Summer list

I pulled into the parking spot in front of The Julia's school to pick her up. The babies in the back seat were sleeping and I rolled the windows down so they could get more air from the breeze. Turned down the radio and sat back taking a few sips of my water. Then I herd the school bell ring. Got out of my car. As I stood there it hit me she's about to turn 7 years old, a second grader! In my mind she's not a little girl anymore! She has crossed over from infant to baby to toddler to little kid to know a mind of her own, strong will, too smart for her britches young lady! This all happened too fast! I am not ready for her to grow up!

She spotted me and waved then darted off toward our van. I couldn't help myself I cried......OK I balled like a baby!

I made her hold up a picture that was taken on the first day of school. and I cried even harder! look at that missing teeth smile! no glasses! shorter hair (because then we agreed about her hair style.) she was shorter and younger.
 "Mom! I am not moving out! I am not a grown up yet! I am still a kid! Stop CRYING!"
So I did just that.
When we got home we did a quick craft project. Made a summer list, since she is still a child, I want to fill this next summer with TONS of fun! memories! moments that will make us enjoy THE Right NOW!

Some things on our list is:
catch fire flies, drive in movie, crafts, car show, yard sales, meet the new baby, and have the best summer ever!!
can't wait to start checking items off the list!

favorite teacher ever!

What do you do when your child starts crying at 8:30 at night because she have no present to give to her favorite teacher ever!!??!!

Well you search on Pinterest and find some sort of gift you can make with things you have on hand that's what!

I found an old flower pot in the basement: 

                                                            Used my Chalkboard paint

                                                                            some yellow

                                                            and topped it off with an apple

 The Julia is enjoying her last day of school as a first grader! She has made honor roll ALL year, was always on her best behavior in class and made some great new friends. She is growing into such an independent, smart and beautiful little lady. I am one PROUD MOMMA!

Table

I have been a busy bee trying to get rooms painted and semi-decorated. Someone said I am 'nesting' Because I am determined to get a huge chunk of it done before baby comes. I have first coats of paint done in the downstairs bathroom, living room, kitchen, and dinning room.  My husband thinks I am crazy and I will never get it done but this past weekend I finished the upstairs bathroom so HA! :)

Our dinning room is also the craft room/toy room. I have big plans for this room to make it a fun and happy place. what better way to start than to paint the table? (It was a $20 yard sale find)

I didn't want to use just plain old paint So I used:

                    
                                                  "This is crazy! your crazy!" Brian said.
                                                                No honey I'm 'nesting' :)

Happy Memorial day

Happy Memorial day!

We are so thankful for everything the soldiers and their families sacrifice for us.

                                       
                                            I am so grateful to my amazing Super Hero Brother
                                                         to read more about him click here.

We will be celebrating with a cook out and plenty of family time :) have a great day!!

Summer is offically here!

You know it's summer time when you see two babies sitting on the front steps enjoying frozen treats

 As I handed the Popsicle to them I noticed they were both wearing green and both had green Popsicles, plus I knew my front door was green so I quickly grabbed my camera!!!! This was to much of a perfect picture opportunity to not take advantage!!!!

 JP was eating his upside down

 you guessed it........ it came spilling out.

 O-well.....

Playground

As we packed our bags to go to Uganda we talked about all the plans we had for our trip. The playground was  #1 on our list! Karen Sue's Husband wrote up some instructions for us with some silly little drawings. We felt confident it would be an easy and fast project. We secretly thought The kids will LOVE it and think of how great those American visitors were to come over and built us such a awesome playground!

 

 

Not so much....

we were shown the piece of land they wanted us to build and we knew there was no way in less than two weeks we would be able to even come close to just clearing the field! We started to get nervous. should we just scrap the whole Idea?

The next morning we got up bright an early and started to at least try. Then something amazing happened. All of the children and teachers come out to help us! We all looked at each other. We couldn't believe it. We were building it for them why are they helping? They all picked up bundles of grass and trees and tore down HUGE ant hills with big smiles on their faces! They were so happy and we got it cleared by lunch time!!!

Karen Sue, Kim, and Father Tom went to the lumber store to by wood and tools. When they got back it was obvious that those great drawn out plans Karen Sue's husband made for us were going to be thrown out the window. In Uganda there is no such thing as 2x4's or electric drills! They had tree logs and hand drills!!! Again we were nervous! This is going to take us all week just to put One hole threw this huge log! let alone 12!!!!

Then God sent us another Angel to help!

Charles!

Now before I get started explaining to you everything he did let me tell you who he is.

Charles is, I guess you could say, the maintenance man for St. Jerome Cove center. He is pushing 60 years old! His main job is to dig, no kidding 50-60 feet, holes in the ground to where the bathrooms will be built on top of for "storage" (think of it as a gigantic owl house)

Now if that is not gross enough St. Jerome Cove center is located on an old concentration camp and Charles comes across skulls and other bones on a daily biases when digging these holes. 

Charles was standing in the background watching us hand drill these holes. He laughed  at us sweating and grunting and getting frustrated. He came over picked up his own drill and got to work. All the holes were drilled by dinner time! 

He treated the wood to prevent termites.

Dug holes and placed the poles into the holes then added homemade cement.

The next day we had visits and things we had to get done. We were so grateful for the help Charles had done the day before but again we got nervous. How are we going to put the top pole across it all to hold the swings up? 

But again God answered our prayers! When we got back it was done!!

Charles

[

 Karen Sue was in tears! Her dream of building the swings set had come true and she wanted to thank Charles for all his hard work. Charles said all he wanted from her was for her to climb a tree with him......... hu? what? We fallowed and Charles took us to the biggest tree on the property and they climbed it. When they got down we paid Charles some money and gave him some new clothes  for him and his family. we also invited him to eat dinner with us that night.

When the last swing was hung we all wanted a picture together of the playground "we" built. I like to think about how people tell me how awesome it was that I went there and helped these kids and how I am such a great caring wonderful person. But I feel silly saying thank you because I didn't save anyone while I was over there or really feel like I made that big of a difference. The people in Uganda are very Poor when it comes to their finances and possessions but they are rich in spirit! not once did any of them ask me for hand outs or some kind of help. all they wanted was to help US, spend time with us, become friends, climb trees.

Now of course the entire time building the playground the kids were dieiNG to play. They watched us through the windows. their teachers probably wanted us to stop working during class time so the kids would actually pay attention.

Finally it was time for the children to come play!

quilt

I have always wanted to make a quilt. 

But as you already know I am not a perfectionist and most of the time my projects don't always turn out good. I crocheted The Julia a blanket when she was little it's got her favorite color in it...Rainbow. Belle's nickname is monkey so I sewed a picture blanket for her with a monkey on it. For the new baby I wanted to attempt a quilt.........

So I gathered all the fabric I could and cut triangles out, sewed them together and attempted to align them just right. 

It's not perfect but either is Julia's or Belle's and yet they still love their blankets.

When I was gathering the fabric I got a little sad because see that red and white polka dot triangle? it was Julia's first birthday dress.

 and the pink pieces came from a onsie that once fit my tiny Miss Belle.

Zach

Meet Zach.

 He is a senior at Harrison High school. He's awesome! Pitches for the baseball team, is really good on the guitar and he loves his momma :) 

She begged him for some senior pictures and he finally agreed! I am glad too because we got some awesome shoots!!

                          

 How sweet is this?

random

This is going to be pretty random and a big photo dump of my families adventures this past weekend. 

Fist off is a picture that cracks me up. I looked back at the girls and saw Belle doing this.......

 It reminded me so much of my Brother Gage. I swear I was just his surrogate and Miss Belle is actually his child not mine! Those eyes and hair!!! miss him!

Me and The Julia went Yard sale shopping all morning on Saturday. If you ever need a yard sale buddy she is definitely the person to call! 

 She had a budget of 2 dollars to spend and she picked up these gorgeously large clip on earrings for 50cents!

 She got a sponge-bob stuff animal for a quarter, a pair of binoculars for a $1.00 But her best find was this Blow up ski ball set for......................FREE! that's right! Free! she talked the man into lowering his price from $2.00 to nothing! She is officially the bargain QUEEN! She even has left over money to spend in the candy isle at the grocery store.

 I picked up a few things for the new baby and Miss Belle seems to think that means I got them for her....

 We were driving and passed a festival. I shot Brian a a look from across the car. He knows I have a soft spot for festivals :) They are always so much fun! I made a deal with him that I would buy him a few pull offs if we could walk around. He said OK! but he didn't win.....

 The Julia begged to go on this!

 I agreed hoping she wouldn't be tall enough but my girl was!!!! I was terrified! she laughed the whole time.

 Today Miss Belle is wearing her very first pair of cut off jeans :) I think she looks super cute!

 and just to leave you with one last picture that melts my heart............