Cutest Puppy Ever!

Okay...so Oscar is like, the cutest puppy of all time! He is SO so sweet and SO so cute and OH so loveable...just a little cutie, he is! The kids adore him and have had a blast throwing the ball for him and watching him jump and play. He's a good baby too. He has been going potty outside like a good boy. He no longer seems completely freaked out by the world beyond the sliding glass door! Last night also went really well as sleeping in his crate...sleeping being the main word in that thought! He slept through the night with nary a peep and nary an accident! He's the best and easiest baby ever to live in THIS family! That's for sure! He has been a real bright spot in this house the past 48 hours and we are all deeply and hopelessly attached to the little guy!

Anticipation!

Yippeeee! My night blooming cereus is getting ready to do it's "thang" as we might say in the south! It is busting with blooms and any day now there is going to be a show of huge and amazing blooms! I caught last years purely by accident and was SO excited about it (I think the picture is probably in June of last year's blog entry!). I have been waiting to see what this year would hold! Last year I had exactly 3 blooms...this year....TEN! This is my all time favorite cactus to bloom....and it blooms exactly once a year, in June. So...I'm a waitin! Camera is READY! Life is SO good in the desert!

A New Addition to Our Family

Meet Oscar. New to our family. 9 weeks old. Precious. Adorable. Sweet beyond words. Cuddly. It's neat and special to have a baby in the house again! More about this little guy to come!

Headache X 2

I have a headache tonight. It's a doozy. Had one yesterday starting at lunch as well. This would be day 4 and 5 of my cycle. Not than anyone cares one bit about my headache...but I keep saying I'm going to keep track (they seem to be really on the rise and way too frequent here lately)...but then I don't. So tonight, consider these last two headaches documented. The end.

Time to Beef Up My Workout!

My littlest one just woke up from a nap. She was unbelievably cranky this morning...so a nap was a non negotiable event today. She slept well over two hours...which means she was tired! And when she woke up she said "You're MY mommy. I love you so much." And I said that I loved her too. Then she proceeded to tell me how soft my skin was and how pretty my face was and just how "gooshy" I feel when she hugs me. So...since I am obviously on the "gushy" soft side...and five years olds don't lie...nor do they surgarcoat the truth!...I think that it is time to take my workout up a a notch! I am DEFINITELY up a good 5 to 7 pounds right now...the scale also does not lie (though Chris was SO sure that it did that he went out and bought another, equally truthful scale)...and Clara is all over the truth of this matter! It was a sweet, but eye opening comment from my daughter. I treasure her sweetness but have no desire whatsoever to be remembered as "my gooshy, squishy, mommy"! So...off to Target now to buy a pilates workout DVD!

God Breezes

Chris and I were doing our devotions last night (his idea to pick it up again!) and the topic was about feeling led to pray. It told a story about how it was laid on a mother's heart to pray for her daughter and she tried to put it aside...but it kept coming back. So she stopped everything there in her kitchen and prayed for the safety of her daughter and asked God to place a protective ring of angels around her daughter. A short time later a policeman knocked on her door to let her know that her daughter had been in a fairly serious car accident...but had only minor injuries. So then Chris and I got to talking about feeling the prompt of the Holy Spirit in our lives and giving examples of when we "hear" it. My friend in Florida had a term for those prompts...and she called them God breezes. When God speaks to your heart and touches it in a way that it is almost as if God himself whispers in your ear. It was a very interesting conversation...and in the midst of it, I realized that Chris had experienced a God breeze here recently, as it had been laid on his heart to pick up our devotions, and to work together, as a married couple, on living in the word of God and developing a strong foundation for the rest of our lives and for our family. It's neat how God works things out...is it not? Many, O Lord, my God are the wonders you have done.-Psalm 40:5

Conversations with Clara

So...this was a rather interesting conversation with my soon to be five year old daughter. It went something like this...

"Mom...you know the best part about going swimming?"

And I said "No Clara...what is the best part about going swimming?" And I expect her to tell me how it cools her off, or how fun it is to do her jumps or spins...or how she loves to dive to the bottom for the dive rings and toys. But no! She proceeds to tell me...

"The best part of swimming is right after you get out and you go pee and it's so warm on your tooty after after all that cold! I just love that warm spreading pee feeling."

So...now how's that for some interesting thought processes?! She never ceases to amuse us and keep us on our toes! On the bright side...at least she's not peeing in the pool!

Brushes With Nature

These were a few of our family's nature encounters in Zion National Park...up close and personal! Have I mentioned that this was the MOST amazing trip EVER?!

And Then They Went To...

Our camping journey finally found our family in Zion National Park in Zion, Utah. We spent three glorious nights camping in the most amazing scenery I have ever beheld! They originally called it Zion because it was so beautiful that they said God himself would have his throne there. I had to agree...the place was majestically gorgeous and mind boggling in it's sheer beauty. Our family had a fantastic time hiking the different trails such as the Emerald Pools and the Riverside walk, hiking the Narrows and getting to do the Ride with the Ranger tour through the park. We learned a LOT about the might power of water, and how it can change and shape the surroundings. It was one of the most educational and fun and beautiful places that I have ever been! I cannot wait to have the opportunity to return there some day. I would highly, highly, highly recommend this destination and feel so very blessed to have been able to see it all! My pictures do not begin to capture the awesomeness and beauty of the place! You simply have to go and see it for yourself!

The Journey Goes On

The next leg of our journey after Oak Creek Canyon finds our family at the Grand Canyon. We have never ever been there and were very excited as we approached this awesome and mind boggling hole in the ground! The weather was beautiful for us and the campground was VERY, very nice. This place too, also had showers (ALWAYS a bonus when you are camping for more than a night!) as well as laundry facilities, a fantastic and well stocked grocery store, a post office, a restaurant, and so much more. The nights were quite chilly, but the days nice and toasty warm. The sun shone beautifully, even while we watched it rain out over the vast canyon. We hiked down a ways into the canyon. NOT the thirteen miles to the bottom...but down a little ways and back up again. It was a neat experience and now we can say we have done it! I doubt that we will be able to talk Clara into doing it again! She definitely DID NOT like the hike down through all of the smelly donkey poop. She complained rather loudly all the way down through it and even more loudly on the way back up! Uphill hiking in the heat was NOT her cup of tea NOR her idea of a dream vacation. So...we hiked a BIT of the Grand Canyon...just the tip really...but that was ALL Clara would allow us to do...this time!

Travels

Our family has been on the road camping for the past 8 days. Our journey began with a stop at Oak Creek Canyon. Oak Creek Canyon is up by Flagstaff and Sedona and is one of our favorite places to camp as a family. It is a BEAUTIFUL place with huge trees, tons of shade, awesome hiking, creeks and streams, views that are just amazing...oh...and they have showers! We only spent one night at Oak Creek canyon as we had been there before and were off to other destinations. But our one night was just awesome and fun and the kids enjoyed it greatly! Here are some pictures of that leg of our journey!

Dorm Life

I just spent a week at the University of Michigan attending the World Finals competition for Odyssey of the Mind with my son. It was QUITE an experience! The accomodations were "rough", to put it nicely. The food was horrible. There was no air conditioning (which was not very fun the first three nights that it was in the 90's and humid). Then it set in and rained the last two days and went from being hot and muggy and sticky to being freezing and just plain wet. The toilets were GROSS, the water tasted like heavy metal, the bedding was scratchy and stinky and the towels they gave us were paper thin. They caught a bat up on the 6th floor (we were surviving life on the fifth). The souvenir shop sold these totally obnoxious horns to all the kids who proceeded to be totally and uncontrollably obnoxious with them. I was lucky enough to get to sit right in front of a child who had one at closing ceremonies. We had fantastic seats(NOT!) BEHIND the stage and up in the nose bleed section...so we already couldn't really see...the crowd of kids was excited and thunderously loud and I was lucky enough to have this stupid horn going off in my left ear every other minute. I was ready to shove it down that kids throat and then beat her dad upside the head with it for giving it to the kid in the first place. Not a great evening, for sure! Anyway. Home sweet home seems a bit sweeter now that we are back! Our upcoming camping trip is going to seem like staying at a five star hotel! I cannot wait! Life is SO good here in the desert with my clean house and clean toilet and soft blankets and edible food and my sweet family all around!

Blessings

We have company coming to visit us today and tomorrow. I am very excited about everyone's arrival! But before their arrival, there has been a GREAT deal of cleaning and tidying going on in this house. It has been a very busy few days (not that there are ever any really non-busy days!). Last night it was finally all clean, the kids were in bed, Chris was at the grocery store...and I had the chance to just walk around the clean house for a last inspection. What I realized, is that my house is covered up in absolutely beautiful pictures of our children. Most of those pictures taken by me! It was neat to walk through the house and really see them. I guess I take them for granted. And even though I took them, and framed them, and put them there, I think that at some point they just fade into the background of familiar home and cease to really be seen...by us. Last night...when all the worries of cleaning and whatnot were gone...and it was just me in my clean house, I was just really amazed as I walked through at what I saw and how it made me feel. I then realized that not everyone has this. There are absolutely gorgeous pictures of my kids on every wall that there can be (almost!). One day, sooner than I realize, my kids are going to be gone and this house will be clean and quiet...always. I LOVE knowing that when that happens, I will still have their precious little faces looking back at me. I love looking into those big blue eyes and seeing those crooked new little teeth coming in and their wild cowlicks...captured and preserved forever right there on my walls. I am so blown away that God would bestow this talent of photography on me. I was sure I was supposed to be a country music singer! I am so thankful that I can look and see my little blessings and their faces all around me, all the time. I realized (through my charity work) that some parents cannot physically get their child to a studio and may never have a wall full of pictures of their children...maybe not even one picture. Some can't afford to feed their children, let alone have their pictures made. I am not taking my blessings for granted any more. I am seeing my children, and their pictures in a new light today. Our family is so richly blessed that it transcends any possibility of me being able to figure it out. Blessings, blessings, blessings. Thank you God for opening my eyes so that I can really see and really appreciate the blessings that you have given in my life. Help me to be aware and recognize them daily and NOT take them for granted. And thank you for loving me enough to grant them in the first place. Thank you for giving me a talent that I can use and share, and that helps me put my blessings right in front of my face...forever.

More Picture Fun!

A Perfect Day

Yesterday, which was Mother's Day could not have been any more perfect! My family was wonderful. My children were precious and sweet beyond words, and everything was just lovely. After being showered with amazing gifts, as we got in the car to go to church and were backing out of the driveway, I noticed that we were actually leaving ON TIME...at the time that I like to leave...8:45 on the dot. I was thrilled. That in and of itself could have been my Mother's Day gift right there! I HATE to run late. It is a real issue for me! So that was awesome. I was actually seated before the service got rolling...that was awesome. The sermon...that was awesome. Mark spoke on Psalm 139 and how God is with us wherever we go, wherever we try to go...we cannot be out of his sight or his touch. He read the story of the Runaway Bunny, which is a story where a little bunny tells his mama he is going to run away. And the mommy says that if he runs away she will run after him. So the little bunny says that if she runs after him, then he will turn into a fish and swim away. And the mama says that if he turns into a fish and swims away, then she will become a fisherman and catch him and bring him home. So the little bunny says that then he will become a crocus hidden in a secret garden. The mommy says that if he becomes a crocus in a garden, then she will become a gardener and find him. And so on, and so forth. The little bunny comes up with scenario after scenario as to how he will get away...and the mother has an answer for how she will be there every single time. Finally the little bunny says "Awww, shucks. I might as well just stay home with you then!" And that's how God's love for us is. No matter where we go, He will go too. No matter what the situation we face, He will be there to face it beside us. We cannot be outside of His sight, or outside of His grasp or outside of His love. This was not news to me, by any means...but it was a great illustration and is one that will stick in my mind forever. Anyway...after church we all came home and had a quick lunch...then a quick nap! Then I got a great workout in on my treadmill, jumped in the shower and was done just in time for Chris' mom and stepdad to arrive. We cooked pizza (my ALL time favorite food) and had salads and angel food cake with fruit. It was yummy and just awesome. Then to top off my very awesome day, last night was the season finale of Survivor Figi. A day cannot get much better than that! Oh...the best part of the day....I almost forgot! My kids took pictures with me! They were all so cute in their green (happened totally by chance)! My kids NEVER want to take pictures. They are DONE with that since they have been subjected to countless trial and error sessions while their mom figured out her photography stuff. Anyway....SO cooperative! And GREAT pictures resulted! It was an amazing day...I think one of my very best ever!!!

Mother's Day

It is 7:31 a.m. on Mother's Day and I have to say that it has already been just incredible. I have three amazing and sweet and wonderful children and an awesome hubby to boot! Clara tells me "I love you all the way that my heart is about to crack open". I have been showered with amazing gifts and all sorts of handmade cards with the sweetest of sentiments! My sweet children presented me this morning with an obnoxious sky blue purse that has just been CALLING to me for a while now. The purse was definitely MY choice...not theirs! I just love it. It is totally unpractical and will match nothing I wear...but I just love and adore it! When Clara handed it to me I was thrilled! But very surprised when I took it from her and felt how heavy it was! It wasn't just a purse...it was giftwrap! Looking inside I found a new cordless phone set. Recently Ben left one of ours (it was a set of two) on the tailgate of my car and I proceeded to back down the driveway and run over it! The other remaining phone has never worked right since! It's stubborn to answer and just rings forever...despite the fact that you long since pressed the answer button and have said hello a dozen times! So THAT was awesome! In addition to the phones was a new Nikon Coolpix camera...it is SO tiny...with a huge screen for viewing...AND it does both pictures AND video!!! This is awesome because now I will be able to capture Max's Odyssey competition in Michigan for Chris to be able to see....hopefully! So...goodies, goodies, goodies! My family has been way too good to me today! In addition, the boys had made cards that have "chores" in flowers that I can "pick" for them. Ben had very sensible and useful chores in his bouquet...like scooping the dog poop, and cleaning the bathroom. Max, my other dear and creative son...took a bit of a different approach. His flowers say things like "Share a Starbucks date" and "Play with Clara". It very much matches his philosophy in life...less work...more play! They are so cute...I think I will treasure them forever! Clara brought home a new plant (victim) from preschool for me! I actually have managed to keep last years plant alive for a whole year now. IF you have been in my home, you might have noticed a scraggly, weed looking thingy by the kitchen sink. That's Clara's pot from last year. It is impatients. Granted...there are no flowers on it...and haven't been for nearly a year. Clara called them marigolds...even though they are impatients...however...when she says marigolds, it comes out as "miracles"...and the fact that they are still alive in MY house under MY care truly is a miracle! LOL! I seriously have the blackest thumb possible! Anyway. I have to go and get ready for church now. I am blessed beyond anything I could ever imagine! Thank you Lord for my sweet children and they blessing they are to my life. Thank you for entrusting them to me and allowing me the journey of motherhood! Life is good here in the desert!

Nightmares

Whenever Clara fails to get a nap in and gets herself overtired, she tends to have nightmares when she goes to sleep for the first part of the night. In addition to being overtired, a full bladder can also trigger these nightmare cycles, as can being too hot it seems. So...we put her in her bed, OUT like a light at 8:32 this evening. Today was a no nap day....along with having a friend over for several hours day, along with swimming twice this afternoon...along with an early and busy start this morning. So...it is 10:19 right now and Clara has already had three nightmare cycles. Two crying....one outright SCREAMING at the top of her lungs, disoriented, doesn't know where she is kind of cycle. This last time I finally was able to get her to wake up (this is ALWAYS a challenge with both Clara and Ben), at least a bit. I convinced her to try and go potty...and sure enough...her bladder was full. I also stripped her down out of her p.j.s as she tends to be a little heater box when she sleeps, like her daddy. I am hoping that I have eliminated now at least 2, if not three of the main causes of these nightmares...at least for tonight! I am sleepy and heading to bed and am SO hoping to be able to stay there until morning and not have to run up the stairs all night long! Life is good in the desert!

A Visitor!!!

I just got word tonight that my cousin is being sent to visit ME for her Mother's Day present this year! I cannot express how excited I am about seeing my sweet cousin! She lives in Kentucky and the two of us are just so alike...I can't imagine not having her close to my heart. Scott called today and said he was booking a flight for her. I have cleared my calendar...almost...and cannot wait until next Thursday! We talk on the phone all the time. We've laughed together, cried together, we've worn the same hideous matching outfits throughout our childhoods...we agree on child raising issues and both share a love of Christ. I have already told Chris that he need not get me anything for Mother's Day...because Wanda's gift is my own as well! I can't wait to see her and share a few days here in the desert.

On another note...my husband is just sassy. That's all I know to say about that right now. He's feeling rather entitled to things that he most certainly has not earned. I'll not elaborate further than that...however...there will be a conversation to set things straight before this night comes to an end on certain matters.

That said...life is good here in the desert.

She Reads!

I was beginning to think that Clara might be my only child out of our three that did not read at four years of age. Not that that would have been a big deal by any means. But of all of my three...Clara is WAY more verbal and advanced with her vocabulary....she just kind of gets stuff like that quickly. So I would have been surprised if she did not follow in the shoes of her two older brothers. I knew she COULD do it. She has known all of her letters and their sounds forever. She just hasn't really been interested in how they all come together. She has had some success at stringing 3 letter words together...with effort. So I had just kicked back to see what would happen. Then this week she wants to play school non-stop. So when it was my turn to play teacher, I wrote up a few simple sentences for her...just to see what she would do with them. She loved it...and within just a few minutes had sounded them all out just as easy as pie and was asking for more. She read "A fat cat had a hat." and "Sam had a bug in a jug." and "That pot is not hot." and "Pat the rat sat on a mat." and "I had a run in the sun." and "It was fun!". I was very surprised at how easy it actually was for her. Today she started the Bob books....she read the first three without effort. So quick and easy for her. Not that she doesn't need a little practice...she does...but for the most part she is NOT struggling. And the best part is that now that she realizes that she is actually reading real words and sentences...she is just THRILLED! So I am excited and proud for her. Now...she may be bored in kindegarten. Clara will actually be our first child to GO to kindegarten. With our boys we were homeschooling....which God is really dealing with me on right now....so they were home with me and working very much on their own level. I don't want to homeschool again. I DON'T. But I keep finding it laid on my heart. I will go absolutely insane if I take that on again...I KNOW that I will, and I know that I am a better mom to my kids when they go to school and work for someone else. See...the Lord...in all of His great and hilarious humor...granted me with two boys that are COMPLETE POLAR OPPOSITES of their mother. I like to get things done...the right way....in a timely manner...the first time around. My boys, on the other hand...tend to drag out assignments FOREVER and attempt to complete them with as few words and thoughts as possible. It's a frustrating road with them. Especially because I live with them and I KNOW how smart they are and I KNOW what they are actually capable of. So...we end up butting heads...more than a little bit! And if they aggravate ME the teacher in school in the morning, it tends to spill over into ME the mom after our school day is over...and I just stay grouchy with them all the time and frustrated all the time. So they HAVE to go to school. It is all so very clear in my mind. And if that is all so clear...then WHY do I keep finding this issue in my heart and in my head? WHY did I find myself in the education section and Barnes and Noble today looking at fourth grade skills? Doesn't God know I JUST started a business and it's already almost more than I can keep up with? How in the world would I school AND work? Not to mention that Chris would NOT EVEN be a little bit on board with that idea again since he knows how crazy it makes me. So...there is that. I have pretty much resolved that if I am really supposed to homeschool any of our kids again, then God is going to have to go through Chris, and Chris is going to have to come to me and say "Let's do this." with no promptimg from me. THEN...I will know it's God and that I am in no place to argue with Him! Besides...I think the boys are already smarter than me! At least Max is! So that's my life struggle for the night. And my
life triumph! I feel like I should homeschool my kids...despite the threat to my sanity...and I am busting with pride over Clara's new found reading skills. So...life is good in the desert!

My sexy is missing...

So...I'm in my bodypump class on Tuesday morning (that's a weightlighting class, for all those who are just clueless on that little point) and it's a new release, so I've been getting to know all of the new music. Most of the tunes on this track though, I don't know and have never really heard. Only two I think are familiar. Anyway. It's tricep time (which....my triceps are just a whole other blog entry in and of themselves!...I'm SO mad at them!), and these triceps just happen to be a little more painful for some reason I think this time. Anyway...to distract from the pain I started focusing on the words. And this track is set to Justin Timberlake's "Get Your Sexy On"...though our instructor likes to call it "Get your sexy arms". Either way...I'm out of luck! My triceps just seem to be expereincing "Failure to Thrive" syndrome I've decided. It's the only plausible explanation. I am there...I do the exercises...they hurt...so I know it's getting to that rotten little muscle...and yet...there they are...all flappy. Sigh...honestly...and this is what I really, really think...I turned 35 in September...but I think my body is dyslexic (my eyes escaped this tragedy thank goodness!) and I think my body has made a reversal of the numbers and now thinks that it is 53. That would explain just too much. The flappy, non-responsiveness to muscle torture...the saggy situation in other unfortunate places...the middle aged spread that just seems to be happening regardless of every single effort and tactic that I try. My bones and muscles ache and holler daily...I'm telling you...body dyslexia. Now...the good news...is that IF it ever switches back...say, in my 70's...then I'll go from being like 72...to 27. I could end up being the babe of the nursing home. Oh yeah. Get myself some perky boobs, some tatoos, some piercings...maybe some roller blades? Something to look forward to. In the meantime...I continue to battle the bulge (and the flaps, and the saggies, and...well the list just goes on). But back to my original point...the new track says to "Get your sexy on." Now...what exactly does that mean? I mean really. Cuz if there's a sexy suit that you can just slip into and...Voila! Sexy mama!? Then I need one. Somehow I doubt there's one out there....so that leaves me back at wondering how the heck one puts your sexy on. Is that like...clothing? Lingerie? Bathing suits (heaven forbid!), toenail polish? Bottom line here is...I think mine is just missing. Whatever it is...I'm pretty sure I don't have one. I've given this a lot of thought...and I think I'm pretty much over it. After all...when one is wise and 53 like myself, then sexy looks a lot different than when you are young and obnoxious. I imagine that just being on my own two 50 something feet, having no woman baldness starting and having my own original set of teeth and being in relatively good health for a 53 year old is pretty darned sexy. So there, Mr. Timberlake! Hah! And so...I am off again this morning to the gym. I will work and sweat and shape and sculpt these muscles of mine (whatever good it may or may not be doing). And I will work on those nasty little triceps of mine which are just bent on being wings right now instead of sleekly sculpted triceps. Perhaps I will try to remind said triceps that God did not create me as a pteradactyl...I am not a flyer...but just a regular old girl. Hence...enough with the stupid wing want to be's! So...for all of you who have your sexy and can put it on today...well, good for you. As for me...I'm off to get pumped!

First Swim

Well....it's the end of April...and I am no longer able to convince my children that it is still too cool to swim. So I gave in this evening and told them "Sure you can go swimming." And while they are running off to find their suits I am thinking that ever so quickly I am going to look like the way, way wise mommy who did, after all, try to tell them for weeks now that it's still too cool to swim. Well...they came back in record time...all ready to dive right in. However...reality hit...and it took a good 10 or 15 minutes for them to even ease into the water. That's when I started the countdown...and sure enough...just under 20 minutes later they were frozen little popsicle kiddos and were begging for warm towels and showers. It was lovely to see them convinced that maybe....just maybe the water really is just a tad too cool still for swimming! Anyway...it was fun to watch them fight the shivers and try to conquer their need to swim right now! I think they will be content a week or two now before swiimming again....maybe?!

Fishing Pictures

In these pictures we have Miss Clara taking her try at fishing....followed by her skillful gutting of her great catch.


Next you find Maxwell's reaction to the fish cleaning process....no future fish cleaner in that one!


And finally, Max and Ben wield the rod in hopes of landing "the BIG one"!

The Greatest Day of Clara's Life

Part of our camping trip this weekend involved going fishing with the kids. They all get so excited over the idea of catching our dinner! So we gathered all of our gear and our worms and made the trek down to the lake. We fianlly found a little nook that Chris thought would be a "good" spot....whatever that might be! And worms were hooked (much to Clara's disgust) and lines were cast out. While Chris was overseeing the fishing and watching and waiting for those little red and white bobbers to take the plunge, I wandered around looking for anything interesting to snap a few pictures of. Believe me...there wasn't much! I did find some really cool looking, totally pricklyfied little bloom thingies....but that was about it! Anyway....all of a sudden I hear Chris shouting for Clara to "reel it in, reel it in....you've got one!" There was a flurry of excitement as Clara reeled in what truly was a catch! A nice little brook trout. Well....let me tell you...the wild excitement on the banks of that lake...over that little fish could nearly be heard back to Tucson. There were all sorts of high fives and "woo hoos" and victory dances! Not to mention that it really raised the stakes of competition for her two older brothers who had caught nothing at the time. So...the fishing set out in earnest! In the meantime...I am trying to get a picture of Clara with her fish...who is SO FREAKED out by it's flapping and flopping that she won't come anywhere near it! It was hysterical to watch her expressions and reaction. Her moment of glory turned to pure fear and hysteria when we tried to get her close to her catch! All the while, she is saying that this is the best day of her life...ever...at every moment though, keeping a wary eye on that catch of hers! After that...there was much effort...but no other successful catches. And then a storm was coming up and the winds were picking up and we decided we had better had back to camp, since it was a good little walk away! Once we got back to camp, Clara got to help her daddy clean her fish. At this point, the fish is dead...and now she is fine with it. She jumped right in there with knife in hand (also in Daddy's hand for help) and gutted that fish like a pro. She reached right in and pulled out all the guts. I found that to be rather interesting since she was so grossed out by the whole worm thing down by the lake! But she really dug in there and cleaned him all out...she was really in to the whole experience. On another note....Max was sitting off to the side watching the whole thing and was so NOT into the whole fish gut thing! His face said it all....we need not worry about Max growing up to be a professional fish cleaner! I'm thinking that our boy might be a bit delicate for that type of dirty work! Anyway....fishy got all cleaned and gutted...rinsed and wrapped. We brought him home with us and Clara excitedly spiced him up and got him ready for grilling last night. She was SO excited about her fish dinner....until it was ready to eat...at which point she turned up her nose and just said "No, thank you". Oh well...Chris and Ben seemed to enjoy her trout just fine as she watched warily from the end of the table. It was a lovely ending to the "best day of Clara's life....ever!"

Camping Adventures-#1

Yesterday, our family headed out for a camping excursion in our brand new pop-up camper; destination....Parker Canyon Lake. It was highly recommended to us by the guy at the RV place who seems to know about every little camping nook and cranny in Arizona. So...off we went! It is about 2 hours and 15 minutes from Tucson...due East. It was easy enough to get to...but I have to admit...pretty disappointing after all of the awesome places we have camped over the past two years. It wasn't an Agua Caliente...not nearly that bad! But it wasn't at all what we are used to finding in the great outdoors of Arizona. We have really gotten to see some truly gorgeous areas of Arizona through camping. I mean...take your breath away, marvel at God's goodness kind of places. But Parker Canyon Lake is not one of those. There was no hiking...of any kind...and my family really enjoys a nice easy hike. And there were no huge, majestic pine trees of any sort. Just low, sort of scrub trees. The mesquite trees in my own front yard are WAY prettier than what we saw there! Lots of dry looking grass stuff everywhere. There was a fairly large, impressive...and from what I understand, clean lake there...but that is about it. And the lake wasn't exactly in our campground...but rather across the street from it...a good little walk. But enough on the negatives!

It was awesome in that it was the maiden voyage for our little Sea Pine camper...which we decided pretty much right away, is WAY better than our tent and infinitely more comfortable...not that we have ever really been uncomfortable in our tent...just chilly! It was awesome in that it was a MUCH needed getaway from a really busy and overscheduled life here in Tucson. It was awesome in that there was NO cell phone coverage there...and there was no Playstation or t.v. of any kind! It was awesome in that Clara caught her very first fish there! (The best day of her life...ever!) And it was awesome in that we got to be together as a family...warm...in the great outdoors! It was just nice to be there and to be there together! It was a lovely time...even though the wind reached a really crazy pitch place on Saturday afternoon. There was some thunder in the distance...but the wind...YIKES!!! Let's just say...it totally got our attention. At that point...we were SOMEWHAT bored of Parker Canyon....but when the wind hit that craZy mark....we readily packed it up and headed home for Tucson! So glad to be home again...despite the fact that we had to cut our very first excursion short! Next time...we are SO there for the whole weekend!

Heading Out!

Today we picked up our brand spanking new pop up camper! A 2007 Fleetwood Sea Pine model pop up. Sounds pretty fancy...but it's pretty doggone basic! It's got a couple of beds...a table...a little cook stove that is amazingly similar to my little Coleman camp stove...a tiny little sink....oh...and heat. That's it. No A/C...we don't need any of that nonsense...but heat can never be too highly valued! Oh...and no potty! But our little tent potty fits in the storage place just perfectly...so hooray! We are off on our maiden voyage tomorrow! We spent the afternoon at the RV place learning all the ins and outs of the "adventuremobile"...and the rest of the evening loading up all the goodies we need inside of it. We are SO excited. We love to camp and get away and just enjoy all of God's nature and beauty. It is always a good time for our family and we come back rested and rejuvenated and ready to face the world again...which is a good thing as we are just feeling a bit overwhelmed by the world right now. I can't ever remember stress levels running so high as they do right now. We are SO overscheduled...with no end in sight and no way to really drop anything. Believe me...if we could...we would Thus is the speed of life! Anyway...tomorrow we are off to camping land...hooray. So tonight I will be stepping up my snake prayer for sure! Along with my bear and my skunk prayer! Those go something like this..."Lord...this is a whole great big world you made here. Please let the bears and snakes and skunks have the run of it for the weekend...except for the little tiny part of the world that I will be in with my family. Please make that little corner snake, bear and skunk free.....amen." It might sound simple and maybe even ridiculous....but God is good and I know He won't let me down!

So...here's a HILARIOUS note! As I am sitting here at my desk blogging this...Chris is sitting an arm's throw away from me working on his work...and he says to me..."Are you wearing perfume? It's very sexy smelling." I am nearly falling off my chair laughing as I have to tell him it's the new air freshener airwick thing that I bought after being so inspired by the lovely smells of my friend Mandy's house! Ha ha! Too funny! Who needs perfume when you can just put a little squirt of Airwick behind your ears and on your wrist! I had to tell him not to be getting any ideas from that air freshener! I'm tired tonight and I'm heading to bed...to sleep! I might have to rethink that particular air freshener scent in the future! It could be problematic for me otherwise!

Anyway....we are all updated here..at least for now! More to come on Sunday when we return...hopefully with a few pictures to capture the moments of our weekend!

The Battle of the Boots...

continues in the Roberts house. Despite the fact that temperatures are just dreamy and shorts are defintitely "in" now...along with flip flops and all that fun stuff..my daughter insists on putting on these boots every time I tell her to go get her shoes. Now I have bought her several very lovely pairs of shoes for this new season of warmth and fashion. We have flip flops in every color...flip flops with stripes and some with sequins...some flat ones and some with a bit of heighth to them. I'm telling you...we've got shoes. We also have lovely white sandals and a mighty fine pair of tennis shoes. Not to mention the white Mary Janes and the red Dorothy shoes...minus the glitter this year! There is a very wide variety of VERY appropriate footwear available to this child on this very day. HOWEVER...when I send her off to collect said shoes...she ALWAYS comes back with these. I've tried telling her nicely that they don't really "go" with the whole shorts look. I've tried insisting on my own fashion ways. I've tried just about everything...to no avail. The child just insists on these boots. I imagine if she needs shoes out by the pool this summer we'll find her in a bikini...and her boots. Clara is very, very eager to please these days. As long as it does not involve her fashion or her hair. She wants to wear her boots...with everything...and do absolutely NOTHING with her hair. Apparently, she strongly holds to the idea that the "orphan child look" is in. So...a little bit of a struggle. Today, however, I simply did not engage in the battle. I have had a migraine the size of Texas and just really did not have what it was going to take to get this girl out of those boots. And believe me...it was going to take a lot! She quickly realized I was not going to force, bribe or beg her out of them this morning...and she skipped right on out the door to school with the BIGGEST smile on her face. Some days you just realize that battle with a certain stubborn, hard headed four year old will just be uglier than you can deal with! So...boots today on my baby. I've been telling myself that one day I will look back on this and laugh. So I made sure to blog it here...complete with picture...so that one day I can look back...and laugh over the boots that just won't go away! I am thankful for this independent child of mine. I am thankful for her enthusiasm and sense of fashion. I am thankful for her sweet smile and that she felt a real sense of accomplishment as she headed out the door and into the world in her favorite boots. I am thankful that God saw fit to help me keep quiet and to just let my little girl be herself today...in all her fashion glory. Life is good in the desert. Boots and all!

It's that time of year again...

Yes...that's right. It's rattlesnake season again. I saw my first one on the road the other day. We were heading down the hill to Jackie's house for dinner, and there it was....huge...right smack in the middle of the road. A reminder that our delightful spring weather is equally delightful to the rattlers here. I have few "major" fears in life...not too much "rattles" me, so to speak (pardon the pun), but rattlesnakes are right up there on the top of my list! So are alligators and sharks....I can't even really give you an order as to which is scariest...I fear them all unreasonably much! So I start to tread cautiously and fearfully this time of year. And I work to make my sure my children have a healthy respect for the creatures that God saw fit to place here as desert dwellers. I chant constantly as they open doors to "look down before you step out" as so many folks find them curled up in the morning sun on their front porch. My front porch just happens to get a nice healthy dose of morning sun! I remind them NOT to reach under bushes and to not stick their feet in places they cannot clearly see. I urge them to keep to the sidewalks where a snake sunning itself would be more obvious. We have been in Arizona now for two years and 4 months and I have yet to see a snake (of ANY kind) in our yard or in my walking path anywhere. I like to think it's because I so consistently say the "snake prayer"....that God will just place a hedge of protection around our family as we move about in the desert and clear all ominous wildlife from our paths. I pray that the Lord will just place a barrier between our property and all belly crawlers...good or bad! I am okay with lots of other wildlife. I am okay with Gila monsters and tarantulas....even scorpions will get a thumbs up before the rattlers will! (But I don't want to find any of those in my house either!) Not too long ago, when we got our first wave of warm up weather, on the front page of the newspaper was a picture of a rattlesnake curled up in a cinderblock. I have to tell you...that that just freaked me out. And every year, even though I KNOW it's warming up and it's "the season"...it still always freaks me out to see pictures of them in the newspaper. It's like it isn't really snake season if noone sees one. But then BAM.... there's one on the front page of the Daily Star...and you know that if someone took that picture of that one...there are millions more...just lurking about. I have no idea what I will do when I finally encounter a real live one...out in the wild. I am just not able to appreciate this particular creature of God's design. When I see one on the road...I usually a) try to run over it and then b) make a U-turn, pull up along side Mr. Snake...and just try to determine that he has been properly...you know....squished. Sometimes it takes two drive overs to have absolute peace about the situation. Now I know there are many many snake lovers in this world who would be appalled by this writing....and I have to say that I am okay with that. Snakes are one of the few things in this world that make me feel as though this planet is simply not big enough for us to coexist. Soon enough though....the desert will heat up to sizzle and pop temperatures...and for a time, we will be safe from the snake threat...at least a little bit...because they will just be headed for the DEEP shade. I wasn't so worried about the summer heat of the desert when we were moving here. My only fear and worry was the snakes. Still pretty much the same. Love Arizona...but could lose the snakes! I don't think there will be any in heaven.

Cool Pictures from the Zoo

So, Chris and Clara and I recently spent an awesome day at the Tucson Reid Park Zoo. The weather was just perfect and it was an unusual visit,in that we got to see nearly every single animal alert and active in it's habitat. I played around with some of the pictures that I took and just had a blast with them. Here are some of the results!

Giving Back

My photography is going quite well. I am amazed at God's blessings on that whole thing. I never really imagined in a million years that I would be successful at it. But it has all turned out so well. I enjoy it as I have never enjoyed anything before. It works perfectly with my schedule and still lets me do my mom duties too! I think the best part of it, is that I have found a way to give something back to the world. We don't have lots of money...and to this point I've not had any real talent so to speak of. But now....I DO have a talent, and one that I am so fortunate to be able to share. I have volunteered my services with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, which is an organization that does bereavement photograpy for early infant loss. It is an amazing way to serve and I have been so blessed by each family whose precious baby I have had the priviledge to photograph. I thought that it would be too much for me....too hard to handle emotionally. But God has really protected my heart in that area...and while I do feel so sad for these families and their losses....I am not affected like so many others are. I am able to do the shoots and get these families a beautiful momento of their angels....with my own heart still intact. It bothered me immensely and I struggled mightily with that for a time....but I have come to the conclusion that it's just a gift....just an ability that God gave me so that I can serve these families. The other organization that I am volunteering with is the American Children's Photography Charity Guild. They do free portrait sessions for families with children with terminal diseases. There is something so amazingly awesome for your soul when you are able to give a gift. Especially the gift of a tangible memory of someone so precious to these people. I love photography to pieces...but my heart soars when I am able to serve these families and know that there is nothing involved as payment....many times not even a thank you. It does a spirit good to know you gave with nothing in return...just because you could.

Free Time

So....I have been so negligent about updating this blog. It isn't that I haven't thought about it often. It's just that...honestly....I couldn't figure out how to sign into the darned thing! Since it all changed over it has been a real pain! But I determined to figure it out this morning....and so I did! Life is good here in the desert. NO major calamities at this time. Ben is struggling mightily with his allergies...needing both his inhaler AND his antihistamine eyedrops. On top of that, he has been throwing up all night (not too fun), but for the most part is in a good place. Clara, also, is fighting the allergy battle. She also is fighting mommy on using her inhaler and allergy meds. Always fun going head to head with the stubborn four year old! And Max is just Max. Healthy as always!

Last night we got to have dinner with our newest neighbors, the Newmans. They are in our Sunday School class and it was just the nicest time! The food was WAY yummy! And I love that Mandy is just a down to earth, simple, no frills kind of entertainer! That SO jives with the way I like to do things. I just get so stressed out getting caught up in all the plethra of details that can go along with hosting a meal....my heart always longs for the simplicity of our own "family" dinners. I felt so at home at Mandy's with the paper plates and plastic cups. Mandy had no way of knowing that plastic cups are my absolute preference! So it turned out to just be a really fun evening and we enjoyed their company so much. Mandy has the BEST baby....I am amazed at just how good she is. I dont' think I've ever come across such a mild, even tempered, sweet, awesome baby. She never cries, just goes to sleep on her own, and in an instant...and is...well...just amazing. I marvel at the job Mandy has done with her! So...enough of my jealous baby ramblings!

Picture business is good....it's busy...but great. I love being able to do that and to have that outlet! My friends have all been SO patient and SO supportive and so amazing. It has been a good thing.

Not too much else happening and my clock here is ticking for me to get ready and get out the door to the gym. I will update SO much more later....especially now that I have figured out how the heck to log on to this crazy thing! More to come!

A favorite shot of Clara

Clara at age 4

Valentines!

Happy Valentine's Day!

My Cowboy

My Max at age 10

Sickness!

My kids and I have been sick for DAYS now! Since last Wednesday at least. Clara stayed out of school on Thursday, we were all miserable and under the weather all weekend and did not leave the house...and now I have both boys home from school again today. In hindsight....they PROBABLY could have gone on to school, but they were just coughing so much first thing this morning that I decided to keep them at home. They don't really act sick...they are playing and fighting just fine this morning. At times, more fighting than playing. I keep hearing Clara screach and yell....which is killing my poor head that has been at migraine level for 3 days now. I am looking forward to nighttime when it is quiet again and dark! It is hard to find a dark place during the daytime in my house! I am pretty sure the boys will be back in school tomorrow morning...or I might be insane by then. Chris has been out of town forever right now, so it has been a long haul for me with the kids all being sick this round. I am ready for health in this house!

Have my first HUGE photo job this weekend...Friday night. Doing the photography for the Father/Daughter Dance at Catalina Foothills Church. I am really excited about it. Feeling good about it too! Need to buy a CF card with more space though before I go! I think that is all I will need! I hope it all goes great!

Not too much else happening around here...thanks to our current illness. I have to take Clara to try on a dress tomorrow morning for Katie's wedding. That wedding may or may not happen...but we are going to try on the dress no matter what! That's all for now!
Tonya