My Sweet Baby Girl

 
Colby had a little "procedure" done on her foot today for a small growth on the bottom of it. She did fine and only took one dose of ibuprofin this afternoon for pain. I was amazed how well she walked on it--just like nothing happened. Three more of these treatments and hopefully it will be gone for good. I hate to see my babies in pain.... 

Learning to dive

 
Colby is learning to dive using proper technique--without belly-flopping! 

Just pictures

 
 
 
  

A Night With Friends...

What a great day yesterday. My mom picked up the kids Saturday afternoon for a sleepover at her house. Greg and I had some friends over for a cookout and a few beverages. We shared a lot of stories and ALOT of laughs mostly reminiscing of years past. The girls and I joked that it was pointless to have put on make-up as our tears of laughter had washed it all away. We then headed to the guys' 20 year reunion gathering at the riverfront. More stories, more laughter and a few more beverages :) A great time was had by all including the kids.

After church today I picked the kids up and we headed to the aquatic center for a full afternoon of water fun. They were a little short on sleep last night, but you never would have known it. They swam and played like no other. Assuming they were tired, we headed home at about 4pm. They got home and swam some more! Supper dishes have been cleared and I thought everyone would be ready to hit the sack early tonight, but once again, I am wrong as they all headed outside to play football!

After a week of vacation and a weekend of fun with friends and the kids it will be tough to go back to old grind tomorrow. Mondays are never fun and when you are coming off of a fun weekend, it's even worse. Wishing some of these days could last forever....

Blank Park Zoo

 
 
 

Just a few shots from the zoo.... 

A Day At Adventureland

  First ride of the day--the train. Creighton's fave.












  SOAKED on the Log Ride!












  Cruising along....














  New this year-the Frog Hopper. It tickled their bellies!







The kids had a great day at the park. A fun-filled family day. Creighton loved the train and the frog hopper. Colby loves all of the water rides and the Space Shot. She rode the Space Shot 5 times--it was a first for all of us on that one. I think my stomach is still somewhere in Altoona :) 

Adventureland

 
 
 
  We just arrived home after being in Des Moines for a few days. We went to Adventureland, the zoo and various other stops along the way. Haven't had time to go through my pictures too much, but these are a few from the hotel pool. Notice my children are bellied up to the swim-up bar having fruit smoothies. I believe Greg opted for the Miller Lite instead :) I had been up in the room and came down to the pool to find my entire family perched on stools at the swim-up bar. It made me laugh.... 

Monday

 
 
 
 
It was nice to have a day off today. Swim lessons for Colby, a picnic at the park and playing at the playground. Came home for an afternoon of swimming and riding four-wheelers. Glad I have a few more days of the same. 

Shake Your Tail Feathers

Creighton watched Chicken Little tonight and was dancing to "Shake Your Tail Feathers" with Colby's pink scarf. I'm pretty sure Greg wouldn't think that was something I should be publicizing :) It was very cute--I couldn't resist.

Kathy

 











To Kathy - Thanks for entertaining us, feeding us and for listening. You are awesome! (and you make a mean enchilada!)....oh, and I can't forget Harry--you are awesome too--Creighton misses you :) 

At the fair

  Treats at the Fair are the BEST!














  Creighton was mesmerized at the tractor pull. 

County Fair

Yesterday Greg took the kids to the Co. Fair while I worked. When I got off I met them there to go to the tractor pull. Greg failed to mention that a newspaper reporter interviewed him and took a picture of him and Creighton. Today it is on the front page of the Journal. Very cute (and of course it is the only picture we have of their fun day since Greg isn't the family photographer :-)

I took some pictures last night, but my battery is dead in my camera and I can't get them loaded until I get a new battery.

Not sure what the week will bring, but I am off work until the 28th and after Sunday Greg is off through August 3rd. We have a few things planned with the kids and a few days out of town too. So hopefully it will be a good week of relaxing, playing and reconnecting with the ones I so dearly love and miss every day.

Pictures to come soon :)

Broken

It hasn't been a good week. I found myself discouraged, disappointed and frustrated with this broken world and it's irrational happenings. There is just so much junk that we have to carry as a result. Found myself wanting to fix what I cannot fix and control what I cannot control. Longing again for the time when it is all "fixed" and perfect again....as it was intended to be.

A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success. --Unknown Author

Boundaries

I cleaned, organized, sorted, filed and de-filed all day at work. When I got home I was still in the mood so rather than tackle anything in the house I decided to clean the garage. It is now 9pm and I just finished (I did take a break to feed the kids and get them to bed). That garage was disgusting! The kids have an area where they play and it looked like a pigpen. Greg does his little projects and never cleans or picks up the tools he used. We have a multitude of animals that live in there too (puppies, cats, kittens). So, it was in desparate need of some attention. I did some cleaning, sweeping and a little organizing. Greg is working tonight and I have a feeling he isn't going to be as excited about the (somewhat) clean garage as I am. The first time he can't find something it will be MY fault. I may have just overstepped my boundaries. Oh well, it looks good to me :)

Colby's Sunflower

 
Greg was able to plant sunflower seeds out in the field again this year. So far there is just a few of their pretty little heads peeking out. Colby took some of the seeds and planted a few in our pumpkin patch. This picture is of one of hers. There is just something about sunflowers that I love.

As far as my other flowers that were so beautful about a month ago. Well, lets just say that several pots have been pulled and put away for the year. They didn't survive the heat very well this week and some of them were fried.

The weeds were starting to overtake my landscaping too. So I asked Greg to get out the Roundup and go on weed patrol. It looks like he pretty much killed everything green--the good plants and the weeds. I can't complain though as I'll get the standard response - "Then do it yourself next time". So, I'll bite my tongue and be thankful that I have a few less plants to water :-) 

Hot Wheels

 
Creighton got a Hot Wheels computer game for Christmas. Never played it, not interested. Now suddenly it's the hottest thing at our house--including nightly arguments over whose turn it is. 

What Am I DOING!?

It is 3am. I can't sleep. Came downstairs for a drink of water and decided to get on the computer. I should have known better! Now I am wide awake and probably won't get any more sleep. Only 3 hours till I have to get ready for work. I just stepped outside and it is very nice out. The humidity is down and it actually feels cool out there. Hopefully, the day is a little more tolerable.

My family is sleeping peacefully and for some reason I can't. I hate nights like this--makes for a long day to come.....

Done

 
 
These kids are just done this afternoon. They have spent hours upon hours in the pool this weekend and despite the heat they have been active as ever. Until this afternoon. We were all in the pool. They went in the house. I stayed in the pool--feeling a little pale so I thought I would work on my tan a bit :) And this is how I found them when I came in...Colby in her PJ's eating popcorn and watching a movie and Creighton still in his swim trunks asleep still sitting up! They are just exhausted and ready to relax in the air conditioning for awhile. I'm sure by this evening they will be raring to go again and we'll be back in the pool. But, for now I am enjoying the peace and quiet.... 

Slow Down Buddy...

 
Creighton is trying really hard to grow up this week. Much too fast for my liking. Earlier in the week he informed me he was starting kindergarten the next day. Yesterday he told the sitter he could drive a car. And today he told her that he was having a birthday party tomorrow with a Spiderman cake and he was going to be 5 years old. He said that he is going to be big tomorrow so he could go to camp like Colby. He also told me that his teeth are big and strong now and can chew up trees. Wow, can't he just stay 3 forever? 

Nothing

Nothing significant, or insignificant for that matter, to report today. Not a lot happening. Colby had camp, I worked, Greg is working now. Kids are in bed. Thats it. Thankful the weekend is approaching and even though Greg isn't around, the kids and I should be able to do some work around the house and veg in the pool. Sounds like it will be a hot one. I am off to do some reading and hope to hit the sack early tonight. (The pictures are just random selections. Nothing too exciting)