ugh...

My kids are testing me today. Livi with her craziness and Alex with her constant fuss from the hurting ears. I feel horrible for Alex and the hurt and Poor Livi is super crazy cause the WEATHER IS HORRIBLE, and she couldn't go outside and play all morning. But, honestly I think that going to camp was tiring for me and I didn't have any "time off" before hand and I haven't really had a rest since we got back. Every mommy needs to take some mommy-time and I am simply not getting any. My only break from momming-it, is at work at my full-time job. Yikes. I need a mama day, to just be ME. Hopefully I will recognize myself when I get it.

EYC 2009

Livi modeling the 2009 Camp T-Shirt. Theme: Filled with the Holy Spirit.

Livi at lunch! She loved being in a cabin with the Pumpkins (Staff kids).

Alex loved to hunt for frogs outside of our cabin, the Med Shed!

All of us girls ready for the banquet on the last night. Aren't we fancy?

The girls and I just got home from church camp. I was Nursie for the week, Livi was a member of the Pumpkin Patch (the staff kid cabin), Alex was simply cute and my Dad was there to help with Alex, organize my med shed and play music for the campers. It was a GREAT week. We had 100 or so campers from 3rd grade through 8th grade. The place (Camp Newaygo) was packed with Episcopalians! Yahoo! The theme was "Filled with the Holy Spirit", and I think that the week was just that!

The best part of this camp for me is knowing that Livi and Alex will "grow up" in this camp. I have been going to this camp since I was in the 3rd grade and still have relationships with many of the people that I met when I was only in elementary school. Seems like the friends that you make at church camp are truly friends for life. I am glad that my kids can share in this!

We had a wonderful staff, that love to work with kids, share God's word and most of all have FUN! We certainly did have crazy fun. It was exhausting, but we made it thru and now we are home to gear up for the school year. Yes, that's right, the school year. This is Livi's first year in school...preschool. She will go 4 days a week, for a half day. The kicker is, she will ride the bus. She is very excited and Mom and Dad are a little anxious and nervous. I am excited for her but its a little sad that she is growing up so fast. We will be buying her "school supplies" this week. She could burst she is so very excited about the whole thing (mostly the bus riding). I will keep you posted on the goings on of school...

Before school starts we are going to go on our first Paturalski Family Camping Trip. By "camping" I mean, in our travel trailer with a full bathroom and beds for everyone, air conditioning and a kitchen. We are going to a Yogi Bear Campground in Indiana that has a toddler water park, a small lake and many playgrounds. I am very excited and hoping that all goes well as this is our first outing with the camper!

Just a quick cute picture of Livi to make you smile! I am headed to camp and I am taking with me...Livi, Alex and my Dad. I am going to be the camp RN for the week. Livi will be in the pumpkin patch, ie: the staff kid cabin and Alex and my Dad are bunking with me! Hopefully it will be a good and relaxing time. My mom and sister will return from their week at camp today, and sounds like they had a good time. I will be sure to post some good "camp" pics when I return!

A pic me up!

I just needed a cute picture to brighten my day (and yours). This is Alex one year ago at Church camp. We are starting to get excited about camp this year. I am going to be the camp nurse again, Livi will be in the pumpkin cabin, Alex will be with me and my dad, who is coming to help with the kids, have fun and play his guitar. Alex has grown up so much from this picture. She will be two soon and I can barely believe it! What a cutie. She still makes funny faces like this one. I love it!

7/4/09

The first adorable picture of Alex, is at Houlihan's in Mishawaka. We went with the whole Paturalski clan for brunch on Sunday before Brian had to head back to Florida. The food was great and we were in a room with essentially no other people....so we didn't disturb too many with all of the kids (Jason's sister Jen was in town with her three too!)

The bottom picture is of us waiting for the fireworks in BerrienSpring, MI. We took Livi and our neice Kaitlin. They were so good while we waited and we sat in a very non-crowded spot. We were far enough away that the noise wasn't too bad, and no one was scared. It was perfect!

After we did Houlihan's on Sunday, we went to my parents' house for an afternoon BBQ with the Durren family. It was really great to see everyone....Rachel/Jack, Jeremy, Zach/Jen, Jenna/John and kids, Aunt Amy, Gram/Gramps, uncle Brian (my mom's little brother) us and my parents. It was great food and great people.

Oh yeah...the flag cake was a delicious success.

Happy 4th of July!

I found this cake on the cover of Family Circle magazine this month. It is a light and fluffy lemon cake with strawberry swirls inside, then with homemade lemon frosting. Perfect for a Fourth of July cookout!

Yummy...

Thanks to my friend Kari for giving me the "Crab Melt" recipe. Its a Weight Watchers recipe and it is definetly a keeper for our household. Lately I've been cooking some new and interesting foods. I can usually get Livi to try it and like it, but tonight was a no go. However, my mother-in-law and I decided that this will be a recurring recipe for us!

Oh yeah...Jason works out of town Mon-Fri and on the nights that I don't work, we have dinner with my in-laws. Its wonderful cause they are wonderful.

Here's the recipe for anyone who wants to try a bite.

Crab Melt Sandwiches

2 8oz packages of crab (pulled apart)

1/4 cup roasted red peppers minced

1/3 cup low fat mayo

2 tsp (more if you like) dijon mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

4 slices pumpernickel or rye bread

4 slices low fat swiss cheese



Mix all ingredients except the bread and cheese. Spread evenly between the four slices of bread and top with swiss cheese. Put under a preheated broiler for approx 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.

Enjoy!

5 WW Points.



I served the crab melts with corn on the cob (1 WW Point).

Yummy!