Geocaching

The weekend fun continued today....

I had told Dan about Geochaching a few weeks ago and today we took a couple minutes to figure out how it works. Well...it's fun! Using the GPS on our phones we enter coordinates for various locations and then we go to them and have to find Geocaches. They come in all sorts of containers and are hidden in all sorts of locations, but when you find it, you sign your Geocache name and sometimes add a small trinket to the box (if it's big enough) and then move on to find another one somewhere else.

Today, we did this for the first time and it was a lot of fun, the kids loved it! It's free and it's fun -- that works for this family! :) We found one in a railing in a bridge, one hidden in a fake rock by a waterfall, another hidden handing in a tree, one more in a tree stump and then the last one of the day was in a tube in the ground. It's a great game of Hide and Seek or Treasure Hunting and yet, it's free!

We found some not far from our neighborhood, but then later we took a family surrey bike ride in Lindenwood while we were Geocaching around there. It was great!

At the end of the night we put our hands in the middle and said, "Treasure Hunting" and when we were done, Alayna reminded us that our greatest Treasure is Jesus. She's so right! She loves the song, "Treasure" by Desperation Band.

Birthday Fun!

Ok...if you don't know my hubby and I here are a couple things about us you should know. We don't keep secrets from each other...if we try, we usually fail. We are more connected then probably most married couples and so if either of us tries to get away with something we usually fail because we always know what the other is doing. You should also know that we have been married over 9 years and my husband has yet to surprise me. Don't get me wrong...he has tried. He's come close once or twice, but I've ALWAYS had an suspicion and then it was proved true in the end. Even when he proposed, I had a suspicion it was going to happen that day, I just didn't know how. I digress.....

Anyway, friends of ours were in town for the weekend. We were planning a double date for Friday night. I KNEW my husband was up to something. I told him that and he admitted that he had a surpise for me after we went out to eat. His surprise (or so I thought) was a boat ride on the Red River. Don't get me wrong, it was a fun relaxing ride with our friends, but it wasn't anything to write home about (sorry SS Ruby!). We had to get home early because Grandma and Grandpa had to leave to get some work done by 7pm (it's not uncommon that they need us home a little earlier then we had maybe planned, so again, I thought nothing of it) and so after our boat ride we went and got some Dairy Queen and then headed home.

I walked in the door first because I was moving a bike out of the way for Dan to park and then when I walked in the door I saw some food set out, but it still didn't quite sink in yet....then I walked into our kitchen and saw a bunch of our friends starring at me and then saying, "SURPRISE!" He got me...he truly got me! I thought there might be other friends at the boat ride...when there weren't, I assumed it didn't work out, and that was ok. Then we got home and I realized I fell into his trap. He was grinning from EAR TO EAR! Thanks for making (3 days before) my 30th birthday really special!

Our ride on the Red River

Another Bloggers Post...

I read this tonight and thought it was well written and so I wanted to share it. I don't know who all reads my blog and I don't know where your marriages are at...but it would be worth your time to read it and reflect on your marriage.

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2010/06/5-ways-to-make-marriage-last.html

Holder's Happenings!

I realize that it has been quite a while since I have posted anything, so I'm just going to hit some highlights. School has been out for a few weeks now and so we have the 'no schedule - summer schedule'. I can't complain because it means more time with Dan home and I LOVE that! We have enjoyed some summer activities for the kids which has kept us busy as well as just being outside (when it's not raining...although we venture out in the rain too b/c we just like to be outside).

Here are some of the 'Happenings' since my last post:

- Dan isn't teaching summer school this year, so that has made our 'no schedule - summer schedule' even more out of whack this year....but it's been good!

- Josiah enjoyed a week of basketball camp where he went for 3 hours each day. He had a blast...he may not me an MBA player, but I'm glad he's having a lot of fun.

- We went and visited the "Amazin' Farm" with some of Dan's family and had a great time.

- We got some house projects done that have been on our list for a bit too long....we got a roof on our swing set (it still needs to be stained though..we can only do so much!!) We also were 'gifted' with paneling for our basement walls from my sisters house b/c they didn't want it anymore and we have GREATLY appreciated it in our basement!! No more falling down insulation!

- We've had a couple trips to the zoo and Seth seems to NEVER bore of seeing the animals though we have a super small zoo.

- Josiah and Alayna have LOVED swimming lessons and we'll find out how they did on Friday.

- Josiah is in Rookies baseball this summer...when it's not raining.

- Alayna has wanted to be in gymnastics for a REALLY long time and this summer she's finally having the opportunity and she is enjoying every minute of it. It's been fun to watch her excitement each time she realizes she gets to go. :)

- We have not forgotten dear Seth...he has had a great time to bond with Dan as I've taken the older ones to activites and it's pretty fun to see that though he's still a mommy's boy, he has definitely come to realize how SUPER fun his dad is! He's my first and only mommy's 'kid' and that might change quickly as he spends more and more one on one time with his daddy.

- Mr. Seth has also learned a new skill...in just a couple tries he has mastered riding Josiah's old 16" bike with training wheels. He hops on and rides at lightening speeds!!!!! There is no walking next to him...it's a FULL OUT run! He doesn't do ANYTHING 1/2 way! :)

Well, that's a quick recap...now you're semi-up to speed with the Holder's Happenings!

Mr. Independent

This morning Dan had to leave really early because he was having breakfast with a friend before heading off to work. That's all fine and dandy, however, that means I have my shower and all the kids are roaming free....obviously my darling 2 year old is the only one I worry about during this time. This does happen from time to time and normally things are just fine. I checked on him before I got in the shower and he was playing pretend in Alayna's room surrounded by all the people and animals she has in there...I took my shower...hopped out and with a towel wrapped around me when to check on him right away.

Hmmm...he wasn't in Alayna's room anymore (that was NOT a good sign!). I went down to the kitchen and as I looked I saw bread SWIMMING in honey....the counter also covered in honey....I asked him what he was doing, he looked at me SO innocently and said, "I hungry for a 'sanwich' mommy." Yes, yes you were son...however, that sandwich went into the trash....I scrubbed stickiness off of him and then wiped and wiped and wiped the counter of stickiness before I was able to actually get ready for the day. After purchasing more honey today, it is going to make it's way into 'kid proof' cupboard. Ahhh...never a dull moment around here!! :)

Parenting....

A friend/co-worker of Dan's and his wife are expecting their first child this fall. He made a comment on facebook after feeling the baby move that he is excited and scared. Dan replied with this response...it was a great description of parenting:

"It is kind of scary though (to be a parent). Like the scary feeling before riding a roller coaster. Once you're on, you can't get off. There's usually a lot of waiting before the ride. You feel totally helpless (at times) while riding. Yet somehow during the ride, the fear turns to joy! All the puke, poop and mess of that little life will be put into perspective when they throw you around a loop-d-loop of emotion by giving you a giant cheesy smile and say with a 2 year old voice..."Daddy!! I miss you daddy!" That's when the rider runs back to the end of the line and goes through it all over again."