Summer in the Sun!!!

I don't know if I have mentioned that my kids like to swim, but....my kids really like to swim! This was the first year that Kenzie and Bailee did not go to swimming lessons, which they were not thrilled about. On the other hand, it was my youngest daughter, Madison's first year. I was dreading the first lesson for her. She has hated the water since the day she was born, minus the bath tub. Braxton was the exact same way, but this was his second time so he thought he was a pro. About half way into the first session, she was having a blast! I was in complete shock! Then I was crying like an idiot...she is my baby. She is supposed to throw fits so that I will come hold her and make her feel all better....

She didn't want to leave!! I do admit it was fun seeing her have so much fun. Braxton did great too....until he scared the shorts out of anyone that tried to catch him jumping off the diving board....

I guess he thinks jumping off the diving board is like jumping on the trampoline. He has no fear. LOL!! After two or three times, they finally told him not to do that anymore :) He was having a blast until....he had to do the jelly fish float....duh duh duhhhh!!!! If you are not frequent in swimming lesson lingo, the jelly fish float is this: You bring your knees to your chest, grab them with both hands and then float face-down in the pool. THAT....is my nightmare!! I would NEVER do that! And Braxton felt the same way. His instructor, God bless him, gave it his best effort. I am sad to say that we will be ending out the summer without successfully completing the jelly fish float. Friday will be our last class of the summer and it is also Family Day, which is really cool because we can end the summer together. It really has been a great summer!! Bring on the school year!!!!

Her are a few pics of our last Family Day...

Daddy and Baby Girl

Most of my gang :)

Braxton

Miss Kenzie 

Smoking or Non?

For anyone who has known me for any length of time, knows one thing for sure.....I am a smoker. Or, used to be :) That is correct!! I finally quit smoking!! I recently challenged my husband to a life where we didn't have to "excuse" ourselves everywhere we went. This is something that I have wanted to do for a long time now, I just had to get him on board. Our official "quit" date was July 18th and tomorrow marks our first month of no nicotine!! .....and I still want one so bad!! The cravings have been harder for me. My husband is taking Chantix, which is amazing for him because I truly believe he would not have quit otherwise. I, on the other hand, am not....I have tried to replace my addiction with many different things: gum, peppermints, oatmeal (don't ask)....nothing seems to replace the satisfaction that a cigarette gives me, except one thing.....you will never guess. Go ahead, try......WATERING MY GRASS!!! I told you you would never guess. Needless to say, I have the BEST looking yard on the entire block and a water bill to prove it.  :)  Although we have done exceptionally well this last month, eventually winter will approach and then watering my grass will no longer be possible. I am desperately trying to find something else to satisfy my addictive behavior. I would appreciate any and all suggestions from those who have also quit. I am so glad that He has gotten me this far, I just hope that I don't screw it up!

Please pray for my husband and I that we can be encouragement to one another. And if one us should fall, the other will have compassion and understanding. And pray for me, again....this is another part of what I feel is my identity....another hole I will have to fill.
So, to end on a more positive note, which I am trying to do more of these days...if you are my friend, and smoke....STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!  Ha ha ha!! Just kidding, sort of :)

A Fresh Start....

Ok....I almost feel like I need to introduce myself. The last 6 months of my life has been like an enormous roller coaster. I am happy to announce that I have been put on "crazy" pills :) and am feeling like me again. So, lets try this again....Hi! My name is Mary Lodholm. I have been married for 9 years now and have 4 terrific kids. Their names are Bailee-9, Kenzie-8, Braxton-4 and Madison-3. Whew!!! Glad we got that out of the way :)

 So, what's been going on in my life? Dumb question! I have four kids....a LOT is going on.

My husband, Kyle, has been going to school and I am so proud of him! This summer was his third semester and he has done terrific. The fall semester is fixing to start and I am little more nervous than the previous semesters. With the way his classes were set up before, he was only going to class twice a week, in the evenings. And we have been extremely lucky....until now. His luck has run out on 1/2 semester classes and now will have to take two classes the whole semester which means we will not be seeing him Monday through Thursday. It should be interesting.

My oldest daughter, Bailee, just turned nine and considering what she has been through in her short life, she is a pretty good kid. For the last four years, she has been participating in gymnastics. She has decided this summer that she no longer wants to do gymnastics. She has slipped into her lazy phase. If anyone has any suggestions on extra-curricular activities for a lazy nine year old, let me know. OH!!! I almost forgot!! I think we may be entering the "bra" stage very soon. WHAT?!? I am not ready for this! New subject.....

My middle daughter, Kenzie, is eight years old and is fixing to start 3rd grade. She is my prim a ballerina. She started her dancing career when she was three years old and she still absolutely loves it. She is my happy child that completely loves life. She doesn't know a stranger and wants to help anyone she comes in contact with. She has the most loving little heart I have ever seen in a child. And...thinks she is going to marry Justin Beiber! WHAT is going on with my girls?!? I do remember when I was a younger girl liking boys, but I'm pretty sure I was in middle school before I thought boys were even human! Luckily, her crushes are still completely innocent and even kind of cute :) Moving on...

My one and only son, Braxton, is four years old and he aspires to be the next super hero. He has been unable to put a name to himself, but knows that someday there will be a movie made for him. LOL!! He is so funny!! He has been trying gymnastics out for a little while, now, but I think my little superhero needs to give sports a try. Suggestions please. I am sad to say that my little man will be starting school this year....I don't even have words to express how I feel about it. He is more than thrilled to be going to "big" school which I am happy about. It will make that first drop off that much easier for me. Don't get me wrong, though. I will still be sobbing like a baby. That will be post all on its own.

And last, but not least, my youngest daughter, Madison. She just turned three and thinks she runs this house....well, maybe she does, but that is besides the point. To be quite honest, she is the one that acts most like me which is probably why we can't stand each other most of the time :) She is following in Kenzie's footsteps with ballet and it is so cute to watch, the big sister helping the little sister...melts my heart. By being the youngest, she is by far the loudest and bossiest of them all! She will also be starting school (pre-school) this year. She is so excited!

We are definitely in a transition period, but I am feeling a lot more positive in life. I am excited to see what God has in store for our family.