Just a Little Impromtu Vacation, Full of Gifts

Friends invited us to stay with them at a HUGE, and I mean HUGE lakehouse this past weekend.  The forecast showed ZERO clouds.  The Tootles accepted. 

After turning in a last minute time off request, we headed out Thursday night, and woke to this beautiful site.  I'm reading A Thousand Gifts right now, so the ENTIRE trip, I kept thanking God for anything and everything.  A full drawer of utensils, paper plates, Sammy's smile, the four waverunners, a guest house to sneak away for sleep, sunscreen... I couldn't stop thanking Him for all his little, and big gifts in life. 

This little Toot was such a sweet gift on the trip.  He LOVED the boat rides and waverunners.  Loved the joy he oozed out from every pore of his little body. 

This little gift, while on the tad side of grumpiness, he was such a hoot at times.  Through the whole trip, I kept thinking that I really need to work on his gratefullness.  Wee bit of a whiner on this trip.  Welll, we got home on Sunday, and this little one was curled on the floor, shivering.  Sure enough, he was sick.  (I'll still work on gratefulness (along with myself)). 

Gift of father and son bonding time!

Gift of us being patient enough (after being told by the pool guy) to let the hot tub warm up.  The kids hogged the tub the whole time.  After bed time was our only shot.

Sammy was like a puppy dog on the boat.  He let the wind blow in his hair.  Little bug land on the face... didn't matter to him. 

We had two sunset cruises one night.  A few of us adults strategically figured out how to send all the kids on one boat right, so we could have a gift of nonethingness, and a glass of wine.  This is what came back to us. 

Really enjoyed the moms/friends on this trip.  The kids hardly ever wanted their picture taken.  When it was our turn, the little ones popped in. 

Sammy got a hold of the gift of sunscreen and applied until it was gone.  Sorry Shannon.  (gift of a forgiving friend).

 These sweet little faces found a slug, yes slug.  And, being the cute, precious girls that they are, created a home for it.  Nice work! 

Any picture with my boys is a gift to me. 

Camera Phone Diaries

The past two weeks have been a little bit of everything. From a nice dinner with Nama Dotty to an ER visit, we did it all!

1. We've been enjoying the warm weather. I'd say the "unusual warm" winter weather for us but really it's not. Flip flops are worn with a fleece jacket. Uggs worn with shorts.



2. We were a house-of-sickies for way too long. Check out the coon-eyes on that girl!



3. Ryan's class dressed up as clowns one day. Since our house was one big infirmary, Mimi and pop pop took the kids to get better there, so rod and I could get better here. While there Mimi created the best in show clown costume! Ryan looked adorable!






4. We had a movie night (still sick). So nice to lay low. The kids loved it.



5. Ryan and I had a lunch date after church. Love getting one on one time with him.



6. Soon after our Sunday lunch date, I started cooking a big pot of taco soup. As I was smashing the recyclables down to make more room in the can, I cut my finger on the lid of a can I had just opened. Off to the new Baptist standalone ER, five stitches and we were back home in time for the Oscars.



7. I graduated Ryan to the boxer-brief underwear. Doesn't he look so cute in them?!? He loves them because they "mean he's getting bigger.".



8. We got better! Started JuicePlus!




9. I got a date night alone with Nama Dotty! We went to Cheesecake Factory and such s nice evening. So much food! We joked that she was going home from a grocery trip.


She looked so pretty for our date night!



10. The kids had Community Helper week. Ryan dressed as a fire fighter.




11. Went to La Gloria and enjoyed my girlfriends and kids! Love, love this place. Perfect for kids and allows for a fun, hip atmosphere for the tired parents.








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