Halloween Nostalgia

A past post I did on Halloween popped up today in my news-feed and that lead me on nostalgic journey of Halloweens past. Man, time is a crazy thing. I can't stop smiling as I sift through images of my babies with cherub cheeks and baby grins, while at the same time tearing up from time gone by.

Wouldn't it be such an amazing thing to be given the opportunity to go back in time for a day? You would get to be you in that present time, but with the future knowledge you have now. Trippy! It would be so hard to choose, but I think I would go back to just an ordinary day at home when the kids were ages: Matt 2, Jon 3, Ella 4 and Abby 6. This was such a sweet time. Our family was complete and we were in a groove. What a gift it would be to go back and squeeze them and munch on their cheeks. There might only be one problem, I might not stop crying the whole time!

I decided to keep the nostalgia going and round up all the images from Halloweens past, so they could be in one place. Now I can scroll through the years gone by smiling and crying at the same time.

Two years in a row I didn't get a group picture, I could kick myself. Oh well, what are you going to do? These were some crazy years, I'll give myself some grace... collages will have to do. 

Overcoming the I-Can't-Skate-Date

One of the greatest rewards in parenting is watching your child overcome something that they think they "can't do". I love to watch their determination replace their fears. I love to see the immense joy spread across their face when they finally get it; they took the fear and kicked it to the curb and wouldn't take "no" for an answer. 

Ella was next in line for a date-day with mommy. She was bursting with excitement the entire month. We were going rollerskating, and I was just as excited as her. I hadn't been rollerskating in years and I have a lot of memories associated with the roller rink; when I was a kid it was the place to be. Birthday parties, weekend outings, and many summer days were spent circling the the plastic coated floor. The disco ball would set the mood and Paula Abdul's top hits would blast the speakers. We would all stop to do the hokey-pokey and sing Happy Birthday to the kids in the middle of the floor... those were the days! It's fun reliving your own childhood memories through your kids!

The first time around the floor, Ella was ready to throw in the towel. Her demeanor went from, "this is the most exciting day of my life" to screaming out, "I can't do this!" Within five minutes of strapping on our skates she started to wonder what she had gotten herself into. We stopped and had a little heart-to-heart. When something in life is hard we just have to push through and not give up. We talked about hard-work, practice, and the patience you need when learning something new. We continued to circle the floor together with our hands tightly clasped. Each time around, we rejoiced over every tiny improvement.

We took a little break and watched as the other skaters circled the floor to Katy Perry's, "California Gurls". I was messing with my camera phone getting ready to capture some awesome phone pics when I noticed Ella wasn't beside me. I looked up and scanned the dark roller rink, half-way across the floor I spotted the green stripped shirt inching her way around. This tenacious little girl wasn't going to let a pair of roller skates get the best of her; she was going to overcome this thing and she wasn't going to give up. 

I was beaming from ear to ear with the joy only a mother could feel from seeing her child overcome fear and take it head on. I couldn't of been more proud of her in that moment. 

She got around to me and with a big smile on her face and asked, "Did you see me mom?"

It was a great day!!

Rules Make You Do Crazy Things

The mind can be a funny thing. Sometimes we make a big deal out of something that turns out to be nothing. We can also tell ourselves it's not a big deal and it turns out that we were way wrong; at least that's how my brain functions!

Is putting laundry away really that big of a deal? Who cares if it piles up to the ceiling? In my mind, it's a daunting task and I despise it...so it doesn't get done. Most of the time, outfits are pulled from the massive pile sitting on top of the dryer. Hey, at least they're clean!

Is cooking a meal an all day event? No, but for some reason I build it up in my mind and avoid it. "Cheese and crackers for dinner everyone. Enjoy!"

How long will it really take to paint my office? Probably all day, but I tell myself "Oh, we can knock that out in a few hours. No prob!" 

A few small frivolous purchases throughout the month doesn't seem like a big deal...until the end of the month! "Oh crap! That's a lot! Sorry." 

I'm only eating a small sliver of cake. I'm not even sitting down or getting a plate so it doesn't count... "What happend to the cake? Oh my goodness, did I really eat that whole thing?"

Matthew seems to operate on the same level!

Erik has made a new rule in our house...kids must use the downstairs bathroom and only the downstairs bathroom.  I wouldn't use that bathroom if I were you... yuck!

Our upstairs bathroom, the one the guests use, was getting trashed. So they were banned from the upstairs facilities. At first, I was sad for them...no one likes feeling booted. But all of those feelings quickly left after seeing how fresh and clean the bathroom was... I'm a big fan of the new rule! The truth is, I wish I was the one who had come up with it.

Erik has a lot of great ideas...just don't tell him I said that.

Matthew our lazy, crazy, child, doesn't like to go all the way down the stairs. 

The other night I saw Matt suiting up in his winter gear so I asked him what he was doing.

"I go pee."

"Wait! What?"

He didn't respond and made his way outside to the nearest tree.

Oh my goodness! Seriously?

I'm not sure why my three-year-old finds it easier to put on his hat, coat, and boots then go outside to pee... in the snow. But to him it's easier than making his way down the stairs!

I love this kid!

My Mom

She's beautiful, giving, and the strongest woman I know. When I think of someone that has been through it all and came out on the other side even more incredible, I think of her. When I need someone to talk to and confide in, I turn to her. When I think of someone that I want to be like, I picture her.

She's my mom.

Her talent is amazing, her laughter is contagious, her smile will brighten any room. She's who you turn to when you need a friend. She can do anything she puts her mind to and always exceeds everyones expectations.

She's my mom.



She taught me how to love. She taught me how to get through difficult times because, "all things work together for the good." She taught me how to worship and showed me how to always look to Jesus for my answers. We laughed together, cried together, and celebrated together. She has the heart of servant and was always putting others before herself.

She's my mom.

She taught me how to save, budget and be happy with less. We always had amazing meals on the table. Even when there was nothing in the refrigerator, she would work her magic. Times might have been tough, but you would never know it by the smile on her face and the joy in her life. She worked incredibly hard to be everything to us.

She's my mom.

My love for astronaute pops, licorice and apples came from her. When we wanted a little pick-me-up in our day, a trip to TCBY would always do the trick. When we needed to laugh we would dance and sing to our favorite song, as we let the worries of the day fade away. When a workout was required to help us justify our previous TCBY indulgence, Jane Fonda would never let us down. When we needed to play... she would make it happen. A day at the lake, a walk to the park, a shopping trip. She always knew exactly what was important to make the most out of any day. She created the memories we would look back on and cherish.

She's my mom.

I cannot imagine my life without her. I would not be the woman I am today without her guidance, her provision, and her unwavering love.

Happy Birthday Mom, I love you more than life.

Introducing a New Member of the Family

No, I'm not pregnant. Let's just clear that up right now. Our official headcount will remain the same from here on out. You should know by now that I'm dramatic; I like to call inanimate objects by name, giving them their own personality.



Summer to us equals camping; as much as we can. We just can't seem to get enough. Every available weekend between June and August we consume with exploring the beautiful mountains that surround us, relaxing with no distractions, and spending time making memories with our children.



As a child, some of my greatest memories were pulling in late at night to an unknown campground and setting up our humungous tent with poles we always failed to mark. Setting up that tent usually erupted into a few curse words, but it all just added to the memories! The smell of the campfire, the chill on the tip of my nose as I laid snuggled in my sleeping bag, the endless adventures and made-up games between great family-friends.



I couldn't find very many old camping pictures, and none of our awesome tent. But here are a few.

Mom, please don't yell at me for posting this pic... you look hot!
Isn't little Britt adorable!

Some might think it's odd to play house in the woods; cooking outdoors, going potty in a freshly dug hole and attempting to stay warm by a fire... always a struggle to build! To us camping means an escape from our everyday routine; an excuse to do nothing but play, eat and sit. It forces us to completely focus on our children without the endless to-do lists looming over our day. I know without a doubt that our kids will look back at our camping adventures and remember them as some of the most precious times we shared as a family.



As we were packing for this trip, Abby was double checking our supplies. I really do believe that child doesn't trust us... at all. She asked us two times, "Did you remember the propane?"



In my opinion, our kids are completely spoiled campers. Camping in our toasty-warm pop-up; they have no idea what "roughing-it" is . But, I'm totally okay giving them this luxury. I agree... why freeze? At least that's how I feel now, having adopted the newest member of our family. Do you see him poking out there in the background? Meet Viking Spirit. He is a bit shy, but very special to us.

I love how content a little boy can be hunting for rocks and watching them splash into the water.

Father's Day weekend couldn't have been spent in a better way!

Daddy's Little Girl

Every daughter has a father. Every daughter has a different story. Some might look at my story and see it entirely different than the way I see it. Sure, times were tough. There were some definite hard bumps along the way. Some might say my childhood wasn't ideal. But, to me, it was a perfect journey. It was my journey. It was the journey that formed and shaped me. The journey that made me the person I am today. I am so grateful for my path in life and I wouldn't change a single thing.

Thank you Dad for being who you are. Thank you for teaching me how to persevere through the toughest times. Thank you for overcoming and enduring your story... for me.

When I think of some of the sweet memories I have of being my Dad's little girl I think of shoulder rides, dancing together, applying his shaving cream to his face, his whistle that we could hear from anywhere, silky ear lobes that I would rub as I sat on his shoulders, trips to Disneyland, cooking together, gin rummy, the smell of his mustache wax, the smell of his Kuros cologne, long road trips from Oregon to California, eyelash kisses, snuggling in and watching cartoons, flying kites at the beach, fishing, the blue Cadillac, doing math problems, playing chess and knowing above all else that he loved me.

I have his nose, his feet, his stubbornness, his determination, his packing skills, his self-confindence, his work-ethic, his compassion, his soft-mushy heart and his tear ducts. Put both of us in front of an evening movie, while we are reclining, and we will be out in approximately five minutes. There is so much of my Dad in me, and I could not be more proud to be his daughter!

Love you Dad, Happy Father's Day!