Musical Beds

One thing we have managed to do in our family is to keep the boys from sleeping in our bed; but we have not been able to manage to keep them in their own beds! Depending on the night, Nathan and Camden may be sleeping in one of several different places! Nathan has bunk beds, so he has his choice of up or down; this decision is usually made by which bed has clean sheets on it. But since he says his bed is so hard and not comfortable, he will often sleep on his floor (because we have such comfortable floors!).

The comfortable floor where Nathan often chooses to sleep

His bottom bunk that was not an option tonight due to stuff being on it!
Having to sleep in the only spot available...poor guy!

Then Nathan discovered that he really thinks the twin bed in Camden's room is very comfortable. This bed is in Camden's room as an extra bed for when we have a houseful of guests. Usually this is Grammie's bed, but then Camden started putting his bear, Coco, to sleep in this bed, so it became Coco's bed. Nathan was then told he could not sleep in Coco's bed.

Then Camden decided he did not like his bed...a toddler bed. So now he will often sleep in Coco's bed; or if he starts out in his bed, we will check on him and find him in Coco's bed; or he starts out in Coco's bed and ends up in his own bed. It is a little confusing. And distressing for Nathan who is now stuck with only 3 options for sleeping...and of course he has the most uncomfortable bed in the house!
Camden's bed that he has decided he does not like


Sleeping like a baby on Coco's bed

National Running Day

Yesterday, Wednesday, June 2, was National Running Day and to celebrate Camden and I went running of course!! He loves to run and it is so cute. Even when he is running where he is not supposed to (like out of the gym and around the corner and into people!), I don't always have the heart to tell him to stop because he enjoys it so much. Eric Liddell said that "God made me fast. When I run, I feel His pleasure." I don't think I am as fast as he was or as 90% of my former track team was, but I do run pretty fast. And I enjoy that feeling, at least for a short sprint! I can understand why Eric Liddell said that on two levels. One in the running itself and second in watching Camden run. Just like my Heavenly Father likes to see me enjoying things that He gave me a talent to do, I also enjoy watching my children doing what they do well; and for Camden it is running.

One final thought. I have two sons. One doesn't like walking. The other can't stop talking! What a pleasure to see their differences!

Life is good at the beach!

I have never been a real beach person (something about sunburn and sand), but I have learned to enjoy relaxing times at the beach, especially evenings. We went out with another family recently to the beach one afternoon/evening to practice surf-fishing...well they fished, I played!

Dave teaching Nathan the finer points of surf-fishing
Nathan bored with fishing, so he started playing!


The most fun was going to the very end of Folly Beach, looking out at Morris Island Lighthouse, where there is a wall that the waves pound up against. It was a free water/splash park! The kids sat underneath as the waves cascaded over the wall and hammered their heads! Lots of fun and laughter!
Morris Island Lighthouse





Nathan, Camden, and Taylor
Camden enjoyed the water!

Disney!

Well, the deed is done...we are booked for our fabulous Disney vacation! I have been couponing and eating out of the freezer and our money goal is almost met, but in the meantime, we are booked! We (my family, my sister's and our parents) have all been saving money to go to Disney in the fall, and although we aren't quite at our goal, we knew we needed to book our week before the deal was sold out. It was a complete blessing that we only had to put down a $200 deposit and pay the rest in August. I can save the rest before then!

In the meantime, we have been having a blast deciding which restaurants to eat at, what day to go to what park, and how we are going to possibly do it all in 6 days! Last time we only had 3, but with 6 we are having a hard time fitting it all in :) Since we have 11 in our group, we are considered a Grand Gathering and the name given to our group is Amy's Army. I thought the reservationist had a good idea with this name. I have been on the phone with Disney several times already booking dinners and my family has referred to me as their travel agent. But I have enjoyed it and can't wait to go. We are going to have the best time!!! Lots of character dinners, eating at a cool looking Mexican restaurant and getting many autographs from Mickey and friends!

In the meantime, I have to keep my eye on the goal. More couponing; more dinners at home; and lots more saving our pennies!

17 Years!

I just got back from celebrating with Dave our 17th anniversary and we had a great time! Although May is always a busy month, I was determined that we were going away this year to celebrate on our actual anniversary. I was especially determined not just because we don't get away often, but we got married on a Sunday, and our anniversary was on a Sunday this year. So despite all the busyness of May, we got away to celebrate on May 16.

We went to Ocean Isle, NC and stayed at a small resort with a room on the beach. We kept the window open at night and could hear the surf crashing on the sand. During the day we laid around by the pool and read without having to watch the boys. I also worked on my tan (insert laugh track here) and didn't get too burnt. We drove to Calabash to eat great seafood and went to a movie. On the way home Monday we stopped at the Mystic Day Spa (this name has significance since we honeymooned in Mystic, CT) and we both had awesome massages. Of course when we stopped for lunch I looked like I had not washed my hair for a week since the massage oil was in it! But no one knew me and it was worth it!

And Dave found a perfect description of me on a candle. He made me buy it!

To top the whole weekend off, though, I received wonderful news when we got home. May 16 now is even more special--it is the day that my oldest nephew asked Jesus to be his Savior and now he is a Christian! Marriage is great and children are awesome, but having them come to know Christ when they are young is true joy!

Beautiful Boys

I have recently re-watched Mr. Holland's Opus. It is without question one of my all time favorite movies. I know the characters in no way give God much thought, but the whole focus of the movie is on priorities and Mr. Holland makes the right choices; even if he doesn't always want to. And even when he has to be taught the right choices when it comes to his deaf son, he gets it right eventually. I think I cry every time the end of the movie happens and he sees that even though he was "only" a teacher and did not do "great" things, he touched the lives of so many people. I have the soundtrack to the movie and will sometimes tear up just listening to his Opus!

I got the soundtrack to the movie for one reason, though, and it is a Beetles song. I am not a Beetles fan. The main thing I know of them is that they all lived in a yellow submarine holding hands; but I really like the song Beautiful Boy that John Lennon wrote for his son. I originally bought it for my beautiful boy Nathan, but have since been blessed with two beautiful boys! The song states that "life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans." I interpret that to mean that we can get so busy planning things and making plans for the future that we miss out on life as it happens. That is something for me to remember.


Being all boy!

My beautiful boys having fun


Mr. Holland's life did happen for him while he planned for his songwriting career. During that life he touched the lives of many people, including, eventually, his son. I hope and pray that when I retire, not that you can ever retire from being a mom :), I will be able to look back and see that my life touched others; especially that I am a positive influence on my beautiful boys.

Deep Thoughts

I had a deep thought this week. Something that really puzzled me. Why do the lights in my bathroom not reveal the clump of hair on my knee that the lights in Sunday School illuminate magnificently! Last week, being Easter and the beginning of the Spring clothes season (yes, I thought about more than clothes on Easter, but that is really too deep for this discussion), I peeled my white legs out of my winter boots and tights (my legs really do look much better when only the shape of them can be seen and not the color!) and braved wearing a knee length dress with heeled sandals. I thought I looked rather nice considering that my legs have been hibernating for several months. But I knew that there are certain spots on my legs that tend to get missed easily by my razor, so I made a special point to examine those areas before leaving for church. To do this involves yoga like postures as I hoist my legs onto the bathroom counter, right underneath 4 bright bulbs. I looked over all areas, knees, ankles, toes, and was satisfied. But then, as I was listening to the SS lesson, I got distracted by the huge clump of hair right below my left knee. I quickly crossed my legs the other way and thankfully see that I had managed to shave that leg better. Needless to say, I spent the rest of class trying to keep that leg behind the other and hoped that no one else saw my missed razor activity.

Yes, my mind can sometimes go deeper than hairy legs, but this week, that is all I can muster! Oh, and in case anyone is interested, it takes about 8 months for a toenail to grow back to almost normal length. It is even painted now!

Amy