It is so amazing to me how fast time seems to fly. For years people older than me have told me all about it but I don't think it's until you have children that you really understand what they are talking about. I am almost shocked everyday when I wake up and look at my kids. They are getting so big. They are no longer the "little kids"... now I'm the mother yelling at my big kids telling them to be careful around the "babies". Those "babies" use to be my kids!!!! What happened!!! On one hand it's sad to see them grow up and on the other hand it is kind of nice. It's fun to watch them see new things and have new experiences. I was so sad that I wasn't going to have any more children. Two seemed like such a small number, but now that I've gotten use to the idea it is kind of nice. It makes it easier to go places and do things. That and they probably get more of me. The more kids you have the harder it is to really give yourself to all of them. I'm not sure how some people do it. My friend Micki has 5 children.... all 6 years old and under. I'm not quite sure how she pulls it off.... but if anyone can handle it ... it would be her. There is probably a reason God only gave me two children... he knew that was all I could handle.
Hopefully, someday my children will really know how much they mean to me. And hopefully, they will look back on their childhood as a good experience. Not everyone is blessed with that feeling. I hope that I am raising my children better than my parents raised me... and that my children will do a better job of raising their own than I have done with them. I feel fortunate that my kids get to do and see as much as they do. I didn't even fly on a plane until I was grown. My own children are already "pros" at it. Except that Brock still doesn't quite understand that the plane leaves the ground and comes back down to the ground.... he thinks his Aunt Krista lives in the sky. Funny kid!!!
No matter how you look at it.... life is a funny thing.... and everything seems to go in cycles. There was a time when all that was going on around me was people getting married... then they were all having babies.... and now.... all those babies are starting to get older. I hate to think that soon all those babies will be having babies of their own... I'm sure it will be here before I know it.
Anyway, this weekend the husband had a rifle match just west of St. Louis. So this time the kids and I decided to tag along. Saturday we dropped him off at the range and decided to head into St. Louis to The Magic House. I haven't been there for many many years ... but I just knew the kids would enjoy it. They had a great time and actually wanted to go back the next day. I told them we would head back down after they finish all their construction... who knows when that will be but it at least got them to stop asking.

Pictures from The Magic House in St. Louis






A boy and his bug!!!!!



Helping daddy with his shooting..... can you imagine what that nasty Rosie O'Donnell would have to say about these pictures!!!!