2nd Day of Thanks&Giving - My Boys

I am so lucky to be the mother of three awesome boys. I am thankful that they a healthy, safe, growing, learning, loved, and that they are able to just be boys! They have helped me to grow and become a better person. They make me laugh (and sometimes cry) everyday. I love teaching them and seeing them develop as people. So many times I have sat in the dark at night holding them and thinking how blessed I am to have them safe in my arms and to be able to care for them. I love my boys and I LOVE being mother!

According to Amnesty International, approximately 250,000 children are fighting in armed conflicts around the world, and hundreds of thousands more are members of armed forces that could be sent into combat at any time. Recruitment of these child soldiers starts at age 10, although younger ages have been recorded. Easily coerced, they are forced to commit grave atrocities - much of it beyond our naive comprehension.

Although some change is happening in Uganda, there are many countries in Africa and elsewhere where this is still occurring and causing many children, even those who have not been abducted or "recruited", to live in fear. I'm glad that there are people working for the rights of these child soldiers and working to help them regain their lives.

Don't forget to pause the music at the bottom.

1st Day of Thanks&Giving - Access to Medical Care

And so begins the 13 days of Thanksgiving . . . as we countdown the days until our one day a year of allowed supreme gluttony, I will join the many others who have been posting all the things they are thankful for. Also, since this time of year seems to remind us to give, I will share stories of people giving to those in need to make you even more grateful (hopefully) for the all the blessings we may sometimes take for granted.

I am thankful for the great medical care that is availiable to us in this country. Aside from whatever Obama or and politicians decide, there is no doubt in my mind that I am blessed just to be in this country. I am thankful that when my child is sick, I can take them to the doctor, they will be given medication that will, usually, be covered by my insurance, and I can bring them back to their nice cozy home where they will recover. I am thankful that we can recieve vaccinations for diseases that should have been irradicated long ago, but are still killing children in the developing world. (maybe one day I will get through my tears enough to post my story about my experience with malaria this summer in Uganda). I am thankful for emergency care and the comfort I have to know that I can dial three numbers and someone will rush to my aid without question. Mostly, I am SO thankful that when I am pregnant and when I deliver my children, or have them surgically removed, that I have access to a clean hospital and to educated medical personnel that I can trust.

Medical services in a developing country are far from adequate. Most of us are ignorant to the complications that can come from going through childbirth in unfathomable circumstances of poverty. Have you heard of fistula? While it sounds selfish to say that I am glad this is no longer a problem in the United States, I am also glad to know that someone is changing women's lives in countries that aren't so lucky. You need to watch this (at least part one).

If you want to see more, check out this documentary A Walk to Beautiful.

Why is there a "V" today?

This morning Corbin checked his lunch menu as he does everyday to see if he likes what they are having at school, or if he needs to bring lunch from home; then he asked "Why is there a big "V" on today?" I remembered today was Veteran's Day and he said "Oh yeah, we're singing to all the army guys today". I asked him if he knew what Veteran's Day was all about . . . "uh, no, not really". So I gave him the short version. Tonight we will talk more about what it means and why we are so blessed to have people that are willing to serve.

I will tell him about his Grandma, who recently passed away, and his Grandpa who served in World War II.

I will tell him of Colton's namesake, his great-grandpa, who left this earth the day Colton was born, and who also served with pride in the U.S. Army during World War II.

If we were in Denver, I would take my children to Fort Logan Cemetary and show them, along with their family members, all the people who have given their lives in service of this great country.

We will talk about our neighbor who recently returned from Afghanistan, and his friends' dad who is gone to training in preparation for their move overseas. Sometimes I think that I have it hard since my husband is only home a few nights a week, or a few days a month - but then I think about all the military wives who have sacrificed so much more (click here for a great article entitled "Lessons from a Military Wife").

For years I was apathetic and mostly ignorant about those who serve and fight for our country, but as I learn more, read more, and talk with people more about it, I have come to have a different and more sympathetic outlook. I have so much respect and gratitude for those who serve in whatever capacity - policeman, firefighters, military, coast guard, etc. Thank you for your selflessness!

Trick or Treat

Not too many stories to tell about Halloween this year. I always love seeing my kids dressed up in their costumes and they love trick or treating.

Ready for trick or treating on Main Street . . . I was a gypsy ( it started out as a fortune teller, but the boys lost my awesome crystal ball and I was no longer able to foretell the future). We used to love the Main Street Trick or Treat, because it gave us something fun to do during the day on Halloween, but now there are SO many people; I don't know that we will do it again next year. We may have to find some other fun activity - any ideas?

At any rate, it was fun and Corbin's costume was VERY popular. At first he really didn't like everyone pointing and commenting, but I explained to him that this was a good thing. It meant that they liked his costume and they thought he looked awesome. By the end he was totally proud of it and was smiling from ear to ear every time someone said something.

Corbin and I had been looking at lots of costume ideas in magazines and online and when we came across this, we knew it was just the one for him. He picked yellow because that was his favorite color. I made the hat a little different than the one we saw, and I think the whole costume turned out pretty sweet.

Cody found this costume in our costume box weeks ago, and has loved it ever since. Aside from the fact that we always call him "Cody-bug", I think it totally fits his cute, busy little personality. I loved watching him run around cause the little bum would wiggle as he ran from one person to the next. I also loved that he refered to him self as caterpillar ("Caterpillars love suckers", as he opens yet another piece of candy), and we were expected to do the same ("Mom, you have to say 'Caterpillar wash your hands, not Cody wash your hands'").

Have you ever seen a cuter monkey? Colton's costume was very fitting as we have called him "Monkey", or "Monk" for short, since he was about 9 months old and would do this cling on thing with every time you held him. Plus he has these scrawny little arms and legs and can manuever like only little flexible 1 year olds can. He's just so cute! I wanted to paint his face like a little monkey, but I figured that wouldn't work so well, since I spend half my day wiping something from his nose, mouth, chin, etc. Colton spent most of the day with a sucker or other piece of candy in his mouth. My only consolation was that he drooled most of the sugar onto his outfit and he rarely actually finished what he was eating before moving onto the next piece.

Back at the homestead we got ready for some more trick or treating around the neighborhood. I love where we live, it is so kid friendly! Although, thanks to Russ's awesome webbing skills, some kids were afraid to come to our door - there were several parents who came bearing their child's bag.

As we headed out that evening, Cody decided he would rather hang around with Dad and play, so I pushed Colton around while Corbin trick or treated with Hermoine and a storm trooper (aka Nadia and David).

Room Mom

Is that really PC? What if a dad wanted to come bring treat and do crafts with their kid's class? Well, I am one of many "room mothers" for Corbin's class this year, and it is so fun! There is a "head room mother", and I think I am glad I don't have that job. I did get to do the craft and the snack for the Halloween party though. I loved seeing all the kids' costumes.

Corbin was an M&M, because he didn't think his other costume was very conducive to normal school activities. He was excited to see that his teacher was an M&M too.

For the craft, the kids could choose if they wanted to make a spider or a mummy. Most of them chose the spider (which was a good thing, because it turned out to be alot easier.) I think they turned out pretty cute. The funny thing was that all the kids were like, "Do I get to take this home?"

I also brought Halloween pretzels shaped like pumpkins and bats and made monster face apples that looked this. It was actually hard to get creative with snack, because of all the rules about what you can and can't bring to school any more. Nothing "homemade" is allowed. I think the apples were borderline, but who's gonna tell?

I think Corbin had fun, and so did his room mom. :)

Playgroup Preschool Party

I think I need one more P for it to be really good alliteration. At any rate, we had a super fun Halloween party with Cody's little preschool (thanks Jennifer!).

We got to play with slime, paint pumpkins, feel a real taratula skin, make balloon ghosts, eat monster face apples, make jack-o-lantern pizzas, and practice trick or treating (and saying thank you). Of course, Colton thinks he is part of the whole thing and has fun participating in all the activities.

"You have the coolest dad ever!"

Corbin was very proud to have a fireman for a daddy after all the accolades he recieved from his classmates. Russ went to visit Corbin's class and talk to them about fire safety, etc. And I snuck in to watch - I kinda like seeing him all dressed up, too. :)

Is competing with your husband healthy?

In this case, yes. So Russ and I are having a little competition (you can cheer for me, it's okay, I won't tell him), and the winner gets to choose whether we are going to Alaska or Africa next summer. Can you guess which one I am rooting for?

It's all about healthy habits - not dieting or losing weight. We are going until January and the one with the most points wins, end of story. So here's how it works - everyday you get one point for each of the following:
--No Soda, Etc (any empty calorie drinks)
--No Treats (this one you can actually get negative points if you eat more than one treat)
--Exercise (doesn't matter what, how long or how many times - just something)
--Eat Healthy (this means no chips, french fries, or anything you feel you have to sneak)

After one month, I was only ahead by 2 points. Now a couple weeks have passed and with Russ having one bad week, I am ahead by 9 points. We'll see what happens this week though - I have really faltered since my brother has been here, and I have two days of meetings this weekend, where I will probably sit around eating treats and drinking caffeine to stay awake. (Maybe I will have to leave Russ with something yummy to try and sabotage his weekend as well. he he.)


So I have had a bit of an extra challenge in this competition as I have been having serious problems with my hip. Just walking my son to school left me limping around like an 80 year old man. So I had to come up with something else to get my exercise in each day and here's what I found: The one-hundred push ups challenge. Check it out, see what you think; and maybe you will join me! I am on week 3 and still going strong. I will keep you posted on that one.

Wish me luck!

I just can't let it go!

Ok, so this post is a little over due, but it still holds true. Although I love colored leaves and football and fall decor (more on fall to come), I have a seriously hard time letting go of summer. For one, I love the outdoors and there are just so many fun things to do in summer. Once it gets cold, everyone shuts themselves up in their houses and there is no more visiting out in the street every night while the kids ride their bikes.

Besides all the previously posted excitement - Bear Lake, 4th of July, Fish Rodeo, Africa, the Maxwell Reunion, etc., etc. - here's what I love about summer:

Playing at the park:

Running through the sprinklers:

Digging in the sand pile:

Camping in the mountains:

Shaved Ice and Otter Pops

Swimming at the Payson pool:

And of course, playing with my boys:

What do you love about summer?

It's all about me

click on it if you can't read it very well.

PS Do you know why today is all about me? ;)