The Life of Mom

Ok, I know it's been years since I've posted! 
(yes, I'm an exaggerator by nature)

Months?

No- actually weeks,

and only 4 that feel like 8!

My children had all that End-Of-The-Year stuff going on and because they are my priority,

I've put their activities on the top of the list,

consequently,

I've been a little Tired-Mama, and I haven't posted.

I like to keep things like this to remind me of my main life purpose:

But honestly,

with three active children,

I think that, believe that,

and 

sometimes feel like this!

I've used this pic before and it just makes me giggle- note one shoe is missing!

How are YOU holding up?

Just 3 days after school ended

we packed up and headed north to Yosemite.

To cut the trip in half, because of the kids,

we drove to Fresno for dinner,

spent the night in a hotel and headed for Yosemite the next day

  As much as I am a "City Girl",

I love, love the forest and the trees!

I just feel small there.

The trees and forest are SO big!

There is NOTHING like the smell of pine trees and the breeze that rushes through the forest!

I must admit there were moments when I was wondering if I would see a vampire!

(if you have a teen girl, you will get it)

It was so beautiful and the weather was perfect!

We went rafting...

actually, we went "floating".

Not too many rapids or rough water.

 We went fishing...

we went biking...

seriously has been years since I have ridden a bike!

We went hiking in my favorite Mizunos

  Of course, we took a hike to see the Giant Redwoods- so beautiful!

 t reminds me how very tiny I really am in the realm of this earth.

In MY head, I can be very BIG-

you know what I mean?

Being outside in the world gives me perspective. 

I tend to get very caught up in my little life,

I sometimes worry and spend energy on things and ideas that really,

at the end of my life will not matter. 

In fact, I don't really like hiking, mosquitoes, bears or vampires,

but I put aside "my" issues to make memories with my children,

my family.

I only have them for a very short time.

I am one, very small, yet important part of this world,

and so are you.

Enjoy your day today!

That "thing" that you may be worried about, serious as it may be,

is already taken care of -

we are fearful that it would not be taken care of the way WE may want it to be taken care of -

but that is NOT our job-

our purpose is to love others,

today,

in this very moment,

enjoy God's gifts

this very moment,

and be grateful,

this very moment for all that we have.

THIS DAY!!

THIS MOMENT!

       One last picture -

the tiny white dot to the left at about 9 o'clock is one of my children climbing the rocks- 

perspective!

Matthew 6:34

The Message (MSG)

³⁴ “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Psalm 118:24

New Living Translation (NLT)          

                                                   "This is the day the Lord has made

                                                     We will rejoice and be glad in it!"

What about you?

Doing anything fun?

How do you enjoy the lonnnnnnnng summer with your children?

Where is your favorite place to visit?

Summer....

Summer has been SO AWESOME!

This summer we have:

traveled on an airplane, taxi, party bus, boat, pulled on a tube in the bay, driven by car & truck, motorcycle, walked, rode bikes, scooters, boogie boards, and waves.

We've been through the air, on land and in the sea.

We have one more trip left.

But, I'm TIRED!

What about you?

How are you holding up this summer?

Do you enjoy NOT having regular routine

or not?

I LOVE SUMMER,

however,

I LOVE the fact that when summer ends,

school begins.

A schedule and a routine are good things.

Getting up and having breakfast,

a good thing.

Going to school for the 3 R's,

a good thing.

Homework,

a good thing.

Going to sleep at "bedtime",

a good thing,

actually,

a GREAT thing!

Ecclesiastes 3

A Time for Everything

¹ There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Tell me how you are feeling about Summer

coming to an end...

Is it about time to be done or

do you want some more?

What time is it for YOU?

School Is Out, It's Really Out!

Wow, school is out, it is really out!

Hard to believe that another school year has come and gone. My children are leaving 6th grade, 4th grade and 2nd grade and moving into 7th, 5th and 3rd grades. Funny how my mind works, from "Even" numbers to "Odd" numbers this coming year.

When I was teaching, my year would mentally begin in September and end in June.

Every year, I would eagerly anticipate the meeting of my new class. Every class had it's own personality. Some would be easier than others, issues, no issues, good kids and yes, bad kids.

But I regress.

When I was little we would take a driving vacation every year. Every other year, we would go to Colorado to visit family on my dad's side. We would leave at the Butt-crack of dawn ( ha ha) and Dad would always stop at a donut shop to get us some warm glazed donuts right before we would jump onto the freeway. Then he would drive, drive, drive until Mom had to use the restroom or we would need to eat. Mom using the restroom usually came first! Dad would drive into the wee morning hours and I have many fond memories of looking out of the window of our old station wagon (the one with the fake wood panel sticker along the side of the car) and look up to see millions of stars just scattered across the entire sky! The most BEAUTIFUL thing I had ever seen!!!!! I can remember the hum of the car on the highway and it being pitch dark... no one else was on the road except us. Sometimes it felt as if we were flying through those millions of stars like a rocket, silently in space. Everyone would be asleep and it would be so quiet. I sometimes felt like I was cheating by waking up and seeing all the jewels God had thrown up into the sky and then I'd drift back to sleep. What a wonderful memory of my childhood summers. Dad gave us many memories of camping, fishing and great family times.

What are some of your favorite summertime memories?

I hope that if you didn't have any great memories, that you would create them with your own family or friends. It's never too late!

Happy Start to Summer, my friends!