As luck would have it, we seem to have a drip in the bathroom faucet. It comes and goes but I have noticed that if you don't get the Taps turned off *just* so, it drips a bit. I detest dripping taps for a myriad of reasons; A) the amount of water that can add up from a small drip over the course of a month is amazing, B) the increase to the water bill and C) it usually means replacing the entire faucet which is a time sucker. The part I *do* like about replacing the faucet is that we get to pick out something new. New is good. :)
I found a website called Taps4Less and wowsa! They have a gigantic selection of not only faucet fixtures but also bathroom furniture (Stacey, I think they even have a vanity like the one you just put in your bathroom (which I loved, by the way!)). They have shower enclosures, bath tubs and various bathroom accessories, too. Seriously - this website is a goldmine for anyone wanting to renovate, update or replace. WOW! And have you ever noticed that just by changing hardware or taps you can completely change the look and feel of a room. To me, that is so much fun!
This looks like great quality stuff, too. They have brand names such as Mira Showers and Hudson Reed Taps and Showers so if you are looking for a change, check out their site. I think you will be really jazzed by what you see.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Monday, August 06, 2007
Don't Give Up On Me
I swear to you that I have been trying to get here all day to post something new and exciting - well, at least new - but the day has been crazy nuts which is completely *not*( what today was supposed to be like. We were very busy all weekend so the plan was for the kids and I to have a "down day". Umm...yeah. Sure, we did stay home but it was anything but low key.
I spent an hour this afternoon de-campifying the backyard but mostly I spent the day breaking up fights and redirecting. I'm exhausted!
Friday afternoon I set up the tent and put all the camping stuff inside. I love our tent - it's huge, yes but I can set up it, alone, in 25 minutes. The four of us even slept out there Friday night...well, sleep is not exactly accurate. The kids slept but Dakota and I were awake more than not. Both kids are sleep talkers in a big way and between the two of them it was chatter central out there. Saturday we opted to sleep inside but we did play for hours upon hours in the tent all weekend.
Saturday we ran some errands and then got the house and yard ready for company. Dakota's nephew, wife and two kids moved back to the area from California last week so we decided late on Friday to see about having people over to celebrate their return. It was a huge success and we all had a great time.
Sunday we started moving slowly but then because we knew we had to do *something* we the kids I came up with the idea of going to the brand new Ikea store that opened up across the river. OY! What a mistake that was! By the time we found our way into the parking area we were directed into the overflow parking which was quite a walk to the store. Since we were just wanting to check it out we decided to skip it because there was no way either one of us felt like battling that kind of crowd. And just for the record, I'm thinking they could certainly invest in some signage on how to get to their store since we had to go way past it, turn around and then figure out how to get into the area (which was not accessible from the side we originally were traveling). I'm just saying.....from the looks of the parking lot, they could certainly afford to put up some signs!
So after that didn't pan out we decided to head to a nearby mall that we rarely frequent. It was so much fun!! Kelton was jazzed and bouncy and so much fun to be with. We ended up picking up a couple pair of school pants for him and also a pair of Crocs. He decided he didn't want to have to wait to find the Mickey Crocs and instead opted for metallic dark green. I bought him two jibbitz to go in them too which was a huge hit for him. He picked out a space alien and a turtle. He decided that the next time we go to that mall he will first earn $5.00 so he can pick out two more. Sadly, we don't have a Croc kiosk in our mall but at least we can look forward to it the next time we go mall-exploring. :)
Dakota and I were both dealing with some sort of bug-but-not all weekend. Saturday night and Sunday until mid afternoon were the worst for me but the good news is I am feeling so much better today.
Well - what do you know. I just did an update. Maybe I should change the title of the post. :) I do have some great photos from last week to show off. Take a peek!
I spent an hour this afternoon de-campifying the backyard but mostly I spent the day breaking up fights and redirecting. I'm exhausted!
Friday afternoon I set up the tent and put all the camping stuff inside. I love our tent - it's huge, yes but I can set up it, alone, in 25 minutes. The four of us even slept out there Friday night...well, sleep is not exactly accurate. The kids slept but Dakota and I were awake more than not. Both kids are sleep talkers in a big way and between the two of them it was chatter central out there. Saturday we opted to sleep inside but we did play for hours upon hours in the tent all weekend.
Saturday we ran some errands and then got the house and yard ready for company. Dakota's nephew, wife and two kids moved back to the area from California last week so we decided late on Friday to see about having people over to celebrate their return. It was a huge success and we all had a great time.
Sunday we started moving slowly but then because we knew we had to do *something* we the kids I came up with the idea of going to the brand new Ikea store that opened up across the river. OY! What a mistake that was! By the time we found our way into the parking area we were directed into the overflow parking which was quite a walk to the store. Since we were just wanting to check it out we decided to skip it because there was no way either one of us felt like battling that kind of crowd. And just for the record, I'm thinking they could certainly invest in some signage on how to get to their store since we had to go way past it, turn around and then figure out how to get into the area (which was not accessible from the side we originally were traveling). I'm just saying.....from the looks of the parking lot, they could certainly afford to put up some signs!
So after that didn't pan out we decided to head to a nearby mall that we rarely frequent. It was so much fun!! Kelton was jazzed and bouncy and so much fun to be with. We ended up picking up a couple pair of school pants for him and also a pair of Crocs. He decided he didn't want to have to wait to find the Mickey Crocs and instead opted for metallic dark green. I bought him two jibbitz to go in them too which was a huge hit for him. He picked out a space alien and a turtle. He decided that the next time we go to that mall he will first earn $5.00 so he can pick out two more. Sadly, we don't have a Croc kiosk in our mall but at least we can look forward to it the next time we go mall-exploring. :)
Dakota and I were both dealing with some sort of bug-but-not all weekend. Saturday night and Sunday until mid afternoon were the worst for me but the good news is I am feeling so much better today.
Well - what do you know. I just did an update. Maybe I should change the title of the post. :) I do have some great photos from last week to show off. Take a peek!
Friday, August 03, 2007
Two and a Half
My baby girl officially turns 2.5 years old next Friday. I can't believe it. Seriously, I can't. To celebrate, Kaylen and I went to Picture People this morning to have her portrait taken (Kelton was busy with his last day of day camp for this session). Such is the case with child #2, I have very few portraits of her by herself so my plan for the year ahead is to get her in for pictures a few (dozen) times. When she was younger she was *not* a happy camper when it came to portraits but she is beginning to turn into a regular ham. Normally, I am a stressed out mess by the time a sitting is completed but it was so much fun today - I am really enjoying having one on one time with her. It's something I've never had before and you moms with more than one kid know what I mean when I say "It's so easy with just one!" I never thought that was the case when I had just one though, that's for sure. :)
Anyway, back to the pictures......there were several poses I really wanted to buy but since I can't buy them all (dammit!) I settled for these two:
Isn't she adorable?? :)
Anyway, back to the pictures......there were several poses I really wanted to buy but since I can't buy them all (dammit!) I settled for these two:
Isn't she adorable?? :)
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Day Camp
Gues who loves his day camp so much that he begged me to sign him up for another session? :)
He wanted to go next week but he would have ended up missing the last day because of a trip we have planned to see my family so he settled for the week after next. The theme for that session is "Mystery All Around". He is very excited!
He wanted to go next week but he would have ended up missing the last day because of a trip we have planned to see my family so he settled for the week after next. The theme for that session is "Mystery All Around". He is very excited!
Blah, part 2
Man I'm in a funk today. It's all I can do to keep moving forward....I feel like I'm walking through molasses or something. Maybe I'm coming down with something...maybe I'm just sad. I don't know.
Everything seems to reduce me to tears....tantrum from a 2 year old, reading the news story of the bridge collapse, reading about the mom who left her kids inthe car and they died in the heat, reading about home invasions, etc. I'm just..................sad and I feel so unsafe in the world.
I hate feeling sad. I hate feeling unsafe.
Blick.
Everything seems to reduce me to tears....tantrum from a 2 year old, reading the news story of the bridge collapse, reading about the mom who left her kids inthe car and they died in the heat, reading about home invasions, etc. I'm just..................sad and I feel so unsafe in the world.
I hate feeling sad. I hate feeling unsafe.
Blick.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Huge Fisher Price Recall
FYI:
Over 1 million Fisher Price toys are being recalled for lead paint. The toys represent various Nickelodeon and Sesame Street characters. Apparently it's only a problem if you bought the toy(s) between April 2007 and July 2007. They were manufactured in China (also responsible for the Thomas and Friends recall a couple months back - for the same lead paint reason).
Click here to review the list. Once you are on the page, choose "help me determine if I own products". This is a visual recall list instead of just the product number and name.
Over 1 million Fisher Price toys are being recalled for lead paint. The toys represent various Nickelodeon and Sesame Street characters. Apparently it's only a problem if you bought the toy(s) between April 2007 and July 2007. They were manufactured in China (also responsible for the Thomas and Friends recall a couple months back - for the same lead paint reason).
Click here to review the list. Once you are on the page, choose "help me determine if I own products". This is a visual recall list instead of just the product number and name.
Blah
Grief is a weird thing. It washes over me in the most unlikely times.
This afternoon I went to the mailbox to collect the mail and in among all the junk and a power bill was Kelton's Highlight magazine. It has been a yearly gift from my mom for three years (which is about 2 years before he was ready for it but my mom wanted him to have it). It expires in December.
As I handed it to Kelton I mentioned that he will only be getting 4 more issues of it because it was a gift from Grandma and now that Grandma is in heaven she won't be able to have it sent to him anymore. He looked at me sadly and said "Oh. Ok." and then hugged it to his chest.
I left the living room, rounded the hall corner and burst into tears.
All because the Highlights magazine arrived.
*sigh*
This afternoon I went to the mailbox to collect the mail and in among all the junk and a power bill was Kelton's Highlight magazine. It has been a yearly gift from my mom for three years (which is about 2 years before he was ready for it but my mom wanted him to have it). It expires in December.
As I handed it to Kelton I mentioned that he will only be getting 4 more issues of it because it was a gift from Grandma and now that Grandma is in heaven she won't be able to have it sent to him anymore. He looked at me sadly and said "Oh. Ok." and then hugged it to his chest.
I left the living room, rounded the hall corner and burst into tears.
All because the Highlights magazine arrived.
*sigh*
I Love Personalized Stuff!
There is just something so fun about having personalized "stuff". I love it. Seeing my name, or the names of my kids, on stuff is so much fun for me. Every year when I was a kid my grandparents would order pencils with our names on them. I loved it and it always made me feel so special.
My kids (clearly) do not have common names so finding personalized stuff on the open market doesn't happen (and for some reason, I can rarely find "Casey" either. Weird since I'm pretty sure it's not all that uncommon of a name.) so to have anything with their names on it, I would have to order it.
And I plan to do just that.
Now, I'm not foolish enough to give them backpacks with their names emblazoned on them or any clothing because I know that it makes it so much easier for a stranger to gain access to them (what kid won't go right to someone who knows them by name?) but
personalized cups, pencils, pens, etc would be so much fun!
I'm assuming I am not alone in my love of personalized stuff, right? :)
My kids (clearly) do not have common names so finding personalized stuff on the open market doesn't happen (and for some reason, I can rarely find "Casey" either. Weird since I'm pretty sure it's not all that uncommon of a name.) so to have anything with their names on it, I would have to order it.
And I plan to do just that.
Now, I'm not foolish enough to give them backpacks with their names emblazoned on them or any clothing because I know that it makes it so much easier for a stranger to gain access to them (what kid won't go right to someone who knows them by name?) but
personalized cups, pencils, pens, etc would be so much fun!
I'm assuming I am not alone in my love of personalized stuff, right? :)
Branson Real Estate
This is such a totally cool thing if you can swing it and believe me, after checking out the website, I wish we could!
Branson real estate is the link I am to use and it will take you to Stone Bridge Village which they are calling "investment property". I'm not expert on this term but it looks like a timeshare type thing but here is the hook...for a mere $149 a couple you can get Three Days/Two nights in a StoneBridge Village Villa, Two rounds of golf at Ledgestone and a $50.00 Lunch or Dinner Certificate Redeemable at Ledgestone Grille or Nicol's Fine Dining. All you have to do it sit through a short sales pitch and tour. Their motto is: No Hassle • No Pressure • No Kidding
You have to love that concept!
Dakota and I have sat through sales pitches and tours in order to get cool things. One time, on a cruise in the Bahamas we sat through a timeshare pitch so we could have free access to their private beach. It was AMAZING! So worth the 45 minutes it took to listen (and honestly, we were so tempted to buy in. Now I wish we had because it would have been nice knowing we had somewhere tropical to go when we wanted.)
Anyway - back to this place...it's in Branson West, Missouri so if you are in that area or plan to be in that area it may be well worth your time to give them a call and check it out. I know I would! :)
Branson real estate is the link I am to use and it will take you to Stone Bridge Village which they are calling "investment property". I'm not expert on this term but it looks like a timeshare type thing but here is the hook...for a mere $149 a couple you can get Three Days/Two nights in a StoneBridge Village Villa, Two rounds of golf at Ledgestone and a $50.00 Lunch or Dinner Certificate Redeemable at Ledgestone Grille or Nicol's Fine Dining. All you have to do it sit through a short sales pitch and tour. Their motto is: No Hassle • No Pressure • No Kidding
You have to love that concept!
Dakota and I have sat through sales pitches and tours in order to get cool things. One time, on a cruise in the Bahamas we sat through a timeshare pitch so we could have free access to their private beach. It was AMAZING! So worth the 45 minutes it took to listen (and honestly, we were so tempted to buy in. Now I wish we had because it would have been nice knowing we had somewhere tropical to go when we wanted.)
Anyway - back to this place...it's in Branson West, Missouri so if you are in that area or plan to be in that area it may be well worth your time to give them a call and check it out. I know I would! :)
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
A Big Week for Kelton
It's been a big week for my boy. School supply lists were available on Saturday so we went school supply shopping. It was fun to pick out all his stuff (even though it's not really "his stuff" everything goes into big containers and is basically "communal" which I go back and forth on having an issue with but - it is what it is.) There is something so intoxicating about school supplies - Dakota feels it, I feel it and I'm proud to say, my kids feel it. :) New crayons and paints and scissors. Pencils, pens and erasers. Fun!
He ended up with a Spider Man backpack (which is no surprise to me) and Transformer tennis shoes. I am still going to get him a new pair of Crocs since really those are his main footwear. I found really great ones that I am going to save up for. I think they will make him (and me) happy. They are Crocs with Mickey shaped holes. I think they are so incredibly fun.
And as a PSA (public service announcement) let me share with all of you parents of not-yet-school-aged-kids that the back to school rows are a gold mine of art supplies. Elmers glue for $0.20 a bottle, Crayola 24 count crayons for $0.20 a box. Paints, papers, scissors, binders, etc all cheaper than you will find them the entire rest of the year. Since Kelton was one year old Dakota and I have hit the back to school sales and restocked every art supply known to man. It just makes sense so check out those rows and if you see things your little one (or you) will use during the year, or you think you may use during the year, - stock up! Just a handy mommy tip for you. :)
Kelton's day camp is going really well. He woke me up at 6:05AM asking if it was time to go yet. I took that as a very good sign. He learned a couple new games yesterday so the kids and I spent a few hours in the yard playing - it was really fun. Today he came home with a silly song that Kaylen and I picked up right away and have been singing ever since. So, so much fun!
He had a project to do at home this week for sharing time on Friday. He was to make a poster of his favorite pet (oh which one to choose?) and then tell his group all about the pet at sharing time. He picked Jordan, our dalmatian. I took some pictures of him with Jordy yesterday and then this afternoon we took a trip to the craft store to buy poster board and various scrap book supplies (I'm sure it surprises no one who knows me in real life that the "due at the end of the week" project is done by the second day. *grin*). Except for wanting help with gluing the pictures onto the board, he did it all himself (well - I helped him spell Jordan's name but he handled getting the stickers and putting them on the board). He was so darn cute sitting at the table working on his "homework". Kaylen, of course, had to get into it too so at the store I bought her some duck related stickers and pink cat ribbon (she loves all things duck and pink). Their projects are so cute. :)
He ended up with a Spider Man backpack (which is no surprise to me) and Transformer tennis shoes. I am still going to get him a new pair of Crocs since really those are his main footwear. I found really great ones that I am going to save up for. I think they will make him (and me) happy. They are Crocs with Mickey shaped holes. I think they are so incredibly fun.
And as a PSA (public service announcement) let me share with all of you parents of not-yet-school-aged-kids that the back to school rows are a gold mine of art supplies. Elmers glue for $0.20 a bottle, Crayola 24 count crayons for $0.20 a box. Paints, papers, scissors, binders, etc all cheaper than you will find them the entire rest of the year. Since Kelton was one year old Dakota and I have hit the back to school sales and restocked every art supply known to man. It just makes sense so check out those rows and if you see things your little one (or you) will use during the year, or you think you may use during the year, - stock up! Just a handy mommy tip for you. :)
Kelton's day camp is going really well. He woke me up at 6:05AM asking if it was time to go yet. I took that as a very good sign. He learned a couple new games yesterday so the kids and I spent a few hours in the yard playing - it was really fun. Today he came home with a silly song that Kaylen and I picked up right away and have been singing ever since. So, so much fun!
He had a project to do at home this week for sharing time on Friday. He was to make a poster of his favorite pet (oh which one to choose?) and then tell his group all about the pet at sharing time. He picked Jordan, our dalmatian. I took some pictures of him with Jordy yesterday and then this afternoon we took a trip to the craft store to buy poster board and various scrap book supplies (I'm sure it surprises no one who knows me in real life that the "due at the end of the week" project is done by the second day. *grin*). Except for wanting help with gluing the pictures onto the board, he did it all himself (well - I helped him spell Jordan's name but he handled getting the stickers and putting them on the board). He was so darn cute sitting at the table working on his "homework". Kaylen, of course, had to get into it too so at the store I bought her some duck related stickers and pink cat ribbon (she loves all things duck and pink). Their projects are so cute. :)
Monday, July 30, 2007
Gone Camping!
On Friday afternoon, Dakota came home with the idea of setting up the tent and camping in the backyard. If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you probably remember that we do this every year and it is always a lot of fun!
We had the tent up in 18 minutes which we were pretty happy with considering this is only the second time we've ever raised this particular tent. I love this tent! It's 14x14 and it's perfect for us.
As you can see, the tent was a big hit with Jordan the dalmatian, too! He is a camper at heart, that's for sure.
We bbq'd for dinner and then the real fun began! We made a fire in the fire bowl so that the kids could roast marshmallows and make s'more. Big, big fun - and a big, big mess! This was the first time Kaylen ever had a s'more and she loved it. Check these out:
And here are a couple of my favorites:
Both kids really wanted to sleep in the tent so after bath (wow - did they ever need a bath!) we settled into sleeping bags for stories and sleep but alas, sleep was not to be had. After more than an hour of trying, Kaylen finally fell asleep. Thirty minutes after that, Kelton decided that he couldn't sleep outside and wanted to go to his own bed. I carefully carried Kaylen inside and Dakota went with Kelton. He was out cold in about 30 seconds flat.
First thing in the morning, we all headed back out to have fun. The tent was up until last night and, as promised, it will be back up this Friday for another weekend of camping fun. Maybe this time we'll actually manage to sleep out there. :)
(PS..Keep reading; I posted something a little bit earlier today)
On Friday afternoon, Dakota came home with the idea of setting up the tent and camping in the backyard. If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you probably remember that we do this every year and it is always a lot of fun!
We had the tent up in 18 minutes which we were pretty happy with considering this is only the second time we've ever raised this particular tent. I love this tent! It's 14x14 and it's perfect for us.
As you can see, the tent was a big hit with Jordan the dalmatian, too! He is a camper at heart, that's for sure.
We bbq'd for dinner and then the real fun began! We made a fire in the fire bowl so that the kids could roast marshmallows and make s'more. Big, big fun - and a big, big mess! This was the first time Kaylen ever had a s'more and she loved it. Check these out:
And here are a couple of my favorites:
Both kids really wanted to sleep in the tent so after bath (wow - did they ever need a bath!) we settled into sleeping bags for stories and sleep but alas, sleep was not to be had. After more than an hour of trying, Kaylen finally fell asleep. Thirty minutes after that, Kelton decided that he couldn't sleep outside and wanted to go to his own bed. I carefully carried Kaylen inside and Dakota went with Kelton. He was out cold in about 30 seconds flat.
First thing in the morning, we all headed back out to have fun. The tent was up until last night and, as promised, it will be back up this Friday for another weekend of camping fun. Maybe this time we'll actually manage to sleep out there. :)
(PS..Keep reading; I posted something a little bit earlier today)
Camp Kiddo
This morning Kaylen and I dropped Kelton off for his first day of Camp Kiddo, a day camp run through the school district to help get kids ready for kindergarten. He was bouncing off the walls with excitement.
Once he was settled with his group (5 kids and a teacher) Kaylen and I came back home. I've always known that Kelton has a huge personality but I don't think I realized how much it totally filled the house. It's so quiet and empty feeling here right now - even though Kaylen is in the living room watching Barney. It's just so darn obvious that someone is missing. It reminds me of being a kid and having a sibling at sleep-away camp. The house always felt "off". It makes me kind of sad to have him gone. I'll pick him up in two hours but from where I sit right now, it's been a very strange and long first hour.
The schedule for the week looks fun. I think he is going to have a great time and I am over the moon happy that he wanted to go (and I was thanking my lucky stars that he wasn't the child screaming their heads off at drop off. Considering how preschool went, it really could have gone either way once we were there.) I can clearly see that he has changed so much from last fall. He's ready for this. I, however, am not. I've been having some stress/anxiety issues lately and I have a feeling it's related to school starting in a few weeks. *sigh*
It's hard to let them grow up sometimes. I do know though that, as a parent, my job is to prepare my babies to leave me. That is what it's all about - giving them the skills and tools to become independent adults. It's not so much that we are raising children - we are actually raising adults. Odd.
Here are a couple pictures of my happy boy:
This morning Kaylen and I dropped Kelton off for his first day of Camp Kiddo, a day camp run through the school district to help get kids ready for kindergarten. He was bouncing off the walls with excitement.
Once he was settled with his group (5 kids and a teacher) Kaylen and I came back home. I've always known that Kelton has a huge personality but I don't think I realized how much it totally filled the house. It's so quiet and empty feeling here right now - even though Kaylen is in the living room watching Barney. It's just so darn obvious that someone is missing. It reminds me of being a kid and having a sibling at sleep-away camp. The house always felt "off". It makes me kind of sad to have him gone. I'll pick him up in two hours but from where I sit right now, it's been a very strange and long first hour.
The schedule for the week looks fun. I think he is going to have a great time and I am over the moon happy that he wanted to go (and I was thanking my lucky stars that he wasn't the child screaming their heads off at drop off. Considering how preschool went, it really could have gone either way once we were there.) I can clearly see that he has changed so much from last fall. He's ready for this. I, however, am not. I've been having some stress/anxiety issues lately and I have a feeling it's related to school starting in a few weeks. *sigh*
It's hard to let them grow up sometimes. I do know though that, as a parent, my job is to prepare my babies to leave me. That is what it's all about - giving them the skills and tools to become independent adults. It's not so much that we are raising children - we are actually raising adults. Odd.
Here are a couple pictures of my happy boy:
Sunday, July 29, 2007
It's Been a Busy Weekend!!
I cannot believe all the stuff we have managed to pack into the past three days. I dare say I haven't even sat down to rest since it all started.
Friday morning started off at 8:30 when the bee guy arrived at the front door. He wasn't scheduled until 9 but I was ready so it was fine that he was early and besides, the kids and I had a playdate lined up for when he was done and gone so I figured we'd be on our way in no time. Yeah. Right.
At 10:00 he finally emerged from the crawl space and with him came a plastic laundry bag (the ones the hotels give you for your laundry) filled with bee nest, dead bees and eggs. Eeeeeeeeew! He said when he got down there he found the nest but all was quiet so he figured it must not be a live one. Then he started messing with it and suddenly it was alive with noise. Apparently there must have been a cell of the nest that had eggs in it when the last guy was here and sprayed it but because the spray doesn't kill eggs, a whole new colony arose. I'm thinking the last guy should have taken the nest with him, aren't you? Geez. Anyway - this guy spent more than an hour down there trying to get every last piece and sprayed the area really well. Once he was up, he went to the outside entrance and sprayed it really well. He said to go ahead and screen it. Anyone who might be under will die off and no one new will be able to get in. So - the area is officially sealed off. Let's hope this is the end of the bee issue.
After the bee guy left, the kids and I got ourselves ready and called our new friend Sheri to let her know we were ready to play. We met at a really great place nearby - it's a coffee shop, cafe AND play area for the kids. LOVE IT! We went once last winter and it was amazingly crowded but thankfully, this time it wasn't. I even got to sit down in a chair and have a real cup of coffee in a real ceramic mug! It was fun! The kids had a great time playing and Sheri and I had a good time chatting - well, you know, in between going into the play area to soothe hurt feelings or intervene in a situation. Still though - I had a good time. Once Kelton is in school I can see it becoming a monthly outing for Kaylen and I.
After playing for a while, we headed home for lunch. Soon after Dakota arrived home full of plans for big fun - camping in the yard!!
That's a post all unto itself so I will leave you hanging here. Tomorrow is Kelton's first day of day camp so hopefully I will have a bit of time in the late morning for another update....that is, of course, if Miss Kaylen will allow it. :)
Here's the fun to come:
setting up the tent
making a camp fire
making s'mores (and those are some serisouly funny pictures!)
trying to sleep in the tent
shopping for school supplies
and more camping in the yard
I downloaded 126 pictures from this weekend....told you it was crazy, busy fun! :)
OH! And I was given a blogging award this weekend, too. I'll have to tell you all about it.
I cannot believe all the stuff we have managed to pack into the past three days. I dare say I haven't even sat down to rest since it all started.
Friday morning started off at 8:30 when the bee guy arrived at the front door. He wasn't scheduled until 9 but I was ready so it was fine that he was early and besides, the kids and I had a playdate lined up for when he was done and gone so I figured we'd be on our way in no time. Yeah. Right.
At 10:00 he finally emerged from the crawl space and with him came a plastic laundry bag (the ones the hotels give you for your laundry) filled with bee nest, dead bees and eggs. Eeeeeeeeew! He said when he got down there he found the nest but all was quiet so he figured it must not be a live one. Then he started messing with it and suddenly it was alive with noise. Apparently there must have been a cell of the nest that had eggs in it when the last guy was here and sprayed it but because the spray doesn't kill eggs, a whole new colony arose. I'm thinking the last guy should have taken the nest with him, aren't you? Geez. Anyway - this guy spent more than an hour down there trying to get every last piece and sprayed the area really well. Once he was up, he went to the outside entrance and sprayed it really well. He said to go ahead and screen it. Anyone who might be under will die off and no one new will be able to get in. So - the area is officially sealed off. Let's hope this is the end of the bee issue.
After the bee guy left, the kids and I got ourselves ready and called our new friend Sheri to let her know we were ready to play. We met at a really great place nearby - it's a coffee shop, cafe AND play area for the kids. LOVE IT! We went once last winter and it was amazingly crowded but thankfully, this time it wasn't. I even got to sit down in a chair and have a real cup of coffee in a real ceramic mug! It was fun! The kids had a great time playing and Sheri and I had a good time chatting - well, you know, in between going into the play area to soothe hurt feelings or intervene in a situation. Still though - I had a good time. Once Kelton is in school I can see it becoming a monthly outing for Kaylen and I.
After playing for a while, we headed home for lunch. Soon after Dakota arrived home full of plans for big fun - camping in the yard!!
That's a post all unto itself so I will leave you hanging here. Tomorrow is Kelton's first day of day camp so hopefully I will have a bit of time in the late morning for another update....that is, of course, if Miss Kaylen will allow it. :)
Here's the fun to come:
setting up the tent
making a camp fire
making s'mores (and those are some serisouly funny pictures!)
trying to sleep in the tent
shopping for school supplies
and more camping in the yard
I downloaded 126 pictures from this weekend....told you it was crazy, busy fun! :)
OH! And I was given a blogging award this weekend, too. I'll have to tell you all about it.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Interesting
My daughter cracks me up. This week she has mastered the use of the word "interesting" though it comes out more like "in-tus-ting". It is her stock answer for almost everything you tell her or show her.
K: "What 'dis?"
D: "Corn on the cob."
K: "in-tus-ting" (said while she knowingly nods her head)
C: "Kaylen, it's time to clean up the living room."
K: "How come, Mommy?"
C: "Because we are done playing with those toys and it's time to put them away."
K: "in-tus-ting" (said while she knowingly nods her head)
Kelton: "This is your Care Bear. See? It has the heart on it."
Kaylen: "Why mine have heart on it?"
Kelton: "Because you liked it."
K: "in-tus-ting" (said while she knowingly nods her head)
Needless to say, it's been "in-tus-ting" and way more than a little amusing around here today. :)
My daughter cracks me up. This week she has mastered the use of the word "interesting" though it comes out more like "in-tus-ting". It is her stock answer for almost everything you tell her or show her.
K: "What 'dis?"
D: "Corn on the cob."
K: "in-tus-ting" (said while she knowingly nods her head)
C: "Kaylen, it's time to clean up the living room."
K: "How come, Mommy?"
C: "Because we are done playing with those toys and it's time to put them away."
K: "in-tus-ting" (said while she knowingly nods her head)
Kelton: "This is your Care Bear. See? It has the heart on it."
Kaylen: "Why mine have heart on it?"
Kelton: "Because you liked it."
K: "in-tus-ting" (said while she knowingly nods her head)
Needless to say, it's been "in-tus-ting" and way more than a little amusing around here today. :)
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Painting, Swimming and Having Fun
This morning, before I had even finished my first cup of coffee, Kaylen decided she wanted to paint. Not with watercolors, mind you...oh no, those would be too easy for Mommy to clean up. She wanted and bright containers of washable poster paints from Crayola. I can't really blame her - they are a lot of fun to use. Now while I am all for texture exploration by children I have to say; this is just not something that a mom should have to face before an entire cup of caffeine has been consumed.
And because paint to Kelton is like flowers to bees......it wasn't long before his "no thanks" about painting changed to a big, messy yes.
(if you look closely at this next photo, you will see my unfinished coffee cup sitting on the counter next to the very handy wipes for easier clean up)
Once the fun was done, I scooped them up and tossed them in the tub. It's the only way to go! :)
After cleaning them up, and cleaning up the mess left behind, I decided to fill the pool in the hopes that it would warm up by early afternoon. It was supposed to be 86 today but I think it only got to 82. Plenty warm for me, mind you. Here are a couple shots from the pool party.
The day held lots more fun including a very lively game of "Adventure" which is when the kids dress up in their adventure gear and we pretend to go to strange and new places. This afternoon we found Saturn, Pluto and Mars (different size balls in the yard) and we hiked up rugged mountain terrain (play structure) to an iceberg laden lake (their pool). Later we were attacked by wild bears (their stuffed animals) and had to build a fort to keep us save (couch cushions). At one point Kelton ran over to me, hugged me and said "You are great at this imagination stuff!" :)
It was a really fun day around here. Really, really fun.
This morning, before I had even finished my first cup of coffee, Kaylen decided she wanted to paint. Not with watercolors, mind you...oh no, those would be too easy for Mommy to clean up. She wanted and bright containers of washable poster paints from Crayola. I can't really blame her - they are a lot of fun to use. Now while I am all for texture exploration by children I have to say; this is just not something that a mom should have to face before an entire cup of caffeine has been consumed.
And because paint to Kelton is like flowers to bees......it wasn't long before his "no thanks" about painting changed to a big, messy yes.
(if you look closely at this next photo, you will see my unfinished coffee cup sitting on the counter next to the very handy wipes for easier clean up)
Once the fun was done, I scooped them up and tossed them in the tub. It's the only way to go! :)
After cleaning them up, and cleaning up the mess left behind, I decided to fill the pool in the hopes that it would warm up by early afternoon. It was supposed to be 86 today but I think it only got to 82. Plenty warm for me, mind you. Here are a couple shots from the pool party.
The day held lots more fun including a very lively game of "Adventure" which is when the kids dress up in their adventure gear and we pretend to go to strange and new places. This afternoon we found Saturn, Pluto and Mars (different size balls in the yard) and we hiked up rugged mountain terrain (play structure) to an iceberg laden lake (their pool). Later we were attacked by wild bears (their stuffed animals) and had to build a fort to keep us save (couch cushions). At one point Kelton ran over to me, hugged me and said "You are great at this imagination stuff!" :)
It was a really fun day around here. Really, really fun.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Playdates, Children and Guns
Which of those things don't belong? Yeah - kind of a no brainer but here is my question; how do you handle bringing up the question about guns in the home when you are letting your child go somewhere to play?
This question, of course, covers not only your child's (or your) friends homes but also the homes of relatives.
How does everyone else handle, or expect to handle, this issue?
Our home is gun free. But I know that this won't (or hasn't) been the case in the homes of friends and relatives and now that Kelton is getting old enough that friends are coming here without parents and he is going into other homes without me I am getting concerned.
So I need to figure out language to work into every situation when playdates are arranged. I find myself worrying about offending the parents but then I do a quick internal check and think "Umm...offend the parents or risk my child being killed. Not really a toss up, is it?"
I guess I could say something like "Kelton would love to come play with (insert name here). Given kids curiosity though I have to ask if there are any guns in the house." Beyond that, I'm at a loss.
And what is they don't tell me the truth????
How are others handling this? At this point I am feeling like my only option is to have all the kids here to play instead of sending him into someone else's house.
I'm so freaked out about this stuff....it only takes an instant for a life to change - or end.
And I thought being pregnant was stressful and scary.
Which of those things don't belong? Yeah - kind of a no brainer but here is my question; how do you handle bringing up the question about guns in the home when you are letting your child go somewhere to play?
This question, of course, covers not only your child's (or your) friends homes but also the homes of relatives.
How does everyone else handle, or expect to handle, this issue?
Our home is gun free. But I know that this won't (or hasn't) been the case in the homes of friends and relatives and now that Kelton is getting old enough that friends are coming here without parents and he is going into other homes without me I am getting concerned.
So I need to figure out language to work into every situation when playdates are arranged. I find myself worrying about offending the parents but then I do a quick internal check and think "Umm...offend the parents or risk my child being killed. Not really a toss up, is it?"
I guess I could say something like "Kelton would love to come play with (insert name here). Given kids curiosity though I have to ask if there are any guns in the house." Beyond that, I'm at a loss.
And what is they don't tell me the truth????
How are others handling this? At this point I am feeling like my only option is to have all the kids here to play instead of sending him into someone else's house.
I'm so freaked out about this stuff....it only takes an instant for a life to change - or end.
And I thought being pregnant was stressful and scary.
Monday, July 23, 2007
More Weekend Stuff
Saturday we were struggling with trying to come up with something fun to do on a cloudy, cool day with rain threatening. We came up with going to The Water Resources Education Center . I had expected there to be a ton of people there since it's a free activity and a good way to burn a few hours but we were the only ones there for almost the entire two hours we were there. The kids favorite place was Puddles Place which is where all the toys are kept. We all had a pretty good time playing together.
After we returned home we set about getting some chores done and one of them was screening up the entrance the bees had been using to get under the house. We had been watching and hadn't seen any activity so we thought we were home free. Umm.........NO! After Dakota had screwed the last screw into place what, oh what, arrived on not one but BOTH sides of the screen? Bees. One inside and one outside. She removed a corner of the screening and left the area. The bee guys are coming back out on Friday. This is the third time in a month. They are sending out their top guy this time around. Let's hope it does the trick.
And jumping right from Saturday to Sunday afternoon......
Late yesterday afternoon, after returning from the fish hatchery I pulled out the slip 'n slide for the kids. They had a blast! Here are a few pictures from yesterday.
Today has been a low key day. The kids have been playing quietly and watching a bit of tv here and there. I think they needed a down day as much as I did today. :)
Saturday we were struggling with trying to come up with something fun to do on a cloudy, cool day with rain threatening. We came up with going to The Water Resources Education Center . I had expected there to be a ton of people there since it's a free activity and a good way to burn a few hours but we were the only ones there for almost the entire two hours we were there. The kids favorite place was Puddles Place which is where all the toys are kept. We all had a pretty good time playing together.
After we returned home we set about getting some chores done and one of them was screening up the entrance the bees had been using to get under the house. We had been watching and hadn't seen any activity so we thought we were home free. Umm.........NO! After Dakota had screwed the last screw into place what, oh what, arrived on not one but BOTH sides of the screen? Bees. One inside and one outside. She removed a corner of the screening and left the area. The bee guys are coming back out on Friday. This is the third time in a month. They are sending out their top guy this time around. Let's hope it does the trick.
And jumping right from Saturday to Sunday afternoon......
Late yesterday afternoon, after returning from the fish hatchery I pulled out the slip 'n slide for the kids. They had a blast! Here are a few pictures from yesterday.
Today has been a low key day. The kids have been playing quietly and watching a bit of tv here and there. I think they needed a down day as much as I did today. :)
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