Raising Cubs in a Campground

We made it home safely from our camping trip and I have tons of photographs to edit and post, but Julia's birthday is in a little over 24 hours and I've yet to find a cake recipe or dig out presents from the place I stash them throughout the year. I would like to find a girly party hat for her and finish her birthday DVD before we have family over for pizza on Tuesday (I can't even remember if I called everyone yet. If you're family and you're reading this - pizza will be served at 6pm Tuesday evening) I also need to wrap my brain around the fact that my baby is turning one.

Check out Mommy's new camera! It's only been in the house 10 minutes and already she's taking my picture!

I wanted to share the link to a family that is a true testament of what it means to surrender to the Lord's will for our lives.

Believe it or not, it was not a day to be outside on Sunday (unless you like hot humid days) so we spent the afternoon at Underwater Adventures . Brianna and her mom joined us to make it an extra special treat. Check out the cool reflection of Brianna and Wendy on the side of the aquarium. Julia wasn't phased a bit by the large fish swimming right towards her. Not even the sharks made her shy away. Most people only spend 10 minutes or so in the tunnel but we were in there at least 45 minutes. Brianna and Sam kept running back and forth, loving every minute of their underwater adventure. At the end of the tunnel is a fun pirate ship the kids can climb on. If it weren't for the sandbox and the opportunity to touch sting rays and sharks, I think those kids would still be climbing all over that thing. It was worth it to have to brush sand out of everywhere . Sam and JoJo thought it so neat that they could move so quickly across the smooth sand. Brave Sam! We always take a p...

The crazy part is that I didn't mind. It felt good to tackle a project that there hasn't been time for in a while. It also helped that it was my first day of being a regular stay-at-home mom since Grant is now officially done with daycare. I'm so grateful for the extra time I get to spend with my kids without the complication of other children's schedules. Tuesdays and Wednesdays Brianna will still come over, but she and Sam play so well together it actually makes my day easier . With school on Mondays and Fridays, Brianna on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, my life is far from relaxed, but I am truly savoring this time. I don't want to look back on these early years and wish I'd had more energy, more of myself to give to the kids, or regret that I was too distracted by the busyness of life to enjoy every moment I have with my children. In case you're wondering if the laundry ever got done - it did! But not before we took turns pushing the basket around the h...

No, the baby isn't here, but she is in the hospital. You can read about my friend's condition here . Please keep her and her family in your prayers.

For the past month our weekends have been consumed by open houses and cleaning. We've had perfect weather for them, but still not many people came. In a sense that beautiful weather has been wasted by missing out on family activities. This morning our house was placed on the MLS so we will have a better chance of selling it before the dreaded foreclosure word has to become a reality. So you'd think not having an open house would free us up for fun right? Wrong. It freed us (me) up to do all the work we've had to ignore for the past month - laundry, hair cuts, paperwork, time consuming errands just to name a few. Brian isn't feeling well and I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I'm jealous. I'm so worn out from 14 hour days with the kids while Brian works long hours at his temp job that I think a bout with a virus would be a welcome break from my life. How sad is that? To make matters worse, Julia isn't sleeping through the night and hasn't in two...

For the past month our weekends have been consumed by open houses and cleaning. We've had perfect weather for them, but still not many people came. In a sense that beautiful weather has been wasted by missing out on family activities. This morning our house was placed on the MLS so we will have a better chance of selling it before the dreaded foreclosure word has to become a reality. So you'd think not having an open house would free us up for fun right? Wrong. It freed us (me) up to do all the work we've had to ignore for the past month - laundry, hair cuts, paperwork, time consuming errands just to name a few. Brian isn't feeling well and I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I'm jealous. I'm so worn out from 14 hour days with the kids while Brian works long hours at his temp job that I think a bout with a virus would be a welcome break from my life. How sad is that? To make matters worse, Julia isn't sleeping through the night and hasn't in two...

(a week ago) Me: Your hair is getting long Sam. It looks like it might be time for a haircut. Sam: Yes, it is getting BIG. problem solved - he got a buzz cut this morning.

and very well rested. She took a 4 HOUR nap this morning. Wish I could have joined her.

and very well rested. She took a 4 HOUR nap this morning. Wish I could have joined her.

Grant will be moving soon as well as celebrating his first birthday. I wanted to send him off with a memento from his time in my care. I'd seen a similar picture used with this verse out there in Bloggerville, but added my own touch by using Photoshop to change our feet to colored pencil. Ha! It just dawned on me the irony of this gift - My business name is Tiny Toes Child Care.

Ten minutes before a showing today the agent called to say they changed their mind and they weren't coming. I am fuming! I couldn't help but let her know what I went through to make this possible today. Her pathetic attempt at apologizing didn't make a dent in my anger. Watching four kids and getting the house "show ready" is no easy task. To add to my frustration, it's only Wednesday so we have no hope of keeping the house show ready until the weekend. We'll have to do it all over again on Friday night. I guess I should go get the dog out of the kennel. Poor baby's been in there since I vacuumed before naps.

Any other ideas for feet quotes? I'm also looking for short family phrases if anyone wants to send some my way.

Every year we head to the apple orchard to pick apples. This marks Sam's 2nd year and Julia's first. Last year she was along for the wagon ride, but was only sloshing around in amniotic fluid, oblivious of the world that awaited her. Today was filled with Kodak moments and yes, I did capture them all, but it didn't keep me from seeing the joy on the kid's faces when they bit into an apple they picked themselves or the look of awe when ponies, goats, and sheep walked right up to them at the petting zoo. To be continued...

Here's a sample of some of the photographs I took of Brianna and her parents, Scott and Wendy this afternoon. It's been five years since I've been a professional photographer in any sense of the word. It felt good to get my feet wet again.

I woke up with these words in my head: "Look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." God has been laying on my heart that I need to turn everything over to him. Sure I have been waiting somewhat patiently for an answer on where we are suppose to live and work, but there isn't a day that goes by that I don't do something to move us closer to somewhere. Let me explain: I spend nap times looking for job postings and thinking about ways to get us out of this mess we're in. This means I don't get myself recharged and ready to spend the rest of the afternoon with the kids with the most positive attitude. I have searched every corner of the state for a career opportunity for Brian. We've filled out numerous applications and now we have to wait for a phone call. Waiting is hard - especially when I am out of things to sell on the Internet to make extra cash. I have been ignoring that...