Because we all need a reminder sometimes...

I love the chalkboard in my kitchen.

I always have something written on it:
birthday greetings,
what's for dinner,
or something I need to remember.

I wrote this on it a couple of days ago:

it's one of my favorites.

And it can be an easy one for me to forget.
Sometimes I have a hard time being glad,
when I have a migraine
{again}
or when the kids are fighting
or when the dog has torn up the garbage bag in the kitchen.
{isn't she supposed to be out of that phase by now?}

So the reminder is good.

And I actually made Riley memorize it today
after he complained (heartily) about doing his chores
and practicing the piano.


I suggested he stay in his room until he could come out feeling glad.
It took about 10 minutes.
:)


Avery's satin pajama pants make me glad.


Drinking my coffee in this cup every morning makes me glad.
{and it's 11 forty-something at night and this looks so good to me right now.}


This polka dot shirt I got in Santa Cruz makes me glad.


And this guy blowing bubbles for his little sister makes my heart super glad.


I think I'm going to keep it up on my chalkboard for a few more days
just in case I need more reminding....

An Evening Swim. With Frogs.

It has been a cool summer so far,
but now the warm weather is finally here.
Finally!

I'm sure in a month or so these hot days will get to me,
but for now I'm enjoying them.
And hot nights mean occasional evening swims at Gary's parents' house.


And if swimming alone wasn't fun enough for the boys,
add a frog (toad?) or two into the mix.


Apparently the frogs enjoy the cool water as well.
{Until last night, that is.}

I'm pretty sure the two baby frogs that the boys adopted and forced to jump off the diving board multiple times all evening are ready for summer to be over.

Migraines = lame

This week is kind of a blur.
It was basically one big migraine headache.
These weeks don't happen too often,
thankfully,
but when they do ... ugh.

I was a lump on the couch most of the day today,
and the kids were great.


And, for the record, Netflix instant streaming is pretty much the best invention ever.

When I wasn't cowering in a dark corner of the house, I was working on this:


It's a practice quilt (for Avery's beloved Pooh bear)
in preparation for finishing her big quilt.
I can't believe it, but I think I actually might be doing a good job.
{I probably just jinxed the whole thing.}

And scenes from around the house today...
this huge ladybug that Avery is inexplicably in love with.

It creeps me out.

The 500 piece puzzle that the boys abandoned on the dining room table...


that I will end up putting back into the box
which will cause them to freak out.

And the Marini's caramel popcorn that I bought in Santa Cruz
and tried to hide from the kids...

was unfortunately discovered while I was trying to nap
and is now almost gone.

Kids.

a little fun on a Tuesday

We had a nice time on our little beach getaway.
We went to Santa Cruz, which is just under two hours away from us.


We spent a lot of quality time doing nothing except
digging in the sand, burying ourselves in the sand,
running into the water, and catching as many sand crabs as possible.



We also had a little fun on the boardwalk.
I love the iconic California vibe there.


Oh the color....



Flying through the air on my stomach on a ride manned by a bored 17 year old?
Nothankyouverymuch.

We stayed a little closer to the ground.



She really was having fun....

And, just to prove I was there:


Gary says I do this a lot.
Hmmm.
Not sure what to think about that,
except that I'm going to try not to do it anymore.
{Especially when someone is taking pictures.}

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

And, on another note, thanks to those of you for voting for me the other day!
I didn't win the iPad
{boo}
but I did come in 3rd and won a $50 Amazon gift card.
{what to buy?}
So thanks!

And the winner of the giveaway is...


Ms. Amy!
Your goodies will be on their way soon.
Promise.
:)

Extra Special

My poor husband has to share his two special days this year.
Today is his "happy birthday" and "happy father's day" rolled into one.
So...we're treating him extra nice
and celebrating at the beach.


He is...
the most loyal person I know
the smartest person I know
the kindest and most fair person I know
the most patient person I know
the funniest/goofiest person I know
the best father
the perfect husband for me


And he's loved by us very much.

{to my Dad}

You are the best for many reasons.
For showing us what love and family devotion is.
For teaching us how to be loyal and fair and hardworking.
For taking care of our family and teaching us how to take care of ourselves.

And now, for being a papa that the kids love so much.


Happy father's day, Dad!

speaking of online tutorials....

Doesn't it blow your mind that just a few years ago
there was no Google
no web
and therefore {gasp} no online tutorials?

Oh the horror.

My file of things to make via tutorials is ginormous.
But I knocked one off that huge list the other day.

I love this wetbag.
It's super simple and very practical.


And it's made from a shower curtain.
{how fun, right?}
I used this tutorial.

Next up on the ginormous list?
bunk bed fort.

***********

And don't forget, if you want to win this wetbag and the towel tote,
come enter here.

Your odds of winning are looking *really* good right now.
:)

A favor. And a giveaway.

So. I've entered this little contest.

The winner of this little contest gets an iPad.
Really!

And since I'm not too proud to beg, I'm asking:
will you go vote for my photo?
The contest asks entrants to submit a photo that makes you smile.
The one I submitted always makes me smile.
(And think to myself, "boys.")


Will you vote for it?

Here's how.
1. First, go to this site:
http://shareasmile.smilegeneration.com/

2. Click the green box that says New Visitors Click to Begin.
It will ask you to create an account with just your name, your email, and a password you create.
Then it will ask you to authorize your Twitter or Facebook account.
{I promise, it's not spam. They won't send you a ton of stuff.}

3. Then you're ready to vote!
Go to the yellow Browse button
and find my picture of the 3 kids in their Halloween costumes.

At the bottom. :(

Then, if you would, vote for my picture.
You can vote up to 4 times.
Pretty please?

(here's the direct link, just in case)

If I win I promise to be your best friend and love you forever and never ask you for another thing as long as we both shall live.

And just in case being my bff and having my eternal love isn't enough,
how about this?


It's a wetbag.
Perfect for swimsuits after the pool.
Or to keep in your car for car messes.
Or even to keep in a diaper bag for...other messes.

And...in keeping with a swimming theme...
one of these, too?

(look how small she was last summer! *sob*)

The towel tote I made last year?
I'll make you one.

So...if you vote, come back and tell me and you can win.
And then we'll all be winners!

Oh, and the contest will happen again next week.
Enter your photo & I'll vote for you.
Then we can be iPad bff's, too.

Tonight...

...bedtime could not come quickly enough.
Today was one of those days that makes you think,
"why was I looking forward to summer again?"

BUT...I've decided that I'm going to focus on the positive.
I'm not going to discuss the behavior in my house today.
The whining...bickering...fighting...and bad attitudes.
{theirs and mine}

I'm just going to focus on the nice stuff.
Like the most loved baby grasshopper in history.


He was well taken care of,
until he decided to jump into the Lego bin
and was never seen again.

Have you discovered the Drumsticks ice cream mini drum sticks?
No?


They are evil
and delicious
and perfect treats for summer evenings in the backyard.
{pre-bath treats, obviously)

The boys set up shop this afternoon in our driveway.
Selling candy on our {not busy at all} street.


They hung out in the back of the car for about 90 minutes yelling
"candy for sale!"
"get your candy here"
They bagged up Smarties and jelly beans and suckers.

I bought 2 packs of Smarties for $1 and I figured I would be their only sale.
Until our sweet college neighbor and his girlfriend came over
and bought $2 worth of candy (plus a 25 cent tip).
They were thrilled.

When the shop closed they ended with $4.15.
Not bad for 3 hours of sitting in the car.



And finally...


this girl that just turned three
and is now 100% potty trained
{even at night!}
is in a big-girl bed
{that finally arrived yesterday after I ordered it in February}.

There is no longer a crib anywhere in my house
for the first time since 2001.

Now I guess I really need to get her quilt finished, huh?

A new old shirt.

I have seen so many tutorials online for making dresses out of men's shirts.
Oh how I love tutorials.

So when Gary cleaned out his closet awhile back I stole a bunch
of things from his giveaway pile.

I finally got around to making something this week.


I took an old button down green plaid Gap shirt of Gary's
and turned into a shirt - {or short dress?} - for Avery.


I wish I could tell you how I made it,
but it was a total trial-and-error thing
and I'd be shocked if I could do it again.


She loves that part of it used to belong to daddy.


I love that it didn't cost me a dime.

The best kind of project!

Tennis love

I used to be a tennis player.
Back in the day.
The first date Gary and I went on in 1992 was to play tennis.
{I won}

We decided to put the boys in lessons this summer.
We bought rackets this weekend
and they began lessons today.


They *loved* it.
I mean l-o-v-e-d.


When the lesson was over they begged to keep playing.
Riley actually said,
"I don't want to play video games anymore...I just want to play tennis."
I had to turn around and make sure I was bringing the right child home.

Avery was sad she wasn't playing.


Until she realized that she could retrieve the wayward tennis balls
and toss them back to the instructor.


Never-ending entertainment.

I am beyond excited that they love tennis.
Maybe I need to encourage a brother partnership like the Williams sisters?

Oh, and you know how it always rains right after you wash your car?
This is what always happens the day before we have a check-up
with the pediatrician.


Just about every time we have an appointment with the doctor
someone has a major injury on their face.
This time Colin had a run-in with a wooden fence.
{You can see who won.}

I'm pretty sure our pediatrician is keeping a file on me.