Summer FUN to do list

It has been a long time since I have posted on here...sorry about that to the two (or maybe three?) people that read this little blog. And I have lots of updates, photos and stories to share but those will have to wait. Today I want to talk about summer!

I am super excited for summer this year. The girls are a bit older now and a bit easier to have outside together. We are getting out a lot, playing a ton and ready to take on bigger and more exciting adventures. So, to get us motivated for all the summer fun I wanted to create a To Do List for us. Something we will keep posted in a visible spot (thanks sis for that idea!), that we can cross off the things that we have done and add new things as the summer goes on.

I want this summer to be all about making memories, having fun and spending time together as a family. I am hoping this list will help remind me of that goal and stay focused on HAVING FUN!

So, here is our list!

1. Camp over night at Devil's Lake State Park

2. Hike part of the Ice Age Trail

3. Build sand castles on a beach

4. Have a water fun party in our backyard with Sam's preschool friends

5. Bike ride to local restuarant and ice cream parlor

6. Go to a concert on the square

7. Canoe trip with family

8. Water park

9. Camp overnight in a different state!

10. Play-dates at the pool with friends

11. Water skiing or tubing (we have to find someone with a boat first!)

12. Add more loose parts to our backyard play area; stumps for climbing, logs for balancing, big tree cookies for stacking and building, etc.

13. Madison Farmer's Market (frequently!)

Now I challenge each of you to create your own Summer FUN To Do List. Let me know if you do cause I would love to steal some ideas from you!

stress or guilt

We have all had it happen. You get asked to do "something". You know the kind of "something" that will require your time, talent, money, etc. but is helping out, giving back, volunteering and getting involved.

So there are with two options...

Do you a) say yes you would love to knowing full well that you don't really have the time, money or energy to committ but will figure it out somehow OR b) say sorry but no you just don't think you can?

For those that say option A this means you will inevitably face added stress, long nights, expenses you can't afford, time away from family or time not doing the things that people are suppose to do in their free time (things called hobbies, do people still have those?).

For those that say option B how long does it take for the guilt to set in? The guilt that keeps you up at night laying there worrying about the relationship that you may have hurt because you said no. The guilt that makes you think about how you can rearrange everything else in your life, undoubtably disappointing other people or yourself, to try and go back on your no and tell them yes.

I grew up with a mom that always said yes. There was not a committee she didn't serve on, an event she didn't run or a bake sale she didn't bake for. Somehow she got it all done. But she was stressed, overworked and running around like crazy all the time. My sister has adopted this method. Somehow they are able to deal with the stress, smile and just get it done. I fail at this. I do NOT handle stress. BUT I have also kept myself somewhat disconnected so that I don't get asked to do a lot (which is, I am realizing, a bit sad), until recently.

All of a sudden I am being asked! And I am saying yes. And suddenly I felt the stress. I DID NOT LIKE IT. So, the next thing I got asked to do I said no. I wanted to do it and was excited to be involved but it would have required major schedule shuffling, money, lots of time and stress. But now the guilt has set in. It is all I think about. And it is driving me NUTS!

I just can't decide what is worse the stress that I grew up watching or the guilt I am currently experiencing. Which do you choose and how do you deal with it?

house keeping skills need some work

Okay, Avery I get the message. I will clean up the dog's bed more often!

Happy Easter!

Just wanted to share a few pictures from our Easter! We had a great day that included church, lots of outdoor playtime, a bike ride to a park, a visit with friends and some Easter egg hunting. We also video Skyped with family for the first time and were able to see all the cousins and even some of the extended family that was gathered in St. Louis for the holiday. Sam had a blast getting to see all her cousins, grandparents, Aunt Jojo and Uncle Chris. I am excited to do this more often with the kids.
Hope you all had a great Easter!

trying to get a picture

All I wanted was a little picture of my two girls sitting on a rock. Is that so much to ask?

Apparently... it was.

The last two were the closest I could get and I was singing "If You're Happy and You Know It" while trying to take the picture. Not exactly frameable but still pretty cute.

which would you choose? vote please!

One side of Sam's swing-set looks like this right now.
She hasn't shown any interest in it until just a few days ago. Now she wants to climb desperately! But the "stones" are too high and too far apart. Plus once you get to the top (which is WAY too high a three year old) you have to climb over the very rough wall and drop onto the platform. Not appropriate for our little ones at all!

So, I want to take down the climbing pieces. But I know that if I just take those away she will notice and get mad. I think if I replace it with something else then she won't care.

Now the hard part...I have TWO ideas for what to do I cannot decide which one is better and age appropriate! I am hoping this is where you all will help. If you were three years old and one year old would you want -

A. A Water Wall

OR

B. A BIG Chalk Board

I don't think we can do both, at least not all on that side, but I just can't decide which one the girls would get more use out of and like more.
I think making the water wall would be easier. The particle board that is on the swing-set wall now would not be good for painting with chalk board paint so I would have to first attach some better board.

PLEASE leave me a comment and vote for one of the ideas! Would love some other mom and educator input.

Thanks!

tears

It is never fun to go to the ER. But what is worse is going to the ER with your child because you failed. Failed to be there. Failed to watch over them. Failed to protect them. Failed to catch them when they fell. Instead Avery fell. Almost four feet. Hitting a metal platform on the way down. A busted lip and torn frenulum. By the time we drove the 20 minutes to get the ER the intense bleeding had stopped and she was sound asleep in the backseat. But we went in anyway. What do I know about falls or bleeding from the mouth? And maybe falling asleep right away after a fall isn't a good thing. What do I know? So we went. And she is fine. Having trouble eating, very crabby and tired, but otherwise fine. I can't stop shaking and have felt close to tears ALL DAY! Why was I being so selfish? Why I was sitting, eating my lunch and chatting with friends when I should have been by her side? SHE IS ONE! Not three like all the other kids. I should have been there. I failed. And then, today of all days. My husband calls me and tells me to read this. Did you go and read it? Well.....GO! How can someone have that much confidence in me? That much faith in me? And the tears begin to flow. Tears of sadness for Avery's pain, tears of anger over my failure and tears that I can't explain but have to do with how overwhelmingly loved I feel by my sister. I failed today but KNOW that I will do better tomorrow. Knowing that an amazing mother is proud of me makes it that much easier to deal with my regret and feelings of failure.