Zoo Fun!

The Monday before school started, we took a quick, last hoorah, trip to the zoo!  We showed up at the John's new house, surprised the boys, and went on our way.  It was so fun!  The kids are at such fun ages for these "day trips."  Naps are still favored, but not totally needed, Ruby isn't on the move yet, and the older kids have interest and are very inquisitive.  It was a blast.

Layla's favorite: PINK flamingos!

You bet that's a boa constrictor in there.  Ewwwwww.

Charlie's favorite boy, Noah.  Noah does so well at tolerating Charlie following him everywhere.  Noah is big, big stuff in Charlie's little eyes.

Lunch time!

Look out!

The giraffe, a favorite.

So, so fun!  Every time they would come around the kids would squeal in delight.

Riding the train.

Look at that cute as can be caboose!

Our feet were filthy, we were tired, hot, sweaty, and buzzing on excitement.  I'd call that a fantastic day!

Ruby cuteness.

Here's little sweet pea.  It's fun to see how she has changed in just a few months.  Beautiful as ever...

I absolutely adore this little girl.

First Day of School!

The first week of school is in the books.  And, I'm pleased to report; all went well!

Maleah at her desk.

Her fabulous teacher, Mrs. Jones!

Opening the school year with chapel.  I stayed, and was so glad I did.  I love hearing what the school stands for, and starting the year off together as families.

Well, if this didn't make her mama proud.  :)

1st grader!

  Lastly, you have to look at how they have changed over the year.  And, has she ever changed!  My goodness, she has grown.  I didn't realize it in the day to day, but this is exactly why we take photos.  She looks so much older.  I can't decide if it makes me happy or sad.  Both, I suppose.  Check her out last year; my little kindergartner...

Apparently she likes to swing that ol' hip in photos!  :)

Happy school year, Maleah!

10 Grace Prayers for Joyful Parenting

I have this list up on my refrigerator.  I read it every.single.day.  Sometimes numerous times a day. 

Joyful parenting isn't something that comes easy.  Even though I LOVE, and I mean LOVE, being a mom, it is hard.  But, I believe that being a mommy is one of the highest, holiest, callings from God.  And when it is from the Lord, it can, and should, be filled with JOY.  Most moments are happy.  But, if I were to be honest, a lot of moments are filled with exhaustion, discouragement, comparison, anger, and feeling depleted.  I will choose joy.

One of the things I love about this list is that each "prayer" begins with just for today.  It doesn't worry about tomorrow, or wallow in the guilt of losing my cool the day prior.  Isn't that a relief?  Also, they are grace prayers.  God knows that we aren't perfect.  If we were, we wouldn't have a need for Him.  It is our job to do the very best we can, but we will fail.  God has promised to fill in the gaps.  That is grace. 

This is taken from Ann Voskamp, author of One Thousand Gifts.

1.  Just for today, I will ask for His grace to make our home a house of prayer.  I will pray at set times.  And I will invite our children to come move into an interior space that lives with God.

2.  Just for today, I will ask for His grace to transfigure all things into beauty.  He's working to redeem all things, in His time, into the image of His Son.

3.  Just for today, I will ask for His grace to see that life is not an emergency.  Emergencies are sudden, unexpected events - and is anything under the sun unexpected to God?  I can slow and I can trust.

4.  Just for today, I will ask for His grace, that when stress mounts, I'll dismount it with gratitude.  My stress coping mechanism will be verbal intervention with verbal tanks.  It's impossible to simultaneously feel stress and gratitude at the same time and I choose to give thanks at all times.  Fight feeling with feeling!

5.  Just for today, I will ask for His grace to speak words that are only strong words, words that make these children feel strong.  Grace words.  Grace is the only noon-toxic air.

6.  Just for today, I will ask for His grace to be consistently consistent.  I will create safe rhythms that our children can find security in.  I will create daily ceremonies because everyday we are CELEBRATING the gift of now!

7.  Just for today, I will ask for His grace, the moment when I am most repelled by a child's behavior, that is my sign to draw the very closest to that child.

8.  Just for today, I will ask for His grace to hug each of my children as many times as I serve them meals - because children's hearts feed on touch.  I'll look for as many opportunities to touch my children today as possible - the taller they are, the more so.

9.  Just for today, I will ask for His grace to make my priorities all Things Unseen.

10.  Just for today, I will ask for His grace to laugh!  And I will let the little children laugh!  I will create a culture of JOY!

Michigan Vacation

We just got back from a delightful time with my family in Michigan.  The weather was fantastic, company most wonderful, and beach just beautiful.  The place we stayed was a bit (or more) of a dive, but the space it offered was awesome.

Day 1: Travel.  We all left on our own, not planning to travel together, but ended up within about 15 miles of each other along the interstate.  We were even able to stop and eat lunch all together, swap some kids around in vehicles, and go the rest of the way.  All of them did absolutely wonderful traveling.

When we got there, we checked out the extremely primitive, not so private, place (grrr), then packed up and headed into Silver Beach.  The kids got right into the water, explored how far they could dig, and enjoyed sand in their toes.  We were there until the sun went down.  It was gorgeous.

We went back to the barn, cleaned up, enjoyed a late night bowl of cereal, and to bed, to bed, sleepyhead...

Day 2: Everyone went into St. Joseph.  We ate lunch at a most excellent pizza joint right down by the beach, played on the playground in the fine sand, played at the beach, rinsed off at the splash pad, then back to the barn for the usual evenings of supper, play, and bed.  Such a fun day!

It was chilly!

For those of you who know my redneck husband, you will be not be surprised that he figured out a way to "hunt seagulls."  He set out some bait, and I'll let you figure out the rest...

Layla Grace

Charlton William

Maleah Faith

Ruby Joy

Our "camp."

Daddy was such a trooper getting into the frigid water!

Look at all those cutie patooties!

Play, play, play.

Check out that awesome fort!

Day 3: That morning we took family photos, then the ladies took off for their day together while the guys took the kids to the county beach.  It is so great to be with my mom and sisters with no little ones interrupting our conversation.  They are, hands down, my very best friends.  I am so incredibly grateful for our relationship.  We ended the night with just my sisters and I, along with Mom and Dad, bringing the bigger kids to the carousel, playground while the sun went down, then a showing of Mary Poppins, while munching on popcorn, out on a big lawn.  Sweet, sweet memories!

Ice cream all to myself, on the bluff, overlooking the lake.  Glorious!

Just hanging out on a park bench.  Lovely.

My absolute favorite ladies.

Cuteness.

Day 4: The guys go golfing while the mommies have the kids.  We started the morning with going berry picking.  The kids loved it, we all learned something (who knew black berries are actually red before they turn black?!), and the berries were delicious!  We got back to the barn, ate lunch, then over to the beach we went for the afternoon.  After supper that night, we celebrated all the summer birthday kids, and had a fierce competition of minute it to win it.  The night was topped off with s'more overlooking the lake.  Perfect day for all!

The wonderful Nana watching the babies so we could pick with the kids.

Good lookin' bunch of pickers!

We found a wonderful county beach.  There were very few people there, so we were able to relax and play with no bothers!  The lake was exceptionally beautiful this day, even looking like an ocean blue.

Quite the crew.

The baby sleeping section.  :)

Playing behind the log in "the kitchen."

Noah and Lydia made quite the "house."  It was so neat to see them put a towel for the doormat and sticks to separate rooms.  It was so precious to see their big imaginations working.

Minute it to win it games!

Birthday kids!!

Decorating their own birthday cupcakes.

Fire and s'mores on the bluff.

Noah said, "that looks like heaven over there."  I totally agree, little boy.  I was just marveled by God's creation.  If it's this beautiful here, what does heaven really look like?  Marvelous.

As the sun went further down, the sunbeams were more pronounced.  Absolute beauty.

Day 5: Home.

This was Ruby as I was packing up.  She was so good the entire time.  You hardly knew she was there.  She loved all the attention and being held, of course.  Such a sweet, pretty little girl!

All the kids hanging out while we pack up.  They look tired, don't they?  That's because it was nonstop FUN, and a great time had by all!!

So there it is, Michigan vacation 2013 with the Hayes clan.  I was really sad to leave for some reason.  I wish I lived closer to my sisters, but love the times we have together.  It is no secret that I am a people person, so being together with my favorite people for five days was good for my soul.  While it's so nice to get home to your own bed, shower in your own bathroom, and get back into the swing of things, I wasn't ready to part ways. I am, though, so thankful for the great time we had together.  I know it is rare to have everyone get along so well.  And for that, I am grateful!

It was a wonderful five days.  A lot of memories were made, and it was refreshing to bask in God's beauty; both His creation and His people.