Loving Activity Days

As an Activity Day leader for the past five months at church, I get to plan and hold activities twice a month for girls as young as eight years old at the church. These activities help these girls achieve a Faith in God Award. This Faith in God program teaches to follow the standards that will ultimately help them grow into women that Christ could call his own. We base activities around learning and living the gospel, serving others, developing talents, and forming habits like scripture reading, and praying. I am really enjoying working with these girls. Their enthusiasm for the gospel is inspiring.

Since summer started, my partner and I agreed that during the summer it would be no harm, and it would be great for Brooke to have some Mommy time. Brooke is now coming along with me to work with the girls. She absolutely loves it! These girls treat her like the princess that she is, and she gets the much needed attention that she is craving.

Our last activity we made bottle cap necklaces at my partners house. We also talked about characteristics that we like in others, and ones we would like to develop in ourselves. Brooke wore and talked about how we made these necklaces for days. When Brooke finally gets into the Faith in God program, when she turns eight years old, she will be very familiar with the program. She asked if I could still be the teacher, and I said, I guess we will see what the church asks me to do next. That is one thing I love about serving in church callings, the callings aren't something we get paid for, and they are not something we get to choose. A president has prayed and felt inspired that as an individual, I have something to offer to this particular program and the children involved in this case.

Questions and Answers

I was having a really bad day a few weeks ago. When Mommy is having a bad day, that pretty much means, that everyone in the family is having a bad day. As much as I try to make that not the case, I am not perfect by any means. Grandma Pack took the time that day out of her busy schedule, to take Brooke to get yogurt, with all the candy she loves on top. After getting yogurt they went to the book store, and Grandma got Brooke some books. One book in particular Brooke has become nuts over. She carries it around with her, and talks about it all the time. This book is full of answers about how things work. It ranges in facts about the planets and universe, how a snowflake is made, or how your organs work. Brooke continues to love to learn. She loves to spend time with Grandma too!

While Mom and Dad Turano were here for Will's birthday, we got to go check out the new Top Golf in Fairview. I think we were all impressed with the huge green, covered patio setting, misting fans, micro-chipped balls, and service of drinks and food. It was a lot of fun. I learned that Dad Turano used to play golf. He was great at it! We ate lunch while we played our games. Kevin taught Brooke how to hit the ball. Will was pretty manageable in his stroller for awhile. Even though we were having a great time, Mom and I couldn't get into the game, as much as Kevin and Dad, because we were taking care of the kids. Had we not been taking care of children, I think we would have made better scores. Actually, I know we would have, because Kevin and I went back this week for our date night, and I shocked myself with my score. ( 45 ) Same as Dad and Kevin were hitting our first time there. Thanks Dad for leaving us some extra games ;) .

We are thankful that Mom and Dad could come in town and have some fun with us. That night after Top Golf, we watched some movies and played Uno Blast. Mom was also so helpful to me with cooking and cleaning up. She was even nice enough to tolerate my strange habit of only cleaning with paper towels, not wash clothes, like most normal people.

Although they ended up cooking for themselves, it was a nice Fathers Day for the Dads, the next day. Kevin and Dad Turano went and chose a new grill for Kevin. They cooked steaks, and Grandpa Pack cooked the Salmon for both Grandmothers. We really enjoyed the company of both sets of parents, that mean so much to us.

baby proof?

So this has become a daily problem in my house. I asked Kevin if he installed these baby proof cabinet locks wrong, but he says he didn't. Will can do some surprising things. Check out the video.

Will turns ONE YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to my little man! Words can hardly say how happy I am to have you in our family. It is undeniable that your personality is strong. We love your dance moves, your little hands in constant motion, searching for the next thing to grasp, your squeals of happiness, along with frustration, the moments you lay your head on our shoulder, your expression of affection by sticking your fingers in our mouth, and grabbing our noses with your kung fu grip, your moments of ingenuity are impressive, your little smile melts our hearts away. These special times, when we get to carry you in our arms, and fulfill your every need, will always be cherished in our hearts forever. Will turned one-year old today. With in the last week, Will's little steps have turned into a full on run.

We celebrated Williams birthday with both sets of Grandparents at our home. We love that Grandma and Grandpa Turano came in town, just for Will's celebration. I decided to make the theme of Will's Birthday party " Dogs ". The reason for this comes from a little stuffed dog that Grandma Pack bought for Will on one of our trips to the mall, a few months ago. This little dog is the first stuffed animal that Will ever hugged. When ever he is sad, or getting sleepy, Brooke or I, bring it to him and he hugs it. If he sees the dog on the floor he will pick it up and hug it. Brooke and I had fun preparing for the party by setting up the table cloth, blowing up the helium balloons, and her and Grandma Turano prepared the hats. I made Will's cake the night before the party. I did not do this all alone. Kevin mixed the frosting to the color I liked, and Grandpa Pack smoothed the icing, when dropping Brooke off from playing with Grandma Pack. One of the sweetest things about Will's birthday was that Brooke chose three small gifts at Walmart the day before. Brooke wrapped up the gifts one-hundred percent by herself, and then she chose various toys from her own closet that she wanted to give Will as well. She had a big pile of her own toys wrapped up and she was so excited to share with her little brother, on his birthday. Will got to show off his dance moves to his grandparents when Brooke put on the music. Seriously, this little boy loves music and he dances by head banging, moving his hands, and getting on his knees. We sang happy birthday to Will and recorded it on a picture frame, so he will have the recording of us singing to him, for the rest of his life. Brooke helped Will open his presents. Grandpa Turano and Grandpa Pack enjoyed playing with Will's new toy car. Then my sweet baby Will went to bed a little bit older, and very happy. We are all excited about all the new discoveries he will soon make.

My hero, My Father

The tapestry that makes a person what they are, is created by personal experiences. Sometimes in my life, it is hard to separate what part of my personality just came with my individual spirit, or came from adopting some trait, or characteristic as a result, of the Father that I have. I have much to work on in my life, but when I think about my most admirable traits, there is no doubt, they came to me, be by way of example, from my Father. In my life I have never met a man, so humble, and at the same time so eminent. On a daily basis I saw my Father serve his family in every way imaginable. Although I was not born at the time, I have heard of times when he worked night shifts at 7-11 and had a full time job during the day, just so he could better support his family. His efforts and hard work eventually allowed him to support my family more than comfortably. As a child I never saw my Dad ever once buy something for himself. He would wear his shoes until they would wear a hole in them. When the topic of getting himself something more suitable would come up, his answer was always that he was the last person he was worried about buying anything for and he would rather see us have something we would like. Patience, loyalty , enduring to the end, accepting God's Will, and living with optimism, are all actions that everyone can clearly see my Father exhibiting in his life. In times of trial I always know I can count on my Father for the best advise, and though I have not always take his advise, I always know he loves me and accepts me for who I am. The memories I have with my Father are endless. They are all joyous, they are all appreciated, and they will never be forgotten. To have the Father that I have is an amazing blessing. As a child, I thought of my Dad as my hero, and as an adult, I know he really is a true hero, to more than just me, but to my whole family. Happy Father's Day. Thank you so very much for all your sacrifices Dad. I love you so very much.

"Forever and no matter what" Happy Father's Day

The best way to describe the Father of my children, is by comparing him to the sun. Kevin is the sunshine in our world. It is so true, that we are all happier when he is around. But even when Kevin isn't physically with Brooke, Will and me, because of being at work, my children feel the affects of his astonishing efforts as a husband and a Father, during every moment of their lives. The effort Kevin puts into our marriage, nourishing it, with the things a marriage needs, gives me the strength and inspiration that I need, in order to be the best Mother that I try to be. Kevin is a good provider, and he sets the example of hard work to our children. When he walks in the door from work, even though he is exhausted, you will see Kevin playing with the kids, unloading the dishwasher if I haven't gotten to it, and teaching by answering questions. Although I know sometimes he probably just feels like taking a nap, or riding his go-ped, he is right there with us, ready to play and more than willing to help with whatever it is that I need to take care of the kids. Because of his actions, my children will never wonder if their Dad enjoyed being with them. They will not be afraid to trust, they will know what unconditional love feels like. My children will remember what their Dad taught them, to always see things in the most positive light. They will remember the laughter and silliness they had with him, the loyalty he showed them is possible, the charity, we all must learn to cultivate and grow, how important time is, and how we spend it, and they will know they can be themselves and he will love them no matter what. They will know this because he tells them all the time. He not only says, " I love you." But he says, " I love you forever, and no matter what." We notice the small things he does every day for us. We give thanks for his hard work to provide for us. We look forward to all the many more fun times we will have with him. And we love him, forever, and no matter what. I could not be more thankful to have such a wonderful father for my children. Happy Fathers Day, to an incredible father.

impressive impressions

The last time that someone told me to close my eyes, open my mouth, and guess what they were feeding me, it was an anchovy. The culprit was my older brother Paul. Dad Pack called Kevin one night last week on his way home from work. He said, he was on the way to our house and he had a surprise for him. Dad pulled into the drive way, rolled down the window and said we weren't allowed to look, and we had to guess what we were chewing up! I guess either Kevin had never had an experience quite like mine, or must really trust Dad, because with only trying to get a few hints, he just opened up his mouth and closed his eyes. He couldn't figure out what he was eating, and since I didn't see it, I was not sold on doing this without some sort of description from Kevin. Both Dad and Kevin continued to promise me it wasn't gross. I gave into the fun, and I got the answer right about what it was, on the very first guess. It took me a min. of thinking very carefully about it, and I hit it right on the button! Congratulations 7-11, you did a good job of making chips that taste just like your amazing hot dogs!!!

The funny thing about this is ; I do not know where Kevin gets his dieting tips, but Kevin has had some strange ideas of what could help him loose weight. I am not sure why he would ever think that he needs too, but he does, in certain times of his life go on a diet. He once tried a diet where he only ate food that started with a certain letter for weeks on end. He liked the P's. He only ate pickles, pizza, and Popsicles. Nothing else, until he moved onto the next letter. One of these diet fads was when Kevin decided he would eat nothing else except for 7-11 hot dogs. Kevin truly ate a 7-11 hot dog every single meal, for no less than six months. When I met Major, one of Kevin's very best friends for the first time, he was absolutely floored when he found out that my Dad is a bigwig at 7-11. He told me how much Kevin adored 7-11 and especially their hot dogs. He was very excited for Kevin, thinking that maybe Kevin could someday have a connection and get his very own hot dog grill for his house. The second Christmas that Kevin and I were married, Mom and Dad did as a joke, get him a nostalgic mini hot dog grill.

Splitsville

When our family takes trips to KC, to see the Turano side of our family, Kevin and I always hope to sneak out, at least once, while everyone is sleeping, to hit the town. One of our trips we did this, and we went to a really fun bowling alley / dance club. It was past one am, so the crowd was pretty crazy. It was in a strip of clubs that were packed full of people. The energy was high, the music was awesome, and I love to get dressed up. Kevin and I both love crowds, as long as we don't have to wait in line. We had fun bowling, and making our bets, about who would win the game or loose. I am sure that I lost. Oh well, it was so much fun, that when we saw what looked like something like this going up in Fairview, we were very excited. Time past and we had Will that was born, and I had forgotten about it. When Will was probably four-months old Kevin said he had a surprise date for Brooke and I to go on. He told us to be ready at a certain time and have everything ready, so he could take care of Will while we went. When Kevin took us in the car he blindfolded both Brooke and myself and made us start guessing where he was taking us, while he was driving us there. We were so off on our guesses. When we pulled up to Splitsville Bowling Alley, restaurant, and bar I was shocked, and pleasantly surprised that it was a place we could take our kids, since we had been assuming it would be like the one in KC. When Brooke and I walked in to the Bowling Alley, Kevin had our shoes in the correct size and pizza and ice ream ready for us to eat! Brooke and I had a super fun Mommy / Daughter Date that Daddy planned for us.

We recently went back to Splitsville as a whole family, and we also had the great company of Grandma and Grandpa Pack with us. We were excited to show them such a fun place. It was fun for me because going bowling was something I remember doing as a family when I was a kid. Grandpa Pack has a funny way of bowling, but he is pretty good at it. Kevin is always trying to see how fast he can get the ball down the lane. Kevin won the game, and even got a strike when the red pin was in the front, so he won a " Free Game " card! Will was excited to see all of us throwing balls, since this is one of the things that he likes to do. Once we let him down on the floor, it was over from there, he had to touch everything. We get to do so many fun things with Grandma and Grandpa Pack. Grandpa is always so insistent on paying too. We appreciate it very much. But, Kevin has to make a scene with waiters to let us treat sometimes too.

Grandpa Pack's Favorite Hymns

When we were at Grandma and Grandpa Pack's one day recently, Grandpa had put on a CD of church hymns. I really liked the CD. Dad said he would make me a copy of it, and he did. Will loves music, so when he gets fussy, Brooke and I sing to him. This is the song we started singing to Will three days ago. It is one of Grandpa's favorite hymns.

Because I have been given much, I too must give;

Because of thy great bounty Lord each day I live;

I shall divide my gifts from thee with every brother that I see

Who has the need of help from me?

Because I have been sheltered fed, by thy good care;

I shall not see another's lack and I not share

my glowing fire, my loaf of bread, my roofs safe shelter over head,

that he too may be comforted.

Because I have been blessed, by thy great love dear lord,

I will share thy love again, according to thy word.

I shall give love to those in need, I'll share that love by word and deed:

Thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed.

After we were singing the song, Brooke was on a mission to help those in need. I was very impressed how Brooke is not just a dreamer. Brooke is a dreamer, that actually does. Brooke wants to make her thoughts into reality. There are so many times I want to do good, but I really don't get to it, as often as I would like. I came back from putting Will to nap and Brooke had a bag full of toys that she wanted to give to a little girl that doesn't have any toys. This went on for three days. The third day, she had gotten a box from her collection of cardboard boxes that she keeps under her bed and she had filled the boxes with food. It was so cute, because Brooke had filled the box with cans of olives, pineapple, and green beans. These are all of Brook'es favorite canned foods. Brooke also made the comment, that she knew that if she only chose things she didn't like to give, then it wouldn't mean as much.

I think between Grandpa's favorite hymns, Kevin showing Brooke a program on KERA about India, ( they showed the poverty they live in ) and also the prayers for Uncle Bryant, who is an air force doctor, that is caring for the injured people in Haiti. Brooke understands the luxury she lives in, compared to other countries. We have also mentioned to her about how Uncle Bryant even as a doctor over in Haiti, is sleeping in a tent at night. Crickets crawl all over his legs at night, and he works in a hospital where there is no roof, just walls to separate the patients.

After three days of Brooke talking about giving to the homeless children, we went. Kevin met me after Brooke's swimming lesson and he walked her into the shelter, so that I didn't have to take both kids in. The woman who took the toys was very thankful. I am over-come with joy that Brooke does not take her blessings for granted.

Perfect Weekend Trip Revealed

This is our new weekend getaway location being revealed. We made our discovery when we were driving home from KC, and Brooke needed to use the bathroom. Kevin knew of just the place he wanted to check out while we had to stop. The Choctaw Casino and Resort. Brooke and Kevin came back from the car raving about this place. They even went back in with the camera and took pictures, so that I would want to go there too! We went once in Sept. and we went back for Memorial Day weekend. It was Wills first real experience in the pool and he loved it! They play music all day long around the pool, so Will was really dancing in the water and out. We got several comments on how cute he is. Brooke loves the water slide, and the " Cave " with a waterfall coming down it. Brooke, having just finished her second private swimming lesson, was already a pro at swimming. It was very relaxing by the pool all day. They have a huge fish tank there. When we showed it to Will he started being so loud with excitement and laughter, while he pointed at the fish, that is we all started laughing. I guess he gets his love for fish from us. ( We did have a fish on our wedding cake ). Our family loves going to even local hotels, and this one is only an hour away. We stayed in a room right next to the pool and strip of restaurants. We could walk to the pool or to get food, in about fifty feet out the door of our room. Brooke and Kevin had fun in the kids game room at one point. They won stuffed animals, while Will and I got a nap. We had cake, ice cream, and pizza! Brooke was so sad to leave, but we promised we will be going back. We are recruiting other families to go with us. We had plans with Alyssa and Jeremy to go this weekend, but the rooms were already booked up! I guess we aren't the only ones catching onto this resort so close to home. The price is great and it's lots of fun!

Wishes to Walk

WOW, it is hard to believe in just a few weeks William will be turning one-year old! Will is the busiest little baby boy that there ever was. The cutest too, if I do say so myself. From the moment Will wakes up, he has to be on the move. Will loves music and dancing. It is funny because if even a noise like the washer is on, Will starts dancing to the beat of it. If someone turns on a faucet Will hears it and starts dancing. Will is loving to play with Brooke lately. When he wakes up earlier than her, he just starts crawling over to her room, trying to wake up his partner in destruction of our house. They say that smiling makes you instantaneously happier. Well Will for sure makes the happiness factor in our house high. Will's smile is contagious. Will has gotten into climbing, and he is wishing he could walk. He has been taking a step here and there for a few weeks now. Yesterday, Will was trying to go from the couch to coffee table all day long. Today he is getting even braver and is letting go of my leg to try and walk. It wont be long until my little Will can walk! As much work as it will add, we can't wait for him to experience it!!!!