Maeve's Type of Guy

"Mommy - isn't he handsome?"

I guess we know what kind of guy she digs!
I mean, who wouldn't like a man in uniform..
with a sweet hair do'...
and weird looking hands?

2011 Neighborhood BBQ

I love our annual neighborhood picnic.
We share yummy food, we catch up on a years worth of happenings, we watch the kids run around and play, blowing bubbles and drawing sidewalk chalk pictures over then entire court.
We hand off the babies to the eager teenagers who want to hold them and play with them.
We wave to people driving by, yelling out "hello!" and the occasional "CAR!" when one pulls into the court.
We eat more yummy food, share recipes, and neighborhood gossip.
We pick up the kids that fall down, discuss local schools, most desired teachers, newest pregnancies.
We roast marshmallows. We caution kids not to run while carrying sticks. We enjoy a beautiful evening, one of the last ones of the summer most likely.
Then when the 5 year old trips on the curb, and slams face first into a parked car, we pack up our gear and head on home.
Good times, good times.

Baseball

A group of guys from church invited Rich to an A's game on Sunday. He was pretty excited to go, but had a few regrets that he was leaving me behind to take care of a bunch of stuff throughout the day by myself. Not enough regrets to stay however, but just enough to feel bad...
As they were about to leave, one more ticket became available, and so Cannon got to go too!
Like any good wife and mom would, I sent them away with a packed lunch, lots of drinks, some sunblock, hand sanitizer, and made sure Rich knew what Cannon was wearing in case they got separated and he had to describe what Cannon was last seen wearing. Morbid, I know.
Apparently they had a great time. Their seats were really good, the weather was amazing, and the game didn't last so long that Cannon could get bored.
I sent the camera with them, and it came home with some interesting pictures. I have a feeling Cannon might have gotten a hold of the camera.

A chair... and
A closeup shot of some people we don't know...

Making friends with the usher/aisle guy/person that walks around yelling "popcorn, peanuts, cold beer", resulted in a temporary tattoo on Cannon's cheek, and a shirt, and a ball directly out of the ball pen.
Direct Quote from Cannon: The best part was me getting the baseball. And also the best part was spending the time with the boys...and stuff.

Help Yourself!

Well hello there little man!
Make yourself right at home!
Help yourself to whatever you need.
Funny little man!

Birthday Party

Our friend Ben turned 30 (finally!) and his wife arranged a cool "Grease" themed surprise party for him. Part of the party was to have pictures taken out by fully restored truck. It was a great idea, and the party was lots and lots and lots of fun!!!

Tooth

Brynn lost a tooth at dinner the other day.
Thankfully she didnt swallow it.
I love the gaping hole in her smile now!

Wonderfall

Every year I invite a group of friends out to my parents orchard for apple picking, dirt playing, playground swinging, tractor riding good times.
This year was no exception.

The tractor rides were a highlight for all the kids. My dad always does a really good job of "teaching" as he drives. He stops the tractor, and shows different kinds of apples, and answers questions in the best ways!

When we had kids, my parents invested in one of those great play structures and put it up under a canopy of trees and it is the perfect play spot!

All the kids were able to pick some apples, and take them home. I always get such a great response from moms after the day is over. But, I don't really do it for that reason. I do it for this one....

Weekend Project

At a garage sale a few weekends ago, Rich and I picked up this beauty. He was pretty excited about it, and hoping that the kids would love playing with the puppets as much as he does.

Unfortunately they didn't.

I had hoped that it wouldn't just sit in our garage taking up space looking like a sad castoff from the 90's. I asked if I could paint it, but he was pretty opposed to the idea. He thought the decorations on it added to its "charm".

I finally convinced him that I could do it, and make it look cute too. So when we decided to get rid of it, I got permission to update it so that we could possibly earn a little bit of money from the sale.

It started out like this.
A little sad right? It was lovingly painted for some family in the 90's, and I totally respect the time and effort that someone put into the detail of the work.
It was solidly made too!
My first attempt at a color match to the fabric for the new curtains was a total fail. Under the fluorescent lights at Home Depot they matched...but once out in natural light it became very clear that I had not done well this time.
I have been using Rustoleum primer lately, and really loving it. It's expensive, but it works really well. After sanding and filling some holes and dings on the surface, I started priming the theatre.
A coat of primer made all the difference in the world!
After I finally found the right color green (Green Apple - Rustoleum) I painted everything except the shelves. I sewed the curtains (to short the first time - my seam ripper is a well used instrument) and it started to come together nicely!
I also used chalkboard paint for the first time. It was...interesting. Mostly because the roller I bought was so cheap that it kept dropping off of the handle onto the tarp, and collecting dirt. I returned it after I was done.
The last few details of spray painting the curtain rod white, and some ric-rac tie-backs helped finish off the project.
I think it came out really well, and am now attempting to sell it. It can be used for so many things! A puppet theatre, a shelf, a lemonade stand, a little store front for the pretend grocery store, even a TV stand if need be!
I love, love, love working with my hands on this kind of stuff! I really hope to do more projects like this!

Garage Makeover

Our garage has been a constant project since we moved in.
I loved parking my car in it, but eventually gave that up so that the kids could play.
Then, we went for it, and sheet rocked and insulated the whole thing.
We even painted....

I got a craft area for my own use, and the kids got a play area for their use!
We picked up a couch, and got some free carpet, and it's finally feeling like a cozy play room.
It's been a fun transformation, but I still feel like it's not quite right. I would like to do a few more organizational things, but Rich is convinced the I have a "bin habit" and he doesn't really support it. I might just have to do it, and then when he sees how great it looks he will be won over to the "dark side"...

Here is a photo journey of the transformation....the never ending, ongoing transformation!

Chaos, clutter, and kid stuff....everywhere.

Getting closer to done. Still lots of evidence of our kids...

My crafting area all done. Organized, and ready for some serious sewing, and crafts!

Our new living space...being well used! The couch is comfy, and the kids love having a carpet piece for to make it comfy for all the Lego play!

I am thinking a few pillows on the couch, and a few more bins on the shelf....I just might be done.
Maybe....

9/11/11

Today is the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
It is a day to remember.
I was always amazed when my parents said they could remember exactly where they were, and what they were doing when Kennedy was shot.
But now I understand.
Because I remember exactly where I was, and what I was doing when I heard.
My alarm woke me up, and instead of peppy music, it was the shocked voice of the radio DJ announcing that something terrible had happened in New York. And then Washington.
It was the first time in my life that my safe little bubble of a world was rocked.
I was an entire continent away from the devastation, but I felt like it was right outside my living room window.

I sat and watched the news for days.
I watched the planes hit.
I watched the buildings crumble.
I watched people scream and run.
I watched people jump out.
I watched the list of missing persons grow, and grow, and grow.
And I cried.

A few months later, when it was announced that we would go to war to fight back against the evil, I remember feeling very, very afraid.
For the first time, my friends, who had signed up for the Marines, the Army, or the Coast Guard for the great money, were faced with the fact that they might have to go and sacrifice their lives for the country.
And some of them did.
And some of them came home, broken, missing parts of themselves, or their friends, their dreams filled with nightmares.

And I admit, I don't think about it that often.
I surely don't think about it as much as parents, spouses and children who lost someone on that day.
Or parents, spouses or children who wait every night to hear from the soldier that they have prayed for all day.

But today, I will think about it.
I will pray.
I will think about heaven and perfect peace.
And I will hug my little ones extra long.
And hold hands with my husband because I can.
Because today is a day to remember.