Gone Private

Sorry about the sudden private-ness of my blog.  A few weeks ago, my sister helped me re-design my blog and along with that put in a Feedjit that tells me where people are when they log onto my blog.  It also sometimes shows where they left the blog to go.  A few days ago, I saw someone from Brazil had come to my blog.  I thought it was kind of interesting, but didn't really think anything of it because it showed that they had come from a friend's blog.  I looked at it again this morning and someone had logged on from the same place in Brazil and they had logged directly onto my blog.  Then it showed that they had blown up two of my pictures on my blog.  I clicked on the links to see what pictures they had looked at.  They were pictures from about 3 years ago when I was potty training Zoey.  They were of her in her "big girl underwear" and nothing else.  It made me sick to think about someone I didn't even know going through my blog and looking at pictures of my kids like that.  I had been thinking about making my blog private for a while and I wish I had a few weeks ago.  But, since I hadn't, I decided right then and there that no one was going to do that again.  So, here I am, private. 

Today we went to the splash park with Nathan's sister. It was fun. Pretty cold to get in water, but fun. We also took her our grown cat. I think he'll do better up at her new place. His biggest problem is that he loves to get hit by cars. He's used up at least 7 of his lives already.  I hope he'll be very happy up there and fit into their life well.  I also hope that our three babies can take over and keep the mice population down here.  I know their moms were good mousers.

Here are some pictures from our fun at the splash park.

Zoey LOVED these geysers!!  It's what she played on most of the time.

 Josie freezing.

 Owen and Calving freezing.

 Cash freezing.

 The younger kids finally convinced Jo to come with them to play.  Here she just went through the water and was trying to convince the other kids to come with her down the slides.  They decided they really didn't want to go through the water after all.

 Zoey and the geyser, again.

 Calvin got in on the geyser action.  He liked to jump through them, though.

 And whatever Calvin does, Cash can do, too.

 Awwww, cute cousins sharing the geyser.

 Aly wasn't too sure about the cold water.

 She finally got into it a bit.

 And Calvin decided the standing in the geyser was okay, too.

 This was right before Aly got sprayed in the face with a squirt gun.

 Cash and the geyser.

 Calvin, Cash, and Zoey and the geysers.  They really were a hit with these three.  I think it's because they didn't have to get their heads wet and they could determine how wet the rest of them should get.

 And Zoey and the geyser . . .again.

 Owen refused to get out of his towel for a while there.

 But he finally decided that going down the slide was fun.

 This was Cash's version of playing on the slide.  This way he didn't have to go through the water falling on his head.

 Owen really got into going down the slide.

 Calvin even went down the slide.

 Then, Zoey decided that if they could, she could, too.  Here's Owen encouraging her.

 And she made it.

After the park, we ran some errands.  We had to get a new shower curtain liner because apparently water resistant doesn't mean that water won't go through the shower curtain and soak your bathroom.  We found a nice fabric liner at WalMart.  I was so happy.  I HATE the vinyl ones.  I want one that I can wash and it won't fall apart.  We also picked up some new 4th of July nail stickers (because toenail polish is the one pampering thing I HAVE to have).  Then we went and picked up fabric for my project I need to sew next week (I think it's CUTE, Dawn!  I'll post about it when it's done.)

We ran home and I hurriedly got ready before cutting one ex-missionary's and two current missionaries' hair.  While I did that, the kids played outside in the sprinklers.  Apparently they didn't get wet enough, cold enough, or tired out enough at the splash park.

All in all, it was a long, busy, fun, crazy day.

In looking through my pictures, I found some that I took yesterday and meant to post.  These are of the kids' swimming lessons.  They all LOVE them.  They are so fun to watch.

Zoey just got done playing motorboat.  That's her rubbing her eyes.

 Jo listening to what her teacher is saying.

 Zoey kicking.  It's cute to see even at her young age that they teach them to keep their legs straight and point their toes.  Here they tell them not to let their feet touch the water.

 Owen working on kicking, too.

 Oops, he caught me.

 Jo practicing the arms for the breaststroke.

 And again.

 Today, I am tired, but grateful . . .

1.  I am grateful that I caught on what was happening on my blog and was able to hopefully stop it from happening again.

2.  I am grateful that we were able to go play at the splash park.  I'm hoping we can go again when it is warmer.

3.  I am grateful that the cat didn't get out of the box on the way to the park or at the park.  I'm glad he settled down.

4.  I am grateful that I was able to find cute fabric for my project.

5.  I am grateful that I can cut hair and do that service for the missionaries so they can look good when they are out doing their work.

I do feel very blessed for how things happened with my blog.  I am glad that if something had to happen to kick me in the butt and make me go private, that's how it happened.  I'm glad that whoever it was, they lived in Brazil.  I'm not so worried about them figuring out where I live and driving by my house.  I do feel violated and I'm struggling with feeling like I'm a bad mom because I feel like moms are supposed to protect their kids and not make it so people can take advantage of them; but for the most part, I feel pretty safe considering everything.  I feel like I can go on with my life and not worry about every little thing out in the world, but I do feel like I'll be more careful about what is out there for everyone to see.  I do feel like the Lord had a hand in warning me without making me too paranoid.