Beach Page

I was inspired to make this after seeing someone's layout online. It took me much longer than it should have but I think I'm satisfied with it now.

A Day Out

This morning I had six kids so we went to the park & to Culver's for lunch. We did pretty good! Even got some compliments for good behavior. They are all big enough to really listen and help out and they were really good. After we came back the kids went in the sprinkler for a few minutes before naps. I was hoping to have some quiet time at the park while the kids played but there was another mom there with two little girls who were very outgoing so I didn't get to look at my paperwork or magazine. I'll have time for that now since it's very quiet. I really tired them out! Three of my kids are off today & the house is clean since we were gone all morning. It looked like it was going to storm but we just got a little shower.

In the car - Brett & E reading comic books

I'll help you....

you help me. Lunch & ice cream at Culver's

Orange Day

• We have color themes this week so today is orange. We spent most of the day outside in the pool. Brett enjoyed it very much. Then they had dreamsicles (for orange day of course) before naps.
• Today I got a lot done: vacuumed the LR screens, caught up on dishes (from baking/freezing peaches yesterday-I froze 6 more quarts), washed spare room bedding -sheets/comforter, towels, dusting. General straightening & clean up in a quick couple of hours this morning between everything else.
• My day care kids have it made. I grilled them hamburgers for lunch.
• Tomorrow we're going to the park again. It's going to be really hot but we'll go early and come back & play in the water again.
• I have a new day care girl starting at the end of August named Cora. She's 2.
• I'm off on August 20th for Brett's school registration. He gets pictures taken that day. We're both going to the dentist and he will get the rest of his immunizations as well.
• I have one more vacation day. I'm going to take it after school starts and enjoy a day all by myself!
• I'm working on renewing my day care license. It's just a bunch of paperwork and the check is what they really want.
• I need to sign up for my capstone class. I didn't realize it's the only one for the credential that is on campus in GREEN BAY so I'm not sure how that's going to work. More like it's NOT going to work. It starts August 18th. Checking into this tomorrow...
• We're having an open house on Sunday afternoon so we'll be doing some more painting tomorrow night. The other two houses next door are also having open houses so that might help.
• Damon had a meeting at work last week & his responsiblities were determined. He's been home late every night this week. Two guys are on vacation so he definitely doing something now.

2nd Kids Game

Last night we went to another kids ball game. We're going to do it again in 2 weeks.

13 years ago

On July 29, 1995 we got married! The years have gone fast & yet it seems like so long ago since our lives are so different now. We've been thankful many times the last year, for the love we still have or should I say? the love we have now. Tonight we spent the night at the park for a picnic & the kids baseball game. Hot dogs & little kids. That's our life now I guess! I did make cupcakes for something special today. The day care girls were very interested to see my wedding dress and shoes. As soon as they saw all the buttons down the back, they grabbed them to start buttoning them up! All 5 girls tried on my now yellowed satin shoes. They love my closet & I don't even have that great of stuff!

Wayne D., Damon & I, Julie H.

Cake that Damon's Mom made

Wayne & Damon -time was running out! Now he's stuck with me.

Strawberry cupcakes with wedding frosting in Martha Stewart liners

(that I got on clearance for .99!)

It's been long enough that I've misplaced our negatives so these are pictures out of some frames/albums. I vaguely remember that I have another scrapbook somewhere, I think? Or am I imagining it? It's going to bother me until I find them because I usually know exactly where these types of things are. There must be a box downstairs somewhere that I've missed looking through.

Park

Brett in the Sprinkler

Watermelon!

We have watermelons growing! There are several, I'll have to count how many today. It was too dark last night. Hopefully they amount to something! The watermelons & cucumbers seemed to appear overnight. They must like this hot weather. My garden is an overflowing tangled mess with everything growing together but it seems to be working! In the picture above you can see watermelon, cucumber and sweet pea vines.

Ice Age Trail & Camden Park

Saturday morning I made breakfast and then we went for a bike ride. It ended up being 4 miles one way so 8 miles by the time we got back! We have the nicest bike trail near us. We should make use of it more often. Usually we don't go this far because Brett can't make it on his bike so Damon pulled the bike trailer this time. We rode down to Palmer Park and Brett played at Camden playground for a while before we went back. There was a nice breeze so it wasn't too hot. Later I took Brett back to the park to the wading pool. I didn't get any pictures of him in the pool though because we weren't there very long. Brett decided he was done so after he had a hotdog we left. Poor kid didn't have anyone to play with. I should know better & take a friend along for him to play with but it sometimes it sounds nice for it to be just us. He's used to having friends to play with! Usually he just goes & makes a friend at the pool but I think he was too tired and not so interested.

Mixed Up Zoo Animals

Our project today. Brett really got into this one. He did the two in the bottom right corner.

Hungry Hungry Hippos

Remember this game? I had to get it for the kids since we're doing a zoo theme this week. They are very entertained this morning! This version is much smaller than the one we used to have. Makes me wonder what happened to all our old toys....

Rock Co. Fair

1. Ferris Wheel, 2. Sheep, 3. White goat, 4. Petting a Jersey, 5. Pig, 6. Petting a horse, 7. Motorcycle ride!, 8. Bumblebee Ride, 9. Way up high!, 10. Won a spiderman, 11. Tugboat Ride, 12. Dad got talked into buying 2 ducks, 13. Yum! We had a fun time at the fair last night! We were there from about 7 pm-9:15 pm. I think we'll get Brett started in 4-H. He can be a Cloverbud in the fall and take three projects to the fair next year. They do face to face judging and he can get participation ribbons. Fun! The rest of our pictures are on Flickr.

Cup of Flowers & Pretty Like a Princess

"My kids" picked these in the backyard and brought them in for me yesterday. They know better than to pick anything else! I already have flowers on the kitchen table, in the living room, on the desk and by the front door so I put these on the dresser. Looks like they will last a while in water. I am enjoying them in their little spot.

Also-last week, A. (2 yrs.) was the last one here & she was sitting with Brett on the couch & they were a little rowdy. I told Brett "Please be quiet! You're making me crazy!" in a silly, exaggerated way. A. said "No Stacy, pretty like a princess." Aww, isn't she sweet?! (I did confirm with her - Me, pretty like a princess? - and she said yes. LOL)

Wednesday

• I did major closet cleaning today! There's 4 more boxes of things to take to Goodwill. It's ridiculous when all the laundry is clean & there's no where to put it because the closet and dressers are full. Feels so good to have that done!
• Finally started some bread today. I haven't made any for a few weeks. I'll make eight loaves and put some in the freezer.
• New dcboy is working out well. He's almost three & doesn't talk much though. The littlest of 4 kids so kinda babied it seems. I'm surprised that people still powder 3 yr olds. (I won't.)
• It looks like I have another FT spot filled so I'll have to let a PT dcboy go. I don't like to do that but he's hardly ever here.
• There's been no interest in our house in nearly 2 weeks. J said it's a really slow time but don't despair. I'm not. I'm just not planning on moving although I still really want to when I think about day care.
• On Monday, Mom & Grma H stopped by! On Tuesday, G & G Smith stopped in! Nice to have visitors.
• We've had beautiful weather this week. My flowers smell great. My garden is very full. I've been getting so organized (in some ways). Feels great!
• Damon & I are planning a weekend away next weekend for our anniversary. It's on the 29th.
• Maybe we'll go to the fair tomorrow night.
• Also-Damon's job is going well. He doesn't mind the drive. It's been terribly slow going though. The guy that needs to determine exactly what Damon should be doing is too busy to take any time with him. Damon's been working on a spreadsheet & will be developing some pricing for 2009 so now he has that to do. One of the other guys doesn't seem to be too pleased about Damon being hired-as in he's afraid he won't have anything to do?

Kids Game

Last night we were invited to the park for a kids baseball game (the dads helped out). D & L invited us & the rest of the families were people they knew through school. Everyone was very friendly and we had a good time. Lots of kids Brett's age. He was very impressed with the little boy named Miles. He said we should change his name to Miles. Damon was very against it although I think it's a cute name. We're doing it again next Tuesday night & this time we'll have a picnic too.

Batting

Running

Derek pitching (he's good!) & Brett up to bat

Freezing Peaches

The peaches have been so good this year so I decided to try freezing some. I remember Mom canning them one year a long time ago & how hot it was! I'm not allowed to feed the day care kids home canned foods & freeze most everything else so thought I'd try freezing peaches. We use at least 2-4 cans of peaches a week & I always buy chunks since they are easier/faster to serve. I'm freezing some in apple juice and some in a light syrup (with fruit perservative) so I can see if one turns out better than the other. I hope they are OK just to eat but if not, we'll use them for baking or over ice cream. I might have to get some more peaches & containers, it's going faster than I thought and only 2 or 2 1/2 peaches are fitting in these pint containers.

Swimming

It feels like summer is passing us by so last night we decided to go to the pool. We went north to the next town since we heard their pool was so nice. It was OK, just not the experience we were hoping for. It had cooled down considerably as well so it wasn't very rewarding for Damon & I. Brett loved it so it was worth while! We left right after a lifeguard got after us for letting Brett go down the slide & Damon waiting at the bottom for him. I was not impressed. You'd think we were doing something wildly reckless with our own child afterall! Apparently Brett was "too small" and we're not allowed to catch him (which we weren't.) I thought maybe they should be more concerned about the teenagers throwing popcorn. Oh well we just won't be going back there. Also no floaties are allowed so Brett couldn't wear his swim vest although he could touch in most parts of the pool. Still took a couple pictures of course!

Lilies

1. White Lily, 2. Big Lilies, 3. Yellow Lily

Just opened today. These are the biggest lilies!

I love their intoxicating fragrance-it fills the room.

Japanese Beetles

We have our share of them again this year but this is the neighbor's big shrub rose just over the fence. It's so nasty, I've never seen so many of them. They've just destroyed the bush. I talked to the couple last Saturday & they had just discovered them but guess they didn't decide to spray or anything. I sprayed my plants & shrubs and killed a lot of them but they're not going away when there's that much to eat next door!

Home Cooking

Today I made one of Damon's favorites - chicken & dumplings. I grilled a whole chicken earlier in the week so we had some leftover chicken to use up. He said it was like his Mom's so that's good I guess! We never had them at home - my Mom doesn't like Bisquick or dumplings- which is how I made them. It was a bit hot today for this type of meal but it hit the spot anyway.

I also used the Bisquick to make some shortcake for dessert. Saturday I picked this

small bowl of raspberries from the garden (the most we've ever had ripe at one time!) and we had some peaches to use up, so we had another one of Damon's favorites-peaches & raspberries.

Brett didn't have dessert earlier so tonight before bed he asked "can I have one of those fruit dumplings?" He ate all the fruit off the top & left the "dumpling".

What Brett was up to this weekend

For all his "fans"..... First of all, Friday night he talked to Auntie Karla! Then he went to his friends house to jump on the trampoline. He had just seen M & D here at day care from 7:20 am - 5 pm, but they wanted him to come over.....Mom & Dad had a quiet dinner out & quick run into Kohl's. He had a quiet day Saturday, kinda entertaining himself all day while we painted. He does just fine with that (even though it's ridiculous, I still feel guilty) & I think some "down time" on his own is good for him. First thing Saturday morning we found this big moth by the front door. He decided to keep it although it will soon be dead. Has to show his friends of course! He "helped" me paint his bedroom closet. Spent some time drawing & on the swing. Talked to G & G Ransom for a while. Played computer games. Attempted a nap. Monitored the ants' tunneling progress in the ant farm. Today after mtg. he played ball with Daddy while I made lunch. Then tonight after g. mtg. he talked us into going to Culver's for some "special time together". He knows how to spin it!! LOL After we got back he went on a bike ride with Mommy. He's such a great kid.