--- Lake Time ---

I am little behind in my blogging, okay behind may be a bit of an understatement.  Things have been a little crazy around the Mitchell household these past few weeks.  Mainly though we have just been spending a lot of time outside soaking up the summer sun.  I love the summer time and being able to get outside and get active.  It is so nice to be able to spend some quality family time together outdoors instead of inside in front of the tv or having to go to Clarksville to do anything.

We recently purchased a Moomba Mobius LSV boat so most of our summer sun time has involved going to the lake.  Trace is constantly telling us, "Wanna go to wake and swim wiff tha isshhh!"  Trace has turned into a little swimmer this year, even getting in the water without holding on to Mommy or Daddy (but wearing a life jacket of course).  I originally was not sure how Trace would feel about the lake because he used to hate water getting in his eyes.  We also had an accidental fall into the lake when the water was just 61 degrees!  We were out for a evening ride in April and Trace was splashing his feet on the platform and reached just a little too far.  He came up screaming, but after some mommy cuddle time and warm towels he was standing back on the platform by the end of the hour.  After our little accident I was anxious that he may not get back in the water at all for this season.  Much to our surprise our trouble is getting Trace out of the water, not in it!

Noal on the other hand doesn't care much for boating.  I can't say I blame him, he has to sit in a life jacket that keeps his little neck straight up and is really uncomfortable if he is trying to sleep.  However; we don't waiver the life jacket rule on the Mitchell Moomba!  Noal does enjoy the water and riding, but when we are just floating so Trace can swim and he just has to sit in the boat he is not a happy camper.  I am sure next year when he can wear a puddle jumper and get in the water to swim because his tubes have fallen out he will love the lake as much as Trace does.  For now we either take Yaya along to help or leave him at home with a sitter; which he enjoys much more!

As for Daddy and me, we are just spending time learning how to wakeboard.  I was pretty excited because I hadn't tried in three years to wakeboard because I was pregnant, nursing, and then pregnant again.  Needless to say when I got up on the first try I was extremely excited.  Chad is doing really well learning how to jump the wake and for now I am just still excited that I get up on the water.  Pictures of that to come later. 

All in all I am glad that it is summer time, now if I could just get a job where I get summers off things would be perfect...  Hello grad school!

--- Happy Easter ---

This year was Noal's first Easter.  Firsts are always exciting with kids, but this one really put some things into perspective for me.  Noal is definitely the second child, with Trace every minor holiday was a huge ordeal that was planned and orchestrated months in advance.  This year I went out and got their Easter baskets two days before Easter.  All in all, I think it is just now I understand that Noal isn't really affected by the Easter bunny and his Easter basket which contained:

1.)  Food he would have gotten without the holiday.
2.)  Toys that will wind up being played with by Trace.
3.)  Clothes, I'm sure he's thrilled! 

I did feel guilty about the fact that Noal hasn't gotten the attention to detail that Trace got.  I thought more and more about this and began to question my parenting, but then I began to realize that Easter isn't ever about what is in the boys Easter baskets at all. 

Noal's Easter Basket:

Trace's Easter Basket:

Jesus gave us all a gift that the Easter Bunny can never match...  so I began to wonder why we do such trivial things that take away from the true meaning of the holiday.  Now please, don't get me wrong, I love holiday and family traditions as much as the next person, but it was just a great eye opener for me on the way I want to raise my boys.  When my boys hear the word Easter, I don't want their thoughts to go to candy, eggs, bunnies, or baskets.  I want their first thought to be that because of Easter Sunday, when Christ rose from the dead, they will have eternal salvation.  A gift that the Easter Bunny is just never going to be able to compete with.

We did have a wonderful Easter Sunday at church with yet another great sermon by Pastor Jeff.  The sermon really touched my heart because I have really been struggling with Chad's new schedule and adjusting to the new crazy life of two boys that are currently two and under.  Sometimes it is so easy to get consumed by all the things that are stressful or upsetting in life and forget about just how blessed I am:

• I have an amazing husband that I know God created just for me.
• God has blessed us with two beautiful, healthy baby boys.
• I have a warm bed at night and food on my table.
• I have a job that I love with a great boss who understands that family comes first.
• I have wonderful family and friends that, even though I don't get to see as much as I would like, would be there for me in a heartbeat if I needed them.
• I am pretty sure I could have a list that went on and on but those are the most important!

Easter was a success, even though I may have not been as planned and on top of it as I would have liked. God was able to be the center of our Easter Sunday because of that and for that I am glad.

"The joyful news that He is risen does not change the contemporary world. Still before us lie work, discipline, sacrifice. But the fact of Easter gives us the spiritual power to do the work, accept the discipline, and make the sacrifice."
                                                                                                    -- Henry Knox Sherrill

--- Noal Loves Trace ---

A typical evening at home.  Noal thinks his big brother Trace is too funny!