a taste across the lips...

I totally forgot about this photo from our Florida trip...

This funny little miss stole a french fry from an unsuspecting Universal Studios patron.
I tried to warn her "a taste across the lips, an inch across the hips". 
But she didn't listen.
I told her this is exactly why I'm still carrying my baby weight even though my baby is 8 1/2 years old.
I don't order fries for myself.  I just steal them from my kids. 
The calories still count.  Dang it.
A french fry isn't a vegetable.  Dang it.

She turned and flipped her tail at me.
Her fluffy, swishing caboose was so much cuter than mine :)

first day

The first days of school were a little different for us this year.  Abi started on Wednesday and Hannah and Eli started on Thursday.  Apparently, the school board didn't consider first day of school photos when they chose to start different grades on different days.  Oh well, I suppose they think they know what's best.

My Nervous Nellie started 3rd grade.  Can you see her anxious smile?

It's so hard to let my baby grow up.  We finally got rid of the bricks we kept putting on her head to keep her from growing.  They just weren't working!

Abi's teacher is Ms. Brown.  She was also Abi's 1st grade teacher.  Abi and Ms. Brown already know and love each other.  Sometimes that's good and sometimes it's bad.

We're so thankful for best friends!  Abi and Sophie are in the same class again this year.  They are both a little on the anxious side.  I'm so thankful they have each other.  It's a little easier to be brave when you know your BFF is close.  I'm not sure how their husbands are going to feel someday when they're still inseperable.  I guess that's someone else's problem :)

Eli is a 6th grader this year at the Santa Fe 5/6 Center.  He is certain he is too big and cool for first day of school pics.  I was able to get a couple before he told me, in no uncertain terms, that he was done.

True story - I had to walk away after this pic because I was afraid we were going to have a spat on his first day of school.  The neighbors didn't need to be exposed to it.  Why can't these kids just cooperate with a fanatical mom for a few minutes?!

Eli and his best buddy Jake started a tradition last year of riding in the hot rod on the first day.  I suppose it is a little more cool than the big yellow limo they usually ride.  I'm not sure how long this tradition will continue but I hope it's another 6 years :)  Jake's mom got a couple of smiles on her camera.

They think they're pretty cool in this sweet ride.  I just think they're adorable.

This is Hannah's last year in junior high.  She's all teenager.  A little too pretty sometimes.

Abi asked Hannah if she wanted me to walk her in on her first day of school.  Hannah assured Abi she didn't need me.  "That just wouldn't be cool, Abi."  Abi was very concerned about Hannah's pics with her teachers.  "How will we get pics if mom doesn't go in with you?"  I love the way a third grader thinks.

Two cool kids.  Too cool for their mom.

to be happy...

I have a new favorite print in my house...

"To be happy, don't do whatever you like;

like whatever you do."

This is a hand-me-down from a hand-me down.  In other words, Jana had it in her house for a while until she got tired of it and gave it to Amy.  Amy enjoyed it for a while and then gave it to me.
It makes me happy.  It's a good reminder to find happiness wherever you are, doing whatever you're doing.
It reminds me of one of my favorite scriptures, "for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being conent in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."  (Philippians 4:11)

I added the print to my happy Mary Engelbreit kitchen.

Thank you, Amy, for sharing this happy print.  It's the gift that keeps on giving.  It's been a great reminder for me to find happiness in whatever I'm doing, wherever I am. 

Happiness is a choice and I'm choosing to be happy :)

extraordinary

Our summer is quickly coming to an end.  Sad news.  We're trying to fit a little more fun in before we have to get into a school routine.
Hannah committed to babysitting some fun kiddos this week.  We realized over the weekend that she also had a dentist appointment today.  Double booked.  I'm organized like that.
We decided we would just take our fun friends with us and I would sit with them in the waiting room while Hannah got her sealants.

We know how to make a statement at the dentist...

Yes, those are princess crowns, sunglasses, purses and cowboy boots.
Totally new meaning to a crown at the dentist.
Here's what you can't see.  Our little cowboy and indian has his shorts on backwards.  And he was totally cool with it.  I love that kid!!

We spread a little cheer to everyone at the dentist office today.  There were lots of smiles.
Abi and Sophie had a Ramona and Beezus routine they did.  "Extraordinary.  It's when you take something ordinary {insert a big side kick here}... and give it a little extra."

These kids are extraordinary.  And they make me smile :)

killed by negligence

On my porch at the beginning of June...

Lots of beautiful pink and green.  So happy and cheerful! 

Two months later...

So dry, sad, dreary and dead.  I'd like to blame this all on the heat and drought.  But, I really can't.  I should have fed and watered them every day but I didn't.  I killed them.  This is why I don't have any house plants and don't invest lots and lots of money in a garden.  I'm a negligent gardener.

It's a darn good thing my kids are fairly self sufficient and can feed themselves.  I can't imagine what might happen to them if they were completely dependent on me for care.  SRS might be knocking at my door :)

camping

I'm not a camper.  I don't mean the kind of boxy thing on 4 wheels.  I'm not one of those either but I'm really not the kind of person who enjoys spending the weekend living outside and using public potties.  Not my thing.  Never has been; never will be. 

But, we have wonderfully dear friends who do like to camp.  They know HOW to camp and they know how to make camping FUN :)  We have been talking about a camping trip together for more than a year and we finally made it happen this summer.  So.much.fun!!

My kids discovered they love camping, especially with the Eckerts.  I have to admit, even I loved camping with the Eckerts.  They know what they're doing.  They found a beautiful shady spot at Eisenhower State Park right off of Melvern Lake.  (I didn't even know we have state parks in Kansas.)  They had the camper and tent set up long before we got there.  We showed up and all the work was done.  Just in time to have fun.

We did lots of relaxing with friends...

(Rick and our oldest daughter, Mindy.  Well, she's not really our daughter but we've claimed her for 2 years.)

Abi played house all weekend long.  She loved the camper.  We called it "Camping with Barbie"...

We ate like royalty.  Shirley is an incredible cook.  They have cattle so we enjoyed beef burgers (like super duper yummy homemade sloppy joes), t-bone steaks, farm fresh corn on the cob, homemade potato salad, crock pot roast and baked potatoes.  I'm telling you - the Eckerts know how to camp well.  Jim and Shirley are my new heroes!  (They are Mindy's biological parents so I guess they've claimed her for 21 years.)

We spent lots of time at the swimming beach.  This just cracks me up because they really do call it a swimming beach.  Really, a beach in Kansas? 

My swimsuit and s'rong was way more practical for the Florida beaches than the Kansas beach.

(The kids, spent a great deal of time trying to balance on the bouey that went around the swimming area.)

Here's something I didn't expect to see at a Kansas state park.  A tour bus.  Really?  Tourists visiting a Kansas state park in record heat and drought?

Something else I didn't expect to find.  The teeniest, tiniest, cutest little grocery store I've ever seen.  We needed salt and coffee.  They had both.  I'm pretty sure you couldn't fit a grocery cart in this store but I really wanted to try.  So.cute!!

I knew I would find public potties at the campground.  That's why I was anxious about camping.  I managed to have to use them only twice.  True story - I knew I would be better off using the lake instead of the public facilities.  It took me 10 minutes of concentration to pee in the lake.  I just couldn't make myself do it.  So there I stood, all by myself in the middle of the lake for 10 minutes, concentrating.

(Do you see how the roof doesn't cover the entire facility?  Eli absolutely loved the bathrooms!  He came out of the bathroom each time saying "I just love the open air feel of these bathrooms!  We should really find a way to do this at home."  What?  Are you serious?  He can't be my son.)

One of my very favorite parts of this weekend was watching the relationship between Abi and Shirley develop.  Abi wanted to do whatever Shirley did all weekend.  She was so quick to help Shirley with the meal preparations and clean-up.  (Shirley was very gracious and patient with all of Abi's "help".)  They told each other lots and lots of stories.  There is a bond between these two that won't easily fade.  They made s'mores for all of us Saturday night.  So much love in those s'mores.

Well, I may be a camper after all.  This really wasn't roughing it.  We got to relax and enjoy lots of time with wonderful friends.  We ate better than we'll ever eat at home.  We made memories.  We played games.  We slept great.  Even though we're in the middle of record heat, we really didn't get hot.  It was so gorgeous camping right off the lake in the shade.  Thank you Jim, Shirley, Mindy and Rick for showing me how fun camping can be.  We love you all and have wonderful memories.  We'll definitely do it again next year :)

not a good housekeeper

Confession time.  I'm not the best housekeeper in the world.
On a good day, I'm mediocre.
As if it's not enough that I recognize this character trait, Hannah proved it for me today.
Amy told me she washed her curtains today.  She's a great mommy, wife, housekeeper, friend.  The whole package!
Hannah blurts out "You can wash curtains?!"
Busted.  I was totally busted.  Apparently, I haven't washed any of our curtains in Hannah's lifetime.  She's 13.  Nice.
(In my defense, we have replaced the curtains in her lifetime.)
Surely I've washed them and she just doesn't remember.  Maybe.
Oh well, my kids know they're loved.
My friends know they're always welcome at my house.
My kids can have friends over any time.
My house isn't a museum, it's lived in.

I should probably wash the curtains once in a while though :)