Picture Post AND Quick Takes...I'm Out of Control

Julie made me the cutest bookmarks for my birthday!  I especially love that she included my fake 4th and 5th children, Landon and Dawson.  I've seen more of them than I have of my own children since summer camp started so I think there may be more pictures of them on this particular post. 

 We continued our annual tradition of dressing like a cow and eating a free meal at Chick-fil-a, I think the pictures say it all. 

 Joe sure makes us all crazy around here sometimes but he can be so sweet.  The other night he made Hannah's bed for her while she was in the shower and included this note.  Peace. 

 I love Instagram, you take a somewhat boring picture and very easily edit it to make a really artsy picture.  I love the pic above with Grace.  We were at One Flight Up to play games (a Reading Bingo prize) and she could hardly play for all the talking she was doing.  It was just hours before parts for the new show would be up on Facebook and she was full of nervous, excited energy. 

 I have missed this little guy!  His Grandma and Grandpa have been here for a couple of months and I haven't seen much of him.  We got to spend a few hours together the other day though and I decided to introduce him to homemade play dough.  I don't think he had ever played with play dough before but he loved it.  I think we got about an hour or more of play time out of it which is a long time with a 2 year old. 

 He isn't crying in the picture above.  That's the face he would make though each time he used the cookie cutters.  He was pushing very hard.  If I tried to help he would say, "No BooBoo (my new name), ME do it." 

 After play dough time he got out the blocks, the pirate ship, and the cars and had a great time playing.  Today, I had Dawson again and was blessed with getting to be there for his first smile.  Thankfully his momma was too so I didn't have to lie about seeing it first.  Once he started smiling he didn't want to stop.  I love this baby! 

1.  The kids got their parts for "Into the Woods, Jr."  Grace and Joe both got the parts they wanted.  Grace will be playing Little Red and this is her first lead and she is just thrilled.  This is the first time she has ever gotten the part she wanted to get and we were all so happy for her.  Joe will be playing Jack and he was happy too but is much less animated about it.  Hannah didn't get the part she wanted but has accepted that and is happy with her part now.  She'll be playing Jack's Mom.  She gets to be really mean to her brother which isn't allowed in real life so I think that makes it more fun.  :0)

2.  I have all of our curriculum for next year here.  I am excited about what we're doing and need to spend some time checking it out.  But not yet, I'm enjoying summer too much.

3.  Speaking of which...I love all those funny sign things like the fart one I posted in my last post.  There was one the other day that I saw on FB that was soooo me.  It said, "I love routine.  Until I get bored and then I like a little excitement and something different.  Until I get overwhelmed and then I want my routine again."  That's exactly how I am.  I love routine, I love NORMAL days.  I have very few NORMAL days in my life but I love it when I do.  And, as much as I'm enjoying summer I will totally welcome the new school year when it comes.

4.  I had a check-up with the Orthopedist the other day and my leg is doing great.  I don't have to go back for 5 months.  He said that it's healing really well and I agree.  Only sometimes am I in pain and it's usually related to over doing it.  Occasionally I have unexplained aching and honestly that's just annoying.  I get very irritable when I am in constant pain.

5.  I haven't made any new popsicles in weeks.  I lost my mojo but I have some new ideas and will make more soon.  Maybe a chocolate pudding based one?  Melissa sent me a really good Key Lime recipe and I want to try that too.

I can't make it to 7...Peace out my friends!

Another Picture Post....

 One reason I am loving having an iPhone is so that I can quickly take pictures of all sorts of things, and so do my kids.  Above we have Reba the Hamster.  I thought it was a really cute picture of the little rodent.  And, below is a picture of my computer screen.  I was on Pinterest the other night and found this.  It totally cracked me up. 

 Grace and I got haircuts last Thursday.  I had about 6 inches cut off although you wouldn't know it if you saw me because long hair in a ponytail looks about the same as longer hair in a ponytail.  My braid will be shorter though.  I NEVER wear my hair down in the summer, way too hot. 

 Friday was my birthday and Julie and Jake took Joe and I out to breakfast.  We tried out the new Bob Evans and the food was really good and the company even better.  I am trying to make more of an effort at being in pictures instead of always behind the camera.  I pretty much never like pictures of myself but I do want to have some of myself so that there will be pictures for a photo board at my funeral someday.  Anyway, here's a blurry pic of Julie and I.  I need to teach Joe how to use my phone camera. 

 Two more of me....my friend Jennifer's (the one who's baby has had and is having brain surgery) son (who passed away) shares a birthday with me.  In memory of Nick she asked for people to "Throne" and take pictures of themselves.  Nick was involved with the local Renaissance Faire and played a character that regularly had to be a seat for Lord Edward.  "Throning," is simply using someone else as a piece of furniture.  Of course I had to make a joke of it and act like I squished poor Joe. 

 Aunt Harriet and Uncle Billy have a new game that is really fun--Sequence.  We played a few games after swimming the other afternoon. 

 A couple more pics of Grace with her new bangs.  :0)

 On Saturday we drove to Sarasota to meet up with some friends.  We visited this aquarium and then later went to the beach.  It was a fun day and a beautiful afternoon to be at the beach.  We were on the Gulf side and the kids really enjoyed the calm water and all of the shells. 

 And, that brings us to today...the kids started theatre camp yesterday.  They are doing "Into the Woods, Jr." one of my favorite shows.  It is an adjustment to have to get up early enough to get ready and get lunches made and all of that stuff but we're doing okay.  The kids had auditions today and they have call backs tomorrow and then the show will be cast and everyone can relax.  They are pretty high strung preparing for auditions and now call backs (all three have call backs tomorrow) and I always look forward to the show being cast and settling into rehearsals.  For this show Hannah wants Cinderella, Grace wants Little Red, and Joe wants Jack.  It pretty much never happens that they all get what they want but we can always hope...  :0)  I will be keeping this cute little guy two days a week.  He had his one month old birthday today.  His middle name is Trouble so his shirt is just perfect for him. 

Daybook Style...

Outside my window...I don't know what's going on outside my window because we are at H and B's.  Outside their window it is cloudy and windy and thunder-rumbly but no rain yet.  Unless you count the "sideways rain" that Jane saw that was really just the sprinkler.

On my mind and in my prayers...a friend who's one year old will be undergoing major brain surgery either tomorrow or Friday.  She will be having half of her brain removed.  You can read about her story right here, "Joscelyn's Journey"  Also, three friends fighting cancer at three different stages.

What we're watching...Ollie and I are watching Season 1 of "Sherlock" and just love it.  There are only 3 episodes so not much of a season but a great show.  We also just started Season 4 of "Breaking Bad."  It will take a while to get the next disc though, everyone in the family has items in our Netflix queue.  The kids and I are watching "The Middle."  I love that show.

On my iPod...the next show, "Into the Woods," and that's about it.  No new music for me.

What I'm reading...just finished another Lisa Gardner book and I have two more on my bedside table.  I actually haven't been reading that much, too busy living life and knocking out chores.  I have about 8 books from the new used bookstore in town.  Everytime I go in there I feel like I should buy something.  :0)

What I'm eating...I'm testing out not eating wheat.  I have inflammation issues and hoping this helps because I'm trying to take less Advil and anti-inflammatories.  I'm also (as always) hoping to lose some weight.  I will likely be starting The Maker's Diet again as well.  Ugh!

A few plans for the rest of the week...Grace and I are getting our hair cut tomorrow.  My hair has gotten really long, a couple of inches past the middle of my back and I'm ready for a change.  It will still be long but I'm planning to get a few inches cut off.  Grace wants bangs.  :0)  I'm going to see a play tomorrow night, maybe have my cousin's family for lunch or dinner on Friday, having a birthday and an anniversary, and going to the beach on Saturday to see some of Ollie's friends.  Oh and a concert on Sunday night at church.  Busy days, busy nights.

Around the house...I have been cleaning a lot.  I still need to do the kitchen, FL room, and my bedroom and then the whole house will have been cleaned and decluttered.  Of course, by the time I finish, most rooms will need to be cleaned again.  I'm trying to keep the kids doing their chores but we've been so busy that it's hit or miss.

I think that's about it....

Random Assortment of Pictures...

 A couple of weeks ago we met up with a group of friends at the bowling alley, the kids had a ball (no pun intended) and I'm thinking we need to do it again soon.  I love all of these kids! 

 Only Joe and Hannah went to the first VBS of the year and then only Joe and Grace went to the second VBS.  Hannah and Grace each had a few hours each day to be an only child.  One morning Ollie and I took Gracie on a bike ride and to play frisbee golf, it was really fun.  I was really bad but had fun in spite of my lack of skill.  The next week I took Hannah to a local coffee shop for some girl time.  We took a couple of games and had a really good time.  She's being a hamster in that second pic...At one point she said, "don't mess with the Hanster" but it sounded like she said "don't mess with the hamster" and we had a big laugh about that. 

 Some old friends (hadn't seen them in about 8 years) were in Orlando and we spent some time with them one day at their resort.  Kids rode the Surrey bike and then went swimming.  Parents talked and talked and caught up on the last 8 years. 

 The next weekend Pop and Ryan were umpiring in Winter Haven and we met them at the ballpark and then went for some dinner.  I was sporting my new-most-favorite-I've-ever-had sunglasses. 

 After we said goodbye to them we found ourselves driving past Florida Southern college and decided to stop and walk around.  It's a beautiful campus, voted one of the most beautiful in the US.  Most (or some) of the buildings were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.  Hannah is in love with the place and has decided that this is where she wants to go to college.  We'll see....

 We had our first ever Youth Lock In at church.  We started the night off with lots of really fun "Minute to Win It" games.  Later we made  hula hoops and then watched a video to teach us how to hula hoop and then hula hooped on the pews in the sanctuary.  Many of the girls continued to hoop on and off all night long.  We played Manhunt and watched "Courageous," well some watched and some (me) slept.  I slept on and off from about 1:30 until about 7.  During that time most of the kids stayed up and so did a couple of chaperones--they played board games and hooped.  We finished the Lock-In by cleaning up and having devotional time.  Everyone had a great time, even me.  :0)

 We saw "Brave" at the theatre last week.  It was a good movie, not your usual Disney movie though.  I enjoyed it and it had a great message. 

 In between all of this fun we've been having I've been slowly but surely making my way through the whole house cleaning and decluttering and cleaning some more.  A while back we told Hannah she could put some of her crap...I mean her jewelry, makeup, and hair stuff in the little bathroom.  It had become an ugly mess and needed a big cleanout.  First thing she and I did was sort through her earrings and then I made this cute earring holder (in the pic above) out of a frame and screen.  I made some other changes in there and it looks way better. 

 One afternoon we had a few friends over and the kids dressed as spies and ran around the house and yard like hooligans.  Above is Grace and Anabel. 

 Joe made this frame at church and I couldn't find a pic of Joe and I right away so he made one himself.  Below--Grace's outfit reminded me of me so I took a pic. 

 Yesterday I went with Amanda to get Dawson's picture taken.  I took a few of my own of the process.  Is he cute or what???

 We went out with H and B last night for my birthday and I had a Gummitini...a mixed drink complete with gummi bears.  It was really good and so was my dinner...German Weinerschnitzel, sauerkraut, and potato pancakes. 

 And, finally, pics of the youth right before I had to blow them up.  :0)