We were a little sad that all 4 of her close friends from last year were all separated into different classes this year. Maybe they were trying to tell us something. :) Hannah was excited about Sydney's first day of school too.

On the Eve of the day that changed us all...

I was thinking tonight, as Sydney is doing her homework, 7 years ago tonight, I had put her to bed probably right about this time. She was 6 weeks old to the day. We had moved back to Springfield from St Louis just that weekend, so I'm sure I had spent part of the day unpacking boxes and probably even more time just staring at my newborn baby girl. I went to bed at a decent time that night, because I had an interview the next morning. I woke up before Corey the next day and turned on the Today show while I was getting ready. The first plane had already hit the World Trade Center and they were still trying to make sense of what had happened...a lost commuter plane, a plane with engine trouble...no one could even have comprehended at that point that this was deliberate. I remember sitting there watching the TV when the second plane hit. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, and when they slowed down the footage to show that huge airliner flying straight into the other Tower, it's a sight I will never be able to forget. I was consumed for the next week watching only coverage of the terrorist attacks, a lot of the time watching with my newborn daughter in my arms and looking at her wondering what kind of world she would grow up in.

I pray that we will never have another attack like 9/11, I pray for the troops who continue to fight to keep us save and I pray for those who were directly affected by the loss of a friend or loved one on that horrible day. We will never forget.

Another milestone

Sydney turned 7 on July 30th. She had a mask making art party at the Y with friends, grandparents, (excluding Papa, Sydney really caused a problem being born during the week of the fair) even Uncle Travis and Cara got to come and make some masks. The big event happened that evening though, when her good girlfriends from 1st grade got to come over for Sydney's first sleepover. We had pizza, watched the Hannah Montana 3D concert and had peppermint pedicures...and that was just what mom got to participate in. The girls had lots of fun playing in the basement too from the squeals and laughs Corey and I heard upstairs.

What a wonderful little young lady she is growing up to be. Just tonight I came across an assignment she had completed at the beginning of the year during Martin Luther King Jr week at school. The top of the paper reads Dr King had a dream. My dream is... Sydney wrote: I have a dream that evrey wun will be nis to echuther. The end. What a wonderful world it would be if we could all just be nice to each other.

Finally! Some vacation pictures...

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from our trip to Destin this past June. It's hard to believe Sydney missed her very last day of school so we could hit the road and start our vacation and now summer is over and she is already 2 weeks into the 2nd grade. Is it just me or is it the older you get the faster life goes by. The first picture here is the first official picture of vacation. The car and girls were all loaded up and I took this as we were leaving our house. The first line of Sydney's journal she's holding reads, "We are getting set". I wish we had been better about helping her keep that up, but you know how it gets when you're on vacation, too much going on, too much fun and if you do stop to slow down, you'll probably fall asleep, it's hard to find the time to write. She did manage to log our first evening when we stopped in Hattiesburg, MS for the night about Hannah throwing up in the car in Arkansas. Note to self: A full sippy of milk, followed by a 1/2 sippy of chocolate milk, followed by curvy Arkansas roads leads to at least 4 sippy cups worth of curdled milk all over Hannah and her car seat. Luckily that was the worst thing that happened the entire trip so we couldn't complain.

Yes! It's an update!

Ok, I realize I have been horrible about keeping this updated and I hate for my first post in months to be picture less but I wanted to post a quick funny story from the other day while it was on my mind.

The other night Corey was carrying Hannah to bed and he took her hair tie out that was holding the top part of her hair out of her eyes right on top of her head. The hair pretty much stayed in place and just fanned out a little bit over her head. Sydney was looking at her while this was going on and said, "Ha! Hannah has 80's hair!". Corey and I both cracked up. How did she even know what 80's hair was, but sure enough that's how I would have described it too if I was picking a decade. Apparently Hannah Montana has been to an 80's party on the show...

Who is this girl?

Do you recognize her? It's Sydney! She had a couple of changes to her appearance this weekend. First the summer cut. Cousin Jenn cut off about 6 inches of hair on Saturday, at Sydney's request. She wanted it to her chin. I think it makes her look older which is very sad for Mom, but it looks so cute on her and she loves it. Plus, no more fighting with horrible tangles after showers and in the morning before school. It will be perfect for summer.

Then Sunday night after we got home from bible study, Corey pulled Sydney's third tooth. The first of the upper front teeth. By the way, Sydney requested Daddy wear the purple glove from the dentist's office. She didn't want to go to bed without pulling it out but as you can see from the video, I think it was a little more "stuck" than she thought. But now she's excited because it's out and the tooth fairy is coming tonight. Although she may be disappointed in the morning, someone at school got a Polly Pocket for their last tooth and Syd's tooth fairy doesn't bring gifts, only a $1 bill...that won't cover a Polly Pocket either.