Wordless Wednesday: Happy

Flower found in Grandpa's garden

August...

Three more days and it's not summer* anymore. Three more days until school starts.  I'm ready.

I think I have come to the realization that as much as I love it, summer wears me out.  All the changes from routine and going here and there.  Half the time I'm not even sure what day of the week it is!

I have to say though, this summer, and particularly August, has been a LOT better than last year!  My brother got married, we had a lovely time in Oregon with Grandma and Grandpa, and a few last days of relaxing at home before The Schedule starts again.
 

We've decided that Noah is now The Noah and he's cute on overload.  He's starting to say more words that are intelligible (at least to us) and the other night as I was heading out to scrapbook he was blowing me kisses!  He is also a little tornado and needs LOTS of supervision!

We went to a pool party on Thursday night (I WISH I had pictures) and Noah just chilled out floating in an inner tube for over an hour.  Cory of course was loving the water and his new found confidence from swim lessons with Nana had him jumping off the diving board to Daddy waiting below!  We were all prunes by the time we got out! 

This was a party for all of Brian's co-workers and his new principal is also named Kory.  I promised to try not to sound too much like his mother, but I'm sure he wasn't used to someone "scolding" him about where he could go and what he could do!

Our garden was half successful (tomatoes and cucumbers) and the other half complete flop (peas, carrots, broccoli), but I'm excited that peaches and pears are coming in now and I'll be canning up a storm again soon!

New things to remember for next summer and new things to get started on soon! 

How was your summer?

*I know, technically it still is, but for me, summer is over when school starts.

Wordless Wednesday: Pooh Sticks

Playing Pooh Sticks with Grandpa last week at a local waterfall.

Back to School already?

Where did my summer go?

New school years are exciting in a way, new beginnings, but I usually end up thinking, "I had all this time to do projects over the summer, but none of them got done!"  I'm kind of an optimist when it comes to how much time I have! 

However, I am kind of looking forward to having a schedule again.  Maybe that's my problem, I don't keep track of time in the summer as well so it slips by quickly.

One thing that fall brings is changing of the seasons, new decorations, new holidays to look forward to.  My husband is starting meetings this week and school next week.  And for the first time, I'm starting school with my oldest next week as well!

Hmmm, maybe I'd better start planning for that!

My son won't be going off to school with a brown bag lunch, but I always took them when I was in school.  And before we were old enough to make our own lunches I remember my mom putting little notes in there for us to find at lunch time.  With her signature puppy dog face drawn on them.

I do have to say though, I'm glad I'm not in high school anymore! 

If you're sending a kid off to school, or maybe off to college (eek!) check out the cute new designs from Tiny Prints.  You could get some adorable flat cards for lunchbox notes.  They've even branched out to notepads and  fun and funky canvas wall art.  You'll be surprised what new products this "notecard company" now carries.  Of course, all with their customizable fun prints!

This is a sponsored post for Tiny Prints, but my love for the cute stylish products that they carry is all my own.

New...

I know there is nothing new under the sun, but it seems like, at least to me, there is something new every day.  Something I'm not expecting.  And really that's the crux of the matter.

See, when I have expectations and they get changed it's hard for me.  I expect things to go the way I imagine.  Not necessarily because I imagine it that way and want it to be that way, but simply because it's based on previous times and experiences.

The problem is that when things don't turn out the way I expected I don't know what to do with it.

I'm not sure what the solution is here.  I think I may be hard wired to have expectations.  Is there a way to expect that things will not turn out the way you think they will?  Or do I already do that in planning for every last possibly discrepancy in my plans? (ie, 3 extra changes of clothes, coats, and a package of diapers for a day trip...)

Is there a way to expect that changes will be good rather than bad?  Especially when the thing you were expecting was supposed to be good to begin with?  'cuz I'm all for being pleasantly surprised, but I'm not so keen on things taking a turn for the worse.  And that's usually what I'm afraid of.

New: I'm really not sure what to do with it.

Then again, I can look at my life 5 years ago and if you'd told me I'd be where I am today I'm not sure I'd have believed it.  So in the long run I'm sure new is a good thing...

Now, if I could just translate that into my daily life maybe I'd be happier.  At least I'm pretty sure my husband would be...

This is a post prompt from The Gypsy Mama. Join in?

Wordless Wednesday: Train

There is a train in the park by Grandma and Grandpa's house.  A real train you can climb all over.  It's very cool for little boys!

Guess Where!

We're on vacation!  We're having lots of fun!

But none of this vacation includes great computer or internet access...

Especially the normal photo editing capabilities I'm used to!

So, while we enjoy our vacation, the blog will be a bit quiet.  Hope you all are having a great summer!

Bonus points to anyone who can correctly name all three towns pictured here (and doesn't already know!)

Beauty...

Today I met a friend and I noticed she hadn't shaved.  So I asked why she wasn't shaving (note: this is a friend that I only see once a year or less so it's totally normal that I wouldn't know this).

She told me that she realized that if she didn't shave for a few days she would start to feel very uncomfortable around people, almost ashamed.  And that she felt this wasn't right, that it's a normal part of our body and should not be a shame feature when you don't shave.

So she decided to stop shaving all together.  And she likes it.  And her husband likes it.

And I started thinking, I don't shave for days at a time (because I am a mother of two small boys and shaving takes time) and it maybe sort of bothers me if someone were to notice, but I really don't care anymore.  Maybe it's the whole lack of modesty that comes with motherhood.  Or not modesty so much as caring about what other people think!  Spit up on my shirt? Hey, it's clean enough to wear to the store!

But when I got home I realized.  I haven't seen these friends in awhile and for this occasion?  I put on makeup.  There weren't even any pictures taken, but I put on makeup.

I'm not the kind of girl that wears makeup all the time or even very frequently, but I've noticed that lately, I feel the need to wear it more often.  To church, even just a day when I know I'm going to be out around town, and especially for special occasions (my brother's wedding!).

I've never felt particularly ugly when NOT wearing makeup, but I have also noticed that I get many more comments (nice ones) when I DO wear makeup.  And I'm not a cake-it-on girl so it's hard to tell I'm wearing much usually.

I wonder if it's because I'm now past 30 and I realize I may not look as lovely and glowy as I did when I was 18.  Or if it's because I realize that people do look at the appearance and it can make a difference in what they think of you.  I want to be thought well of, but I don't really want it to be because of what I look like.  I want it to be because of who I am.  I want to be beautiful that way.

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; 

but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.  

~Proverbs 31:30

This is a post prompt from The Gypsy Mama. Join in?

Boy Quotes #7

These are old as you can tell by the birthday quote, but somehow they never got published. I've been lax at writing more down recently. Bummer.

"I opened my (car) door by the power of science!"

When asking why he'd changed his mind from wanting a Thomas cake for his birthday (which he'd been repeating for months) to a Nemo cake he replied, "Because I'm spectacular!"
We always call him Mr. Particular (shh, he gets that from his Mama) and this was his misrepresentation of the word.  He is definitely spectacular!

Because he didn't have to wear dress pants to school on a Monday my husband said this the other night:
"I found another pair of jeans, yes I did.
I'm happy as can be; happy as a... squid!"

Cory made up his own song...
Jellyfish, jellyfish, whale, dolphin, jellyfish!

Wordless Wednesday: Cousins

We had so much family in town for my brother's wedding and it was awesome to hang out with them!  Noah made a new friend in my cousin's little boy, Jackson!

One Big Wedding Party!

My brother got married on Saturday!!!

I apologize in advance for all the pictures and how slow this will load, but hey, it's not every day your only brother gets married!

This is one crazy group of friends and even in wedding finery they were climbing fences to take pictures!  Not pictured: the amount of time it took to get everyone up there at the same time without someone falling off while someone else was climbing back up!

The fathers sealing the deal.  There were even some cows out in the pasture...

My new sister-in-law, Annika, writing her vows.

and staying cool

We had lots of family in town and Noah made a new friend in my cousin's son Jackson.  They had so much fun chasing each other around all weekend!

New mother-in-law/daughter-in-law 

(not like they haven't gotten along swell for the past 5 years anyway!)

It wasn't too hot and the setting was really gorgeous.  

These pictures can't do it justice since it was in direct sun.

Waiting for his bride!

Annika wanted everything simple and it turned out stunning!

Vows

They had their dog, Mara, come running when they whistled.  

She had the rings on a special garter around her neck!

The Kiss!

And then they boogied all the way back down the aisle. 

So perfect, so them!

After dinner (which was awesome!) the best man and maid of honor 

told funny, but appropriate stories.  

I debated telling a few, but then decided I'd better not!

First dance.

I wish I had a video, they were awesome!

And Kevin said they didn't even practice!

After the father/daughter dance Kevin called Mom out... she hadn't been warned she was to dance, but she did well.

Especially with the goofy song the DJ picked!

Then everyone danced and danced until after 10pm.  Even my little guys held up until about the last half hour. 

I was so amazed that Noah was dancing with Jackson and not fussy at all.  Until he was so tired he started falling down and skinned his knee.

They played nice with the cake!

And finally, rode off in the darkness on these sweet bikes!  We followed soon after and found them almost to town with the twine wrapped around the gears of Annika's bike.  Whoops!  But I'm sure they made it into town and off on their new life!

For My Brother

My little brother is getting married tomorrow. And Wednesday was his birthday so we had a party... logger style!

Unfortunately we got there right as the tree was falling in the driveway so I have no pictures.  But what's a logger party without a tree falling?

Or the appropriate outfits?

The one in the center is my soon to be sister-in-law!

Grilling station

Talking to Uncle Kevin

Some kind of nail game...

Using the wrong end of the hammer makes it harder... so does beer.

Noah found a new toy...

Showing appropriate 2 handed form

And of course true logger parties are tailgate style!

(with a little creative editing to show the big picture)

And after eating a little entertainment...

Ax throwing.

They were aiming for a round on the hillside.  

I don't think it ever got hit.

Cory discovered some mustaches that will be used for a photo booth at the wedding...

And then birthday cake!

Still warm German chocolate made by Tara 

(green shirt in the background)

Happy Birthday little bro.  And best wishes for many years together with your wonderful bride, Annika!

Waterslides!

Tuesday was supposed to be the hottest day this week so we went up to the waterslides in Chelan.  Of course it was actually overcast and cool until about half an hour before we were needing to leave.  Never fails! (See pictures here of Cory at the age Noah is now)

But we did have lots of fun and just warmed up in the hot tub a few times.

Cory is so big compared to last year, going on the beginner slides in the main area all by himself and not needing anyone to catch him at all.  He showed us how he's learning to swim too.  I tried hard not to laugh when his swim looked more like an underwater wiggle, but I'm happy that he is so confident in the water now!  He even went on the double tube ride with me and laughed all the way down!

It didn't take Noah long to discover the slides in the baby pool.  He was going up and down like a pro!

Although his version of sliding is to turn over on your tummy halfway down...

Pretty smart actually considering he either bonks his head because he can't sit up or ends up sliding down underwater when he's on his back.  This way he keeps his head and face a bit up on the slide and can get up on his own.

Hopefully next time we go it won't be so cold...