Bored???

Uh oh. I got my first one of the summer today. The first whiney.... Moooom, I'm bored."

Wonderful. We are what... 5 days into summer vacation already, technically two for Megan since she is the one who went for an overnight at the waterpark for two days after school. Then a busy weekend. Hmmm. This is looking to be an awful long summer then.

It didn't take her long to find something to do. Actually she started helping me with some laundry and putting things away. It is amazing when you throw the word 'allowance' around.

Any other mom's getting the 'I'm bored' yet?

Growing at the speed of LIFE.

Sunday.

Happy Sunday. Finally a super quiet one around here. I just got all of the stuff done that I have been wanting to accomplish. Including cleaning up my scrap area. I have been scrapping a lot lately, but not cleaning up afterwards. It is a pretty bad habit that I have. ;)

Finally some time to sit down on the computer. Although not much going on anywhere. I haven't been to 2Peas in awhile since life just got busy, but I noticed some of the new changes tonight. It will take some time to get used to I suppose. I noticed that the gallery was very small tonight. (Around 11 pages!) I hope it is just because it is a holiday weekend. But I did see a page by Lisa in there!

Off to go finish watching the Suns game with my kids. For some reason they are really into watching the playoffs this season. Ha, maybe it is the popcorn and a reason to eat it on the couch.

Hopefully tomorrow will be more exciting. ;)

waterlogged

Wow! The past couple of days were a total BLAST! You Phoenix girls...I have to suggest you take a few days vacation at The Point South Mountain. We are going to go again in a couple of months. The room rates during the weekdays are cheap, and you can spend all day at the waterpark for what it would cost you to get your family into the other water parks here. Plus you have a place to crash.

Megan and her friends had so much fun. We really didn't see too much of the girls because they were always off doing their own thing. Mike and I had a great time by ourselves. We hung out with the girls and the moms that put this whole event together when we first got there. We played in the pool for a long time. Then it was time for the girls to all go get cleaned up and ready for their dinner. (12 girls and 3 moms in adjoining rooms.) They all got cleaned up, and one of the moms poofed up all of the girl's hair for dinner. They went to Rustler's Roost for dinner, where their teacher showed up! (It was planned, but the girls didn't know.)

Mike and I ducked out after the pool and had dinner by ourselves at Aunt Chilada's. Yum. Then we went out and did a little shopping, and came back to the room to go to bed.

Today we all went to the water park as soon as it opened. Megan and some of her friends went down the huge 100 foot slide with Mike. All of these girls really liked Mike, it was funny how they would follow him around all yelling, "Megan's dad! Megan's dad!"

We floated around the lazy river at least 100 times. That thing is awesome. - Part of me really wished that I would have brought the camera with me to take pictures of all of this fun, but I have to admit that it was somewhat liberating to be able to just HAVE the fun without having to worry about getting pictures. I'm sure some of you understand that one! Usually I am the designated photographer.

So here we are, at home. A bit waterlogged and burned. But what fun. I definitely plan on going back sometime in July with the boys. They will love it too!

Kindergarten graduate

Look at this kid. Today was his last day of kindergarten. I know that we are all amazed at how quickly our kids grow, but I saw this photo that I took of him today and I was just stunned.

It seems like yesterday that I dropped him off on his first day of kindergarten. The backpack seemed bigger than he was. He didn't know how to read or write yet. And he didn't look this grown up.

Now he can write, and he loves to read Magic Treehouse books. Chapter books! I mean, he reads more than I do!! It is amazing what a child can learn in one year. Absolutely amazing.

I can't tell you how proud I am of this kid.

Next year....first grade!

Boys live here.

OK seriously. How does something like this happen? Nevermind, I don't think I want to really know.

I'm just shaking my head.

Some things are just better off when you don't know a thing about it.

Tonight was a busy night. Mike is out of town, all three kids are clean, in bed, the house is picked up....and I am ready for some computer time. This bathroom is right off of my scraproom where my computer is at. I walk around the corner and for some reason out of the corner of my eye I see something kind of 'growing' out of the toilet, along with that little faint noise of tiny sud bubbles popping. I back up. This is what I see. Hmmm.

Not much else to say....but I thought this was kind of funny. Hey, at least it is soap. My bathroom smells like a lavendar field, and I'm trying NOT to think that one of the boys was actually playing in that water. I'll find out who the culprit is tomorrow morning.

BEST SUMMER evah!

"Parenting. It is hard. But when you have a good day you think you just might be catching on."

I can't remember what movie that is from, but for some reason it is stuck in my mind. I think of that quote all the time.

Especially today. With the end of another school year coming to a close, and one where we had some drastic changes moving the kids during the middle of the school year.... I know that we did something right. Without a doubt.

Have you ever just been SO happy for your child that you almost think you are more excited then they are? That you are so happy and so proud it feels like your heart is going to leap out of your chest??

What a difference this next summer is going to be. See, the reason for moving Megan to a new school was because she was going to a school far from our neighborhood. She had friends at school, but then when she came home or during summer vacations, she didn't have any friends from the neighborhood. She was always asking me why she never got invited over to anybody's houses to play.

This summer is going to be so freakin' AWESOME! Today she was invited over to a friend's house to go swimming and play. She was there for five hours!! She had a total blast. THEN we got a call from another friend from her classroom...

the mom put together a party for her daughter which includes going to a local hotel that has a water park. The girls will get to swim all day, and then they are going out for dinner that night! Then a slumber party in a big room at the hotel. (Same room we all hung out in in November - girls!) So they will get to watch movies and have fun. It is a small group, but I am just totally GIDDY with excitement for Megan! What a difference from last summer. She is so happy, and feels so good about herself. And she feels like a normal 8 year old. (Well, 7 and a half.) ;) You know how important those half years are when you are a kid.

Mike and I are going to have another room, which some of the other parents are doing too. So we will be close by, yet able to have an overnight for ourselves. Yay!

Plus there are already a couple of summer birthdays that she has been invited to. This is going to be the best summer for her so far. It makes me so happy. :)

Just for Laura... ;)

Well pfhoo. Laura said she wouldn't come back to my blog until I stopped talking about reality TV. So I'll go with my next favorite thing. My new obsession....

Orange creamsicles!

Whhhhy have I gone so long without one of these? I seriously think the last time I ate one was about 15 years ago. Mike brought some home from the store last night after Trevor talked him into some. OH * MY * GOSH is it bad that I have eaten THREE within the past half hour?

I knew I sunk to an all time low when I finished Matthew's after he announced that he was done with his. Yeah, the stick was sticky from a toddler who doesn't know the fine art of popsicle or ice cream eating (You have to lick fast! He kind of carries them around like they will last forever) But he left the BEST PART! So, technically, I have had 3 1/4 orangesicles today.

I'm not very proud of myself.

YEEEEESSSSS!

All is right in the world! BJ and Tyler!! Woohooooo! My faith is restored in reality TV!

Now I can go to bed with a smile.

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Amazing Race

I got myself hooked on another reality TV show. The Amazing Race. What a cool show!!!

Although my other favorite shows have ticked me off this week. Survivor and American Idol. Aras???? What was Danielle thinking??? Terry was totally robbed. He is still the ultimate Survivor to me, and at least he got a cool truck out of the game.

American Idol. *sigh* what can I even say about that. Chris went home last week. It just isn't the same without him.

So I am waiting in anticipation for the finale to the Amazing Race tonight....but I am seriously stressing out that my team isn't going to win. Trevor and I are crossing our fingers for BJ and Tyler. GO GUYS!!!! They are so funny. Yeah, kind of annoying at times, but they have been so fun to watch throughout the show. I love that they are always nice to the local people in whatever country they are in, and they really seem to be enjoying life. They always seem to stop and take something in from each place they visit. It doesn't seem like it has just been a 'race' to them.

So GO BJ and Tyler. Don't let me down. I swear, if they don't win I am OFF of reality TV forever!! (ok, maybe not forever....) at least until next season. ;)

Thankful

You know, I don't know what is worse....my scanner or trying to take a photo of my pages. This one isn't as wonkey and dull in real life.

I love it though, when inspiration hits in the middle of the day. I put off some housework and sat down and did this today while the boys were playing.

I consider this one of my mother's day presents because I asked my kids if all three of them would let me get a picture of them together, which is no easy feat. Granted, Trevor is kind of off on the side, and isn't really smiling, but getting one of Matthew not looking up at the sky is HARD. So, I think this is a pretty good picture of the three of them. (Megan could use a haircut too, poor thing)

The BEST is, I used ALL scraps! Woohoo! I love when that happens. The journaling is similar to something I saw in an issue of CK. I wish I knew who originally did it, but I usually tear my issues apart when the next issue comes in the mail. Bad habit.

Well now I feel better that I got a page done for myself today, and it is time to get back to the classroom scrapbook that I am working on for Megan's class.

AZ gals...do you notice something in the sky right now???? It looks monsoon-ish out there!! I'm keeping my fingers crossed. If it does rain, you can bet I'll be out playing right along side the kids in the rain! *come on rain. Come on rain.*

Megan page

For Lisa's viewing pleasure.

This page was actually so fun to make, I scraplifted myself with one of Megan's toddler pictures. It was so strange to see the two pages together and see how much she has grown. My baby girl is almost 8!!!!

I'm hoping to scrap a little tonight and do the CZ page 91 challenge. :)

Mother's day with Thomas

This is what a three year old in total childhood bliss looks like. Matthew had the GREATEST time seeing Thomas this weekend. He absolutely loved the train ride. It was short ride through the forest, but he was telling me how we were going through Henry's forest in the books, complete with a tunnel that we went through. He must really believe the Thomas stories because he knew that was the tunnel that Henry got stuck in with an elephant. There was a ditch next to the tracks that was where Gordon fell into the mud, and he just knew the extra passenger cars on a siding were Gordon's express coaches. It made me so happy to see him and his imagination going wild. This guy truly believed that we had driven to Sodor.

Trevor was funny. He was trying to be so cool the whole drive up, telling us that he was too big to think that Thomas was cool. When he first saw him (in the first picture) we got stopped as Thomas was rolling across the intersection....Trevor started yelling, "THERE HE IS!!" You would have thought Thomas was a rock star. It was cool as the crossing arms came down and were dinging, and Thomas' whistles were going, "peep peep!"

We spent all day up in Williams. The weather was perfect, and probably because it was Mother's day, the crowd was pretty small. So we were really able to enjoy all of the other attractions that they had going on. I got a ton of photos, and honestly this was one of the best mother's days ever. Nothing beats seeing how happy the kids were.

I hope that you all had a great day too!

Happy mother's day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of my mom friends!!

We are headed out for the weekend to take the kids to see Thomas up in Williams. Matthew is totally beside himself. This is the 3 year old boy equivalent to me getting to hang out with Edge and Bono for the day! ;) I seriously can't wait to see the look on his face when we get there. Those of you who know him, know that he has a 'little' obsession with Thomas. Ha ha!

I'll post some pictures when we get back.

Love you all and happy mother's day!!!

Happy Friday night!

So I'm driving home from Target tonight.....with our new Disney Move It CD. Trevor is in the backseat totally hip hopping out with his popcorn combo, and I'm thinking to myself: "You finally get to a point in life where you can get the car with the killer stereo system, and what are you using it for??? Kim Possible, and other assorted Radio Disney CD's.

It was totally worth it though. At the moment there are a couple of little girls from Megan's class over. They are all out in the family room dancing to this CD, doing the cha cha slide. Matthew is running around all of them yelling C&C Music Factory's "Everybody Dance Now!" He doesn't realize that song was over a few songs ago. An Elementary school rave is going on out there. It really is hysterical. This is a glimpse of things to come. A house full of giggly girls and brothers who are totally trying to crash the party.

And for you Maddy, I forgot to tell you that they had the second grade program the other night. You won't believe this, but the song they got to dance to was this funny choreographed dance to Dancing Queen!!!! They even all got a standing ovation. The girls had crowns on and their hair all in updos. They were dancing around the boys. It was funny. Totally Maddy. I can't help but wonder if it is a program that Maddy put together for her class when she was teaching, and somehow it is still making the elementary school rounds. I'll have to check out that fine print on the program. ;)

Wish me luck. I'm going back out there. I can't have Mike out there by himself for long. We are double teaming kids tonight.

Rotten boys!

Hmmm. This looks absolutely terrible in this scan. :p The colors are kind of weird.

Actually the paper is embossed and the letters are fuzzy, so there is a lot of cool texture on the page.

But I can't fight it anymore. My style is simple and linear. I try to do something different, but this is what I always end up with. But then again, how fancy can you get when you are telling a story about two boys and a bathroom full of water?

Here is the journaling: " - And now I remember why I prefer that you boys take showers. After a little begging to take a bath, I caved and filled up the tub instead of getting the shower ready for you two. WITH one promise. No splashing, no standing up and jumping to a sit down position so the water swooshes out of the bathtub. In unison these cute boys both said, "Yes mommy, we promise."

I was in your room putting new sheets on the beds. I could hear you both laughing. Apparently I couldn't hear the splashing! I was gone for 10 minutes at the very most...peek around the corner and there was water everywhere! I grabbed my camera that was sitting on the side table and looked around the corner to catch you both in the act. It was suddenly quiet, and THIS is the photo I got. I think you both knew that you were in trouble. ;) "

what makes me happy

I just got home after a trip out to Scrapbook Barn and Scrapbooks Etc. I absolutely LOVE shopping for scrapbook stuff.

The thing is, I just spent most of last week reorganizing all of my stuff and getting rid of a lot of stuff that I knew I wouldn't use.

So today, since I am such a slacker, I had to go out and get some stuff for a card swap. I found stuff for the cards, but of course I ended up with even more cute junk to bring home.

Like this in the photo. It was calling my name. I love tabs, I love tins, and here they are in one adorable little package!!!! Look at all of those! They come in so many different patterned papers, and there are even tags with letters on them in there. Did I need this? No, maybe....who knows. But dang, I am giddy with joy!

Among my booty is some new cardstock, patterned papers, rub ons....and these AWESOME new Chatterbox rub ons called Grafik rub ons. They have swirls, dots and cool things. *sigh* I am in heaven.

Now I need to go work on those cards that were due.... uh..... last week.

Top Gun

Guess who completed their first solo this past weekend??

I'm proud of you Mike!

summer

Well, maybe not according to the school calendar or official word from the weatherman, but around here the beginning of summer is marked by the boys wanting popsicles.

They have always loved to have picnics on top of the playset, but I thought they looked cute sitting up there eating their popsicles. Matthew has finally gotten bigger and able to eat the whole thing without making a mess. (Much happiness from mom.) Last year he would always be a drippy mess.

It is hard to believe that there are only a few weeks of school left this year. Wow, it went by fast!