Joy it Up!

http://jenlovelady.com/
I have been taking this course for 7 weeks and I highly recommend it to all moms. I have to say, I feel as though I have really got a hold of the reigns on home management, as well as adding some serious joy and depth to my everyday life. I have found time each day to do the daunting things I've been putting off for months, but more importantly I've made it a priority to practice personal development daily, have daily talks with God, and be more present for my family. Jen is starting up this exact same course, and I have already registered for session 2. She's also starting one for moms that own their own business, so check out her site!

Great Wolf Lodge.

We took the kids for a surprise stay at Great Wolf Lodge over the weekend and it was such a blast! I'm telling you, this place thinks of everything. Mind you, it's a one time a year event for us as it's pretty expensive, and there are lots of opportunities to spend money once you're there too, but it was a fantastic getaway for our family. Amazing splash park, magic wands that light up and activate different features throughout the hotel, video arcade, onsite Starbucks (for me) and a bar & grille (for E). The best part for me, aside from seeing a very happy family, was that True had just as much fun as every kid there because the staff went to great lengths to feed him all of his specialty items, allergen free. He got sorbet with gummy bears on top, a caramel apple, real french fries that weren't itchy (a new height of bliss for him), specially made smoothies. You name it.

This place rates tops in my book.

Our second home.

This is the simplest idea but last week I set up camp in our second home, our car. I bought a trunk organizer, but you could easily use a big bin for less money. Mine has three compartments, the middle one being an insulated pocket for snacks, water, juiceboxes, etc. On one side I organized all of my reusable shopping bags, and on the other I placed the items we need for various outings each week. Soccer shoes, Hapkido uniform, extra clothes for accidents, and a fully stocked swim bag. I also stocked the car with wipes, bandaids, sunblock, allergy meds, a new stash of books for the back seat, and sunglasses. It seems that this mama who claims she loves the simple life is actually on the go quite a bit, so knowing I'm prepared and don't have to pack snacks, sports equipment, etc. every time is a big weight off my to-do list.

Art camp.

Ofcourse I got some great shots of my kids at Art Camp last week, but check out this eye candy! Don't you want art camp too?

SeaFair.

We had a generous friend take us out all day long on their boat Saturday for SeaFair. It was our first boating adventure as a family and the kids did great! The Blue Angels and other air shows were very exciting for True, as were the times the boat went "super fast!" Carsen was so excited to swim in the middle of the lake and stayed out later with Dad after True and I had had our fill. It was a big success, and we got some fun pics.

A goodbye book.

This is for Wendi, who moved to Michigan last week. The opening page.

Each page notes the everydays and the milestones we shared between our two families.

The "end," but really there is no end. Look how tiny and chubby True was!

The inside of the back cover, to prompt a little love mail!

The big surprise.

So Ethan's birthday turned out to be a big hit. He started the day with a sleep in, a basket full of goodies (some of his favorite treats, art from the kids, a few health & money magazines, a scrapbook layout, and a running arm band for his ipod), and candles in his croissant. We then headed to the Family Fun Center for mini golf, video games, bumper cars, and squirting water boats. Lunch was at the Old Spaghetti Factory, then we had a date of delicious appetizers at La Medusa, with wine and very connecting talks. Hope you enjoyed it, Sweetie!