Have a Six Flags Day!

If I want to start a Book Blog, then I had best get better at this blogging thing.  Though, it is kind of nice to remember last summer while everything outside is covered in snow.

Just after our family vaca, we rode a charter bus down to Six Flags Great America with the youth group.  We had such a fantastic time, despite the very scary thunderstorms we drove through on the way home.  The worst part of the day was running through a deluge with kids, chicken nuggets, dipping sauce, and french fries back to the bus.  The bag ripped in the process and we were forced to eat our chicken nuggets without sweet and sour or barbeque sauce.  Boo.

But before the super scary thunderstorm, it really was a beautiful hot day.  As longs as you avoid the Fiddler's Fling.  #IthinkIneedtothrowup

This picture cracks me up.  I'm pretty sure we will not look nearly this calm when the kids start driving us around for real.

We had a great family day.  The kids were just at the right height to ride most of the rides that we wanted to!  Six Flags is super accommodating for Autistic children, too.  #bonus

My special treat, though, was seeing one of my students from the school year there with his family!  His mom and I exchanged numbers so we could meet up, and it was great to ride the Whizzer with Alex.  :)

- becky

Slides at Badger Sports Park

Isaiah's Occupational Therapist would be super impressed with his motor planning!

- becky

We Believe!

Every three years, we send Tim off to the National Youth Gathering with the church youth group. The first time I remember doing this was the week before we got married. The last time I remember doing this, Isaiah was 8 months old. Maybe next time the kids and I will get to go, too. (Yeah, right. A girl can dream, right?)

Checking out the bus with Daddy

Isaiah thought the bus was super cool. He cried pitifully we he realized that he wasn't going to actually get to ride on it.

I'm really glad the kids and I woke up early to drop-off Tim. It was helpful for them to understand where he was all week. I would ask Isaiah, "Where's Daddy?" And he would respond with, "Daddy's on the bus!"

That's all I have for pictures. I insisted that my camera stay home because my mom, sister, and nieces were coming for a visit while Tim was gone.

Next youth gathering - San Antonio, TX in 2013.

We Believe!

- becky

Noah's Ark

We had our annual Youth Noah's Ark trip at the end of June. It is always such a fun day! The kids enjoyed themselves so, so, so much. Slidewinders is by far my favorite slide. It's pretty basic, but you don't have to carry any kind of tube or mat up the stairs, there is never a line, and Mallory could even ride with me! Isaiah was turning blue he was so cold, but he kept saying, "Want some more waterpark!"

When we got there, I saw another pastor and his family. I thought I recognized them, and I was right! It turns out it was another pastor's wife/mommy whose blog I follow! I had never met her in person, so I introduced myself to her in a way that I hope was more your-blogging-inspires-me than I'm-a-crazy-person. :)

Look how tired the kids were! yaaawwwnnn....

Always a fun time, especially when we all escape without sunburns. Can't wait until next year!

- becky

Happy Valentine's Day!

We have been quite busy around the Seabaugh household. Here's a quick update for you.

Tim - Today was the annual spaghetti dinner at church. This event is the Youth Group's biggest fundraiser for their National Youth Gathering trip that is coming up this July. Lots of preparation goes into this ahead of time. As always, it was a wonderful and successful meal. I always think back to Isaiah and Mallory's baptisms at this meal. We cleverly scheduled both of their baptisms on Spaghetti Dinner Sundays (Isaiah's in 2007 and Mallory's in 2009) which doubled as our baptismal meal. He's also had a sick buddy at home - see Mallory's section below.

Becky - Work, work, work. What else can I say? We've been using a new system to meet the needs of our students which has been going great. The students are so excited to be using The Daily 5 and CAFE. The resource team teachers have combined our reading students, and the best rewards come from the kids. They come to class excited and asking questions like, "Do we GET to read today?" The Daily 5 and CAFE work together - it's all about meeting individual student needs and helping them to become more independent readers. If you're a teacher, I highly recommend the books (both quick, easy reads). Gail Boushey and Joan Moser are the 2 sisters & authors.

Isaiah - This coming Wednesday is a big day for Mr. Isaiah. He's got fluid behind both ear drums, so it's time for ear tubes! I'm glad his cold came last week. Please pray that he stays healthy enough before Wednesday and through the surgery (which I hear is quick and easy). We're hoping this will help to move his language development along.

Mallory - Mallory ws sent home from day care Thursday afternoon with a fever - 102.4. I think this is a record high for our two kids. She stayed home with Tim on Friday, and her fever returned after church today. She'll be home with Daddy again tomorrow. I have to remember to reschedule Tim's dentist appointment...note to self!

Family - We got a St. Louis Blues hockey game in this year! On February 3rd, we drove to Chicago after work to see the Blues BEAT the Blackhawks. The kids (and us, too) had a super fun time! We made a mini-vacation out of it and spent some time in Schaumburg, one of Chicago's suburbs. Isaiah's cold struck then, but we were thankfully driving by a Kohl's at the exact moment he puked in the car. (Vacation with kids is always interesting!)

And so, another week begins. Goal for the week - get and keep everyone healthy!

- becky

Miniature Golf Night

Once a year, we go with the Youth Group to Badger Sports Park for a round of miniature golf. We really lucked out this year; the weather was perfect! Isaiah was really excited about the hot air balloon that we saw taking off.

Sometimes it's just easier to put it in with your hand!

I lost to Tim, but I blame that loss on Mallory. (Sorry, Little Miss.) Here I am at the Miller Park hole.

Here's Tim at the Lambeau Field hole.

- becky

8.5.09

Noah's Ark

On June 22nd, Tim and I went with the youth group as adult chaperones to Noah's Ark in the Wisconsin Dells. It's a good two hours from home, so I insisted we bring the kids with us. We knew it would be a lot of work to have them along, and I was pretty nervous about it. As it turned out, we had so much fun!

Isaiah, our brave little fishy, liked to walk out into the wave pool up to his neck.

While Mallory was napping, we took turns taking Isaiah down Slidewinders. Booper had the biggest smile on his face! He especially liked the slide with the tunnel.

"Again!"

"Well, okay."

Slidewinders is a great slide. It's tucked back behind and underneath the more popular Time Warp. You go down without a mat or tube, so there's nothing to carry up the stairs. I discovered it last year while at Noah's Ark with Mom, Jenny, Isaiah, Shelby, and Holly. The most people I've seen in the line has been about three. It's great because you can go over and over again!

Mallory enjoyed the water, too. She only cried the first time we put her in. It was warm out, but the water was a bit cold at first.

What a fun day!

Mommy and Mallory with the Wave Pool in the background

We took a break from the sun in the afternoon, and Isaiah even fell asleep on Tim's lap. We never would have dreamed that they both would take naps there.

It was a great day, and we're excited to go back again next year!

- becky

Not So Comfy

Now that I am past that dreaded week 30 of my pregnancy, I am beginning to experience the uncomfortable phase. It is quite difficult to sit up straight. Recliners are most comfortable for me until it's time to get up. That's when I need a shove. I was sitting with Sara (a high school youth at church) and Isaiah for the children's message at church. When it was time to go back to our pew, she nearly had to help me up off the floor.

It's like being pregnant for the first time. When I had Isaiah, I was still at that "I feel great! I could be pregnant forever!" phase. Don't get me wrong - I am in NO WAY rushing this pregnancy. I enjoy every little movement, including the hiccups that I'm feeling right now as I type this. I just enjoy the movements more when I don't have to move around.

The hiccups are hilarious. I only felt them once with Isaiah - the day he was born. It was only when I was hooked up to the monitors that I realized what they were. This baby gets them nearly every day. It feels like a very rhythmic pulsing sensation. Baby must be growing!

Tomorrow is Scrap-and-Craft at church. I have a lot of things to work on, so I am really looking forward to going. I have some miscellaneous things to get done - Isaiah's birthday thank you cards, look up a few addresses for Christmas cards, finish my first of three papers for an independent study class that I'm taking for my WI teaching license, etc. We would also like to get our Christmas tree up this week. So much to do, and it's all fun stuff. Well, except for writing three papers... What do you do? Oh, well. I made great progress this weekend and should be ready to mail off my first paper by the end of the week.

Stay safe if it's snowing where you are. I keep hearing different weather reports for us, and they get worse every time I hear a new one. First is was 1-3 inches, then 3-5 inches, and now it's 6-8 inches (along the lakeshore). With my luck, we won't even have a 2 hour delay tomorrow. What a fun, long drive it will be to work. Note the sarcasm.

- becky

Operation Stakeout

We have such a great group of youth at church. I absolutely love their sense of humor! We woke up on Saturday morning to find...

5 teenagers camping in our back yard!

OK - so I discovered them around midnight. Tim and I got a big kick out of it. I felt really bad the next morning, though. Had I known it was raining, I would have invited them in to sleep in our living room. Their tents had a few puddles in them.

Ethan had to leave for work, so he's not in this group shot. Isaiah LOVES his youth buddies! :-)

T and Ethan look so sleepy!

Group picture (missing Ethan) at breakfast - Pastor Tim, Isaiah, Becky, Taylor, Jessica, Sara, and Derrick

It was fun, guys! You got us!

- becky

America's Largest Waterpark!

That's right! Noah's Ark, baby! We had a great time yesterday. The weather was outstanding and we didn't get sunburns. Enjoy the pictures from our day.

The Wave Pool and Congo Bongo in the background. It's a "family style" raft ride with gentle hills and curves. Isaiah rode it twice and really seemed to enjoy it!

Deep end of the wave pool with Time Warp in the background - Tim refers to Time Warp as the toilet bowl.

The shallow end of the wave pool in action

"I can't believe I'm really here! This is so much fun!"

"This is even better than the swings at the park!"

Look closely - do you recognize the back rider? Yup! That's Tim on Black Anaconda.

Black Anaconda - a watercoaster!

Tim on Jungle Rapids

Noah's Ark's new attraction this year - Tadpole Bay

Beware of the dumping bucket! At least there is a bell to warn the little ones... Isaiah enjoyed riding the twirly slide with me at Tadpole Bay.

"I'm tired, but I had too much fun to sleep on the bus!"

- becky

You Go, Girl!

Jodie kicked my tail at miniature golf tonight! (Jodie, the title to this blog entry is for you! :-)We had a great time with the youth at Badger Sports Park. The high school youth played mini golf, rode go-carts, hit a few in the batting cages, and put a couple of tokens in some video games. Jodie and I agree that it would be a fun place for Girls' Night Out. I would also like to take Shelby and Holly there for a round of golf when they are visiting in June.

After Jodie beat me (the score is too embarrassing to mention), we played a few games in the arcade. I won Isaiah an Elmo stuffed toy! Yea! Jodie won a Big Bird football and was kind enough to give it to Isaiah. Sara and Jessie both gave Isaiah their small slinkys. You ladies are too kind! Thank you so much!

- becky