Is It Naptime Yet

Thursday

Our Explorers.

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What we did while they explored. He was reading I was relaxing.

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A sweaty, happy hiker.

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A happy Zarina with a happy Lilah.

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A beetle. They were our regular campground visitors and they were around 2 inches in length. The girls were fascinated with them.

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Cousins.  Zarina loved sitting on the bench next to Lilah and Eden.

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Friday Morning

Jon and the girls hiking. What you can’t see them?

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They made it to the top of that dirt hill, but not up the cliff wall obviously. For some reason I didn’t take a picture while they were sitting there overlooking their achievement.

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Zarina walking around with her blanket and Spock bear.

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Why are you following me strange lady? It was morning and she was grumpy, hence the blanket and bear.

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Happy she’s with her daddy, but still unsure of me.

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Still not sure of me.

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Yay! A smile. She does like me, even if I don’t have my children around.

Summary of Day One
Summary of Day Two

Thursday the 21st we packed our little family and all our camp gear into our large sedan and left for Cathedral Gorge State Park, outside of Panaca, at 9:30 am. Jon wanted to leave at 9 but I woke up 20 minutes late because I set my alarm for 6:45 pm, not am. Andrea was amazed we were leaving so early and I was a little too. However I did realize that I had forgotten to make and pack our tuna fish sandwiches so before we really left Las Vegas we stopped at the only fast food to the freeway, or Taco Bell, for our lunch that we would enjoy later on the road. The girls loved their chicken soft tacos so I can now go to my favorite restaurant while I was pregnant, or Del Taco, without too much whining or wasting of food. Sorry I got sidetracked.

We got to camp around 12:30, or sometime around then. I’m not sure exactly because we lost track of all time once we opened our car doors and began enjoying the outdoors. The campgrounds were mostly RV friendly but not very tent friendly. We did find a nice spot on the outside of the grounds that had the most space between it and the other sites on either side. I think it was the best one for the weekend. We got there so early and on a Thursday because they told Brien that it fills up over Memorial Day weekend and as the weekend progressed it did, so we were happy to be there early and secure a nice spot for our families.

Brien and Andrea showed up later a little later that afternoon. They stopped in for only a few minutes because they had to drop Andrea’s car off in Caliente while we camped. You paid per car per night, and so to save money they parked her car in Caliente at one of the offices Brien works out of. They needed two cars for the trip, Brien’s for camp stuff and Andrea’s for Vegas stuff since they were coming to Vegas after camping.

We let the girls explore while we sat and watched them from the camp site. We told them to stay together in case one of them got hurt and to stay within seeing distance of the camp. Lilah took both rules very much to heart, and Eden did at first, but as the weekend progressed Eden would leave Lilah to go do her own thing and sometimes go farther than she should have. From camp you could hear Lilah has she pleaded/whined to Eden about staying together so they didn’t get hurt or following her since Eden wanted to do her own thing. At one point Eden went off on her own and Lilah was very distraught with us in camp. We told Lilah that it was OK to split up if she she stayed close since we could see and hear her. She stomped off saying she wasn’t going to help Eden even if she got hurt. Only a few minutes later we saw them holding hands as they hiked up a hill together. Sisters.

Once the Parks arrived and settled in a little Zarina was giddy with joy following her cousins around. While they were exploring she was just giggling and falling over every few steps. Zarina immediately feel in love with the girls, especially Lilah, and followed them around as much as she could, except when she was grumpy. Lilah loved Zarina and doted on her. Eden was a little more reserved with Zarina, but still loved sitting next to her and hiking together when they explored.

The girls explored and Andrea, Brien and I took turns taking Zarina out with them. They found a dried up wash that went to the road and they followed it many times while we were there, showing each adult the path when we went out with them. Lilah also loved looking at the tracks and trying to figure out what animals had passed through.

That night Brien made a delicious dinner for us in his dutch oven and we enjoyed smores over a fire after dark with our roasting sticks that Andrea bought for us. It was a beautiful evening but cloudy so we didn’t see many stars.

The next morning was a breakfast of egg burritos and oatmeal. I bought a table top stove and since I hadn’t found the right fuel here in Vegas Andrea brought us some from Ely. Granted I haven’t looked tremendously hard, but I have checked 4 different stores.
Jon and the girls went hiking after breakfast and hiked as far as they could up one of the neighboring hills.

Once they returned we got ready for hiking to the caves….which I will write more about at a later date.

Summary of Day Two
Pictures from Day One

1. Those who have died in wars past.
2. Time to teach my daughters about Memorial Day.
3. Time with my family.
4. The beautiful outdoors, even if it’s really dusty.
5. Becoming one year older and hopefully wiser too.

… This would be my favorite quote so far.

Lilah talking to Eden about something in their room: I’ll do it but I won’t like it.

I think she’s only 5 turning 6, but maybe she’s 5 turning 16.

Our little family met up with my sister Andrea’s little family and went camping at Cathedral Gorge outside of Panaca Nevada on Thursday and we came home today, Saturday.
It was so much fun and Lilah did not want to leave. She thought it was so beautiful and I know she loved having Zarina follow her everywhere, as long as Zarina wasn’t busy following her parents. I was so happy to come home and put my children in the bath and then wash the last two and a half days of dirt off once I got my long awaited shower. I like camping but I do not love camping.

Can I also note that I grew up in Las Vegas, but until my sister moved to  Ely, Nevada  I didn’t have a clue where Ely was, or Panaca,  or Caliente, or even where Alamo was. I’ve learned so much with our travels with the Parks.

Also Jon says we should visit all the state parks and I told him we’d need to buy a camper. I slept in the car last night for fear of rain. It’s didn’t rain, but he was woken up at 6 am by our camping neighbors chopping wood and I didn’t hear a thing.

Pictures to come later, after I’ve sewn at least three costumes.

1. To have my Ozian costume finish, relatively, I just a few hand things that need to be done then I’ll put a picture up.
2. My supportive husband who has help me through this craziness and we still have 4 weeks of it.
3. Movies that occupy my girls. (Don’t worry they only watch one a day, unless Daddy’s home, they watched two on Sunday.)
4. Good friends.
5. Playing on-line games with my sister.

Since most of my time is spent sewing, keeping my house from becoming condemned, refereeing my girls and at times taking naps because I have a headache, not much has else happened. We did visit a friend this week and saw her chickens, and I didn’t sew anything on Tuesday due to whatever I did that day which was more important than sewing.  I thought I might get the Winkie skirts done by or on Saturday but I was proven very, very wrong. I have five finished total, not including the red and white pattern that will get done later. Plus we’re getting pictures done Tuesday for a newspaper, so I’ve put the Winkie costumes aside, since they wouldn’t have been complete anyways, and have been working on my costume so I can be in the picture and look cute. I’m selfish what can I say. Working on my costume has been a nice break from the stress of the Winkie’s. I know what I’m doing for the Winkie costumes, but everything is taking longer than planned and that is stressful. What I thought I could do one way and take 10 minutes, I couldn’t, so I had to do another way and take 30. Plus the elastic is a pain to pull through with a safety pin, it has taken about three tries on each skirt,  so I’m gonna go buy a little tool to make it easier, or borrow Anna’s. It just stinks. I’ve put in 85 hours making costumes for the play, mind you that includes Lilah’s and one other lullaby girl’s costume, and does not include mine, though I should tally that in there, so I’ve spent 90 hours on costumes. Some of it I love, other parts I don’t.

On a plus note, I should be done by the 28th and will be able to enjoy the Shark Reef on the 29th. Even if I’m not done, I’ll be enjoying the Shark Reef with my girls on the 29th as a be-lated birthday present. I turn 26 next week and I’ll be sewing that day and going to play practice that night. So fun. Practice really is fun, it’s the sewing that’s not.

Also, I finally have a teaching partner, though the person won’t be sustained till next week, so you didn’t hear it from me.

More specifically an instant message with Lilah and Eden.

I had just been chatting with Jon and left to take my shower. Usually I take them in the early morning while the girls watch PBS, but this was later in the morning and I was leaving them to there own devises.  I should note the girls will often chat with daddy, but they’re saying something and I type it and then they choose faces to send him, so they’re familiar with IMing.  Jon is Hunny, short for Hunny Bunny and I and me, well Lilah is me.

me: yeah

Jon had just put some olive oil on his food, I forget what, but the important thing was our olive oil bottle was on the table during dinner.

Lilah: That bottle is half empty.

Jon: You must be a pessimist to say the bottle is half empty.

Eden interrupts: No, it’s half full.

Lilah argues a little that it’s half empty and Eden repeats it’s half full.

I guess we’ll see if Lilah truly is a pessimist and if Eden is an optimist as they get older.

This morning I was thinking about my sisters. I have three and for the most part have always gotten along with them. It’s funny to be adults and notice what things are different and what are the same. It’s funny because we all came from the same two parents, but are each so unique.

I was thinking about my older sister Carolyn. She’s always been motherly and is always so good with kids, yet she has none and wouldn’t mind if it stayed that way. I was always jealous because babies loved her and she would do silly things to make the kids laugh, things that I would be self conscious about. Lilah was one of the first babies who was not drawn to Carolyn. My children are just weary of people, but as they’ve gotten older the one person they are now never weary of is Carolyn. They love her so much and she loves them. I love to watch her play with my children. I love to watch her help my children. I think Eden takes after Carolyn. Eden’s shy, but oh so funny. Carolyn can be reserved but is hilarious once her guard is down. My girls don’t accept people easily, but their Aunt Carolyn does. I hope we always live close to Carolyn, or that she lives close to us. I love having a wonderful sister who is such a wonderful Aunt.

My next thoughts turned to my sister Andrea. Andrea is the oldest girl and has always been the mediator in the family. She would break up arguments, but was rarely ever in one. I remember watching her put her make-up on and thinking how beautiful she was. I played with her long hair and we tickled each others backs in church. I would often hang out with her and her friends and she never minded me tagging along, though she might have secretly she always allowed me to go with her if possible.  She too has been a wonderful aunt to my girls.  They always have some special treat when we visit and she treats them wonderfully when she sees them. My girls love their niece Zarina and Lilah talks and laughs about Zarina often. Lilah also cries because they live far away. Andrea lives a few hours away and we visit them each summer. This summer we won’t be going all the way to Ely, but halfway to go camping with Andrea, Brien, and Zarina. I look forward to this time when it’s just our families and not the whole family. I love just sitting and talking with my sister and when one of us calls they rarely last less than two hours long. Since my girls are older we find ourselves to be in different stages of motherhood, not that I won’t ever have a toddler again, I just don’t at this time, I find myself to be the counselor to her. It’s difficult being a mom, something we both know, but I know she’s a great mother to Zarina, and I’m thankful to have her as a sister.

My sister Kristi is four years older than me. She was the wild child in our home and the sister to leave the house first. I remember the day she had my nephew. I was a senior in high school and she had him that morning. Since I was a good student my teachers let me miss class so I could go visit Kristi at the hospital. My nephew, the only boy on my side, was suppose to be named Matthew, but when I got to the hospital he was named Howard and we call him Howie to distinguish him from his father. She was the first of us to be a mother and Howie was a spoiled baby. With her first daughter being just a year older than Lilah we she gave me advice and let me use her baby clothes so we didn’t have to spend so much money. She helped Jonathan get his first job after he graduated and is always very giving of her time. She now has three children and so many responsibilities, since life gives us so much. She’s tries to be the best she can and works through difficult times. My girls love to play at her house, no doubt because of all the toys, but also because they love their cousins.

I’m grateful to have these three women in my life, but we wouldn’t be here without our mom. I remember being sick in her bed. My parent’s bed was always the best place to be when you were sick, except it was less fun once the TV was moved out of their room. I was the baby and I often crawled into my parents bed, right next to my mom, because my sisters were making too much noise while getting ready for school. My mom was so accepting of my friends and was a mom to anyone she met. I remember thinking, “Please don’t hug him.” whenever I brought boys home or was leaving for a date, but it always happened. My mom has always been supportive of me in my choices of going to school, dating, and getting married young.  My mom was the first person at the hospital after I gave birth to Lilah and the nurse had to lock the door since I wasn’t quite presentable and my mom did not want to wait. My mother helped me those first weeks of my journey into motherhood. She listened to me at 4 in the morning with my worries and was there for me whenever I needed her. My mother taught me to tickle my children often, since she tickled us a lot, which I’m sure my girls don’t always appreciate, but Eden has given me the title of “The Silliest Mommy Ever” and I love it.   My parents are willing to watch my kids whenever I need it and they’ve taken us on trips. I’m thankful for my mom. I wish I had inherited her patience and I’m thankful that I live close to them so they can spoil my children.

I wish these three woman a Be-Lated Happy Mother’s Day and I’m so happy to have them as examples in my life.