Five little fingers......Photostory Friday

While we were in OH for Memorial Day, my sister-in-law had her baby. He is such a good baby. These hands are baby A's and his daddy's hand. We were all sitting around the fire, munching on s'mores. He was so content, lying there so peacefully, while all the crazy cousins were taking full advantage of a sugar high.

That is one of the few things about being in a military family that I don't like. You never know if you will be close to family. Close enough to be there for births, birthdays, and long weekends. We are only 5 hours from OH...close enough to go for the little things. I have loved being close to family again!

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

ABCs of our weekend

For some reason I am in a severe blogging funk....these ABC posts are such an easy way to get my random chaotic thoughts together. So, from last Friday until now....

Attended the kids preschool graduation

Brought to tears to see my little boy and girl end another year

Cried....okay, I cried. I did. But not the big honking "ugly" cry, just a few leaky tears.

Drove to Ohio for the long weekend

Eat (okay it should be ate, but I need an E word) lots of good food

Finally downloaded the pics from my camera...eeks guess how many I took?

Grandkids galore...all of my in-laws grand kids were there this weekend. It is so nice to live close enough to drive up for the long weekend.

Happy to get to hold my new nephew.

I love seeing how patient and gentle Will is with his younger cousins.

Josie's toots make me keep a can of Febreeze very close by me.

Kids played on the slip-n-slide

Love that my mother-in-law keeps pinot grigio on hand because she knows this is my favorite!

Made it home from OH in less time, despite getting lost. I used Google maps on my Iphone mid trip to find our way back! whew hoo!

Nine shows on my DVR from the long weekend...."Medium" is playing now.

Olivia has a song in her heart that is bursting out of her mouth 24/7....how's that for a positive spin on she talks non-stop!

Photos are finally downloaded. I need to make copies for my in laws.

Quite the rain showers today....soccer was even cancelled, a rescheduled rain game.

Really nervous for Will's first half day camp next week.

S'mores by the fire....sugar 'em up and hope they crash right at bedtime. Very fine line of timing there.

Today was the first real day of summer break for us! The kids even slept in just a tad.

Ugghh....is this thing almost done.

Very good grilled burgers tonight...cumin and oregano, then topped with cheddar and cilantro. Yummilicious

Welcomed Baby A into the world...congrats to my sister-in-law M and her husband A.

Xpect lots of grins and giggles when a new baby is around.

Ya'll still reading this because I need to go get some

Zzzzzsss.

Nighty night, y'all!

photohunt :hope

I can only hope that these cookies taste good. My mother-in-law was so excited to make these with the kids. They are really a four part cookie....the base, a top with the circle cut out, a jelly filling, and the powdered sugar. The kids loved sprinking the sugar on them. I can only hope they tasted good. Since I have a nut allergy, I couldn't even taste them....apparently the cookies are made of almond paste. ooops!

Photohunt is hosted by TNchick

Photostory Friday....frozen fountain

This is a fountain in the fish pond at my in-laws. It was kind of cool to see the fish swimming under a thin layer of ice. But this pond holds many other memories as well. When Will was just a toddler, he fell into this little pond. There is a picnic table with chairs surrounding it, just to the side of this pond. Will was standing in a chair. I was near the table but not it, just casually watching him having a good time with his aunts. All of a sudden, I saw his chair starting to tip.

Starting to tip in the direction of the pond.....a pond surrounded by huge paving stones. Quicker than I think I have ever moved, I was there in a second. He was already face down in the pond. I do remember I had a skirt on...at least it was only knee length. I am SURE I had on some cute shoes too. But that mom-sense kicked in....keeping one foot on the ground, I threw my other leg into the pond hoping it wasn't that deep! I managed to scrape the entire back side of my leg along the edge of the stones. But I came up with a handful of kid. He was not even in the water more than two or three seconds. I figured out that the little fish pond is only about thigh depth..(and I am short....oh wait, not short, fun-sized!)

In any case, three years later, I still think of jumping in to get him every time I go by it.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Manic Monday and a week update

Fleur-de-Lisa hosts the original Manic Monday here.

What is the biggest mistake you made in 2008 and will not make again in 2009? portion control....enough said!

Do you make New Year's resolutions? not really

Why or why not? I try to live simply every day. But it is a good reminder of a fresh start.

Who do you nominate as “Man or Woman of the Year” for 2008? any wife going through a deployment

What was your greatest accomplishment in 2008? selling a house in today's market, living with my mom for a month, living with my in-laws for a month, buying a house here and making it a home.

I know, I know....long time no blog. I left my laptop in OH.

The week flew by way too fast while we were there. The kids loved being the "big kids" of all the cousins. Grandma and Grandpa loved spoiling them. They started a tradition of decorating cookies with grandma. I think they ate as many as they decorated.

Despite no snow, the weather was nice enough to get out and play a bit.

I was able to get out and go shopping one day with the girls. I forget how fun it is to just get out without kids. Plus PH Changs was involved....oh me oh my!

Happy Monday, y'all!

Happy fourth, y'all

We have had a great start to the fourth of July. There was a great little fair downtown in Husband's hometown. The kids had a great time riding roller coasters and ferris wheels. I couldn't resist a funnel cake. Dang, what is it about some fried batter sprinkled with some powdered sugar? Gets me every time.

We MADE the kids nap last night since the fireworks didn't start until 10PM. My sister-in-law M lives downtown so we parked at her house. That saved tons of frustration of trying to find a parking spot and get out of downtown! Though no one told me we were walking out to BFE. I have a little tiny blister where my flip flops were rubbing. Who gets a blister from flip flops?

I have to note: Will took most of these. I had the camera on a tripod. All he had to do was push the button, but still.....his were much better than mine!

Happy fourth, y'all.

Is swinging a good thing?

First things first.....hell to the no, I am NOT pregnant. I might be semi-crazy from this move, but I am not insane! There was a time a couple of weeks ago my tatas were super sore. I started doing some backwards math counting in my head. I wondered if I would have to give up my fun XC70. Because there is no room for another car seat in the back. But alas all is well. I must have just overworked my muscles a bit. Whew hoo, I love my car!

Though I do have a fairly significant birthday in exactly one week. Yes, the big four-O is beatin' at the door. I have some great thoughts about it. But I will save that for next week. So, pass on all that baby wishing to someone else!

The kids swang (is swang a word? swing, swang, swung?? that looks funny) in these swings all day long.....

and I do mean all day long. Will would have curled up with a pillow and a blanket if we would have let him!

I tried the rope swing one, it just made me nauseous.

Time is flying by here. It certainly doesn't feel like we have been here a week already. I even had time to go get a pedi today with my mother-in-law. I don't know what is it about freshly pedi'd feet, but I always feel so good afterwards!

water, water, water everywhere

We have enjoyed our time here in OH so far. Most of our activities have revolved around water: ponds, water pumps, swimming, and rain. Lots and lots of rain......mostly at night, but yesterday it was on and off all day.

There are many frogs in various stages of life in Grandpa's pond. They are surprisingly loud for such little things. This one is maybe three inches long and can put out quite the croak. The first time I heard it, it startled me!

The kids are trying to count the frogs without falling in. Livi has fallen in this one in the past. She was standing on a chair that is just to the front of this pond area. She leaned a bit too far on the chair back.....the chair tipped over to the pond like a bridge over a moat! I jumped into the pond with a skirt on to grab her. That little pond is about thigh deep! I hope I didn't crush any froggies.

More water in this old timey water pump. It just continually cycles through, providing just enough water to fill a little bucket over and over. Buckets of fun, I tell you!

Will has turned into a little fish. The first day he kind of paddled around the edges. The second time he wore goggles and was diving to the bottom for the little torpedo toys. He would live in there if we let him.

The kids have had fun playing with all the cousins. Though Cousin E brings out the jelly-fish (jealous) in Livi. She isn't quite sure she wants E to be loving on her daddy.

We are going over to see new baby J tonight. I can't wait to snap some shots of precious newborn fingers and toes!

Happy Sunday y'all.