Extreme Randomness

I am allowing myself 10 minutes to be on here to post.
Not long I know.
I haven't been posting as often . . . just been busy.
I'm either running 150 mph or I'm frozen and don't care what all isn't getting done around me.
Right now I'm doing the "frozen" thing but most of the day I did the 150 mph thing.
I did workout today and then didn't have time to shower  . . . I don't even want to think about all the places I went looking like such crap - even volunteered at school.
Oh well. That's just life.

So here's some randomness for you on this Wednesday night . . .

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Rain clouds rolled in tonight and a nice rain started to fall and the first thing I checked is my laundry room. . . . counted to make sure everyones good shoes were inside.
You can tell where my priorities are.

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Parenting is hard.
Did you know that?

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I am going to CRAFT WEEKEND this weekend with friends Meg and Kimberlee.
How cool is that?

(Pic from Craft Weekend Blog)

Out of the blue my friend Kimberlee (who is Meg's partner in crime in all things Craft Weekend) asked me to come be the "helper".
I'm super excited because my job is simply that - help.
I will be so out of my league when it comes to being "crafty" --  I would say I'm creative and love a project but not sure I should say I'm crafty; haven't ever sewn a project without a friend holding my hand. :))
But meet new people and help make their weekend special? I can do that!
Stir this, help bake this, clean up this, organize that, get to know people from all over the US . . . I can totally do that!
Looking forward to meeting some new faces, hearing their stories, and seeing beauty in a weekend of creativity!
I'll be sure to take some pics to show you all.

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While chatting with a friend this evening our kids ran in saying "God was about to come down."
We both looked at each other laughed and said, "If He does tell Him to come on in we have some questions for Him."
Ha. We had a good laugh at that.
Thanks for chatting with me friend, I love you.
While chatting I was pretending in my head that we were next door neighbors. :))

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While nagging explaining to my kids what things they needed to be doing one of them said with genuine sincerity, "Mommy we are just kids."
Bless his heart.

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Did you know I love to laugh?
It's like medicine to my soul people.
New Modern Family tonight .... I'm gonna end my day with that laughter.

That's probably enough randomness for one day.
Happy Wednesday night!

Random Pics

On Sat. it was just the younger ones at home.
We did random things all afternoon.
I snapped a few shots of the normal. (Or is it the unnormal since we aren't usually home for a full day?)
Got a few close face shots of them. Love those lazy Saturday face looks.

How many single socks can one family have?

That is the question?
Apparently this family can fill up a fourth of the laundry basket with them.

Tuesday we got snow.
Tatum and I tried out an activity for preschool.
My friend Tami P. gave me the idea . . . . genius - paint snow.

Tatum loved it so at preschool this week we filled our Discovery Table with snow and they all painted.
I'll post pics on the Preschool blog soon.

Off to be productive.

Ten on Ten: January 2012

Ten on Ten:

Take a photo every hour for ten consecutive hours on the tenth of each month. 

Document a day of your life and find beauty among the ordinary moments. 

I haven't done a ten on ten in forever . . . this is really my ten on ten posted on the eleventh.

I took all but one of my pics in the same hour - rules smules - whatever - it was just fun to pick up my camera again - my new camera at that!!! 

We had a BEAUTIFUL day here.

Strange for January in Nebraska.

(Today, the 11th, is FRIGID and WINDY.)

So yesterday the kids and I headed to the park.

Boys were armed with Nerf Guns and the girl was all about looking at my camera.

I wanted to post more than 10 but narrowed it to 10.

Not happy with a part of the game?

Whine - why not.

I caught the "whine face" on camera.

I now have proof to show the boys when they are older.

LIterally 3 seconds later the face is gone and whatever was such a big deal is now over.

Totally have to love that about boys.

Our drive home.

My view while making dinner.

The reflection in my mirror above the sink.

Be still my heart.

This is why I love the lense - helps me see the daily in my crazy.

Some day I'll cook dinner alone for two.

The house will be quiet and I won't nag people to help with tasks or just get along while I cook.

I want to remember these days.

Adventure

Two Brothers, A sister and a cousin . . . on an adventure.

They needed backpacks, water bottles and Tatum said, "I'm pretending to have braces in this game."

Off they went for an hour in the field.

I wish I was 5 or 7 going on an adventure. 

Kids had off school today.
Beautiful day.
Much needed.
I think I was one day away from crackin' up.
Have a good weekend!
Hope you find a slice of beautiful in it - I'm hoping the same for me too.

Flown By

9 more days till school starts.
WHAT?
It has flown by.
We are all (truth be known it might just be me) needing a little space from one another and could use two weeks of school to divide us all up but then we'd be up for another couple months of summer!!!!
We are NOT done with the pool.
We are NOT done with our summer mornings.
We are NOT done with our summer evenings.

Enjoy the rest of your summer break days.

A Favorite

I'm sure this goes back to when I was a kid but I LOVE barbecuing and sitting outside on a fresh cut lawn on a Saturday night.
The smell of something grilling.
The smell of grass.
The look of a yard that had some attention that day.
The sounds of people talking and enjoying their food.
As a kid I didn't take part in the "yard work" but it seemed like most Saturdays the yard was done and that was followed by something being put on the grill. Most of the time a neighbor or some friends would join in on the good eats.
I have countless memories in Oklahoma of Jason and I grilling food on a Saturday night while the boys ran all over our big yard.
In Utah we ended many Saturdays like this as well. Neighbors would join in and kids would run all around.
There is something about ending a day or a week outside with friends or with just your family.
It's a favorite of mine.
That's what tonight was.
The yard was cut.

The food was grilled.

And the six of us enjoyed it by the trampoline.

It makes me smile.
Now I need to go finish cleaning up the kitchen.
(Not a favorite of mine.)

This and That

These three cousins had their first "day camp" experience today and all I heard this evening was . . . 

This was awesome and that was awesome.

I'm thinking it was all awesome.

They got to see Ian and they said he was having fun.

If you look close in the pic it looks like we caught some wrestlers in action in the background.

Coleson told me he made a new friend named Michelob at camp.

I laughed so hard.

I'm thinking he didn't hear it right but what would it be?

Maybe it really is Michelob and maybe he has a brother named Bud.

Tonight I was so tired I really wanted to just be done and be a bum.

Instead the boys convinced me to go outside and play "Toilet Tag".

Yep you heard me right.

They learned it at camp but apparently just as they were about to play it, their hay rack ride came so they didn't get a chance.

I know you are all dying to know how to play so here are the rules.

If you get tagged you have to squat like you are on the toilet and stick your arm out for the handle. 

To become unfrozen like that someone else has to come and sit on your lap (aka the pot) and push your arm down to "flush the toilet". 

Seriously who thought of that?

Genius game for boys.

I did not want to run - but I did.

I did not want to squat - but I did.

I was tired - but I pretended I wasn't.

It did feel good to have my bare feet run through the grass.

That just makes you feel like a kid and reminds you it's summer.

Those boys are fast though.

I was it for a long time.

On another note . . . 

 While driving home the other night a storm was rolling in and the sky and sunset was amazing.

Carter said, "You should take a picture mom."

They were all telling me where I should stop the car to take the picture.

I'm glad they have a love for capturing beauty.

Amazing sky.

And are these two not the cutest?

They are cousins but man they could pass for twins.

I love chatting with them both.

They are FULL of life and best friends.

Tired + some Pics

Whew.
I am T I R E D.
Summer type tired.
You know - three meals a day, four kids home, later nights type tired.
Whew.
I know all you mommas can relate.
I LOVE summer but it's a shock to your system.
Well, everyone is in bed and dare I say asleep already (9:15) on this summer night.
I needed the quiet.
We had a garage sale today with a friend and the kids did a lemonade stand - a very successful lemonade stand I might add.
Tatum has been dreaming about this event for months.
She was the most consistent with it.
The boys went off for awhile but she stuck with it.
Pretty much ran it herself for awhile - I didn't help at all b/c I was busy with people.
I looked over once and a boy gave her a dollar (it was a quarter) and she put it in her box, closed the door and said "Thanks".
He laughed and helped her figure change.
Ian had a sign hanging from the table that said, "Money back guaranteed."
My favorite comment though was from Coleson.
A friend of mine came up and said, "Can I have a glass of lemonade?"
While handing her the cup he said (in his sort of deep serious voice), "No sorry we don't have glass we just have styrofoam."
My baby boy leaves for a week of camp tomorrow.
Is he ready?
Yes.
Am I ready?
No.
I know he has fun and I'm all for camp but a week gets long without him and I always wonder how he's doing.
I'll leave you with a couple summer pics . . . I've been terrible with my camera this summer but I have a few to share.

Little 3D Action - Kung Fu Panda 2

Carter lost his FIRST tooth!! (And the tooth fairy remembered at 3am in the morning - well the Mr. Tooth Fairy remembered and woke the Mrs. Tooth Fairy and all was taken care of.)

The kids ventured so far out that Ian was giving Tatum a piggy back ride home and Carter carried her doll.  It was precious to see.

Enjoy your Sunday.
Goodnight.

CoLoR

A little color in my day.

Ever need some color in your day?

The last couple days the sky has been grey.

Today the sun is shinning. 

YEAH!

Regardless of the color of the sky there is color all around me.

Pottery Barn Pillow that added some color to my world this spring.

Come on in.

Wish you could come visit.

Tis the Season for Eggs - Resurrection Eggs

Need to save some lego pieces you are working with? 

This is where they go . . . or supposed to go.

Easter Shirts Ready to be ironed.

Ian's art project from second grade - it's the Utah Mountains.

There is lots of color in this girls' room. Most in the same shade but color none the less.

She likes to display her color for all to see.  Arr!

Hope you find some color in your day!

(Even if it is all over the floor.)