Vacation Snapshot #6

I love that the Ouray fire department doesn't mess around when it comes to the kids' races on July Fourth.  If you are going to go all out and be first across that line, then you deserve some cold hard cash.

No candy.
No Oriental Trading gizmo.
Straight cash.

Here are a few snapshots of our racers in action ... and a few of them came home a few dollars richer.

Ashley getting some pointers from her big sister.
"Run fast."

Aaron eyeing up the competition. "I could take you."

Norah and her friend working together ...
In, out, in, out, in, out.

And then there are the two cutie patooties ...

Please forgive my boisterous cheering and shaky camera-work.  It was pretty intense.

While I love Lydia's enthusiastic jumping and pride at hopping across that line in first place, I absolutely adore Cousin Bethany's potato sack walk/hopping and her "aw, shucks" response at the end.  But more than anything, I treasure what I didn't catch on camera ... Lydia splitting her winnings with her Beffy.

The true winner of the day!

Vacation Snapshot #5

Fourth of July Camping

The tents were up.
The air mattresses were inflated.
PJ's were on and teeth were brushed.
The excitement over the glow-sticks had begun to fade.
The full moon was creeping over the horizon.
The mommies and daddies were feeling sleepy.

And the kids were still going strong!

Finally we shepherd each child to bed.
Boys over here and girls over there.
We zipped up sleeping bags and fluffed pillows.
We found little nooks for the glow sticks that still glowed
... comforting camping night-lights.
We closed up tent windows and doors.
We blew kisses to tired (but perky) campers.
We adults congregated on the patio.
We waited for the tussling and bustling to subside.

And the kids all got the giggles!

What is it about camping that brings out the wild things?
Loud voices sound louder.
Quiet voices still echo.
Sleeping bags swish and swoosh.
Zippers zig and zag.  Loudly.
Laughter erupts with nothing to dampen it.
Shhhushing resonates through the nylon tents.
In vain.

And the kids are running on empty!

Slowly, the explosions of giggles dissipate.
The whispers begin to fade away.
The mommies and daddies check in on the kids.
Settle campers back on mattresses and pillows.
Zip up sleeping bags one last time.
Do we dare head to bed ourselves?
No more potty breaks?
No more requests for a sip of water?
Silence.
Stars.
Sleeping out of doors.
Summer-time fun.

And the kids get to giggling again ... at ten after six!

Vacation Snapshots #4

After we made it home from Steamboat (acquiring a stunning collection of two, four, six and eight-wheeled vehicles), we landed for a few days, tackled several loads of laundry, played with our long-missed toys and recharged before heading to Ouray for the Fourth of July.

After the successful liberation of our van from our garage (see that post about our unexpected imprisonment next week) we loaded up again and headed south.  And joined in another riveting game of My Car, Your Car, of course.

This year we had the delight of staying with long-time family friends to enjoy the holiday which proved be our new favorite tradition.  Brett and I both remarked later on in the day about what a relaxing and truly enjoyable day it ended up being ... as opposed to rushed, crazy, tiring ... our usual July 4th modus operandi.

Here's a little idea of how this day was different, and consequently, superior:

The Usual:                                        
Stay in Montrose.
Sleep wherever you fit. (14 people in 3 bedrooms ... you can do the math).
Cram in breakfast.
Ponder what to feed kids later.
Drive like crazy to Ouray.
The clock ticks too quickly, drive faster.
Stuck in traffic.
Search for parking.
Park in the boonies.
Walk forever. And ever.
Find parade just in time.

This Year:
Stay in Ouray.
Sleep in tents. (14 people in 4 tents ... a little better odds for actual sleep.)
Mosey over for the Search & Rescue Breakfast.
Watch Aaron eat his weight in pancakes and sausage.
Mosey back to the yard.
Mosey down to the parade route.
Claim seats on the curb.
Take pictures of each other.
Visit with other tourists.
Sunscreen kids.
Enjoy the parade.

... And it just got better and better as the day went on!

Add to that leisurely morning the fact that we were spending time with some of our favorite Ouray people and we just couldn't have planned it any better.

When we weren't participating in the traditional July 4th festivities, it was wonderful to enjoy the company of such dear friends.  While the kids played in the yard, we reminisced about swim meets and childhood adventures, laughed about parenting challenges and caught up on life.  It was a delight to have time together with sweet friends and to watch our kids play together and become sweet friends.

We've already placed our reservation for next summer ...

I Want a Motorcycle!

We were about five minutes into our five hour drive home from Steamboat and a little voice piped up from the backseat, "How much longer?"

In an attempt to beat Brett to the punch (and avoid him suggesting the "Nobody Speak a Word" game!) I introduced the kids to a childhood favorite.

For the next hour, the kids sat on the edges of their seats (as close to the edge as you can get while securely fastened in your seat) watching for the next car, RV, work truck or lemon to come around the bend.  Aaron was thrilled with his sports cars, Ashley stocked up on campers and Hummers, Lydia offered to share one of her many, many boats while Norah collected random vehicles, including a jeeping saFARTi.  (Yes, we were dissolving into eight-year old humor.)  Even Brett and I watched with anticipation ... come on, Porsche!

Before we knew it, I-70 was in sight and lunch-time was just around the corner.  We survived the first leg our out trip with the collection of a convoy of cars, campers and clunkers.

My Car, Your Car ... childhood resurrected!

A Challenging Dance

I Am

I am soaking it up and seeking more.
I wonder about the speedy slowness of time.
I hear my children growing inch by inch.
I see God planting His purposes in their hearts.
I want to keep them close and set them free.
I am soaking it up and seeking more.

I pretend I can be Mommy and Me simultaneously.
I feel the pull of mothering and the tug of othering.
I touch words to form stories and tales.
I worry I'll miss the firsts and lasts of my babies.
I cry that this mothering dance consumes my every ounce.
I am soaking it up and seeking more.

I understand mothering matters.
I say God's plan is perfect.
I dream of time to pour out my heart into words.
I try to mother and other; doing them both well.
I hope to leave a legacy worth passing on.
I am soaking it up and seeking more.

________________

Now it's your turn!  

Here's the link ... share who you are in the comments.

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#4 - Complete the I Am template.  This was a crazy-fun challenge for my brain.  And my heart!

Vacation Snapshots #3

Without any actual planning on our part, we unintentionally planned our family get-away to coincide with the Olympic trials for swimming and gymnastics.  Two of our family's favorite sports.

I swam as a kid and I love watching the swimmers defy the odds - whittling down world records, a tenth of a second at a time.  And as you know, our girls live and breath gymnastics and so to have an opportunity to see the best of the US go head-to-head was a treat.

The big screen TV at the condo was in the master bedroom, and so it was inevitable that we six fans would tumble onto the king-sized bed to watch the events unfold.

The kids brought the pillows from their beds and piled criss-crossed and scallywag across our bed.  They were focused on the wet and wild races between Phelps and Lochte.  They were riveted on the suspense building at the HP arena between Gabby Douglas and Jordyn Wieber.  And they were barely containing themselves in their desire to reenact every back-flip and flip-turn.

Before our very eyes, our kids were transformed into Olympic hopefuls:

Norah found the springy-ness of the king-sized mattress almost too much to resist.  She front rolled off the edge of the bed into a handstand and let her legs thump back onto the comforter.  She bonked Aaron with her legs as she practiced her straddle splits from end table to end table.  She slid off the bed backwards and back-walk-overed through the bedroom door.  She also thought this was a great location for some balance work ... we discouraged her from doing this in the saddle:

Ashley was enamored with the spiral staircase that twisted up to the second-story loft.  She practiced her iron-cross on the handrails.  She perfected her hip swing: back and forth, back and forth, back and forth ... while suspending herself between the railings.  She flew through the air (and over the bottom four stairs) to land in a perfect 10 salute.

Not to be out done, Lydia enjoyed (and repeatedly requested) time on the jungle gym.  She climbed, swung and clambered over every surface.  She loved to monkey up the "rock wall" and shimmy down the ladders.  

And then, there was Aaron.  Our Aaron-boy morphed into a water-wannabe.  Every moment in the pool was spent practicing his free-style, pooching out his stomach to stay afloat on his back and perfecting his flip-turn.  But his very most favorite reenactment occurred before he even got wet.  Standing on the deck, he swung his arms around and around, windmill-style - just like Phelps.  The he swung them back and forth, criss-crossing them in front and behind himself - just like Phelps.  He shook his head from side to side - just like Phelps.  He shook out his legs, keeping them loose - just like Phelps.  All he was missing was the warm-up parka and the huge headphones.

Watch out 2020 Olympics ... we've got a couple of athletes who are just getting warmed up!

Vacation Snapshot #2

Napping.

That elusive and coveted past-time of vacations.

While I do love to succumb to a mid-afternoon snooze, it rarely happens what with all the kids and their unified refusal to nap.  Or stop moving.

So on our recent trip to Steamboat, it was with great joy (and abandon) that I took two naps.  Two blissful naps while kids read, played games and generally stayed out of trouble.  (Except for the one time when I sleepily and rather grumpily demanded that they stop jumping from the spiral staircase steps.  Thud!)

For my nap on Saturday, my goal was two-fold:  catch a few winks and help Lydia to do the same.

As I ushered our youngest little whiner to the condo's king-sized bed, she sniffled and sniveled about not being tired, not needing a nap and not wanting to lay down.  Yeah.  Right.

We snuggled down into our pillows and Liddy continued to moan and groan about wanting to go play. I sleepily assured her that we would only lay down for a few minutes and mm-hmmed her plaintive pleas to get up soon.

Soon she was quietly laying on her back, periodically sighing.  I reached over to lay my hand on her belly and she gripped my fingers in her own little hand.

And that's how I woke up.

Snuggling my little sweetie and holding hands.  And drooling together.

A definite highlight of my vacation!

Vacation Snapshot #1

It's the first day back from vacation.

It's the day Brett goes back to work.

It's the day Baby S comes back to play.

It's the day when I go back to being outnumbered, 5-to-1.

It's the first day back from a week break of gymnastics.
(Classes, that is.  We have still gymnasticked everyday.  Every.  Day.)

It's the regular, filled-to-the-brim, back-in-the-saddle, go-go-go speed of our lives.

and ...

It's Monday.

We might be looking at a bumpy landing for this crew as we find our feet!

What better way to cope with the end of a delightful vacation than to reflect back on my favorite snapshots from our time in Steamboat and Ouray??  And then share them with you?

Vacation Snapshot #1

We trekked to Steamboat for a few days last week amid exuberant enthusiasm from the kids, sweet memories of past Steamboat visits and smoky skies from area forest fires.  

In spite of black smoke billowing to the north of the interstate ("Why does everything smell like a campsite?"), my unintentionally forgetting my swimsuit ("Must I start my trip trying on swimsuits?  My least favorite activity ever."), finding ourselves on the wrong side of the tracks ("This might be the longest and slowest train of all time."), a near miss on the highway ("Is he on OUR side of the road?  Yes!  Hang on kids! Whew!") ... we made it to the condos.  

The same condos we stayed in for our honeymoon.  

Since that first vacation over 14 years ago, we have been back to this same resort several times ... thanks to Ma & Pa Kellum!  I love that Steamboat Springs has become a destination that our whole family enjoys and that we all have wonderful memories of time together here.

We have our favorite stores that we like to browse while visiting downtown.

Love Aaron's tough look.  And Lydia's, too.

Guess what Ashley wants for her birthday.

We have enjoyed the walking path along the Yampa River.

Try not to get too wet.  Yeah, right.

We love jumping into the pools at the resort, right outside our door.

Mommy's little fishies!

One goal of this visit, however, was to do a little something new.  A little something memorable.  A little something the entire family would enjoy.  And we were successful.

On Saturday morning, we headed up to the ski village for a trip up the mountain on the gondola.  We didn't really have any more plans than that, but that little kernel of an idea ended up being enough!

When we arrived at the ticket office, there were a few families milling around, but the majority of gondola riders were covered in BMX gear and walking their souped-up mountain bikes.  Being a mom, I took this opportunity to point out to the kids the importance of wearing the appropriate helmets and body armor when participating in an extreme sport.  (No thanks to the biker who chose that particular moment to walk by wearing his flip-flops!)

Brett bought our tickets and thrilled the kids with the news that our passes allowed us multiple trips up the mountain - time and weather permitting.  With great expectations, we headed to the gondola and greeted the ticket-taker with six tickets and six smiles!

I truly wished I had recored for posterity the pure joy and gleeful excitement of the kids as we loaded the gondola.  The kids sat on one side of the enclosed car, looking ahead while Brett and I sat on the opposite side and bit our lips, trying not to laugh at their anticipation.

Their eyes were huge as they watched the car just before ours take off up the hill.  Then as we paused for a moment, just before the cable caught and pulled us up the mountain, they took a collective breath and yelled, "Wheee!"  There was laughter, clapping and shouts of excitement ... and I thought, "Wow. We really need to get these kids on an actual roller-coaster."

The nine-minute ride climbed 2,200 feet and every minute and foot was filled with outbursts of "Look at that!", "We're so high!", "I'm so scared (giggle, giggle, giggle)!" and "This is awesome!"  We watched mountain bikers wind down the mountain below us, we peered into the property surrounding the homes along the path and marveled at crazy and precarious constructions and kidney-shaped pools, and we laughed every time the wheels of our car vibrated over the support posts.  We could spy our condo at the base of the mountain ... just on the other side of the white-domed tennis courts.  We pointed out the straight-as-an-arrow Main Street of downtown.  We looked down valley and traced our route along the highway ... and Aaron boasted he could see our house.

When the ride finally came to an end, we popped out at 9,080 feet and took time for a few family pictures at the top of the world!  

We took a little nature hike through the aspens and fern - so different from our desert hikes here in the Grand Valley - and enjoyed the coolness of the mountain air.  

As our hike came to a close (and the kids came to the end of their oomph) we headed back down the hill.

... And enjoyed another exuberant and glee-filled descent.

Then lunch.  And another trip up the hill.  And a dessert of Mint Oreos on the sky deck.  And another trip back down.

And each time, in the moments when the the gondola car slowed to a stop, it was the same anticipation and the same uncontainable thrill.  What a treat to enjoy life through the eyes of a child!

Vacation Time!

This morning we woke up in Steamboat Springs.  Aaahhhhh .... the cool temperatures alone are enough to fill me exceedingly with great joy!! :)

We are enjoying a long weekend away here in our honeymoon local.  Of course, this time around, we are traveling in a herd and sleeping in probably won't be an option.  That's okay ... we'll still be mellower than we've been all month!

I look forward to sharing some snapshots with you from our mini-vacation and July 4th celebrations ... eventually.

Stay tuned and stay cool!

small things {a click & a prayer}

small things #48 ... a click & a prayer

I have two burdens on my heart today and I want to share them with you.  I haven't ever used this platform to make a request of you, my readers, but today I want to challenge you to do two things.  

Two small things that will have a lasting and far-reaching impact.

First, there is currently a contest wrapping up over at Cultivate Wines and two friends of mine are seeking additional voters.  It's super-duper easy!  With one click, you are helping Light Gives Heat to get just that much closer to $50,000 and the ability to further their ministry.  Here's the link to vote.  (On the LGH website, you can sign up for a reminder email for the rest of the week.)  There are just four more days to vote, so click right now!

Seconding, there are currently thousands of evacuees in our beautiful state of Colorado who have been chased from their homes due to several raging forest fires.  

It is awful to see the snapshots of smoke and flames and to see the devastation that crawls along the mountainsides.  Please pray for rain and for a break from the heat and wind that exacerbate these horrible situations.  Please also pray for the safety for the fire fighters.

A click & a prayer ... they cost us absolutely nothing, but their value is innumerable!

small things {mvp's}

small things #47 ... mvp's

A few weeks ago, Brett came home and almost walked back out the door and drove away.  And I wouldn't have blamed him one bit.

The kids had been nutty.  The kids had been pestering.  The kids had been pushing one another's buttons.

And nutty, pestering button-pushers make for one crabby Mom.

My knee-jerk reaction had been to send them all to their rooms to clean.  But I knew that eventually they would have to come out and I would have to come up with a long-term plan for helping them to play nicely together.  Or at least to eat.

As Brett and I sat at the kitchen table following dinner, I unloaded all the garbly-gook that we had endured all day.  All the ways they had driven one another crazy and all the ways that I felt crazed.  (How Brett didn't make a break for it at that point, I have no idea!)

Essentially it all boiled down to one simple fact:  We weren't working as a team.

• Rather than helping clean up in the afternoon, I felt like I was cleaning up around them.
• Rather than being quick to jump in the van, I felt like I was herding them along from behind, reminding them of shoes, snacks and potty breaks.
• Rather than sitting and enjoying lunch together, I felt like I was referring a wrestling match with grabbing hands, bossy elbows and boisterous voices.
• Rather than chipping in with chores, I felt like I had to plead and beg for help around the house ... only to listen to sighing and grumbling and stomping feet.

I felt like I was on the losing team.  An awful feeling for certain!

While part of me wanted to discipline the kids for their unsportsmanlike conduct, I felt God leading in another way.  A better way.

I know I don't really like to have the whistle blown when I make a mistake or to have a big finger pointed at me with the pronouncement, "Foul!  Five minutes for fighting!"  More often than not, I already know when I've messed up.  What I truly appreciate and what motivates me more is to hear when I've done well ... atta-girl's and way-to-go's and good-job's inspire me to work harder and do better.

And the same goes for my kids.

God's prompting to praise my kids' good behavior as they practice good sportsmanship led us to celebrate a daily MVP - and we've experienced an incredible change in the attitudes in our house!

My job is to simply be on the look-out for the kid who is most on the ball, most motivated to help, most quick to obey ... the most valuable player of the day.

The kids' job is to be on their toes, work on their teamwork and play by our house rules.

At dinner I share the reasons why I chose that particular kid, write their name on the MVP chalk board and we celebrate with high-fives all around!  On more than one occasion it was such a tough decision that we got to celebrate all the kids ... that's a fantastic change-up.  

A true Cinderella-team transformation!

MVP ... most valuable player and the most validating plan for rebuilding our team!

In Need of a Do-Over

Today's post comes to you via MentorSaurus.  Click on over for a good read.

Here's hoping that this week, life goes our way!

small things {being home}

small things #46 ... being home

I joke on a regular basis about how little as a stay-at-home mom I actually stay at home.  More often than not, I find myself staying in the van, staying at gymnastics, staying at the store and, lately, staying at the church.  

I knew that we had stayed away from home too much when this past weekend Lydia saw me coming down the stairs with a bag and she asked, "Are we going to church, Mommy?"

"Nope.  Just to the laundry room."

This week, however, we have been staying at home.  And it has been bliss.

Kid's playing, reading, journaling.  

Laundry thumping, bumping and fluffing.  

Dinner cooking, steaming, smelling good.

Staying busy but, staying put.

Being home ... tending our home's heart.

Take a Number ...

This past weekend, my kids got to download a couple of new tunes.  Which as you know, means that we have been listening to them on constant repeat.  The songs are really quite fun, but by the ninth time through, the lyrics start running a bit thin and the bee-bop-rhythm starts to give me a twitch!  I found myself making up my own words to one song in particular ... lyrics that come so easily to my mommy-lips.  And gave me a good chuckle, too.

You know you're a Mom, when you're tempted to ask for one of these for your birthday:

photo courtesy of SuperStock

I'm sure you fellow-Moms will appreciate this re-mix of Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me, Maybe".

And if you don't have this particular song playing ad finitum at your house ... here's the link so you can!

I’ll Get to You, Maybe

I threw the wash into dry,

That’s when I heard a sad cry.

I looked as you try to fly,

and now you’re in my way.

I shake my head at your whine

Feeling your hands clinging mine,

I need to get free from this,

but now you’re in my way.

Your grip was holdin’, Ripped jeans, booboo showin’

Long day, too much moanin’

What am I gonna do with you, baby?

Hey, you just biffed it,

and this is crazy,

but take a number,

I’ll get to you, maybe?

It’s hard to help you,

so many babies,

but take a number,

I’ll get to you, maybe?

Hey, you’re a big kid,

It’s still crazy!

Please take a number,

I’ll get to you, maybe?

And all these other kids

try to chase me,

Please take a number,

I’ll get to you, maybe?

You took your time with your chores

You’d think we’d finished these wars

You have done nothing at all

Your clothes are in my way.

I beg and borrow and pray

“Pick up your toys, please, today.”

Do you think I will pay ...

To get them out of my way?

This power struggle’s holdin’, Ripped jeans, Legos showin’

Long day with too much groanin’

What am I gonna do with you, baby?

Hey, I just asked you,

and this is crazy,

but take a number,

I’ll get to you, maybe?

It’s hard to find toys

Under so much, baby,

but take a number,

I’ll get to you, maybe?

Hey, did you hear me?

This is crazy!

Take a number,

I’ll get to you, maybe?

Who are all these other kids

trying to chase me?

Please take a number,

I’ll get to you, maybe?

I hear you hollerin’ my name

Whadya need so bad

You need so bad,

You need so, so bad?

You’re still hollerin’ my name

Whadya need so bad

You need so bad,

You need so, so bad?

It’s hard to keep smilin’

When you’re so needy!

So take a number,

I’ll get to you, maybe?

Let me go potty,

This is CraZY!

Please take a number,

I’ll get to you, maybe?

Please tell your sisters,

Not to chase me,

Please take a number,

I’ll get to you maybe?

I need a number-thing just

Like at the deli.

I need it so bad,

I need it so, so bad!

Yeah, you know that number-thing,

I need it so bad,

I need it so bad ...

Now serving #16.

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#3 - You know you're a Mom when ...  I hope you'll read this post in the silly spirit it was intended.  I love my kids .... but sometimes I'm just so very, very outnumbered!