Weekend Plans

It's been a busy week since I returned from New Jersey last Friday. Those business trips really wear me out. The meetings that we participate can be pretty intense and they are certainly LONG. Not to mention that I wonder what my family is up to and I what they are doing. I don't really worry about them while I'm away because I know Roy is taking good care of them.

Anywho, I guess I should make this post relevant to the title.

I'm really looking forward to this weekend. Roy's company gives the employees two weekends to pick from to get free Arkansas Naturals baseball tickets (the minor league b-ball team in NWA) and we're going tonight. It's the first time for me, Roy, Benjamin and Eli. Payton has been a couple of times with Roy's mom, dad and sister. I can't wait. I think baseball games are fun, and Eli has been obsessed with baseball this summer. I think he'll be exicted about being at the game and there are other things going on there too. There is a big playground and they do a big fireworks display every Friday night. Not to mention the baseball stadium food :)

Saturday we don't have a lot planned. I'm surprising Payton with a trip to the movies to see Ramona and Beezus. I LOVED reading those books when I was her age and she was sooo excited to see that a movie was coming out. Usually Benjamin accompanies us to the movies but I think tomorrow it will just be me and Payton along with our friends Claire (Payton's friend) and Joy (Claire's mom and my friend). Then Claire's dad/Joy's husband Craig and the rest of my family will probably meet up at one of our houses for a cook-out. The Konings are great people and Roy and I have really grown close to them and are thankful for their friendship.

Sunday is church day! Yay!! I love our church. I didn't get to go last week as Eli was sick with fever and an upset belly. After church is over, Benjamin has a birthday party in Springdale for a friend at his school. And Sunday night will be reserved for us to recoup from the weekend and get ready for another week.

Whew! We will be busy but this is what life is all about! I love being home and doing "stuff" with the family. Next week is my last full week at work and then the next week is VACATION!!! And I really need it!

Life is so good. We serve an awesome GOD!

Ready

I'm in Jersey. I'm homesick. I'm ready. For what you ask? Here are just a few things:

• to see my darling husband


• to hug my children


• to sleep in my own bed


• to be home!

I leave tomorr0w.

And I'm ready.

Family Fun

Yesterday Roy, I and the kids woke up early and we surprised them all with the fact that we were going to Silver Dollar City for the day! They were all very excited - Benjamin even did a little dance when we told him where we were going. We had a BLAST!! We didn't make it there at all as a family last year since Eli was little and there wasn't a whole lot he could do. Payton went a few times last year with her Aunt Jenny (Roy's sister), so this was the first time this year that we went as a family of five AND it was the first year that we all ride the rides as a family of five! It was so much fun. We were all able to ride the American Plunge, the Lost Mine and the Raging River (or something like that). It was great - my eyes welled up with tears on the River ride since that was the first one that we got on together. I was a little nervous about the American Plunge but everyone did great! Benjamin even rode Thunderation - his VERY FIRST ROLLER COASTER. I stayed back with Eli, but when Ben got off the ride he said he loved it! The only time we had a meltdown was when American Plunge was over - Eli threw a fit because he didn't want to get off! We walked around and had some lunch. Payton loves ALL of the roller coasters so the boys and I waited for them while they rode Wildfire and the Giant Barn Swing. She and I rode Powder Keg - IN THE FRONT ROW. Payton has to ride all of the coasters in the front row. I didn't really think it would make a difference but it does. I was a little nervous in the front. Especially when it shoots you 50 feet at 100 miles an hour in 10 seconds (I might be exaggerating here, but you get the point).

I am so thankful for my husband. My dad never really did things like that we were kids and it is so important to both me and Roy that he's there for all of the fun stuff that the kids want to do. Roy used to go to Silver Dollar City a lot as a youngster so I think he has just as much fun as the kids do. He is an amazing man. He takes such good care of us and I am so thankful for his leadership and his kind heart.

I am also thankful for my Heavenly Father for blessing me with such a sweet family with whom I can create memories. He put a hedge of protection around us all day yesterday from the driving to Branson (many curvy roads), while we there (protection from strangers, bad attitudes and a thankful heart from all of the kids), and the drive home (all the kids were in their own seat so no fighting about people touching other people :). Yesterday was one of those days that I will never forget. I know I owe it all to God for giving me such an awesome family and an incredible life.

God, you are GOOD!

Catch Up

So I've taken a bit of a break - well, ok I will admit it - I gave up for a while. I'm not sure what happened that made me stop blogging but I'm going to try to keep it up. I've started following many blogs and I think (Ok. So maybe now I know why I stopped blogging. My sweet, adorable, youngest child came in and asked me to help him do something in the middle of this sentence and 30 minutes later I'm back at the computer) they are all great; and I finally decided to "Just Do It." I've been delaying (yes, a 9 month delay) starting this back up because I got so overwhelmed with trying to capture everything that has happened so I've decided I will just start with now and let things get written as they may.

But for now, "Bethenney is Getting Married" is on and tonight she IS getting married!

Night, night.