Camp Kesem!!!

 Kesem means “magic” in Hebrew and their goal is to bring magic to families that need it.

Monday at drop off the kids were very nervous and not happy about us signing them up. It's the first time they will have stayed somewhere where they didn't know a single person. However, the minute we got there, super pepped up and excited OU students came and told us all about the camp and showed us around. The kids immediately forgot I was there! Here they are making name tags. Everyone had a nickname and if they called someone by their real name, they would have to kiss a tree. Meet J-Lo and Mario... 

 This is a free camp for kids 6-16 years who have a parent who has had or is going through cancer. Several states have this camp, but this is Oklahoma's first year. Livestrong funds the camp and OU students help run it along with a couple national directors. The ratio of kids to counselor doesn't exceed 3:1, but they actually had more counselors than kiddos this year!

Before camp, there was an online questionnaire I had to fill out that was all about how the kids are doing and how they cope. The kids also had to fill out a two page questionnaire...

Apparently, Zane is worried he might get a swirly at camp! Ha. The staff are trained in counseling, grief and mourning, communication, anger management, etc.

Click here to learn about this camp!

 I was super excited to see them Friday during the family picnic lunch to hear all about it! The counselors and kids all seemed to have had a great time! As soon as we got there, we heard how awesome of a dancer Avery was and how funny and sweet Zane was. So glad they loved it and didn't have any problems!!!

 I will be sent a link of all the pictures they took, but I have heard they tie dyed, did paintball, paddle boats, swam, had a dance party, archery, made pillow cases, friendship bracelets/necklaces, talent show, made boats, and went fishing. They also came back with a lot of silly camp songs and hand-shakes!

 This is Squirt, Tiana, JuJu Bean, and Tiger Lily (above) and Swerve (below)!

There was 5 girls and 3 boys that showed and there were 7 female staff and 2 male staff! They are hoping it will continue to grow each year! 

When asking the kids what their least favorite part was, they both said "Cabin Chats!!" Before bed, they sit in a circle and take turns talking about anything on their mind- from thoughts on their day at camp to their experiences at home. When I asked why they didn't like it, Avery said "almost everyone cried during it!" I asked them what they talked about and Zane just kept saying "stuff" or "a lot of things" and Avery started crying a little saying "they asked about how I felt about daddy and I would say I dunno and they would say it's ok, you can talk about it, and I would get sad because I didn't want to..." So, apparently, these are indeed my children...maybe this whole "cabin chats" concept needs to make it's way into our home!! 

 We absolutely LOVED this camp!! They will have two little afternoon reunions during the year, and will be back next summer! If you know any kids that would be eligible to go to this camp, look into it and share the news!!

Twas The Drama Before Christmas...

This just can't be forgotten and must be read at her graduation party or wedding some day.

Our kids have asked for an elf on the shelf the past couple of years. I can rarely remember to be the tooth fairy and that is just one night. This year, the kids were given one by a dear (or evil) friend of ours. Thankfully, it was only a week or so before Christmas so we only forgot to move it once! 

 Meet Zenzy

 Everything was going just fine until the night before Christmas when it was past time to go to bed. I find Avery crying. She was too distressed at the thought of never seeing Zenzy again. I don’t know anything about this thing. She said “He goes to the north pole and doesn’t come back until next year and I will just miss him really bad.” I ask what makes her think this and she said her cousin Duncan told them that. I asked how he knew and they said the book says it. I clearly never read the book that came with this thing in order to prepare them...and I still haven't. Oops. I don't know if they read the book but forgot about that part until Duncan reminded them, or if they didn’t even read the book until Duncan said something. Regardless, I tell them I was going to go check because maybe they read it wrong. 

I go to the living room in hopes of getting help from this guy. Meet Jason (my brother-in-law).

I ask him what in the world do I say?! He says that just the magic goes to the North Pole, but the elf can stay. Whew I thought. I go in there thinking this will be easy. Not so much. 

Meet my beautiful, sensitive, worried, and full of questions daughter.

 Avery asks things like "How do you know?" and “How does he come back down to our house if his magic stays at the North Pole? He won’t have the magic to come back to our house...” Oh dear. I feel myself in a semi panic state similar to other fun questions like how do you make a baby. I almost talked about how when people die their souls leave but their bodies stay, but thankfully something much less complicated popped into my head at just the right time. 

I explain that Zenzy will go to the North Pole to consult with Santa. He will come back here and be in a different place. You will be able to touch him and that is when his magic goes away. He will get his magic back next year and will start hiding again. But until then you will be able to play with him...so go to sleep fast so you can play with him!!!

Meet my sweet, I want to donate my hair to locks for love, I don't care if there is stuff on my face, non-worried, innocent little son.

  Zane decided to pop in with a question. He asked if Zenzy would be able to fly or do anything cool. I said no he won’t have magic!! He will be like every other doll…you can throw him and he’d fly if you want. Zane said very seriously, “Oh no, we don’t want to do that or we might be put on the naughty list.” Oh right, good thinking! We shall be nice to Zenzy. I once again quickly assure them they will see Zenzy tomorrow, so they needed to fall asleep!!

I go back into the living room where I could finally die laughing. That is when I look at the letter that Avery quickly wrote Santa after leaving milk and cookies…I quickly realized one problem. 

Other than being last on the list, we didn’t get our dog a gift…but clearly she made an effort to find an extra stocking to pin up for Santa to do something with. I then found another problem. I checked this ornament to find her list with some extra things added...

Can you see this? You may have to click to enlarge...

Other than desperately wanting to see a shooting star, she wants Santa to sign the paper to prove to the kids in her class that Santa is in fact real and that EVERYONE else is wrong. (If you can't see it, she wrote..."Your name_________because non in my class at school believe in you.) I cannot believe that everyone has told her he’s not real and she has not even asked us. She just doesn’t even see that as a possibility.

I ponder. Do I leave it empty so she will not take it to school and then maybe ask us of his realness, or do I just sign it and then convince her that letters stay home, especially ones signed by Santa…we wouldn’t want it stolen or ripped up by a kid now would we?! I sign it…and then grab dog food, a ziplock, a bow and throw it in the stocking she pinned up and called it good.

 I was semi hoping that the dog food may make her question. As soon as she asks, I will tell. After all this, I WANT her to ask. I have never laughed and at the same time been so amazed at the thought and details that went on this year. She also instructed us we could not turn on the fireplace and we needed to leave the chimney doors open so Santa could get in. This was never a concern before. I have a feeling I crossed the line of lying. I’m not sure I can do this again next year...I may be put on the naughty list...

Not Too Late For Thanksgiving Am I!?

 Thanksgiving In The Country

Includes an INTENSE game of football...and a casual drive around in the Escalade...

  Apparently my dad thinks he's superman.

 Only one casualty. Escalade driver decided he wanted to play...

 Intensely watching the football game...making sure Uncle Randy doesn't try and cheat!!

 The always fun game of moving furniture in order to see how many people we can fit in the kitchen. This year. 23!!

 Little people shoved up against the wall where they can't move!!

 Wes and I were promoted to the adult table this year! Then there were those at the bar and mom and dad were floating around!!

The Bean clan...

 It was a different vibe for us this Thanksgiving, but we managed to take a cute pic!!

 This little turkey can have quite the Borderline Personality Disorder (love/hate)!! So, anytime he is in the loving aunt Kayla state...I must have a picture of it!

 Can't forget the mistletoe!!

 Then it was time to make a years worth of laundry detergent for $28...which we divided three ways. This will be very helpful this year. It smells amazing too!! We filled up that entire bucket and in order to mix it, we had to go outside, get another big bucket and pour back forth while stirring. It was A LOT!

 Can't forget the guitar by the fire.

 Great Thanksgiving as always!!

Even though our life is kinda crazy right now, we have a lot to be thankful for and it helps being around family!!

I Give This Kitchen Makeover a C-

 Drab and Dreary to Hello Skittles

Here it was when we moved in

It definitely needed some brightening up in the paint department as well as the floor

It needed color in the cabinets as well as blinds and a curtain. I have walked around in the kitchen at night nearly naked many times with an uncovered window. Oops.

Then the task of making a valance. Love the fabric but hate the satin trim. I wanted cotton bias tape but it didn't come in the thick size. It looks like it came off a bridesmaid's dress. It will be changed...eventually.

I didn't like these two pictures on a huge wall with a long table, so I thought throwing up a painting would help. It didn't.

So then I thought I'd try a bunch of un-windexed mirrors. They hang high, but our chairs are tall and its a narrow space back there. Does it need more? Does it look too much like skittles and I just need to start all over???

I'm thinking the valance will be changed to match the table runner. The orange is slightly better, although I'm wishing I had done black. Again...skittle-ish?

 I recovered the barstool's and need to have the rug narrowed down, but that will be...eventually. Welcome to my Willy Wonka's Kitchen. I think I over did it. I HATE decorating.

Oh, and here is the kid's bathroom finished window treatment. Should it have been longer??

Oh well

And the here's the hanging artwork. 

I thought it was a tad more masculine for Zane than the original hanging bow.

 Yes. One mirror is hanging lower. It'll be fixed...eventually...

Pumpkin Patch Arkansas Style

 Not Quite Parkhurst or Orr Family Farm

 

It was flat land with very little decor...but there by golly there was corn shootin...

and cow ridin...



 and corn mazin...

and face paintin...

(bet you can't guess what Avery's is supposed to be!)

and animal feedin...

and pumpkin pickin...

and cousin's posin...

and the only decor out there...Good Times!

 

Then it was time to carve some pumpkins!!!

They were hard at work at first...

but that didn't last long...

Our adorable pumpkins that are now rotting by our front door!

 

Happy Fall!!