SCHOOL

i cannot believe it is time for school! but it is! i have a firm belief that one should not have to return to school in the utter throes of the summer heat! it just doesn't seem right! i mean, REALLY! my memories of returning to school were getting OUT of summer clothes into our new, fresh FALL clothes that were warm enough to take us thru the winter!..tho i occasionally remember being very very disappointed when "Indian summer" would poke it's head out....and my long sleeved, new clothing would be quite uncomfortable.........but that didn't last long, thankfully!.......so now when Mommies school shop.......what season do they shop for? and how can the first day of school be FUN if you don't have new school clothes on? and how can you possibly spend money on MORE summer clothing....altho it is probably on sale right now......anyway.......it is just all a big mystery to me........and my oh my i am so glad it isn't my problem anyway!!!

well.....blah blah blah........but here are 2 of my sweetie pies in school!!! Addie and Ava will be attending pre-school in a week or so.......stay tuned for their first day pics.......

okay, where did my "magic" juice go that keeps these kids from growing up........they are just growing TOO fast for me........and i am NOT done with them yet at THIS size!!!.......(might i be thwarting God's plan, somehow?.......ok ok......guess i will HAVE to let them grow up!)......i just know, from PRIOR experience with the parents of these children.......that ONE day they were little and depended on us, and the NEXT day they were off into the world seeking their OWN life.........so i gotta soak in everything i can NOW!

wouldn't this be fun to win?

http://robinbirdsnest.blogspot.com

enter THIS one!

the reveal

here you have it!..........this is what the sticks were for!............still confused?? well it is a HOBO...slash....COWGIRL pouch with Ava's cowgirl birthday party invitation attached!.........Heidi.........you and your ideas! everyone loved it!

$500.00 give away!

check out 5Minutes for Mom and their contest!

http://www.5minutesformom.com/3898/win-500-in-our-summer-fun-photo-contest/

here is my photo entry:

this picture depicts the true heart of summer......two precious children, in this case, brother and sister( my grandkiddies)

.......FROLICKING.....

in a wilderness park, near my parent's home in Iowa! we vacationed there in June.....what a delight to see children find FUN outdoors and with nature!

why the sticks you ask?

i have been strictly informed i cannot show a picture involving those sticks........but here is the answer!........they are an integral part of Ava's birthday invitation!.........

curious now, huh?

http://www.giselejaquenod.com.ar/blog/category/contests/

you must check this adorable site/artist out!

i want to win this adorable mug! i think i "overused" the word ADORABLE, huh?.....well.....you get the point.......this site is worth a LOOK SEE! :-)

what are they for?

well.......i will let you know tomorrow!

Sunday Activities

OKAY, so.......i blogged about Carter and Ava spending this past weekend with us....so we get up Sun. morn., the kids had cereal and got dressed and i put the shark documentary on....(at their insistence......honestly i do NOT push the realities of death caused by sharks on them)......soon afterwards Carter tells me he doesn't feel well........

so i find him flat on the floor.......he still found it in him to smile, unlike his little sister........

well, we hustled our way to church.......while Carter continually was on the downward slope to utter illness.....

we had planned to visit Larry's job site, since his job there would end this week and he wanted the kids to see the swimming pool he built and he wanted them to play on the playground he built.......plus see the whole facility as a whole that he has been working on for many months......

well.......poor little Carter had to "bow" out.....he just was not UP to it so he went home with Aunt Hannah.......and we took off for the job site with Peter and fam and Ava!

i had packed a VERY simple picnic lunch......but it was TOOOOOO hot to eat outside so we ate in the conference room of Larry's office facility......and the kids played for a short time.........honestly tho......it was too hot for ANY of us! so no one lasted terribly long.......i retreated to the heavenly air conditioning of the car while the kids played a little......the following pics tell the story!

BTW.......is this not what daddy's are for????

my how quickly situations change!

i want to win this one!

here is another absolutely darling necklace i am hoping to win!!!! check it out

here:

weekend activities!

we had Carter and Ava with us this past weekend! as always, it was ACTION packed, FUN, well, even HILARIOUS.......and of course so heart warming to these two grandparents, Pap Pap and NeeNee!.......now action packed to MOST of you would be spending the time at wild amusement parks, on the go constantly .........but to US.......it is NON stop PLAYING! of course we spent a LOT of time doing craft projects and coloring..........honestly........i do NOT force it on them.......they LOVE it........we didn't even get out of our jammies until 2 or 3 pm on Saturday!!!..........i suggested to the kids that we get in the car and go somewhere in the afternoon, to which they responded with a resounding NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!............so we continued with our fun and playing in the house......one thing they love is to go to a coloring page site online and pick out pictures for me to print for their coloring enjoyment! they pick out their pictures so very carefully, as if they were shopping in a candy shop!!!........so precious!...........one of our favorite things when the kiddos stay overnite is that darling little wake up in the morning......hey, i am not kidding! ....tho i wish and hope for it to NOT be too early, most of the time it IS........however.......as soon as i can get one eye open and see those little faces beside my bed, gently whispering NEE NEE......it's all over....i am a sucker and soon forget how tired i am!!!.........to see their morning delights and giggles is a cherished memory!!!

Larry got his old trombone out and gave Carter a few "lessons"!

here is little miss AVA, who wouldn't smile for anything........of course i was begging her, to which she become even more determined NOT to......

here are a few AVA quotes from the weekend........on Sat. nite she wanted to show me her Church dress.....(in the pic above)........she wrinkled her nose and promptly told me :......."church is boring......so i can wear a dress!"...........hmmmmmm her second funny quote was on Sun. morning while they were watching a shark documentary and how sharks have been known to tear human flesh from limb to limb.....she glibly announced "........i don't think i need to go to beaches any more......i'm gonna stick to the pool"!!!...........oh Ava Ava Ava...........