catching up with August

The month of August has been a busy one and I feel like I've not been good at keeping up with it at all.
We started the month on a high note: Sammy's baptism.  Sammy turned eight in May and we decided to postpone his baptism until all of Kurtis' family came to visit this summer.  When we found out that the Utah crew would be pulling in on Sat August 3rd, I got really excited.  August 3 marked my baptism into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and I was able to watch my son get baptized on the same day in the same place 11 years after his mom.  What made the day more special was the fact that my husband's family was in attendance (minus a few) and my parents and sisters all attended.  Sammy was baptized with his cousin May Lee and we had around 100 people crammed into a small room to see it happen.  Sammy also had two school friends attend which was super fun.  I don't think he knew that he could bring together "school" and "church" so it was a neat experience for him. 
The day started with some surprises.  Kurtis' sisters were supposed to head out on Wed toward Ohio.  Shortly after leaving, one sister had a vehicle break down and they were stuck in Denver until Friday 1:00pm.  Kurtis' mom didn't want to freak me out so she didn't tell me until Sat morning!  Needless to say, it freaked me out!  Around noon on Saturday (the baptism was at 5:00pm), Kurtis' sister called to say that they had driven straight from Colorado and were going to surprise everyone by getting there in time for the baptism!  They made it and it was a fun surprise despite the fear that they wouldn't make it.
In addition, earlier on Sat morning, my mom called to tell me that my great Aunt Fern (my grandpa's sister) had passed away unexpectedly that day.  Grandpa had passed away in April and Aunt Fern was like a surrogate grandma to my kids.  Aunt Fern had a daughter born on May 4 (same day as Sammy) and her daughter passed away when she was still a teenager.  When I had Sammy on the same day, Aunt Fern instantly made a connection to him.  She sent him birthday and Christmas presents, Easter baskets and talked about my kids a great deal.  She felt very close to my kids.  For her to pass on Sammy's baptism day was a crazy thing.  My family and I like to think that she was there for Sammy's baptism.  I think she still feels that connection to him and was watching out for him in a way that we couldn't predict.  It was bittersweet but I found a peace in her passing.
Once all of Kurtis' family made into town, we had what I like to call "Everything Eber week".  Every other year, the whole family meets up in Kettering and we spend about 10 days together just being together.  This year I counted 41 Ebers participating in the festivities!  It is a bit insane!  We  had the baptism of Sam and May, Field Day, went swimming, frisbee golfing, went to Young's Dairy, Cox Arboretum,  Kettering Rec Center and much more!  It was a fun time and we're always sad when we have to see everyone go.  It is particularly hard b/c we only see the children every other year and they grow up so quickly.  Kurtis' niece Kaylee who really gave me a fit for marrying her Uncle Kurtis is now going to college for her freshman year and has a "boyfriend".  I'm just not used to it all yet.

These are just a few pictures of life with the crews. 

After everyone headed back to their respective homes, we had one week to prepare for the beginning of school.  Isabel went with Mommy, Papaw, and Mamaw to the new American Girl store in Columbus!  She's been dying to go and it was a lot of fun for her.  The place was packed and majorly crazy but still, she is worth it!

Lastly school started yesterday for Sam and Isabel.  Sam is in third grade now and honestly, it doesn't really catch me unless I pause to think about it.  I can't believe he is getting so big but I'm so proud of the little man he is and I'm excited to watch him do new things.  Isabel is now in first grade and I have a lot of anxiety for her.  Simply, Isabel is her own person.  She does what she wants....when she wants...how she wants and at times, I fear that she won't do well out in the world where people are not going to cater to her whims.  But I'm excited that she had a great first day and I'm really hoping that this year is a year of growth for her.

Kalen will start preschool on Thursday and I will post about it when the time comes.  Till then................

Sermons by Sam

With Sammy's baptism fast approaching, he's been coming up with some "spriritual thoughts" for me.  I had to share b/c they are quite fun!

While walking in the rain, Sam says "Heavenly Father is like our umbrella.  The rain is like sin.  He keeps the the rain off of us.  Now if we sin, we get our feet wet--like when you walk in a puddle.  Then you just repent and dry your feet off!"
At lunch time today, "We are like pizzas.  God is like the pizza creator.  Satan is the guy trying to eat us.  The more you sin, the more ingredients on your pizza.  As you repent, God will peel off ingredients to make you more delicious."

Well, I don't think he'll convert anyone anytime soon but he's thinking....right?

kids say the darndest things

Thurs night while getting ready for bed, Sam prayed that "Daddy would bring home souvenirs from his trip esp. a hat for him". So a little birdy called Daddy and told him to find a hat that said San Diego. When Daddy got home today the first thing was finding out Sam indeed got a hat that said San Diego. Sam smiled, said thank you, and then replied "I'm a little sad b/c I thought you were in SAM Diego and my hat would have my name on it." oh, for the love......


got the kids the wii game Super Mario bros. some of my favorite quotes so far:
Kalen:"Izzy! you can't die. Now get out there and play it!"
Isabel: "you guys are making me frus-ter-rated! and when I'm frus-ter-rated, I yell!"
Sam: "oh you two! this is not going to end well!"


Lately when Kalen gets excited, he gets very aggressive.  When Kurtis and I try to talk to him about it, he replies "I'm just busy.  I'm a busy guy."  He also likes to tell his dad "Oh, come on!" when he doesn't get his way.

sayings that aren't just cliche...they're true

1.  "growing up is hard to do"--It is hard to grow up.  Sometimes it downright stinks.  You padiddle around hoping to know what you're doing and often, you don't know what you're doing and you're scared that you are not only screwing yourself up but you might be screwing your kids up too!  That doesn't mean that I'd rather be a kid again.  While being a kid allows you innocence and freedom to "be a kid", being adult allows you to find yourself.  Be the person you want to be.  Plus, I get to be a wife and a mom and really those two titles make all the difficulty totally worth it.

2.  "We judge others by their actions but ourselves by our intentions."--I've lived this one today in fact.  My husband will often ask me what I want or if I'm happy and I almost always reply "I just want to be a good person".  I do!  I want to be a good person.  For the most part, I have good intentions.  But I often look to someone and think "they meant to do that" or "they knew what they were doing".  Sometimes, we as people just really don't know what we're doing.  We just try our best and it occassionally blows up in our faces.  And then we have to face saying #1!

 I guess these two statements are on my mind tonight.  I have to type them out.  I have to think through them.  I have to remember that it's okay to screw up.  It's okay to fall over.  The key is to get back up again.

supermom?

Isabel was attempting to read what my t-shirt said.  She finally gave up and asked me "what does it say?"
Me: "Super Mom.  Super Wife.  Super Tired."
Isabel: "well, you are a mom and a wife and you are tired but not you're not super at those things.  You are super at sleeping!"
Me: "Thanks Isabel.  I'm glad you told me those things."

And last night when I said I would like to see a certain movie, Kurtis said he didn't want to see it.  I turned to Sammy and said "maybe we could go on a date Sam, just you and me."
Sam: "I can't date someone who is already married.  But I guess if Daddy says it's okay, I could go in his place."
He's getting too big for me!

Dinner Conversations

Isabel: "I don't want to eat this. Can I just go hungry instead?"
Me: "by all means, go hungry"

Me: "Sammy did you enjoy the cookies I made and packed in your lunch?"
Sammy: "ooh yes, they were delicious as pie. I've never eaten pie but I've been told it's delicious."

ugh, the slacker tis I

Man, I've been telling myself lately, you need to blog, you need to blog, but when I have the time I have no energy and when I have the energy.....well, I never have the energy!  With the two older kids out of school I feel as if I spend all my time trying to keep them all from killing each other which only leaves me ready to strangle someone too!  Motherhood is all about endurance!  So here are some highlights, some good points that I really do want to document, if for no other reason then the fact that one day it may be important that I had this written down.
Sam made Student of the Month in May at his school.  It was kinda a big deal to  me simply b/c he hadn't gotten it any other time in three years of school and I knew he had been working so hard to do well.  His teacher wrote of how he always uses his manners and always tells everyone (and I do mean everyone) to "have a nice day!"  So we got a sitter for the little ones and Daddy and I went to school for a "Student of the Month" breakfast with Sam.  It was just fun to have some time to celebrate him.

The very next week we celebrated Isabel's graduation from kindergarten!  She was great at singing Surfin' USA and jumping on her surfboard on the stage.  My dad and I both cried when they announced her name.  I can't believe she's such a big girl now!  I'm really having a hard time watching the kids get older and letting them go be big kids!  At the talent show, someone gave me flowers for helping plan it and on the way home Isabel said that no one had ever given her flowers so we got her flowers for graduation.  She was excited.  She also would only let me take a picture of her with her teacher if Zeke was in the picture too.  It didn't take too much convincing to get Mrs. Frey to hold Zeke (she likes babies).

And lastly I'll throw in a picture of Sammy on the first day of Cub Scout Day Camp.  He was so nervous the first day b/c he didn't know what to expect but he's had three days of camp now and I think he's enjoying it.  Yesterday he brought home a target on a plate and said that each day they get a chance to shoot the BB gun at the target.  If you actually hit the target then you get to bring the plate home.  He was excited about that!  He has also asked that we practiced BB shooting and archery this summer.  He's got the fever now :)