1st Day of School

So here we are the start of the 2013 school year!!!

 

Angela is starting middle school (know as Jr. High when I was her age) and is in the 7th grade and 12 years old.

Connor is in 1st grade and is 6 years old.

Emeric is just waiting for his time to start school and he is 3.

Angela's B-Day

12 Years Old!!

That feels really weird to type.  I am not ready for her to be 12 because that means she is almost a teenager.  She is pretty excited though. 

 

She started out celebrating on her actual birthday by waking up extra early!!  We went out to breakfast at the Luna Park Café.  It is not too far from Brian's work so he was able to come with us.  Then it was back home for some gifts and lazing around.  Lucky for he she does not have school on her birthday.  That evening we went out for dinner at Blue C Sushi which is at the South Center Mall.  The sushi moves along on a conveyor belt and the kids (especially Angela) thought it was great to watch them come around and to pick which ones you wanted. 

 

She is hugely into Percy Jackson stories/movies right now so she needed to have a trident on her cake.

Blowing out the candles and making a wish seemed super easy.....

that is until the relit themselves (darn mom and some sneaky trick candles.

She was quite particular in what she wanted for her cake.  I was German chocolate cake with a peanut butter cream filling and a milk chocolate frosting.  Then there was coconut flakes sprinkled on top and the trident decoration. 

 

She then got to celebrate her birthday again on Labor Day weekend while we were camping.  She got very spoiled by all of the family.  She was pretty sure that turning 12 was AWESOME!



Up-Late

On June 1st...or would that be the 2nd...well which ever, it was midnight between the two. 

We had ourselves an up-late date.  We got the kids our of their snug beds and got in the car and headed down to Madison. 

There is this dessert place that I had heard of called Fried and Fabulous.  It is only open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from Midnight to 3:00 AM.  Perfect college kid bar hours but not so good for a family.  Well since we knew we were moving I wanted to try it out once.  They serve foods (desserts & other) deep fried in funnel cake batter.  It sounded very gluttonous.   

 

We got there and picked out some fried treats: Oreos, cookie dough, cheesecake and an ice cream bar.

It was super rich but fortunately with Brian's smart thinking we brought some milk to help wash it down.    All three kids were a little confused at why we were doing this but after a bit were okay with their weird parents.  Angela and Connor liked it.  Emeric wouldn't try any.  That was weird since he normally eats from sun up to sun down.  That must have been the problem, the sun was down.  The next morning he was ready to try it, good thing there were some leftover Oreos.  I am glad we got up to try something as silly as that.

Moving

As I mentioned in the previous post, Brian and I had a week together to find our rental.  We drove and search and visited possible options the entire week.  We thought we were either going to be an hour to an hour and a half from Brian's work or in something way too small for all of us.  We were getting discouraged.  Then at what seemed like the last minute I found a house.  It was two stories, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a little over 1800 square feet and it had plenty of room to park all of our extra vehicles.  The relator could not get us in so Brian and I drove over and peeked in the windows.  The best part about this house was the fact that it is 15 minutes from Brian's work.  We called and left a message for the relator that we would get them the deposit tomorrow but we wanted the house.  The next day we got inside to see it.  Brian was able to get a break from work to see it too.  We grabbed the application and that night we had it and our deposit turned in.  The next day I headed to Colville for two weeks.  We kept waiting and waiting to hear if we got it.  That was an anxious time because we knew our credit and history were good enough to get it but we still had to wait.  Finally, almost a week later, we were given the green light.  Yahoo!  Unfortunately Brian had to work the two weekends that I was gone so he was unable to help do any moving.  We were fortunately able to borrow a trailer so we didn't have to rent a moving van again.  Due to the amazing kindness of many people we got the trailer loaded in two days.  Then we drove over the hill (aka: across the state and over the pass) on Friday August 16th.  Then unloaded everything on Saturday August 17th.

 

After moving in, I realized that there was a lot to be done.  It was things that I must have looked over when we did the walk through.  Basic deep cleaning things and some minimal repair things.  Nothing that is impossible.  I will try and get some pictures posted soon, although they won't be before pictures, just after ones.

Summer

This summer has been crazy busy.  Not the busy of vacationing and sports and camps etc. that a lot of families have done but other things.  We were moving, learning our new area(s), driving across the state, camping, moving, driving across the state, unpacking and just living the daily monotony.  Sometimes when I think of it, it sounds awful but I have really had a great summer. 

 

We moved into the campground and spent two weeks there.  Then for the 4th of July, we spent a week camping on the beach.  It was beautiful sunny weather.  The temperature was in the high 90s to low 100s the entire week.  We ate, swam, boated, ate some more, played, drank and just had a wonderful time.  It was the kids and I (because Brian had to work - although he did join us for the end of the week), my parents, my brother, then two of my aunts and uncles.  On the 4th my two cousins, their spouses and three nieces and nephews showed up.  Plus a handful of other family and friends.  It was one busy beach.  The following week we stayed at my parents house and the kids participated in VBS. 

 

Next up, two more weeks in the camper.  Then Brian and I got our weekend away.  My parents took the kids for a week.  That was great for Brian and I to have that time together.  We went out and enjoyed each other.  We also worked super hard to find our rental house.  I then went to my parents house for two weeks.  The kids had swimming lessons then.  At the end of the two weeks we loaded all of our things up to move to the coast (more on that in a later post). 

 

There you go, in three paragraphs you have got an entire Jamison summer!  Crazy! 

 

 Angela colored the boys with chalk so one is blue and the other is red.

 

 Walking the plank!

 

 Another one off the plank.

 

 Driving Grandpa's pontoon boat.

 

 Jumping off the high dive on the last day of swimming lessons.

 

Playing "Killer Whale" at swimming lessons.  Emeric is dead center in the goggles and Connor is just to the right of him with his back to us.

A Weekend Away!!!

On July 26th-28th we were very blessed (by our Jamison parents) to get a weekend with no kids.  We drove over on Friday and dropped them off.  Then we went to check into our hotel room.  When we opened the door to our room, to our surprise, it was already occupied.  There was luggage and other things spread around the room.  After getting a new room we relaxed and enjoyed our evening.  Saturday day we bummed around, just enjoying time with each other.  That evening we went out to Adventure Dynamics in the Nine Mile Falls area of Spokane for a couples date night. 

(Brian taking the leap of faith)

 

 (Laci taking the leap of faith)

 

 

It was so much fun working together to complete the various low and high ropes activities.  The next day we went for a run and then picked up the kids.  It was really nice to have the weekend away especially with all of the stress of moving and changing jobs.

Our Summer Home

We have been living at the Trailer' Inn RV Park in Bellevue for the past five weeks.  It truly has been an experience.  

As you know just under five years ago, when we moved to Wisconsin, we lived in our 5th Wheel for about six months.  This 5th wheel was MMMM feet long.  It had to bedrooms (with doors) and the living room had a slide out that made it a little bigger.  We were there in the winter time so everything was sealed up and we did have to stay inside a lot due to the cold.  Not to mention, there were only four of us in there.

Now, there are five of us (and a cat) and we are living in a 9 1/2 foot camper that sits in the back of our truck.  

The bed over the cab holds Brian and I.  There is a small space beside our bed that is Emeric's "baby" bed.  Angela sleeps on the table bed and the cupboards above that turn into a bunk that Connor sleeps on.  

It is summer time which has been a life saver.  God has been sending us nice sunny weather!!  We have been playing outside a lot.  The kids ride bikes, we take walks, they play at the playground and we go to the pool.  

There are other kids who live at the campground too plus the ones who are here for a little time.  That gives my kids others to play with.  The clubhouse has nice hot showers and a nice coin-op laundry.  

Even though we are pretty squished in the camper, it has been a pretty good summer so far.

RV Park

We have been in Washington for about a month and a half.  The first week was moving from WI to WA.  Then we were in the campground for two weeks.  Next was a week camping on the beach and a week at my parent's house.  Now we are back at the campground.  I will be taking some pictures of the camper and the RV park to show you all a little about where we live, but for now here are a few pictures.

Angela learned that she could fit Emeric on her bike seat (he balances his feet on the top of her shocks) and she can ride him around with her.  He has so much fun being a part of the big kid's activities.

Connor enjoys biking too.

Grandma, Aunt Teri and Hilary came over to visit us.  The kids thought it was great fun to show them around "our space".

I took them out to get their hair cut before we went to spend our week on the beach.  Everything was a little bit shorter for the hot weather.

Angela had a lot of fun jumping off of Grandpa's boat.  Later in our trip Connor and Emeric got into it too and all three of them have been having a lot of fun.  It is so nice that we have a pool here to play in and then the lakes and rivers when we go to visit the family.

Emeric and I took cousin Gabe on a tube ride with us.  Both boys were super brave to go fast behind the boat and they both seemed to have a lot of fun.

Grandma Phyllis enjoyed seeing all of her great-grandkids.  Cousin Jack and Emeric enjoy the snacks and love she hands out.

Grandpa and Grandma took the kids on a 'safari' ride one evening before dinner.  The kids had a great time riding around the property. 

The kids learned a song about a moose while they were at VBS.  They have had so much fun singing it and so many other songs.  I love watching them being so silly.

Now that I have figured out how to get back onto the blog I will try and get a few more things onto here.  Brian and I are way behind on our ABC dating but we do have a T and U planned out.  As soon as we get them in I will update you.  It is much harder to get out on dates when you don't know any babysitters.  Fortunately we have family that will be watching the kids in a couple of weeks so that we can get a couple nights to ourselves.  I am really looking forward to that.  Happy July!!

Weekends

I LOVE  Thursdays!!  These past four and a half years Brian has been mainly working four days per week.  This means that our weekend starts on Thursday evening.  Yes, the kids still have school on Fridays and most Fridays I still have daycare kids but that is beside the point.  For me my weekend begins on Thursday evening once Brian gets home.  Well now Brian is looking to get a utility job which means he would be working five days per week.  It will be so weird to have the weekend starting on a Friday.  I know it means he will be home much earlier every day but I think I will miss our three day weekends.  Enough of my bemoaning!  I will just enjoy the fact that today is Thursday and that the weekend will start in about five hours.

 

 

Happy Wednesday!!

Spiritual Thoughts

I have been reading through the book One Thousand Gifts by: Ann Voskamp with a few women from church.  We were discussing the difference of lamenting to God versus complaining to God.  The author says a lament is a cry of belief in a good God, a God who has His ear to our hearts, a God who transfigures the ugly into beauty.  A complaint is the bitter howl of unbelief in any benevolent God in this moment, a distrust in the love-beat of the Father's heart. *  While we were having the discussion this story (anaolgy) came to mind.

 

Brian and I went rock climbing the other day.  This is not something that we do regularly so I was really feeling the fatigue in my legs and arms.  I was on my last climb for the day and then we were going to get lunch.  I was about half way up and it was getting really hard for me.  I was tired, my fingers hurt and lunch was sounding really good.  I was thinking, "should I just give up and go back down or should I finish this one?"  Quitting was not really an option for me so I decided to finish it.  I tried to grab one more hold.  It just seemed too difficult!  This climb was a bit tougher than others I had done that day.  The holds were either much smaller or pretty smooth.  Either way it was difficult to grasp onto them.  I sat back into my harness to take a little break.  I had already made the decission to finish but the idea of quitting was pressing into my thoughts.  I just didn't know how I was going to do this all by myself. 

Then it clicked!!!  I was not all alone.  Brian was there with me.  Where I was, pressed tight to the wall, I was having trouble seeing the bigger picture.  I could not seem to find the best holds/steps for my tired arms/legs.  So I hollered down to Brian, "where do I go from here?"  What an amazing step that was.  I was able to let go of my inner struggle and listen to him.  From his vantage point he was able to see the whole wall.  He confidently guided me by letting me know where the next hold was.  He was albe to tell me how close or how far it was to get to the easier holds so that I did not have to strain my already tired body.  By listening to him and pushing my body I was able to make it to the top of that wall. 

 

How much does that make you think of our God.  He is so big and so amazing!!  He can see the whole wall.  He can see the BIGGER picture.  When we are exhausted and worn out by life.  When we feel so tired that we can't continue.  When we can only think of quitting because we don't know what to do.  When we feel all alone.  We can just holler out to God!  He will lovingly guide us to our next step and our next one(s) after that.  God wants us to succeed.  He says "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11 (italics are all mine)  All we have to do is take that step and holler out to him!

* Voskamp, Ann.  One Thousand Gifts.  Zondervan Publishing, 2010.  Page 175. 

Rock Climbing

On Friday March 8th Brian and I headed down to Madison while the kids were in school for our "R"date.  We went to the Boulders Climbing Gym the was near Hwy 30 & Hwy 51.  We had a great time trying to push ourselves and each other to new heights. 

These next few pictures show a progression of Brian scaling a wall that caused him to go partially upside down.  It probably would not be difficult if you climbed all the time but I tried it and it was tough.  Brian made it look like a piece of cake!

These out of the "norm" dates sure have been a lot of fun for us.  I have contemplated what we will do when the alphabet is over?  Maybe we will start it all over again, after all, there are a lot of ideas that each letter could stand for.