So this summer we have been busy going and doing and having a good time. My favorite thing to do is take a leisurly float in the pool in the morning. It's very relaxing and gives me a little stress free time with the girls if I can get them out there with me. I actually got my garden to start, and things are growing. And we have more raspberries than we know what to do with. We have been to a couple of awesome family reunions. We are blessed to have amazing families to reunite with. I have to say, I am loving summer. One month from today, we go back to school and I am not looking forward to it. We are going to have to make the most of the next month and soak in every minute we can.

There is one thing we have done this summer I am wondering what in the world I was thinking (ok, so more than one, but this is the biggest). We let B take driver's ed. She got her permit on Saturday. She does ok. She has only made me react with the death grip once or maybe a dozen times, but who is counting. I do know she needs more practice and I hate that is has to be in my beloved car. I love my car. Not as much as I love my daughter, but man oh man she makes me nervous. And she wants to drive EVERYWHERE. I remember the good ol days when you got to skip the permit and go straight to the license. I will remember scaring my mom a time or two, but she didn't have to ride with me for 6 months. Wish me luck.

Blog illeterate

So not so long ago I finally looked at my blog and it was a mess. The background was gone and in an attempt to fix it, as you can plainly see, my header doesn't match my background. B said she could "help" and now my header is not even in the center of my page. Kinda sums up my ability to design anything on a computer. If anyone has any suggestions on how in the word to fix it I am up for suggestions. One of these days, I will see if I can figure it all out.

Look how fun these projects are. Thanks again girls! (I told you I would post them) :)

Jackpot

I just had to get on and share what I got last night at my stamping group. I always feel like I hit the jackpot when I get there. I am glad they let me stay in the group even though my projects don't quite measure up the theirs a lot of the time. Our theme for the month was recycled cardboard. We could use chipboard, cardboard, whatever we wanted to do. I used punches to create a bunny out of the cardboard that comes in the paper packets. I can't find where I got the idea, or I would give them credit. If you know. Since my camera battery just died, I will post the pics soon....I promise :)

Hello Summer

To the very few readers I have I am pretty sure you might be thinking I have fallen off the face of the earth. Although it sounds very tempting, I have not. I have obviously taken the same attitude about blogging that I seem to have about writing in my journal. I have very good intentions, but the entries are few and far between.

Lots of fun things have happened since my last blog. Some birthdays, holidays, nervous breakdowns....ok maybe not, but that would be a good excuse to not be caught up. Anyway, we are enjoying the summer and it is going WAY too fast. The biggest "event" that has shaped our summer started the week before spring break. B decided she wanted to try out for cheer. I was SURE there was no chance she was going to make it and she tried out. This sweet girl who has never taken a dance class, struggled through every tumbling class she has ever taken, and bless her blondeness has a general lack of coordination (which she gets from her mother), pulled it off and made the team. I am now a cheer mom which is something I never thought I would say. I am very proud of her. She worked REALLY hard, and she seems to be having a good time. It did rearrange our summer, but that's turned out to be a very good thing.



M&M graduated from 5th grade and will be going to middle school next year. I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact I have to throw her into the armpit of life so soon, and so small. I keep praying for a growth spurt, but it's not happening. She can't even reach the top shelf in the lockers. I will just have to have faith that B will take good care of her. I also need to remember what she lacks in size she makes up for in attitude. She will be just fine, I am a little worried about myself though.




Roo graduated from pre-school this spring. WHOOO-HOOO!!!! Hellooooo kindergarten. In an effort to save money our district has gone to full days every other day for the kindergarten, except two school, one of which happens to be our school, who will have the kindergarten go all day 4 days a week. (insert happy dance here) I am very excited, but secretly a little sad. No more entertainment during the day. No one bossing me around. I will miss it, but with a smile on my face. I have already wished her teacher good luck. Now I will just have to figure out who I want to be when I grow up...or if I want to grow up.



Summer is slipping away way too fast. Our vacation has come and gone. I will blog about it soon. I promise. I have to say I am loving sleeping in every day. Girls camp is almost here, and I get to go again. Yay me! I love those girls. And I love camp. I am going to enjoy every minute of summer I can.

I am thankful for....

Lately I wish I could hook the computer up to my brain and share all the great blogging that goes on inside my head. Unfortunately that is where it stays. In my head. I would be ungrateful if I didn't take a minute this Thanksgiving week-end to write a few thoughts about what I am thankful for.

I have to say that this time of year was changed for our family two years ago when we lost my brother-in-law Bob to menengitis the day before Thanksgiving. I still remember eating Thanksgiving dinner in stunned silence wondering if there really were things to be thankful for. I think we were all still in shock not quite ready to accept that he had been taken from us way too soon. I think about him every day. He was a great "brother" and I still feel a little ripped off that Roo will never get the chance to know him. Then again, I think they would have gotten into way too much trouble together. They say time heals all wounds but I am not sure I agree with that. I still miss Bob as much today as the day he died. I can say that I think we learn how to deal with things over time and for that I am thankful.

I have to say I am thankful for my family. I couldn't have found a better husband for me. He puts up with an aweful lot being married to me. Then again, that goes both ways. Our family pics we had taken are a great example. The caption for this particular photo should be "He loves me not???"
This is the face he pulls when told to act like he likes me. He thought it was hilarious. I am glad he got a good laugh. I am also glad he has a good sense of humor. What good is life if you can't sit back and laugh every once is a while.
And to be able to laugh with him is a blessing indeed. He does things every day to show our family he loves them. He even went out with me for a while on Black Friday. We did NOT go early in the morning, but we went and had fun. I'm thinking that needs to be our new tradition, but I am sure he is hoping it was a one time thing. He also put the Christmas lights up outside this week-end. He does it every year and the girls and I love it. He even lets them help. He is a great dad and I am thankful for that too.



I am thankful for good girls. I watch them making good choices when it isn't very easy and am thankful I was sent these good, sweet spirits. They are an adventure and we don't always see eye to eye, but I need to take a little more time to let them know how proud I am of them. I missed B's birthday blog. I was probably trying to deny the fact that I am the mother of a teenager. Yep, the big 1-3. So far we are surviving, other than the fact that I am the meanest mom in the world and she gets nothing she wants. (and for the record, she gets plenty of things she wants and although she claims she will die without a cell phone, she seems to be doing just fine)

I also need to make sure my parents and my in-laws know I am thankful for them. Hubby and I would not be who we are today without them and I like who we are. Not only are they good parents, but both of our parents have stayed together. What a great example of marriage. I know it hasn't always been easy for them and I am thankful they have been the great examples that they are.

I am thankful for my amazing friends. What would we as women do without friends? I believe if I surround myself with great women, they will help me become who I want to be. And I hope that something good in me can help them in some small way. I do know I gain much more from them than they could possibly get from me.

I am thankful for my faith. What would life be without something to believe in? To be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a great blessing. It brings me strength. It gives me a great support system, and I hope it makes me a better person. I know who I am, I know that I have a purpose. What more could I ask? There are people who don't know who they are and wonder what the purpose in life is, or if there is any purpose at all.

If you haven't already take a few minutes to be thankful for the good in your life.
I could go on and on but I won't. I will save that for the ongoing blog in my head. Hope you all had a very happy Thanksgiving!

Back to School

We are now well into the swing of things. We have a month of school under our belts. It has been good so far.

B started jr. high and was definately more ready for it than I am. I can't believe how well she is doing. I swear she has grown up since school started.


M&M is in 5th grade and thanks to the 6th grade moving to the jr high she and the other 5th graders are the big wigs at school. She is having a great time. She has some good friends and a good teacher and I think this is her best year yet.


Roo started pre-school two days a week. Can you hear the hallelujah choir in the background?.....I sure can. Four hours a week to do whatever I need or want to do is pure bliss. She is loving it too. She talks more about the boys playing pirates than what she is learning. I hope that is not a glimps into the future.

They all start school at a different time which means no more back to bed for me. That has been a little depressing. I am on morning car pool duty. It is nice to be out and done with all my errands so early in the morning but sure makes for a long day. I am ready for bed every night by 9. Makes me feel like an old lady. It's all good though. I am having a good time watching the girls. I am really proud of all three of them.

I have put stamping to the side lately to pursue my newest "hobby". I have discovered beaded watch bands. You know the ones inspired by the "Bumble" brand. I am loving it. Today I finished up on the few I was having trouble with. Who knew you could have beaders block. I am still trying to decide if I need to change one of the bands, but hopefully I am done for a while. One of these years I will have to post some pictures of what I have done. I think that I will get back to stamping.

For now I am off to bed. Tomorrow is another day.