The Ciske Vacation!

Day 1: We got to St. Louis, couldn't check in to the hotel, the money we deposited in our new account WASN'T counted as it was supposed to so we had no money! We went to the mall for dinner and to let Zech get off some energy, then went to my moms. Good thing she loves us. Other than seeing the kids with their Pops and Mimi... that was the first day.

Day 2: We went to church at Christian Chapel. The sermon was good. He's a good preacher, we were just tired. And the 2nd point didn't start until 40 min into the sermon... but it was good. We took a good afternoon nap, and "hung out".

Day 3: We went to a BBQ at my friends. It was like a reunion... it was wonderful! I miss those people like mad! I love where I am, but I always loved it here... mainly because of the people. I can't always tell if they love me or if their love for Dave rubs off and overflows to me. Either way, I love that they love my family! We stayed the night at our friends. So nice of them. Zech loved having the sleepover, even if the girls were a bit too loud during Seasame Street. He wanted them to come with us the next day... they wanted to come too. I wish they could have, I just adore that family!

Lily made a friend too. Aren't they cute!? Lily wanted that pacifier!

Day 4: the ZOO!!! We didn't see all that we wanted too. The zoo slogan is "Come out and play" but the animals didn't do their part! We wanted to see the Rhinos... it was gone. we did see a Hippo. It was hidden.Can yousee it?

I thought it was a rock until it moved. Zech was just as amazed. We saw elephants and butterflies... one landed on my sholder, Zechs expression was priceless!

It was getting pretty hot! The kids were a bit crabby towards the end, and of all things, I ran out of battery on my camera! DEVASTATING!!! So we skipped the arch and went to the mall. Zech was tired!

That night Lily started running a very high fever. We didn't have a theremometer, but I could feel her poor hot head! the night was a rough one... even with tylonol. I just wanted to cry. i can't stand to have sick kids!

Day 5: We went to the Magic House. It is a wonderful place for kids. I was so excited. Zech had a rough time. He pushed tiny babies down for looking at him wrong. We made sure we kept our cool and got our $22 worth (we did, its a great place) and left about 2 hours after we arrived. Zech liked the water best.

Lily's fever was 102.2. And Zech got a spanking for being so bad! I sat on the phone with my doctor, the insurance company and the nurse's line for a bit more than hour to find out where the line is drawn where she's safe and when she needs to go to the ER. One last dose of Tylenol and the fever was gone. By bed time she was as good as new! Then Zech felt warm... 104.6! The motrin brought it right down, but again we had a rough night. We are thinking of checking out early if we have to stay home with a sick kid.

Day 6. Zech's fever seems to be fine as long as he keeps motrin in him. So we are going to attempt the Science Center with my parents today. Lily is feeling much better...

Zech is fine, but I still don't think he feels the best. It was fun though. He saw a huge T-Rex and we found that he is actually scared of something.

Day 7: We met our old pastors for lunch. they are such wonderful people and I miss them so much. I don't know why I don't stay in touch with them. They have always treated us like family. Then we headed back to my parents where the weather was perfect for swimming. Aren't they so cute in their suits??

Day 8: Monica Graduated! She sat there through 640 graduates... she should get a prize for that.

Day 9: What a day! It was almost the best one! We went to St. Peter's AG in the morning. It was so refreshing. It just kept that memory alive for me... something to continue to pray for as our church grows. Then at night we went to Trinity. It was a time of closure for us. It was so nice to see everyone as they wondered how it was possible for us to have TWO kids. It was a blast.

Well, thats it in a nut shell... was a bit pressed for time. We are still recovering... But I have jotted stuff down that I really want to blog about... so stay tuned!

Philipians 4:6

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

I've found myself using this verse a lot. For instance, I would get anxious over the American Idol finale. I would find myself praying for Blake Lewis, then realizing it was just a show... but I had already prayed, there can't be any harm in that, just a bit silly.

This time it was our finances that weren't being counted in our account. It came across my mind many times. I prayed each time. "Just let it be there!"
Dave checked last night and its all there... even the $40 that wasn't supposed to be added until friday. There is no reason why it should be added in the middle of a holiday weekend. But it did! God is good, and we can let out a sigh of relief!
Plus, we booked a nice hotel for our last night of vacation for $34. We saved some moola!!!
Today we head to our friend's house for a Trinity youth reunion! We are SO excited! just a couple more hours! I will update next weekend! we are looking forward to the rain staying away and us having a blast!!!

Our Vacation Vow

Before we left for vacation (yesterday) Dave and I vowed to not get huffy, not get over frustrated, and to overlook many annoyances. Its hard for kids to be off schedule and away from home, they just might act up (as well as adults). So, knowing that in advance we already spoke about keeping ourselves in check.

We get to St. Louis after a very great drive. It went by very fast (even though it was the day of the Ciske Kid's Poop Day! and we had to stop for poopy diapers a lot!). We arrived at our hotel to find that the money we had deposited in our new bank account was still not registering. So we had no hotel. I could see it in Dave's eyes has he came out rubbing his temples. I had to do my very best to assure him it would be okay. We could go to my moms until the money comes in on tuesday. We called our friends and we are going to stay at their house on Monday night. If we dropped one night at the hotel it would cover the gas of driving to my moms. All is well. sure we have NO money for the weekend. Dave did well. I know its hard for him to let my parents pay for things, and to rely on them (some male pride thing that he thinks shows he can't provide for his family). But as hard as I know it is for him to tame his frustrations, he mastered it well.
We will head back to St. Louis on monday. No biggie. All well on the Ciske front!

Can't leave the girl out!

Here is Lily's 6 month pictures... can't leave her out. We had a wonderful day out even if it was threatening to rain the entire time... I love just spending time with them!

Black Mess

I only get 5 minutes in the shower. Thats it. I wash and do my thing very quickly... I would never imagine that when I get out, this is what I should find:

He made his bath water turn black.

When I found him and gasped in astonishment, he reassured me that he had not drawn on the walls. "Not on the Wall". Too cute!

And I was just telling Dave last night how I thought tattoos all over someone's body was trashy looking. I don't know if I'd call it trashy!

I do know that I would never leave a black marker laying around... it had to have been someone else!

But if you want to see him all cleaned up... check this out:

Look how they grow

I took some pictures of Zech when he was about 10 days sky of being 6 months in Dave's guitar case... I loved them.

So, why not take some of Lily too...
Then as I took them, Zech wanted to try again... not quiet the same! Look at the difference...

And check this one out... he's definately not a 5 month old anymore!

To Rachel

I say this is to Rachel, even though I don't think she reads it... but to anyone that is like Rachel (or Ra-Jigga, as said in our house) This is for them!
You say at age 22 that you want a baby. They are so fun and cuddly... because when you see them, they are so fun and cuddly! You visit, sometimes even babysit and the kids say cute things like "See ya A-marrow" and "Sorry Dave" to their dads. You tickle them and cuddle them and they are always so eager to see you each and every time... and as much as we have the same kinds of blasts (like when mommy showed Zech how he can recreate the "Jordan" scene from Cars, and he looks at her with the most wonderful adoration) we have oh so much more!
We have puke stories, and poopy stories, and screaming fit stories!
You end up telling of events like these:
1) We head to Olive Garden for a lovely b-day dinner. Mommy takes her 2 year old out of the carseat, gets the other baby in hers, and juggles an umbrella being sure that no one gets wet. When all of a sudden the 2 year old begins to gag inevitably leading to a big vomit. She leans her baby over only to have him vomit, upchuck, hurl into the baby babys carseat. Baby baby laughs! Mommy crouches down, and aids son in vomited on the asphalt... never letting one raindrop fall on either kid.
they get in the car to head back home trying to secure a box for any additional tossing of cookies. It doesn't work... the carseat is soiled!
2) You wake up with the twisting and turning of your upset stomach. Your loving husband has meetings all day, he can't help... you vomit anyway... and STILL take care of your babies! You give in to their every desire just so you can sleep, vomit, and rush to the bathroom for those unpleasant surprises in peace. You still have to change diapers, fix meals, and feed bottles, the title of Mom never goes away!
3) The first boy who was better, gets sick again... this time in your lap. Thats actually your desire so you don't have carpets to clean.
4) Immediately following the deep sigh of relief that all sickness is gone from the 2 year old and the baby, your tiny fragile baby baby throws up as you lay her down. This time its more than just spit up and her face is red from pushing it all out. You are heart broken. You can't leave her, she is sick! You can't sleep at night for fear she might not wake you when she pukes again (which she doesn't and you find her sleeping so sweetly in a bed full of up-chuck!... its in her ears!!!) So you stay up all night just to be sure you hear her coughs, cries, or little gags.
5)All seems well, and its your big mommy day. The day that makes it great to be a mom. You get to go to play group and compare your kid to all other kids and marvel in the fact that yours is the cutest and by far the smartest! You smile as your son says most of his alphabet then ends with the most adorable "Now I know my ABCs, Can't you sing with me!" You assume that since your first 4 hours of morning were bliss so will the rest of them... Then you head to the drs office. Your wonderful cute genius turns into a monster whose language is a high pitched squeal! You try to smile, I mean, this is YOUR child... the one you wanted so bad when you were 22! But nothing you do (or threaten to do) works! You just let him scream. Your baby baby is getting her shots (something you hate to be a part of... whose idea is it to have mommy hold the babies down!) while your 2 year old is screaming "OUCH" when he's not even the one getting the shot! He cries harder than the baby baby!
When you FINALLY get home to carry these sleeping beauties to bed, and get some alone time (ya know the time you wanted to give up when you were 22) you realize the 2 year old refuses his nap!
Ahh, and you wanted a baby!


And ya know what? yeah, I did! and I love them... bad days and all! And it gets to where days aren't quite as bad as they seem... its just one more knotch to put on your belt! But, if you can... wait a few years... you'll like when you were 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 without kids! Maybe not as much as when you have them... but you'll like them!

Great Day!


My 3rd Mother's day was great! I received some frames to display the photography and the reason of the day (my kids). I asked for them! I got pancakes for breakfast and only one dirty diaper (from each kid)... out of MANY for the day. I even got Dave to do the dishes for me so that in the morning I have one less thing to do! He was a great husband today! We went to Dave's moms. A great mom her self... made everyone lunch even though it was her day too! And we had a fun relaxing time. I talked to my mom, we'll see her in about 16 days. It was good. I did forget my camera, but thats okay, it isn't actually a part of my body as I sometimes act like it is!
I am pleased... not disappointed! Dave did well!

Happy Mother's Day

I know, this should be a tribute to my mom, but ya know, I am a mom, too... and not that I will give myself a tribute, I just want to talk about MY mother's day. My 3rd mother's day. 2 Kids now! I often times dread holidays just for me. I don't like being the center of attention (which is something I am noticing in Lily already) and I always feel like I hype them up in my own mind only to receive yet another dozen roses. (If my dear wonderful husband really ever reads this... I love roses, and I love you for thinking they are so gosh darn wonderful, but every occasion? Really? And I know I exaggerate, its not EVERY one, but I can skip a few years worth of them... and I truly love you anyway!!!) I try to drop hints like a nice new outfit (or the gift card to buy one), a pass to a great kids museum, or another great outing with my family, something to go with my photography love, and yet only one year did I get a great watch (granted its only been 2 other mother's days) he he!

So, I am not letting myself get hyped up this year. I know that a mother never really gets a day off, and that is what we signed up for when we decided to have those kids! So, I do not mind changing diapers or rocking them to sleep, or cleaning up after their messes, I really don't. And that is what made me start looking at the things that make me feel good as a mom. They may not come in a wonderfully wrapped gift, or a vase that lacks water, but they come in my children's unabashed love for me. Their need for me, their desire to hold my hand, caress my hair, and be held by the one and only ME!

I took my kids on a trip to Columbia a couple weeks ago. A week away without Daddy. And although I deeply need my husband, and would never diminish the wonderful things he does for us, I was empowered to know I took care of them all by myself. They were good kids. I got many compliments on how well I could handle my crazy son!

Then when we came back I jumped right back into my daily routine of cleaning, teaching, cleaning, cuddling, reading, cleaning, and running errands... and I liked it! I loved being with the kids and I really think they loved being with me. We laughed and played and worked on our alphabet (he knows the letter Z).

Last weekend was a sad and refreshing weekend. Dave's Granny passed away, and although I didn't meet the "real" her, I could imagine her beauty by seeing her children and grandchildren (who all sang on the stage afterwards... VERY COOL... I have pictures... untouched by photoshop mind you!)

This was a great fun for Nana... I know she loved watching all the grandkids together singing... OUT OF HYMNALS!!!

They all sang so beautifully and together as a family... I know its getting off my subject... hang in there!

Even though they couldn't all SEE the words, they sung them loudly.

It didn't take long before they all got giddy in their singing and "stage preformance"

Even Levi had fun jumping off the stage... check out that air!!

It reminded me of the family I hope to raise! And I would love to look down from heaven and see my grand and great-grand kids on a church stage singing worship songs. People would tell me how adorable the kids were and then tell me I was a good mother. And I didn't do much "mothering" It felt odd, but great too! My son may run all over the church, but he calls church "Home". He knows thats a safe place that we learn about God. And for the most part he is nice and friendly to everyone. Lily is just a cute little peanut that melts anyone's heart... good mothering or not!

Then this week and weekend spending time with my kids truly uplifted me. I've created kids I actually like! he he... we stayed in a hotel last night and Zech couldn't sleep without Mommy. So although I got no sleep, his touch was so sweet. He had to lay on me, or be touching my head at all times. Hard to sleep, but a great feeling to be needed. I love how he holds hands when he knows he's been out of control yet still wants the privledge to walk, or how he hits me in the head and immediately says "sorry Mommy!" weird huh!
But although its not really nice to give a tribute to yourself, I just felt like my kids have given their mother's day gift... and I like it!