Our Adventure called Life

Even though the calendar shown the summer months had slipped away, the weather was still warm, encouraging us to get out and soak up these dog days of summer. The weekend explorers Excitement ran high as Friday evening rolled around and we loaded up the camper with s'mores, glow sticks, and outdoor clothes.  We headed a few hours down the interstate to land that Scott and his brother had grown up on. Happiness is fishing with your Papaw  Scott's dad, my parents, and the owner of the property met us there for a weekend of fishing and fun.  We spent mornings sipping coffee by the pond, afternoons hiking and 4-wheeling, and evenings cooking under the stars.  The kids got to spend time with family, run through fields until their legs couldn't go another step, and ride 4-wheelers until windblown hair and wind burnt cheeks were worn with pride.   Every time I mention taking the kids to DisneyLand, Scott reminds me how excited and happy the kids are doing ...

We 've taken enough road trips with our kids to know how to keep them entertained and upbeat while hitting the open road.  Some of our good friends had move d to Pittsburgh over a year ago and it was time to reunite the kids and adults!   Blankets...captivation tiny travelers for hours We departed early Friday and drove straight thru with the exception of one stop to fuel-up and take a tour of the gas station restrooms.  I had visited the local dollar tree prior to departure day and stocked up on sticker books, stickers, and travel sized magna doodles.  I spaced out the "prizes" by a couple hours.  It kept the kids on their best behavior and they had something to look forward too!  We also utilized our baking sheets which the kids used to color and snack on.   Focused My husband sort of tricked me, un-intentionally.....so I am not a fan of driving.  I'd much rather be in the passenger seat for hours then spend any time behind the whe...

Just the 2 of us A few weekends ago Scott and I realized we hadn't taken any time for ourselves as parents since our adult ski trip to Montana in January.  There is nothing we enjoy more then taking our littles on adventures, but every once we need to relax and spend time together as Scott and Kara. Hello Cincinnati Some friends of ours live in Cincinnati and will soon be moving to Texas.  They had been asking us to come visit before they moved even further away.  We decided to take a mini road trip to visit them and enjoy life in the city.  The kids were excited to spend a night with the grandparents as Scott I got out of town for the day/night. Glacier National Park A few other couples met up with us in the city and we ventured to the Cincinnati Museum Center.  We are a pretty outdoorsy group, so we were excited to visit the Omnimax Theater for a screening of Our National Parks: Celebrating 100 Years of the National Park Service .  Watching...

Sweet babies (pre-witching hour) 5pm is what I like to refer as "The Witching Hour."  At this time the kids have used up all their good behavior for the day and the volume of their voices are stuck on "High."  This is the time that sharing toys is harder, using polite words is impossible, and attention seeking measures are in overdrive.  This is..."The Witching Hour." The Witching Hour The other evening as Scott got home from work, the kids were chasing each other, screaming, and wanted to be right under our feet as I prepared dinner and Scott attempted to tell me about his day.  After repeating himself numerous time, he looked at me across the kitchen, with the activity and sounds of 2 children right in between us, and he looked tired and a little defeated.  He said, I can't hear a word I'm saying...." I felt bad.  Bad the he couldn't tell me about his day and bad that the kids were just being kids.  But then before I could form...

Just the 2 of Us Prior to meeting Scott, I went through a phase of thinking I didn't want children (that was a result of being around undisciplined children).  Then I thought for awhile that I wanted a big family, 5 kids sounded just about right.  And then I met Scott. My sister & I (sometime in the 80's) Scott came from a family of 4 as did I.  As we talked about the future and marriage, the topic of children was a light conversation.  We both wanted kids, just a couple, but if for whatever reason kids weren't a part of our future together, we would be ok with that.  We didn't set a timeline or come to a conclusion about how many kids we wanted, we just agreed to let life happen. Family of 4 Now we have our own little family of 4.  Scott has this perfect little replica of himself that he's taught about fuel injection and hydraulic pressure.  I have this perfect little replica of myself (as a blonde) that is sassy and sweet and wil...

Our last time in this room before the birth of our boy Four years ago today I woke up early and took a long hot shower.  My bags were packed and I was excited and terrified, I was confident yet hesitant, I was strong but full of weakness.  I had faith but was so scared God may have a different plan.  It was the beginning of hospital bed rest. Hospital sweet Hospital I remember the morning minute by minute, all the feelings, the way Scott and I were entering into a new phase of our life, checking into the hospital and the duration being unknown.  Having zero control of anything is difficult, but to have zero control over the health of your child is excruciating.  So many times I prayed to God and our baby that if he could just be born healthy that I would spend every second of the rest of my life taking care of him.  Six weeks later, prayers were answered. For this child we prayed The other morning as the sun was peeking through the blinds, ...

In my 30+ yrs in this life, I have never submerged myself quite into Christmas as I have this year.  Our Christmas fir has been filling the house with its sweet scent since the weekend after Thanksgiving.  Christmas cards were addressed and sent by December 3rd.  We've taken the kids to 3 different Christmas events and I'm sure (with 12 days until Christmas) we'll do at least one more.  Our collection of children's Christmas books are stationed in the living room ready to be looked at and read each and every day.  I have submerged myself into a sea of Christmas and I've taken my family with me. Our first visit with Santa is what we'll call the trial run.  There was no way the kids were sitting on Santa's lap without Scott and I.  So we all piled in the big guys chair and had a family picture taken. A few weeks later when we ran into him on the streets of New Harmony, the kids were much more comfortable sitting on his lap.  Paisle...

As I look at the calendar creeping closer to our babies turning 1 and 3, I am filled with relief, happiness, a touch of longing, and joy. August 2013 August 2014 I've always been up for an adventure.  I've never hesitated to share a hotel room with a stranger in unforeseen circumstances, hitchhike through the Tetons, or set sail on a vintage catamaran that ultimately sank and left us floating in the ocean.  None of those adventures were as scary or joyous as raising these two tiny people.  There hasn't been an adventure that has filled my soul as completely or taught me more then the past 3 years of motherhood.  As I look into their faces I am thankful, I am in awe, I am humbled.  Out of all the countries and unique places I have visited, I have never seen a site more beautiful then staring into the eyes of our children. The day Paisley was born (despite being mildly goofy from the medicine and the passing of 3 years) I ca...