I cannot believe I haven’t blogged in over a week.  In my defense, it’s been a bit nutty around here.  Last minute camping trip to Geneva on the Lake, school starting, school starting and did I mention school started this week.  Yes, along with getting all the supplies ready and organized and last minute shoe buying, we also had a end of the summer get-together.   These are all very valid reasons for my absence!

I plan on posting some pictures soon of our summer soon.  I also want to talk about our plans for the Fall.  FALL.  I’m dreading winter already.

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The Family in Front of Our Camper...Or is it?

We hit the road last Saturday with our new camper. We stayed close to home for a trial run and all went well! We had a good time together and had a lot of fun learning the whole campground thing.  We made lists and two runs to Wal-Mart and feel ready for a three-night trip this weekend.

A few things I learned:

1) Yes, it is work to put it all up and together, but once it is done you can relax. That was the beauty of it. I actually had time to read, write, nap and listen to my Shuffle. If I had been at home I would have been doing laundry and cleaning or worrying about laundry and cleaning.

2) Kids sleep well after cooking over a fire (pizza pockets and smores) and a three mile bike ride. I should wear them out more often!

3) I learned I can work the special break thing (the technical phrase I’m sure!) for the camper. I practiced in the school parking lot, so as not to cause an accident!  Don’t look for me to be parallel parking anytime soon though.

Meg and Mita Inside the Camper.

Elle and Enu Lounging Away

I Got Caught With Two Smores!

Our Real Camper and Bikes.

Do you have any camping in a camper tips for me?

Okay, I admit, my Question of the Week has turned into Question Only Sometimes? I’d ask for forgiveness, but I’m sure you understand.  This time I have an ever practical question that needs to be answered.

Do any of you remember the old commercials about “ring around the color” in the 1980’s?  I remember them, but don’t remember the treatment for said problem.  Hubby’s wardrobe is being seriously diminished at my lack of laundry savy.  What do you wash your dress clothes in and how do you get rid of  the dreaded Ring Around The Color?

I currently wash with All Free and Clear in cold water (saves energy, but I’m starting to think I need hot water?) and dry them on low before hanging up his pants and shirts.  I am not a domestic godess (obviously) but I need to play one in real life.

Any advice?  Please?

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Sometimes as a parent you may feel like the lessons you are teaching your children are not reaching their brains.  We repeat the same suggestions over and over again and nag the same nag repeatedly.  This past weekend I witnessed several examples of politeness and kindness from my kids that gave my heart a pitter patter of joy!  It is an amazing feeling to watch your kids grow into compassionate people.

Looking back over my parenting successes and failures I have to say that kids learn best through modeling their parents.  If you want them to say please and thank-you you have to say it to them and others. If you teach your kids not to gossip and they hear you talking gossip with your hubby they are getting mixed signals.   Eating healthy teaches your kids to eat healthy and so on.

Easier said than done, I know from experience I promise you.   I want so much for my children:  Happiness, good health, determination, great self-esteem with a great self-perception, and a genuine Faith in God to help them through life.  Through time I realize that I need to make sure that I possess these qualities to model them for my girls.  Not an easy process at all, but how can I push my girls when I am not pushing myself?

Through-out the summer months I have learned that I need to let go of a few things in order to work on myself.  I have stopped teaching my Breast-feeding class at the hospital, I have let people know that I will not be doing the same Girl Scout duties that I did this past year and I have pledged not to say yes to an activity that doesn’t feel like the genuine me.  I had someone tell me this summer that I should say no a lot more.  The thing is I do say no quite a bit.  I don’t participate in things  I’m not passionate about, but  I have noticed that my yes isn’t always as fine tuned as it should be.  I normally say “put me where you need me” when I should be saying “I would like to do this”.

So this year  ( mom years run from August to June, not January to December) I’m working on becoming a better me.  This of course will benefit me.  My hope and prayer is that the benefits spread to my Hubby and my four darling girls who deserve the best mom they can have.

This does not mean I am running for Mother of the Year 2009…no way. I’m waiting until 2010 to go for that title!

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We had a good time with friends at the lake today.  This was Mita and Enu’s first time to a “beach” with sand and all the fun that comes with sand.  They got to learn  what happens when you shake out a sandy towel (people yell at the sand storm) and that there are birds and bird droppings to deal with.

All went well and they had a great time. We beat out the bad weather and were one of three families at the beach at that time, which was lovely and made it easier to keep track of the girls!

A fun day in the Ohio sun!

I just had to share this picture with everyone.  The other day, Meg made me a breakfast of cheese, grapes and oranges in the shape of a face.  Really sweet and yummy.

This is the second photo I have posted of one of my girls giving me food.  Please don’t think all I do is eat!