Explosion

We have had two water issues in the past week. First, Abby snuck into my bathroom and played with my makeup (which she knows she's not supposed to do) while I was drying Jenna's hair. In about fifteen minutes, she managed to overflow the sink creating a pool of water on the counter, on the floor, in the drawers, and in the cabinets. I was mortified when I heard a waterfall type sound coming from my bathroom. My sink was slow (needed to be snaked) and she left the water on:) It was all cleaned up and everything's fine. I was just glad that the water ran through the ceiling into the garage and not into the living room.

Then yesterday, we had this.

We had no idea what happened at first. Was our dishwasher broken? Did I put too much soap in? How could this have happened? Good thing the "wet" part of the wet/dry vac worked. We never had to use it before. After thinking for a few minutes, I realized that this was all my fault. Right before I closed the dishwasher, I threw in this dish.

This is the clean version. But I use this dish to rest my sponge/dishwand thing on and it gets caked on with dried soap. It was pretty thick. I didn't rinse it:) So we had a dishwasher explosion!

At least our dishwasher doesn't need to be replaced!

Please Pray for Stellan

Please join me in praying for this little guy. He needs our prayers and so do his parents.

Blurb.com

If you are like me, this site that I am about to introduce to you will make you so, so happy!

Before I tell you about it, let me tell you this . . . .

I started blogging because my friend, Jocelyn, had a blog and I thought it was cool. A little uneasy about my writing skills, I didn't post very much. But then I realized that this blog could put all of my guilty scrapbooking feelings to rest.

Everyone around me scrapbooked. My best friend is God's gift to the scrapbooking aisle at Target. Everyone gave me scrapbooking stuff. I have all the gear, tools, and stuff to create scrapbooks. Too bad I had zero interest in making scrapbooks mostly due to my distaste for crafts and inferiority complex when it comes to creativity. So blogging not only became my way of letting friends and family into our lives, but it became my way of documenting our lives, and I was totally okay to do so without the cute stickers and stamps.

I have always thought that I should just start printing out my blog so that my kids could have a copy of it for their keepsake boxes, but I never actually did it. I wondered how I was going to print out so many posts and how I would exactly go about doing that.

Until today:)

I ran across this site called Blurb.com. This site allows people to make books. Now you can make a book from virtually any piece of data--word doc, pdf, and EVEN BLOGS! Yay! First you have to download their FREE (did I say free?) software that allows you to import your blog (pictures and all) into a book. You can design your book and have it sent to you in a few weeks. Of course, you have to pay for the book, but the prices are very reasonable.

I am not sure how I am going to do this yet, but I think I may create a book for every year and have it to document our lives. If this excites you at all, go to blurb.com and download your free software and check it out!

Yay for blurb.com!

A Bachelorette Rant

I totally realize that The Bachelorette is not a show that correctly exemplifies love or the way relationships realistically happen. There's a lot wrong with this show and the girl (or guy) hardly ever end up in a relationship, but I.Love.This. Show. Think what you will of me:)

I have watched every single episode of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette since its beginning. Tamara and I (and even her husband Chuck) make a bet at the beginning of each season about who will end up with the final rose. I would nicely like to point out that Tamara and I both bet on Ed and Kiptyn ending up in the finale with Chuck's picks being kicked off fairly early in the show:) In addition to our betting, we debrief every Tuesday about Monday evening's show. At the end of every season, we also seriously consider boycotting the next season because we have been so disappointed in the past few years. But every time the trailer comes on for the new season, we admit that as much as we'd like to not watch, we just can't help it and get sucked back in. I really wish Tamara lived close because we would have one fun finale party next week!

Now there are only two men left, Ed and Kiptyn, and next week she will pick one of them (although Reid comes back and probably finally communicates his feelings-which he should have done in the first place). I vote for Ed to win. I do think that Reid MAY have a shot at winning, but I am still going to vote for Ed here. It's just a hunch--not based on a whole lot, but that's my vote.

And since this is my blog and I have a platform here, I have to express my deep annoyance with the improper use of grammar used by Jillian every time she said "him and I." I am a grammar geek and am a tiny bit bothered by this offense. If she said it once--fine. But it's several times an episode. It's "he and I" Jillian. He and I.

Ahhh . . . I just thought of something. Next Monday is my husband's birthday. Hmmm . . . do you think he'd watch it with me? :) Good thing we are celebrating his birthday the night before!

Dancing Queen

This weekend was our very first dance recital experience. Jenna's been in class for almost a year now, and our time finally came for the big day! I have to admit, I was pretty nervous about the whole thing--probably much more than Jenna. Would I be the only mom not taking her daughter to get her hair and makeup done? How would her shoes turn out after the nice dance lady told me that I had to "hand sew" the necessary elastic on her tap shoes? (seriously, I haven't sewn anything since high school home ec. class.) Would I get kicked out of dress rehearsal because I brought Abby along even though they specifically told us not to bring siblings? Should I have had her dress altered instead of pinned to make it fit? Would Jenna actually dance on the big stage or get freaked out and stare at the crowd?

The whole dance recital experience turned out to be awesome:) None of my nervousness was warrented and Jenna got out there and danced her little heart out with a dose of confidence that was wonderful to see. When we first walked into the theater at the convention center, Jenna's eyes got real big. She turned to me and said, "Mommy, that is the biggest stage I've ever seen and I am get to dance on it like a rock star!" After watching her in dress rehearsal and then in her performance, I realized that she probably has gifts and talents similar to her daddy. She likes to perform:)

Our first year of dance was everything I hoped it would be. It was a year of pure joy for Jenna. She loves to dance and felt really good about herself at the end. What more could a mommy want?

Jenna, Nate, and Abby practicing before the recital!

Isn't that the cutest outfit ever?

A sweet wave from the stage.

So proud of herself!

5 conversations you must have with your daughter

This book has had a profound impact on how I think about raising our girls. It is a book for parents (geared mostly for mothers although Nate has started reading it too) of girls of any age. It doesn't matter if you have a newborn, a five year old, or a high schooler. It is applicable to all for all ages.

Vicki Courtney is a Christian mother who is "in the trenches" raising her own girls and offers her experience and insight as a leading thinker in the area of ministry to girls and their mothers. A handbook of sorts, this is an invaluable resource to help mothers navigate the waters of life and culture and influences that their daughters will undoubtedly face. Each chapter is written for each conversation which are:

1. You are more than the sum of your parts
2. Don't be in such a hurry to grow up
3. Sex is great and worth the wait
4. It's okay to dream about marriage and motherhood
5. Girls gone wild are a dime a dozen-dare to be virtuous

As a mother of two girls, ages 5 and 3, I am so thankful to have read this book. Vicki Courtney gives lots of information and truth about the things girls face growing up, and she offers practical advice for each situation. Do I agree with everything she says? No. But, I agree that letting life happen to my daughters without my intentional guidance isn't in their best interest. And I want them to know what they are going to face in this life, moreso, I want them to know the truth. Not what they see on tv or read in magazines, but the truth. Especially from a Godly perspective. I want them to know that they are loved my me and by God--unconditionally.

5 conversations addresses so many good situations that we are all going to encounter as mothers. What do you do when your child wants to play at someone's house who you don't know or might not approve of? How do you address weight and dieting with your daughter? When is it appropriate for kids to have a Facebook or MySpace account? What rules do you have for boys who are interested in your daughter? What do you do when you find out your daughter is having sex? So many good questions, and they are ones that I want to think about and have a plan for before Jenna asks me to go on a date with a boy!

If anyone has read it or has questions, I welcome comments! This is such a great book--I recommend it for all parents with girls of any age!

Disqualified

Today definitely, 100% disqualifies me from any chance of winning the Mother of the Year award. Really, I shouldn't even even be considered ever again after today.

We had a weekend full of activity and not much time at home. I was drained physically and emotionally, and today I took a break. Here are a list of my offenses for the day . . .

1. It actually all started last night. Our friends left close to 11pm and I made the bad decision to stay up for almost two hours watching The Bachelorette. Seriously . . . I had to be ready to discuss this week's episode with Tamara today!

2. I didn't brush the girls hair today. It was all knotty from yesterday and I didn't feel like listening to whining and crying when I brushed their hair, so I hastily threw it up in ponytails. No one noticed, right?

3. I did not anticipate doing this, but I watched almost the entire Michael Jackson memorial service. That means that I had to convince the girls to play upstairs so that I could watch the service and them at the same time. Definitely a bad mommy.

4. I ignored every ounce of cleaning, laundry, and dish washing that had to be done today. Maybe I can get it done in the hour before Nate gets home.

5. I decided to ignore all the food I just bought at the grocery store and pack the kids into the car to go through the drive thru at Wendy's. I was too lazy to take them in a restaurant and just wanted food I didn't have to cook or take my children out for.

6. I also flat out lied to the girls and told them that Taco Bell was closed when they asked to go there. (I hate Taco Bell and Nate recently introduced them to it.)

7. The girls had chicken nuggets for both lunch and dinner. So nutritious!

8. I didn't order just one jr. bacon cheeseburger, but two. I ate them both and loved every bite of them.

9. And this one has nothing to do with today, but I feel a little bit bad about it even though I probably couldn't have prevented it. Abby got some sort of stomach bug when we were on vacation. But I don't think it was a stomach bug. I think she got sick because she drank too much lake water. Gross. I saw her do it once, but I'm sure she had more than that. Just feeling a little guilty about that.

So I think that completes my list of reasons to be disqualified for mother of the year. In the next few hours, I will furiously try to make up for my lazy behavior today. The kids need a bath (and yes, I plan on brushing their hair this time) and I can at least put the dishes in the dishwasher:)

A Swimming Milestone

Yep, that's right . . . Jenna is officially a graduate of the AVAC Sea Horses! This is her ribbon that proudly hangs in her room. In case you can't read it, it says, "AVAC Swim School O-Fish-al Sea Horse!"

After our awful day last Tuesday, she completely did a 180. She did everything her teacher asked of her and did it happily. She was determined to swim and we are proud to announce (after almost two years of lessons, 16 weeks sitting on the steps, three sessions in the Sea Horses, and money I could most certainly use elsewhere) Jenna can now swim! Yea!

Last Friday, she surprised us with two thing . . . swimming completely on her own and earning the above ribbon that moves her into the next swimming group. So Jenna is now officially a Jellyfish!

We are so very, very proud of her. I know most kids get in the water and swim easily. But this wasn't the case for Jenna. This was a huge struggle and fear for her for about two years. We kept her engaged in swimming and here we are . . . over the fear and a proud swimmer! It's a good place to finally be:)

Farewell to Matt and Megan!

The Santa Cruz Boardwalk is one of our favorite places to go. It has lots of fun kid rides and a beautiful view:) This week, we took Matt and Megan to the Boardwalk because they've never been there and they will be leaving us next week: ( Matt is our vicar, aka student pastor, and we have enjoyed their year with us here in CA and will miss them a whole lot.

For the first six months, our kids referred to them as Map and Megan. I never corrected them because it was so darn cute. Abby finally figured it out and he's now plain old Matt. Megan looks like she could be the mother of our girls, so she fit into our family quite well! Over the past year, they have become like family to us and I am especially thankful for Megan. She sat with me in church to help with the kids. She was the designated crayon holder, back rubber, and kid watcher when I had to take Abby to the nursery. She watched the girls on occasion and gave me the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I have ever tasted. She's been my friend and I will miss her, but I know how happy she is to get back to the Midwest to be closer to her family! I am happy for them!

We had a picnic on the beach, and here's a good shot of Megan.

Matt offered to buy funnel cakes for us. He came back with two--one plain one and
one with ice cream and strawberries and whipped cream. I think he and
Jenna at that one all by themselves!


Matt got to experience the joy of having Abby ride on his shoulders!
She doesn't sit still, pulls ears, and often tries to get down.
Needless to say, this experience didn't last long:)

Good Times Part 2

After we left the Hartke family wedding, we made the two day trek to Tenkiller State Park in Oklahoma. We met my parents there along with our dear friends, Mike and Cindy Woltemath. Mike and Cindy brought three jet skis and Nate and I fell in love with them while we were there. We took several 50 mile round trip rides up the huge lake and back and absolutely loved every minute of it. We are totally lake people. We'd much rather be on vacation in a cabin on a lake than at the ocean. I love everything about it.

During our time in OK, we, of course, made a trip to the ONE doctor in the small town near the state park. We thought Abby had an ear infection, but it ended up to be a nasty virus that made her feel yucky most of the time we were there.

Overall, it was a great trip . . . we love Mike and Cindy dearly and are thankful for them in our lives:) Here are a few pictures from the trip.

My mom with Abby before she got sick.

On the jet skis . . . Abby loved the jet ski, Jenna not so much. Nate took her on the "tippy one" and she got thrown off. Mind you, she was going 8 mph, but given Jenna's fear of the water, this wasn't good. We now call her Jenna Jet Ski. She loves it:)

Us with Grandpa Mike and Grandma Cindy

My parents and Mike and Cindy

The Swimming Saga Continues

I signed the girls up for the summer session of swimming at the swim school we've been attending for the past year. In the past, only Jenna has been going (because Abby could only go in the parent/child class and I was waiting until she could go independently). She's been going once a week, but this time, both Jenna and Abby are attending five days a week for two weeks. The girls are in separate classes, but at the same time. Swimming bootcamp is how I like to think of it.

Given that swimming is a struggle for Jenna (afraid of the deep water, reluctant to try new things, and sat on the steps for 16 weeks of the Y lessons) I made two rules for the girls. #1 Do everything your teacher asks you to do, even if you don't want to. #2 Try something new every day.

The first day was awesome! Both girls loved their teachers and did everything they asked. I was sure that this awesomeness would continue. It did for Abby. Yesterday, she had another great day. But Jenna struggled. She was doing fine and then all of the sudden I saw her crying. She didn't want to flip from her back to her tummy and was putting up a fight. From that moment on, she was scared to do anything else. This isn't like her. She hasn't been uncooroperative since our Y days.

In the car on the way home, I found out why. She told me that her teacher called her "hard." She has two teachers--the main one and a helper. There are two other little girls in Jenna's class, and the helper went to grab Jenna from the wall to practice, leaving two others there. Jenna says that the lead teacher told the helper teacher to leave Jenna for last because she was "hard."

Well . . . Jenna heard this, and all the confidence she had in the first day vanished. I suspect that she gave up and felt awful for the rest of the swimming class--which would explain her downturn towards the end of the lesson.

In the car, she just cried. Her head in her lap, she asked me why she can't swim as well as the other kids and why she is "hard." All I could do was give her praise encourage her.

I hope things are better today and that her teacher knows that when he thinks those little ears aren't listening, that they really are. I'm hoping for a better day today!