Prayers needed!

My friend Jen (used to teach with her in Westlake) just had a baby boy last week, Micah, and he has been diagnosed with Hirschsprung's Disease, which means he has a problem with the large intestine. It causes blockage in the intestine, so stool is not passed. He had surgery Monday night, and is doing fine now, but this family could use your prayers. Pray for healing for baby Micah, as he'll be in the hospital for about a week. After surgery, most children are fine. I'm sure Jen and her husband would appreciate your prayers! They have 2 other children at home.

Pictures

So Camp Mommy went OK. DAy 1 all went fine, though by storytime, they were ready for free play! So they just played outside with all the clean toys. We did all the activities, though. Day 2 was a field trip...free movies with cousins to see Alvin and the Chipmunks. Maddie watched Kendall! Then Spence had a playdate in the afternoon, so we didn't do any of the activities. Today was supposed to be Day 3, but they just wanted to play and relax at home...it's noon now and we're still in PJ's! But we will try to hit up the library today and go for a bike ride. So we'll do the other activities next week! We are packing up to go to San Diego! Yay! We are so excited!

Here's some pictures of a total summer evening on the trampoline!

They do love each other!

Kendall had to enjoy the fun from the sidelines.
And if you heard a loud boom around 8:00...it was Joe letting off a soda bomb and dry ice...this is what happens when your husband is a boy at heart and gets a special delivery from Omaha Steaks (thanks Nana and Grandpa!!!!!), which was packaged in dry ice. hmm...dry ice equals soda bomb! By the way, Omaha Steaks rocks!!!! :-)

Camp Mommy Schedule

Day 1:
9:00 Calendar/Singing
9:15 Art: painting coffee filters (to be cut into fish shapes and glued onto "water" later), making handprints (for scrapbooking purposes and to be laminated and adding a magnet on back, will use on fridge to hold Spencer and Cooper's school papers), and fingerpainting outside!
10:00 Snack: bananas with peanut butter
10:15 Outside: Wash bikes and outdoor toys
10:45 Storytime
11:15 Dancing (we just turn on the music and go)
11:30 Lunch served cafe style: I'm the waitress, they order up lunch though the day's special will be PB & J and trees (broccoli)
12:00 Take a walk
Free Play outside
1:00 End: naptime for Coop and rest for Spencer

Day 2
9:00 Calendar/ Singing
9:15 Art:
Stuffed Fish (paint big fish cut out of construction paper, staple and stuff with newspaper, to be made to be hung in their room, which is an ocean/surf theme)
Sidewalk Chalk (Shadow Art)
10:00 Snack TBA
10:15 Trip to Strawberry Stand (better be open!)
10:45 Storytime
11:15 Dancing
11:30 Lunch TBA
12:00 Make strawberry leather (like fruit roll ups, got recipe from one of the sites I mentioned in my last post), make Strawberry Lemonade
12:30 Outside Play: water balloons, do relay: who can sit on and pop the most, water balloon toss
1:00 Rest/Nap

Day 3
So far: Decorate Brother's Bank (catch them being kind and helpful to each other, deposit coins into the bank. They can then use that money for a treat that they agree on)
"I Love" collages: cut out pictures of things they like from magazines. May frame them for their room, if cute.
Playdough with cookie cutters
Make visors for San Diego trip

That's it so far...though there are some things that may change the schedule...like my flat tire! Again...gotta get to the tire shop in the AM sometime tomorrow to drop off car...
Movies (free!) on Tuesday, if I can find a sitter for Miss K...and me, will this work out???
Stay tuned!

Hmmm...

I hate to be the bearer of scary news, but better to be safe than sorry, right? It is good to be informed. If you agree, check out the Non-Toxic Kids link to the left about granite countertops and cell phones and children.

In other news, this week we are celebrating Camp Mommy! Spencer is a bit bored, and I haven't been on the ball on setting up playdates...as least, as many as he wants! So tomorrow through Wednesday is Camp Mommy! We are doing arts and crafts, making recipes, doing structured activities and following a schedule. Spencer is excited! I got some good ideas from here and here and here. I'll keep you posted! Of course, Camp Mommy is closed during PM naptime...a mom's gotta get a break, right?

Today Miss K is 16 weeks old! She rolled over all the way today for the first time. She also visited the babies' nursery at church today. The cry room wasn't working out anymore for me. Spence is now in the K/1 room, on the other side of church! Got a workout dropping them off into 3 different rooms and then picking them up. :-)

So happy to be on Facebook! you gotta try it! I connected with the husband of my best friend in high school, Allison! He told me that they just had their first child, a baby boy named Caiden. He posted pictures of him on his page, as well as pictures of a darling nursery! So happy to hear their good news...can't wait to talk to Allison soon. I last saw her when I was either pregnant with Spencer or he was a few months old...can't remember. But it was very brief, so I'll be happy to catch up. Also talking to friends from college and other friends from high school! It's a lot of fun!
Cooper looking cute.

Kendall at 15 weeks..tired of the doll, maybe?Me and my girl...though she looks worried! One of the few pics of me with her! Gotta remember to give someone my camera!

Pictures, pictures

Here are some recent pics for your viewing pleasure...Kendall in her crib (propped up, of course!) Cooper listening to the Ipod...it's so cute...he sings along with the songs...no kids songs, you know he likes his Ramones, the Rolling Stones, Under the Influence of Giants (one of their songs he calls Daddy's song), Depeche Mode, Violent Femmes...
Spence painting a rock
Cooper painting his rocks

Spencer posing with his playdough creation Spencer and Coop posing with Jake and Ri-Ri

Kendall laughing...her brothers can make her laugh pretty hard!

hello...

...haven't blogged in a while...busy with kids...trying to do something creative everyday! Today we are going on a rock hunt and painting them. The kids have been getting up earlier this week....augh...what happened to 8:30/9:00??? Now it's 6:45 or earlier! Spencer actually got up at 4 AM the other morning! He took a 4 hour nap that day, though mama really needed one, too! So I am going to bed earlier...not looking forward to school starting again!
I know most of you probably don't care about the green updates...but for those locals that do...Raley's is starting to carry a lot of green products! Yay! They have a bunch of laundry detergents (though they are pricey) and body care (toothpaste, shampoo, lotions, etc). I went to the market by myself (ahhh...) the other evening and just browsed for awhile. (Sad that an evening at the grocery store makes me happy...).
I am also trying to eat healthier. I bought Jessica Seinfeld's book, Deceptively Delicious, a while ago and finally am trying the recipes. I made the chocolate chip cookies with chickpeas (or garbanzo beans for us Californians!). The chickpeas give it a nutty flavor and texture, though my boys didn't seem to like them much! We went to the park yesterday to play, and when I asked them if they wanted a cookie, they got excited. But when I pulled out my bag of these, they actually said, "No, thank you." Not a good sign! Tonight I am making tacos with soy protein instead of meat...shhh, Maddie, DON'T tell Joe! I will tell him....after dinner!
Sorry no pictures to share..need to break out the camera more...and Joe has been very good at uploading my pictures to the external hard drive, so I don't have them on the computer very long. Too lazy to hook it up to do it myself...told you I am tired!!!

Green Blogs to check out

Glad to see that some of you are starting to be interested in going "greener"...just the little things help! Though it can be overwhelming when you think of everything from the clothing you buy, the coffee you drink, the home cleaners, the diapers (sorry, I cannot do the cloth diaper thing!), the lotions, should I go on....Start small! I have a long way to go, but loving the small changes we are making! Here are some blogs I have been checking out as they have good info to share:

Green Arizona (love this one, wanted to start a blog like this with good info to share!)

Green Mommy Chat

Mama Goes Green

5 minutes for going green

Think we'll wait until fall to buy our "share" of the farm in the local CSA. LOVE the idea, but you pay up front and with no paycheck this month (oh the joy of teaching), better wait. I can't wait to sign up for fall! Any locals interested, I can email you the website. They drop off at Raley's on Wednesday. You can also check out http://www.localharvest.org/ for more info for anyone who is interested in this.

Congrats to Erica on the birth of her baby girl Isabella! she's #3 after 2 boys, like my KK.

So Maddie says to me, "I've been thinking...there's not a good nickname for Kendall!" Which was exactly what I had thought, too. Can't call her Ken...that's a boy's name and her Great Grandpa! So I call her Little Miss (like Kim's Amanda!), and Kay, and KK. Spencer calls her Kendy and Cooper still calls her Baby Kennel. Either way, we love her!

my new addiction!

OK, so my new addiction is facebook! Are you on it? I just joined today and have 14 friends! I have reconnected with quite a few friends I haven't seen in years! It's so much fun! you should try it! You can add me as a friend! :-)

Went to our ole' County Fair tonight...hot, hot, hot! We saw the animals, had some fried food (yum!), and went on a few rides, well, the boys did anyway. I am not a big fan of those rides, but happily waved as my boys rode the Ferris Wheel, the Jr. roller coaster, and such. Had enough of the fair to last a few years!

Greening update: still making some changes! Just being aware of recycling, turning off lights and unplugging things, etc. Spencer is now in charge of making sure all lights are off if no one is the room. starting them early! My Burt's Bees body products are echhh...the shampoo leaves my hair feeling dirty! In fact, Joe said it looked like I hadn't washed my hair. The body wash is not very lather-y and has no smell! I tried the Kiss My Face shampoo and liked it better. The deodorant works good! In the HOT 100 degree weather in Columbia (so much for cooler weather in the mountains!), I was sweaty, but not stinky! Trust me, I was sniffing!
I contacted a local organic farm about getting produce weekly...buying a "share" of the farm. Google CSA for your local farms. I think I may do it. This farm also has organic eggs and soy candles for sale. Thinking of a field trip for my boys to learn where food comes from...not the grocery store! they learned where milk comes from tonight at the fair!
Better go, Joe and I have "date night at home" with a movie waiting for us!

Pictures to share

Cousins: Tyler, Jake and Spence
Daddy and Cooper kayaking...the boys loved it! Our family on the deck of the cabin

Spencer walking the logs at Pinecrest Lake...he went all the way to the end several times! They found snake skin our first night there under the deck!

The girls in Columbia: me, Kendall, Cindy/Grammy, Pana and Amber
Spencer and Daddy going out kayaking
Grammy with her two youngest grand daughters

The cousins minus Kendall and Pana (both asleep!)

we're home!

We are back! We survived being gone for 6 days with 3 kids...whew! We had a great time...hanging out, swimming, eating, kayaking, playing, lots of vegging out, talking, taking pictures...the kids had a blast! They played from sunup to sundown. Lots of good quality cousin time! I took a ton of pictures, still to be uploaded...
We ended up coming home a day early, though. Kendall was great, but fussy by the end, and I was ready to home and sleep in my own bed! We got home last night. Laundry is going and bags are still by the door. It was hot up there, too!!! So much for the cooler weather!

I got a lot of reading in! Read Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner...that's a good read! We went to a cute little mountain bookstore one morning and got a new book (hey, Joe was getting one, too!) and I got The Dinner Diaries by Betsy Block. It's about a mom's journey to have her family healthier. It's interesting, but the author is all over the place with her writing. She'll be writing about one day,and the next paragraph she skips two months. It's kind of hard to follow, but she is pretty funny. I learned some good things about eating healthier from her.
I better go, got some kids who need food! Thought they might sleep in a little later since they are exhausted...guess I shouldn't be too picky with sleeping in until 9:00, right! Hee-hee!

pictures to tide you over...

...until we come back....

here's a layout I dedicated to my hubby for 8 years!

Little miss and the bunny ears!

Cooper enjoying his "waff" with his morning reading!

It's not easy having a big brother...even when he is such a cutie! (he's trying to make her smile!)

still here!

Still here! Just been busy! Joe and I celebrated 8 years of marriage this Tuesday! :-) We celebrated by going out for dinner. Been packing up for the cabin! We're going up to the mountains for a week to get away. We've had horrible air quality because of all the smoke from the fires in Northern Cal. Plus, it has been 100+ degrees all week. I'm sick of staying indoors! I am not sure if the air will be much cleaner up in the mountains, but at least it will be cooler. The weather.com site says 70's...not sure if I really believe that!

Going green update: OK, just being aware has been helpful. Being strict about light usage, turn those lights off! Have to run the air, though! Loading up my groceries with the reusable bags...man, they hold a lot! We've even somehow cut down on trash! Our trash cans are only about 3/4 full by trash day, not overflowing.

I bought some healthier body products. Deodorant: trying Tom's of Maine lavender deodorant. Now it's the aluminum in your deodorant that's bad for you (linked to Alzheimer's), and that's what keeps you from sweating! so now I sweat a little, but don't stink...hopefully! Maddie, please let me know otherwise! LOL! But keeping my "bad kind" for those times you have to be dry!
Bought Bert's Bee's shampoo and body wash...paraben, fragrance, SLS free...but it doesn't lather up as much as regular shampoo. Gets me clean, but miss the lather. Guess it's all those chemicals that make the lather. I think I'll try another brand when these run out. I was so happy to see my local Target is now stocking these healthier alternative brands! Kiss My Face, Avalon, Burt's Bees (don't get the baby stuff), etc. Also picked up some of the smaller "sample" bottles to try the other brands. Still need to get the chemical free sunscreen. Using up what we have right now since I bought 2 bottle at the beginning of summer. I want to get the TruKid brand (gets good reviews!)

House stuff: Bought a big thing of vinegar, spray bottle, and peppermint castile soap to make my own cleaning solutions...cheaper and healthier for my kids to breathe in! I am using the Green Works stuff right now and like it.

Still working on the food things...Just talking to Spencer about healthier eating spurred him to declare candy/sweets only on weekends (oh those decadent weekends!). Soda is only on weekend...yes, they know what soda is...not happy about it, but they know that meal times are milk or water only. I told them white bread on the weekends, too, but so far they haven't noticed they get wheat bread all the time! So have lots of work to do here. Wishing we had a Whole Foods here!

Well, better go finish packing...not sure how much I'll be updating in the next week. Not sure if we'll have internet in the wilderness! :-) Robbers beware, Joe will be home during much of the week because someone still needs to work! :-)

review

...of the pancake puff maker (one of Spencer's b-day gifts)

...makes yummy pancake puffs, especially when the heat is low or off...kids love 'em! But brownie puffs...not so much...takes a loooong time and they are a bit crunchy...they look like dog doodoo...hee-hee...

Interesting sites to browse...

cleaning with vinegar (cheap and earth friendly!)

cool toys (think smart, not annoying)

Newsweek article about chemicals in our stuff

cute baby stuff!!! They have the month by month onesies for babies...so cute. Kendall has t-shirts for 3, 6, 9 months and 1 year.

Gymboree's cheaper cousin (just recently heard of it!)

shoes made from recycled materials!

This is what 3 months looks like!

So sweet, so cute, so fun! Our little miss...

stuff...

...just a "stuff" day!
1. had a nice girl time break today! I went over to Stephanie's house and sat in the sun, ate Mexican food, and swam...aaah...not long enough, though...5 girls relaxing and enjoying trashy mags...People, US Weekly...the good stuff!
2. came home to a crying baby girl and a boy who pooped in his pants within 5 minutes of me being home. He's pretty much potty trained...but we have to work on #2 and getting to the toilet in time!
3. seeing pictures of newborns makes me cry...since my baby is already 3 months old today!!! I took pictures of her as a newborn, but not as many as I should have...I'll post pictures of her later wearing her 3 months t-shirt!
4. went to Target for the first time in about 2 weeks! Target is bad for my no shopping policy, but I was good. I only got diapers, shaving cream, wipes, deodorant, cleaning spray (the new Clorox green works stuff), and ribbon that was half off (pink!). Laura, saw the new MM Hullabaloo stuff...soooo cute...bit I resisted...it better be there in August!
5. tired, tired, tired...
6. enjoyed fireworks and delicious food all over again last night at Steph's. The boys loved the fireworks. Kendall and I sat inside. She was so fussy because she likes to go to bed early now and 2 late nights in a row threw her off!
7. that's it. I think. for now.

Firecrackers, family pictures,and food!

that's about how we spent our 4th! The food was yummy, the weather outside was nice (it was waay hotter inside!), and the boys enjoyed the fireworks. Cooper, not a fan of loud sounds unless it's music, was a little unsure of the fireworks. He watched through the window, then from the driveway, and then from the front with Papa and Grandma. But both boys were pretty much done about halfway through the hour long (yes...that's a lot of fireworks) show! Kendall did fine. she was a little fussy because she was hot and tired (she has been going to sleep around 7 for the night). I stripped her down and let her play on a blanket inside and she was happy. Can't believe she will be 3 months old tomorrow!

Getting our traditional family 4th of July pic was a little harder...getting all 3 kids to smile and look at the camera was pretty impossible. Plus, I look a mess from being so sweaty! Oh well. Enjoy the pics! We get to do it all again tonight at Steph's Annual 5th of July party!

Happy Fourth of July!

Remembering our miltary servicemen and servicewomen at this time...thank you!!!

Here's wishing a happy and safe Fourth for you and your family!

Hawaiian Music

Enjoying this version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow? I love it! It always gets me a little choked up, even! I love Hawaiian music. It just relaxes me. In fact, when I was expecting Spencer, in our childbirth class, the instructor had us go around the room and say what kind of music we wanted to play during the delivery. When I said Hawaiian music, everyone looked at me strangely! We ended up not having any music...the news was on, but who was paying attention! I only know because you can see the TV on in some of the pictures after he was born!

We had Family Movie Night #2 last night...Annie! That is a looong movie! Spencer fell asleep halfway through it, though Coop made it to the end and it was late! We got a late start because Spencer has his church music/art group on Wednesday nights. We watched it in our bed, with big bowls of popcorn. Kendall snoozed in her bassinet next to us. She's getting too big for it...she sticks her little feet out of it! crib time is coming....
oops, Kendall just spit up a little...gotta go!

I blew it!

OK, the no shopping thing...I blew it! I will try harder, but they had this for sale, and since I bought the original school kits earlier this year (2, one for each boy), I had to get this one, too! Scrapping enabling...if you are interested, get it quick because the original kits went fast! :-)

And I got Kendall a pair of cute jeans...bought from someone on the baby bargains swap board...oops...she needs a few things for 6-12 months, though...AND it was pretty "green" (not to mention cheap...$5!) of me...buying secondhand is greener than buying brand new! Reduce, REUSE, recycle! :-) That makes me feel better to say that!