Random stuff

We've been quite busy lately. We were on vacation last week-our first 'real' vacation since, oh...we've had our honeymoon almost 10 years ago! Our other vacations were always super short and we (the parents) were always so tired that once it was over, we felt we then needed to go on vacation! :) I had some auto-posts so that's why I did not mention vacation. When (ha!) I get time, I will try to post some pics. We had an unbelievably awesome time. All 8 of us. It was so great, so worth going back. So, we're planning to go again next year! We thank God for the gift of our family vacation. It enriched our family and our marriage. I could go on and on about it and maybe I will one of these days...It was just incredible.

So, now that I am back, it is camp week and my older 2 are at camp and I am home with the younger 4-what a difference!

These are some things that have been said or witnessed or just thoughts floating around in my head this week:

I am finding myself saying quite often "Why can’t you play nicely together? All I want to do is to leave this room to put the baby to sleep and you play nice. Why can’t you just play nicely with one another?"

AND "How come you are crying...again?!"

Why does my 2 yr old literally charge into my legs? He gets a pose, pauses, then looks at me and away he goes charging into my legs?!!?

Why are my plants’ leaves broken in half?

My (almost!) 4 yr old says “Mom, see this? This is a car with blah, blah, blah and this is the important part-these here are the guns. See Mom?” (What? gimme a break, she has brothers!)

I say "Let’s vacuum everybody!" So, we do. And then we eat lunch. Well, I guess it is: let’s vacuum again. (why do I do these things to myself?! When will I learn?)

Asking my kids about camp (FYI-they are at the same camp):

My 7 yr old DAUGHTER says “Mom, it is so great. There is this girl in my group and she has a pink headband. And we went to the clubhouse and made necklaces. Tomorrow we are tie dying our shirts. There are 2 pools and one is cold and one is warm. My counselor is nice and I stood by her while we all fed the goats. I was a bit scared. There are boys in our group too but I like to be with the girls. And I’m going to wear pink tomorrow too. Oh, we need to wear our bathing suits again, OK Mom? There were chicks there and I did not pick one up but I was near them. They are so cute. Mom? Did you hear all that?”

Then my 8 yr old SON answers “It was really good.”

Oh, it's Small Success for Thursday already!
1. I am so glad I have finished all the laundry from vacation only to start again. Oh well!
2. I have made time for daily prayer. Daily. Prayer. This is huge for me! ya hoo!
3. I had held my composure in heated times with my kids. Well, a good chunk of times, not all the time. I am so human. Good thing for confession.

Adios!
God bless, Mary