First Time Out

Long Lake 2013

 

We planned our maiden voyage to just be an over night adventure in preparation for a few longer adventures to come. We give our first night big smiles!!

 

 

We had our first night out camping in the Springdale Trailer and it was a blast!!!

SO MUCH FUN.

 

Initially we planned to park at Skeleton Lake where Graham's Dad has a lake lot and Jennifer has her trailer parked but it had been raining so we snagged a spot at Long Lake instead.  (they came over for an evening snack though)  When we arrived it was still raining so we all had to channel our inner positivity but once the awning was out and dinner cooking things got kind of fun.  The rain stopped and we went for a little walk where a sweet girl asked if we needed any little kid camping chairs - which we did!  Her dad nodded and she went to grab two mini chairs, so awesome, so kind.  In the 24 hours we were there we had so many sweet family moments.  I am particularly fond of our family picture and then this picture of our girls holding hands.....already camping is sooooo worth it!  I will probably never say I enjoy the smoky smell or enjoy the dirt BUT I already enjoy the moments together.  Also awesome is that we had no cell service, which meant no digital distractions.

 

~ Mrs. P



Big Girls

Big Day - French Braids for Stella

 

It was a pretty big week for Stella's hair.  Ha writing that sentence sounded ridiculous!!!  My little Stella Charlene has hair long enough for French braids.  They were achieved only because of Mickey Mouse cartoons on the iPad and a bowl of snacks in her lap.  She did great though, I was super impressed. 

 

 

I LOVE this picture below of us together because it is soooooo us, soooooo her!!!!  She is still often my shadow and her laugh is just contagious.  I love her little arm around my neck.  It almost makes me a bit sad because she seems like such a little girl, no longer a baby. I looked in the rear view mirror the other day and was kind of shocked at how big she looked in her car seat with her braided hair.  Her little face is slimming out and her thighs are no longer baby chubby, craziness. Not long ago I was putting away laundry and she calls out, "Mom where are you? I need your help."  I was like what when did this girl go from baby babble to full sentences? What, what this seemed to have happened over night.  

Oh how I cherish her.

 

 This big chick below, she has my heart too! I have been so impressed by her and this leap she seems to have taken into being 4.  She is eager to help with chores around the house and has a few age appropriate responsibilities but she is also thoughtful and helpful and kind to her little sister.  It blows me away sometimes!  A new thing for Stella is wanting to sit in her big sister's car seat - it happened once and that dang flowered car seat has been an object of Stella's affection ever since but Amelia is sooooo good about sharing and switching seats, taking turns and having patience.  I want to freeze time, cuddle her more, paint her nails more, read more books together because time is flying.  It makes me emotional to think that kindergarten is only another year away (although she is pretty jacked up about it already).

I just cherish this chick too!

 

So another sentimental blog post.  Chalk it up to me being a softy but there are just so many things I want to remember and never forget about them at these stages. 

 

~ Momma P



Strolling Along - Enjoying the SWEET SPOT

 

Tonight after a pizza dinner we headed out to enjoy the cool breeze after a hot, busy day.  The house was too hot to cook, so Papa John's cooked for us hahaha!

 

The Polischuk ladies had a super wonderful day spent with friends and family having adventures at Jurassic Forest.  Meanwhile our Dad stayed back and although he had the day off he needed to take care of some things at our rental house and then went all worker bee building shelves in the shed.  It was kind of one of those awesome, productive days that leaves you longing to lay on the couch but our house was pretty warm so we opted for a post dinner walk in the breeze and boy was it a good choice.

 

I recently read an article talking about being over 'THE BLUR' of wee little babes and being in a family 'SWEET SPOT'...I totally feel this way...so well put.  As we walked along the path behind our house I reflected on each of us, we are totally in a family 'sweet spot'.  There are still epic tantrums and parental guilt over bad parenting but as we walked along I felt truly happy.   Mr. P and I holding hands between him running when the girls yelled "fastest (until we corrected them in saying "faster").  I felt absolute gratitude for each member of this little family I've been blessed with, right down to our precious pup Tula.  I love it that the girls wanted her in the wagon and frankly she was happy to be in there, especially when Mr. P would get running and her ears could flap in the wind. We picked a cat tail to feel and investigate, it was just one of those awesome days.

 

I am going to be determined to enjoy this 'sweet spot' a little more.

~ Mrs. P



Temple Picnic

 

There is a peace that can only be found at the temple. 

Even being in the flower garden around the temple brought a peaceful feeling.  After playing in the city the other morning we ended up being blocks from the temple and in need of a lunch break so the idea came to picnic on the temple grounds.  It ended up being AWESOME and BEAUTIFUL and SPECIAL!!!!! We ate and talked about covenants, obedience and the blessings of the temple.

It was sooooo lovely.

 

( I just love these two BFFs)

 

I was able to tell my girls that they would 'come with me to the temple' when I was pregnant with them and that I couldn't wait to go again with them someday.  We walked around the outside looking at the flowers and the beautiful stained glass windows, we just took it all in. We didn't go in and the little ladies won't have that opportunity until they are twelve years old, however it was nice to be there with them.

 

Just being 'around' made me think about my university days.  I hadn't yet taken the next step to receive the endowment ordinances so couldn't attend the temple other then for baptisms BUT I would often leave my tiny basement suite bedroom and drive to the temple just to sit in the parking lot or take a minute on one of the benches.  In the craziness of that phase of life; school, career choices, dating, engagement...the temple brought peace...even just the grounds.  I am grateful for the temple!  In our early years of marriage as we longed for children and struggled with decisions regarding what choices to make, we always found peace at the temple.  Often escaping from the world allowed us to refocus and have the ability to see things clearly and gave us the strength to press forward.  Now as we go to temple we are thankful for the peace and strength we receive as parents trying our best to raise some awesome young ladies.  There really is no other place that compares. 

 

I love to see the temple!

I loved going to see it with my ladies and the sweet Watson ladies.

 

 

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you,

My peace I give unto you:

Not as the world giveth, give I unto you.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

 

~ Mrs. P

we bought a camping trailer - SAY WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know right?!?!?!?!?!  Yep, we sure did buy a trailer.

I enjoy the outdoors!

I use the word enjoy loosely.

I could NEVER live more country then our little 1/3 of an acre estate lot and I am not sure if Graham could have EVER gotten me into a tent (other then church YW camps which I put on a brave/positive face for).  After a few conversations and desire to create fun, family memories Graham made me a proposal and it did NOT involve a shiny ring this time.  It was a proposal of him selling his motorcycle so that our family could get into a trailer that I would camp in...ohhhhh tears just came.

  He is that kind of a guy.

So we bit the bullet.  We did some research on trailers, he sold his bike and almost 10 days later here we are, trailer in the driveway all Lysol wiped out and a few campsites booked.  I will not even get started on the dead mouse i found while cleaning!!!!!!! I am traumatized but moving on. So we are on our way to becoming campers.  We have many friends who camp with their families and my parents have a fifth wheel, so we've been inspired.  Travel and vacations just evolved for us.  I am still in the learning curve but am sort of enjoying the camping meal planning and collecting all of our outdoorsy/bugs/wilderness/animal/stars/weather books for the trailer in anticipation for our adventures.  If it meant so much to Graham I know that I can suck it up and do this, so I will.  The girls are already excited which of course is contagious and makes us excited.   Stay tuned for our camping adventures.

~ Mrs. P





Sunning Beauties

We have had some lovely sunny, warm days and hit the spray park with friends.  Summer is awesome for sun 'n sand, the spray park has both of these.  Ironically our old house backed right onto the park but our new house backs onto a pond....ohhhhh ahhhhh. They didn't like the spray park when we lived there, ha.  Perhaps we'll have to take up fishing.  Anyway, we had a blast! We have some great friends here in the Fort with kiddos the same age and it is fun whenever we get together.

 

I must also say that after a few years having babes and little ones actually getting out and being able to enjoy the sun is wonderful.  Finally hoping I won't be that chick with the paste white legs.

 

~ Mrs. P

Pillow Parties

 

We have been busy, busy, busy enjoying the summer days and we finally had a day with NOTHING planned.  I like the idea that the parent's bedroom is an adult space, I like the idea that it is a retreat for the parent's BUT the reality in our house is different.  Our room equals comfy pillows, a pretty big TV (courtesy of my TV loving Mr.P) and the layout of our home makes it a convenient place for the kiddos to chill while I get ready in the morning.  If I don't shower before they wake (which honestly hasn't happened much lately) we have a little routine where they will get to watch a show and sometimes have a snack in our bed while I get ready.  Recently I have caught Stella climbing onto the island so it is pretty important that I keep her busy if I need to have a shower.  I just loved seeing all of our ladies playing in the pillows on the bed.  They kept rearranging the pillows to be little beds and when I came around the corner Mia was asking Stella to cover her with a pillow "like it was a blanket".  Such fun!!  They are such cutie pies.

 

~ Mrs. P