Driving, driving, driving.

Aren't these two energetic guys so cute?

Driving, driving, driving

Here are a few shots from our 18 hour drive (through the night) home from Pennsylvania.
Corey and Lukie coming down the slide at the McDonald's playland. We used to NEVER stop at or eat at McD's, but now that we have two energetic kids, and they have a filthy, greasy play area, we stop there to let them play and scream and run. And we disinfect later.

We brought the scooters so the kids could play during our stops.

All revved up and ready to go!

Our two junior travelers, doing a pretty good job!

A few pictures from vacation

Our Kiddos on July 4th!

10 first cousins so far on the Block side of the family...Here they are! Ages: 6, 5, 3, 3, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1, 6 months

Enjoying a night without the kids--FREEDOM!!

me vs selfish: the never ending battle

Selfishness ... it really is a constant fight. It was triggered today by my desire to read some books I have been wanting to read (The God Delusion, The Dawkins Delusion, and Star Wars: Shatterpoint). I got so focused on what I wanted to do (read) that it came at the expense of doing things as I should in my family. I just wasn't as helpful as I should have been. Miriam went to work after we attended a funeral and I had the kids. Reading can be a difficult task with a 1 and 3 year old craving your attention. I found myself being short with Abby and Luke and all because I "deserved to read my book all day long".

How silly, how easily I try to justify my selfishness. Now I know reading is a good thing and I really enjoy reading but seriously, I am just not at the point in my life where I can take most of a day and read 500 pages anymore but I want to because it's "my time".

When I noticed that my attitude toward my family was pretty far in the selfish range, my first thought was geesh, parenting sure does test your selfishness. And that got be thinking. As a single guy it was a little easier to be publicly selfless and privately selfish. As I developed friendly relationships I became more aware of my selfishness. Still more aware as I began to seriously date Miriam. Then marriage life exposed more of the selfishness because there is no where to hide, no private enclave where one can go and be selfish. Then came kids and I could really see areas where I was selfish. It is a challenge and one that I must face everyday ... to do what I want to do or what I should do (it's great when they line up but sometimes they don't).

Time is a precious resource, one that I can't make more of. I just have to be smart about how I spend it. I am continually learning how to be a good husband and dad ... and sometimes its hard because it isn't always what I really want to do. I need to budget my time a little better. For those of you that know me, you know I can get really intensely focused on a particular activity at the exclusion of others. A quote I read about every day is "It is better to do less frequently than more occasionally". So maybe if I read about 20 minutes a day consistently, I won't have this urge to try and read too much all at once.

Napping

I am not a big fan of napping (just ask Miriam) but maybe I need to rethink (and leave my pride out of it)

http://www.43folders.com/2008/06/17/guide-better-napping

Corey Vacation Favorites

Some of my favorite things about the PA vacation ...

• driving through the night with Dan, Sarah, Miriam, our kids, and Miriam's Dad. It was a feat and was kind of fun. On the way home, Miriam and I made the trip in 18 hours 30 minutes and the kids slept for a good portion of it (gotta love that).
• riding Cappy and Maggie (horses). I really like riding horses ... I have only done it 3 times now but I have always been interested in horses and Anna did a great job teaching me.
• Quadding (ATV riding). Minus a small wreck (not mine), this was a blast and is always great fun.
• Swimming at the lake
• running and walking pushing the kids in the stroller early in the crisp cool mountain mornings ... refreshing and peaceful.
• family game time playing "would you rather"
• family game time playing "picture phrase"
• family game time (what can i say ... i love games)
• working out (i need to put some muscle on my skeletor of a body)
• our own little fireworks show
• spending time with the haas family and the block family (i enjoy getting to know them all a little better)
• playing "mother may i" with the kids
• watching Miriam, Luke, and Abby have fun (brings joy to this daddy's heart)!!!
• The married couples night out ... no kids (love 'em but need a break every now and then) and this was a wonderful break! Thanks to all the singles for helping to watch the kids.

Maybe I have too many favorites. The whole vacation was a blast and right up my alley!

Welcome to the Jungle

We just arrived home from vacation on Monday. We were in PA with Miriam's brother's wife's family. If that seems weird, sorry ... they are great folks with a great family and know how to have lots of fun! Some vacation stories and photos will be coming.

My grass looked like a jungle after being gone for so long.

Titty Van

Tonight, Miriam and I were cleaning the kitchen after dinner and Abby was rotating the chair with Lukie boy in it singing, "Titty Van, Titty Van" over and over again. Miriam and I were a little perplexed at her choice of words. Miriam asked what that meant.
Abby replied, "Go Luke, Go!"
So apparently "titty van" equals "go luke, go" ... I don't even know how to finish this post ... bye!