One of the Best Parts of Our Summer

Each summer the kids and I have taken some extra time travelling up through Ohio up to Pennsylvania to Ligonier. We get to love on Team Paul and Ristow gets to go to camp at LCCC. It is always wonderful to see my brother Jim and my lovely and hospitable sister-in-love Zan. I get to hug my niece and nephew and watch my daughter chase the chickens. What could be better?

Last week we got back from such a visit. Jim was able to take a little time off from his busy camp schedule and we got to hang with our little ones. It was great. He even took the kids and I on jet ski rides while we were there.

We also got a grown up night out which was wonderful.

While we were there, Ristow and his cousin Dylan both got to be a part of Little Ligs which is a two night camp for kids 6-8. They do much of the same super fun camp stuff as the older kids on a shorter scale. Dylan is almost 6 and got to be a part of camp during the day and come back at night to her own bed (best of both worlds). They loved it so much! It means so much for Ris to be able to be a part of this great camp and he totally loves that his Uncle Jimmy works there ;)

So thankful for such a great visit. We love them tons!

Oh and I had to throw in a cheesy smile of Jess and James for fun!

The Life Yet To Be Lived

It has been over a year since my last blog post. Lots of life has happened in that year, lots of laughter, lots of tears, lots of changes of who I see myself as. One thing that has stayed consistent is my faith and hope in God's love for me and the fact that He will never leave me nor forsake me.

Life may be hard at times, but it is the life that I have yet to live that excites me right now. It is the experiences that I can share with my kids and all the amazing wonderful things I can teach them. It is the excitement I have of growing and learning while in Grad school right now that challenges me to be a better me. It is the love and support and encouragement of my family and friends that lifts me up and reminds me who I am. It is the realization that whatever expectations we have of our life and our future may not work out to be what we thought they would, but we set the disappointment aside and heal and grow and take that big bold step onto a different path that is lined with hope and God's promises and a bright future. I will weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice and am super thankful for the amazing people who have wept and rejoiced with me over this last year.

The life I have yet to live beckons me forward...
You are welcome to join me!

Candles? It must be a Party!

A few weekends ago, we were up in Ohio visiting Christopher's family. On Sunday we went to their church and as the music was starting we noticed that because the alter had communion sacraments on it, the normal alter candles that the acolytes light were on the piano. The acolytes went up and lit them and Jessica pipes up and starts singing Happy Birthday to the guy at the piano thinking of course it must be for his Birthday! She delighted the people around us 3 different times during praise and worship with her Birthday song.

This past week, we had an evening where the power went out and we pulled out the candles to light up some rooms around the house. It was out for a number of hours and most of that time was spent convincing Jessica that we were not having a Birthday party and there was no cake (which was kind of a shame :) and she couldn't blow them out since we needed the light.
Since the candles were still on the table the next morning, I did let her sing a couple rounds of Happy Birthday and blow out the candles a few time after breakfast!

I think that Happy Birthday is probably one of her favorite songs and my kids are both pretty much pros at singing it, if extended time spent on an activity is any indication of professional status ;)
So if you are in need on any extra Birthday cheer at your next party, know that the McClintock kids are always ready for a party, as long as there are candles! (and cake doesn't hurt either)

Word Play

When I was little, I argued with my parents that the lyrics to  the Song America were not in fact

My country,' tis of thee, 
sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;

But sweet land of liberty, of V I C  (whoever Vic is?)

I know that it doesn't make sense but when you believe something when you are little you tend to be
very passionate about it, even if it is wrong.
Well, Jessica sings a little song she learned at school when we say grace before meals.
It goes:
God our Father, God our Father
Once again, once again
We bow our heads to thank you, we bow our heads to thank you
Amen, Amen

Jessica's version is as follows:

God our Father, God our Father
once again, once again,
Bob the Builder, Bob the Builder
Amen, Amen

It makes me laugh and I don't have the heart to correct her 

right now. She will figure it out soon enough and change it

on her own.

So right for now we will thank God for Bob the 

Builder too!

Cold Morning Fun

This morning at 7:30 Jess puts on Ristow's winter buzz light year hat and heads for the door. She wants to play outside. We look outside and see the lightest dusting of snow and a few flakes floating through the air and everyone is sold on the idea of heading out the door to play. We bundle up still in our pajamas, in hats, coats, gloves and such and head outside. Since there is barely even enough snow to draw in with your finger (and it is only 25degrees) the fascination for Ristow quickly ends and after he has spent the obligatory 5 minutes outside he is ready to head in for Hot Cocoa. (why else do we go outside in winter if not for the warm yummy beverage awaiting our return to the house) ;)

Jessica on the other hand, has found a stick and is poking every leaf and blade of grass with a flake of snow on it all while singing Frosty the Snowman the entire time. Why play on the playground, run around the house and dig some more with the stick. After an hour and multiple nose wipes I finally convince her to head in side. Ristow has been waiting for his cocoa and asking when we are coming in every five minutes. I think she would have stayed out all morning if I let her.
We had lots of fun and are now all snuggled up watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and drinking our Hot Cocoa! Not sure which one is better ;)

The Art of Play

Jessica is wonderful at playing. I know kids play all the time, but I love watching Jessica create story lines and scenes out of her fabulous little imagination and suddenly the trains are introducing themselves to mickey mouse and Ernie is riding Scoop from Bob the Builder.
Today's activity involved Jess finding my old Cabbage Patch kids (found in Mom and Dad's move this past weekend). We put diapers on them, fed them, rocked them to sleep, took them to the Doctor and even let them watch a little Frosty the Snowman ;) She was wonderful to them, she talked sweetly and sang songs and all the little special things that I normally do for her, and it made me feel like a pretty good Mom, at least for today ;)
She is so fun to watch as she creates, explores and builds, though she loves an audience and wants you to sit and watch and maybe play a little too.
I am so grateful for my sweet little girl and all the joy she brings!
(We've got to something about that crazy "CHEESE" smile!)

A Crab's Revenge

The saga continues with our favorite pets...ok our only pets.
About 2 months ago one of the crabs was molting and was buried down in the sand doing his thing. (From past posts you will remember that molting is a traumatic time for a crab and they are very vulnerable and weak until their new skin hardens.) Well the smaller punk crab took advantage of the situation and stole the poor molting crabs shell leaving him weak and defenseless without a shell. While it was very cool seeing the crabs full body I quickly added some shells to the tank for him to hide in. Well, no permanent damage done.

Fast forward 2 months. The punk crab has been buried down molting for the last 5 weeks. He finally emerges yesterday and I pull all the crabs out to clean the tank. As I pick them all up and check them out I notice that the punk crab who just finished molting is missing his big claw! His leg is all mutilated and black and he has no big claw anymore.

All I can figure is that the big crab decided to get his revenge on the punk for stealing his shell while he was down and out and made him pay by ripping off the punk's claw while he was weak and defenseless molting. Who knew that the world of crabs could be so violent and full of drama? I wonder if the big crab did it himself or if he ordered a hit on the other crab. Next thing you know there will be horse heads in my tank!