Ruidoso 2010

SORRY! (suzanne especially!) I have been soooo busy! Stop rolling your eyes at me...those of you who think I do nothing all day but watch soap operas! I got asked a few months ago if I would give 2 teacher workshops in Vernon. Of course I said yes...and it took me a while to get back in THAT mindset...needless to say...from the moment we got back from Ruidoso until NOW...that has been all I think about or work on in my free time. I also taught a teacher workshop to sunday school teachers (that was awesome). During this time I started keeping my friend Alana's 2 little girls since she is going back to work teaching. While they are ANGELS and suuuuuuch a blessing to my kids lives...having 4 in the house most of the day is a lot of work (props to you Amy!!!). Soooo....please accept my apology for not blogging and know that it's not just because I'm lazy!

RUIDOSO:

Remember how I posted about how we go to the Mescalero Indian Reservation every year? WELLLLLLLLLL...2 years ago Ruidoso COMPLETELY flooded (watch video)



(we were supposed to go camp THE DAY after this...imagine if we'd been there...when the video said, "mescalero"...that's the rez...we would have been wiped out!!) It never has been repaired. Of course we never figured this out until we pulled up to the gate with our trailer and pickups and the gate was locked. URGH. We drove around for about 2 hours and finally found a decent campground. It turned out to be GREAT...not as shaded and secluded as the rez...but was quiet and peaceful and had GREAT river access. The kids LOVED it! Digging and building train tracks...what more could they ask for?


They WERE having a bear problem...the first 2 nights...no problems. THEN on the FINAL night I woke up to a SNORT (if you've been around bears....you KNOW a bear snort)...and it was right in my ear (due to both kids finding their way into my sleeping bag...my face was literally poking out of the tent...not OUT of it but you know). I screamed and Justin got mad at me (why? I'm not sure??? Denial?) ANYWAY...within 20 minutes we heard a NEW sound...I figured a baby bear got lost and the momma bear was searching for it...Daddy and Justin drove all around the empty campsites (we were the only ones there) spotlighting for it...found nothing. They figured it was a dying deer....who knows...all i DO know is that it was still making that sad/painful noise when we left the next day!


Overall a fun trip...but MAN were we ready to be home! 3 nights with no baths is a LOT...but the kids loved it!! Looking forward to the next time! Cole talks about it ALL the time! "I want to go camping tomorrow" is what I hear a lot! Here are a few pics!

Nook!!

I finally got a Nook! Happy early Birthday to me!!! I've been hesitant to jump on the "e-reader" bandwagon for a while. I like books, I like to look at my books, etc. However...one day I was talking to my dad and he said, "I love that you love to read...but think of all the boxes that you move EVERY time you move and how much space all those books take up!" Well...little do most people know...you see a lot of books in my house...but I have probably 6 more boxes (or more) of books in the attic. I have my "girlie trash" books in my closet (sookie stackhouse books, twilight) and my favorite fictions that just don't look pretty in my living room bookcases.

Needless to say...I love my nook! We got the 3g/wifi one and while the SWEET employees at Barnes & Noble in Lubbock helped me set it up...I downloaded 15 free books. Pride & Prejudice, Anna Karenina, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfeld Park, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion (just to name a few!) It literally took 5 seconds! I walked out of that store with 15 books in one tiny nook! As we were driving home I bought 2 more books (Literary Sweet potato Guernsey society or whatever it's called...ALANA!) and then today I bought 2 more :)

I can access facebook on it...and it's pretty decent! I'm wondering if I really even want an ipod touch anymore! I DID download a newspaper...and I wasn't that thrilled with it...but it was ok if you really wanted it.

Overall I am so happy with my purchase! It's the most expensive thing I've ever bought for my own personal use...so that was a bit scary...but I LOOOVE it!!

After I got my nook I met up with my sweet YOUNGEST cousin...Alyssa! She will be attending Texas Tech in a few weeks & is here for Spirit Days with her mom & dad. I'm sooooo excited for her!! It was so cute to see her with Fred & Laura! They both went to Tech and are just as excited as her. I can't wait to do that with my kids!!!

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!