Spring Break 2017

For spring break we were mostly home doing some outdoor projects but we did take a few days and went to Branson with some good friends.  We left mid morning on Wednesday and caravanned through Arkansas into Missouri.  We stopped for an interesting hibachi style lunch, which happened to be our kids first experience with Japanese cooking entertainment---some at our table were thrilled while some were scared by the flames, but all of us enjoyed our large portions of chicken, steak and shrimp with our fried rice of course.

Lawson was asked by our server to stand up and shake his booty and try to catch a veggie in his mouth...he was naturally quite hesitant to stand up backwards on his chair since the server had just lit up a large flame on the cooking surface!  He was a good sport though and had a little smirk on his face.

This was probably the most unplanned trip Carol or I have ever done together.  We literally were just finding restaurants and entertainment along the way, but sometimes that can be nice too.  Leading up to our small get away, we both had had a lot of crazy going on so winging it was just the way it had to go.  We had VRBO-ed a place so we did have a condo waiting for us and we had planned to see the Moses show and had tickets for that, but as for all the other stuff, we were winging it with our posse.
There was that one moment when we pulled over to figure out exactly which way we needed to be going....and per the large sign, it must've been a hot spot for travelers trying to navigate around the large metropolis of Branson, Missouri.

Our VRBO condo was a bit of a surprise to us when we arrived.   I'd been telling the kids we were staying in a cabin where we could do some catch and release fishing (according to the website) and where there were walking trails and some nearby parks to play at.  It all sounded nice and serene, and it was, but the reality was a "little" less rustic then we'd all thought it might be.  Turned out, we had rented a condo on a golf course so those "walking trails" were more of golf cart paths and those "ponds" were really water hazards, but no matter...the kids had fun!

After unloading and getting settled a bit we changed into our "active wear" and headed to Fritz's Adventure.   The whole family had a great time climbing walls, crawling through tunnels, doing ropes courses and laser mazes; from start to finish we had ball!!

On Thursday we had a pancake breakfast with sausage, all sorts of juices, milk and mixed fruit on the side...the one item we forgot, was a little thing called coffee.  So Carol and I volunteered to go get some while the guys took the kids on a nature walk.  At one point, Adam had all the kids by himself while John went to get our car....naturally, Adam would have them doing stretches and relay races.

They went to a nearby park where a rocky creek made for an excellent place to play, while Carol and I tried to make our way back to the condo from the nearest gas station...we were not happy to see this map showing that we would be sitting in the car for next hour or so.

Our little posse had a lot of fun and really travels quite well together.

Thursday afternoon we headed off to the Sight and Sound Theatre's performance of Moses.  I can't say enough good things about it.  It was awesome!  The kids loved it, Adam thought it was a truly great presentation and I thought it was a Broadway caliber show.  With live animals, three stages surrounding the audience, beautiful singing and acting, it felt like we were right in the middle of the story.

After the show we headed to Mel's Hard Luck Diner where singing servers are the entertainment.  It was a 50's style diner serving hamburgers, hot dogs, shakes and the like.  It was definitely an experience.

While we packed up and loaded the cars, the kids enjoyed digging around on the rocks outside the condo

Before leaving town on Friday, we played a round of putt-putt golf, which the kids were super thrilled about doing.

We'd packed a picnic lunch and had planned to find a park to eat at but there just happened to be a couple of tables at the Lost Treasure mini golf so the guys went and gathered the stuff from the cars and we quickly had the kids chowing down.

Our little get away was a lot of fun.   Our kids loved it and were not ready to get back into the swing of things. I'm so glad we had the chance to make more memories and enjoy the time together.  Hope your Spring Break was restful and enjoyable for you too.

Glorious in the Mundane

As of late, things have been fairly busy, this is a little glimpse into our recents week here at Head Happenings.

Lawson and Emerson are playing baseball this Spring and practices are in full swing (no pun intended).  We are down at Junior Deputy or D-Bat four times a week right now, which keeps me hopping for sure.  Lawson is loving playing ball and enjoying it most practices.  Emerson is playing coach pitch and trying to learn all kinds of new skills since he never played T-ball.  (Yikes!)  But so far so good, we all have to start somewhere.

This scene has become a new norm for me.  And for those who don't know, these are indoor batting cages.  To see tons of people coming and going constantly during practice, shows just how many people knew and know about this place that has just recently become known to us and now has become our home away from home with the recent cold snap we've been experiencing here in the South.

I love watching the boys practice with Adam.  They love being with Daddy so much!

I've recently been listening to Christy Nockel's podcast while I fold laundry, empty the dishwasher, change diapers, wipe bottoms or when I'm sitting in the carpool line.  It's called Glorious in the Mundane, and I highly recommend it.  It's all about finding glorious moments and being able to worship God and enjoy where you are in whatever season it is, right there in the middle of the mundane, every day tasks.  Not boxing my time with the Lord simply into when I'm at church or when I'm reading scripture in the quiet of the morning (when it's "easy" to glorify the Lord).  Honestly, its just been a shift in my perspective and its so healthy and good.  I am a big list maker and box checker off-er (if that's a word) so when I don't feel productive I struggle with feeling like I've wasted my time or not accomplished enough.  I don't think I'm alone in this battle, I think it's a natural desire, but I also want to be present and enjoy these days with my kids, so I've been trying to change my mindset and desiring to find the "glorious in the mundane".   Cause if I do, whatever I do heartily and as unto the Lord, then its glorifying to Him and a blessing to not only me but to those around me (Colossians 3:23-24).  So here are a few of our mundane but also precious moments: riding the airplane in the back of Shoe Carnival while trying to find some shoes that will fit Lawson and Peyton's growing feet, which was totally glorious for Lachlan who enjoyed it very much!  And if a "bwew baaaawwwoooonnnn" could fix every problem wouldn't life be so easy!

This is what my backseat looks like about 12:15 most days after picking Emerson up from half day kindergarten.  Oh to enjoy a mid day nap, huh?!  Wouldn't that be heavenly.

The boys on our street have enjoyed playing light saber wars together which has been fun to watch.

We recently did a photo shoot for an article that will be coming out in April, the kids did great even though we were dressed for Spring while it was quite cool and breezy outside.  There was a "reward" for those who smiled and cooperated with the photographer.

Is she not a doll?!

Lately, Lawson has been wanting to take pictures.  One evening as we sat down for dinner he grabbed my phone and snapped this one.  We really value dinner time and most evenings manage to sit down all together and share "high/lows".  It's always so funny to hear what the kids have to say.  Tonights highs consisted of reading books with Emerson and Ava Jane, a 3-ring binder to put all 75 of Peyton's basketball cards in, staying up during nap time and wrestling with Dad when he came home.  I truly love these moments, even though it takes planning, intentionality and lots and lots of prepping (of recipes, food purchases, grocery pick ups--thanks to Krogers Click List!), slicing and dicing and more meal prep and then of course the clean up (where are those cleaning fairies when I need them?)---but I wouldn't change it for the world.  The conversations, the laughter and even the moments when I've  fallen asleep, head down on the table after everyones left to play or wrestle...I am trying to enjoy and even savor these memories, soaking them in as much as I can.

Adam and I rarely are able to connect throughout the day...but this particular day he was having to go to the revenue office to get a license plate for his new wheels so we were able to grab lunch together.    I truly love this man and am grateful to call him mine.

Emmie and I got to enjoy a sunny warm lunch date last week while we ate out on the porch and read books together out on the deck, it was sweet time just he and I.  (I'm so ready for Spring to fully get here, I'm certain its just around the corner.)

Ava Jane's dance class had a parent preview of the coming recital performance, she has mostly enjoyed dance lessons each week and has learned a lot.  I love watching her do her thing!

Last week was the 40th anniversary of LRCA with a reunion of WVCA people, which was just so fun!  Seeing old friends and past principals, head masters and teachers was really awesome.  Singing the old WVCA fight song at the top of my lungs was really great--Adam was shocked that I could remember every.single.word from my Elementary chapel days.  Seeing these men, all standing on one stage, who have led this school, over many decades with grace and wisdom, was really such a sweet treat.  As we remembered the memorial stones of the schools history it is wonderful to see and reminisce about all that God has accomplished through these faithful servants.

We also got to hear author and speaker Bob Goff.  He is quite an energetic, godly man who was encouraging the audience to love others well, particularly those who are hard to love, those are the ones we must intentionally seek to be kind to.

We have season tickets to see the shows that Celebrity Attractions has been bringing to Little Rock, so last Friday night we got sitters and made dinner reservations and watched Phantom of the Opera with friends.

This was my first time to see Phantom, and I must say, the set design was incredible!  The rotating stage props were really amazing but the storyline and the constant singing (in a lot of opera sounding tones) was a bit much at times...I needed a little break in the music for normal sounding conversation, but no, they literally sang every word of the play.

We decided to get out and brave the cold with a walk around the King Fisher Trail.  It was a beautiful but cold day.

So there's a little synopsis of our glorious in the mundane...its not all beautiful, there's certainly hairy, whiny, nagging moments where I want to lose my mind (and I do sometimes), but it's my life.  It's the life God has given me and its the life I prayed for...but just as in all things I have to take the good with the bad.  I hope today, and tomorrow, and the day after that, you too can find the "glorious in the mundane".