taDA! Labels!

I am working on adding labels to my posts. But currently, you must scroll all the way to the bottom of my blog to find them. I hope this will make my blog much easier to read. I will continue to work on this...give me time, as this blog has been going for almost, what? Seven years!

How Great Thou Art

The view outside my window is so beautiful, it must be fake.

Open Windows

I wonder if Daddy is outside...

There he is!
Maryn likes to greet everyone by honking their nose.

Maryn loves to touch fingers ET style.

Family Fun Nights: Hawaiian Luau

Here are some fun ideas for a Hawaiian Luau everyone will love, just for fun or for a birthday party. This is my latest installment for our family fun binder. :) Please leave any more suggestions you have in the comments section, especially if you know of any good Hawaiian cartoons, movies, or books.

Hawaiian Luau

Teasers: Serve a Hawaiian breakfast of pineapple, ham and cheese omelets and a coconut treat. Or start decorating for the luau before anyone is awake. Or…casually greet your family in your swim suit, lei, and sunglasses as soon as they wake up, saying, Aloha! Find other Hawaiian words here.

Preparations: Here are a few ideas to build excitement during the day as you prepare for the luau in the evening. You can also buy fairly cheap Hawaiian decorations at Party City or through Oriental Trading.

Grass Skirts and Leis with Ziti: http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/sew/feature/famf88fantasy/famf88fantasy7.html

Coffee Filter Flowers: http://www.familycorner.com/family/kids/crafts/coffee_filter_flower.shtml

Homemade Leis: http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/luau/lei.html

Pineapple Pinata: Paper mache around a large oval shaped balloon (do not paper mache over the end where the knot is tied). While the paper mache is drying, we give each child a strip of yellow paper to fringe and a piece of green paper to cut a large leaf. We use the yellow fringed paper to cover the dried balloon. Pop the balloon at the top and remove. Fill with candy and/or other trinkets related to the theme. Stuff the paper leaves partially inside the resulting "hole" at the top where the balloon was removed.

Tropical Placemats (EASY!): http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/single_parent_activity_ideas/105073

Hawaiian Luau Menu Ideas: http://www.angelfire.com/bc/incredible/menuhawaiian.htm

Games to Play

• Freeze Dance: kids dance while music is playing and freeze when it stops. Anyone moving must sit out one turn and control the music.
• Low Limbo: Use a broom or jump rope for the limbo stick and have everyone squat-walk under (bending at the knees as far as they can go and walking) the limbo stick. Crawling on your belly at the end is perfectly acceptable!
• Hula Hoop Frenzy: See who can go the longest with the hoops. Try spinning them on different parts of your body (neck, arms, legs).
• Suitcase Relay: Get dressed in things for the beach!
• Hula Hoop Statues: Hula hoop until the music stops. The Hula Hoops will fall, but the people must freeze wherever they are. Whoever gets caught moving is out!

Learning Extensions:

Find Hawaii information, more luau ideas, coloring pages, Hawaiian music, and more here:

http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/hawaii.html

Books:

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=Hawaii&rh=n%3A4%2Ck%3AHawaii&page=1

Winding Down:

Movies (watch first to decide if appropriate for your kids): Aloha, Scooby Doo! Lilo and Stitch, Gidget Goes Hawaiian

Books: Good night Hawaii by Adam Gamble and Joe Veno, High Tide in Hawaii (Magic Tree House Series) by Mary Pope Osborne

Journal: Write down each family member’s favorite parts of the Hawaiian Luau, save pictures, and possibly make a scrapbook page for each person to keep.

God is in Everything Acts 14-17

I'm sorry about the long picture hiatus, but our camera batteries are dying once again. We'll have to get new ones tomorrow. Or maybe there's some in our box full of batteries. I just have to take a minute to dig through it.

WELL, yesterday I was just about on the brink of admitting myself to a mental hospital. BUT I prayed lots and lots for help, and of course God sent my Johnniebear and Donna to the rescue, and they solved all my problems. Oy, what in the world would I do without them?

I'm learning a lot about myself this summer. It's a very good thing. God is teaching me so much! I could write a book about all that God is teaching me. And my reading through the book of Acts just multiplies it a thousand times. Everything I'm reading is directly applicable to my life here, and I feel it will be directly applicable to life in seminary as well.

I am LOVING how the apostle Paul was respectful while sharing the gospel without sugar coating it. I MUST learn to do this. I must learn to do this with everything. I really struggle with being straightforward without being rude, or without getting angry or frustrated or nervous. And God is allowing me to practice this DAILY. Which is not fun, by the way, but it is great. I feel like I am in college. Go to class, then go out in the field. Class, then field. Class, then field, again and again.

I'm a little amazed how most of the Episcopalians here don't believe God's hand is in everything. Hmmm.

Friday Funnies

I know it's not Friday. But I do keep getting my days mixed up, and I desperately needed some funny in my life.

Here is a funny video of a baby girl entitled "Are Women Born This Way?" It reminds me a bit of Maryn. She is not quite this talkative, but she has taken up to singing and yelling during our song times here at camp. It's pretty cute.

Summer Lovin'

I am beginning to put together my Family Fun Binder. I feel like a dork, but I have so many fun ideas coming at me here at camp, I don't want to forget a single one! Anyway, I thought I'd share some fun stuff with you.

Driveway Games: This link will take you to my favorite of the driveway games on the FamilyFun site, a driveway baseball game that I think kids as young as 3 or 4 could play, especially if they've seen mom or dad play softball/baseball.

Design an "I Spy" Photo Hunt: Hide small objects of kids' favorite toys and take photos. You can write a short rhyme if you want to telling them what to find in the picture (as is done in the I Spy books, which are now made for young kids, too). Not only is it a fun game, but you'll have a record of their toys for the future. from FamilyFun Magazine

Sand Kitchen: Put some unusual things in your child's sandbox, sand area, or in the dirt, such as a colander, muffin pans, cake pans, combs, wooden spoons, spatulas, etc. Great imaginative play is bound to happen on its own, but you can demonstrate how to make mud pies (sprinkle with dry sand with a salt shaker or empty spice container with holes) and muffins. You can show them how to make cool patterns with different types of combs...possibly adding texture to the side of a sandcastle. Add bits of nature to the sandcastles or old toys. Spray paint a few pebbles gold or any bright color and go panning for gold with the colander or sifter. Use a spray bottle to help keep the sand wet, or allow access to a bowl of water or garden hose.

Mrs. Mumbles: This is a "no laughing" game or you're out. Turn to your neighbor and say, curling your lips around your teeth and without your teeth showing, "Excuse me, is Mrs. Mumbles home?" The person must reply, in the same manner, "I don't know, let me ask my neighbor." She turns to the person on her right in the circle and asks the same question, and the game continues. If anyone laughs or shows their teeth, they are out until the next round.

Family Fun Nights

The first thing going in my family fun binder is some ideas for FAMILY FUN NIGHTS/DAYS! Yee-haw! I can't wait to do this stuff. My kids are going to think I'm nuts (although I believe Maryn might be a little nutty herself).

WATER CARNIVAL
We have water carnival here at camp, and we did lots of water games during field days at school. So I plan to combine some of the ideas into a fun-filled day of water play. This could involve a baby pool full of multi-colored shaving cream, a sprinkler, water guns, cups with holes in them for relay races, 2 liter bottle relays, sponge fights/relays, etc. Maybe we could get some friends in on the action.

MOVIE NIGHT (From FamilyFun Magazine)
Preshow: Movie Critic Book
Create a notebook for recording the movies you've watched as a family, along with your family's verdict: Thumbs up or thumbs down? Include a quote from each viewer.

-Make popcorn cones, different kinds of popcorn or popcorn toppings, and possibly provide other movie theater type foods.

-Wall-E: Build robots from recycled boxes, plastic caps, buttons, glue. Power up with "Robot Fuel" by putting yogurt or pudding in Ziploc bags, snipping off a corner and eating it out of the hole!

-Wizard of Oz: Make ruby slipper-socks from red socks and self-stick plastic gems; chow down on yellow brick road cornbread (cornbread slices arranged in the shape of a spiral brick road).

Camp Night (from FamilyFun Magazine)
S'mores, obviously! And possibly some dinner over the fire, too. Hot dogs, pie irons, foil dinners, etc.
Grilled Bananas! Slice up a banana, place in the center of 18-inch long piece of foil. Sprinkle banana with brown sugar, a little lemon juice, and 1/2 T. of butter cut into pieces, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Bring the edges of the foil together and seal tightly. Crimp the edges together to make a handle, so that the banana foil is in a circle. Use a stick to place it on a warm grill or in the coals of a fire. Cook for 15-30 minutes. Remove it from the heat, carefully unwrap and let cool. Yummy with some ice cream!
Camp Crafts: You know the kind. Friendship bracelets, Jesus bracelets, leather pouches, t-shirts, etc.

More family time ideas can be found here.

Serious Picture Update

Maryn and some of her new friends in the day camp play room.

Maryn discovering her new toy in the living room first thing in the morning.
This past weekend, we all (John, Maryn, Mark, Grandma and Grandpa, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa, and I) went to Target, Chili's (Quesadilla Explosion Salad--yummy!) and Kohl's and did some serious shopping. We bought necessities, toys and clothes for our growing baby girl. And is she ever gorgeous! She picked out all her clothes, too. She chose these flowery pajamas over a set of elephant pjs.

Maryn's new duck she received from her Great Grandma Erdman this weekend.
She chose this jacket over a teddy bear one. I think she made the right choice.

Maryn's first visit to an ice cream truck. Donna's friend is an ice cream lady.
She just calls her up and she comes by with her truck full of ice cream
that plays music and blows bubbles. It's crazy!

Here's Maryn cheering for the Americans in the
Annual Internationals vs. Americans Soccer Match
here at camp. The Americans won 6-4, and John scored two goals!
Uncle Mark (John's brother) is her for soccer camp, and he was the goalie.

Our internet has not been working for the past two days, which has been driving me INSANE. But I managed to clean the house, including vacuuming every nook and cranny. I have seen at least 20 spiders so far in this house, who knows how many ants, a bunch of other weird bugs, and two little mice. Maryn is crawling and climbing up on everything, so I feel a lot better now that our window sills and carpets are clean.

I also found time to read more of my Kempis book, I started writing a novel, I tried playing a computer game, and I read two Family Fun Magazines. I have some great family night ideas I can't wait to try when Maryn is old enough to appreciate it. In fact, maybe I will start writing down all the ideas I have and create some kind of binder...

Oh, the things you think to do when there's no internet or television!

As for television...

I'm a little disappointed in myself. I thought I'd whiz through the summer with no TV, no problems. But I miss our TV. I really miss our DVR. I really miss curling up with my honey and watching a movie. You'd think we'd have some good conversations or something, but we don't. We just stare at each other and go to sleep early. I mean what is there really to talk about? Especially when you're trying so hard not to say negative or slanderous things against people, and you have no real idea of what is going on in the news. Maybe someday I will have the capacity to talk about more important things than Jon and Kate and other people's business.

I think Friday Funnies is going to have to go on vacation for the summer. I don't think I'm going to remember to do it. Sorry. :)

I am very behind on pictures. You can see a few more new ones on my Facebook page.

for Michael

To make you think, a good blog post by Jonathan Taylor about Michael Jackson can be found here. It reminded me of so many things. Britney, Jon and Kate...fame and fortune.

Camp Blog

I have done a few posts on our camp blog, which you can visit by clicking here. There's even a post about John!

Who Needs Cartoons?

I think Maryn is going to have quite a summer!

Donna gave me this cool book with outside play activities for babies to preschoolers, and I found some great ideas for Maryn. Some of the things we won't be able to do realistically, but I thought I'd post some ideas here for some of you mommies or soon-to-be mommies.

Flutter Tree
Use string to tie fun things to a tree. Crepe paper, windsocks, wind chimes. Hang them high enough out of baby's reach so that you can hold the baby up to them and they can reach and play.

Blanket Riding
Pretty self explanatory! Put the baby (6 months and up) on his/her belly and pull gently.

Down the Bumpy Road: A Texture Path
Use clean car mats, carpet squares, interesting blankets, felt, towels, etc. to make a path for baby to feel and crawl across. Maryn loves to crawl on different textures (she's a huge fan of wood floors since she's used to carpet).

Music Box Hide and Seek
Hide a music box and see if the babies or toddlers can find it before the music stops. Or use a radio so there's no time limit.

Teddy Bear Swing
Tie string around teddy's arms and hang from a tree so the baby/toddler can push like a swing. They'll learn there's a cause/effect of the pushing as the bear comes back. Fun!

Balls Through a Tube
Tie a gift wrap tube to a fence or something, and use balls to drop through. Cause and effect/peekaboo skills.

Hoop Ring Around the Rosie
A little easier for toddlers to understand. Have someone be "Rosie" in the middle (or not) and sing the song as the toddlers hold on to the Hula Hoop.

Water Painting
I used to LOVE this as a child! Use all different sizes of paintbrushes in a bucket of water and allow kids of all ages to "paint" on the house/sidewalk/etc. They may notice how the house changes color, how the sun dries it up faster if it's in direct sun, etc.

This is Luau Night at Camp

In the Stillness

Our lives have changed dramatically in the past month or so, and just being out here away from the noise, the lights, and the drama was a little bit of a culture shock at first, but I appreciate it now.

On our long and short trips we have not used much technology to keep Maryn content, and it has given us the opportunity to bond and learn new things. We sang a hundred songs, learned some new words and new gestures. And though a month ago I might have said I dread long car trips, I actually now look forward to them in the grand scheme of things. Sure, I might be miserable in the moment. But I remember long car trips and the imaginative games, the deep thoughts, and just the general effects of enjoying the stillness and the quiet had on me.

And now, when I go to bed, it is so dark I can't see my hand in front of my face. There is no whir of the air conditioner, no neighbors chatting outside. There's no light from the TV or speakers or radio or alarm clock. Only the pleasant sounds of wind and the mosquitoes buzzing against the windows.

I began journaling again. I wrote five pages last night. It felt so good to get all my real thoughts down instead of the filtered thoughts that I put here. It was good for me. I've already read nearly three books, have had lots of Bible study time, and spent lots of time outside enjoying creation.

But I am sick, and I am tired, and I miss alone time with John. I am in and out of the house with Maryn about three times a day, which as most moms can understand, can wear on a person. It's not the easiest thing getting a baby out the door. I always forget something despite any OCD lists I create. But I don't have to prepare meals or clean up after them, so that's a huge bonus! Cha-ching!

And...probably the biggest thing I dreaded was being here at an Episcopalian camp, where I thought my beliefs would not be respected, and I thought I'd feel uncomfortable, and I made other unnecessary judgments. But God has given me a peace, a sensitivity, and an understanding that is obviously not of my own doing.

You'd think I'd have learned my lesson not to make judgments after my last camp experience, but not so. I see that I haven't grown as much as I should have in seven years (since my last camp job), and that is shameful on my own part.

God is teaching me to love and appreciate people, which I like. God is teaching me to love and appreciate His creation, which I like. And God is teaching me to share my husband, which I do not like. Today, God's plans make sense. He's obviously preparing me for the road ahead.

Playroom and Rainy Days

Here's Maryn playing with the blocks in our
day camp play room here at camp.
This is her new trademark smile. She does it ALL
the time. She scrunches up her face so that her eyes
are completely closed, sticks out her two little teeth and grins
so big you think her mouth might touch her ears.

There's even a jumperoo in here for her, but she
mostly prefers taking toys out of these containers.
It can keep her busy for about an hour while I work on stuff.

I have been feeling contemplative. Yesterday, Maryn took a three hour nap. I finished the novel I was reading and we don't have a television. So there were few distractions. So I watched this pudgy little bird flit around outside, and I observed the ants crawling along our walls, studying their patterns and thinking about how to kill them best. It was...relaxing. :)

After my contemplative time, I felt very emotional. Maryn woke up happy as a clam (are clams happy?) and played peek-a-boo by laying her head in my lap and popping up like a little prairie dog. I almost cried it was so cute. I started wondering if I might be pregnant or something. But today I found out I'm not. I am relieved and disappointed at the same time. I must be insane to even think about being pregnant this summer, as I would surely be an exhausted basket case kind of person.

I think someone may have come in our house and sprayed ant spray. It's giving me a head ache. It is weird to live somewhere where people come in like that. I'll have to find out if I'm just crazy.

My little bird friend is back outside the window. I may turn a little William Wordsworthy on ya'll if I don't end this post now.

Sigh

Well, I am very tired. Camp life is exhausting. And I haven't even done that much today.

Many of the counselors here are very young...the most common age probably being 19. They are, so far, very accepting, friendly, and open-minded. But at the same time young, insecure, and...open minded. I've never really considered open minded to be a very positive trait, but I appreciate here where I am the odd one out. Here we are considered ultra conservative and probably a number of other words that are not altogether true.

Many of these young people are searching...and their questions haven't yet been clearly answered, and their knowledge of who to ask and where to turn has yet to be developed. So they ask us the hard questions--you probably know what they are--when all we really want to do is dig in to God's Word. How can I tell someone my beliefs about such things when everything I believe (at least I try) is grounded in Scripture...and they don't know, appreciate, or accept Scripture as the inerrant word of God? I think it seems like a lonely, confusing place to be. And I'm helpless.

I'll try to get some pictures of Maryn on here tomorrow.

Right now, I have a few hours off as everyone is climbing the rock tower or going through the ropes course. So I get to do some housewife duties. I never thought I'd miss having house wife duties. I guess I will appreciate folding diapers, laundry, sweeping, mopping, (blogging, reading!) a little more from now on.

How could I have ever been ungrateful for these northern states or stay-at-home motherhood? I have no earthly idea, and feel a bit ashamed.

How can I be stressed with this cute face nearby?

I'm such a pro climber now!
And I've been doing this big toothy smile now all the time.
It is sooooooooo adorable.

Mommy, are you watching?

I love this new Affix CD!

Uncle Richard, will you sign it for me?

You can have your own Affix CD, too if you log on to
this web site.

Look at my chubby cheeks.
I've been eating and growing so much, that I'm finally
growing out of my 6-9 months clothes.
Too bad I'll be all out of pajamas! Uh-oh. Looks like
we'll be making a trip to Babies R Us soon.

Camp is going splendidly, but we are very busy, since we are both basically working full-time jobs on top of baby caring. Fortunately, I can always take Maryn with me and Grandma Donna has been taking care of her during many nap times. I've been able to Skype in on some meetings after bed time. Yep, our camp schedule goes all day long, 8 am-10 or later. It's pretty exhausting...much different than when I was single and 20. Since I'm not really directing a typical camp, but day camp instead, some things are missable, so I do have a lot of flexibility.

Next week is going to be interesting. Please pray for me (and all of us). I'll be going through a week of camp with a group of counselors as practice before any kids get here. My partner, Sam, and I, will have to show them how to build a camp fire, cook out, and all the other ins and outs of camp. Pray that Sam won't HATE me for being worthless (I mean, with Maryn and all) and that somehow I will be a blessing to him. Sigh.

Peterborough and the Lake House (QUICK post!)

This is the view from our front window. The lake is huge!
This picture doesn't do it justice.

Maryn in our new kitchen.

And here are some pictures of our trip to Peterborough the other day and some of our little lake house. The house overlooks the lake.
Maryn loves to stand by the window and watch the fishermen.

Friday Funnies

[[[Because some of my blog readers fail to understand sarcasm, allow me to mention that this is a joke.]]]

As Christian parents, we don't want to subject our children to the devil music on most video games these wretched days! Fortunately, some incredible genius out there has come up with a much better, very saintly, God-honoring past time for our teenagers to replace games like "Guitar Hero."

My friends, I introduce to you "Hand Bell Hero!" Click on the link to play it yourself, or watch a funny advertisement for Hand Bell Hero here.

Pre-Natal Testing, Down's Syndrome and Abortion (why should abortion have anything to do with these, I don't know)

The stupidity and heartlessness of people just continues to amaze me. Seriously! NINETY PERCENT of women who are told their baby MIGHT have Down's Syndrome have abortions? Sick, sick, sick. Please read this testimony of a woman who was told her baby might have Down's (who actually didn't, by the way, when it was almost certain)...