Adventures with the Lloyds

The other day we had some more adventures with the Lloyds. First we went to Firt Stanwix and learned all about the Indian tribes in Ny and the trials they faced and the customs that are different from the way we live. It was an eye opening experience for the boys, but I think the most fun they has was when they got to hold the wooden muskats and learn the different commands! Ryan and Gramma thought this toy looked like an old time transformer.

Then we went to Fort Rickey Game Farm, and had a blast feeding the deer, and holding snakes and baby goats! Caitlyn was in Heaven with all the animals around. She loved watching, and petting, she just ran from one place to the other laughing and babbling about what she saw.

Actually, we went to Fort Rickey first and Frot Stanix last, but I loaded the pics in the wrong order. Details, details, oh well :-)

Little Mommy

We went to visit some close friends of ours the other day, they have a new baby boy who we just couldn't wait to meet. Baby Jeremiah is a sweet little one, and Caityln couldn't agree more! The whole time we were there she played very little with toys, but instead tended to little Jeremiah, giving him hugs and cuddles and putting his blanket on just so. If he wiggled even the slightest bit she would have to reposition the blanket. How precious it was watching her nurture another little being.

Just because it's naptime and she played super hard all morning, and she's quiet in the backseat, you can never assume she is sleeping!

Hole in One

We went to play Putt Putt today, and on hole number 12 Aaron got the first hole in one. It would be an undertsament to say he was very excited! Ethan got a hole in one on number 17, after shooting the ball with his hand! There is this new twist on the game, a spinner with different variations to the game, to make it more interesting I guess. One was, any opponant can be placed on the green as an extra obstacle, another was using your club up-side-down, the one they liked the most was being able to use your hands for the first putt. Well, Ethan didn't quite get what it meant, and he chucked the ball, AND, he ended up with a hole in one!! Of coarse, the siblings didn't quite think it was fair, 'cause there was no spinner at this particular hole. So, I let the other two give it a try, and Aaron got a hole in one that way as well. A fun way to end the game I thought. Caitlyn, well, she had fun running throughout the course, stealing clubs, and trying to kick the ball. So we got her a club and ball of her own. Daddy would be proud.

After days like yesterday, I really need to play around some with my thinking and emotions. We had such an amazing day with our best friends, family really, the Lloyds. Each of the children has a friend their age. Ryan and Beca and 9 days apart, Aaron and Chris are 6 mo. apart, and Ethan and Sammuel are 6 mo apart. The young ones, Zach and Caitlyn were actually born on the same day, one yr apart!

When we arrived, the first time in 1 yr, the children could barely wait for the van top stop moving. They jumped out and ran immediately to their Lloyd counterpart, and we littereally didn't hear from them for at least 2 hours. There was a huge yard to run around in, a maze to run, tire swing, huge trampoline, and trees to climb. They were in heaven!

Mandy and I could actually sit and converse about whole topics rather than be interupted mid thought, which used to be the norm when all our children were 4 and under. We went to Wegman's for lunch, which used to be one of our usual stomping grounds. One of us would call the other and say "hey, I gotta get some groceries, you wanna meet and have lunch?", or " i gota get out of the house, come out to eat with us!". Then we would trapse out with all 6 children, dodging the glaring eyes and thoughts behind those looks saying we were either crazy, or a small daycare! Today, we got the same looks and thoughts, I'm sure, but this time the children were all (well, mostly) calm and obedient, and helpful. Save for Aaron and Chris who have way too much kinetic energy, totally feeding off eachother!

These things make me really want to stay. It's really quite difficult to process the emotions with coming back to the states each yr. Do I want to settle down and get back into my normal, predictable routine, and have these times more often with the children? Or do I want to continue to have other amazing experience, seeing the world, meeting new people, developing new friends, only to have to say goodbye in a moments notice becase they have to relocate? Traveling the world is something I would never have thought we would do. It's incomprehendable, I wouldn't change what we have done. But, there is something said for staying put for a while, predictability, old friends, family and routine. I will never have my ultimate dream of raising the children modern day Little House on the Prarrie style, but, I know there's got to be a comprimise out there somewhere.

This is obviously the meloncholy in me talking today! i am just blessed by all experiences God has given us, both here and out there, in His big wide world!

Meanwhile, we will take the days like we had today, any time we can!

If she only knew!

If she only had a clue what their real motive was. She is thinking it's pretty cool, wondering, discovering, learning. They, on the other hand, and plotting, scheming, laughing - wishing they could be squirting their sister for real! Growing up with 3 older brothers will have it's blessings and it's trials for sure.

Favorite things

Some of my favorite memories from growing up are target shooting with my dad and campfires. The one on one time you get is priceless no matter the activity, and target shooting is one of the things my dad really enjoyed, so I got in on the action. It's something I never thought my boys would experience because, well, living in Sinapore, options are limited for that activity! But, this year my dad desided that would be a fun activity to teach them. Great idea, they love it! I am so blessed my dad can relate to them, and they can gleen from him.

Ahhh, and campfires. We would have them every night when we went camping in Coles Creek. The smell of the fire, roasting marshmallows for s'mores, sitting on mom or dad's lap, and sometimes singing songs. Those were good times. Well, we don't go camping at Coles Creek, but dad designed a fire pit in his backyard so we could do campfires whenever we wanted. The boys request it quite often, but I think they love having s'mores and staying up late. And, having the Poker Stick is an honor everyone vies for, but only the lucky are priveledged with!

"Mom, watch this"

Going..... Going..... Gone!

Some things you never have to each a child to do, one of them includes slurping spaghetti.