Summer Reading Club and a Cluttered Closet!

Not much has been going on around here, we've been spending a lot of time in the pool and loving it.  All three of the Princesses signed up for the Summer Reading Club at our local library a few weeks ago.  Today, our library books were due to be returned so the girls and I went to turn in books, check out new books and turn in our reading logs.  They all completed their 10 title requirement and were rewarded with a free book of their choice from the book box and some coupons for free meals and a Rangers ticket!  Yay!  They were very excited.  I am really making an effort this summer to help them get excited about reading.  Princess KG made amazing strides with her reading from Kindergarten to 1st Grade and I'm hoping that Princess KF will too.  I read to Princess KA as she is, obviously, to young to read on her own!  I had fun too.  I'm trying to work on organizing the closet upstairs.  I started that yesterday and it just looks like the closet threw up all over the spare bedroom.  Between trying to find the motivation to do so and the teething Princess in the house, I'm not having much luck.  Teething is just not project-friendly.  Either way, the closet must be done by this weekend as Treyberg is coming to visit...and we can.not.wait for that!!  Exciting!

Summer Sun and Fun!

Today is the first "official" day of Summer!!  Woo-Hoo!  Although, I think Summer unofficially showed up around here a few weeks ago.  As I type, our front porch thermometer says 105.  It is beyond sticky today (ick) as a storm blew through last night.  I am just not one for humid, sticky misery.  I much prefer comfortable and breezy!  We got the pool up and running finally!  We had to order some replacement parts due to a mishap last fall.  When we were taking the pool down, it was drained down to about 6 inches of water left and a storm blew in.  The wind picked up the pool and turned it over, bending some of the frame.  The pool is looking much better this year.  Last year was a learning curve and Big Mac has figured out that our REALLY hard water means the pool requires a little more maintenance a little more often to keep it sparkling clean.  Our water wreaks all kinds of havoc.  I have a hard time keeping the cloth diapers free of mineral buildup from the water.  Very frustrating.  I'm trying to find the best wash routine...lots of trial and error!

The girls came back from Nanny Camp 2011 last Friday & they had a blast.  They're already asking how many days until next year's camp.  I just don't think they grasp the concept of 365ish.  

Princess KA is really starting to get around on her own and into everything!  She has finally started doing a full on hands and knees crawl.  Such a sweet stage!  (Until she pulled the small table that holds a lamp in the living room over and dumped everything on said table in the floor)  I think I am just not supposed to have any lamps in the house that aren't wobbly and sad.  Right now, I'm down to 5 lamps in the entire house that haven't been casualties to some act of fun/war/exploration.  LOL!

P.S. - The front porch thermometer now says 106...yikes!!  Poor Big Mac is out cutting grass. :(

Have a Sunshine-y Summer! 

Nanny Camp and Other Ramblings

Princess KG & Princess KF are off at Nanny Camp, also known as Mommy and Daddy Camp, this week.  They are having a BLAST!!  So far, I believe they have made name letters for their rooms, a tie-dye t-shirt, cookies, pizza, aprons, their own teddy bear and rabbit, gone out to eat and to the splash park and I'm not sure what else!  They are staying busy and Nanny is going to be worn out by the time this week is through!  Last night, Princess KA joined in the fun for the evening while Big Mac and I got to go on a date!  We went to Saltgrass Steak House for dinner.  Love me some Saltgrass!!  They have the best "restaurant steak".  I say "restaurant steak" because my hubby makes the best steak.  After our meal, we did a little shopping then headed back to get Princess KA.  We really enjoyed the alone time together.

On a side note, I was able to try out my GroVia BioSoakers with my GroVia Shells on Princess KA while she was gone to Nanny's.  These diapers are super trim, come in cute prints and colors and are so versatile.  They can be used with their reusable Organic Cotton Soaker Pads or with the BioSoakers.  The Soaker Pads are snap in, super absorbent, washable and waterproof.  You snap them into the shell for use, unsnap when soiled and throw them in the diaper pail until wash day.  The BioSoakers are a trim, disposable, plastic, chlorine, fragrance and dye free option.  You stick them to the shell for use, remove when soiled and throw away.  I am very pleased with their absorbency and ease of use.  These will be a great asset for traveling or going out of the house for long periods of time, as the shell can be used multiple times.  I never would have thought I would be a cloth diapering Momma, but I love it!  :)

I was able to go get my hair cut and colored on Tuesday, the first official day of Nanny Camp.  I sprung for something different and added some red highlights in my hair to go along with the brown highlights and the blonde hair.  I L.o.V.e the way it turned out!  It is a little out there for me as I usually stick to the run of the mill hairstyles.  I stubbed my baby toe on Sunday and good grief it is still sore!  The stinking refrigerator jumped out in front of me as I was walking by.  Tomorrow, I hope to get some things done around the house...we'll see how that goes!

Ta-Ta for now!

Crystal

Old news, new news...still news!

Well, a LOT has changed since I blogged last.  For starters, we have been blessed with a beautiful little girl, Princess KA.  She was born in October and has brought so much joy to our family!  The older girls love being big sisters!  I survived an emergency C-Section ~ my first surgery ever.  After going through that experience, I do not understand why anyone would choose to have a C-Section.  I would rather do it "the old-fashioned way" any day of the week!  Shortly after her arrival, Big Mac survived the birth of a kidney stone.  One day after being cleared to drive again, I was driving him to the ER.  That was an interesting experience for me to observe - I've never seen him so sick.  Big Mac's parents were able to come for a visit 2 weeks after Princess KA was born.  It was wonderful to see them.  The only negative was they didn't stay longer!  I began cloth diapering in January and have L.O.V.E.D. the experience!!  Modern cloth diapering is NOTHING at all like you think it is and NOTHING like it used to be when our parents and grandparents did it. 

We just completed our 2nd year of homeschool and K-5 and 1st Grade.  The girls did fabulous and had wonderful grades.  It is amazing to be SO involved with their education and watch them learn, and master, so many new things!  I will be teaching a 1st and 2nd grader in the fall.  Treyberg finished up his Junior year and is now a Senior and looking forward to the future and college.  We got a YorkiPoo dog in March 2010 named Scout. He shall henceforth be known as Sir Scout on the blog.  He is a MESS and definitely partial to Big Mac!!!  Speaking of Big Mac, he is still working from home and we've all adjusted to having a baby in the house again.  Princess KG and Princess KF finished up Awanas - Princess KF was Sparky Clubber of the Year, a Gymnastics Class, Ballet Class and Art Class.  They also did cheerleading in the fall for basketball and in the spring for flag football.  Both times were fun, but I enjoyed the spring session much better!  (Probably because it was outdoors, less crowded than the gym, and I wasn't pregnant.)  The last year has been a wonderful journey of love, laughs and mishaps - that is the tale of our lives!

We are enjoying the summer.  It sure did get hot in a hurry!!!  We sorta tried our hand at a garden this year, but didn't put too much effort into it.  The only thing that survived is Butternut Squash...I'm excited about that.  Let me clarify - I'm not excited that that is the only thing growing, but I am excited that SOMETHING is growing!  Princess KG just turned 7 and has lost 8 teeth.  Princess KF will be 6 in August and has lost 0 teeth.  Princess KA is 7 months old and has cut 4 teeth in 2 weeks and 2 days.  Lots of cranky going on around here!  The girls will be going to Nanny Camp 2011 soon and Can.Not.Wait!  I will not know what to do with myself, I'm sure.  Big Mac and I have embarked on the weight loss journey together once again.  We want to be healthy for ourselves and our kids.  This time it hasn't seemed to be as hard as other times we've tried; maybe we were just both really ready.  My Mom so graciously gave me her old sewing machine - I can't wait to try my hand at it and get crafty again!  My to-do list just keeps growing.  The girls are enrolled in Dance - Ballet and Tap - for the fall.  I am excited to see them doing their thing!  That's enough rambling for now....dinner must be made, and that's my job so I better hop to it!!

Love and sunshine!!

Crystal

A McClary Milestone!!

The day I have waited for since my two children were born arrived yesterday. I am soooo blessed to say that both of my precious baby girls have asked Jesus into their hearts!! I am humbled at God's love, amazed at His grace, relieved they have made this decision, and ecstatic that I was able to share in this moment!! I was painting (which seems to be what I do lately, but that's another post!) last night in our bedroom when Princess KG walked in and said, "Mom, I want to be saved..how do I do that?" We got the Bible out, read some verses, talked about what being saved meant, then prayed together. She asked Jesus to forgive her and come into her heart. She is so tenderhearted..she was about to cry!! It.Was.AMAZING!! About an hour later, Princess KF came in there (I was still painting..imagine that) and said, "I want to be saved too, Mom, because Jesus is talking to my heart." So, we read the Bible together, talked about it and she too prayed and asked Jesus to forgive her and come into her heart. It.Was.Again.AMAZING!!!! I cried. Yes, I did. I am not much of a cryer, but this did it!! I can only imagine how much I am going to cry when they get baptized!! I already almost tear up thinking about them getting baptized when others get baptized at our church! I have been hoping and waiting for this day for a long time. I'm so thankful it came! I was once again reminded of the responsibilities and worries that come with parenthood. I love these kids so much!!! It is a wonderful blessing to know they will one day spend eternity in Heaven! This has been an AWESOME weekend!!!!!!!

If you don't know Jesus and have a personal relationship with Him, I pray that you will trust Him with your life, your all, your heart and soul and ask Him to "Be merciful, to you a sinner."

Love to all of you!!

Which FINALLY brings us to the present!

WAHOOOO! I am finally caught up! I hated being so far behind...it was just hanging over my head like a black cloud. Boo...but it's gone now! I am sitting here in Mimi's kitchen about to go to bed!!!! We are spending the week here for Thanksgiving! It is going to be so nice to see everyone again. The trip over wasn't too bad...but could have been better. Our kids get car sick...so we had puke in every state between here and there!!! YUCK-O. The drive wasn't bad though...we left at 4:45 am and got here shortly before 6 pm. I can't believe it is Thanksgiving already and Christmas is right around the corner...I am looking forward to getting the tree out and decorating the house when we get back home!

Happy Turkey Day everyone! I am so thankful for God, my family, and friends! Love you all!

HUGS!!!

Crafts from School!

The girls made their own "Indian Vests and Headbands" in celebration of the first Thanksgiving Day with the Pilgrims and Indians. Just had to share....