Sisters

Sisters--they love each other, they hate each other and they LOVE to hate each other. Now that I am a mom I am changing my perspective on sisters (in some ways). You see, I am the baby of the family with two older sisters. Growing up I looked up to my sisters and wanted to be just like them (look, act, talk, and go places). At the time, I had no idea why this sometimes annoyed them and why they sometimes didn't want me around. I mean I did everything they asked me to and heck I was cute, fun, funny, and very cool, the PERFECT little sister! But, now looking at my two girls I see why sometimes Lexi just wants Gracie to leave her alone. Sure Gracie, like me, is cute, fun, funny, very cool, and does everything Lexi tells her to (most of the time), but (and this is the part my eyes have been opened up to) she also messes up her forts, doesn't understand rules to games, takes her stuff, cannot come up with her own ideas and can be a real pest. I feel for Lexi sometimes and sometimes I intervene and make Gracie leave her alone, but then sometimes I tell them to work it out between the two of them. (I admit sometimes, if it's not serious, I also look the other way when they are hitting each other. My sisters and I did a lot of smacking growing up and we still love each other. It makes them tough, right?) Anyways, enough about bad parenting.....back to the topic. I haven't come all the way over to the older sister side (the dark side) of things, I find myself getting really mad at Lexi when I hear her say things like, "Grace let's pretend that beautiful necklace you're wearing is mine, so you should give it to me" (and Gracie does) or when Lexi makes Grace get her things just because she doesn't want to get up and get it herself and she knows she controls Grace like a puppet (at times). I know, that's how it is with sisters but I hope to instill a certain amount of respect in them for each other and pray that they grow up to not be best friends (that would be a bonus) but great friends and feel blessed for having shared this beginning part of their life so closely with each other.

Good-Bye, Goldie Louie Earnhart

It happened........Lexi's goldfish we bought her over a year ago died. We took her to camp again this year (she was a well traveled goldfish) and I feed her Friday morning but when we returned to our cabin to change clothes after the banquet I noticed she was belly-up (literally). I obviously didn't point it out to the girls since we still had other activities to get through for the evening and I had no idea how they would react. So, Saturday morning I broke the news as soon as we woke up. There were tears for about one minute and then I suggested that we take her body and put it in the creek and they got a little excited (weird, I know).

Lexi suggested that we use the rest of Goldie's food and feed the other fish in the creek. I thought that was a good idea.

Walking back up from the creek here was the conversation:

Lexi: Now I want a new pet. I think this time I want a pet in a cage. (Eyes widen) A bunny, that would be a great pet. I am gonna get a bunny next.

Gracie: Oh yea a bunny! (fall down) I am tired of falling, it hurts!! I don't want to fall any more!

Me: Are you OK? And we are NOT getting a bunny.

Happy Birthday Jon!

Today's Jon's birthday. He had summer school, we got his truck fixed, and I made him stuffed shells for dinner with a yellow cake with chocolate pudding on top for dessert. We love you honey!
Well, that's about all I have to say about that. (We are not real exciting around here.)

Oh, it's also my friend Vicki's birthday. So Happy Birthday to her too!

Banquet Fun

Before I get started on the Friday night activities, I must tell you a quick story about the Thursday night park. Every year we grill burgers at the Washington State park a few miles from camp. As a cook I am to help with the loading and transporting of ALL the necessary items for a full meal for 100 people. This year, like every other year, we loaded our truck full and took off. Once we got to the park there were 6 or 7 workers having a smoke break in the pavilion, I, like always, drove past the parking lot onto the grass to unload the truck. Out of the corner of my eye I see one worker making a bee line for my truck. Once I put the truck in park he knocked on my window and told me I was NOT allowed to park there and I WOULD get a ticket for driving on the grass. I informed him that I WAS going to unload my truck and then I would move it. (in reality I was NOT going to move it that way the campers could get their soda out of the heavy cooler that we were NOT going to take off the truck, again like always.) So we unloaded and they all went to the next pavilion for another smoke break. As soon as we started setting things up I saw a nice little white truck headed straight for us with a purpose. As I see him I get into my truck and move it to the parking lot. (Just like I had planned, I didn't want to break the law, that wouldn't be Christian-like.) As I am getting out of my truck the Ranger comes to me and informs me that I couldn't drive on the grass no matter HOW many people we were cooking for. Fortunately (for him) he was very nice about it and didn't give me a ticket, because I was ready to give him the what-for if I heard the slightest hint of rudeness. Oh BTW when we got back to camp that night I had a major flat tire on the truck, I am sure it had nothing to so with driving on the grass, Jon was not thrilled, to say the least.

The banquet theme this year was "Hooray for Hollywood," movie characters not red carpet. As a family we discussed many things we should dress up as...our best idea was Jon as SHREK, me as Fiona, Lexi as Puss, and Grace as Donkey (never stops talking), but who wants to be green at camp when the weather might be 1000 degrees and the other costumes I didn't have the first clue how to start. The girls really wanted to do Scooby Doo, and since we found things in their closets that worked, that's what we went with. Of course that still left Jon and I....for a second we thought Jon could be Charlie Brown (ya know bald character), but then what about me, so we dumped that idea. While we were packing we came up with the movie "Twins" ya know with Arnold and Danny. So we went with the "theme" and not so much the characters.

Lexi as Daphne and Grace as Velma

2 Velmas and 2 Daphnes

Chelsi (Audry Hepburn) and me
The family
I didn't realize that our shirts were a little different until I was looking at the pictures. Apparently I am not very observant.
Here is one of the skits the drama club did (notice Mark Wilkins in the middle-too funny) anyways, they asked Jon like two seconds before they started to make a cameo for 5 seconds and be a giant, he was glad to help out. The funny thing is that he was seriously on stage for 5 seconds and when he was done BOTH of the girls were like....Good Job Daddy, You did such a good job, I am so proud of you!!! (Like he was the freakin star.)

Ne-O-tez 2008 "A Heart of a Champion"

We had another great year at camp. The week started off a little hot on Sunday, but the rest of the week the weather was perfect. On Sunday we had our (what has recently become traditional) pork steak BBQ. Check out pictures of that here. Sunday afternoon Lexi and I had a near death experience when we were within inches of a copperhead and had no clue for about five minutes, but we lived to tell the story. Thank goodness! :-) Then Sunday night Gracie went home with Nancy to finish off her 3rd birthday present. Check out what fun they had on Monday here. When she got back on Monday her and Nancy gave the other kids a little treat. So nice of them not to forget the little people.

It is always a little hard for a princess to not get her way all the time. Here Sophia Hays is consulting Grace, Laura and the kids just came to visit for the day, it was great to see them. (Gracie is more of a drama queen then an innocent princess.)

Sophia Hays (Laura Heintz Hays' daughter), Lexi (she started the whole kissy lip thing this week--are you kiddin me?) and Alexis Gentry (Johnna Burnett Gentry's daughter) all three girls are going to start kindergarten in the fall.

Like last year, the girls had a lot of fun in the creek.

It was always a fight between my girls as to who was going to play with Alexis, but overall I thought they did really well not leaving the third wheel out.

Alexis caught a crawdad on accident. It was rather funny when they were all a little scared to put it back in the water for fear it would get them.
Gracie with a little Flashdance action. She's so funny.I am pleased to say that my girls ALWAYS followed the rules on this sign. Gracie would even say, "That says don't throw rocks, but it's OK to roll them."
OK maybe they threw one, or two......or a million rocks in.
This being an Olympic year, Steve of course busted out the touch he made 12 years ago. And so begins the "Battle of the sexes." Of course the girls won! Here Summer and Chelsi are getting pumped up!
The girls wanted to keep these leftover candles from the traditional Tuesday night coffee shop.

Jon and Mark Wilkins (yes the youngest Wilkins in now graduated from HS.) Notice his shirt, he had the funniest shirts all week.We (the cooks) saved the heels of all ten thousand loaves of bread we served and then we (the kids and I) got to feed the fish in Crystal falls.
Jon preparing for Bible class.
Grace having her own "quiet time" outside our cabin.
The girls LOVED making necklaces and key chains. They actually look pretty good. Kathy Williamson was so kind to bring special crafts just for the little kids.
Jordan Williamson, we love her.
Gracie and her "best friend" Jordan at the park on our annual Thursday picnic.

Well that sums up Sunday through Thursday at camp for us. I will get Friday on here soon!

We're Back

Spring Picture

Angry Words

"Angry words, oh let them never, (sing it with me) from thy tongue unbridled slip..." Gracie, Gracie, Gracie. Man, she is, is, well, she is something!! I know I have said on my blog before how she can be really mean at times, but either A) we are seeing it more cause we are with her more right now, B) she is getting worse or C) she is going through a "testing" time (you know every few months let's see how my parents react to this). Last week we went through the whole, "You're really MEAN Mommy!" thing and this week she has said things like, " I don't want Daddy to go to Wal-Mart with us, I hate him" and "You are not my sister any more." Can I just tell you how much I love listening to my three-year-old say those things, it's fabulous! (I have NO idea where she gets her attitude!) Lexi is more of a puncher, but I can handle that a lot more. It's easy to explain to a child that if you punch someone it hurts so don't do it, but it is hard for children to understand that words can be just as hurtful, if not more. Why can't we all just get along? My kids need a break from each other!!

(OK, she is not really being "ugly" as we call it in our house, in that picture, she was trying to be funny, but it worked well with this post.)

A side from her meanness, she also says some really funny things too that I have also posted about before. She has some issues with a few of her speech sounds so Jon and I correct her all the time and try to get her to say it correctly. ("f" for "th" mainly but she also has this thing with the word "world" she refuses to say it, instead she says "Lord" You know, "All the children of the Lord." and "He's got the whole Lord in His hands." and also, "You get the best of both Lords." she is crazy.) Well, always before when we would correct her she would huff and say, "I cannot say that!!!" but I told her that it is not good to say "I can't," so now she says with gritted teeth all huffy like, "I can say, what I can say!!" For some reason that sounds so funny to me. Granted she is still not correcting her speech, but at least she isn't say "I can't." That's progress, right? We have a LONG way to go with this one!

Can't Wait

I love summer!! I am like a little kid that can't sleep because all I can think about is vacation and what fun we will have. I can't wait for this, this, and this. We had so much fun last year, I am expecting the same this year since it is same location, same people, and updated unit.

But First

I can't wait for this, this, and this. Like I said I love summer and I love everything that comes with summer. Well, there is one thing I could do without, shaving above the knee--Can I get an AMEN on that? Well, and then there is sunburns, ticks, gas prices, and well, let's just stop there...I LOVE summer, bring it on!

Birthday

Lexi had a great time opening her presents.All Hannah (Montana), all the time. (We love wigs in this house.)
And now the cake.
Not that I am bragging, but let's get a closer look at that cake.

OK, OK, before I get 50 comments like, "WOW, what an awesome cake!" "Who is your cake lady?" "I bet that cost you a lot of money?" "Did you make that yourself?" I will try to answer all of your questions...Yes, I did make it myself. Lexi wanted a cool cake so I suggested the chocolate "Earthquake" (yes, I titled it after I made it.) She was amazed at my decorating skills. No, I have never taken a decorating class, I come by my skills naturally. No, I don't believe I could teach you how exactly to make huge craters in your cakes, it has taken me 3 total cakes to perfect it. After much thought, I have decided that I will not quit my job and start making cakes, even though it is obvious I would make a ton of money! I know that with a little practice and a lot of prayer, someday you too will be able to make a cake that looks as good as this one. (Well, maybe close.)

Strawberry pickin'

Last Saturday we spent the night at the farm, and lucky for us the strawberries had just really started to ripen up. Before dinner we went out for a few minutes to pick some dessert.

Lexi immediately started picking the red ones.

And picking.

Paw Paw had to show Gracie how to take the green stem off before she ate it.

And she ate.
And ate.

Not bad for five minutes of picking.

Happy Birthday Lexi

Well, today Lexi turns the big 5!! I was telling Jon last night that it seems so weird that we have been parents for five years, it seems so long. Here are some picture of her growing up. She has really grown into a a beautiful, loving, and funny big kid!!

June 3, 2003

2:26 PM

10lbs 6oz

21in

She went through a 2 month period where she would close her eyes every time she would smile for a picture. It was so stinkin cute.

5 years old

3 feet 8.5 inches