Day 30 Challenge

"Harvest"

The harvest of this squash has yet to come!

Day 29 Challenge

"Normal"

There is no such thing as normal except on a washer or a dryer...I can always hear my girlfriend Nikki's voice saying this!  Love you Nikki!

Day 28 Challenge

"Display"

These two paintings are on display for me to look at when I choose to.  These were made by Frank's Grandpa...one is of Snoqualmie Falls and the other of Mt. Rainer...I grew up by Snoqualmie Falls and Frank grew up by Mt. Rainer....it's special!

I Promise

I haven't been neglecting you guys!!! I have been busy, but I have SO much to tell you!  Mostly about Lee and the material kids come up with!! So keep an eye out soon...I hope to have that post up no later than the weekend!

Take care my friends!

Day 27 Challenge

"Language"

Today's word was language...Eli signing 'I love you' was my first pic and my fave...but several people posted something like this...so I posted the one below.

This is a language I just can't seem to get, it's a wonder I can operate the computer at all!

*yes I know it's dusty*

Day 26 Challenge

"Shape"

I have lots of different shapes on my fridge-one of the best things about owning my own fridge and having children who bring art and school work home!

Day 25 Challenge

"Image"

This is an image of Seahawk fans unsure of their team today (in the end they did win...whew!)

Day 24 Challenge

"Community"

A girl needs the community of her girlfriends...and man did we have some fun!

(I think we shut the joint down...that's a new one!)

*sorry the picture is blurry...that's what I get for not looking at what I have the camera set on...

Day 23 Challenge

"Food"

Cranberries I took from the freezer to make with pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips. 

Day 22 Challenge

"Object"

This object is a treasured item from my childhood...these pictures and a few others are all I have from my childhood.

Day 21 Challenge

"Abstract"

Soooo...I hadn't found anything until I opened my front door to take my oldest to youth group (that wasn't tonight but NEXT week) and Eli somehow managed to have side walk chalk outside...the flower pots, the sidewalk, the wall, the door, and Eli...AND my dog Charlie were part of Eli's abstract motif today. Thanks for the laugh Eli!

Day 20 Challenge

"Hue"

A hue of pink in my lily

Rotten

These have been blooming the last week or two and it's been lovely and smells wonderful whenever I get a whiff of them.  My title says rotten because when I finally was able to plan the bulbs...either the weather wasn't quite right yet, I wasn't home, or I didn't have the dirt available, the bulbs were rotten, moldy, and squishy. But I figured what else was left...might as well plant and see if I couldn't get something from them...one planter I had 6 bulbs and one flower bloomed.  The other planter had 6 bulbs also but I believe 3 of those are working on blooming.  So not too bad for rotten bulbs I think!

Day 19 Challenge

"Irregular"

An irregular patter of colors

OR

This view...either way...

I like both

Day 18 Challenge

"Function"

The group MOPS (Mother's of Preschoolers) can not function with out moms.

Day 17 Challenge

"Humor"

There is no humor in the refereeing of this game!  Very bad calls in this game...I am unimpressed!

The Growing Tree

I know this post is late, but better late then never!  On Wednesday preschool started!!  WHOOHOO! The excitement was palpable! Dru was so excited, cause he knows this is one more stepping stone to getting to ride the bus!  For the day that's all he talked about, was now he gets to go to Kindergarten!  Forget that he has a whole year AND the summer to get through.  Guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there!

Here is Dru before school! Look at his happy face!

Dru and Colton.  Good buddies that have class together.  They have a good time together!

The preschool has this tree in the circle room.  I love it. I like taking the boys' pictures in front of it! 

And one week is down and I think everyone survived (even me) and lots of good times, snacks and playing outside! What more could 2 little boys ask for?

Day 16 Challenge

"Shifting"

The leaves are shifting from green to red

Day 15 Challenge

"Lost"

Last night I posted todays' word...it was in honor of this list of the challenges words.  The list was lost, therefore we had the word lost.  BUT...I found the list so it's now found.  Where was it you ask?  Well it was in a safe (and I so use that word loosely) place.  I hate it when things like that happen!

Something Strang

...is afoot in the small town where I live

Out of the blue we had one of these birds (I believe it's a Dove) land in our yard! So we were outside and watched a flock of them flying around town.  In the almost 9 years I have lived here I have never seen anything like that.  These are some of birds that landed on my neighbors house...very weird!  Frank thinks these were let out from a funeral that was going on one block up from us. I've heard of people letting birds/butterflies out for weddings but never for a funeral! 

I'm also a sheltered being :)

Day 14 Challenge

'Up High'

The boys were up high in the loft at the preschool

A Moment

So before I go to bed I check on the boys and the dogs. I went in and check on Dru and Eli and when I went in there they were spooning! OH it was so precious (now anyway)! Eli must have really needed to cuddle for him to get in bed with Dru.  Especially since Dru is asleep about 30 minutes before Eli gets to bed.  Eli was desperate!
I ran back to get my camera and Dru had moved but I still took the picture anyway...it was a moment that made me breath and take it all in.  It's moments like that, that make the day OK.  Makes the incessant whining and crying all fade away (until tomorrow that is, but let's savor this moment).

It was a moment in time and I was thankful for it

Day 13 Challenge

'Five'

Five hand bells for Bell Choir

Momma Said...

KNOCK YOU OUT!

That's from a song way back when

Anyway, this was from when we went too the zoo earlier this month.  This momma looks SO tired! Who hasn't been there though?  How many times has Frank walked in on a scene like this??

We are in the trenches with you momma Gorilla!

 Catch those naps when you can!!

Day 12 Challenge

'Group'

This is a group of cut potatoes that were ingredients in tonight's casserole dinner made by Frank! 

Day 11 Challenge

'Tribute'

Today I paid tribute to 9/11 by telling the history of what this day means to my boys. 

They no know and they won't forget...the memory and tribute live on in the next generation.

Patriot Day-10 Years Later

10 years has come...

I sit here thinking back to this day and how my day unfolded, like so many Americans that day.  I remember Frank called and told me to get up and watch the news.  I remember watching the second plane fly into the 2nd World Trade Center.  I remember how I felt...scared, sad...scared some more, mad, shocked...it ran the gamut...didn't it for you?

We can not forget this day and the sacrifices that were made by so many people and families!

This day can not be for nothing, it has to mean something, we have to make it have meaning.  And not just this day but the last 10 years of lives lost protecting our rights, I believe, whether you agree or not, they (soldiers) are out there protecting our nation and that needs our support. 

Our Father, which art in heaven

  Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy Kingdom come.

            Thy will be done in earth,

    As it is in heaven.

                            Give us this day our daily bread.

                             And forgive us our trespasses,

                            As we forgive them that trespass against us.

                         And lead us not into temptation,

                    But deliver us from evil.

                        For thine is the kingdom,

                       The power, and the glory,

                 For ever and ever. 

 Amen.

Day 10 Challenge

Today's word was 'Signs'

These apples are a sign of what is yet to come...FALL!

I also had taken this picture because today the word was speaking to me, but I'm struggling with putting it into words. This word...yeah this word (I like the sign though! oober cute!!).  The word gives me mixed emotions of anger/frustration to joy/love (normal I suppose...you know the dryer setting and all).

Fitting Right In

We are dog watching for my SIL and BIL while their house gets fixed/demo'd from the fire.  So for awhile, which is fine because we want to, we have the backyard for it, and why not?  Anyway, they have a Basset Hound named Chopper.  I've not spent a lot of time around her but the more I get to know her, she's pretty funny.  Thankfully she's fitting right in with all of us and that's helpful.  It's helped that the in-laws have watched Charlie at their house over the last year or two for us while we went away.  So Charlie and Chopper know each other.

They are making friends and playing with each other and that's kind of fun to watch.  Here they are playing.  Chopper cracks me up...she gets Charlie all going and then she drops to the ground and tries to roll over him...pretty funny!  Charlie is happy to have a companion I think...and for those of you who were wondering...he's minding his manners with the lady for the most part.  He needs a few reminders now and again, but who doesn't right?  Or maybe that's just me. 

 I hope not, that would be awkward...

Chopper has found a home at night with Lee, much to his satisfaction and happiness!  See how well she's doing!  She's managed to get her own Eeyore pillow to lay her pretty little head on AND she's found someone who will toss their leg upon her as a footrest at night!

It's a beautiful thing!

Actually the above picture just cracked me up..she's got this HUGE bed to sleep on but she doesn't.  She doesn't use it at all, she sleeps on the bed.  I feel bad they bought that bed but she won't use it...must be a trick to get her to use it.

Too funny!

Day 9 Challenge

'vehicle'

Got a ticket to ride?

Day 8 Challenge

Texture

Sand from the sandbox

(this is the one I used)

However...I do like this one as a texture also
Plus it looks yummy!!

Day 7 Challenge

"clouds"
These clouds are multi-purpose kind...they do remind me of clouds though

SCHOOL!!!!

Today was the first day of SCHOOL!!! Yippeee!!! 

I know there are many who aren't nearly as excited as I am, but I am SO ready for my routine to be back...I'm almost desperate if I'm being honest.  I want to figure out when my work out will be, when I will do my chores, get the kids off to school and preschool.  I want people to be where they are suppose to be...HA!

Here is my nephew Austin!  I can't believe how much he's grown since preschool...the year he and Lee went together. Time is going by fast!  Now he's in 1st grade!!!

I'm pretty sure he's grown but I can't confirm it!  Lee is in 2nd grade this year and has a male teacher which I'm totally excited about!  We've been blessed with Lee teacher wise in school...he's had good ones every year!  Here's to another good, stretching, outta the box kinda year with Lee!  FYI...day one of the alarm clock going off at 6:45am, has worked.  It was comical watching Ian and Lee looking bleary-eyed this morning trying to figure out what the hell was going on.  But I'm mean like that!

My 4th grader!  Who insisted on being a dork this morning and so that's why his picture is...well dorky!  However, he was terribly excited to be starting 4th grade...I still have my reservations about the new teacher and his class.  It's a 3rd/4th split class...but it was that class or another split class or one class with 2 different teachers.  Neither were great options but the class he's in was the lesser of evils.  I am praying for a good year for Ian, he's had one good year and that was 2nd grade, it's been too long!

The big boys all together before we head out to the bus stop!

The Little's...OK well not really except Eli (who I think has grown recently).  Dru and Colton have their preschool orientation tomorrow and there's quite a bit of excitement for these two!  Whatever will Eli and I do with 2+ hours to ourselves???

 I have a feeling someone will be quite lost in the morning for 3 days a week.

Happy first day of school everyone!  My day was still hectic and will be until the 2 other boys go to school and MOPS starts.  But until then I will be striving for that routine!

Day 6 Challenge

"D"

Doggone days of summer...

Doggone it!

Floral

Just some pretty pictures of flowers I came upon at the zoo.

Not sure what this one was but it was big and bright.  I almost want to say part of the Gladiola family? It really did look like a Gladiola.

Beautiful purple Orchid

This one might be a Hyacinth flower...but it was much taller than anyone I'd ever seen an a bush/plant like a Hydrangea.

I love flowers and I can't get enough of them in my yard and someday I will have a garden that makes me happy.  My garden works for now...I need the boys to leave my stuff alone.

Day 5 Challenge

Today's word was 'door'
This is my door to escape my life from time to time
(this is my Nook-electronic reading device)

Zoolicious

Today we went to the zoo in Seattle.  Woodland Park Zoo...the big one!  There are 2, Pt. Defiance and Woodland.  I like both, but Woodland is much, much bigger. 

The grandparents wanted to take everyone to the zoo for one last hurrah before school starts and for the Dinosaur exhibit there.  It was very nice of them to take us all and I'm thankful for it.  It had been a long time since we'd last been.  As a matter of fact the last time we went was for Ian and Lee's birthday...one turned 2 and the other 4.  They are now 9 and almost 8...so awhile! 

Eli was SO excited and we went to celebrate Dru's birthday (since we had a surprise party for Grandpa Great and the zoo sounded wonderful!)

Here at the bug exhibit we saw some wonderfully colorful things, like these beetles.

Flamingos...just boggles my mind they get pink from eating shrimp.  Never fails to amaze me!

Here I am, waiting for my lunch.  Don't get me wrong I was having fun...it was hot!  (plus it's hard to get a good shot of yourself when you are taking your own picture)

Who doesn't love Elephants???

I call him Lumpy!

Komodo Dragon...a bit scary but very cool!

Very colorful bird

(the bird house is a fun idea...however, that many birds and that many people under them...DISASTER!  I couldn't get out of there fast enough...makes me shiver thinking about it now!  The kids however did get to feed the birds...yeah them!  For the most part people came out with out a gift or two from the birds...if you catch my drift...

Majestic.  I don't know any other way to describe eagles...

Sleeping Tiger.......

Crouching Dragon...

Kidding! I thought it was funny

We had a lot of fun and we did Dru's birthday after we walked the zoo, we went to a park that was in between the parking lot we parked in and where the other family members parked in.  Dru got lots of fun toys...the big hit was a sheriff hat and a cap gun!  Very cool!  He also got to spend some birthday money from Oma and Grandpa and bought a dinosaur toy and some candy!  Thank you Oma and Grandpa!

It was a good day and I'm glad we were able to go!

Hope everyone is having a great holiday weekend and will sit and enjoy the last day of the weekend tomorrow!  I plan on doing NOTHING....OK well some dishes and laundry...maybe take a walk but that would be for me...and maybe a nap...read...possibility are endless (sorta).