4th of July

So I'm still playing catch up here so bear (or is it bare, I'm having a total brain fart here!!) with me while we take a trip back to July!  

We bar-b-qued some delicious burgers and as the festivities rounded up the children were asking if we were going to see fireworks.  Sheri and I were the only ones that wanted to, so we loaded up the few that wanted to see the show and drove down to the fair grounds in search os lights in the sky. It was a fun night despite getting stuck in the horrible traffic that took us over an hour to get out of the parking lot!

52 | 2012 - Autumn

I really struggled with coming up with photos that mean Autumn to me because the season doesn't usually hit until around mid to late November around these parts, so I thought, what is going on in my life "right now" where the rest of the world is enjoying the crisper air and cooler temps.

Well....we are back in the swing of school and routines.  Regular musical instrument practice and homework.  I am about to pull my hair out with those two things right now and I didn't want my hostility towards the two to come through in my photos.  I (though Wendy the great quite disagrees) think that photos should mostly be happy and capture good times...who wants to remember the hair pulling and teeth clenching? NOT ME!! So I decided to capture what I so enjoy about this time.My sweet little girl missed the school cut off for Kindergarten by a few weeks but that just means I get to have her all to myself for another year before I send her off to be corrupted.  We try to do "homework" often on these days. Now before you award me mother of the year, this is purely at her begging a pleading.  She is a very bright girl and thanks to Ms. Heather is beginning reading so I try to keep her engaged as much as my patience will allow.  I do enjoy hearing her play independently with her figurines and putting on music concerts for her stuffed animals! I love walking by and seeing the little "scenes" she has created for her toys to enjoy while she takes a nap.  I want to just suck up every last bit of these last few months I have with my baby girl!

Tune in next week for our 52|2012 challenge where our word is - Tools.
Don't forget to stop by my friends to check out what their Autumn looks like!

Stacey, Tracey,  Heather, Jenn,  Janet, Amanda, Rose, Tracy, Rhonda, Carla, Lena, Heather, Heidi, Liza, Jean, Kristi, Hanne, Andrea

Phantom

Knowing that the Phantom of the Opera would soon end its run here in Vegas I wanted to take the opportunity to take Sam since it is her favorite movie.  Terry gave me the tickets for Mothers day and when the day came Sam was just bursting out of her skin with excitement! We had a fun night with dinner and the show.  I managed to take a few shots during the show giving Sam a heart attack she was so afraid I was going to get us kicked out of the show! I am really sad that it is gone but thankful I was able to see it 4 times while it was here!  I just wish I had had the funds to take my other kids, I know they would have enjoyed it! 

52 | 2012 - Kitchen

I have to admit that I was pretty uninspired with this one, I may have done better if I had given it more than 20 seconds thought but all I could think of was how grateful I am to have a real kitchen! Remember this...

Looking at this photo is kinda giving me a panic attack right now....breath in, breath out!  For those of you who may not know, e and my family of six lived in this tiny travel trailer for 15 months on the side of my in laws home.  We recently moved into a real house with a real life kitchen and walls and bathroom sink that isn't 6 inches away from my pillow!  This is my new kitchen with its odd pot shelves and window box for my terrariums.  It is boring and small (compared to my last REAL kitchen) but it is divine to cook and have counter space.  A real fridge that holds more than a dozen eggs and a gallon of milk!  Though it may not be exactly what I would want for my dream kitchen, I am so very grateful that it is mine.  

Tune in next week for our Linked:52 word "Autumn" which ought to be interesting since it's still in the 100's!  And don't forget to check out all my Linked buddies! 

Stacey, Tracey,  Heather, Jenn, Jessica, Janet, Amanda, Rose, Tracy, Rhonda, Carla, Lena, Heather A., Heidi, Liza, Jean, Kristi, Hanne, Andrea

52 | 2012 - Spice

This girl is full of Sugar but she certainly is not lacking in SPICE!!

Don't forget to check out my linked friends!!

Michelle, Stacey, Jenn, Tracey,  Heather,

Heather, Amanda, Jessica, Andrea,

Amanda, Janet, Lesli, Liza, Georgia,

Carla, Rose, Tracy, Heidi, Rhonda

Succulent Terrariums

I had been seeing them on the web all over the place, but our recent trip to southern California really inspired me.  Our beach house (yes it's OURS...you gotta problem wit dat?) is owned by a landscape artist and he apparently has a thing for succulents.  They covered the grounds, front and back.  On a whim one date night back in June I expressed my interest in making a little glass terrarium.  We spent the whole drive to St. George and all of dinner doing some research.  We bought some really cool apothecary jars at TJMaxx, then headed to Home Depot and Walmart for the soil and plants.  On our way home we did some more research via smartphones...and found that these types of terrariums need drainage holes.  With a little more work and a trip to Ace to buy a glass drill bit we were ready to go.  
I am in love with them.  They look so pretty when they sit on my center counter, but I have to keep them up in my window box for the most part so they get enough sun.  They are pretty low maintenance, just my kind of plant!! 

It's great to be 8 | Colby's Birthday Party

Colby was really excited to turn 8!! Can you tell? We had a super fun waster swim party at Grandma's house.  Aside from me having to save a kid from drowning fully clothed with phone in pocket it was a super fun party!!

The snow cone station was a hit.  We went through some serious ice at the party.  I think they liked that better than cake!
Colby told all of his friends he wanted water guns for his presents. ALL OF THEM!! He seriously got 8 water guns.  I tried to get him to keep some in the packages so we could return them and get something else but he insisted that he wanted them all!
The slip-n-slide was super fun and we managed to slip and slide with only minor grass burns!!

One of Colby's best friends is a girl so he wanted to invite her but I made him invite more girls so she wouldn't be the only one, what a super fun cute group os girlies!!


Great fun was had.  I was sad when it was over, because Colby had turned yet another year older, and that ALWAYS makes me sad!!