Ode to Dads

A little late in the coming but just found the time to search out old pictures from the archives!

This is an ode to the Dads in my life. My dad, my father-in-law (who treats me like one of his daughters), and the dad in my own little family of five! Pictures do better then words so enjoy as I walked down the virtual memory lane of old times.







Nate is the best Dad I know. He is as patient as Job with our children...apologizes if he ever raises his voice at them (I hate it when he does that...no I'm just kidding), hardly ever tells them he doesn't have time to play one game or play chase for a few minutes even when he is trying to study; loves to cuddle, rock, read bedtime stories, build leggos, wrestle, swing, and tickle endlessly. He'll put his children before anything else. I admire him for his service in this family in bringing up our 3 children. I love him dearly as my partner in life!







These pictures are just of my dad with the kids - Bob Bob (or Bob he would prefer). I don't have any good ones of just me and him. I like the happy memories of him laughing with us and my kids. He can play hard, cry easily, argue endlessly (had to put that Dad), and try to teach always. He also plays a pretty mean shark in the swimming pool...He inspires me to stay physically active, push myself beyond what I think I can do, not let fear conquer me in life and always listen to other's opinions but make up my own mind! I love you Dad...








Mark (aka Papa) (Nate's dad)...he entered my life 11 years ago. He quickly took me under his wing as a third daughter and loved me the same as if I was one of his own. He never ceases to tell me he is proud of me and that I'm doing a good job as a mother! No matter how old he gets I don't think he will ever stop chasing my boys on the playgrounds at parks. (bless his self!) I admire him because he obviously did well raising his son to be a good husband - thank you Papa!

To all the men in my life...I love you and I thank you for the time and energy you put into my life and the life of my children...

just because...

After watching a little bit of Oprah this afternoon I saw "tent cities" around our country, even here in Nashville, where what use to be working class families were now forced to live b/c they had lost their jobs and then homes. I felt compelled to write a clarification for my last post.

We did go on what seemed like an extravagant vacation as far as all those theme parks but I want to let whoever it is that reads this blog know that we had free tickets to each of those theme parks and the dinner/show place. A friend of a friend's family gave all of us those tickets. It was a huge blessing that we were thankful for.

We had decided not to go to the beach when given the chance to this summer b/c we wanted to put that money towards our savings and paying off our home loan. We are trying to be smart during this economic time. As most of my friends know we live a simple life...we own a 3 bedroom house and are snug but love our neighborhood and yard and have plenty of room for what we need! We have a car and van both bought used and paid for entirely. We have no credit card debt and only buy what we can pay off by the next month. We are teaching our kids that things in life do cost money and you have to work for stuff but not to covet what that money buys you. We struggle ourselves just like everyone with jealousy at times, comparing our lives to others and wanting the latest and best of things. But we try and we are trying to teach our kids the same.

I just felt compelled to write this. I have many friends whose husbands have lost their jobs and can't seem to find work. It could happen to any of us.

Vacation memories

I want to apologize for sounding so negative, crazy, exhausted, worn out (well I was at the time - maybe I shouldn't have been trying to blog) during my last post.
It is just shy of 7:15am and the house is quiet. Elizabeth has been up and back down asleep and the boys are still out from the swim meet adventure of yesterday.

We've done the vacation thingy and are settling back in at home with my 3/4th of the way painted kitchen (just can't seem to find the time to finish that one wall!)

Vacation? It was fun but a lot of work. I enjoyed more then anything watching my boys' faces as they experienced the different things. I realize I must truly be growing up b/c I've learned not to complain so much and feel self-pity (at least out loud) during the hard times if it means my kids are enjoying themselves and learning, growing, etc. Let's just say having a 7 month old at a water park, theme park, dinner show, and hiking (which actually was the easiest since Nate carried her the whole way up and down in the snugly) is a lot of work.

I swear though Elizabeth is the easiest baby ever. She cried some when she was awoken from her attempt at the 5th nap of the day that usually lasted about 15 minutes but she never threw fits, was inconsolable, or didn't just break out in a smile when another stranger talked to her.

Excitement on the vacation? Ian promptly threw up when we entered the cabin the first night and had a high fever but put himself to bed with a little Motrin and an antibiotic on the way (thanks Dr. Collins for helping us out in the mountains) and he was better after a day. The boys loved the water slides and so did mommy - except the wave pool when I found myself alone with Eli and a friend's 6 year old who didn't want to hang onto the tube in the deep with huge waves pushing him down...

After about an hour and half of figuring out what we were going to do, getting in and out of a roller coaster line to buy a fast pass, taking 6 kids to the bathroom and changing a baby's diaper we finally almost all rode the fastest roller coaster there as our first attempt of scaring ourselves to death. Ian got on with Nate in the first seat and when he came back he looked a little on the wild side but said he loved it. Then I got in the first seat with Eli (who didn't quite realize what he was getting himself into). After the first very steep hill and twist and turn neither of us could even scream we were hanging on for dear life. When we stopped Eli was white and looked like he had seen a ghost. After snapping out of it he promptly started to cry. I've never felt so bad - as if I just willingly let my first born son be tortured and laughed all the way through it. Would you believe he got on another one (because his adventure Daddy talked him into facing his fears while I was out of listening range). After that one (and a small whimper to Nate at the top of the first flip (yes, they went upside down) "I don't think I should have gotten on this" he again promptly cried and then really did refuse to get on any more rides that weren't for babies! He's ruined in theme park terms!

Ian enjoyed everything with his sense of adventure and outdoing his big brother there is no stopping the child. His favorite thing was the Dixie Stampede because he could eat with his hands (a whole chicken, corn, soup that you could drink, a huge apple fritter) the entire show and watch people race horses, dance and sing. Ian's kind of thing! I would look over at him as he pulled chicken off a bone, grease all over his little face, dried sweat from the theme park not an hour earlier still glowing on his body, and a huge smile from ear to ear, yelling for the South!!!
(the show is the North versus the South in competitions - you gotta love the South and their idea of entertainment - of course the only black man in the show was on the north's side - Nate and I thought that was interesting!)



In usual Callender fashion another child got sick upon leaving - Eli this time. It was torture for him getting home but he made the 4/5 hour drive whining the whole time about his head and stomach and then went right to sleep once he got in his bed.

One last thing...we were packing the van to leave and started looking for Ian. We could hear his voice calling back to us but couldn't figure out where he was. When we found him he was in the unfinished basement using the potty (#2) - I laughed so hard I was crying all the way down the steps. I just knew we were going to have to scoop it out but thank goodness the plumping was working! He is a mess!




Memories...

I'm sorry is summer over?

Because I'm exhausted!!!!! (and need a vacation from life)

Today has honestly been the first day me and my ooodles of children have stayed at home all day - well it's 2:43 at least and we're not due to swim practice until 4:00 but then we are going to Smyrna to get the pack-n-play from Nate's parents and eat with them (I'm not complaining there).

I never knew life could ever ever be so busy and fast passed. Even at home I feel like I'm a race car driver and I'm going so fast trying to stay on top of everything and everybody that if I try to get in the pit stop lane I'll get run over.

After the wedding 'vacation' we were crazy the next week running back and forth across town (which means about an hours worth of driving)/car pooling with a total of 4 cub scouts plus or minus my two extra kids..of course that week once things had settled (especially if another mom was doing the pick up) was nice during the day. Having one less child really changes the dynamics in the household. Ian is very independent and can find something to do by himself pretty much anywhere. Eli on the other hand...that is why he went to camp!

So, this is the first actual week of summer where we are home all together and this is the first day I insisted we not go anywhere. Of course I should add I'm knee deep in paint! I'm painting my kitchen from 9:30pm till at least 1am these last few nights (and getting up at 6:30am with sister girl)as well as during bouncing time, nap time, breakfast time - well until my boys start threatening to call the child services on me.

I am trying to be an overachiever though, which probably adds to my race car driver analogy. Big boys must have journal time, reading time, oh yeah Ian wants to learn to tell time, drawing lessons for Eli which are self taught with all those stinking books we have in the laundry room (that was only one day though), limited t.v. and computer time, must play outside! Let's ride our bikes for exercise!! Don't forget Elizabeth: play time - talk to her time (these are crucial months for the brain arent' they?) nap time (got love naps) eating time, nursing time, play time again!!!

My favorite pass time though (thanks to my sister Whitney for showing us) is these crazy beads that melt...check out the finished products and the quite and STILL boys in my kitchen!





So, as I should be finishing painting, reading with my kids, ironing another bead creation, putting on swim suits for swim practice coming up, packing for our vacation to Gatlingburg tomorrow, baby's awake now let me get her, did I mention I have 6 canvas orders and haven't started a one? --- I take time to blog for you! So now you can see how crazy I am and my summer is and if you see me leaning over my knees for oxygen about to pass out with dark rings under my eyes at Kroger or the pool then you will know why!

Our mountain adventure

Summer has officially begun and in usual Callender style we started the last week of school. No need to put things off and slowly ease into the traveling huh?

We headed to North Carolina - more specifically it was a valley in the middle of the Smokey Mountains. The cutest little town called Hot Springs. This was for that wedding of my cousins, you know the one where Nate bought a new suit (blog post earlier) (oh check out the suit in the above picture). It was a great few days of doing absolutely nothing - and I mean nothing. I think the first day we sat around outside the motel rooms and walked down the street (everything in the town was walking distance). We saw family that we hadn't seen in 11 years, since my wedding.

The second day we actually drove up into one of the mountains where there was a bald patch but we drove into a rain cloud so the boys all thought that was the coolest. They got to run around in the cloud and get wet but see nothing. Later on that day or the next, it all ran together, they took a hike with the two dad's while the ladies took a break from watching hyper boys (cousin Will included in the 'boys').


The highlight - the poisonous snake that Eli almost stepped on! So glad I wasn't on that little walk!



So us girls helped put together bouquets of wildflowers for the wedding. Saturday the weather was beautiful and the wedding was so lovely outside under a 130? year old tree. There was a great dinner after appetizers and drinks and then lots of dancing. The kids just ran themselves ragged until the late late night when we finally took them off to bed. Check out Nate carrying Ian down the street. Elizabeth? She was a superstar...smiling at every stranger there and even putting her arms out for anyone willing to hold her. She never cried and took a great nap in the stroller after dinner until the bride's dog licked her foot! Eli did have a spontaneous puking moment by the swing but recovered like a champ and Ian played so hard on his knees that I'm on round 3 of oxycleaning his nice pants!!! That boy!!!!


Home on Sunday only to get back in the car and go to meetings for VBS and Cub scout day camp - Monday started the week off running with Eli at Cub scout camp - didn't cry thank God and only had a few negative words to say about it. Tuesday was better b/c they shot bb guns!

I attempted and succeeded at taking both Ian and Elizabeth to the MTSU pool today (Tuesday) by myself with help of many friends there! She did great - stayed three hours and took a nap in the stroller. Not too fond of floating or cold water but somehow I made it. Definitely not what it was last year...laying out the whole time and talking to friends. But I figure I'm out of the house getting vitamin D (hee hee) and the boys are having a ball and I am visiting in intervals with friends that are there. It's all good - tis the season I'm in right? I knew it was coming and I know it will pass and I sure love this stage of her life so I won't rush it just b/c I can't sit with the moms laying out anymore! I'll be back...in say two maybe three more years!!! =)