swim lessons - GABE CAN SWIM!!!

For the 2nd year we went to Mrs. Shannon's outdoor pool for summer swim lessons. Shannon worked with Gabe, and guided Corey and I through a "Parent Tot" class for Gavin and Grant.

She is GREAT!
Gabe loves the water and is BRAVE!

Here he is practicing with goggles.

Here Grant is practicing with goggles, HMMM.....

Gavin was the one who liked the water least. By the end he wasn't screaming, clinging, and crying. When I wasn't there, the 2 youngest did so much better!

Here is Gabe who can hold his breath FOREVER, kick like crazy and SWIM like a fish. By the end he could do about 12 feet alone/solo swims! Rock on!!!!!!!!!!!

Working with Gavin, Mrs. Shannon working with Grant! Fun summer!

Zoo Pass - The BEST!!!

Our family was blessed with a ZOO PASS from my parents for the 3 boys for their birthdays!

I loved the idea of nicer, bigger, longer lasting items that ensure more play time vs. a cheap toy that they won't like next week. So THE ZOO PASS was the jackpot resulting in family time, learning time, outdoor exercise, and a love of nature and animals.
Our boys ADORE the zoo and we have gotten our moneys' worth ten times over. Plus, we have been able to BLESS others since we get 1 person in free each time PLUS free parking and a discount on TRAIN RIDES. OH YEAH, you heard right. THE ZOO TRAIN!!! :)

What a Zoo, and we couldn't love it more!! :)

Spanking Chart

So, one late summer day Gabe tells me, " These boys are getting in A LOT of trouble Mama. You should make them a spanking chart so that they can remember and learn to BE GOOD."


Eesh... I guess if the 4 year old has HAD IT, then maybe I need a spanking chart ASAP.


Now Corey and I have already had this discussion before: what qualifies for a spanking?



1. Lying
PICTURE- When your mouth doesn't tell TRUTH

Verses- Prov. 4:24 , 12:22, Exo. 20:16

2. Hurting others

PICTURE- When you do something mean with your hand, foot, or teeth and make someone cry
Verses- Rom. 12:10, 13:10 , Mark 12:31, John 13:34-35

3. Unsafe behavior

PICTURE- Going on the road without a parent, getting into medicine, not listening, bike safety

Verses- Rom. 12:1 , Prov. 4 : 10-11 (all of chapter 4 is good for this one!)

4. Defiance

PICTURE- Saying NO to an adult in charge (mainly parents) or deciding to say NO in your heart, deliberately disobeying

Verses- Eph. 6:1-3, Prov. 13:1

So I made the chart. Complete with VERSES and pictures. It is horribly done by a professional standard, but has been HUGE in consistency for COREY and MYSELF. The pictures make it age appropriate and the verse show WHY Corey and I MUST discipline our children.

SPANKING ~ Yes, Corey and I spank. For these things~ yet other items fall into these categories when they DEFY us. Spanking is done quickly (drop what we are doing by sending them to their room and quickly following them in there), respectfully (not in angered and is explained calmly VERY EASY WITH THE CHART AND VERSES THERE!), privately ( door shut from extremely interested brothers), firmly (with a wooden spoon on bare buns - yes it hurts them and we mean for it too as a DETERENT of future behavior) and lovingly (ending with Kisses/Hugs/Snuggles, resolution and ideas for "next time in that situation you will.... ).

• I really car about this issue and would love any feedback on the verses, more for me?
• What do you feel requires a spanking in your home?
• How are you consistent?
• How do you go about the spanking vs. disciplining process?
• What do you use to change behavior besides spank?

My desire is to raise up GODLY, strong, wise men who are loving, respectful, hardworking, generous and loving. I think the foundation is started here. So I would love any response or feedback.

Raising kids is HARD work and not for COWARDS!

God bless,

Karen

The FORTRESS!

So we had some extra boxes in our garage, and Corey was goofing around with his three little disciples (the 3 G's) and because he is World's Best Daddy (WBD), he built them a FORTRESS. Why - just because he loves them and wants them to KNOW they are loved deeply! Yes, it is one GIANT computer box, one medium kid BBQ box and a small shoebox sized box. Later trapdoors and chimneys were added because, ya know, he's WBD! :)

So here are the 4 handsome guys in our garage/ second play room!
Now suddenly Corey challenges the boys to trust him and climb through. Here begins the "miracle." Ridiculously small box - they trust him and all make it. Probably because he is the WBD!!


Grant (a.k.a. the biggest chicken of them all, but a DADDY's BOY) goes first.

such a tight squeeze that they can't make it with their heads straight.

"I did it Daddy. I B(r)AVE!"

Here comes Gabe, deciding hands out front or in the back doing the fish dance.

figuring out the cocking the head sideways!

Ta-Da! Made it just fine, especially with Mommy and Daddy cheering him on and Corey coaching him!


Here comes wild man GAVIN!

Trying out the possibility of one hand out front/ one back. No room. He did a SuperMan with Corey pulling him out!

No sweat! Just needed a helping hand from the WBD!

Ahh, the fortress!

Now, this fortress soon was markered day one, crayons day 2, paint day 3, glue sticks and scissors and old magazines day 4, and flashlights were day 5. Yes my kids played constantly with this fortress for 5 blessed days! Thank you Corey for being the WBD and giving me practically a 5 day vacation! Loved that FORTRESS!

We decided we needed more LEGOS!

We decided that we needed more LEGOS. Here is what our boys could build before Corey and I spoiled our kids! Small towers, and while that was fine for one child ~ if all 3 boys wanted to build which I THINK WAS EVERY TIME, then we ended up fighting or crying.

Blah! I told Corey that we needed more LEGOS. Now my husband never does ANY THING half way, so he found some LEGOS on Craigslist. 16 FREAKIN' POUNDS of LEGOS! Seriously, $35 later we were the proud owner of 2 large fruit boxes full of legos. My boys (and their Daddy) couldn't be more thrilled and awaiting building time!

So, let the building begin!

This is Gabe and Corey's creation. The ENTIRE coffe table in width and length and about 3 feet high!

The hats ~ dunno! I guess that is how they roll!

Every angle of this silly thing is TOTALLY impressive!

Boy are we blessed with the world's best Daddy!

Children spell LOVE " T-I-M-E "

I have been off the computer for awhile due to a few things:

1. Children spell love " TIME "

2. Summers are the BEST in the Pacific Northwest. Meaning that we can get outside in the sunshine.

3. Summer is not near as scheduled or rountine oriented.

4. My boys are YOUNG, and they don't stay small. My boys are young and still ADORE their mommy and I will cherish every minute of the snuggling, conversations, giggles, games of chase and more. (I cannot not do that when I am on the computer, because I am preoccuppied. I was checking out FaceBook, Craigslist, E-bay, blogging, and doing e-mail. None of those 5 things NEED me, and they were taking me away from 3 precious, little boys who DO NEED me, desire my attention, need training in obedience and manners, need guidance and discipline, and need teaching through all the little discoveries of daily activities. I am privledged to be a mom. Many ladies desire to be a mom and are not ABLE to have children. I work/strive to take parenting these 3 blessings seriously and do a GREAT job.) So, long story short- I went almost off-line.

So, this summer we played, laughed, camped and had a BALL. I had so much fun, we all did! The sad thing was, that at the park (store- restaurant - mall - playland - fill in the blank) most of the other moms were so busy still being on-line. They were TEXTING. Their parents were so preoccuppied. They weren't playing with their children, watching them, visiting with them, talking with them, teaching them, laughing with them. They were TEXTING. The parents were there physically, but they weren't THERE for their children. The sad thing was is that the children CRAVED their parent's attention and the parent's were TOO BUSY TEXTING.

That is so sad and ridiculous. It is a small rectangluar BOX. It isn't ALIVE, it doesn't LOVE you, it doesn't NEED you and all these parent's are losing precious time with their children.

Children don't stay young. Children will some day desire to hang out with their friends over their parents. Children grow up, quickly.

So now I am still Facebook free (about 3 months! YEAH ) Not such a Craigslist junkie, decided to sell on E-bay and make money as opposed to aimlessly checking out STUFF, do e-mail every 3 days, and decided to only blog during naptime.

Yes, fall is here. Gabriel is in PRE-SCHOOL and rountines are back in place. We are all dressed, bathed, fed, beds made and teethbrushed by 8:45 am to be at Little Lambs Pre-School by 9:00 am. He is loving it and has made a bunch of new friends. I am getting extra time with Gavin and Grant, Gabriel is learning oodles, Corey and I are blessed beyond imaginable, and our lives are happy, organized and prioritized.

I changed my blog look!!

So what do you think? I FINALLY figured out how to change and update the look of my blog. I know how to change out pictures, add new backgrounds and new header templates. Ahh... I am LEARNING! Well, and I have a fabulous friend named Laurel who is sweet and HELPS me a WHOLE lot! So I will soon be back in the blogging world I have a list of 17 items/ blogposts that I want to do!

So today during nap time, let the BLOGGING begin!!!

I am thrilled to be establishing our fall rountines again with the start-up of pre-school.

See you this afternoon! Ta-ta!!!