a month of travels

The last month has been full, full, full of traveling.  From April 21st to May 30th we were home for 16 days (to be exact)... I just counted.

It all started with a trip to Hilton Head that we planned some time during February or March when I was working extra tax hours and we decided that a family get-away was just what we needed post busy season.  My aunt and uncle have a vacation home there, making it an easy and affordable trip to plan.  And it was the first time just the four of us went somewhere together... the boys are finally at a good age where it sounds fun.  And it was fun... started with C being sick with a high fever and diagnosed ear infection, but there's no place like the beach to heal, right?!  Beckham golfed his way through the trip and C was finally in better spirits the last couple days.

Then in late March Chad's parents invited us on a last minute trip to France at the end of May, which we decided we couldn't pass up.  However, the trip to France was over Memorial Day weekend, during which we already had a trip to Arizona planned to visit Seth and Brandy... so we moved the AZ trip up a couple weeks and went before France.

Traveling is fun and each trip was special for its own reasons, but it is oh, so good to be home!  (until we go on a friends trip to California in July :)).  Lets just say I won't be bit with the travel bug for a while after this summer!

Hilton Head feels like it happened too long ago to talk about and France is too overwhelming and needs its own post, so here's a little of our trip to AZ:


This is the first year that the kids were "easy" according to me and B... which means they were all talking, older than 3 and [almost] all out of diapers (way to hold out Creighton!  haha).  Which means that the kids all played together much better this year and we could have a little more adult time.  Love that every trip to AZ is different and fun in its own way!

On the flight on the way to AZ.  I love this picture so much b/c it shows the boys personalities... Beckham gets on the plane and instantly buckles his seat belt and starts studying the emergency manual (although when I told he would need to tell me what to do in the case of an emergency he replied "mom, I have no idea about those things." :)) and Creighton is climbing all over me (see the flailing arm!), messing with the tray, and is far from buckled in his seat.  I believe he was standing up during takeoff and landing.  Southwest stewardesses are the nicest.

Our first family hike!  Beckham was complaining about it before we left, thinking that hiking wasn't really his thing.  It wasn't long into the hike before he changed his mind and made the following comments:  "I was born to hike!  Hiking is my life right now.  Yea."  Who says that?!  He was even giving me "tips" on when to slow down and when I could jump off the rocks.  Needless to say, he didn't want the hike to end. :)

just love the sweetness of this pic.

at the train park - super fun little place for the kiddos

the kids riding in the train car by themselves... they were locked in during the ride!

hiking with B and being very unsuccessful at a selfie shot that included the mountain

a nice lady noticed me struggling to get a pic and offered to help :)

and then he was three

Creighton turned three this week and to document his age, I asked him some questions (which I stole the idea from some friends who've done it, but I think it's a super fun way to remember their personality and preferences).


How old are you?  Five  (which was also his answer when he was two :))
What is your favorite food?  French fries
What is your favorite show?  Funny guys  (aka minions, originating from Despicable Me)
What do you like most about Beckham?  How about trucks?  [there was a long silence after I asked this question, to which Beck prompted him... C, what do you like about me?!]
What is your favorite color?  Orange
What do you like to talk about?  Big semis
What is your favorite book?  Clifford and "Little Blue Truck Leads the Way"
What is your favorite toy?  Big trucks
Favorite song?  "Fix my eyes"
Why do we celebrate Easter?  Cause. Do you remember? no
Where does daddy work?  Catemillar
What's your favorite animal?  Sharks... and giraffes
Who do you love the most?  Pick-ups What about people?  Driving people
Do you like to go slow or fast?  Fast
What do you like to play outside?  Trucks & mow
Who's house do you like to go to?  Aubrey & Ainsley's
What else do you want to tell me about?  Tooting


And that sums it up.  He thinks he's older than he is, trucks is the favored response, and you can never forget to talk about poop and toots.  Happy third birthday Creighton James... you are a challenging delight of a little boy!

back when there was warmth

Now that I'm officially cold all the time and kind of shiver even when I'm inside and feel like I should be wearing gloves right now as I type and 68 degrees in this house is just not warm enough.... it's time to remember those days when it's sunny and warm outside and hope they come back sooner rather than later.  Especially for my lazy boys who are way too into their shows and games these days.  Technology is the best and worst at the same time.

Warmth, I miss you.  Little boys with no clothes and hoses and dirt and walks after dinner, I miss you.  Here's to nice days, when we can be outside as long as we want.  I'll be here waiting when you return.

juice

It has been a very very long time since we've pulled out our juicer.  Like maybe a year?  Chad had the grand idea to juice this past weekend and I of course was all like "oh that thing has so many pieces and it gets pulp everywhere and then you have to wash it."  But I'm so glad we did!... it. was. AMAZING.

I usually put celery and spinach and cucumber and green things in our juice... which I love, but I didn't have any of those things, so we used what we had:  carrots, oranges, limes, apples.  I chugged it.  It was so refreshing.

Here was what we made on Saturday that was the best juice ever:

2 large whole carrots
2-3 apples (they were leftover from something and in little slices, so not sure how many)
2 oranges (peel removed)
1 lime (peel removed)
* made two glasses of juice

We made something similar on Monday, which was still delicious, but a little more bitter with the grapefruit and green apple addition:

2 large whole carrots
2 granny smith apples
1 red delicious apple
1 grapefruit (peel removed)
1 orange (peel removed)
1 lime (peel removed)
* made three glasses of juice

Ok.  That was supposed to inspire you... now go juice!


.... if you don't have a juicer, you could use a blender, you would just have to do a little more prep... peel and core all fruits/veggies.  and it might be more pulpy (unless you have like a Vitamix), if you're into that kind of thing.  I, for one, do not get along with pulp.  good luck.

I don't want to forget...

How their little fingers and cheeks smell of sweet slobber after a night of sucking their fingers.

When they come into our bedroom at night and whisper "mom, can I lay with you for just a little bit?"

How Beckham corrects me when I don't say things Exactly right, especially in relation to... well, just about anything.

How we look for trucks and construction sites while driving and point excitedly and talk, talk, talk about them when we find them.

How Beck gently rubs my shoulder and says "I love you mom."

That Creighton likes to lay his head on my shoulder while I sing songs to him before bed.

How much they love to wrestle with dad after dinner.

The one day after BSF when Beckham said "mom, I want to tell you what I talked to God about during quiet time."

Their simple joy for digging in the dirt.

When they enthusiastically say "I love you so much, mom!"

How brave Beckham was before his first swim class, as he sat alone and wiped tears from his cheeks, while I watched from the observation room.

How they excitedly say "you're right mom!" when I am (surprisingly) right about something. :) Or "good job, mom!" when I do something nice, like make them food, or fix their toy.

About Creighton's weird obsession with rubbing things with texture while sucking his fingers... like "bumpies" and bug bites and scabs and my dry feet.

How they both love to push the mower and pretend pull start it, just like daddy.

That Beck loves to sing and dance, but he's too shy to dance in front of other kids and sings so confidently, whether he is saying the right words or not.

The moments the boys show love and kindness towards each other... Beckham protects Creighton or helps him out, they are excited to play together, or tell each other sorry and that they love each other.

Beck has a thing for peace signs in pictures right now. :)

Love those boys.

goals

Are you a goal setter?  Do you love to make a list of things you want to accomplish in the new year?

I'm a fairly competitive, driven, disciplined person who loves her lists, but I'm not much of a goal
setter.  I don't like setting myself up for potential failure and I don't like the feeling of being tied to something... I like the option to switch things up if I get bored and can feel burdened by a goal.  If I do set a goal, it's usually a loose, immeasurable thought about an area in my life I want to change, or I'm usually fairly sure I can accomplish it without much pain or going too far out of my comfort zone (like running a mini-marathon at a specific pace).

Chad and I were recently talking with friends about the sin in our lives as it relates to where we turn for comfort and safety, instead of turning to Christ... things that give us a false sense of security and make me feel like my world is "safe and ok", trying to avoid the paid of facing struggles head on.

This can take on many different forms which are usually different for men and women.  For women, it could be having a clean and organized house, eating only certain kinds of food, not using any kind of medicine, your kids, physical appearance, shopping, etc, etc... Usually they are things that seem good and can be good when implemented in a healthy way, but when abused and turned into our comfort and safety, they turn into sin - idols, addictions, fear, control.

For me, these are the things I often turn to for comfort instead of Christ:

1. entertainment - a show or browsing social media
2. shopping, buying something new
3. exercise, desiring a specific body image
4. things I think will keep my family healthy and avoid sickness.  because being sick is.the.worst.

In 2016, my "goal" is to turn to Christ for comfort and safety instead of these things.  To realize that they can all be good when used properly, but to be honest when I'm replacing Christ with these things in my life.

.... and to blog more. :)

..... and to try to start implementing the idea of a capsule wardrobe (would help with item #2 above!)

more on AZ

my oh my... can't seem to find time to sit and write up a post these days..  I'm going to go with "better late than never" and finish my post on AZ :)

_____________

Another year, another great trip.  This was the first trip that we didn't go in the spring or fall, but in the Summer.  Hot. AZ. Summer.  Chad was on a mission trip in MX the week we were there and met up with us at the end of his trip, which is why we went in June and not October.  I kind of thought we would die in the heat, but it wasn't quite as bad as I expected... maybe b/c I had in mind it would be awful?!  I can't say I was in the direct sunlight for more than a few minutes at any one time, but we were still outside quite a bit.  We did some outings and swam in the pool.

This was also the first year (since those simple pre-kid days) that it felt like we didn't have any babies, making us feel more mobile and up for activities out-and-about.  My highlight is always time with B... when we go out for a late dinner, or a quick trip to a store while the kids nap (yes, we leave them home alone... ;)), or an early morning hike.

But since that's not usually what gets photographed, here's some of what does:

A day at the zoo

the jeep was very popular... as you can see by C's response to not getting to drive

not sure how little Norah is strong enough to pull Beck!

being monkey's at the monkey exhibit

C and See trying to get along... they had their share of friendly two-year old battles :) 

fireworks!

finger suckers :) 

fun at the children's museum

 And a play-by-play of the kids enjoying their donuts :)

And a few more memories that didn't get captured:

- summer movie at the theater - Penguins of Madagascar
- yummy dinners out, including the Best Vietnamese food ever... I've been craving it ever since we went!
- story time at the library [twice]

We will be back soon, AZ!