Another Field Trip

I forget which number I'm on. I think this might be field trip #5 or 6. I think I missed a few as far as posting about them goes.

Yesterday, my sister joined my girls and me for a day trip to Chattanooga. I went to college in the area (NOT UTC or anything orange colored) so it always brings back lots of memories for me when I'm there. We always go visit the college when we are there. My girls love it. They couldn't believe it when I told them you get to live there with your friends. They've decided this is where they want to go. Daddy may have other plans for them though, considering I went to a private school that I hear now costs around 30K. We have 3 girls. We can't afford to pay that much for school and 3 weddings. Maybe we'll tell them if they really want to go to school there, then they have to promise, when the time comes to marry, they'll elope.

For some reason too, they are sure my college is bigger than daddy's. Considering Paul went to the University of Alabama and I went to a school of about 1500 students, I'm pretty sure they are wrong. "But mom, your school has a restaurant in it!" Funny kids. They are so cute.

We ate a picnic lunch on one of the bluffs overlooking the valley. It's beautiful there no matter what time of year it is. It's always amazing to me how some people can experience such beauty and awe in nature and still deny the existence of God the creator. How could all that be an accident?

We then of course had to get ice cream at Mr. T's. I love it there. One scoop is always 2 and 2 is 3. Big servings. Low prices. It's great.

Then we went to ride the fastest carousel in the world. I swear one day that thing is going to fling off some unsuspecting child (or parent). For someone who's had problems with vertigo, this is not my favorite ride. The kids liked it though. Even Elliott did great. She's usually scared of the carousel. Not sure why. She'll ride a real horse and did great on all the rides at Disney. Maybe she gets dizzy easy. She seemed to enjoy it this time though.

It was kinda hot, so after that, we started to head for home. I know it doesn't sound like we did much, but it was a full day. We had to hike some to get to the bluff and then all the other walking around we did really tired the kids out. We did stop at the Moon Pie store before getting on the road. Got some fresh moon pies. Yum!

We had a nice time. I like Chattanooga. It's a nice town. My hus doesn't think he could ever live there though because of all of the hideous orange you see around (UT fans). It's nice that we are close enough for a day trip.

These pictures are from our picnic lunch at Sunset Rock.

My Endorsement List

I occasionally run across an item or some such thing that I love and wonder why everyone doesn't know about or use said item. I have a few things I'd like to pass on to you in order to share my excitement and in some cases to help along a few careers.


One item I've recently come in contact with that I think is great is Healtastic.


Have you heard of it? I think I may have mentioned it in my blog before. It is supposed to heal really bad, cracked and dry heals. I can say from experience that this stuff actually works! If you've ever seen the infomercial, my heals were as bad or worse than the worse picture of the nastiest heals they had. They would get these really deep cracks, that after being just disgusting and yellow, would bleed. And they hurt, especially during the summer when I mostly where sandals or flip flops. I would stand in the shower in the mornings, my feet aching at the heals. I tried all sorts of creams and lotions, pumice stones, shavers, files, nothing helped. Healtastic works though. I will say you do have to keep using it. It doesn't seem to heal the dryness, just the symptom. My feet don't hurt anymore. They don't look disgusting. I highly recommend it.


Now, on to something entirely not Healtastic. My next endorsement goes to a musical group. Actually I have 2 of those. The first is a Christan band called Caedmond's Call. Heard of 'em? In my opinion, they are really good. More over, their message is really good. I've quoted their lyrics for lack of a better way to explain reformed theology several times. I've heard their stuff on Christan radio before, but I don't think they are one of the most played groups. I really like them. Check them out. http://www.caedmonscall.com/index.aspx


The second group I'd like to share with you is a little known group that describes themselves as "too energetic to be folk and not angry enough to be alternative", called Eddie From Ohio. We have had the privilege to see them in concert twice now. We first were made aware of this group by some old friends about 9 years ago and have been fans ever since. They are not a Christan group, but also not offensive (maybe uses an "ass" or "hell" word here or there but not too bad). They put on a good show. They tell good stories. Great 4 part harmony. Funny. You can check them out here:
http://eddiefromohio.com/index.php?page=home


One more thing I'd like to mention in this post...Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.



I feel pretty certain I am not sharing any new information on this product with anyone whose ever had to clean anything, but just in case I am, you need to run out and get this product. It cleans anything! Crayon off walls, tables, scuff marks, marks you don't know what they are, soap scum in the bathroom, the tub itself, and with no cleaning fluid I might add. If you have a mark on a surface that you can't figure how to get out, try the Magic Eraser. It really is magic. It's also magic because it makes my girls want to clean. I give them one of those things and they love running around the house trying to find something to use it on (which unfortunately, in our house is not that hard a thing to do). I got so distracted wiping down the shower this morning while I was in the shower, that my already long shower (according to my husband that is. I think I take perfectly timed showers for the most part) turned super long. But hey, now our shower is clean!


Anyway, I suppose that's enough for now.

So I have some blogging to do. (I like to start sentences with the word “so.” It makes me feel like we are all part of one big, never ending conversation.) I really like to blog, it’s just hard to find the time. Our summer has been pretty busy. I really enjoy having my kids home and occasionally entertain the idea of homeschooling just so I can keep them here and we can do stuff together. However, I can appreciate them being away at school too. Having our sense of routine and schedule back will be kind of nice. Plus, I’ll be able to go run errands more at my leisure than feeling like I am on some sort of distorted shopping spree where a quick time is of the essence but nothing’s free. That aught to be a game show… where a mom tries to make it through the grocery store a fast as she can with a cart full of at least 3 kids. The first one through the check out with everything on her list (minus anything thrown in by the kids) and without anything in her buggy squashed or having committed child abuse, wins. Extra points for making it through without any child in tears and for no cuss words from mom.
I find my self frequently thinking of things I’d like to blog about. Some are things we’ve done this summer, some are just thoughts that pass quickly in and just as quickly out of my head. Unfortunately by the time I get around to sitting down in front of the computer to type, I’ve either forgotten what it was I wanted to blog about in the first place, or we’ve moved on to some other type of adventure and I feel like it’s too late to write about something we did 3 weeks ago because then I’d have to write about 4 or 5 different events and that might be too much for one post. **catching my breath** (much like my run on sentence there. I frequently have run on thoughts, so why not run on sentences?).
I’ve missed some pretty big events too. Going WAY back, I missed writing about our 9th wedding anniversary. That was in March. Even worse, 2 of my kids have had birthdays in the last couple months that I egregiously was remiss in writing about.
So what’s this post about anyway? Nothing really. I just wanted to write something. I’ve been caught up in my own head the last few days, thinking a lot of our present and future. Mostly just day dreaming about stuff. Not being content with my life as I should. Thinking too much about myself and not others.
We are at the pool right now. It is Hottt. I forgot my camera so I don’t have any pics to post with this entry.
I will try to post again soon. In case I forget, I’d like to post about Eclipse (the movie's been out a week now and I’ve already seen it twice) and just how incredibly the whole Twilight saga can suck you in and then keep you there. It’s a phenomenon, to me anyway. No book or movie has ever affected me this way. It's a shame it's only about vampires and werewolves and not something really redeeming. What kind of Christan am I? Shouldn't I be reading theology or listening to sermons or something? Ok, ok, enough right now. I’ll just have to cut and paste that snip-it for another post. I’d also like to post about this article I saw (but didn’t read) about how to make yourself happy. Of course, according to the article, you don’t need Christ to do this. The day after I saw that article, I read in my devotion (R.C. Sproul, Table Talk) about what you really need to be happy. You can imagine how these 2 articles were complete opposites.
Then, of course, I do need to do some catching up on our little summer “field trips.” So those are my little teasers. Maybe it'll even hold me accountable to actually write.

Camping

So we experienced one of our larger "field trips" of the summer this past weekend. We went camping on Jekyll Island. It was hot. But it was really fun. The kids really liked it and didn't want to leave. We only stayed 2 nights. I think I've decided that I am an only 2 or 3 night camper. There were some people at our campground there for 2 weeks and even months. Not for me. I love the outdoors and it makes me very happy that my hus and kids love it too, but I also love air conditioning and a nice soft mattress and a clean shower.


Regardless of all that, it was fun. I'm looking forward to when we can do it again. We were really only there for one whole day (got there Friday and left Sunday). Since Paul and I had to put the tent up during a pretty intense lightening storm, we decided to head to nearby St. Simons for dinner the first night. We spent Saturday morning at the beach and then after heading back to the campsite to shower and clean up, headed to the Georgia Sea Turtle Rescue Center. That was neat. Really big turtles.


Saturday night we roasted hot dogs and then marshmallows for smores for dessert. We found out Kristin is a budding pyro and Grace is not too far behind. We also found out that the roasting of the marshmallows is even more fun than eating them.


We took our time packing up Sunday morning. When we finally headed out, we decided to head home via Savannah. We intended to spend a little bit of the afternoon there but after I took too much hydrocodine (I had my wisdom teeth out a week ago and was taking this for pain) I started to feel really sick so we cut that part of the trip short and headed home. I think I slept most of the ride home.


Anyway, we made it home safe and sound and with a pack full of good memories. Here are a few pics from our trip.

Have you ever...

Have you ever gotten somewhat excited about something like getting to go on a bike ride so you can have some alone time only to find out, after you've made arrangements with your hus for the kids, and changed your clothes, and folded down all the seats in the van so your bike will fit, and then cleaned out the van because once you've folded down the seats you can see just how nasty the back of the van is, that the bike pump you have, the only one you have, no longer pumps air into your tires, but sucks it out? And so now, you have one VERY flat bike tire, making it impossible for you to go on your much needed bike ride and making all your efforts go to waist. So then, angered by the disappointment you jump in your husband's sporty little non-van and take off to Wal-Mart to get a new pump (not because there will even be enough daylight left for you to ride after you get back, but just because you still need that little bit of alone time and you are in no mood to be around the kids or even the hus....and yes, Paul, maybe because your time of the month is fast arriving) and you find yourself driving well over the speed limit because you are mad and because you just like to drive fast when not in the van or not listening to Disney music and then you find a cop hot on your tail, OUT OF NO WHERE! So then, blinded by your fury, you not only don't stop, but you hit the gas and before you know it you are in your very first high speed cop chase! And then as the needle edges toward 110 and you notice that there are now 2 cop cars in hot pursuit and you begin to think of slowing, Edward Cullen suddenly appears in the seat next to you, seemingly out of thin air and tells you not to stop because those are not cops behind you but in fact evil vampires and he is here to save you.....and.....
ok, ok, I made up that last part. and the middle part about being in a high speed chase. But the part about me being mad about not being able to ride my bike is true.

p.s. I just finished rereading Eclipse (3rd book in the Twilight Saga) in preparation for the movie coming out, hence Edward making it into my high speed chase fantasy.

Summer Field Trip #2

Our second "field trip of the summer was to the lake. A good friend of ours has a cabin on Lake Allatoona (I have NO idea how to spell this) and invited a bunch of us from our Bible study group over for the day. The girls had an absolute blast. It was nice for me too. Our family is finally at a point where I don't have to be on top of them, watching over them so closely anymore. I can actually sit down and have a conversation or heaven forbid, read a book! Our youngest is almost 3 and does very well in the water with arm floaties and the other 2 can swim on their own. Every time I have the slightest urge to procreate once more, I think of all the fun things we can do now that would not be so fun with a baby in the mix. Don't get me wrong, I love babies. They are so cute and tiny and they can't talk back yet! But they are a lot of work! Especially in the sun. In my opinion, hot sun and babies just don't mix. In some cases, outdoors and babies don't mix no matter what the weather is like. One of our larger "field trips" we have planned for the summer is a camping trip. Camping is something I would never do with a baby, have tried with a toddler and will never do again with a kid under 2.


Anyway, after an actual 5 hours of swimming, climbing and then rolling down the huge sand pile (that was to be spread around the beach area at some point), playing in the sand and running from the boys, I said it was time to go only to hear an emphatic chorus of "NOOOO!" They were not ready to leave. Too bad, so sad. I'm in charge. So we left. It was really a lot of fun though. Thanks, M for inviting us!

Summer Field Trips

This is the first official week of summer vacation. Last Friday was Kristin's last day of school. We don't really have any big plans for summer this year so I have planned a few little "field trips." Today we went hiking down by the river. Every time I spend time by the river, I am reminded of what a pretty area we really do live in. We had never hiked from this particular part before. It was beautiful and we will definitely be returning. The girls did great. We hiked for almost an hour which is a long time for a 2 year old who I refused to carry. Mind you, that did include numerous stops to pick a plant, pick up a big stick or rock, climb a rock, to gawk at a squirrel (since we don't have exotic animals like that in our own backyard. *hint of sarcasm in voice.*) or to stop for a mom insisted photo op. They had fun though and weren't ready to turn back when I thought it was time. Their 7, 5 and 2 year old minds were not able to compute with any relation to the future that although they weren't tired now, we still had the hike back. They were tired by the end. It was still a good time though. A successful field trip if I do say so myself. I've told them we'll go back and hike further along the river and maybe wade in a little when we are better prepared (i.e. snacks, drinks, a towel for drying off) and when daddy can join us.