Refresh. Regrow. Renew.

It wasn't the weekend I had envisioned for us. I saw us staying on the beach in a nearby hotel watching the children play in the waves, helping the kids make sand castles and sleeping late. I love my fantasy world. But it was good overall, sort of.

Friday started out good. I took the kids to Hobby Lobby to get materials for a Fourth of July craft we were doing later that evening, but something greatly surprised me as I walked through the store. It seemed as though I had traveled ahead through time because I was completely surrounded with Christmas. There was hardly any Fourth of July craft material but there were pumpkins and ornaments. What in the world is going on? Its July! I don't want to think about Christmas yet! It is my favorite time of the year but only when it is that time of the year. I left wondering what would happen to those people who go all out for Christmas. You know the ones I'm talking about. They have to get new decorations that outshine the neighbors houses and have it done by the time Thanksgiving dinner is finished. You know . . . people like me.

After nap, the kids and I make wind socks which turned out really good. Tim and I have our usual unsolvable fight which is always entertaining to say the least, we ate dinner and shot off some fireworks in our street. We almost went to the firework show in town but we weren't sure if the kids were ready for that and we turned out to be right. After the the second loud boom, Benny was crying for his bed. So ends Fourth of July.

They were scared at first, then wanted to help, then were scared again.

Throwing Snappers.

Picture of a crazed zombie standing under our craft from earlier.

Nothing too exciting on Saturday happened. Tiffany and I had some girls time together and Tim and I went on a date.

Sunday was much more interesting though. We went to church in the morning and I was blown away at the speaker. Even now I keep thinking about everything he had to say. But I will talk more about him later. After church, we played out of control shopping cart while Tim looked at entertainment centers. Then home, nap and now here comes the highlight of our weekend. We are about to go swimming, so I tell the kids to clean up while I get dressed. Next thing we know, Ben is crying and Tiffany has run to her room slamming the door. Tim stays with Ben and I attend to our sweet, gentle princess. Yeah, right! She begins by telling me it was an accident and Ben wasn't obeying me. Suspicion creeps into my mind. She apparently hit Benny because he wasn't obeying me and it was an accident. I told her to stay in her room and I would be right back. Of course we believe that she is lying so Tim talks to her and she finally admits that she punched her brother in the face and then lied about it. We had a long talk with her and discussed punishments, hitting and lying. She is only four so how is it that we are having these serious conversations already. I am so frustrated with her for hitting him but at the same time it is such a ludicrous idea that I almost want to laugh.

Happy Fourth of July!