look

what is ready to be picked....
we love raspberry season!!

2 days of storms and rain

equalled a lake in the back yard and water in the basement.

Railroad Days Parade

Saturday was the parade in town. The girls rode the float for their dance studio.
Reyna did amazingly well with the horns from the firetrucks and ambulances, she didn't do so well at Monday nights parade and I have to wonder if the tubes made the difference. We managed to watch the entire parade, even as the sky grew darker and darker, making it home just before the storm hit. Another night of thunderstorms and wild weather.

swimming lessons

the kids have had lessons for the past two weeks, every day for an hour.
Yahaira has loved jumping off the board and spending the time in the water. Anthony not so much.
Friday was their last day, yahaira passed and has moved on to level 3, next time she will be in the same level as Anthony.

shelling peas

the peas in our garden are ready to be picked
discovered many willing hands to help out when it came time to shell them...

powwow parade

in mt lake, first parade of the season, the start of a pretty busy week

new bed

yet again....
yes we have tried multiple types of beds in a quest to get those two to actually sleep in their room.
no comment of if it is working, I'm fearful it might jinx the process...
at least this one gives more space for them to play in their room.

a few more berry

picking pictures

bread baking class

sponsored through community ed.
they created these bread masterpieces listened to a presentation on making bread and brought the warm from the oven bread home, where soon it was devoured.

strawberry picking

enjoying the wonderful freshness that is strawberries grown locally and picked fresh by us.
a first for these little ones who completely enjoyed the experience.

Bridesmaid

she was in a wedding on Saturday.
I wasn't able to attend the wedding due to other obligations
but did get to see her briefly in her dress.
She of course looked beautiful...and despite all her worries it was a wonderful day.
her biggest worry? tripping as she walked down the aisle.
happy to report she remained upright during the entire walk.

My dad's 70th birthday party

held on Saturday afternoon

with his sister Irene and brother Bob

a surprise of sorts, he read it in the paper
he grumbled a bit and wondered why the fuss
the day arrived and he asked who would even come
soon he discovered just how many did come.
I did little in the planning department that was accomplished by Linette and Beckie
I simply enjoyed the afternoon and watched my dad enjoy this moment, this party.
something he deemed silly, something he enjoyed completely when all was said and done.

sewing

I don't sew. I don't.
and yet last Friday I found myself doing that very thing.
sigh...no I am not exactly sure how that happened.
It began with a simple request by my niece in response to my question of what she would like for her birthday.
"a sewing machine" she replied. So one was purchased by me and given to her.
simple. well it should have been.
until the reality that someone would have to show her how to use the machine.
and somehow that someone became me.
did I mention I don't sew? I did? well believe me I do not exaggerate when I say I know nothing about sewing.
So I found myself on Etsy searching (retail therapy always helps when I am stressed)
when I quite by accident stumble upon diy kits for sewing. What is a diy kit? Someone had the brilliant idea to take a pattern, cut out the material and package it with very simple basic instructions and call it a kit. I call it amazing.
So a few kits were ordered they arrived and after I read thru the instructions and found I was still able to breath calmly I figured we might just be able to do this. So Thursday night I attempted to sew one of the kits, one I had ordered in Reyna's size. Thinking perhaps I should give it a go before I actually attempted to help Gracie. The instructions were filled with pictures and one sentence steps. (really simple) only when it came time to turn that little top the correct way did I create a few words and steam may have rolled off my head but within an hour the top was completed. All survived, no fingers were maimed and I had actually made a reversible top for one little person in my home. The next day Gracie arrived and we started with a simple project...a bag once completed we moved onto her dress a beautiful blend of red,black and yellow material which once completed was absolutely stunning. Needless to say she was thrilled and put it on right away grinning at her accomplishment. Not to be left out Rosie and Yahaira also wanted to sew and so they too made their own tote bags. All around excitement filled the house as they completed their first sewing attempt.

a walk thru time...

puddles

It rained last night...
and again this morning,
and again this afternoon...
baseball was cancelled, and it looked as tho our day was going to be spent indoors
or so the kids thought. During a pause in rain showers I rounded up the older kids, telling them to leave their shoes and socks indoors,
most were curious but cautious. After all Deb rarely tells them to go outside in the rain...my next suggestion left most standing and staring at me in shock...pretty sure they have never heard me utter the sentence "go play in the road." Which I did, after all that is where all the puddles were, so with a bit of instruction, (I know, I know there are always rules) about the importance of getting off the road when told away they went, soon the air was filled with laughter and water splashing. Giggles and the busy sound of kids discovering the joy of water. One approached me and said "I'm wet" "you'll dry" I suggested, and off he ran to splash some more. A needed reminder to me that we need to get wet more often, and puddles need to be explored every chance we get.