Camping

The kids were off school last Fri and today (Mon). The weather has been gorgeous around here. So we decided to take the weekend to go camping! Last year we bought a little pop up camper and we haven't taken it out very much but the Fall is the perfect time to camp in this area. We went to Ellie's soccer game on Sat morning and then packed the camper and headed to Mahoney State Park. The kids love to camp (especially Jack). I enjoy it because it's a break from our usual craziness. We arrived and set up the camper and ate lunch. We walked around the campsite and ended up running into friends from church. Their daughter is in Ellie's sunday school class so Ellie was thrilled to have someone to play with. We then cooked dinner and went to the Lodge to watch some of the NU/Wyoming game. The best part of camping is the smores!! I think that's what the kids look forward to the most. So we cooked smores and headed to bed. Surprisingly enough the kids sleep pretty well in the camper (except when Jack fell out of the camper sound asleep over Memorial Day weekend---YIKES). But all in all they sleep well and didn't get up until almost 8 on Sunday morning. We had a lazy morning and hung around the campsite and went back and talked with our friends. After lunch we went to the Craft center and the kids each painted something and then we went hiking and up the observation tower and then headed home with our usual stop at the Dairy Cone in Ashland! It was a quick camping trip but perfect to get away for a night without cell phones, Facebook, email, etc! But sadly enough when I checked my email I realized that a friend of mine from school and the Mom's Bible Study that I am in got some devastating news this weekend---their son Cole who is 11 was diagnosed with leukemia. To say Jack loves Cole is an understatement. Cole went to our school last year and his sister did the childcare for PTA meetings so my kids got to know them and she has babysat for our family. They are just a super family and my heart breaks for them. Their faith is amazingly strong and they have so many people praying for them. I know God will wrap his arms around them and help them through this. It just truly makes you realize how in the blink of an eye your world can turn upside down in an instant. It gives me peace to know that God is always there through those times. I am praying like crazy for their family. I know I hugged my kids a little tighter now.

Weekend Fun!

We had a great weekend after a busy week. I forgot to mention in the last post that Ellie and Jack both had their Open Houses a their schools on Thurs night. I always kind of "dread" going to Open House because it is so packed with people but then once I get there I always enjoy talking with the teachers, seeing the classrooms, etc. Ellie was so excited to show me (Dave was gone so he missed it) her classroom. This year they don't have their own specific desk because they are switching classrooms with another teacher for science and social studies. So her teacher gave each student a "cubby" that is theirs to keep their supplies , etc in. I think it works much better for Ellie because from the looks of her desk last year it is very difficult to keep her desk organized :) So they keep all their stuff in a small drawer and take it out as needed. Then they have a massively crowded book fair in the library which we always go to and and buy a couple of books and stand in line for 30 min to pay for it! But Ellie loves it so it makes it worthwhile! I really love our school! This year was Jack's 1st open house at his school because he didn't start last year until mid February. It was so fun going to his school (which is much smaller than Ellie's) and see him in his classroom. He is so proud of it and loves his teacher! He was so proud showing us his centers and all of the toys he plays with. He read us his daily schedule and I literally had a tear running down my face thinking back to last year at this time when he wasn't even saying 10 words--wow how much can happen in a year! Praise the Lord!! His teacher is so sweet and just loves Jack! So after a busy night we were on to a busy weekend. My sister Linda was still in town for work so we were lucky to get to spend some of the weekend with her before she flew back to CA yesterday. On Friday night Ellie and I went to the Rose Theater with our good friends/neighbors Christy and Emma to see "Ferdinand the Bull". This is the 2nd year that we have split the membership with them and it is wonderful. We figure that Jack is still a little young to sit through the plays so we only need 2 tickets and they are in the same boat so we just split the cost and get 4 tickets for all of us---quite a deal! I love the Rose Theater and this it is such a little gem in our city. Saturday was so fun! It started with a 9am soccer game for Ellie in the cold, misty fog. Her team played awesome and has definitely become a great group of girls who play really well together. Then Dave ended up taking Jack to his 1st Husker game so Ellie and I could hang out with my sister and mom. According to Dave he didn't like it at first and was asking to go home but somehow ended up liking it and they stayed the entire game (NU vs Washington). I'm sure it had nothing to do with all the snacks he got :) He loved when the balloons went up in the sky after the 1st touchdown. While the boys were at the game the girls went to lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise , Ellie and Linda got pedicures and then we shopped around Village Point. The weather was so cold and damp but we still had fun. Ellie talked her aunt into buying her a couple of things at Justice so she was very happy. We are so blessed to have such great aunts and uncles on both sides of the family. After shopping we went back to my parents for dinner. Dave  had to drive staight home from the game because Jack was conked out before they even left Lincoln--it was a long day for the little guy. We were sad to say goodbye to Linda because this is not her year to come home for Christmas--they will spend it with Doug's family in PA--so bummed :( It's so hard to have my siblings all live so far away. Sunday was another cold and rainy day. We went to church and then Jack's friend Lucy had her bday party at Saddlebrook Community Center. We all went to that and then Ellie and I were supposed to go fishing with her Brownie troop but we ended up rescheduling because of the weather. So the kids played at the bday party which was perfect way to run off steam on a cold day. After that we decided to that it was a good movie day so we rented Rio and lounged in the basement watching the movie. The kids thought it was great because we got pizza for dinner and let them eat in the basement which we never do! A great end to a great weekend! Now I'm getting geared up for another busy week!

Busy Week

Wow! What a busy week. I know I mentioned this before but Fall is such a crazy time. I feel like summer is so laid back and lazy and then all of a sudden BAM and you're back to the craziness!! We have had a super busy week with Ellie's activites. I seriously have no idea how people do this with more than 1 child--Jack is not involved in any "organized" activites yet and I feel like I run around like a chicken with my head cut off! On Monday we had our 1st Brownie meeting. We've got a small but great troop of 9 girls. It was a fun meeting because the girls were so excited to be together after the summer and they also feel so "old" and "important" because they aren't Daisies anymore. With the recommendation of a good friend that I've made the last year we decorated a troop flag with the girls handprints so that we can start doing formal flag ceremonies this year. The girls loved it! On Tuesday Ellie had soccer, today was CCD after school, tomorrow is dance and then Open House for Ellie and for Jack and Friday Ellie is having a playdate after school and then going to the Rose Theater with Emma, her mom and I on Friday night.  I've got MOPS tomorrow morning and Bible Study on Friday morning---whew---that is enough to make my head spin! I sometimes (ok frequently) get overwhelmed with our schedule and wonder how we can simplify it but then I usually try to step back and say I wouldn't have it any other way. I love that I am able to be the Brownie leader. I love that I am able to take Ellie to all of these activities. I love that we are able to expose our kids to so many different things. I know this season of my life is going to be over before I know it and then I will long for these "crazy" days of schedules,etc. And I always try to remember when I get super full of anxiety that I am not in control. God is in control at all times and truly would not give me more than I can handle (which is why I love my Bible Study because it is a constant reminder of that!). So I really try to always keep that at the forefront and remember that this season will not last long and I need to enjoy every single second I can with my kiddos. I don't want to be dictated by our crazy schedule but I also know that I need routine and schedule in my life. So lazy days of summer are awesome and I love them but there is also something about getting back into the routine of Fall. We've got a fun weekend ahead. My sis will still be in town through Saturday so the plan is for the boys (Dave and Jack) to go to the NU game and the girls (Linda, Ellie, mom and I) to have a fun day of pedicures, lunch and maybe shopping. We'll see if we really end up having Jack go to the game. I might chicken out at the last minute because I really think he is too young but we'll see. I'll post about the weekend soon! I am so blessed!!!

Fun Fall Weekend

I love Fall!! I love it so much that it makes living through a cold winter and hot summer totally worth it. I love everything about it. I love the cooler weather and crisp nights. I love apple picking and football. I could go on and on! It's such a busy time of year with school and activities starting back up but we always try to make time to enjoy all the great Fall things that NE has to offer! This weekend my sister came to town for work so we had some time to spend with her on the weekend before she had work stuff during the week. On Sat Dave and I went to the NU football game and my parents and sister watched the kids. Ellie loves her aunt so much that she gave up an opportunity to go the game with us because she wanted to hang with my sis! She definitely wants to go to a game this season but just not when it interferes with her time with Linda! The game was fun even thought it was a closer game than it should have been with Fresno State. We got home last Sat night and talked with my sis for a while before she went back to my parents. On Sunday we went to church and then headed out to Ditmer's Orchard in Council Bluffs. We always go to NE City for apple picking but thought we would try a less crowded option this weekend (we will definitely still go to NE City a little later in the Fall). We had a really good time. This is a great little place that we had never been to. It was nice and small and very cheap. The kids had a great time playing on the playground, going in the corn maze and riding a tractor to the apple orchards. It was a hot day so it didn't quite feel like apple picking weather but it was fun anyway! We had a snack in the cafe and headed back to Omaha for dinner at my parents with my sis. All in all it was a fun weekend and I am looking forward to many more fun Fall weekends coming up! I seriously wish I could figure out how to add pics here because these blogs would be much more interesting with pics attached :) I will figure it out one of these days!!

Patriot Day

Today Ellie's school had a Patriot Day Celebration to remember 9/11 as the 10 yr anniversary is this Sunday (which I can't believe has been 10 yrs). I took Jack to school for the ceremony. It was so cool because each student got a balloon and they did a balloon release after the ceremony. So we got to see approx 650 red, white and blue balloons get released into the sky....so cool to watch (once I figure out how to post pics to this blog I will try to post a pic of the balloon release!) It was great to see all the kids dressed up in their patriotic colors participate in this awesome experience. I truly love our school. We have had a great experience so far and expect that to continue. I think it's great that they had the students involved in remembering 9/11 on a level that they could understand. I just can't believe it's been 10 yrs since that awful day. I was 10 days away from getting married at the time and all I could think about was my wedding---it really put things into perspective for me. I will try to write more on my thoughts of 9/11 when I have more time. But it sure was a cool thing to see all those balloons soar in the air and all the kids expressions as they watched them fly away......amazing!

Getting this Blog going!!

Well---I have procrastinated as usual and it is now Sept 5th, 2011 and I really am going to start writing on this blog. I hate being a procrastinator and I also hate the fact that I am so technologically challenged that even this blog makes me nervous because I have no idea how to do anything (which is part of the reason why I haven't started updating this on a regular basis). Enough with the excuses! Even if it's not the "prettiest" blog with the most pics, etc at least I can write things down so I won't forget them. So...here goes!

This past weekend Dave and I spent the Labor Day weekend in Chicago to celebrate his 40th birthday and our 10 yr wedding anniversary. I actually surprised Dave with the trip and made the flight and hotel reservations on my own and then told him about it on his actual birthday in August. We had a blast and have really made a commitment to do this once a year because it was such a good thing for our marriage. We had 4 days of uninterrupted conversations, no schedule, sleeping in, eating out with the kids, etc! It was pure bliss! Don't get me wrong---we LOVE our kids more than life itself and missed them dearly but both of us realized that we needs time away to regroup and be better parents to our kids and spouses to eachother. The nice part of the weekend away was that we didn't make any set plans and we just enjoyed the time together and not having a schedule. We stayed downtown at the Hyatt Regency which was a great location--within walking distance to everything in the downtown area. We walked a ton! We went to Navy Pier one night and just sat on the lake and enjoyed the view. We took an architecture river tour which was awesome. We ate Giordono's pizza twice and indulged in Garrett's popcorn (after standing in line for an hour to get it!) We found a great restaraunt called Big Bowl that was fabulous Asian food and ate there twice as well! Dave and I are such creatures of habit! We watched the NU football game at Bennigan's on Sat afternoon as well. The majority of our time was spent walking around holding hands and just enjoying eachother's company! What a great city to do that it. We came back on Monday night (Labor Day) after our wonderful mom's had watched the kids all weekend (Janet had them Friday-Sunday and my mom had them Sunday-Monday) The kids were excited to see us and had a ball with their grandmas. We are so blessed that we have family that will help us so that we can get away for a long weekend. We are very grateful to both of them! Now we both feel a little more "recharged" and are anxious to get back into our routines with the kiddos! But we are definitely excited to plan another getaway for just the 2 of us again soon. Great memories!