Slam Bam Hermanson Fam

New Year's Resolution

2009-12-31T21:10:00.000-08:00

1. Update the family blog more often. I think Aaron asks me daily if I have abandoned our blog. The answer is no. Just taking a short hiatus. The main thing that has kept me from updating (Facebook) is the problem I am having with my computer and camera. You see, they are in a dysfunctional relationship right now. The computer just will not pay any attention to my camera. Looks like I might need to find my camera a new partner. For me that means no pictures to download and that just takes all the fun out of posting anything.

And there is no number 2 resolution. See y'all in 2010!

Kindergarten!!!!

2009-08-24T15:54:00.000-07:00

We made it! Yay for kindergarten!

Today is the day that Chloe will start her school career. I will admit I was a little nervous for her. New school, new schedule, new teacher, new friends. But just like when we dropped her off at preschool 2 years ago, she didn't even look back to see if we were still there. When I went to pick her up you should have seen the gaggle of parents hanging off of the fence waiting to pick up their kindergarteners. I know they were ready to assault their kids with thousands of questions about their first day. Remember, it was only 4 hours long, half days here in the great state of California. I asked Chloe about her day and all I got was, "It was boring. We had to sit in boring desks." Yikes. After asking a few more questions the day did seem to get better. She ate her lunch in the lunchroom!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!
Pretty in pink.
Posing with Ryder.
Outfit completed with Hello Kitty backpack.
What careless parents we are! Where the heck are her sunglasses!
After her first day with her friend and classmate, Gavin. Notice her new specs?

Better than Chinese Water Torture

2009-08-11T19:51:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I did the unthinkable. I broke our portable DVD player. GASP! OH, the horror! I know, I know. At first, well at first I panicked because we were in the middle of a road trip longer than 3 hours long and I wasn't sure if we could finish the trip. Might as well turn around now I thought. As it turns out, the kids did amazingly well. They, if you can believe this, look out the windows. Yes, they did. So, Aaron and I were feeling quite cocky about this discovery and decided to take another long road trip. A seven hour road trip. (and I don't want to hear from you people who take longer trips that this. This is my story, not yours! :) )

Anyway, we left this last weekend for another camping trip in the Eastern Sierra Nevadas. It was another great camping adventure. And for you followers, the canoeing was the best. We were there for 4 days and 3 nights. We saw lots more wildlife, including a deer that walked right thru the campsite next to ours. Plus as an extra bonus, we had a bear visit us, or our trashcan I should say, during the night. I guess he smelled that yummy chicken noodle soup we ate and wanted to taste test it himself. Good times!

Now you ask, "What can be better than Chinese water torture?" How about driving home with our little Motormouth and Mockingbird! For almost seven hours, there was a constant stream of questions coming from the backseat. It went something like this:

Mama, what's a radio tower?how does it work?are Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift friends?why does Miley Cyrus wear a wig?I'm hungry, can i have something to eat?daddy, why are there cars?why do we drive on roads?how long is 2 hours?is it like a week?can we eat now?where are the Indians?why don't they live in tee pees?mama, do Indian girls play with Barbies?are Indians poor?what's a casino?mama, can I have an orange now?where's the Miller family?are they behind us?are they in front of us?are we in front or behind?where's the elk?what's an elk?daddy, mama, why do I have toes?why was Eden born first?why was Ryder born last?mama, can you have another baby?what did I eat when I was a baby?

And yes, my space bar does work. I am only illustrating the fact that my kids don't require air therefore, no pauses between questions. The only way I can describe this experience is like sitting for a 7 hour exam filled with life's most mind-numbing questions. Honestly, those kids can fire off questions faster than a Gatling gun. By hour 4 of our trip, Aaron's and my brain had turned to jello. Our brain cells were dying off faster than they were being replaced. I found myself praying, "Dear Lord, make me small enough to fit inside the glove compartment!" Of course, Ryder didn't fall asleep until 2 hours before we got home and Chloe hung on until the last hour. I believe her last question was something like, "are there judges in Yucca Valley?" I am sure that if the question session went on any longer I would have been willing to divulge every secret I've ever kept in order to have a moment of silence. So if Homeland Security is recruiting for interrogators, Chloe and Ryder are available. Chloe will ask the questions and Ryder will repeat them until sufficiently answered. Homeland Security may submit a list of questions but these questions may or may not, probably never be used. However, all the people on the FBI's Most Wanted list will be located within 24 hours.

*pictures to follow*

August Already???

2009-08-05T21:15:00.000-07:00

So, yeah, we haven't updated our blog for a few weeks. But I have an excellent reason! We recently had to wiped our computer clean because of an awesome malware program Aaron found and downloaded. He still can't give me a good reason why and he is certain that he didn't do it. Although, I am 1000% sure he did. Anyways, I have to download our camera program again and I just can't seem to find the time to do it. Takes away from my Facebook time. Maybe next week.

Well, we are getting ready for yet another camping trip to the eastern Sierra Nevadas. But this time we are bringing our newest acquisition, thanks to our good friends, a canoe. I am super excited about it. It will just add one more activity, other than hiking, to our camping adventures. Look for pictures next week. Possibly. Maybe. :)

School starts for Chloe in 2 1/2 weeks and I can't be more excited. The kids are so burned out on summer. Lately, I have had to referee one too many spats. And it doesn't help that it's ridiculously hot outside. We manage to go outside long enough to eat our popsicles then it's back inside before our skin melts off.

That's about it. See ya soon!

Sierra Nevadas

2009-07-14T13:21:00.000-07:00

We just returned from 4 nights and 5 days up in the Sierra Nevadas. WOW. Water falls, wild flowers, beaver dams, starry nights, lakes, and streams. It was like something out of a Backpacker magazine. We all had a blast and can't wait to return. Below are some of the photos.

Lyndsey Learns Something New!

2009-06-30T22:20:00.000-07:00

I have finally, FINALLY, learned how to crop pictures on my camera! Yay! And I've only owned this camera for a year. Seriously, did you really expect me to read every single page of the owner's manual? Just tell me what button to push to take the picture please. So I went a little, tiny bit, crazy cropping all the pictures that I had not erased and here they are. Oh, and plus this gives me the opportunity to tell you of our beach trip last week.

Compared to last year's beach trip, this was a thousand percent better. Not once did hear, "There's sand on my hands!" or "The water's getting me!" or "The sunshine is touching my skin!" One small step for man, one giant leap for the Hermanson family, is all I've got to say.

Only once did I have to get the sand out of Ryder's eyes. Yes, I took the pictures before helping him. Hey, he wasn't crying!

Eden scored lots of big sister points by going out into the freezing water with the kids.

So, I have to say I am really looking forward to going back. (ahem, Rose, hint hint :))

Chloe's Preschool Graduation

2009-06-24T19:17:00.000-07:00

Chloe graduated from Valley Community Chapel's preschool about 2 weeks ago. She's been attending there for a little over 2 years now and really has enjoyed every minute of it.

Chloe with her teachers, Ms. Aileene and Ms. Virgie.

Chloe receiving her Bible from the pastor.

Chloe is very excited about starting kindergarten next year. We've already been to the school twice to register and do a quasi-interview. She could barely sit still. Ryder will be attending the same preschool as Chloe and already feels like a veteran. He's done all the field trips, some twice, and knows all the teachers and they know him. I'm sure I won't know what to do with my alone time while they are in school...well that's a lie....probably Facebook!:)

Has it been a month already???

2009-06-24T18:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay, I must admit that Facebook has taken over my life therefore I have not done much with this blog. My apologies. So last weekend, we went camping with Aaron's brother and his family in Idyllwild. I was kind a dreading it at first because I'm not a roughin' it kind of gal and we were going to be there for TWO WHOLE NIGHTS! But let me tell ya, it was great. The kids had a blast playing with their cousins, it was not bone cold at night, and the bathrooms were not bad at all! Plus, the campground was close enough to town that we could walk to the townsquare.

J.J. brought some excellent toys to play with and so both were thoroughly entertained.

And of course, Barbie tagged along.

Then Aaron took the kids on an adventurous hike.

....a mid-afternoon snack.

Some things that were not captured on film that I wish had been:

1. Anna crashing her bike into a manzanita tree. Not funny then of course.
2. Katie taking an awesome tumble then getting up (without crying) with pine needles sticking out of her hair.
3. Anna and Chloe complaining that the squirrels were "laughing at them." Tattle-telling knows no bounds.

Happier Days and Tasty Goodness

2009-05-26T16:17:00.000-07:00

Farewell great Tico

2009-05-20T18:28:00.000-07:00

We are deeply saddened to report that Tico was killed this morning by a coyote in our frontyard. Rather than go into details, I just wanted to share a few photos of Tico. I have had many dogs throughout my life, but he will always be remembered as one of the most loyal and friendly without a doubt. Tico was the kind of dog that even caused "non-dog lovers" to reconsider their position on dog ownership. We have often been told by many, "If you ever want to get rid of him for some reason, we'll take him!" Thanks for the good times little buddy.

div>

Good Morning....I think

2009-04-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

I usually determine what kind of day we are going to have by the first thing I hear when I wake up. This morning it was this:

"Ryder! Come in the bathroom, RIGHT NOW, and smell it!"

Griffith Park

2009-04-25T12:37:00.001-07:00

While Eden was here for spring break, I talked Aaron into driving to LA to visit Griffith Park. We had a great time! Here are some pictures from our trip.

This was taken at a park called "Shane's Inspiration." The little girl in the middle followed Chloe and Ryder around almost the entire time we were there.

Then we headed over to the LA Zoo. I loved this zoo. It is not as big as the one in San Diego which was nice because we didn't have to pick up the kids as often. Plus, the weather was so wonderful most of the animals were out and about instead of hiding under the bushes for shade.

Here's Ryder expressing his love for kettle corn. I think he ate most of the bag.

Here's Chloe at the chimp exhibit. She thought they were quite hilarious.

This is why she was laughing. Then she saw one pooping off the top of the rocks and she thought THAT was even more hysterical. I didn't get a picture of that though.

More chimp observation.

After the zoo, we went to the Griffith Park Observatory where the most exciting event of the day occurred. I saw, with my own eyes, the HOLLYWOOD sign! Since this trip I been informed by most of my friends about how dorky I am. Oh well, I am still excited that I saw the HOLLYWOOD sign. Seriously.

Can you see it? No, not Ryder's white belly, the HOLLYWOOD sign!

Aaron and Eden. I think it's a cute picture but Eden thinks otherwise.

A view of Los Angeles from the Observatory.

Chloe and Ryder really weren't too interested in the Observatory. They are still too young right now to enjoy learning how the Earth rotates on its axis or how big stars are. I wouldn't mind spending more time here without the kiddos.

Overall, it was a great daytrip. Can't wait to go back!

Most Recently

2009-04-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, I've finally gotten off my rear to do an update here. What have the Hermansons been doing lately? First, we have been enjoying the fine spring weather. The kids have really taken off on their bikes now. They have even ventured out into the cul-de-sac or the "soul de cack" according to Ryder. But with spring comes strong winds that kick up dirt and pollen into the air and unfortunately we think that landed Ryder in the hospital with an asthma attack. Not fun. We were at the hospital a total of 3 days and 3 nights during the Easter weekend. Ryder thought it was so cool that he was going to stay at the hospital and there was even a TV in his room. How exciting! But then it became very unfun when the nurses hooked him up to the oxygen and he had to wear the nasal cannula at all times. Plus he had to wear a oxygen pulse meter on his big toe. Also, not fun. I know these pictures do not look how I just described Ryder but I think it's because Daddy and Chloe had just arrived to visit him.

Watching hours upon hours of cartoons did help pass the time. And yes, I did bring other things like coloring books, books, cds, and puzzles for him to do but he was usually bored of those activities within 5 1/2 minuts. Did you know that even a 3 year old can get tired of watching cartoons. I did not know this was possible.
Then on the second night at the hospital, Granny and Papa arrived to visit. Granny brought all of Ryder's favorite books to read to him. They also brought a big Batman blanket and Ryder thought that was great!

Finally, on Easter morning, Ryder's oxygen level was good enough for us to be released and we all were able to join the family in LaQuinta for lunch.

More Pictures of the Kids and their Awesomeness!

2009-04-05T16:24:00.000-07:00

Our Newest SuperHero

2009-04-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

Introducing....SuperFairy!

SuperFairy has the ability to transform bad guys into princesses and can talk any little brother into eating dirt. Her uniform of anything pink and frilly will increase her powers exponentially but forcing her to wear shorts is her "kryptonite." She will turn into a weeping, wailing pile of mush.

Off to the Races!

2009-03-17T16:23:00.000-07:00

It seems that while I was away for 6 days, Ryder decided to really ride his bike. Before I left he was still very timid, pedaling carefully, barely steering. Now, he practically rides circles around Chloe.

And now that we are finally experiencing some marvelous weather, bike riding is the number one activity at the Hermanson household. Chloe has grown out of her princess bike so Aaron picked up a bike she can grow into the next couple of years. She rode it for about a day then decided she liked her little bike better. She told me that the new bike is for 6 year olds, not 5 year olds. But more likely it's because she can't keep up with Ryder. This is the only proof that she has tried out the new bike.

This weekend, Eden came down for a short visit. On Friday, Aaron and Eden were able to go to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden to watch the BNP Paribas tennis tournament going on. Saturday, I was able to tag along. We had a great time even though we were roasting in the heat. On Sunday, the whole family went out to Joshua Tree National Park to get in a short hike before Eden left.

And now I'll leave you with the next YouTube sensation. This video is of my cousin, Shelly, her little girl. She has the best baby laugh ever. And after a sad day of saying goodbye to our grandfather, we sure needed a good laugh.

"A cheerful heart is good medicine..." Proverbs 17:22

Forest Falls

2009-02-24T21:09:00.000-08:00

Well, not too much has been going on around here. Besides the new puppy. I thought it might be time to post some pictures of the kiddos. Last weekend, Aaron drove us up to Forest Falls, a small town north of Yucaipa. But to call it a town is really too much. More like a spot. The snow there was piled at least 5 feet high in some places. Unfortunately, I did not realize there would be snow therefore, we could not get out. There is a campground at the end of the road in Forest Falls that we wanted to check out for any summer camping trips. According to locals, there are waterfalls during the spring and summer from all of the melting snow. After checking out the spot, we stopped further down the mountain to explore a small river. It was an awesome location. Aaron said it reminded him of the Provo Canyon in Utah. Here are some of the pictures we took.

I know it's hard to believe but the kids love to throw rocks into running water. Hmmm...do you think that would work in our backyard as well?

They are getting so much better about taking pictures together and at least acting like they want to hug each other.

Here's Chloe, like her mother, trying the hard way to climb over to her dad. This picture was taken in the midst of her having a panic attack because she was certain that she would fall in the water and be all wet. "And Mommy didn't bring my swimsuit."

Ah, success!! (After pointing out that there was an easier way.)

Take notice of what Chloe is holding in her hand. Mud!
This is the girl who at one time I thought was allergic to dirt. Once, I walked into the bathroom and found her washing the bottom of her flip-flops because they were dirty. She would not wear them until she had scrubbed them clean. Practically disinfected. Then she went outside, in the dirt, and promptly had a meltdown because the dirt got on the bottom of her flip-flops. Again. Oh, the horror of it all.

All in all, a good day.

The protector

2009-02-19T11:32:00.000-08:00

Gunner is supposed to be Rex's trainie when it comes to outdoor "home protection". So far training seems to be going pretty rough.

Welcome Gunner!!

2009-02-09T20:31:00.000-08:00

Because our lives were not exciting enough already, Aaron decided to add to our brood of animals. Last week, a friend and he visited the animal shelter in Thousand Palms where there are numerous cute dogs waiting to be adopted. He has been looking for and talking about getting a great playmate for Rex for about a month. So last week, he found him. A 2 month old male shephard mix. "But Lyndsey," you might ask, "Did Aaron not discuss this with you before he purchased him?" Why no, of course not!! Remember this is Aaron Hermanson you are talking about. He knows for sure that he can talk me into just about anything especially when it involves cute, fuzzy puppies. Here are a few pictures of him.

The three pictures above were taken after two hours of play with Tico. Tico, at first, was unsure of this intruder, nipping and yapping at him. Then, Tico finally realized that this puppy wanted to play. Yay!! They played chase for about an hour and a half. Rex seems very excited about Gunner. Tinkerbell just growls and snarls at him but that is to be expected.

He's a cute little sucker but I am not looking forward to the whimpering and crying that is going to happen tonight when I put him in his crate. So don't ask me what I think of him in the morning.

Yucaipa regional park

2009-01-29T05:24:00.000-08:00

This place was awesome. Camping, hiking, mountain biking, 3 lakes to fish in, a HUGE play area for the kids, and tons of trees and lots of grass. We spent half the day there and plan to go back and camp very soon. And no, Ryder is not yawning. He's right in the middle of yelling "fuzzy pickle" for the photo.

For Eden and Miss Barney

2009-01-26T18:03:00.000-08:00

So guys, it's all over the internet. And what? No editorial from you guys yet. I was kind of looking forward to reading your thoughts on the matter. Your audience wants to know what you think of the prospect of Dakota Fanning being cast as "Jane" in the new Twilight movie. Come on girls, what's your opinion???

Eureka Peak

2009-01-10T12:21:00.000-08:00

Taken today. We discovered this peak that overlooks the entire Coachella Valley. You can also see both San Jacinto and San Gorgonio mountain ranges at the same time. It was very breezy and chilly.....good times! The last picture is the position we found Ryder in when we pulled into the driveway...just like his dad.

Talking to Chloe

2009-01-08T12:28:00.000-08:00

"Mom, I wish we had a new trampoline. I miss our old one."

"We'll get one soon, honey. After we have saved up enough money."

"How much money does it cost?"

"A lot. Like $250!"

"Oh, well, Papa told me that Granny has lots of money stuffed in her purse."

Happy New Year

2009-01-03T18:32:00.000-08:00

Taken out near Barker Dam.010309

More good times

2008-12-23T12:45:00.001-08:00

Another beautiful day here in Yucca Valley. These photos are overlooking the San Gorgonio mountain range. We are at about 5500 ft above sea level.

Good Times

2008-12-22T17:52:00.001-08:00

Taken over the last few days in Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree.

The Day After Yesterday

2008-12-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

We woke up to a Winter Wonderland this morning.

And just in case you haven't seen enough snow because, gosh, we haven't!

Our biggest mesquite tree is now our smallest.

Later this morning, Aaron and Ryder took the Jeep out into the desert to explore. And what do you think they found? More SNOW! The first picture is Ryder running towards an abandoned car in the desert.

Okay, last picture! Gotta sneak one in of Chloe.

California Blizzard 2008

2008-12-17T16:41:00.000-08:00

Here are some more pictures of the SNOW. The radio just announced that we are expecting 6 more inches tonight. And just remember you Minnesota, North Dakota, and Utah people-THIS IS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!!!

Let's Catch Up

2008-12-17T09:38:00.000-08:00

Okay, I have a ton of stuff to share today. Let's begin!

Chloe's Christmas Program

This year Chloe was picked to be "Mary" in her preschool Christmas program. She was very excited at first then I think she became very nervous about it and did not want to do it. Then I bought her a new dress to wear to the program and she changed her mind.

Here she is before the performance.

Chloe's friend, Jacob, was "Joseph" which worked out perfect because now I have a picture of them to show at their wedding. At this time we are negotiating the final details of that event.

And what did Ryder think of all this? Not much apparently.

Snow Day, Yucca style

Every year our town trucks in tons of snow for the kids to play in. The last year we went the kids hated it. Ryder got clocked in the face with a killer snowball and that pretty much set the tone for the rest of the day. But this year, they had a blast!

PetSmart

On Sunday, we were running some errands in the low desert and we stopped at PetSmart. The kids got to hold a very cuddly Chinchilla.

Monday, Winter Storm Part 1

On Monday, the first part of the winter storm came through. At our house, however, it was just raining and occasionally some snow flakes. The kids still insisted on going outside.

Thankfully, my friend, Denise, invited to come to her home where they were getting lots of snow. I packed up the kids and drove in the snow probably for the first time in 7 years. Scary!

The Griffiths

Here are the kids building their first snowman. I'm glad someone had some snowman building skills because the one I built looked more like a volcano.

Wednesday, Today, Winter Storm Part 2
And Today, look!

It has been snowing for the last 6 hours. I have more pictures and video which I will post later. But right now, we are going to go play outside!

Adam and Aaron/ Joshua Tree

2008-12-11T19:49:00.000-08:00

Adam and I last sunday spent about 6 hours in the Joshua Tree monument climbing and hiking. It was a blast to say the least.

Bad Hair Day

2008-12-10T14:04:00.001-08:00

Actually, I think she was more upset that I didn't reprimand Ryder for being mean to her. Instead, I ran into the house to grab the camera. Smile Chloe!!

The Wonderland

2008-11-24T18:55:00.000-08:00

This past saturday I spent the day in a outdoor class taught by an ecologist and avid outdoorsman (Lyndsey's idea for a xmas gift, VERY COOL BABE). This guy (Mark Wheeler) has spent the last 30 years or so learning about and literally living in practically every square inch of the thousands of acres that make up the Joshua Tree National Monument.

He took our class of nine people deep into a part of the monument known as "the Wonderland of Rocks". I thought I had seen it all up there but boy was I wrong. We never once came across another human while out there deep in the Wonderland. Tons of rock and boulder scrambling made it a very exciting 8 hour adventure, especially combined with Mark's knowledge.

Below are some photos that will hopefully give you at least a glimmer of what I experienced. I can hardly wait to go back.

Hands Free

2008-11-18T09:13:00.000-08:00

I saw this YouTube clip on another blog and I thought it was great. Plus I needed to add something to our blog so the first picture I saw was not my Dad in a mullet wig.

New Ad Campaign For Yucca Valley

2008-11-06T16:59:00.000-08:00

"Come to Yucca Valley. Where everyone lets their hair down."

The superior air quality here in the hi-desert can cause The Crazy to come out in those conservative type folk.

(Sorry Dad..... Mom made me do this.)

Halloween

Chloe and Ryder had the best time on Halloween. I think this was actually the first Halloween experience for them. In the past, we usually go to our church's Harvest Festival and load up on candy there. A friend of Aaron's from work invited us to come to their house for a Halloween party so Chloe and Ryder went trick or treating with their kids. Chloe didn't need any coaching on how this was going to work. She ran up to the front door with all the other kids to get her treats. Ryder, on the other hand, stayed back with me. I told him that we were going to knock on that person's door, say 'trick or treat,' then they were going to give him candy. He replied, "But Mom! They are strangers! I can't take candy from strangers!" After getting the okay from me, there was no hesitation. For the next 48 hours, the kids were in a candy stupor and that was only from the candy eaten on Halloween night. Of course, I have no good pictures of the kids on Halloween. Surprise, surprise. I guess I should have alerted the photographer that he was supposed to be taking pictures. So here are a couple from our daytrip to Idyllwild with my folks.

We had a great time with Grannie and Papa and we can't wait to see them again! xoxoxo

Mnt. San Jacinto Peak

2008-10-12T19:28:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to hike to the very tip of Mnt. San Jacinto. I started out at 8500 ft. above sea level and hiked to the peak which is 10,834 ft. The total distance was 12 miles and it took me about 5.5 hours. The view of course was incredible. From the peak I had a complete 360 degree view. It also happened to be a very clear day so I could practically see all the way to L.A.
At one point during the hike a family of blue birds seemed to be following me along the trail. It was very 'zippity do da ish'" to say the least. Robert, I hope your lungs and legs are ready! Below are some of the photos I took along the way.

Batman lives with us

2008-10-12T19:25:00.001-07:00

Rockin' and Rollin'

2008-10-08T14:47:00.000-07:00

So, if the tennis career doesn't pan out Ryder can always be a kickin' guitar player.

School Projects

2008-09-30T17:30:00.001-07:00

You know, school projects are never for the kids. They usually become a contest for the moms to turn out the most fantastically original craft ever in the history of school projects. I bet some moms hail their kids school projects as their own personal "David" or "Mona Lisa." But of course, no mom would ever admit that they are competing in a contest in the first place because it is suppose to be about the children. Right. It is always about outdoing some other mom. "Oh, you used the store-bought glitter? Not me, I had some extra time on my hands and I made my own glitter. Really, it took no time at all. I did it right after I baked 5 dozen cupcakes for the church bake sale I organized. And it's completely organic and safe for the environment." How many moms out there do you know do their kids 5th grade science project? My mom did mine. The subject, photosynthesis. She spent hours and hours for weeks, researching, planning, preparing, and writing my science project. Towards the end, I guess she thought it was time for me to participate and had me copy what she had written on to the posterboard. Unfortunately, I forgot to include the word "the" in one sentence. When she noticed this she cried. CRIED! I had single handedly destroyed her science project. I might as well have drawn a big, fat, black mustache on her self-portrait because now the science project would never bear the words "Property of the Smithsonian."

So what prompted this post you might ask? I will tell you. Last week, Chloe was sent home with a project that the whole family was to work on. It is a gingerbread girl cutout that needs to be decorated in the things your child really likes. Naturally, I procrastinated starting this project because it sounded like lots of work. Today, as I was dropping Chloe off I noticed that someone turned in their gingerbread girl early... with organic, earth-friendly, non-store bought glitter. Clearly the bar had been set very high. I came home and practically sewed a dress for Chloe's gingerbread girl. Then I spent a good hour practicing how I would draw a face on the gingerbread girl. Then I spent another hour scouring through pictures of Chloe because maybe I would collage a face onto the gingerbread girl. Soon, I had to stop so I could get dinner started. Chloe came walking in and spied her gingerbread girl project and announced, "Mom, she can't see! She doesn't have eyes. I'll put some on her." I almost dropped my pan of salmon to keep her from desecrating my work of art. Nooooooo, don't touch it!!!!! Only then did I realize my foolishness. This is her project! Let her draw on the eyes for crying out loud. So I am handing over my handiwork for her to complete.

Random Updates

2008-09-08T15:37:00.000-07:00

First of all, last week Chloe started pre-kindergarden. She has been attending the same preschool for 1 1/2 years now so it wasn't such a big deal for her. She still only going 2 days a week for 4 hours a day but it is a great break for me. Plus, Ryder really misses her and they end up playing together much better throughout the week.

Getting lined up for morning recess to get all those jiggles out. And this is where my friend Stacy and I started yelling, "Yay! It's the first day of school!" The kids didn't seem to be as excited as we were.

Then Ryder and I came home to play in his room. This is where we discovered the next American Hero. Move over Rambo.

Garden Update

Yes, my vegetable garden is still alive. But is it growing anything? Yes, but not what you think:

Yuck! Aaron picked three caterpillars off my tomato plant and the kids wanted to keep them as pets, so I put them into a container with some old spinach. The caterpillars kept Chloe and Ryder entertained for hours. I find this amazing because it is not like the caterpillars were performing gymnastics, they just crawled around. At one point, I was convinced they were dead! Chloe even named them, Genevieve, Popeye and Fuzzy. However, after 24 hours of living in the house, Mama could not take having those "grody to the max" creatures in the house. They were released into the wild during nap time. I just explained that the caterpillars were much happier being outside and the kids seemed to be okay with this explanation.

Okay, I think we are updated now.

Helping Daddy

2008-09-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

They didn't really get the car all that clean but they were squeaky clean.

A Hermanson Family Addition

2008-09-01T15:15:00.001-07:00

Aaron's dream of owning yet another Jeep has come true. Honestly, it has been lots of fun to go exploring in the desert with the kids. Ryder loves the jeep and is always wanting to go for a ride. Chloe, on the other hand, really dislikes it. The Jeep makes her "hair go all around." Those are her words. Then last night when I asked her to say her prayers she asked, "God, I really don't want to ride in the Jeep tomorrow. I want to ride in the van with Mama." Yesterday afternoon, we went riding in the Yucca Valley backcountry and it was beautiful.

We packed a small picnic lunch for our adventure. Here's Chloe and me enjoying some yummy pudding.
Then here's me wondering why Ryder is playing with the coyote pups. And Chloe is thinking that maybe she'll get a chance to sit in the front seat now.

And now I'll leave you with a typical Yucca Valley sunset.

Couples Retreat

2008-08-21T15:16:00.000-07:00

This past weekend Aaron and I had a couples night with our good friends, Jimmy and Jana Miller. You can go ahead and erase images of the 5 star hotel and spa, too. Don't you know I'm married to Aaron Hermanson?! No, it was off to the mountains, the woods, no bathroom ya'll.

We rode the Palm Springs Tram on San Jacinto Mountain for the first 8500 feet then hiked about 3ish miles to our campsite. Aaron and Jimmy had already camped at this site a few weeks prior and liked it so much they wanted to share the experience with Jana and me. It took us about 2 hours to get there and by the way, it's not a paved with handrails hike either. And those backpacks aren't filled with cottonballs. They are filled with lots of heavy stuff like water. So we set up camp and promptly took a very long nap. After waking up and feeling very well rested, Aaron and I went exploring. We found some big rocks to climb and logs to jump over. Well, Aaron climbed the rocks. And jumped over the logs.

Later, we joined up with the Millers to climb more perilous, rocky mountains to take some more pictures. Of ourselves.

And did I mentioned how awful the view was?

We couldn't have asked for a more perfect night. Full moon, about 55 degrees and not a breeze in the air. The only downside of a full moon is that it is extremely bright. Like the sun. Both of us had to sleep entirely inside our sleeping bags. And it was so quiet that when I got up to pee in the middle of the night I thought for sure that noise would wake up everybody. Just to let you know (since I've already shared that information) it is quite intimidating to pee in the spotlight of the moon. AND, you would also think that I wouldn't have peed on my pajama leg with it being so bright outside. Wrong. I guess that's what you call "roughing it", right?

Aaron couldn't wait to drag me out of my sleeping bag just so he could get a picture of us by our tent. He is so darn chipper in the morning. All I'm thinking is "Where's the nearest IHOP?" Just kidding, it just takes awhile for my face muscles to start working.

Finally, it was time to head back down the mountain. Time for a group picture!

We really had a great time. Aaron's already planning for another backpacking adventure. It was nice to take off our "parent hats" and just be a couple, if only for 24 hours.

Stop! In the name of the Law!

2008-08-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

Desert Sunsets

2008-08-14T19:01:00.001-07:00

Sisters are Joined Heart to Heart

2008-08-12T15:28:00.000-07:00

Dear God,

Please, I want to live near Eden. I want to live next door so I can see her all the time. Can You find a house for us in Utah that has stairs? Amen.

Mama, did Jesus hear my prayer?

Ugh! I never thought I would have to try to answer these questions for Chloe. I always believed that because Eden moved away before Chloe was 2 years old that maybe Chloe would just accept this as part of her life. But yesterday really drove it home for me that Chloe is not okay with just a summertime sister. She wants an all-the-time sister. Chloe has never liked saying good-bye to anybody. When my parents come to visit she would resist giving them a hug and a kiss good-bye thinking that maybe if she doesn't do that they might not leave. She never wants to leave friends or our family's home either. So yesterday after saying good-bye to Eden she was so sad and trying to comfort her by saying that Eden will be back in 9 weeks is no use. "That's a long time, Mom!" No arguing there, it is a long time. Even though there were plenty of times when Chloe was driving Eden crazy I think overall they had a good time.

In Chloe's eyes, Eden is the coolest person in the world (she is pretty cool). Chloe insisted on moving her booster seat to the back seat so she could sit next to Eden. She wants an iPod just like Eden. And you should have seen her face when Eden let Chloe listen to Hannah Montana on her iPod. It was like she was holding a precious gem. Eden even crimped her hair one day. She was so excited about her curly hair. "Look Mom, I look just like Eden now!" Eden would occasionally babysit for us and Chloe would say, "Mom, Dad, you need to go on a date for a very long time." They would make crafts together, play Barbie's ( and cars with Ryder), and watch fun movies.

At the Summer Night Concerts, Eden would chase, wrestle, swing, and dance with both Ryder and Chloe until she was begging us for relief all the while the kids were jumping up and down screaming, "Again, Eden, again!"

Eden helped Chloe make chocolate cookies many times this summer and introduced her to how delicious it is to eat the raw cookie dough.

Eden also made sure Chloe had an excellent experience on her first amusement park ride. Although Aaron and I did see that look that only a big sister can give when she really wants to torture her little sister by going super fast on the teacups. She held back though.
"Mama, why does Eden have to go back to Utah?"

"Well, she has to go to school and she misses her family there."

"Do you think she'll miss us when she's in Utah?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"I miss Eden."

Kung Fu Fighting!

2008-07-29T16:55:00.000-07:00

On Saturday before the Yucca Valley Summer Concert we stopped to eat at Pizza Hut. Yes, I typed that right, Pizza Hut. We were waiting for our dinner to arrive and the kids were acting super silly so I thought it might be a good time to try out our new camera.

Tico the Dog.

Checking out the self-portrait feature on the camera. Diappointed though, I thought I might look more like Heidi Klum.

Chloe sporting a hat for Vacation Bible School.

Monkeying around at the park.

Eden amusing her brother at the Summer Night Concert.

How many of you read this and did not tell me I used the wrong word in that last sentence? :)

Random thought

2008-07-20T10:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I sat and watched as Chloe colored. The happiness and pure peace I felt by just watching her face is difficult for me to describe. Such a simple act. It occurred to me that there are probably countless moments throughout the day that would provide us with such huge feelings of peace, but we miss them because we are mentally elsewhere dreaming of grander things that would supposedly bring us the very same peace I felt by watching her. We spend a great deal of our time chasing after money, things or events that we think will provide us with happiness. All the while if we only took the time and paid attention, we would most likely find this fulfillment in seemingly simple day to day moments. It was a subtle reminder for me that the more simple we keep life, the more complete and at peace we may be.

aaron

They Really Do Listen!

2008-07-15T18:34:00.000-07:00

Last night, Chloe, Ryder and I enjoyed eating some absolutely delicious strawberry popsicles on our front porch. I was enjoying the most magnificent sunset when I noticed the kids picking the olives off of the tree and burying in random places in the front yard. I asked Chloe what she was doing and she told me that the olives were magic beans and she and Ryder were planting them so a beanstalk would grow. Then Ryder began stomping all over the front yard saying, "Fee! Fi! Fo! Fum!" or something very similar to that. I am kind of surprised they even know this tale because I can't remember the last time I read it to them and I took their storybooks CDs away from their grasps because so many of them were getting damaged. But hey, maybe that beanstalk will grow and the goose that lays the golden egg will want to move in with us. Sorry, there are no pictures of this because we are without one right now.

Chloe is going to Vacation Bible School right now and is having the greatest time. Today she learned about Jesus healing the blind man with mud. She talked about this nonstop for about 30 minutes. Later this evening as I was washing her hair when I accidentally poured some soapy water over her face (organic, no-tears soap). She screaming quite dramatically as only she can, "I'm blind! I'm BLIND! I'M BLIND!" I knew that she was more upset about water being in her face than anything else. I asked her if she needed me to put some mud on her eyes to restore her sight. She stopped screaming, thought about it, then use the washcloth to clean her face. Which is good because I hate getting my fingers dirty.

Beyond Frustration

2008-07-14T15:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, so you know in my previous post I said that I had a whole bunch of pictures for posts that were never written. Well, I got on the computer today with the intention of posting some very wonderful pictures of my first tomato and guess what-can't find it! Arg!!!!! Anyway, I have had some mild success with my vegetable garden. Here are a couple of pictures that were not lost.

So I am going to go ahead and blame Aaron for losing my tomato pictures. It can only be his fault since, I never lose anything. Ever. Plus now I can segway into my next topic.

First, let me preface by saying, "I love you, honey. Now I'm going to talk about you." Aaron has the unique ability to make anything he touches disappear. Forever. He's kind of like King Midas but nothing is turning into gold. Usually it is stuff that is "mine" that he has determined does not belong where I have put it. He then zaps it into a parallel universe. Then when I ask him about the missing stuff he acts as if I have lobsters crawling out of my ears. "What do you mean? What bill? The one that said 'VERY IMPORTANT! DO NOT THROW AWAY!' No I never saw that." And it seems that my children have this disappearing gene as well. There have been numerous times when I have bought them a toy only to have them play with it for 10 minutes before I hear, "MMMOOOMMM! I CAN'T FIND MY CAR/POLLY POCKET/THE THING THAT YOU GLUED TO MY HAND SO I WOULDN'T LOSE IT! I LOST IT! FIND IT! DEATH IS LOOMING!" I am convinced that my counterpart in the next dimension is having a grand time stashing away all the lost stuff from my house. Only one time did she have compassion for my dear husband's life when I could not find the dryer balls. (See exhibit A here, http://www.gaiam.com/product/eco-home-outdoor/household/laundry/dryer+balls.do?search=basic&keyword=dryer+balls&sortby=bestSellers&page=1) Now, who in the world would put my dryer balls anywhere else but in the dryer? Well, when Aaron is living with you the answer is quite obvious. So, I assaulted him with questions like,"What did you do with them??!!! My dryer balls! THEY ARE MISSING!" His reply of course was, "Well, maybe you threw them away." At this moment my counterpart in the next dimension felt that Aaron's life might be in jeopardy and warmed up her flux capacitor to send those dryer balls back. I found them in the small lunch cooler that sits next to the dryer. How else would my dryer balls manage to get in there?

So if you are in need to get rid of something. Anything. Call Aaron.

Love ya, Babe!

I Know!

2008-07-11T10:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have quite a bit that I need to write about but lately I have not felt like posting anything. I have even taken pictures to go along with my posts but alas they are just sitting in the photo file. I'll get on the ball sometime this weekend. Promise.

Swiss Family Hermanson

2008-06-29T09:27:00.000-07:00

Another gorgeous day up on top of Mnt. San Jacinto. It was a rough 75 degrees and nothing but blue skies. Perfect for hiking and a picnic. The kids had a blast climbing around on all the rocks and fallen trees. Wish ya'll could have been with us! Out.

Look out Federer!

2008-06-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

Chloe and Ryder at tennis camp in Joshua Tree. Ryder still informs me everyday that he is "going to beat Federer!" At this rate, he just might. He is now able to hit the ball off the bounce when I hit it to him. Maybe in about 15 years or so he can represent America since Roddick and Blake can't seem to win a match to save their life.

Vacation Recap

2008-06-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

So now that I have caught up on the laundry and other house cleaning duties my brain can focus on writing about our vacation.

We left on Sunday afternoon for the Mission Bay area in San Diego. When we got there the weather was perfect. We checked into the cheapie hotel for the night. The hotel located next door to "Les Girls". Yikes! Thank goodness this hotel is only for one night. The kids loved it however. Mainly because we let them jump on the beds. Sunday evening we went ahead and got the Chuck E. Cheese visit out of the way. It was lots of fun for the kids. Probably the highlight of the vacation for Chloe and Ryder.

On Monday, the kids were up bright and early just like every other day of the week. Everybody was excited to get to Sea World and we pulled in the minute it opened. They have a new section of the park just for little kids like Chloe and Ryder purely devoted to Sesame Street. Honestly, Chloe and Ryder could have stayed there all day and not see one animal and be okay with that. There was one ride in particular that Chloe loved and she rode it multiple times with Eden.

As you can tell they are pretty much like the Teacups at Disney World. Then Chloe and Ryder jumped in this bouncy house.

So after riding some rides we forced them to go to a few animals shows. And this is what Chloe looked like at each show.

So I'm supposed to be impressed that the dolphins can jump 30 feet into the air? I want to ride the teacups. I am not impressed that the sea lions can do tricks either. I want to ride the teacups. And what did I hear? We might have a remote chance of getting wet at the Shamu show? Get me out of here! I don't want to be here! I want to ride the teacups! MMMMMOOOOMMMM, I DON'T WANT TO GET WET! AAAGGGGHHH!!!!

And so it continued for the rest of the day. I did bring them back to Sesame Street land along with the other parents and their 8,000 children. We had to stand in line for a very long time to get back into the bouncy house for a 2 minute jump. After that the kids and I had to race back to the other end of the park to meet Aaron and Eden. Then the kids had a massive meltdown about everything: it's too hot, I'm hungry, I'm thirsty, I want to ride in the stroller, I want to ride the teacups! We had had our fill of Sea World. Time to check into the nice hotel. Yay!

Now let me sum up our beach experience. Basically, Chloe + Ryder + water + sand = misery. First, Ryder slipped on the pavement and scratched his knee which lamed him for the rest of the day. Here is the only picture of him from the first day when he wasn't crying.

Ryder slept for over an hour and a half on my lap. I got a lot of reading done but man, my hind end was numb! Finally, after about 5 hours of whining, crying and complaining Mama was done with the beach. But miracle of miracles, the kids didn't want to leave. Why are we leaving? We love the beach! We want to live at the beach! The beach is so much FUN! Why is Mom so grumpy?

If there had been a pier at the beach I would have jumped off it. The second day at the beach was much better. I finally figured out that if you stay on the beach you have to deal with the whiny kids. So Eden and I played in the waves. It was freezing but I loved every minute of it. And why do you ask are there no pictures of me frolicking in the waves. Well, Aaron was on the beach dealing with the sandy hands that still caused much anguish. DAD! GET THE SAND OFF MY HANDS OR WE ARE GOING TO DIE!
It really wasn't so awful. I just wish the kids loved the beach or vacation for that matter as much as Aaron, Eden and I. Maybe next year....

Here are a few more pictures that I really like.

We're back!

2008-06-19T19:52:00.000-07:00

We arrived home this evening. I'll post something about our trip this weekend, after I sort through the 15 pounds of junk mail.

Celebrations!

2008-06-09T15:18:00.000-07:00

Well,the Hermanson family have been busy celebrating the last couple of weeks. Aaron and I celebrated our 5th Anniversary on May 28th (woo-hoo), Aaron had a birthday on June 6th (36!), and Ryder was potty trained (yes sir-ee). This week Eden arrives for the summer and I will be celebrating yet another birthday (31, already?). Then, VACATION!

On Friday, Aaron and I, along with some good friends and family, went out to eat and to see a concert. We actually ate at the same restaurant where we had our first date. Awww, shucks! So to commemorate our fabulous selves I thought I would post a couple of pictures.

So this one was taken in February 2002, when we first started dating. Don't we look hot! I think we partied all night then slept in really late the next morning.

This one was taken on Friday, June 6th. Once again, we partied all night then got up at 5:45am with the kids. But isn't weird how some people just do not age!

So anyway, Eden arrives tomorrow and I cannot tell you how excited Chloe and Ryder are to see her. For the last couple of days Chloe will ask me, "When I get up in the morning will Eden be in her bed?" They can't wait to see their big sister.

Potty training Ryder had been on my mind for awhile but I was just plain scared! After hearing awful stories about how horrible it is to train little boys and I did not think I would be up for the challenge. But, good grief, it was easy. I would say within three days we were done. Accidents are very rare. I still can't believe it. No more diapers! YAY!!!!

We are headed for San Diego on Sunday for our family vacation. Sea World and the beach are on the agenda. Chloe and Ryder are pushing for Chuck E. Cheese. I'll let you know on that one. Looking forward to beach breezes!

Hog Heaven

2008-06-02T13:57:00.000-07:00

Why go to Disneyland when you can....

...dig a hole?

We bought a peach tree and were planning to plant it when Aaron discovered that we were short a tree stake. And when living in a place where the wind can blow at hurricance strength, tree stakes are necessary. So the tree planting has been delayed. But, Chloe and Ryder had the best time putting their feet in the hole and then covering up their toes with the dirt.

They played for over an hour in this hole. Of course, we did need to squash the desire to throw the dirt into the air. We are really not ready to deal with a scratched cornea.

Aaron then asked, "So are you going to give them a bath tonight?" "Do you think they need one?" "Um, yeah Lyndsey, we're not in Georgia." You know I really don't remember running around as a kid with dirt smeared all over my body. In fact, my skin is dirt repellant. I did, however, on occasion have dirt under my fangernails, I mean fingernails. Anyways, after the bath and the teethbrushing, we tucked them into bed and they were sleeping in about 4.2 seconds. This morning the first question Chloe asked was if they could play in the hole again.

Spiderwebs in nose?

2008-05-24T09:06:00.000-07:00

The other day while Chloe and I were waiting for the oil on the van to be changed, she looked up at me while I was standing above her and said with a very concerned look, "daddy, you have spiderwebs inside your nose." Once I was finished cracking up, I explained to her that as we age, hair grows more in some places than in others. I think the spiderweb thing made more sense to her though.

The Place Where Dreams Don't Come True

2008-05-23T10:29:00.000-07:00

So when Aaron came home the other day from work to tell me that he had Friday off and he wanted to go somewhere fun I instantly thought, "Disneyland!" The kids have never been, I have not been in over 20 years and we only live 2 hours away. It was meant to be! So I checked the weather and yes! it was only going to be 65 degrees and cloudy! Perfect! Then we got something that Southern California almost never gets: WEATHER. Yep, wind and rain and in some parts, like Anaheim where Disneyland is conveniently located, hail. I am greatly disappointed. Thank goodness I did not tell the kids of our planned adventure. Oh well, a different day I guess.

Hiking

2008-05-21T07:23:00.000-07:00

On Friday the Hermanson Family took an impromptu hiking trip to the Palm Springs Tramway. It was perfect weather, beautiful views, the kids loved it. Overall a great time.

flying high

2008-05-18T19:23:00.001-07:00

Below is a photo of Ryder getting "double bounced" by Chloe for the first time. Serious hang time baby. Much to our surprise he got right back up, giggling uncontrollably, and began jumping again. Long live monkeys....good times.

no shirt dad

2008-05-18T18:16:00.001-07:00

Lately Ryder has been wanting to "wrestle" at every waking moment. It goes kinda like this. "Hey dad, you want to wrestle?" He takes me by the hand and leads me to the arena he has chosen for the day (My bed, the family room, etc...) and then insists that he take his shirt off. He then says, "take your shirt off dad!" If there were a bowl of mud near by I get the feeling he would want to smear some all over us before we engage in battle. The second my shirt comes off he charges me and dives into me like a WWF wrestler. This goes on for quiet a while and of course he annihilates me until I'm practically unconscious. The whole experience is a crack up. Who needs to win the lotto when you have times like these. Priceless!

New Words

2008-05-17T14:49:00.000-07:00

Ryder: Mama, I wanna go outside!

Mama: Well, you have to put on your shoes.

Ryder: No, I wanna be bo-feet!

Mama: Barefeet?

Ryder: Yeah, bo-feet.

Mama: Oh okay.

Spelling Bee

2008-05-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

Last week, Aaron and I took the kids to eat at the Applebee's down the road. They love Applebee's, so much that I think Applebee's was Ryder's second word. We don't eat there that often but when we do it is a treat. While we were eating Chloe felt that the conversation was lacking and brought up a topic that she is very much interested in, spelling. First it just started out as, "How do you spell....?" then as if we had injected both of them with a high concentration of sugar Chloe blurts out, "Dad! You're a W-I-O-X! Dad! You're a P-I-O-S! Dad! You're a X-Y-R!" and so on. Both Ryder and Chloe thought this was funnier than a Spongebob Squarepants episode and were doubled over in laughter. Then because Ryder did not want to be left out of the high hilarity going on at the table he said, "Dad.....YOU'RE A MAMA!" and really, what is funnier than that?

So spelling has taken over in the house. I think I spell out about 415 words a day many of them repeats. After about the 103rd word I usually try to turn these spelling tournaments into a proactive learning experience for Chloe. She'll ask, "Mom, how do you spell 'tree'? To which I'll answer, "Well, let's sound it out. Tah, tah, tah, what letter makes that sound?" By now Chloe eyes have glazed over and her brain is on lockdown. This frustrates me to no end because I know that in about 2.5 seconds she'll have another word for me to spell but will have no interest in spelling it herself. After witnessing her total disinterest in figuring out the letters herself it reminded me of a time when I ask my dad what I thought to be a very simple 'yes' or 'no' question. I remember being about 13 or 14 on a Sunday afternoon, it had to have been because it was a church related question. I asked, "Hey Dad, is the like benediction like a prayer?" Immediately, I knew that I was not going to get my yes or no answer because he got quite comfortable leaning up against the kitchen counter and he began, "Well, Lyndsey, it all began in the 15th century when a group of monks....." after that my brain clicked off. When Dad was finished he had that twinkle in his eye that beg to ask, "What other information may I bless you with my daughter?" to which I asked, "So like do I need to close my eyes?" I can understand the frustration my parents must have felt. So, do you need to close your eyes during the benediction? I don't know. Can't remember. It's a good thing we don't attend a church that includes a benediction because I would be totally stressing out.

To clarify, there are plenty of information that my parents have blessed me with that I do remember. However it took many more years of learning to listen before it actually sunk in. For now, I will continue to sound out words with the hope that Chloe will engage in the activity. And when she does we will celebrate....at Applebee's.

Our Emergency Room Adventure

2008-05-07T10:10:00.000-07:00

I think there is at least one child in every family who is more likely than the other family members to enjoy a trip to the local emergency room. Ryder is that child in our family. So far during his short 2 1/2 year existence we have managed to go to the emergency room twice which isn't all that bad really. Last October when visiting my folks in Georgia, Ryder started having some trouble breathing and the rescue inhaler wasn't doing too much rescuing. So away we went to spend quality family time at the Perry Hospital. Nice place. After about 4 hours of breathing treatments and other various assortments of tests, he was pronounced healed and was promptly discharged.

This past Monday, Ryder began having some breathing issues, coughing and wheezing. Again the rescue inhaler was not really bringing his breathing back to normal just more or less helped him stop coughing for about 2 hours. I'm that type of mom who will silently panic, I mean hope, that whatever ailment is plaguing my child will go away on its own. Usually it does but not Monday. So I packed up a tote bag full of books, snacks, water, blankets, and jackets expecting a long stay at the emergency room. Chloe and Ryder were very excited about our adventure until Chloe informed Ryder that he would probably get a shot and it would hurt. A lot. Chloe was then reprimanded and Ryder consoled. Away we went.

Altogether we were at the hospital for 1 1/2 hours which was shorter than the wait at our drive-thru Starbucks. I have no complaints. The kids behaved fantastically. They were a little freaked out when a little boy down the hall from us was screaming his head off (stitches, maybe??). I do know it had to do something with his foot though. When I told Chloe and Ryder that the little boy had a hurt foot and that the doctors were going to take care of him she asked, "Are they going to cut it off?" I don't think I'll let her watch "Gone with the Wind" anytime soon.

We arrived back home about 10pm and the kids were fast asleep. I was seriously hoping that maybe they would sleep in until at least 6:30. No, that was not to happen. Ryder woke up at his normal time of 5:30. Ugh. I went into his room to inform him that it was not time to be awake. Go back to bed. About 30 minutes later, Aaron went into his room to check on him. He was lying on his bed, wide awake, with the sun shining on his face through the crack in the curtain. Then the following conversation took place:

Ryder: Is it morning yet, Dad?

Aaron: Yep, it's morning.

Ryder: YAY!!!!!! Wanna play tennis, Dad?

Everything is back to normal.

Chloe's Nighttime Prayers

2008-04-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

Lately, Chloe has not wanted to say her bedtime prayer on her own, usually insisting that Aaron and I say the prayer then telling us what to pray about. But last night I overheard her in the bathroom saying a little prayer while finishing up her bathroom activities. This is what she said:

"Dear Jesus, Tonight I just want to dream about princesses and ballerinas. Please send the bad dreams to jail. Amen."

This reminds me of the time she prayed that God would give her a pink Dora the Explorer gun so she could go to work with Aaron.

Pictures of the kiddos

2008-04-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

These were taken yesterday before church. Before Ryder found any dirt to roll around in or rub on his face.

It seems that I can't keep a promise

2008-04-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

Well, at least about buying plants. About three plant shopping trips ago, Aaron asked me to hold off on buying anymore until I got the hang of taking care of the ones we had. Now he is begging me. It all began when I decided that I was going to have a vegetable garden. The idea that we would have tomatoes, green bell peppers, strawberries, peas, zucchini, and spinach was just too exciting. I would never have to buy produce again! I would overcome high food prices! Which would enable me to buy more of things I don't need, like shirts and shoes. Well maybe shoes, I need more of those. Unfortunately, if I were being graded on my success of my vegetable garden, I would get a big, fat "F." What is so darn hard about growing food? On the other hand, I have the beginnings of a small flower garden on my back patio. This has become my downfall at Home Depot and Walmart. Now, I can't buy the things I don't need, like shirts and shoes, because my budget is being eaten up by gardenias, lavender, honeysuckle and hybiscus. That plus I still have to buy my produce at outrageously high prices.

Because I've already perfected the art of being lazy...

2008-04-21T16:14:00.000-07:00

our daughter, Eden, has convince us that we need to have our own blog. I've never been one to write in a journal consistently. Ever. I enjoy reading other people's blogs but have never felt witty enough to write one of my own. So since I'm in a new phase in my life of taking on new activities I might as well add blogging too. It will give me something to do while I'm growing out my hair.

Lyndsey