Sweet Reward For A Lot Of Hard Work

We had a great weekend of quizzing....

Napa Quiz Team took First Place at the 2010 Spring Open in Manteca, CA.

These two boys were machines that day. Out of a total of 7 Quizzes for the day, they brought home a combined 13 ribbons for highest scorer or second highest scorer for each quiz.

Logan was First Place All-Tournament Team for having the Highest Average Score of the Day!!

We were so proud....he works so hard and truly LOVES quizzing. It was AWESOME to watch the shock on his face when they called his name to receive this trophy.

Victoria is always ready for the camera!! We were so excited that she got to answer questions this quiz. This is great considering she is at least 2 years younger than the "youngest" quizzer in the Junior Division (which is for ages 9-12). She should be in the Beginner Division, but we didn't have enough kids to make a team so she is quizzing with the big kids and does an awesome job keeping up with them!

This is what happens to Mariah at the quizzes...it is just too much for her to take!!

After a great weekend and lots of fun, we are now off to study for another quiz in May. To date, Victoria has memorized 171 verses and Logan has memorized 234 verses. I am continually amazed at the ability of children. And yes, I must say, a little proud!!

Just say NO!

A couple weeks ago, Logan was helping Phil at work. Phil's new assistant, Tony, had to go to the bank and Logan went with him. Side note for all my friends that know me all too well: Tony is a great guy. The first day he started it seemed like we had known him forever. I worry though that our life might steer him and his wife away from having kids...not really. He is wonderful and so good to our kids. The bank is located inside a store and Tony was buying "energy drinks" for the other guys at the store. Here is the conversation:

Tony: "Hey Logan, you want an one?"
Logan: "Sure! No, just kidding. I am not allowed to have them"
Tony: "Well what do you want to drink?"
Logan: "I'll take that Mountain Dew..."
Tony goes to grab the Mountain Dew
Logan: "No, I was kidding. I can't have that either, it has too much caffeine."
Tony: "Oh, its okay."
Logan: "No really, I am not supposed to drink that kind of soda"
Tony: "We'll just get it and see what your Dad says. If he says you can't have it, I will say I didn't know and then you will have to drink it because I already bought it." I am really hoping at this point that Tony was just testing Logan to see what he would say...but I never asked him.
Logan: "No, I'm not supposed to drink those. Can I get something else"
Tony: "Sure, what do you really want?"
Logan: "I'll take a Root Beer"

This is why I love strong-willed children. They are horrible, tear-your-hair-out toddlers and preschoolers that make you (and all the other adults around you) think you are the worst mother in the world. But, they really know how to stand their ground as they get older...maybe we will be able to enjoy him as a teen-ager (because his early years were enough to make up for the crazy teen-age years!). Another side note: yes, we know caffeine isn't horrible or that big of a deal - hey, some days I live on it! But, hang out with Logan for a while and you will understand why we limit his intake!!

Way to go Logan....you are awesome and no matter what is offered to you, always stand your ground. You know what is right and wrong and God will ALWAYS make a way of escape for you!

Mommy Reality

I really shouldn't look at current pictures of my kids and then switch to looking at pictures of when they were little. It is a reality I don't like! I wonder where the time has gone. I realize every parent says this, but it is so true. Now I am trying to figure out how I can live my life so that I don't keep feeling this way. It is easy to say that the last 15 months have literally flown by. Things have gone so fast that I have a hard time remembering all my kids had birthdays and are actually 5, 7 and 10 NOT 4,6 and 9. We have been so consumed with living in a new area, missing our family and friends, traveling back and forth for visits, getting adjusted to a new church and new responsibilities, trying to keep our heads above water and everything else that goes along with moving that I feel like I have almost lost a year of time with my kids. That, makes me sad because I know the years go fast enough as it is....

I remember when Mariah was a baby and thinking that I would always be in the same never-ending circle of diapers, feedings, nap schedules (literally all day depending on which little one was sleeping at the moment), asking cows milk or soy milk (only my closest friends and family really get this one!!), tantrums over anything and everything, toys strewn throughout the house no matter how hard I tried to keep them in their rooms, play dates gone really bad or really good (depending on the day and mood), and complete exhaustion like I had never known before. It truly feels like yesterday that I was sitting on the couch feeding Victoria, while Logan played cars on the couch next to me, and thinking about how much my life had changed in just three short years of "mommy-hood". And now, I find myself with three very independent, school-age children. How in the world did I get here?

I know, I got here one day at a time, going to bed saying "Whew, I made it! I conquered the day" or "Wow, the day conquered me!"....I wish I was one of those that could truly love each day for what it is, but instead I over-analyze and think... how could we have done this day better? What should we do different tomorrow? Should I just sell them and start over? I am thankful at times for my analytical side, but in mothering it sometimes doesn't work. I often long to be the mother that can truly live in the moment, without thinking about things so much. But, that is completely against my nature....I am a fixer, planner, organizer by nature and most days I feel like I am fixing, planning and organizing my kids through their childhood. Which, unfortunately, makes you focus on the tasks and not the moments that you will never experience again.

So, I think I will take my own advice that I put in the heading of my blog - "enjoying each moment as it comes" and let go of some of the fixing, planning and organizing that comes so naturally for me. Maybe it is good for me to have those moments when I look at my kids and just want to cry because of how fast the time has gone. It will make waking those three sweet cherubs up that much sweeter for me. God has blessed me abundantly and I need to remember that He chose to make me a Mommy and I will enjoy each minute....even during my analyzing!

Spring Break at the Oregon Coast

What a great trip we had...but I can honestly say I don't think we have ever had a bad trip! Enjoy the pictures...

This picture slideshow created with Smilebox

Some of the highlights....

• Getting to see all of our friends and family. What a blessing good friends and family are. The trip is made more complete because of them!
• Lo received a gift from some friends....A personalized, autographed football from Joey Harrington. Thanks Michael and Lesli!!
• I made it up the South Jetty on my four-wheeler. Now that is a big deal for me!
• Logan learned how to ride my four-wheeler. That is a big deal for him because he had to learn how to shift. Not such a big deal for me because now he thinks he gets to ride my bike. Well, since I still cook, clean and pack everything I get first dibs on it. But, go ahead Logan and ride it anytime it is raining!!
• None of the bikes broke!

How blessed we are to be able to enjoy this time relaxing and unwinding from life's craziness.