This Years Christmas Card?

Yesterday afternoon I was in the kitchen making dinner and the kids were in the family room making a ruckus, when I heard, 

"Mommy come here we have a perfect picture for this years Christmas card!"

What do you think??

Camping Not Glamping!

Late Friday afternoon we left to go camping.  We reserved our spot at a state park which is approximately an hour and fifteen minutes away from our home.  After we packed up the car, we realized we're going to need to get a pop-up trailer if we plan to go on any other road trips.  Yikes!  We could barely fit what we needed in our Volkswagen Passat and had to tie things to the roof!

Luckily my mothers helper Paulina, came on Friday afternoon before we left and I was able to get everything packed, the house cleaned up, and notes left for the dog sitters, etc.  When I picked up Paulina I told her I'd be getting things ready for camping while she was over and she said "Camping or Glamping?"  HAHA!  I wish we were Glamping, but no, just plain old camping.  Sleeping on the ground in a tent, eating over a campfire, hiking in the woods, getting eaten by mosquito's, getting dirty, and enjoying nature the good old fashion way.  

The first night it was so cold, it had been raining all day.  When we arrived things were dry but chilly.  We set up and made dinner.  The Husband purchased this wonderful outdoor cook set for cooking over fires and because of these new pots and pans we made pizzas instead of hot dogs which is the usual dinner choice when we go camping.  The kids played a bit, then it started to rain.  We decided to call it a night, not just because of the rain, but also because we had gotten there pretty late and we could tell they were tired.   

First Night:

Good Morning!  A beautiful sunny day, a chill in the air but when in the sun you could tell it was going to be a hot one.  

Pancakes!

Coffee! 

 I am in LOVE with this coffee pot, another great addition.  Thank you Husband!

These white and furry creatures were everywhere! 

 We plan to look them up to see what they are.  

Anyone know?

Setting off for a hike

Taking a much needed rest!

This is the view once you get to the top.  Magnificent...I could of stayed all day.

Heading back to camp

S'mores

Our Last night:

The Husband giving me a hard time about having his picture taken. 

I love to camp.  If the camp grounds I like best had showers, I could stay for days.  I can't go more then a few days without a shower, I just can't do it!  


As for the kids, I hope they too will love the woods as much as I do.  I've said this before, but it truly is one of my greatest wishes for them.  To love and appreciate the natural world, to respect it, to cherish it, to love it.


Until next year.....

Photo Challenge: Gratitude Days 13 - 18

Day 13: The Written Word

Day 14: Movement

Day 15: Technology

Day 16: Animals

Day 17: Memories

Day 18: Something New

Ready to Party!

A Color Blast Celebration!

She's set and ready for her guests.

Today

We're getting ready to par-tay!

Be back soon with pics and the deets.


I am so street.  Word.

Photo Challenge Gratitude: Days 10-12

Day 10: Nature

Day 11: Something Old

my Father-in-laws family (early 1930's?)

Day 12: Hands

Hands working technology 

Hands preparing to eat 

Hands Playing

Photo Challenge: Gratitude Days 7 and 8

Day 7: Something Funny

As The Husband and I were cleaning up the yard for the night, I found Ken in the grass missing a leg.  


Me: "Poor Ken.  He lost a leg."
The Husband: "He probably deserved it."


I laughed my butt off!

Day 8: Favorite Color

Green, blue, and pink.  I can't pick just one!

Photo Challenge: Gratitude Day 6: Books

Photo Challenge: Gratitude Days 4 and 5

Day 4: Leaves

Day 5: Morning Sky??

No morning sky.  I couldn't get out of bed in time because I was up past 1:00 am.  Please read below for my reasons for being up so late.  (I'll try to capture the sky tomorrow.)

This is a story made of (my) nightmares....

Yesterday as tradition, we went to Nana's for a picnic and then on the boat to see the fireworks. We left around 6:00 and enjoyed a leisurely time checking out other boats, watching children jumping into the water, talking, taking pictures, and having some snacks.  

Around 9:00 when the sky was just dark enough the show began.  We ooh and ahhed, and took lots of pictures.

Then just as the finale ended, the rain and lightening began.  Poppy made his way back to the dock following the line of other boats.  As we approached the area where it becomes a narrow passageway to dock the boats, there was a backup as the boats must go very slow before docking. Lots of boats means much slower than usual.  However, we could see something was not quite right.  Boats were going off course!  As we got closer to the boats having trouble we could see why; the tide was coming in, and with the storm a strong current began swirling in a whirlpool.   THIS is what was causing boats to go off course.  Mind you this is an area full of rocks, an area where you need to stay in the center as you drive your boat in.  A COMPLETE AND TOTAL NIGHTMARE.  Our boat was getting pushed out of line and turned around.  We were approaching rocks!  Swirling around! Children crying!  My mother losing her marbles!  OH MY GOD, I have never been so scared in my entire life.  All day I have tried to think of a time I was more scared than last night.  Can't think of a thing.

What it felt like:

In actuality:

This my friends, is why I was up late.  I could not sleep after that.  I laid in my bed imagining what could have happened.  Feeling the fear over and over again.  Thankfully sleep finally came and today I feel better about the whole thing, but I don't think I will be going on a boat any time soon.  Maybe next 4th of July?  Maybe?

P.S. Poppy did an amazing job keeping us safe.  He knew just what to do.  He was calm and steered the boat with all his might to keep us safe and thankfully back to dry land.  Thank you Poppy!!!

Photo Challenge Day 3: Happiness

Happiness

Super Cuteness

A is going to an all day gymnastic camp this week and because she is there for the day, she needs two snacks, a cold lunch, and water.  Yesterday I packed her bag with some of her favorites; potato chips, a hard roll with butter (a girl after my own heart), some cantaloupe, a juice box and a large bottle of water.  Last night she came home and told us all about the first day.  She had lots a fun and is quite sore this morning!


So last night I found a note on my pillow from her (this is almost a nightly ritual.  She writes me notes to tell me things she's worried about, something she forgot to tell me during the day.  Often the notes are about school, sitting arrangements in the classroom, missing her teacher, etc) However last night's note was about what she wanted to bring for a snack today to camp.


Here is her note, her words and her spelling:

Dear Mommy,

this is my plan for gymnastics.

Snack: a bag of cheese its, water

Lunch: a roll with butter, cantalop, juice box

extra snack: 2 soft chocolate chip cookies, and a granola bar, water

Thanks, A

P.S. If your not going to give me 2 cookies (BOO HOO) can I have at least 1 cookie??

Super cute!  Don't you agree?


The Husband got quite a kick out of this saying to me "She's just like you."  HA! Tis true. I am a list maker even making lists such as this one when I find it necessary.  My question is, is there something wrong with that?  Because I think The Husband's tone might have had a ring to it suggesting that it is!

Photo Challenge: Gratitude Days 1 and 2

Day 1:  Favorite Food

In all honesty, I love all food.  But what I want to eat most of the time is bread and butter, so I chose it as my favorite food.  Since I did not have any nice looking bread I decided to use a photo from a google search, not the best way to begin a photo challenge is it??

Anyway, bread and butter, yum!

image source 

Day 2: Smile

This here is a genuine A smile.  She doesn't like to show her teeth in photos so whenever she knows her picture is being taken she closes her mouth.  I've asked her why, but she doesn't seem to know why or doesn't want to tell me?

When she walked into the room to show me how she put on all of J's karate sparring gear I cracked up and I also think she looked so cute.  Something about how little her face looks in that big helmet!

Tomorrow -  Day 3: Happiness