New Jammies...

I've been a bad blogger. I have been really busy, but haven'tt had my camera with me...took some pictures of Jack in his new monkey jammies last night. He got them on Saturday and told me he is going to wear them every night...and he has so far.

The Challenge of Me...

I think my calendar is off on my blog...it has not been publishing like it should be...sorry that there was no blog on Thursday...I am sure you were all very bummed out not knowing what was going on in my life!!

I signed up for an online class, at Big Picture Scrapbooking, called "The Challenge of Me." We are to create layouts and do journaling that tells different stories about ourselves. If you remember, I decided to write 40 stories about me before I turn 40, in March. I thought this would be a great way to force me to write those stories, considering I have only written two. The class is 4 weeks and each week we focus on a different category. We are also given a challenge list, which the instructor wants us to try with our LO. One item on the challenge was to use a shape paper - which I did with this layout. If you look closely, I also painted on my paper for the first time. It looks pretty gloppy in the picture, but not so bad in real life. I also sewed the words, "my life" with the Bazzill In-Stitch kit. I really like painting and stitching...I am sure you will see more!!

The class began today and we were to make the section page for this week's topic, which is "Me." So, this is my divider page. It is an 8x8 page as is my entire album. Which is good - I am to make six layouts, that tell a story about me, by next week...wish me luck!!

Storm Damage...

A week ago, we had a terrific storm come through in the middle of the night. It was very noisy with lots of rain and straight-line winds. Lots of people around town lost trees limbs and swing sets!! Thankfully, everything that happened at our house was easily repaired!!

This is a shot of our deck. The chair on the right usually is tucked to the left of the grill. Notice the grill has no cover! The geranium on the left blew over...that is the debris on the lower deck.

This is the rest of our deck. The chair on the left (which should be by the grill) caught the grill cover against the other patio furniture. (phew - from Jason.)

This was the hardest for me...one of my big pots of geraniums blew into my flower bed (unless the mafia bunnies pushed it over.) Don't those "bunny fences" just give the right touch to my beds!! I am about to give up, take down the fences and let them be munched away!!

This is what the pot looked like after I hauled it up back to its proper place. Smashed, broken and flat!

This shows how flat the flowers are..

The other pot looks pretty good. I am just guessing, but I think the winds came from the right...

First Official Pool Day...

Yesterday we finally got out our pool. The boys have been waiting for "years!" I started filling it up around 9:00 am...it didn't take long for them to be out there!

Sam had to get the last few blades of grass out. Jack adjusted his goggles and then the party started!

Splashy cannonballs...

and slam dunks.

The boys were outside for three hours. Then off to swimming lessons in the afternoon. When we got back from swim lessons, they headed out for another two hours of swimming. I think (and hope) that they will sleep well!

A Good Day...

My parents came over last night for a little Father's Day celebrations...

The boys with my dad.

Then we went outside to play a little bean bag toss. Jas got the game from the boys for Father's Day. We gave it to him in the am and headed out right away with our neighbors for three quick games...then we played again with my parents tonight. How sad is it that my right arm is sore and so is my right side...I really need to start to work out again!!

When we headed inside, Sam said that he was addicted to bean bag toss. At bedtime he told me, "Mom, today was a good day." I agree with him...

3,2,1, BLAST OFF...

Last year we bought the boys a rocket launcher. It was the best purchase...the boys spend loads of time shooting off the rockets this way and that way during the summer.

First you must load your rocket...

Then jump on the "launch pad' as hard as you can (the boys like to launch themselves off the deck!)

Sam loves this picture because you can see the rocket actually leaving the launcher! (I think if you purse your lips together real tight, it will help with your jumping and launching technique.)

Survivors...

A picture of two surviors from my flower bed!

I took these pictures earlier this week...I will post some pictures of the flowers after those storms last night! 70-80mph are not nice on flowers (or my sleep!) One of my huge geranium pots was blown right into my flower bed. (actually, it was probably 10 little mafia bunnies pushing it into the flower bed.) It's not pretty...

Fighting Rabbits...

I went outside to look at my flowers and thought I would share with you how beautiful my flower beds are...due to those stinking rabbits!!! When I first planted the flowers, I put green wire fencing around the entire bed. Then a baby rabbit, see here, squeezed itself between the little wire squares and CHOWED my flowers. So, part 2...I wrapped the individual flowers that were pleasing to the rabbit's palette, with smaller green wire. So beautiful...

A closer shot of the wrap and double wrap...

Part 3: The little furry friends then JUMPED DOWN INTO the beds. So now I have chicken wire lining the back of the beds. It is such a beautiful sight and sure to add value to the house. The good news, my flowers haven't been chewed on for a while...bad news, it looks like a chicken coop in the backyard!

Sniff...

We have finally reached the point where the house is on the market. It is bitter sweet...sad, because we were not looking to move and we really love where we live, excited because we found a great place that we would like to live. The entire family, except for jack, is having a little trouble with that sign in our yard.

Hello Mr. Rabbit...

I have had a terrible time with the bunnies eating the flowers in my garden beds. I haven't been really quiet about it to my neighbors. So, the other night, my friednly neighbors showed up at my doorstep with rabbit noses and whiskers drawn on their faces...thinking they were pretty funny. Well, I turned around and another bunny had joined the show...imagine that!

Jaaack...

Me: "Jack. Did you eat the last pudding cup?"
Jack: "Nope."
Me in my head, "Liar, liar pants on fire."

Jack in his head, "Go ahead. Take a picture."

Me in my head: "You are so busted once you look in the mirror."

Lost Teeth...

Sam lost two teeth in one day...one at breakfast and the other during lunch. He literally sucked out the first one and bit a Cheeto to lose the second one..obviously the teeth were barley hanging in there!

This is his new rabbit look...so until the teeth grow in, we are going to call him Peter.

The missing fangs...he got fifteen dollars from the Tooth Fairy. Let me explain...he got one dollar for his first tooth, two dollars for his second tooth, three dollars for the third tooth and so on. I don't think the tooth fairy was counting on Sam losing his seventh and eighth tooth in one day!!

Good Junk...

On Saturday my mom, sister and I went junking. I found some really great junk! We went to a place called jbknacker in Gilbert. It is awesome!!

I found this cool stool... love how the steps fold up!

These are vintage dog tags..will be great tags to add to random scrapbook pages or the outside of an album...even better if we actually had a dog!

Love these tags...the top one is from the county my dad is from, the middle one from Chicago makes me laugh: UNNEUTERED!! And the bottom one is the oldest...1948!

I am addicted to bingo cards (weird, I know.) These little finds were only 50 cents a piece! BARGAIN!! The brown one actually can hold the little wooden bingo pieces...which I got an entire jar full of little red bingo markers!

JBKnacker had TONS of vintage flashcards...had to limit myself and not buy them all! Also scored a roll of old vintage tags that were sewn into the back of clothes...mom called them "locker tags." Found some keys, old metal tags and small ledger books.

These are some random things that I think will look awesome tucked here and there in my scrapbook pages and albums. Bought sheet music (in Latin), old bridge score pad, vintage tags, 1950 phone book and a set of love letters. The man (Johnny) wrote his sweetheart (Jean) while he was in the Navy. They are so sweet ..Johnny was so worried that Jean was going to marry the long lanky boy and asked her not too...ahhhh....I wondered what happened!

These are my "Instant Relatives." Old black and white photos of people that I don't know...

Cannot wait to head back to do more junking!!!

Bubbles...

We spent the entire day outside yesterday. It was the first "outing" with bubbles. Jack couldn't get enough of blowing bubbles...he went through an entire bottle!

Coming up:
Sam drama-
lost two teeth yesterday and looks like a rabbit!
got a new fishing pole and loves practicing casting in the backyard.
unfortunately his head got pooped on by a bird (big drama!)

Happy Birthday...

Happy Birthday to my two favorite girls...my mom and sister! Love you guys!! (yep, they were born on the same day!)

A Sleep Over...

Sam had a sleep over last night...in Jack's room. They watched a movie together, sang some songs, read some books together and then Sam slept on the top bunk and Jack slept on the bottom bunk. (Actually, it's not a bunk bed, but a loft bed, so Jack really slept on the floor-which is so okay with him!!) when the lights went off, they had "talking" time - I was even asked to leave, so they could have "boy" talk. It was a good night for the boys. (and a late one, so I am counting on them sleeping in!)

Who Says...

Yesterday the boys and I were driving home from doing errands. It was about 6:00pm and Jack started to fall asleep...doing some severe head nodding. Not good, because he will then stay up until 11:00pm. So Sam and I were trying to keep him awake by asking him what sounds animals make...well, we ran out of animals, so we started to ask him what certain people say...here are the responses:

What does Nanny say?
"I love my grand kids."

What does Grandpa R. say?
"Hi Sam!" "Hi Jack!"

What does Grandma Sharon say?
"Hi guys!"

What does Grandpa Eldon say?
"Want to see my guns and horses?"

What does Aunt say?
"Burping contest, anyone?"

What does mom say?
"Stop being such pistols!"

What does dad say?
" What do you want to eat?"

Out of the mouths of babes....

Completely Random Thoughts...

Tons of thought in my head, so here is some of the randomness!!
(remember...you chose to read on)

Haven't taken any new pictures lately...even when staying at home, I stay so busy! I thought I would have loads of time on my hands, but I am busy, if not busier, in different ways now...with things that I want to do! That is huge.

Jack told me he wants a dog. ok. Then he shared how he wanted one with no teeth, no claws. Fur only. Hmmm...I think I can find that at the fabric store.

Signed up for another class on Big Picture Scrapbooking. It is a Jenni Bowlin class that goes on for 3 months. I am really pumped to do it. She loves vintage things and lately I have been digging vintage things, too. Unfortunately, she wants us to get some porcelain butter pats and millinery flowers...what the hell are those???

Jason is on the main floor rug doctoring our carpets...it's 9 at night. The boys can't sleep. The whole thing is interrupting my important computer work!! I can't get into the kitchen. I have 2 boys home tomorrow that need to be fed and watered. How's a girl to do that when the entire living room is in her kitchen.

I watch Jon and Kate plus 8. Someone said today that they are having all this drama so more people would watch...ew...

Sam finally gets a haircut tomorrow. His hair is so long and bushy right now (should take a picture of it!) that HE even has asked when he can get it cut!!!

Sam's last day of school was Friday, so the official first day of summer is today. He is excited, but bummed...he loves school.

Jack is excited to have Sam around 24-7. (so why do they keep fighting?)

Jack started the day in time-out and ended the day in time-out. Guess he is predictable and consistent.

My mom and sister have their birthdays this week. they were born on the same day 25 years apart...is that ok to write??? Planning on getting together on Friday with the family and then mom, meg and I are off to shop (vintage things) on Saturday. Maybe I can pick up some butter pats and flowers...

I have been thinking a lot of my friends that have lost their mothers. I can't imagine what they are and have gone through. I don't know what to say to them. I just want them to know I am thinking about them...

saw this quote and absolutely love it...

Make Someone Happy
"That is a good day in which you make someone happy.
It is astonishing how little it takes to make one happy.
Feel that the day is wasted in which you have not succeeded in this."
[ t. de witt talmage ]

Uh, oh...Jas just swore...better go see what is going on...or maybe I should just stay put -that might make him happy right now... hmmm...