Vaca

so i have been in an ADD packing frenzy.

We are leaving for vacation on Saturday am (1:00 am to be exact)
ANYBODY from MICHIGAN?

That is where we are going and i am in love with it..
with Michigan...

beaches and water (no salt water!)
small, quaint little towns
and for us a realtively short drive (just over 7 hrs...can't complain if it gets us to the beach!)

I am super disorganized in much of my life (even though i try to seem like i am not)
I AM
Vacations are time when i am super type A

I research the place we are going to until the cows come home.
NO. SERIOUSLY...IT. IS. AN .OBESESSION.
I love to explore the new areas, and experience the places we go in full force but not in a "super tourist" way. I dont need all of the typical attractions...just some good eats, some good peeps, some local culture and time with whomever i am traveling with.

So last year, by the recommendation of a friend, we discovered PURE MICHIGAN (do i sound like the commerical now?)

I fell in love.
with Michigan...
Did i already mention that?

Ive had a busy work schedule lately..it is busy season for babies...which gets me to thinking...i need another one (BUT that is another post)
anyway, busy season for babies so i have been busy at work  and at the end of this week.
It is vacation time.

We don't need extravagant vacations...no flying, no different countries or traveling the world.
Just Michigan.
Money can be tight at times and i probably need to get my eyebrows waxed, my hair did...
AND we could probably spend the money to update our home, buy back to school supplies, pay misc bills, or spruce up our wardrobe
BUT
my boys wont care what my eyebrows looked like or if my grey hairs were showing a little too much..

What they will remember {hopefully} is
riding the chain ferry across the river in Michigan
taking a dune buggy ride in Michigan
blueberry picking in Michigan
playing on the beach in Michigan
getting knocked down by the waves with mom and dad in Michigan.
Making memories in Michigan

THESE ARE PICS FROM LAST YRS Michigan TRIP!

Michigan- Here we come! 

embracing the kyle

linking up with Emily from The Anderson Crew today for Embrace the Camera.

so i am embracing Kyle today.
Kyle is my nephew. He has somehow grown up, graduated from high school and is heading off to college.
That, my friends, is impossible!


tiny "Ky Ky" as a toddler.

At my 16th birthday party, we found out my 20 yr old brother and his 18 yr old girlfriend were pregnant. It was one of those times where there was lots of emotion and drama and it burns a hole in your memory.

My brother and his girlfriend lived with us once we found out she was pregnant.
I am the baby of the family so having all of this attention on my brother and his girlfriend was....strange and i felt a little left out.
BUT...once kyle arrived...i was in love with that tiny little man..



me (rockin the blue scrunchie) and newborn Kyle circa 1993

It was awesome having him there, i helped care for him, play with him, cuddle him and my brothers girlfriend became like another sister to me.

Kyle was a super special kid. He brought so much joy to our lives.

one of Kyle's bday parties...why am i wearing a giant plaid shirt?
I also cut an ex-boyfriend out of the side of this pic.

a happy baby kyle and Paw Paw

Kyle saying goodbye to me after coming to visit me at College one weekend with my parents.
someone could've at least told me to wax my eyebrows.

As time went on...
They moved out
Got married
had another baby
and got divorced.

I had just moved home from college and i moved in with my brother shortly after his divorce. He went through a depression and i helped him with the kids.
Although, that was a trying time and i was young, those experiences with Kyle and his little bro, i believe have made me a better mom today. I learned a lot during that time.

Over the years, as in all families, there has been drama.
Kyle (and his brother) have been through a lot.
Step parents
step siblings
many moves
some very undesirable circumstances
anxiety, confusion, feelings of inadequacy....
He could've gone down the wrong path.

BUT this kid has grown up into an amazing guy. He stayed out of trouble.
He is so bright, funny, talented and sweet. He is getting ready to embark on the best times in his life.

(remember when you felt like you had the whole world in front of you...)

Kyle Graduation Day May 2012



Ky Ky and I- Graduation Day May 2012.
I look a bit tired in this pic or my makeup is jacked up...somethin is up with me

I have already given Kyle a 3 page letter with life lessons from his Aunt and i am SURE they will be the most profound words he has ever come across!!

Embrace life Kyle! You deserve it !

A Church issue.

so i have an issue.
Children in church.
The issue is not children asking questions or talking in church. It is not needing to go to the restroom, making noise in church, asking "when is church over"  "im hungry" or the cry of a baby.
It is the disrespect.
We go to a small church. Everyone over the age of 4 is in the sanctuary for the sermon (of course you don't have to take your child to the nursery but most do).
There is no childcare, childrens church or Sunday school during the sermon. IF you are under age 4, you sit and listen.
AND our pastor does not have short sermons. He is a true bible preachin pastor.

I get it... sometimes it is long. We had sunday school before the church service, you are hungry and the pastor has a lot to say.
BUT please control your children. please teach them some respect.
respect for the word.    respect for God.    respect for others in church.
How do we expect our little men to grow into God- loving and serving christians if we do not teach them to listen to the word of God in church.
I grew up in a big church.
It was easy to miss if someone was a little noisy, left early or was restless.
We also had Sunday School during the sermon so we weren't expected to sit in the sanctuary until we were older BUT maybe that is why I never truly understood God's sacrifice for us until I was an adult.

I can see someone getting offended at what i am saying but don't get me wrong,
Its not the children acting like children that i have an issue with....

It is letting your child play a nintendo DS during the sermon or games on your cell phone.

It is letting your child sit on the floor and play with his or her friends during the sermon, during prayer.

It is letting your child run around during the music, yell and dance so nobody can pay attention to the praise and worship band. I know some might think "its only during the music time" but some people really feel connected during the music and use that as a time for refelction and prayer.

I have also seen adults playing on their cell phones, texting,  facebook and needlepointing.

It is very distracting (esp to someone like me with ADD).
It is so frustrating for me because I work every third weekend (and at night) so there are Sundays that i am not there because i am sleeping. I also serve in the Nursery so i miss the sermon for that every few months.

We moved our seats to another location in the sanctuary and if you go to a Baptist church, you know that everyone has their own seat!
I don't think this will solve it but WHEW..at least i got it off my chest!

embracing the fourth

linking up with EMILY from The Anderson Crew for embrace the camera

I am still a bit absent from the blogging world right now..
Trying to figure out my place in it.
Spending time with my boys over summer break....
and comtemplating what comes next.

BUT to keep in the spirit of embracing the camera.
I HAD to post two of my most favorite pics of all time

i love this, Brady had the flag in his mouth and when luke saw it,
he had to be just like his big brother. i actually like my instagram version of this better
BUT im not sure how to upload those yet...AGAIN, I am NOT computer savy.

Priceless, i could have edited it...
but the colors...the sweat and suprise deserved an unedited version.
Luke was suprised and thrilled by the fireworks.

Fourth of july is not my favorite holiday but nothing can replace these sweaty (it was 104 degrees people!) , perfect moments i had with my boys watching fireworks and staying up WAY too late
PEACE OUT PEEPS!

BTW i know i didnt follow the embrace the camera rules but i couldnt resist these pics.