Another One for the Books

If you know me well, you know I love to travel, love to explore new places and love Tennessee. I also love family vacations, where we can put aside daily stress and just focus on making memories together. We got to combine all of these things this weekend with a quick trip to Knoxville. We went because of the Bass Master Classic, an elite fishing tournament. But the trip became so much more. As the boys get older, trips become more fun. They can do things independently, love to learn new things and explore. When we first got to the Knoxville area, we took a detour and spent the afternoon hiking the Smoky Mountains to a 90 foot waterfall. Neither boy has seen a waterfall up close so we thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon exploring. I was impressed because P conquered fears and climbed up on the rock next to the lower waterfall. (Thankfully a young group of Army men watched him and helped him when needed.) Saturday was spent surrounded by all things fishing. I didn't know what to expect but I can tell you it was a blast! I was impressed with how many kid/family friendly activities were set up to enjoy. I also LOVED all the FREE stuff that was given away! We filled 3 five-gallon buckets full of free merch. The boys got to meet several pro anglers and got their picture taken with many of them. We also ended Saturday with the weigh-in, where the best of the best came to weigh in their catch of the day. Sunday we made our way back to reality with a long road trip back to LA. But, the memories we made will forever be etched in my mind, a fun family weekend had by all!

Dream Job

If someone were to ask me what my dream job would be, I'd inform them that I already have it. I obtained it about 10 years ago and will have it for life. My job includes many responsibilities but my job title is MOM. While it's not always easy, it's always my dream job. It's a job I've dreamed about since I was a young girl and it's a job I don't take lightly. I enjoy talking to the boys about their choices and the consequences of those choices. I enjoy encouraging them in their interests. I enjoy praying with them and for them on a daily basis. I enjoy teasing them and hearing their giggles. I enjoy reading with them. I enjoy laying with them at bedtime, easing their fears. I enjoy going for walks with them. I enjoy my dates with them, of which I got to do a lot this week. And of course I enjoy the cuddles and hugs as well. I love hearing them call me "Mom" even when it's done in frustration. I know it'll become more difficult as they get into their teen years and some days will be a lot harder than others. But I will still think of being a mom as my dream job. For so many reasons. I am not doing this blog justice as there are so many thoughts going through my head about being a mom and all that it entails. So someday I may be able to elaborate on my thoughts, making it more eloquent. But, just know that my cup runneth over with being a mom. It's better than I ever imagined my dream job being and I never take it for granted!

Cyber Freak

Raising kids is hard. Although there is a lot of advice out there, ultimately, as a parent, you have to choose what is best for your child(ren). One thing we decided early on is that our boys don't need electronics at a young age (video games, cell phones, iPads). As they have gotten older we have allowed them to have Kindles and they have an old school Play Station. But the Kindles have a lot of stuff blocked on them and the Play Station isn't played through the internet so I'm okay with that. Why am I paranoid about that kind of stuff? Because of things such as the Mo.mo Challenge. For those of you who are not aware of this "new" craze, it's a hack (for lack of better word) that unexpectedly infiltrates into kids apps/videos. It gives a detailed description on how to commit suicide and then a creepy looking mom emoji with bugged out eyes pops up on the screen. Our oldest was freaked out about it a few nights ago just by his classmates talking about it at school. And, to my knowledge, he hasn't even seen the challenge in action. He's just heard about it.
Another thing that freaks me out is child predators. I've learned enough to know that they lurk on internet games, try to become your "friend" to get information from you and then use that against you (sometimes in the form of kidnappings). There's enough dangers in the world for children without adding to it when they're in the safety of their own home. I am not naïve enough to think our boys will never experience the dangers of the world. I'm not. But we are doing everything in our power to shield them from it. We are talking to them, teaching them right from wrong and, most importantly, praying for them every day. Parenting is scary. It is hard and I doubt I will ever stop worrying about our boys. But we will do everything in our power to keep them safe because that's what parents do!

Our Boys

I know that every parent is proud of their children in some, way, shape or form. But, Rob and I are proud of our boys in just about every way! To be honest, both of our boys amaze me! E is such a quick witted guy and his sense of humor is lightyears above other kids his age. He can get people laughing with just one sentence, just like his daddy and uncles. He also can play every sport he wants with ease. He is a natural athlete and plays 3 sports a year! P amazes me with how smart he is. He recently started guitar lessons and picks up the new chords within a day after learning them for the first time. He has such a musical ear and has a beautiful voice. I love listening to him sing! He also loves to perform and isn't afraid to try new things. His school is having a lip sync competition for the upper grade students. He asked his friend to try out with him. They chose their song, choreographed it and tried out. Yesterday they found out that they made the cut and will perform at the final competition. He is so excited!
Both boys love to read and are good at it. Both boys are good friends to their school and neighborhood friends, helping them. Both boys are compassionate and giving, thinking about others before themselves a lot of times. They are just such joys in our lives! I can't even begin to imagine our lives without them and out of all the gifts I've ever received, I am so thankful that God gifted us with our boys because they are the best gifts EVER!