Summer is gone.

I believe I am back. It has been a less than awesome summer but that said...we did a lot of fun things! Here are the random things I have not blogged about yet...

Avery helped teach Zane how to pump his legs and swing by himself. He hasn't quite got it yet though! She is such a good teacher!

I have no idea what she is wearing either...After playing outside, the kids would be so sweaty, I could do fun things with their hair!

Wes mowed for the first time in a year! He was worn out and crashed the rest of the day but enjoyed it.

There were two days where we went straight to gymnastics right after swim lessons. I had to get some starbucks to make it through those days! My kids already love Starbucks. Is that a bad thing? Is it really bad they've loved it since they were 18 months old!! Zane started gymnastics and loves it. Already knows how to do perfect forward rolls.

We spent a couple days with no AC earlier on, but it was only 80 degrees. Some wire fell off or something and Wes fixed it. When it went out this time, it was much hotter! The capacitor exploded! After three days of waiting for the part to come in the mail, Wes was able to fix it! We slept in the playroom where we had a window unit. A spider crawled across me on the hideway bed though :( I can't wait to fix that room up! The kids slept on the floor right by the door. It was still hot, as you can see.

I guess the Summer is gone...

Swimming fun.

They went to swim lessons this year at Pelican Bay. Avery tried most things and would blow bubbles in the water, but would not put face in. Zane would not blow bubbles and didn't even want to get water splashed near his face. They both started and finished at the same place. Not sure I would recommend this. One on one...or swimming with friends (peer pressure) works better!

This picture disturbs me... does it you? Here is Zane making sure his head was as far away from the water as possible! Even when fetching the rings, he'd pick them up with his feet!
After spending a couple of swimming days with friends and watching them, she got a little braver!
She could now be out by herself with just a noodle!

By the end of the summer, Avery was going all the way under water! Last night, during her shower, she stood under the water the whole time too. Amazing!

Safari Fun with Aunt Mandy and Uncle Zac

This was the neatest place. I can't wait until our zoo opens up the Children's petting zoo area. I hope it is as cool as this place! Zane pet every animal. Avery would not touch many of them! Even some she did touch, I'm sure there was a lot of bribing involved!!

Okay, I want one of these...This is crazy! I've always wanted to see this up close. You can see the babies legs!!

He is going to be such a good daddy...in 30 years!

Avery moved very far away after this picture! It was a wild monkey!

For Avery's birthday, they took her to chuck-e-cheese. I wonder what caused this...

Yep, it was this guy. She finally peeked up over the chair, but not without her fingers in her mouth! Oh Disney World...can't wait to see how that will go...

After winning some tickets, they got pop rocks! Avery nearly did not try them after uncle Zac said they are like fireworks in your mouth!

Love this picture! It's a dog by the way!

I Will Praise You In The Storm. Tomorrow.

I have such cute pictures to post of swim lessons, the kids visit to a safari petting zoo, and other random fun summer activities. However, I just can’t do it. I am truly being tested and I’m truly failing. I know God is in control, but I want to be. I want to magically heal a suicidal family member. I want to make someone apologize and snap out of denial. I want to make people quit enabling. I want to make someone unable to stress out, get sleep, and feel safe. I want to snap my fingers and be joyful. I want to stop worrying, obsessing, controlling, fixing, and stay sane and energetic for my kids. Oh, and I want to make my AC work right now.

When I think the storm has passed, another one comes. When that one passes, the first one comes back. I love the song praise you in this storm by casting crowns but I am unable to understand it today. I don’t feel I can really even pray without getting side tracked into the craziness? I don’t feel I can sew, blog about happy things, paint, or even talk?

I can’t seem to do any of the things I know would help. Ya know, like letting go and letting God. I know everything will work out, but I wouldn’t mind being the director of this soap opera either! I’m back to going through the motions of life but not living. I feel so guilty and frustrated for this because I have been amazingly blessed. This is like a paper cut to so many other people in the world.

I don’t know what I need and google didn’t have any good ideas either. When starbucks, orange tree, or hobby lobby can’t help…it’s a bad day. I’m trying to convince someone to hang in there when I feel I’m barely hanging in there. Feel free to send prayers and encouragement my direction. Feel free to also tell me to stop whining and snap out of it…because I will.

Random Things I've been doing, Thursday

So here are some of the 15 projects i've been doing...

1) Here is a canvas for my sis in law that is only 1/4 finished. There will be several more layers to this and I hope the vision in my head is what it actually will look like in the end!2) Actually finished this picture frame for a friends new baby coming in November!3) I have become obsessed with learning how to sew! We can't find Avery's crayon pouch, so I tried making one. I did it fast with no measuring, so don't look closely! I also thought I'd try the snack pouch as well. I now have a complete set that fits inside of a carrying box, which Avery painted - very handy to carry to church and T-ball games! I am not selling them as nobody would want to buy these very amateur, unprofessional looking things! However, lilmunchkindoodle does!!4) Still on my sewing binge...I found some of Avery's bedsheet which I made into curtains a couple years ago, and decided to give this shirt some flair! I'm really enjoying making ruffles!

5) Avery has managed to never spill fingernail polish anywhere in the past two years! She was always careful and actually could do a pretty good job of painting her nails. However, when she does it and a toddler walks in her room and grabs it...not Pretty.

This was actually the day after I scrubbed it with nail polish remover and water. I googled how to get it out and found many different answers. I decided to try several!! Here is what it looked like after "Awesome" a spray stain remover, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, hairspray, bleach, water, and dish soap! Oh and a ton of scrubbing. Very sore and light headed from the smell of everything after this. I'm going to try round two sometime and add shaving cream...and it seems there were some other things that helped too?

6) The ame cute little toddler found Avery's makeup a few days later! I now need to google how to clean nasty mineral oil, fish guts filled (wouldn't suprise me) cinderella lipstick, out of carpet...Not pictured projects...

7) Finish three 11x14 canvas's for the same friend with a baby coming in November. I LOVE painting!

8) Making a bib and onesies using freezer paper stencils and fabric paint. I can't wait to see how it turns out when it's finished

9) Sewing ribbon onto socks. I don't have any kids that wear them, but I want to try it to see if I can!

10) Finishing a t-shirt quilt I started years ago. I really need to get motivated to do this...but it's such a big project!

11) Need to purchase a paint remover to clean up the mess in our master bathroom! We have paint on the new tile and door frame.

12) purchase, stain, and install trim in master bath.

13) Caulk master bath

14) Purchase and have installed new mast bath countertop that isn't mustard yellow.

15) Scrapbooking the Art Days we have had once a month since September!! Which yes, we missed July b/c of holiday and Avery's bday. I am planning an August one very soon and it will be our last one!! Still thinking about if I'm going to continue it or not. I may start one up of Zane's age since the poor child needs to have friends too!

So Christi...want any of these projects!? I'll gladly give you my master bathroom!! :)

Weird comments Wednesday

I tend to use some scare tactics on kids at times. I'm sorry if my children come up to you and tell you that you will die if you are smoking! Or if you don't brush your teeth, you will have to get a shot in your gums and a hole drilled into your teeth. Well, today, Avery infored Elijah if you aren't wearing a seatbelt your head will get squished on the ground and you'll go to jail! Sorry if that is graphic. Things of this nature just slip out in times of desperation...

moving on...

When driving home I saw Avery and Elijah leaning their heads on each other. I asked them if they were tired and they replied "No, we just like each other..." Am I the only one that had an annoying mom that would randomly yell "hand check" when you had a boy over to watch a movie?! I so think I'm going to be that annoying mom before I know it......

When picking up Elijah today, Zane informed me we needed to eat at Old McDonald’s. (E and McD’S are usually in the same sentence!)
I said “No, we have too many kids today!” - I have a 20 month old also!
I was so happy to hear Elijah was on my side when he stated… "That would be 4 happy meals which is like 30 dollars and that is a lot of dollars Zane. It probably would even be 48 cents too."

I think he was wishing he could take that back once I informed everyone it was pbj sandwiches!

While eating Avery asked "Hey Elijah, Do you know where the jail is?"
E- No?
A- Downtown downtown downtown (Her answer was made into some sort of excited I know the answer and you don’t kind of musical production). Very random A.

Of course…I always have to be the best babysitter (it’s a crazy goal I have!) and the organic cheetoes redeemed me. Thank goodness. They finished off their plates and were after mine (a box of organic mac and cheese).

Mr. E asked if we had a nutritious meal! I was happy I could tell him YES! He informed Z and A nutritious meant healthy with lots of vitamins in it. We had a nice meal with a bonus vocab lesson! Very successful lunch.

I wonder if they will believe me when I say naptime means a time for your brain to grow smarter. If you don’t take a nap it will turn to mush?

Welp, it didn’t work. Zane fussed and said either “You’re killin’ me” or “You’re kiddin’ me” over and over. Not sure where that one came from.

Okay, I need to stop blogging and actually make them take a nap now...Elijah is already wondering will they will wake up!!

So the wonderful thunder kept Z coming in and out of his room instead of taking a nap which means church time will be oh so fun....

When walking into the playroom where Elijah is playing, he must have noticed me being a tad disappointed about how naptime was going. He stated "Zane doesn't have a very smart brain..." Ha!

At lease Presley is sleeping!

I'm placing an Arbonne order tomorrow night. Let me know if you want 50% off of anything.