Some Mommy Moments

This is my friend Amy. You can relate. Two beautiful girls dressed in fancey dresses . . . just because. Moma carrying EVERYTHING from a day at the park, including the 3 year old, who is slipping down, because she refuses to put on her shoes. Good Job Moma for having the day end well. We had a great time and can't wait to see you again.

You have been here too. A sweet offering from a sweet kid. This is Carolynn and 4 year old Ian. He is a romantic. Some girl will get a good man with a good raising here. Carolynn gets flowers and kisses. Good Job Moma.

Alway wear your helmet

God had his hands on our family this weekend. The first we were "being mean" when we asked our son to come to dinner and not ride bikes with two neighborhood kids who have much wider biking boundaries. As we were sitting down to eat, Ian noticed people running around outside. Apparently, one of the boys came strait out of an ally. Oh, and he doesn't wear a helmet. A lady had incredible reflexes and slammed on her brakes. She did hit him. His bike was under the car. He seemed to be more afraid of getting in trouble and begging for no one to call 911. He was only sightly hurt and went home with his mom.

Yesterday was a little hectic, so Ian and I decided to pull our family close together by going on a little local bike ride. I was not trying anything crazy. I just went off a curb . . . and landed on a land bridge in the wet lands behind Lowes. By land bridge I mean pile of dirt and LARGE jagged rocks. Previously to my fall my helmet was perfect and not missing that large chunk in the center. God's had was evident by 1. Jesus had us fall way from more rocks. 2. He had my assaulting rock miss my eye (we avoided the ER and went to the walk in clinic for irrigation and possible stitches). And 3. Isobel only had a minor scrape on her forehead. We all were able to ride the short way home. I sang "Jesus loves me" to Isobel. I have always been calmed by the song and it seems our kids are too.

It stings, it hurts, and it is going to look real ugly! But I am so grateful our kids were spared. It has me ready to cry, but that would really hurt!!

School Abroad

We use a lot of cooking in our schooling. We also love to serve others. My mom has taken to making meals for some homeless youth in Seattle. I thought cooking with grandparents . . . how cool! So off we went. We took the train. We do not have cable and movies are limited so when the "safety video" on the train, our kids were mesmerized. They loved the train. It was nice not to drive.

Once we got there we went strait to work. Making breadcrumbs for meatballs.

Fill a pot for boiling noodles

We made the sauce. Did I mention we were making 5 double batches: 120 meatballs, gallons of sauce, 5 lbs of noodles.

Fill the trays. Write out the baking directions

Don't forget to wash the watermelon

(As you can see from this and other posts, Isobel is often wearing little or no clothes. This drives her father slightly nutty. It is not intintional, just a little easier for one purpose or another. By this time in our preperations she needed to be washed too.)

It was great to see some family:

Uncle EJ,

Aunt Tiara, and

Aunt Tracey. Aunt Tracey is recovering from foot surgery so we made one of these dinners and all had a nice meal together. My parents were there too, but they seemed to be taking pictures also or my fingers were covered in goo and not going anywhere near my camera!

Side by Side

Daddy's Little Girl!

From the Edge

Long time, no see. Ian has been working 5 10 hour days and 2 8 hour days for the last 4 weeks. We see light at the end of the tunnel in that he has this weekend off. Wooo Hooo! I call him "my hero" because he is!! Fun or not, rain or shine, here or there, he goes to work faithfully every day. He has only taken off the days the children were born or hospitalized (one day he even took Everett to work with him. Evie LOVED it, still talks about it and wants to go back) and the first Monday of the Lynden Fair. Without complaint he supports all of us. Thank you Ian for your dedication, skill, and work ethic. Thank you Lord for a consistent job in construction for the last 10 years.

Meanwhile, I have been trying to school and entertain the children during those long hours. They LOVE daddy and ask if he is home every morning. This Saturday he will be. This is what we have been up to:

We had a little bit of summer:

It was actually hot enough for the sprinkler and frozen fruit. Our kids love frozen pineapple and strawberries. I go with what works. It gets a little messy though, thus the sprinkler

Auntie Em (Ian's younger sister) went back to Black Lake Bible Camp as a counselor. Yeah Emy for following your heart and passion. We miss you but are happy for you

We went to the Highland Games in Ferndale. All the cool stuff must have been on the first day. The highlight was the play structure. Fearless Isobel found the monkey bars. It was a little interesting trying to take pictures and be hands free when she finally let go.

We have been introduced to Cub Scout Troop 222. A lot of Everett's buddies have been or are going to be in this troop. I am just trying to gain information before the questions start coming. Here they are making clay volcanoes.

(To answer you question, no papa, they don't)

I know its blurry, but here are our new "pets" as Evie calls them. We have been studying butterflies and here they are arriving in larva form (caterpillars). They have grown very fast. We are excited to see them for chrysalises.

This be the only picture from Father's Day. With all the extra time Ian has been doing, I was intent on making him feel really special. So intent was I, that I failed to call my own Papa. (I am making up for it by saying I love you in person next week). The kids and I made a book of the things we like to do with daddy. We spelled out D-a-d-d-y on paper bags and put gifts in each one. Much needed and wanted shirts and pants went in two, rags for his shop went in another two, and business cards, mentioning the blog I set up for him ,went in the last. Ian is a wood worker in his spare time and has our FULL support. This is one of his raw edged bowls that has been accepted by Artwood in Fairhaven. Please go see his work at http://simpsdesigns.blogspot.com/

Well that is about it so far. See you soon . . . I hope

Ian's worst nightmare

I like people. I like to help people. I like to talk to people. I am however married to a man who is the opposite. And our son, is more like me. We (Everett, Bel and I) host little neighborhood breakfast parties every once in a while in the am, while dad is gone. But this time was different. It was a neighborhood potluck. Not expecting everyone to come, but wanting everyone to feel welcome, we invited our street. Now listen to the tone in Ian's voice as he refrains from exploding: "You invited three whole blocks and told them to bring their friends!!" (Ok, yes I should have talked talked/asked him first.) Anyway, on with the fun. Our most known neighbors came and a few new ones. Yeah!! These are the people around us. These are the people who see our kids playing. I want to know them and I want them to know us. It was a great time. Friendships were started (I have a knitting partner during football season!!) and one guy even may have found a job! On with the pictures: