Anniversary weekend....

Well this past weekend on the 29th we celebrated 6 years as a married couple.. a couple days earlier on the 27th we celebrated our 9th year together. Now I use celebrated losely because we got each other cards (mine a day late) and that was about it. As you will hear, we really couldn't go out, yet just knowing it has been another year is special in my mind. Funny how it is when you know you are in it for the "long haul".
Kind of busy weekend.
Friday evening we went out and Nick got two new pairs of shoes. He has really needed them. One pair was even a Crocs (Scutes)!
Friday night I colored my hair... no one notices.. that is ok.
Saturday night we had people over from out TOOL group (church/marriage deal)... this meant a lot of the previous days was spent cleaning. Everything turned out well.
Sunday was our friend's kid's 2nd bday party. It was planned for 2 hours, but as it was winding down she asks us if we want to go with her family and her sister's family on their boat, so Nick went the half block to our house and got our suits and we headed out. And what a great day to be on a boat. It was so warm out, being in the water was really refreshing. We swam in one bay and then went to bring the sister's family back and then went out to a different bay. And didn't get home till dark!
And now today is suppose to be the last day of this heatwave. We may have even hit 100 degrees!
I will leave you with the pic of Jeffrey downloading pics onto my computer from his "camera" (actually a windmill).

C-Ya!

Sunflower!

We have never planted sunflowers in our yard... but this year two came out... could have been from a bird dropping seed or could have "come over" from our neighbors yard... anyway.. they both are right next to each other outside of the kids' window.

They have gotten to be about 2 stories and when I look out their window they seem normal, but when I walk by them they seem ginormous

They are very pretty though

Enjoy!

C-Ya!

Drought

Good thing I am not a farmer.... we have had temps in the 80s and 90s for, must be, a month. And the random rain we do get is not helping anything. I know if you don't water your lawn right now it is probably brown. It is almost too hot to do anything.. even walking to your car makes you break out in a sweat. And we are not the only ones... it is like this over much of the United States. Of course I really am not complaining. I love the summer. It does help we do have a/c though!!
A couple people reminded me the past couple days that I was the reason they started blogging. I feel very honored. Not that I always want to be a trend setter... but I am glad to have started this one.
Took the kids and Jeff's "girlfriend" out to a drive in fast food place and park today. They had a lot of fun.
And the lice is getting better. I do need to do a thorough scrubbing and washing again tomorrow..and then I really hope we are done.
Otherwise, Nick said I could go to a cooking club thing with the MOMS club tonight... so that is time without the kids. Yippeee!! Got my appetizer all made and my recipe typed up!
And good news.. friends of ours (their kid is the aforementioned "girlfriend") are having a baby and went to their first appt today and heard the heartbeat. Such a great sound to hear! Congrats to them (even if they probably wont see this). I only hope the others that I know trying to have a baby will soon be hearing their baby's heartbeats.
C-Ya!

Exhausted.

This lice situation is exhausting me. I have gone through their hair numerous times, tried multiple treatments, and I found a ton of eggs in Samantha's hair today. So after her nap, more going through her hair with a "fine tooth comb".
And maybe this is just one part of my exhaustion. I mean, I thought when I was going to stay home that maybe I would have more energy... especially since I could sleep more. And I do sleep more.. but I am still wore down. And I am frustrated. I just feel like I am on this slippery slope and can never get off.
Topping this off is a family member with "health issues".
I am just spent.
C-Ya!

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Lice!

Ick, ick, ick! Found lice on the kids' hair yesterday. Not fun.
I had to shampoo their hair with lice shampoo and comb them out. Washed all the sheets and rugs in hot water. Sprayed special stuff on the places like the couch. Vacummed the carpets. Soaked the brushes/combs. Quarantined the stuffed animals. Shampoo'd my hair w/ the lice shampoo (Nick will today).
And can I say it sucked! I was so draining.. I am still exhausted. I mean not only to have to do all that, but I feel so bad for my kids. I mean Jeffrey has been scratching his hair for weeks and I did keep checking... but yesterday was the first day I saw something. And I didn't think to check Samantha's and hers was the worst (probably due to her long hair).
Now I wonder where they got it. I figure it couldn't be the beach if he has been itching for so long. Maybe residual from day care or even the trip in ND. Otherwise they have not been around a ton of kids.
So pray that we got them all. I still have to re-wash their hair in about a week because the eggs could hatch.
Blech!

C-Ya!

Potty Training Fuddy

Ok... so Fuddy is this stuffed frog that my fil gave Jeffrey a couple years ago. He was always special, but has become more so since fil's death.
We are potty training Jeffrey now. It has been about a week and a half since we started. And somedays it goes well, others not so good. His biggest problem is going #2 in the potty. Most of the time he waits till he has his diaper on so he can go to bed. Though he has had a couple accidents in his underwear. Yuck!! Not fun!
So, he decided about a week ago Fuddy needed to wear a diaper.. and a couple days ago he decided Fuddy was going to potty train as well and has a pair of Samantha's underwear (even though she is no were near being PT). Check it out.
Before After

And here is the kids with Fuddy

Ah well... they do say sometimes it is easier if the trainee trains a doll or stuffed animal. Jeffrey now has a deadline and he knows it. He knows he cannot go to Hilltop for preschool if he isn't PT and that he cannot go hunting with Daddy and Daddy's Uncle (along with Mollie and Max the Labs) if he isn't.

Anyways, today is another hot one. Got the kiddie pool out and filled... just waiting for the water to warm up and the kids to clean the living room. It lookes like a tornado of toys came through!
C-Ya!

90+ degrees!

A hot past couple days with no relief in site here in MN!! Thursday we may get into the 80s, otherwise it has been 90+ degrees. Luckily we spend most of the time keeping cool in the a/c inside.
Gave Maggie (the shih poo) a bath and trim today. She is getting a lot better.. at least with the trimming part. Poor thing smelled and with it being so hot out, I know she liked her new hair cut.

(Maggie/Maggie & Scooter)
This weekend is the Spirit of the Lakes Festival. And it is too hot to really participate. I mean I guess we did by going to the pork chop dinner at the American Legion last night (and I spent $13 on winning 2 silent auction items)... but otherwise we skipped the business fair and other things. They are planning fireworks tonight, so we may do that.
One thing I have noticed about me staying home is I have my appetite for reading back. Whether it is the newspaper or magazine or a recent book, I have been eating them up!! I will have to post some day all the good ones I have read. For you scrapbookers out there, Laura Childs (actually a pen name for some that lives here in the Twin Cities) has written the scrapbook mystery series, and you should check it out.
Well.... off to do some more things!!
C-Ya!

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I miss...

Something I do miss about being a SAHM... is when I would come home from work, the kids and Maggie the dog would be so excited to see me. Now they see me all day and rarely do I not see them for a strech. Yesterday I went to a MOMS night out and was actually gone about 3 hours.. and when I came home, the kids and Maggie were excited to see me!!! :D

C-Ya!

Just not blogging a lot.

Ok.. I know... I used to be religious about blogging. If not every day.. at least every other day.. and maybe taking the weekend off. Now.. I rarely blog. Guess sometimes I don't feel like it and other times I really have nothing to say.
Lately everything is about these two little tikes:


We have gone to the beach at least once a week and the kids love it.. either they go out into the "high water" or they spend their time digging holes. Last time we went I brought a lunch and I just bought some "noodles" for our next trip out.
We are potty training Jeffrey right now and it can be hit or miss. Seems he has one accident a day and his having trouble w/ #2 and doing it in the potty. Ugghh!!!!
Yesterday we went over to my parents. They were shutting our water off for the day and it happened to be my Mother's bday. So we "took" her to lunch and went and got Jeffrey a haircut.
I have had my good days and my bad ones. Sometimes the kids really frustrate me.. other times I cannot get over how many times they say they love me. I still am not an efficient housekeeper. *sigh*
So that is life in our household!
C-Ya!

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The Amazing Meganame Generator

Fun with blogthings:

Melissa Laura XXXX's Aliases

Your movie star name: Brownie Abe Your fashion designer name is Melissa Paris Your socialite name is Missy Any Your fly girl / guy name is M Pic Your detective name is Bird Highland Park Your barfly name is Chips Long Island Your soap opera name is Laura Woodlawn Ave Your rock star name is M&Ms Car Your Star Wars name is Melmag Picnic Your punk rock band name is The Tired I-Pod

The Amazing Meganame Generator

Have fun!
C-Ya!

Scorcher!

Well it is a hot one in the cities today. And I just broke down and put the a/c on. I know that Nick will be happy with that. I have spent yesterday and today trying to clean things around the house. Still need to work on more.
C-Ya!

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Life's a beach...

at least for my kids.

The kids sure have had fun the past couple days.
Yesterday we took them to a friend's house and they got to play with two other kids... the kiddy pool was out so they went swimming, used their power wheels, went on the swingset and jumped a little on their trampoline.
Today I did my first MOMS club "event"... we went to a man made beach near my house. I did not even realize it was there. Here is a couple pics of my beach babes:

Tomorrow it is off to my parent's house to see my sister and nephew one last time before they go back to California.

This of course means I have not gotten much done at home. I still need to get back to the canning, I have clean clothes that need to be folded, and a dining room table that could be cleaned. I did work on our basement the past couple days, so now Nick has an office down there and I have a scrapping space.

C-Ya!

The fruits of my labor!

Hah! Pun intended!
My neighbor, Jean, has a strawberry patch the size of a small room or a big closet. This yields tons of straberries, which she gives to anyone who asks.. or in are case.. just gives them to us. And for that we are grateful. Well she has given us so much this year, we couldn't just eat them all up, so after she told me about the no-cook freezer jam she was making... I thought I should. Nick and I canned tomatoes and cucumbers a couple years ago.. but I had yet to be in charge nor make jam. So I took it upon myself and have canned 6+ jars of strawberry jam so far. And here is the proof:
Here is me with the canning stuff in the background.

Here is my jars of jam.

And here is my trusty sidekick, Jeffrey, who helped me a little bit.


Off to the showers... maybe tomorrow I will can somemore!!
C-Ya!

and my mood is...

If you are looking at this currently you can see my mood says exhuasted. I just am not sleeping right. Of course not having to get up at a certain time lends itself to me taking forever to even get to bed at night. But once I do lay down I just am having a hard time falling asleep. Thankfully some mornings the kids kind of let me sleep in, and then we usually spend sometime hanging out in bed.
Sunday we were over at my parents celebrating my nephew's (sister's kid) birthday. He turns 3 the day they fly back to California. It was quite the nut house with so many people in their house. After most people had left we took some "family pictures". I, of course, look like crap in them. Anyways... here are a few for your enjoyment. For those that know my imageevent site, I have a lot more pics up.

My sister, Carrie*Jeffrey*Me*Samantha*My dad, Ken*My mom, Terry*My brother, Aaron*My nephew, Gage.

Me*Jeffrey*Nick*Samantha

Cousins: Jeffrey*Samantha*Gage

Awww....
C-Ya!!

Saturday Photo Hunt - Sports/Father's Day

Another Saturday.. another photo.

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code. Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants. My husband, Nick, with the 2 reasons he is a father!! C-Ya!

Life as a mother...

Hmm... well I realized that I have not written daily lately... I guess that is a life of a mother. Not too much to talk about most days... especially when we don't do anything.
We did have my sister (who is in town) and her son over yesterday for a little while... hung out and had lunch. That was the first time she was to my house.
Today we went to a graduation open house.
Otherwise, my days are filled with diapers, dirt and dogs (whining).
My Papa asked me the other day how I liked staying home. I did say I liked it better then I thought I would. There is something more relaxed to life now. Not having to get up at a certain time most days.. having all day to get stuff done around the house... being able to be there for Nick... so I think it is better.
Anyways.. that is all... sorry for being so boring...
C-Ya!

Dogster

My friend Rox told me about this site dogster where you can make a page about your dog(s). I guess there is a sister site catster for cats as well. Well I made pages for my "litter".. so if you want to check them out, here they are: Maggie, Scooter, Max, & Mollie
Have fun!
C-Ya!

To do...

Well I started what may be the "ever present To Do list". I have started myself 2 lists. The first is the stuff that has to be done weekly. The second is all those projects I want to do now that I am home. The trick is to actually do things so I can check them off of my list. And I mean the 2nd list. I hope I can be successful at this. I have the time now. I don't have an excuse.
Today was ok. Did some stuff. Got sidetracked by wanting to make a To Do list... because I went into my purse to get my notebook and realized it needed to be cleaned out.. then remembered I wanted to switch purses and since I didn't find anything at Target (AGAIN) that I wanted I went and looked for an old one to use... found an old one, but the magnetic clasp is broken.. decided I should fix it.. couldn't find super glue.. called up Nick and he happened to be at Home Depot, so he could buy me some. Figured the purse would have to wait... was outside so I thought I would water the vegetable garden.. realized the tomatoes needed to be "staked".. could only find one.. called up Nick again.. had to wait till he came home.. staked the tomatoes, turned on the sprinkler.. started lunch.. and sometime in there made the to do list. This is why I need a list.. I get too side tracked. Oh, and Nick did buy me super glue so now the purse is "setting".
Otherwise, need to start thinking about dinner.
C-Ya!

Saturday Photo Hunt - Community

Well after a couple weeks off with all that was going on. Here is my Saturday Photo Hunt picture for this weekend - Community.

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code. Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants. I am pretty sure I have posted this picture on my blog before. This is my online community - about 45 members of Scrapshare that came together in Pennsylvania last November. We not only had members from the United States, we also had members from Canada (4 people) and Australia (1 person) in attendence. This was so much fun and quite the adventure. C-Ya!