Ruidoso here we come!!

Monday, bright and early, we go to Ruidoso, NM!! I LOVE Ruidoso!

My grandparents (Rudy & Vera Schwertner) spent their honeymoon there (right?) and traveled there also! They/we have always stayed at the Mescalero Indian Reservation in the Lincoln National Forest. When my grandparents went when my dad & all my uncles & aunts were small...the chief lived on the land in a rock house. The rock house is still there...but abandoned and I don't know where the current chief lives... It's beautiful there!

Justin and I LOVE going and have not been since the summer before I had Cole...so 2006.

My parents and Danielle get to go with us too! I'm glad...Daddy works so hard and deserves a nice relaxing break! He's such a good, hard-working man. He is a police officer and works all day and then comes home to do the work he LOVES...taking care of his place and grandma's place! It's a lot of hard work but he REALLY enjoys it! I'm so grateful to have him as a father!!

As I get older...with children...I love seeing my parents...as a parent myself! Some things you never understood become clear! A love you could never imagine (for your children) changes your life. Before kids I never understood how parents could forgive their kids for various different horrible things they did. But...as a mother...I totally understand! There is NOTHING that could keep me from loving or forgiving my children...over...and over again! I know mine are littles...but there are just some things mommies know!

Speaking of mommies and kids. I have a few friends who are struggling with infertility. They are all at various different areas in the struggle...please lift them up in prayer. I know each will make wonderful parents!!!

If you're still reading...thanks! I'm rambling at midnight :)

Wanna hear a funny story?

The other day Cole came running in my room and said, "Mommy, do you wanna hear a funny story?" I said OF COURSE and he proceeded to tell me that his train was on the track and then fell off...and then he cracked up laughing. haha! I LOVE the things kids say!!

This week I have LOOOOOOVED watching them together. They've played pretty good together. Cole likes for Natalie to help him build tracks. He says, "Thank you Baby! (this is Nat's nickname) You're a good helper Baby!" I LOVE that! haha!! They also love to read together. They sit up on the couch and Cole reads to her. You can hear Natalie asking him, "What that is Bubba?" as she points to something on the page. He says, "That's ______ baby!" haha! adorable! They love each other so much (but then boy do they drive each other bananas too!)

As for me...I've started a new era...I've come up with a cleaning schedule!! I've been a stay at home mom/wife for a year. I keep a pretty clean house...but there's no method to my cleaning...which means I do it all in one day and end up worn out...and nothing gets DEEP cleaned. SOOO...after a few weeks of researching...I came up with this! Hopefully it will help me stay organized when I start keeping the Chisum girls in August! (can i interrupt this post to give you a Natalie quote? "Mommy, I want MORE chocolate milk!" me~"OK...can i get some in a minute?" nat~"hehehehhehe, Ok mommy! I love you mommy! hehehehe")

Monday: Daily Chores, Deep Clean Kitchen & Bathrooms, vacuum, wash Justin's clothes

Tuesday: Daily Chores, Deep Clean Bedrooms

Wednesday: Daily Chores, Vacuum, Wash Kids Clothes, trash, Deep Clean Playroom

Thursday: Daily Chores, Deep Clean Living Room/Dining Room, wash Justin's clothes

Friday: Daily Chores, Vacuum, trash, clean refrigerator out, wash my clothes, Bills

Saturday: Daily Chores, Grocery Shop, Vacuum

Sunday: Daily Chores, Trash

Daily Chores:

• make beds
• wash dishes (or load dishwasher & run it at night)
• sweep kitchen
• Clorox wipe through the house
• pick up bathrooms (swish & swipe...see flylady.net)
• de-clutter for 15 minutes

So far so good! I've done Friday-Monday so far! (OK...I still have to deep clean the bathrooms...but I actually did this on Thursday for a babysitter...so it won't be too bad today!)

I just need a plan...i make running calenders & workout calenders & LOVE it! I told Justin that I'm the world's best employee...because I THRIVE on having someone tell me what to do! I always go ABOVE AND BEYOND. Staying home has been hard because there's no one to tell me what to do. Justin is too scared to do that here :) I actually asked him to and he preferred not to! haha!

July update

I know...I know! I'm horrible at this blog! Maybe its because I've been sick, traveling, working out all the freaking time!!! But I promise to try to be better!!!

Anyway, here is what you want to look at! Maybe I will actually write for a post next week!

about to feed the ducks. Natalie was following Cole EVERYWHERE!!

I was sitting at the table making my grocery list and Cole ran away and came back and said, "look what I did!" ALL over his legs...even his butt!

Going to get the paper for mommy in the morning...they love to do this!

Playing in the rain! natalie showing her "guns up"!

I'm not proud of this one...but its cute...Justin taught him the longhorn sign...

With Auntie Jess...they LOOOOOVE her! (so do I! And today is her 27th birthday!!)

She ran to me saying "CHEESE" (a rare occurrance for her!) And...that's oreo on her mouth :)

Looking at the "agua" (still unsure why they refuse to say water...)

Cole getting the royal treatment from his cousins at Justin's family reunion. He was so scared to climb up the stairs for this water slide...he never did do it...even though they were all so sweet. He ended up climging up the SLIDE part and sliding back down. Silly, silly boy!

Staring at the rain as it POURED for a about 10 minutes in Walburg

Yes...so much to be proud of for this girl! Was actually picking her nose AND sucking her toe before I snapped :)

Danielle & I at the Twilight Trilogy on the opening night of Eclipse. (yes...we were there watching twilight at 7:15pm...and New moon...and then Eclipse at 12:o0am)

My cousin Afton's husband Patrick and their sweet little girl Adeline (Justin & I visited them!) I LOVE this pic!!

Pictures!

It's been a while! So here are a few pics!

Sparklers on July 4th!

Curly, Curly hair!!!

Natalie and her sparkler!

Doing what they do best...screaming and having fun TOGETHER! lol

Jumping in a puddle!

July 4th! (it rained for a week before and most of the day!)

I found them reading together and Cole rubbed his nose when I said to smile for the camera...so Natalie did too...sooo sweet!

I heard Cole "reading" to Natalie and this is what I found when I went in her room! Notice how Natalie's book is upside down :)

Yes...we do a LOT of reading in this house! Most of it involves me reading to them!

Natalie helping Daddy wash the car!

Cole & Justin riding the Go-Cards for the first time! (Quartz Mountain)

Cole was SERIOUS about his racing!

Playing at the beach at Quartz Mountain with Maverick! (he was a great swimmer but I was worried about him!)

Beach!

Cole after the haircut I gave him (my first time...He kept saying, "Don't cut my ear off Mommy!)

Cole's first catch of the season and on his new Spiderman fishing pole!

Happy Boy!!

Checking out the water

Natalie had her own fishing pole too! It was a pink Barbie one!

Well hello friends!

I have HONESTLY tried to blog in the past few weeks, but it seems like blogger has been having troubles (or maybe me?) BUT...here I am! No personal pics (I need to upload them)...but I thought I'd share a litte about what we've been up to!

1. Swimming! We got a membership to a local pool and have been trying to get there often! Cole has FINALLY realized its fun in the deep pool (as long as he has his floaties on and a ring around his belly). Natalie cruises in her "boat". Luckily there's a kiddie pool too that they both enjoy.

2. Mommy & Daddy time! Justin was on vacation last week and we got to spend 3 nights away from the kiddos! We treasure time together (just the 2 of us)...so it was awesome! My sweet mom came to watch the kids and took them to see my abuelitos (grandparents)...pics later. We got to see the cutest baby in the world...Miss Adeline! She's PRECIOUS people! Wait until you see her pic! She was a VERY good baby and her parents are PROS! Only at it for a few weeks and I feel like Afton & Pat are better parents than me! lol! We also went to the "Bodies" Exhibit in Dallas and the Aquarium. Very interesting and fun! We also stayed with Jessica a few nights and hung out at Dave & Busters...I LOVED it!! haha! (bodies exhibit was a little disturbing...)

3. Lubbock! I've been there probably 4 times this summer already! Most recently I went to watch the premier of "Eclipse". We actually started the evening by watching Twilight at 7:15pm, New Moon at 9:30pm and Eclipse at 12:05am. Eclipse is the best so far!!! We all really enjoyed it!

A special thanks to my parents for watching the kids! My mom watched them from Wednesday-Saturday and my dad watched them during the Twilight saga. I'm so glad they are willing to do this...and so glad the kids love every bit of time with them! Yesterday Cole helped grandpa by picking up the grass as he mowed it and he helped him spray weeds on the tractor. He was WORN OUT!