travel tips

I have a few travel tips that I think are worthy of passing along. Part of the success of a family vacations is keeping a few things in order, so here are my bits of learned wisdom...

+Pack with your three-year-old.
Elsie was packed for Mount Carmel four days before we were to leave. But upon investigation, her suitcase was very heavy on the board books and pajamas with very few outfits or underwear. So I got out index cards and wrote the days of the week and drew a picture if we were going to do anything special that day. (Tues had a birthday cake, Sunday had a cross, Friday had a car for going home.) Then I drew a card the moon and stars for pajamas and a card with the sun and waves for beach attire. I laid them on the floor and together we picked outfits for each day while we were away. She loved this system and so did I.

The plan was that we would leave her suitcase packed, as each outfit had a card on top of it. Unfortunately, my super-organized niece Sonna got to her suitcase before I could explain the system and had Elsie unpack all of her underwear into her dresser drawer. By the time I saw what was going on, Elsie's clothes were strewn across the room. I had to take a deep breath. And you know, she had clothes on each day. Just not the outfits we had planned together, but she was dressed! (I am discovering that I am growing in my need for control in some parts of my life as I age. Organization is one of those...which is hard with little kids!)

Also, just a side story on this organization theme. I told Rory when we moved into the lodge room that I really wanted to keep it tidy. That this mattered to me and my peace of mind. So you can imagine how hard we laughed when we came back from lunch the first day we were in our lodge room and found all birthday presents, linens and toys turned into one epic boat/fort.

Okay, on to more tips...

+ Pack your Room Darkening Curtains and Painter's Tape
This is basically genius. I said to Rory as we were about to leave, "What could we bring to use as room darkening curtains?" And he replied, "Room Darkening Curtains." Of course! I ran up to the kid's room and took the curtains off the rod and packed them in the car. Then I threw in a roll of painters tape and guess what?!! Their room was as dark as a cave. So even though they stayed up until 10 most nights, they slept in until 9 most days. I used the tape to adhere the curtains directly to the walls. People! Admit it. This is brilliant.

+ Thermarest in the pack-n-play
I don't know if our pack-n-play is getting old, or if we are just more compassionate for our third baby, but that little pad is so, so thin. No wonder babies don't sleep as great in there! We have been price checking foam pads to cut to size and even tried finding a couch cushion that would fit in there. But then I had an idea. I called my mom and had her measure her base-camp thermarest and wouldn't you know it was the exact width?!! And if it was folded in half it fit perfectly in the pack-n-play sheet and snug in the crib itself. Hattie slept well and we had peace knowing at least she was comfortable in there.

I think I had one more hot tip, but I don't remember it now. If I think of it, I'll add it. Until then, just trust me on that room darkening curtains tip. It's a real winner.

Brave Girls in the Bible

I saw this book at the Mount Carmel book store and was so thrilled. Elsie is into princess everything. I love that little girls know they were created beautiful and powerful.

I have wondered what to do with all of this energy towards princesses, because the Disney storylines all lack the actual values I want to instill in my little girl. So I was so excited when I saw this book. The women are not all royalty, but the stories are told showing how each one (over 30 women!) was brave. The writing is fantastic and Elsie has had us read ten stories to her already. (Rory likes the book too.) And the pictures are beautiful.

If you have a little girl in your life, I'd recommend this book as their next gift. It's part devotional, part story and ends with some processing of the story pointing out how that woman was brave and showed strong character. Here's a link to Amazon where you can get your own. :)

family camp

We spent most of our week at Mount Carmel down at the beach. It was a great week to be on the water, building rivers in the sand down to the lake, floating with noodles and sitting in camping chairs eating snow cones.

We lived in that yellow cabin below for the first half of the week. It's a duplex and Annika's family was on the other side. This thrilled all of the cousins to no end. The second half of the week our family moved into the lodge and shared a hotel-like room. The switch was due to our late registration, but in the end we sort of lucked out as we moved into air-conditioning for the hotter half of the week!

The camp looked great and most exciting was to see the Youth Chapel looking all spiffed up after a total overhaul by volunteers. This was my 33rd summer attending family camp. I've only missed two summers, both because I was working at Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp in Montana. Which I think is a good excuse: one Bible camp for another.

My kids love Mount Carmel so much. It is such a joy to have their excitement match my own! I'm not sure I ever thought that would be possible, but it definitely does. They love this place like I do and as I told them on our last night, "one day I'll be a grandma, and you'll be here with your own kids and we'll all play at the beach together." I told that to my mom and she said, "and that is true! I was here with my grandma when I was their age. Just think of that!" It is a wonder to think about. If any reader is interested in coming to Mount Carmel next summer, PLEASE DROP ME A LINE! They already have their speakers and teachers and preachers lined up. You could get your week on the calendar (and get the best cabins! I'll tell you what you need to know!) even before this summer is over. :) Because Family Camp is the best!

back from vacation

This yearly picture of the back hatch all packed and ready to go is becoming one of my annual favorites. There's lots going on in that picture above: a certain 5-year-old's fishing pole, a certain 9-month-old's favorite animal pop up toy, a certain 3-to-turn-4-on-vacation-year-old's birthday presents. And the art supplies of a wishful mama that never got used during the entire week away. Which means it was a good and busy time.

We are home again now and had a fantastic time at Mount Carmel Family Bible Camp. This was the longest we have been away from our farm in the four years since we moved here. We were gone six nights and it felt just right. We loved every minute up there and were excited to come home to see our animals, sleep in our own beds and check out the garden. But oh, vacation. We all have an ache now that it's over. Vacation just feels so good. Only 51 more weeks until we go again. :)

three kids

Well, it seems blogging has taken a back seat... But mostly because motherhood is taking the front seat. And it's good. I'm absolutely in love with these three and my gig as their mama is so awesome. And exhausting. My friend Kari sent this thought written by Joanna Gaines to a group of friends today...I loved this thought and felt inspired. I hope you do too! Joanna wrote:

"There's an Adonis blue butterfly bush I planted by the girl's window almost five years ago when we were renovating the farmhouse. I wanted butterflies by the girl's windows that they could see and enjoy. I never told them about the bush and honestly I forgot about it over the years. This morning I found my little Emmie sitting by her window looking excitedly at the bush and saying "Here she is! My little hummingbird comes every morning mom!" First, I didn't know she looked out for her bird every morning. Second, I forgot all about the bush and never told her if she looked out the window she would see the prettiest butterflies and hummingbirds gathered around it. It's hard not to think this is a lot like parenting... You sow seeds early on and work hard to be intentional and then over time you move on to new lessons and challenges. Then one day you look up and the seeds you planted in your little children's hearts are now in full bloom. Be encouraged today to keep pressing in and tending to their hearts. It will be worth it."