Missing my girl and other Monday happenings

Thank you to those who wished me a happy birthday on my last post. It was a great day and then to have blogging wishes as well was just icing on the cake!  :-) 

Yesterday, I did something as a mom I have never done before. I dropped Rebecca off at a scout camp for the week.

This is the first time that she will be away from home. She was excited, but nervous. When it was time for us to leave, the boys cried and cried that they didn't want her to stay. I teared up as well. It was hard to leave her, but I know that she will have a blast and make many memories. 

Today it was so weird for her not to be here. Jacob said several times today that he missed Rebecca. Tonight Ben started saying on Friday we get Rebecca. That's right... we are all counting down the days!  

In other news, what else happened today? I woke up with the boys and got them breakfast. Then realized I had not prepped for my tutoring session this afternoon (needed to print some activities out) so spent time doing that. Then I gave the boys baths while I folded clothes and straightened up their bedroom. Then I took a shower. As I was getting out of the shower, the mom of the kids I was supposed to work with today, had called and left a message that they were canceling today because her daughter needed a break. URGGH. It annoys me because these kids NEED all the help they can get and parents wonder why their kids aren't getting anywhere. Well, if you cancel every time they need a break then there is no consistent work getting done and these children need the consistency. Frustrating.....

This afternoon also saw Benjamin losing another tooth. This makes his 3rd tooth he has lost, but the first that he has not swallowed! He now looks like he has been in a boxing match! LOL

After taking Bill and Ben to Ben's speech therapy and doing a quick run to Walmart for a few things, we returned home and I spent some time cleaning up the kitchen and menu planning for this week. I also decided to clean out our stand alone freezer as it was fairly empty of food and I am hoping to do a big grocery shop tomorrow. So I spent the afternoon defrosting it.  I typically do this 2 times a year. It was time. It looks much better now. :-) 

Tonight, I am just sitting here typing this up before bed and watching the Cleveland Indians (who are unfortunately losing at the moment). I still need to finalize my grocery list, including look through my coupons and checking my online coupons. Tomorrow I am hoping to go to the grocery store and do a deep clean in Rebecca's bedroom while she is at camp. Wish me luck! 

Hope everyone has a good night! 

It's been a good birthday...

Today at 4:57 AM I officially turned 38 years old. I feel old! I know that many people would say that 38 isn't old, but I feel like I am no where near where I want to be in my life. Something to work on this year I guess. 

Back to today, I have had a wonderful day thanks to my family. This morning, Bill let me sleep in. He is working a new work schedule so is home in the mornings now. He went and got me Tim Horton's crueler doughnuts which are my absolute favorite. I also woke to many messages on Facebook and texts from my siblings wishing me a happy birthday. 

After I got up and showered, we decided to head over to the Children's Garden to see what renovations they are doing. They are not done with it, but have added a huge giant chair for the kids to sit on. They have also added back the train that they took out last year. It looks like they refinished it and redid the train tracks to make it safer. We also enjoyed the plethora of flowers throughout the gardens.

After we left the Children's Garden, I decided that we needed to go walk. So we headed to the Kokosing Gap Trail to walk. We ended up walking 3.08 miles. We saw a crane along the river.

After our walk, we stopped at Wendy's for lunch before heading home. 

Bill and the kids also got me a birthday cake which we enjoyed as a snack. They also got me an electronic shower brush, a meat thermometer and a pedometer for my birthday. 

Bill unfortunately had to work tonight, so the kids and I headed out to Ruby Tuesday to meet my parents and my youngest brother for dinner. They treated us to dinner and it was fun. My sister came to the restaurant for a little bit after she got off work as well.

Back at home, I got the kids to bed and straightened up the house a bit as Rebecca is having a play date tomorrow. I also enjoyed a surprise treat that my hubby brought home for me while we were at dinner--- a funnel cake from our county fair! (Bill had to cover something there tonight for work, and we had decided not to go this year, but he knows how much I love funnel cakes!). 

Now I am sitting here, watching the Cleveland Indians (they are winning 7-0!), and typing this up thinking about how blessed I am. Today has been a wonderful day to start off my 38th year!  

The Legacy by Michael Phillips

BOOK DESCRIPTION:::

The Dramatic Conclusion to Michael Phillips's Shetland Islands Saga
Loni Ford's unexpected inheritance of substantial real estate--not to mention a title--in the Shetland Islands has caused more than a stir in the quiet fishing hamlet of Whales Reef. How is life ever to be the same with an outsider--and a woman, at that--playing such a pivotal role in the life of this conservative community? But it isn't just the locals who have deep misgivings about the current situation. Loni herself never imagined this in her wildest dreams.

What Loni is more sure of, however, is that she is falling in love--with Whales Reef, with its hardy people, with its simple, peaceful way of life, and with local chieftain David Tulloch, whose inheritance she has usurped, at least in the eyes of some.

But life in Whales Reef is not without drama. Deep rifts exist between certain lifelong residents, and when one local resident turns up dead, suspicion is cast in the direction of the island's most prominent family. How Loni and David deal with this challenge will go a long way in determining their future, and that of the quaint island community.

MY THOUGHTS:::

In January, I reviewed the 2nd book in Michael Phillips's "Secrets of the Shetlands" series, The Cottage.  I was intrigued and excited to be able to review the last book in the series, The Legacy. I really wanted to see how Loni's story would play out and how she would figure out where life would lead her and David as they try to figure out where their places are in the world. 

Michael Phillips did not disappoint when it came to bringing the story of David and Loni together and how they tackled their future. While at the end of book 2, the readers have figured out that David and Loni are falling in love. However, what would be next in their relationship? In The Legacy, Phillips manages to keep the reader intrigued by comparing both Loni and David's story with the love story of Loni's Great-Grandparents (the American Emily and her Shetland love Brogan). The parallels and challenges that her Great-Grandmother wrote about in her journals helped Loni in her own steadfastness about where she belonged. I loved the way that Phillips went back and forth between the legacy of the story of Loni's Great-Grandparents, and the modern day story that was building between Loni and David.  I loved the way that Phillips tied the story up.

The drawbacks to this book were that there were a couple little story lines that I felt needed to be explored further. In the end of book 2, David's cousin Hardy had been arrested for murder and was a main character in the story line. In this book, he is a very minor character and the story line is almost glossed over in that while Loni and David want to get him freed, it is almost an afterthought. I was disappointed in that realm of the story. Maybe it would have been better if Phillips would have concluded that part of the story in the 2nd book.  Also

Overall, I felt this was a good read. I loved the comparisons of Loni's Great-Grandparents' story and the modern day story of Loni and David. In a lot of ways, it pays to say that history repeats itself and love will prevail when we allow it to and trust in it.

I would definitely recommend this book, as well as the first 2 in the series!

DISCLAIMER:::

I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers and the Baker Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Almost Wordless Wednesday:: minus 10 inches...

 Rebecca asked me to cut her hair on Monday night.

Before:

During:

After:

I cut 10 inches off the length and it looks so much healthier now. Rebecca loves it!

Went to Kalahari....

This past Saturday, we were invited to go up to Sandusky Ohio to visit Kalahari Waterpark and Resort with my parents and siblings. My dad wanted to take the grandkids up for the night. They rented a 3 bedroom suite for the night and we spent 24+ hours up there. All told there were 12 of us who were there... my mom, my dad, me, Rebecca, Jacob, Benjamin, my brother Josh, my sister Mary, my brother Joe, his wife (whom nobody knew was coming), my niece Lacie and my nephew Ethan. My other nephew Alex (who is severely autistic) stayed back as the noise and crowds would be too much for him. (It was everyone's understanding that my SIL was going to stay back with Alex, however at the last minute she tagged along leaving HER mom with Alex. When we got up there, the look of shock on my parents' faces was enough. My mom later told me that neither she or my dad knew my SIL was coming, even though when I picked them up both her and my brother told me that my parents knew that she was coming.)

We got up to Kalahari around 1PM. My mom was able to check in early to give us access to the water park before our suite was ready. We changed the kids into their swimsuits and headed out to the outside park of the park. It was cloudy to start out, but then the sun came out and we actually all got sunburned. The kids had a blast running under waterfalls and spending time in the pool.

We got into our room about 4:30. My dad made dinner reservations for us at 5:30 at a restaurant in the resort called "The Reserve." We had our own little area and the food was fantastic. I had chicken margherita which was amazing. I also had a strawberry daiquiri-- Rebecca told me at dinner, she didn't want me to drink it because there was alcohol in it and we were going to be swimming after dinner and I shouldn't have alcohol if I am going to swim. I reassured her I would be fine.

After dinner, we stopped at the candy store and got the kids a treat.

Then we got changed to go back swimming. My dad and I took the 5 kids down swimming as my brother and SIL didn't want to go- basically they wanted some downtime, or just to have someone else watch their kids. I wasn't going to tell the kids they couldn't come with me so we had all 5 kids with us. The kids had a blast in the pool with basketball hoops in it. They LOVED it and did not want to get out of it.

After a couple of hours in the pool, we took the kids back up to the room for baths and snacks before bed. My kids and I retreated to our room and got settled in for the night. I let the kids watch "Ice Age" while they fell asleep and I went to take a long bath and call Bill. He wasn't able to come as he had to work and I missed him terribly.

The next morning, we were supposed to head to breakfast at 9am, however the kids were all still asleep at 9, so it ended up being close to 10 when we made it to breakfast. We ate at a buffet and the food was so good. They had a little bit of everything and it was all yummy.

After breakfast, we headed back to the water park for a few hours. We spent some time inside at the kid slides and under the area where this huge bucket would pour all it's water down over the kids about every 5-7 minutes. The kids LOVED that part!

We then headed outside for some more pool time outside. The kids are all fish I believe! They love swimming and splashing and just being in the water. They also loved the waterfalls splattered throughout the outside park!

Around 2:30, ALL the kids were getting tired and Jacob said he wanted to go home. So we got the kiddos changed into their regular clothes and stopped at the gift shop before we headed out. My mom bought the kids a souvenir and then we got into our vehicles to head home. 2 hours later I dropped my brother and his family off at their house and the kids and I got home to ours minutes before it started pouring down rain!

When we got home, Rebecca told me that I was making a fashion statement with my hair. I told her that was called being at a waterpark for 24+ hours and driving home with the windows down! LOL

Overall, it was a fun, but exhausting 24+ hours at Kalahari. It has been over 10 years since I had been there and I have to say that the place is HUGE! Hopefully, next time we go Bill will be able to come as well.

Happy Homemaker Monday (7/24/2017)

Happy Monday! I am running on the very tired side! This past weekend, I took the kids up to Kalahari Resort and Waterpark to meet up with my parents and siblings, as my dad wanted to have one last summer hurrah with all most of his grandkids. What ensued was 24+hours of waterpark madness and this mama is tired. Now it is back to Monday and back to reality. Reality being that it is fair week for our area (which means my husband is working crazy hours), time to get Rebecca ready for scout camp and it is my birthday week (my b-day is on Friday)-- not that we will be doing anything but it is what it is.
For now I am taking a moment to join in with the lovely Sandra over at "Diary of a Stay at Home Mom" in her Happy Homemaker Monday meme:

THE WEATHER:::
It has been very humid the last week and hot. We have had torrential rains this past weekend. Last night it looked like a river out in front of our house. Today it is partly cloudy and it is around 77 degrees, but it is still very humid as our real feel is almost 88! Yuck. Makes me glad that we have a/c. I don't think we are supposed to have any rain until Thursday when we are supposed to get more storms. Welcome to fair week in our area! LOL   

ON MY READING PILE:::
I just finished The Legacy by Michael Phillips. Look for the review coming soon. I actually have at least 3 books that I need to review that I have already read, just need to get the reviews written. Hopefully over the next week or so.

ON MY TV:::

One of my favorite weeks on TV is here... SHARK WEEK! I love watching the shows about sharks and learning about them. I am talking about the actual scientific shows and not made up movies like "Sharknado" LOL   

ON THE MENU FOR THIS WEEK:::

SUNDAY: The kids had chicken nuggets, blueberries, and green beans. I had leftover pizza when we came home.
MONDAY: Chicken patties and fries
TUESDAY: ????

WEDNESDAY: ????

THURSDAY: ????
FRIDAY: pizza

SATURDAY: ???

As you can see I really don't know what I am making this week. I need to go to the grocery store tomorrow and so I will be making a list tonight I guess.

ON MY TO-DO LIST FOR THIS WEEK:::
Monday: tutoring, straighten up from the weekend, plan for the rest of the week, Ben to speech, trash to curb, menu plan

Tuesday: Grocery store, tutor in the afternoon

Wednesday: tutor in the morning and afternoon

Thursday: tutor in the afternoon

Friday: pack Rebecca stuff for camp 
Saturday: Rebecca has a playdate

Sunday: Rebecca to camp

And each day has the daily housework that needs to be done.

LOOKING AROUND THE HOUSE:::

It looks ok. I still have our bags from this weekend sitting at the bottom of the steps. Jacob has his football cards all over the floor. There are toys and things out. It is definitely a house where kids live

FROM THE CAMERA::: Taken at Kalahari this weekend.

My kiddos

My niece Lacie, my nephew Ethan, Rebecca, Jacob and Benjamin

WHAT I'M WEARING TODAY:::

striped grey maxi skirt, grey tank top and white and grey flipflops

 

SIMPLE PLEASURE:::

sleeping in my own bed

DEVOTIONAL OR QUOTE:::

So there you have it. A little peek into my life on this Monday! Hope everyone has had a great day and let's see what the rest of this week will bring!