Getting Ready 4 Kid's Camp...

We sure are!
Kid's Camp this year is going to be a blast!
We leave for Carlinville, IL on Sunday.
Ryan is the official Activities Director, which means he will be coordinating and running team competitions all week. I will be singing backup vocals with the worship band @ chapel services, and sitting by the pool w/ the kiddies...and going for late night spins with Ryan in the golf cart. LOL.

The theme for the week is PAINT! Nuf said.
I'll be blogging soon. xoxo

PS: This packing thing is getting awfully tedious!
Labeling t-shirts, swimming trunks, socks, underwear, toothbrushes, etc...Phew! I've got one kid down. 4 more of us to go...I'll be packing for awhile!

It's Football Season!!!

Oh yes! It's that exciting time of year! FOOTBALL SEASON! Not only do we look forward to spending our Sunday afternoons cheering on our boy Payton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts...(Ok, fine. The Bears too, since we're from Chicago)...but we also look forward to spending our Saturday afternoons cheering on our own little football star! This is Mark's 3rd season of tackle football. That means hot, sweaty practices every evening; hanging out with other football families out on the practice field, while our tough guys are learning drills and practicing sacks; adorning our vehicles with window chalk, declaring our intent to defeat the opposing team with phrases like, "Take em down Brody!" or "The Panthers are on the Prowl!" It means pumping up our little jock before games til he breathes smoke from his nostrils and is revved up and aggressive; and jumping up and down in the bleachers and stomping our feet loudly as our boys storm the field for another show-down! It means Orange, Blue and White hair scrunchies and Panther Pride sweatshirts and cheerleaders putting on the halftime show and the smell of freshly cut grass, just waiting to be torn up by greedy cleats! I just LOVE football season! And I just LOVE my little athlete. He has moved up to the next weight class this season, which means bigger and older teammates, a much higher level of skill, and a much more exciting game. I am so proud of him for getting in there and playing tough with the big boys! Can't wait to see him storm that field in his first game! His new coaches have already singled him out as a lineman and are prepping him to protect his QB. They also want to use him as a back on defense. So Mark is taking time today to read over the different plays and learn how to call them. What an awesome kid! I absolutely LOVE this time of year! Go COLTS! Go PANTHERS!

God is faithful

He really is. Each year, as summertime approaches, Ryan and I get a little stressed because we know that money will be very tight. I don't work over the summertime, which is a blessing that allows me to have special time with my kids, but is also very tough on our pockets, because we don't have that extra income. In years past, Ryan has picked up a second job, just to get us through the summer. He'll work evenings and weekends. And it's certainly a sacrifice. But bless his heart, he's willing to do whatever it takes.

This year was different. We have become very involved in ministry at church. And we feel it has given us a renewed purpose in life other than simply working a job and making an income. So, when the financial stress began to mount this summer, Ryan was tempted to take on a second job again, which would mean backing out of ministry...but as we discussed it, we decided to trust God to make ends meet, and continue to volunteer our time at church.

I'm not kidding, I don't know how we've made it this far without that second income. But we have. And we've decided to give God the glory for this one. We feel He has honored our decision to stay in ministry, and to trust Him with the details. Thank you Lord for your faithfulness! You are so Good!

Mark's Date w/ Mommy!

Today was a special day for Mark and me. After breakfast, we went out on our usual morning powerwalk. But this time, we left the stroller and the 2 younger kids home with Daddy, who had stayed home from work today to heal from his sunburn! On our brisk walk, I asked Mark to tell me all about the waterslides he'd gone on yesterday at the waterpark. He ended up describing in detail his entire day. And I loved every moment of it.

It's so fun to hear him tell stories from his perspective. He really is a neat kid, and I love to get to know him more and more as he develops who he is.

By the end of our walk, we were dripping with sweat. Good times. We suited up and headed out to Phillip's waterpark. Again...just Mark and me. As Mark patiently waited, I enjoyed every second that I was able to lay on that lawn chair and catch some rays without having to look after little Reese and Rina. Finally, Mark convinced me to get up and go on some waterslides with him. I can't remember the last time I went on a waterslide. Probably pre-motherhood. So, it was pretty neat for Mark to see that I was willing to go on the slides with him. We hit every single one. And I got awfully drenched. Even my hair...which is another rarity for Mark to witness. He and I both savored every moment. Then, we jumped into the pool and practiced swimming for his swim test at camp. It was so fun to splash around and have each other's undivided attention. It was a very fun date w/ Mommy!

Kids say the darndest things!!!

Yesterday, Kid's Connection took a special trip to Raging Waves waterpark! Ryan went to help chaperone, and I brought the kiddies so I could hang out with Kristi and her little girls and Rachel Toftoy and her little boy. It was a lot of fun and a lot of sun!

After our little guys played their hearts out on the mini waterslides and in the huge sandpit, we met up with our hubbies and decided to have an icecream treat. We hung out for awhile and enjoyed exciting stories from the school-age kids about their waterslide experiences so far that day.

Then Kristi, Rachel, and I decided to have our kids lay down on some lawn chairs in the shade so we could take a rest from the sun. On our walk back, Reese suddenly had to go to the bathroom. But of course, being the little stinker that he is, he didn't just say, "Mommy, I have to go to the bathroom." Instead, he shouted, "Mommy! I have pee-pee coming!" Oh goodness! As I tried to hush him, he shouted even louder, "It's coming from my PENIS!" What!?! I was so embarassed! He never says that word in public! Why in the world would he say that?!?! As I reprimanded him, he must have thought he would give me one more scare...so he interrupted me and said, "I'm touching my.....Pants!" Arrrg! Reese! I thought he was going to say the other P word again. And that had been his little tricky plan! Just to get a rise out of Mommy. Little stinker! And all this in front of my friend, a pastor's wife!!!

At our chairs, we were sitting there chatting, and little Alia (the youngest of the bunch at 23 months...and also the group 'tattle-tale." LOL!) came up to us and said, "Weena! Poopy!" (Which meant Rina has poopy). Yes! Poor Rina had had an accident in her little swim suit bottoms. Yuck! So, while I was pulling her into a corner to discreetly clean her up and put some new bottoms on, she thought she was in trouble, and shouted, "No spank, Mommy! No spank!" Luckily, no one was really around to hear her. But if they had been, I'm sure I would've received some nasty frowns!

Why do my kids have to constantly say things to embarass me?? But, I've decided to find humor in it and realize that no child is perfectly behaved. These are my sweeties. Reese and his sneaky little antics. And Marina and her dramatic episodes. I'm not going to fret over how someone may perceive my kids in an off-moment like that, when I know that I am already constantly trying to teach my kids what is appropriate and what is not.

Where was Mark during all this craziness?? Actually, I have no idea. We hardly saw him all day! He rounded those waterslides and that lazy river all day long with a couple guy friends and a couple really cute girls too! What a stud-muffin!

One more thing...back on the kiddie-slides, Rachel, Kristi, and I had a great system worked out. Kristi stood at the top help our kids board the slide...Rachel stood at the bottom to catch them as they zoomed down toward the water, and I stood at the pool's edge to lift them out of the pool so they could run back up for another turn. Well, after our 'rest-time' on the lawn chairs, we decided to take the kids back over to the slides. Reese ran so fast to the top and slid down so quick, none of us had time to get to the bottom to catch him! He was a bit confused, and looked at this random lady sitting on the edge of the pool next to the slide, and he asked her, "Why didn't you catch me?!?" Poor lady! She said, "because I don't know you, darling!" Haha! Reese Alan!!! That was hilarious! Expecting some stranger lady to catch him at the bottom of the slide. Well, that's it for the waterpark. Ryan and Mark came home with nasty sunburns. So I doused them with aloe while we waited for the Grove's to come over for dinner. We ordered chinese. That's always fun! Then we challenged each other to rounds of Bomberman on playstation, till our thumbs were sore. Fun day!

Taking the Kids Downtown

Mark was so jealous that Ryan and I spent a fun weekend in Chicago without him...so we promised him that we would take the kids downtown for a special family day on Saturday.

We decided to ride the train, because we knew that it would be so exciting for Reese and Marina, who are huge fans of 'Thomas the Train.' Here's Marina with Daddy, excitedly watching the train arrive.

Mark asked Uncle Brandon to sit with him up on the top level. So cute.
Reese and Marina absolutely loved the train ride! The look on Reese's face is one of sheer excitement!

Mark was pretty impressed with this monstrous sculpture. The orange looks cool with the colors of Mark's football jersey.


After seeing all the pics from Ryan and my previous trip to the city, the kids were pretty excited to take pictures of their own at the 'Bean' in Millenium park!


Mark...you're the cutest ever!

We caught some live music while walking through the park.

Mark and Uncle Brandon were chosen to receive free t-shirts!

They asked the band to autograph their t-shirts.

I don't know who was more thrilled...Mark or the band, which was made up of 3 college kids trying to make their mark.


Brandon especially appreciated the band because they had a cellist. That is one of Brandon's favorite instruments. He has taken lessons to learn to play it. And it definitely added a unique quality to the band!



...Playing in the park...


The Brody family!

Can you tell? I love kissing on my sweeties!!!

"A little rain won't spoil our fun!"

It did drizzle on and off all day...but we were determined to keep our promise to our kids and spend the day in Chicago. What fun we had!

...walking back to the train station...after a long fun day!

It looks like Marina was pretty wiped after having so much fun!

"Mommy, are you mean?"

This is a new one! This past week, whenever I've been frustrated with my kids (like when they push and fight, or when they cram pennies into my car cd player so that it no longer works!) Marina has come out with a new line: "Mommy, are you mean?"
I'm trying to understand what she means by that. Does she mean, "are you mad?" Or does she mean, "are you being mean to us now?" Hmm...I haven't quite figured it out yet. But I do know that it certainly makes me step back at that moment and view my actions and my tone of voice through their eyes. What an enlightening experience that is.