whatever

splash

the pool is all set up.

annie liked it better when it was a few inches instead of 4 feet.

even though the water is ice cold they were still swimming today.

now i am ready for some heat (without all the stickiness)

so while they swim...

i can lay in the sun in my chair.

lovely

how could we not get this funky poncho we found at the antique store?

 

annie and talby's reflection in my glasses while

i was painting annie's toenails.

we had some girlie time in the yard...

giggling, dancing around and painting nails.

as crazy as i feel with this new routine of summer...

i see these pictures and think

"what is my problem?"

they are lovely little girls.

i am so lucky to get these moments together.

you might be a redneck...

if you like to go to Demo Derbies.

  

i wish i could say "craig makes me go"

or "the kids love it so i have to take them"

but the truth is...i love the demo derby.

it's very redneck...

lots of cowboy hats, tatoos and 'git-r-done' kind of talk.

it's small town fun at it's best.

talby, the boys and i were very good at picking the winners.

about 6 cars come into the arena at a time 

and smash each other up till only 2 left running.

then the winning 2 from each group go another round for the big winner.

$600 first place...not too shabby.

the car behind the green bumpered one was driven by a girl.

she won her group...girl power!

then the poor thing got out of her car to celebrate 

and her whole behind was hanging out the back of her pants.

i guess she couldn't feel it from the adrenaline rush from her big win.

after each group they bring out these big tractors to pull out the dead cars.

talby saw the tractors coming and with big eyes asked

"are they going to fight now?"

oh and it's LOUD.   

really loud.

i am surprised that i enjoy this.

but it's just fun to watch cars smash together.

and get stuck and figure out how to get un-stuck.

the mud flying at you is fun too.

 

and then there are yummy treats too.

i really wanted a funnel cake but i resisted.

sean got to use the porta-potties...that's always fun.

at least i get to go for a few more years and use the kids as an excuse.

i said on the way home "maybe i'll drive in it next year"

the kids were mortified.

it would be pretty embarrassing because as soon as a car would come near me

i'd duck my head and scream!

not really the mentality needed for a demo derby driver.

but just think of the sparkly pink car i could drive!

i bet if i'd have given you 100 guesses 

you wouldn't have guessed i'd post about that!

hope you had a wonderful holiday.

trying to tell my kid about Memorial Day i got all teary eyed.

we are so blessed.

the dirt

i am so happy to be gardening again.

i love it so much....

i dread it around april but by the end of may i am ready!

i think half of the reason i like it is the quietness.

usually i am alone.

but at the same time i can hear what's going on around me with the kids.

and to see something grow so beautiful from just a seed....

so amazing.

and humbling.

my parents have always had lovely yards.

my dad is obsessed with trees and my mom loves flowers.

my grandmother always had interesting and different plants in her yard.

i remember strawberries, grandpa's gourds and bamboo by the sandbox.

i am grateful to have grown up with a love for gardening.

but i never even touched a plant till i was 24.

except when i HAD to water my mom's flowers as a chore.

when we bought our first house craig's mom helped me plant my first plants.

and i was hooked.

and all that stuff i'd been watching all my life became real to me.

it was so clear why they loved it.

i love that we...my parents and sister, my grandmother & craig's mom

all enjoy this same simple hobby.

to watch my grandmother go through my entire yard asking questions

or giving facts...makes me full of joy.

to see my parents' yard overflow with curly willow and birds & butterflies...joy!

thank you for that.

here is a peek into our first garden in illinois.

silver lace vine 

it was mislabeled at the flea market...what a great mistake.

i put it on the arbor craig built me 

and it grew up over the roof the first year!

purple coneflower, black eyed susan, bee balm, hollyhocks and tickseed.

and huge sunflowers.

oh i miss this little yard.

it was full of evergreen bushes when we moved in.

jenny and her mom were so helpful too.

sharing plants and answering lots and lots of questions.

in my yard now...

most of the peonies are now down on the ground...it rained really hard.

but inside they look and smell lovely.

i know i know, enough with the peonies!

but like i told you...they will be gone for 11 more months.

i cut 3 huge vases full and you could barely tell i had touched the bushes.

if you do plant some...

they do take a few years to get really healthy and bloom well.

i am feeling hopeful for this years garden.

i think it's going to be a good one.

everything is coming up so nicely.

and a friend gave me my first tomato plants!  

we'll see how that goes. 

family night

i got some happy mail.

 

 

oh maybe i shouldn't i open this box.

i don't need a lion in the house...i already have 5 monkeys.

oh jenny. (art by jake...i assume)

you silly girl.

thank you for my gi-nor-mous chandelier!!

i have no idea where i will put it...

but i WILL find a spot.  

2 chandeliers at my door?  

wow.  i am the luckiest girl in the world.

friday night is family night at our house.

we carried out pizza and ate it at the park.

while eating her pizza annie said "look! some slides!"  

i answered "yep...when you're finished eating you can go play!"  

she gave the fist pump and said "YES!"

then lauren said "UGH! we're staying to play?!"

ha.

how cruel would it be to take the little ones to eat at a park

and then not let them play?!

somehow our 13 year old managed to find some fun...

even at the park.

dad vs everyone.

 

good good times.

******************************************************

what do you think...are these pictures too big?

can you see them well?

the color isn't as clear as it was before typepad changed...

what's up with that?

if you enjoy torturing yourself....

you should take 5 children with you 

to home depot, lowes AND sam's club in the same afternoon.