Underachiever

So this is a total rant post so if you have anything else to do, I suggest you do it and skip the rantings of a slacker blogger.
I love to blog surf. Oh yes, I am totally addicted. It must be the thrill of being an anonymous voyeur getting a glimpse of how other people spend their time. I could sit and ignore my children for hours just jumping around blogland. I don't, but I could. The problem with this is I totally hate myself afterward. I see all these fun blogs and I feel like such an underachiever. I do not do what other bloggers are doing. I don't take my children to fun, exciting, wonderful places each and every week for their enlightenment, education, social skills, or just simply to see the joy on their little faces. I do not have my children enrolled in all sorts of activities. I don't can food, cupon clip, shop all the sales, try a new recipe for dinner every night, or clean my house spic and span so all those blog photos will be impressive. I do not update my blog background to make it all cute. (Partially because Cameron doesn't want a "girly blog"). I am not crafty and do not make all sorts of homemade fun decorations to go in my home. I don't even like my home. Enrichment night is probably meant for people like me, but do I go? No. I do not get together with friends for playgroups, dinner clubs, book clubs, or any other club. Just thinking about all of that makes me tired. Usually, I am fine with who I am, but man, when I get to blog surfing, I sure take a hit on my ego. You would think this would get me to stop, right? No no, I will continue on this road to self deprecation, just so I can eagerly peer into other people's happenings. It will still make me tired though.

Bear Lake

We went to Bear Lake for the week. The kids and I went up on Monday and Cam had to stay for school, but came up on Friday night. It was a fun time. We played on the playground, swam in the pools and went to the lake one day. This is us and Aunt Amy on the Water Weenie. Erin didn't like it too much.
This is Cam, Liam and I. Liam is in the middle, you can't quite see him. Liam loved it.


We wiped out and ended up in the lake, (Thanks Greg). We didn't get pics of the wipeout though. It was really fun. Cam and I tried wakeboarding. Neither of us got up, but we both got pretty close. Cam was so so close every time.
Here I am with my white, white legs, done failing at wakeboarding. It was fun. Thanks Williamsens for the fun week. Greg, you did a great job driving the boat! It was a fun time.

The older grandkids.

All the grandkids except Jonas. He didn't want to be in the pic. Can't blame him, it was pretty crazy.

My cute baby boy!!

Liam on the water weenie...is that what it's called? He had fun.

The water was getting in his eyes, so he "needed his goggles". What a stud!!

Lagoon

We took the kids to Lagoon They had fun. Liam especially. That boy could ride rides all day. Erin was a little more ambivalent about the whole experience, but I think as she gets older, she'll like it more. She didn't like getting on the rides, but after it would start, she enjoyed herself.



Liam on the swings...


Erin and cousin Colin. She did like this ride after it started.

She didn't want to go on the merry-go-round until she saw the "kitty".

The Fam...

Puff the Magic Dragon.

Thanks Mur and Kyle for letting us come with you and giving us your tickets!! It was fun!

Not much

I don't really have too much to say. We've been pretty busy this week with playgroups, friends, playing outside, swimming and such. I just never have my camera with me. We're going to Lagoon tomorrow with my sister and her family. That should be pretty fun. Liam is really excited. This last week we went up to Eden to "the Valley" a little place Cam's family used to go to all of the time for vacations and family reunions. It was a fun time. We saw an owl in the tree and it was the first time I had seen a real live owl. I got a couple of pics. This one he opened his mouth and spit something out on the ground. Kind of gross, but cool shot.




This one I thought his eyes were pretty. Talk about bird of prey. Scary huh?

A day in the life...

6:00 am: Erin: Mom? Wate up mom!! 'Mere, mom, Eat!!
Eating, dressing, screaming,
Liam: "Can I take a shower mom? I am four now and I need to take showers every each day. I'm too old for baths mom."
8:00 am: To the store.
Me: "Stay in the cart guys" (repeat 50 times) "No, we can't get candy bud, sorry" (repeat 30 times)
Wrestling, threatening, rocking (Owen), crying.
Nice man in line looking at me holding one child, wrestling with one and telling one he can't get candy: "Boy, you have your hands full!"
Owen: Throws up all over the counter and me.
10:00 am: Neighbor kids over.
Screaming, playing, running
Liam: "Oops mom, sorry, I spilled water all over the counter." (And the floor and the cupboards and the toilet paper and the Q-tips)
Erin: "Me play too!" (followed by tears, repeated too many times to count)
11:00 am: Me: Seriously? It's only 11:00?
12:00 pm: Erin: "Yunch mom, Yunch!!"
Liam: "Yeah mom, I'm hungry, I want red juice and cinnamon rolls! And I want to eat in the living room and watch Spiderman!!"
Me: "No, no cinnamon rolls for lunch and we have to eat at the table."
Screaming, crying, weeping, wailing, gnashing of teeth.
1:00 pm: Neighbor girl still over.
Me: Maybe you should check in with your mom. Does she know where you are?
Neighbor girl: No, she doesn't care, I just have to be home at six. Will you tell me when it's six o'clock?
2:00 pm: Me: Maybe we can go to grandma's and swim in the little pool.
Chorus (including neighbor girl): Yeah!!
Send neighbor girl home.
2:30 pm: Filling up pool. Screaming, crying, feeding Owen
Liam: "No baby, don't squirt me with the water!" Puts Erin in headlock and dunks her in pool.
Erin: Screams "No La La!!" (La La is Liam's name) (Splashes him in the face with water)
Owen: Laughing because his siblings are sooooo funny.
3:00 pm: Liam: "We're done mom! Let's go inside!"
Me: You are so not done! I packed you guys up to come swim and you only swam for 10 minutes!! Keep swimming.
Grouchiness, grumbling, complaining.
4:00 pm: Home again. Coloring.
Liam: (Laughing and yelling) "Moooom, look what Erin did!"
Blue marker all over wall. Where did she get the marker? No idea!
Cleaning, muttering, wiping, drying.
Liam: "Moooom, look at Owen!"
Erin has found yet another marker, (which I thought I'd thrown away) and drawn all over her brother.
Counting to ten, holding breath, leaving room, locking self in bathroom.
Pounding on the door: Liam: Mom, whatcha doing in there?
Erin: Mommy, mom, mom, mom, mom, mommy, mom, mom, mommy.
Owen: Crying
5:00 pm: Me: Let's go outside and play.
Liam: It's too hot!
Me: Yeah, well, too bad, we get to go out and play, yay!!
5:30 pm: Dad home.
Relief, gratitude, happiness.
6:00 pm: Making dinner.
Erin: Pulling chair up to counter "Me do, me do!!"
Me: No, how about you help mom?
Erin Louder "No! Me do!!"
Screaming, crying, tears.
7:30 pm: Me: 'Kay guys, time for jammas and stories."
Both: No!!!
Crying, negotiating, wheedling...
Jamas on, Stories read, Prayers said, kids in bed.
Liam: Mom, will you check on me? Five times?
Erin out of bed, laughing, running.
Back in bed, quieter, quieter, kids asleep.
Quiet, peaceful, Ahhhhhh......
Is it worth it? I sure hope so!!! :)