the kids and i just got back from a little vacation to the beach.
it was wonderful.
fun, peaceful, rejuvenating.
and a much needed break from the hectic routine and my long, lonely evenings.

the kids had a blast with their cousins. here's the whole crew. :)



cute bunch of kids, huh? they are each so special and i love being with them. i love their excitement, their stories, their kisses, and their hilarious comments on everything.





the beach was beautiful, the weather was perfect, the kids were good, and i loved being with my sisters and mom and sister's mother-in-law.
but i missed my husband. a lot.





and i have to mention that my baby wren became a "kid" on that trip.
she was learning new words everyday and wanting to do and say everything the big kids did.
she learned phrases like "i want up, please" "i want to jump (into the pool like the others)" "i want some" and "mine." and she nods her head yes for things constantly. so cute.













the highlights of the trip:

*brad paisley concert on the beach

*kayaking on the ocean

*dolphins jumping all over

*my walks on the beach at night during my phone calls home to dave

*mexican train dominoes

*tcby

the only lowlight:

*our trip home.
the 14 hour drive turned into a 27 hour ordeal that included me, my sister-in-law julie, my 4 kids and her baby, road construction, an overturned semi, and a forest fire.

lets just say that julie and i had LOTS of bonding time.

thank you, jesus, for vans with dvd players, pacifiers, coffee, and best westerns.

trusses!!!!
we are relieved and excited after our long day of setting trusses on saturday.
everything went really well and we had lots of help.





















even my dad came out to help....



all right, he worked really hard even though he has a bad knee and it was really hurting him.
we couldn't have done it without him.





and this was my station right here. i had guys yelling out measurements to me and i would run all over the house looking for the right kind of lumber. i would measure and cut, then climb all around the trusses to try to get the pieces to them.
i had a great time.
i put in a 12 hour day.



and i only had wren with me which made things much easier.
the guys just had to wait on their lumber every now and then while i stopped to change a diaper or put her down for naps in the basement.
she was amazingly good that day.
and it helped immensely that i took some time to tack up plywood around the staircase and over a few other open areas.



now it's a race to get it all framed in and sheeted before it gets cold.....

i think we are over our trauma from sunday. hopefully the kids are better prepared now if something like that should ever happen again.....and now that they know they can have snacks and watch movies if it does, i kind of think they are hoping for it. :)

so i'm pretty used to tekoa's climbing by now. she always has to be at the highest point possible in any given room and i've learned to just let her do it.
the thing is, she can hold herself up really well so i sorta trust her.
she climbs the tree in our backyard pretty much everyday, and she's only fallen out of it once- so i'm thinking i can live with those odds.

but this one impressed even me-





that was in the basement of my church while i was training a helper for music.
she went to the ceiling and back down over and over. :)
...kinda made me want to give it a try myself- she made it look so easy.



wren wanted in with the goats.



she's suddenly completely over her fear of animals.



and you should've seen the fit she threw when it was time to get off....







house news-
we have an upstairs!!




we are setting trusses tomorrow and dave has been working even crazier hours this week to get ready for them.
it will be a big day at the house, and i'm praying everything goes well.

and the parent of the year award goes to me.

the fault may not lie directly on me -or on anyone for that matter- but i am his mother after all.

yesterday was wonderful and awful.
the wonderful being an entire day with my husband.
his presence alone on sundays is refreshing, but also the added benefit of being able to say, "tell your dad" or "go ask daddy to help you" is a wonderful blessing. one never to be taken for granted again.

and then the awful...
some of my family were going to the lake for the day, but dave and i chose to stay home as we had invited some friends over for dinner.
when tyden found out about the lake plans he begged to go, and my dad said he would take him.
and that was that. we didn't linger over details, just made the transfer and went our separate ways.

we had a relaxing afternoon and once our friends came out we decided to walk over to the little farm that is just down the road from us- a quick walk across an apple orchard or out to the highway and down a bit.

it was a perfect evening and the girls were having a great time at the farm, so we hung around for quite awhile.
we had just made it back and were starting up the grill for dinner when a big black suv pulled up into the drive.
i stood on the front porch just waiting to see who it was or what they needed, when suddenly the back door opened up and tyden came flying out. he ran to me and flung his arms around me- he was shaking and crying.
i looked up at the suv and my mind was trying to grasp what was going on. i was wondering who in the world my dad had had bring tyden home.
then the lady behind the wheel gave me a glare and a quick wave and then left.

and then the story came out.
through his tears my son told me how grandpa had brought him home. he thought we were home because our cars were parked out front.
grandpa dropped him off and then left, and tyden went in. and looked and looked for us.
once he realized that we weren't there he started crying and walked to all 3 neighbor's houses only to find that none of them were home either.

feeling even more desperate, he decided to walk to the farm by himself to see if we were there or if someone there could help him.

and he took the highway.
i don't know what he was thinking.
of course a crying little boy on the side of the highway is bound to draw some attention.
he hadn't walked overly far when the ladies in the black suv pulled over to see what was going on.
and he told them he couldn't find his mom, that she wasn't at home and he didn't know what to do.
so they offered to help, and then he got into their car with them and they drove him back home.

to find dave and i standing on the front porch starting the grill.....

needless to say i layed awake for quite some time last night trying not to think about all the what ifs.....

and we've had some overdue discussions around here today......like the one about if you come home and no one's here, just STAY HOME. (watch a movie! have some ice cream! do whatever you want just stay away from knives and matches and stay home!)
someone will eventually come back.
and also the one about not getting into cars with STRANGERS. ever.

and i had to throw one more in there- if you find yourself wandering alone outside in search of your parents, please take some time to remember your shoes.
the gravel on the highway just ruins new white socks.

thank you, Jesus, for watching over him......