Swim, swim, swim

This is just the first of many swim meets from this summer!! My awesome little fish!!

oh my good book!!

 I've been indulging in the classics lately. I'm currently reading several books but the ones I'm loving the most make me want to put on a corset, a full skirt, a broach, a petticoat. Once drawn up in this beautiful clothing, I'd take a walk in the garden or a ride in a carriage. I would be delighted to spend the evenings around the piano, entertaining, dancing and enjoying the company of those who should happen to call. It would be lovely to expand our vocabulary to increase the realm of our little mind.

I love that I can open these beautiful stories and be apart of their stories.

p.s.i love the thought of being a governess who falls in love with the master, who is madly in love with his governess. 

handsome turns 7!!!

Handsome's birthday was crazy this year. Note to self, plan the B-day party before schools out so then it might actually happen. There were a few things that made this bday difficult first he kept changing his mind about what he wanted, Spiderman, no hulk, no soccer, no swimming, no football, no, no! You get the point. Then the timing wasn't the best. We got home late the night before his bday from our trip to Cali. That weekend was his first swim meet, we hadn't gotten any shopping done. We ended up having a family party on Sunday so Handsome and Dad both opened presents that day.

fun in the sun

Wednesday June 6th~ we all packed ourselves and things in the car and headed out to Cali. we left when my love got off work so we hit the road about 4:30 in the afternoon. I knew this could be a challenge to keep everyone happy the whole way. So with a little help from pinterest  found some fun things to do to pass the time. of course we had the standards: pile of books, DVD player and coloring supplies. But to shake things up a little I bought a few fun toys ahead of time without the kids knowing: silly putty, new books, glow sticks, squishy balls, little travel games. Then every time we stopped for gas they got to pick a present to open. They seemed to enjoy it and it really didn't cost too much to keep them happy. We arrive in Red Bluff at about 3:00 am. and stayed at Motel 6. 

Day One~ we checked out of the hotel, and drove out to grandma's house. I love the ranch it reminds me of growing up on the goat farm. Endless possibilities for imaginations to run wild. goats, horses, fish, ducks, geese, peacocks, lizards, snakes, a creek, four wheelers... we played and got plenty dirty just hanging out with grandma.

Day Two~Swimming at the hotel, hanging out at grandmas, BBQ with friend. I didn't realize until now that I have no pictures from the BBQ so sad. We had a blast at the Rogerson's. Yummy food, good company and great laughs.

Day Three~This was probably our biggest busiest day. We went to Turtlebay for almost the whole day, took a break went to lunch at IN 'n' Out then back to Turtlebay for some more fun. Hopefully the post following this has a slide show of all the pictures from that day. That evening we went to dinner with my little brother and his beautiful family. Here's a few pictures of MsTay meeting here little cuz.

Day 4~Crazy day! Kiddos went swimming  and to the crayfish festival in Red Bluff, with grandma, aunt Jamie and their cousins. I dropped My Love off at the airport so he could fly home to go to work the next day.  Gus's favorite part was eating the crayfish. That evening we drove up to Redding to have dinner with family friends. I tried to choke on a piece of chicken but luckily survived.  

Day 5~Swimming, oh and Gus had discovered the yummy hot coco in the hotel lobby was even better with a little vanilla creamer in it. We packed up our stuff and checked out of the hotel and went to stay at Aunt Jamie's house. after we got all of our stuff to my sister's we went back out to the ranch for the afternoon. It was twice the fun because we brought cousins with us. 

Day 6~ by far one of the best days. We woke up hung out with aunt Jamie and the boys for awhile then set out for Redding did a few errands, then went to my chill at my BFF's house. It was so wonderful to sit and talk, reminisce, raid her bookshelf, enjoy our kiddos playing with each other. later that evening grandma took us to ROSS one of my favorite places to shop and to dinner at Denny's. That night I stayed up way too late talking to my little sis. GREAT VACATION!!

Day 7~ Breakfast at McD's with the family then on our way back to Idaho.

waiting to go to breakfast

still waiting

and waiting

let's go!

Turtlebay

Try our slideshow maker at Animoto.

summer goals

In May I pulled out my handy dandy notebook and wrote out a plan for the summer

1. Run away from home for a week, and play in the California sun

2. Build a room divider for the kid's room

3. Swim, swim, swim

4. Build a fence

5. Finish the basement

6. Move office to basement and turn office to guest room

7. Try to relax

8. Read, read, read

9.Play with the presidents

10. Live in the moment, no count downs, lose track of the date, enjoy this precious time while it's here.

Stay tuned for the summer recap, it's gonna be great!

soccer 2012

The Love of My Life helped with rec soccer again this spring and both Gus and Handsome decided to participate. They had fun, the last game and awards were a little chilly but,they were still more then willing to pose for a few pictures.  

dirty handsome

I am pretty sure handsome is going to need a bath a day from now on. He typically takes a bath 3 times a week but oh my he is becoming quite stinky lately. It's like he has a perpetual layer of dirt covering his body. I'm sure this is just a boy thing, but it's getting a little out of control here. It's not something that a simple was your face and hands can cure unless his hands go all the way up his arms and his face includes his hair and neck. oh the joys of boys.

My favorite part of bath night this last week however happened Monday when he was in the tub he had been in there for quite sometime so I went to check if he was okay, he was great with his book in the tub.

Garden woes

2010-Nasty Voles

2011-snow in June

2012-TayBug

Do not touch her Corn on the Cob

 TayBug LOVES Corn on the Cob!! tonight at dinner she would not let it go even to eat the rest of her food, she held it in one hand with a death grip and drank, or ate with the other.

from one to another

So for the last two years I've been working in Relief Society (an organization within the LDS church for women 18 and older) It's been an adventure planning activities, cooking class, and serving the sisters. However this adventure as come to an end and now on to the REAL fun. I have been asked to serve in the nursery. Eight precious toddlers ranging in age from 15 months to just over 3 years old.

I have been doing lots of research and found several fun sites with great ideas to use in nursery or with my own children, to keep the kiddos learning, entertained and me sane.

Just in case anyone reading this could use those sites I'll list a few of them here.

http://handsonaswegrow.com/2012/04/50-toddler-activities.html


http://www.simplelittlehome.com/2012/03/50-ways-to-distract-toddler.html


http://movingsmartblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/too-pregnant-to-play.html


http://www.sugardoodle.net/Nursery%20Program/index.shtml

Got Milk

TayBug loves her milk, so much that she insisted carrying it home from the store.

spring carnival

I spent quite a bit of time in the jail. All for a good cause!!

Face paint

Taybug on the bouncy house

Dad and TB

The awesome PTO here put on a great spring carnival. It was awesome. Here are a few fun pictures.

He LOST It!!!

Handsome finally lost his first tooth. It's been loose for months, last night I could have pulled it out if he would have let me but he wasn't ready yet. So today while we were at a 5k his tooth came out, where and when exactly is still unknown he just yelled " I lost my tooth" When I looked at him he had a mouth of blood and a great big hole where a tooth use to be. He doesn't know how it happened and he gave a new meaning to "He LOST his first tooth."

pots and pans

Playing in the cupboard

It was hard for me to pick my favorite picture so I posted them both.