Yes Nap... Nap Now!!

About the time I ended my last post things got quiet, a little too quiet. I peeked in to see what might be keeping Elise so quiet and it was sleep! About two hours worth of sleep :) I am still debating if the nap is worth the horrible attitude that awoke with her:( It might be early to bed for Elise if attitudes don't improve.

No Nap... Not Yet

As I sit her typing Elise is upstairs "sleeping" as least that was the plan, but all I hear are little bumps and thumps. How can this happen?
It all started yesterday after church, I put Elise down for her afternoon nap and well this is how it went:

Elise: Mom I'm not sleepy.
Mom: Elise try and take a rest anyway you body needs it. (ie your mom and dad need it)

20 minutes later...
Elise: Mom I have to go potty.
Mom: Okay, go, but then straight back to bed.

30 minutes later...
(from downstairs)
Sarah: I don't think Elise has slept during her afternoon nap.
Tim: Really?!?
Sarah: Yes, can't you hear her up there playing?
Tim: Is that the bumps I keep hearing.
Sarah: YES.

Surprisingly she was very good the rest of the afternoon and evening. Only when she was told it was bed time did she put up a fuss (which was not a pretty site). I thought for sure she would take a great nap today after not having one yesterday. Can she really drop her nap so easily? Without warning? I am not ready for nap time to be coming to an end.

Swim Lessons and Life Lessons

Today was the end of a beginning. Elise completed her first swim lessons... well her first swim lesson where I wasn't in the water with her! Elise is 3 (going on four) and is concerned with everything BIG. She can't wait for summer to be over to start preschool. She can't wait for her next happy birthday with she will proudly be 4. While Elise can't wait to be big, Tim and I are can't figure out how to slow, stop or even rewind time. I am not sure why, but the older Elise gets the more nostalgic I get for a toddling toddler, who knew more animal sounds than real words, for a baby who was always in the 5th percentile for height and weight, but had a belly which hid a watermelon, for hair so dark with a single Elvis wave, it looked so cute pulled into a sprout on top. Ah so many,many things I miss. I would not change who she is now or who she is becoming, but why dose she have to be getting there so fast?

Birthday Wishes for Elias

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY ELIAS!
We would love to be there to help celebrate, but since we can't here is a birthday video just for you!

Camping Cousins

As if Elise was already in cousin heaven we spent even more time with cousins last weekend. We headed out to Cottonwood Lake, CO with my brother Matthew and his family for a little camping, ATV riding and lots of dirt!Me: Rocket I think you have a little dirt on your face.

Rocket: What?! Where?!

Elise demonstrating: she drives like her dad!

Roxanne demonstrating: how not to ride an ATV!

Every year my husband Tim and sister in law Naomi become obsessed with the campfire and this year was no different. I think Noami just like to work out some of her issues by chopping wood. As for Tim, what could be more manly than chopping wood with your feet!

Cousins and Uncle Wilber

Elise loved having some of her cousins in town for the week. Monday Elise and I hung out with Noami (my sister in law) and kids (cousins) while she painted. Then Tuesday was spent the with Grandma and Grandpa, cousin and Uncle Wilber.

Uncle Wilber

Getting a group picture was well.... at least they are cute little monkeys.
There are a lot of great pictures to share, but here are my favorite of each of the kids.





Rocket

RoxanneElise

Bubbles

Power Lab

Today was our first day of VBS! Elise missed the cut off age by one month, so she is in the nursery doing a modified version of the program. She got a t-shirt, to do a craft, have snack, watch a video, and jump in a bounce house. So far I think she likes it. I was a crew leader. To be honest I almost didn't sign up due to Elise missing the cut off age, but decided that if I volunteered I could A: meet some people at our new church and B: Elise would get to participate for free! I was a little disappointed to learn I would be a crew leader which meant more responsibility and less time for getting to know people. Thankfully God sees the bigger picture and allowed me to see that VBS isn't about me meeting and making some new friends, its about Him and His children and what He has planned for THEM this week. So God taught me today that " Jesus gives me the power to be thankful" (KA POW!) "Always be thankful." Colossians 3:15. I am looking forward to our week long Power Lab VBS and to watching children learn, understand and grow in what is means to "Discover Jesus' Miraculous Power" and what it means to me as well.

Elise would not put on her t shirt at VBS not sure why. So after a good afternoon nap I told her if she put her t-shirt on and let me take a nice picture of her, I would let her take a picture of me wearing my t-shirt.