Miss me?

Well I still have no pictures to share...
Still using the computer from the stone ages...
...however... I am using it in our new house!! I can't wait to post up some pictures, but for now you'll have to use your imagination.
It is a two story on just about two acres with a wrap around porch on three sides. We have tons of room to run and lots of cute blue jays and squirrels to watch throughout the day.

Inside we have lots of beige which is better than what we walked into the first time we saw this house, but it will definitely have to be remedied in the coming months/years.

This is the house I will spend the majority of my adult life in and I am thrilled at the memories I imagine making here.

Like I said, I will be doing some decorating, on the cheap side, soon and will hopefully be able to show you pictures of what and how I make this our home!
I've got lots of inspirations files from Better After!

Still here...

My computer has totally abandoned me. So for now I am using the one from the stone age... it's really just one step from the black screens with green characters... it really isn't but it is sssslllloooowwww and I don't have any of my pictures on here. So to my 2 readers... here's the haps: (which you already know)

We are moving at the end of September and are super excited. However, we haven't sold our house yet, so it's a bit scary. And until we do there will be no fun decorating of new house... bummer.

Isaac is starting Kindergarten on Friday. He is going to be in the young 5's class, which I wasn't totally on board with in the beginning, but is settling nicely with me now.
Oh~ and he will be five next Sunday... five. seriously, where has the time gone?

We had to put our beloved pup Fletch to sleep last week. It happened much quicker than we ever imagined. We had just found out he was sick two weeks before, but thought we had months, maybe even a year left. I can't believe how empty the house is without him.

Lastly, I would ask anyone who reads this to pray for my friends Brad and Lisa. Brad is fighting stage 4 colon cancer and has started having some severe problems. They admitted him into the hospital on Tuesday and he will be there at least 5 more days if not longer. I don't want to go into all of the details, but they could any prayers and thoughts out there.

Sorry for the jumbled post with no pictures, hopefully soon!

Smokin'

You know how you don't realize you say certain things until someone points them out to you?
Apparently, I say, "Smokin'" a lot.
As in, "it's smokin' hot today. or let your food cool off, it's smokin'"
Well Miss M has picked up using the word too. She says, "Mom! it's smokin wet at the water park! This air conditioning is smokin cold!"
I'm not sure exactly what she thinks it means.... but it's smokin' cute!
Here are our latest adventures in the heat with Steph and the girls! Thanks for introducing us to this park! We will definitely be back!

Slip Slidin' Away

Where has summer gone?

It's July for Pete's sake! And only that for a few more days!

At Aggie's birthday party, Jason set up a slip-n-slide in their backyard. If ever there was a backyard made for slip-n-slides and sledding, this is the yard. It has the perfect double hill that is steep enough to be fast but not too fast.

Poor Ag's got stung on her way to slide, so she ended up not doing it at all, poor baby.

Isaac threw a ginormous fit when it was time to go, but lucky for me the mix of the water/soap meant I could send him straight to bed with no shower!

quick recap...

in case you were wondering, in the last three weeks...

:: we have eaten our weight in hot dogs

:: we have done our part in feeding the mosquito population

:: Isaac got his kindergarten shots

:: I turned 32

:: my computer was out of commission due to a bizarre-o virus

:: it is smokin' hot outside, our only relief comes in the form of sprinkler and water hose play.

:: Meg's level of sassy-ness has increased ten fold

:: seen 3 sets of fireworks

:: discovered my love for The Office ... never knew what I was missing!!! How is that possible?

:: have had a prayer answered, unfortunately the answer was a loud and resounding, "NO!" and after the initial disappointment (and many tears) , I realized that God has something even better in store... I just have to be patient... not my strong suit.

::caught lightening bugs

Basically, we are living summer to the fullest!

Reds Game Part 1

On our list of things to do this summer is to go to a Cincinnati Reds game.
Isaac, lover of all sports, but especially baseball kept asking when we were going to go. So we checked the schedule and lo and behold they were home this weekend and who of all teams were they playing? Only the Cleveland Indians, Mark's favorite team, perfect.

We packed a little cooler full of juice boxes, squeeze yogurts (these are only for super special occasions) and other little snacky items, 'cause really, who wants to spend five bucks on a bottle of water?

Isaac was a buzz... literally the entire drive to the game.

We got there a bit late, but as soon as we sat down, Isaac's favorite player, a rookie named Drew Stubbs was at the plate and don't you know he hit a home run! It was as if the baseball gods were shining down on Isaac and just cementing his love for the game even further!

Meg, not the biggest sports fan, had a great time... as long as there was some type of music blaring in which she could shake her groove thing to.

There were home runs, a couple of wild pitches, and a hit so hard that it broke the bat...and to top it all off... it was Fireworks Friday! More on that tomorrow!

simple summer pleasures #4

Smores!

...and marshmallows --- roasted or not... suit yourself.

a balancing act

It can be a tough balance, being a parent.

You want to be loving yet firm.

You want to teach your children all the important lessons of life while holding on to their innocence.

You want to protect them, yet teach them how to be independent.

All the while, trying to make their childhoods fun and memorable.
Somehow, he makes it look so easy!

Thank you, Mark for being such a wonderful partner in this journey. I definitely could not do it without you! You have become such an amazing daddy to our children, and you can tell how much they love you by the way they look when you get home, or by the way their eyes light up when they talk about you.
Happy Fathers Day, sweetheart!




Happy Father's Day to you too Dad! I love you for so many reasons,
I hope you have a wonderful day!

simple summer pleasures #3

what can be better than pb&j with homemade "j"

eating it outside!

two peas in a pod

These two...

I don't know what we're going to do with them.

They are nine months apart.

They have a love/hate relationship, and are as close as sisters.

They are both sweet as can be... most of the time.

They are both a bit on the ornery side.

The gruesome twosome...

Aggie and Meg

The smell of love

I am always amazed at how strong your sense of smell can trigger memories.

I can still smell the little ice cream shack that was located in the middle of a two lane highway across from the first house I ever lived in... I haven't been in it in about 25 or more years. I'm not even sure it is still standing, but I can smell it's distinct cherry-ish, almond-ish sugar cones and that I always had Superman ice cream.

This weekend my mom and I ~with the help of two other little ones~ made strawberry preserves and the smell of three gallons of strawberries was overwhelming! They were so colorful and vibrant... really, what food says summer like strawberries?

Even more remarkable is the smell of the warm preserves. It is simply intoxicating. I am amazed that fruit with sugar and pectin can transform something already wonderful into a jar of sunshine that we can open on the dreariest of February mornings.

This is the jelly that I have eaten my entire life.

It was on the english muffin when I was a baby, drinking my coffee (that's a story for another time).
It was on the toast I would eat when I was sick.
It was on the peanut butter sandwiches I had for lunch.
It was mixed with butter, so I could dip my biscuits in it.
It was all of these things because my mom made it.

And now it's on Isaac and Meg's toast, peanut butter sandwiches and biscuits.

This is a tradition. One I have enjoyed my entire life and one I plan on continuing and hoping that my children will have as many wonderful and comforting memories as I do that include "Strawberry 'erves".
Thanks mom. For everything.

simple summer pleasures #2

Blowing Bubbles...


in tutus...


while mama knits a bit.

It's official...

Isaac is a kindergartner.

Heaven help me.

simple summer pleasures #1

Fresh squeezed orange juice.