Wordless Wednesday - Buddies

True Story Tuesday - Baby Birdy

My children are always making me laugh. There is never a dull moment in my house. It's such a good thing that "laughter is the best medicine."

The other day we were outside playing and the boys stumbled upon a dead baby bird. This thing was stiff as a bored and crispy! Adam, in full little boy mode, picked up the bird and ran across the yard to show me his new treasure. I said "Adam, put that down, it is dead, dirty, and yucky. We don't pick up dead animals." He responded, in a purely thoughtful and innocent manner, "Mommy, Nanny likes birdies, let's put it in a box and wrap it pretty. We can give it to her for a present, she will like it." Just what my grandmother wanted ~ a dead bird, in full rigor, wraped in a box with a pretty bow! She laughed and laughed when I told her the story. Let's just say, baby birdie was snuck into the garbage when Adam wasn't looking.

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

http://www.onceuponamiracle.com/search/label/True%20Story%20Tuesday

Monday Mugs - Pets

Our house only has fish as pets, so I posted a picture of my parents pet. We dog sat one weekend back in April and the boys loved entertaining our house guest.

Daisy is a 2 year old Yorkie/Shih Tzu mix.

Visit Heather and more mugs at http://www.oswaldcuties.blogspot.com/

Friend Friday Follow

I am participating in a new blog hop this week. I am looking forward to making new blog friends.

Check it out at http://www.toddlerawesome.blogspot.com/

Friday Flashbacks

This weekend is our annual family vacation weekend to Lancaster Pa to visit Thomas the Tank Engine and Dutch Wonderland. In honor of this weekend, I decided to flashback to our first trip there. Nick was 3, Adam was 5 months. We had a great time!

Visit more flashbacks @ http://minyards7.blogspot.com/

5 Question Friday

1. Do you know how to play a musical instrument? Yes, I played clarinet in high school band, I didn't like it, and I haven't touched it since!

2. What is your pet peeve while driving? SLOW people in the left lane that won't move over!!!

3. Would you rather have a housekeeper or unlimited spa service? ohhh - tough one! I don't have time for spa treatments and I am picky about how I like things done at my house, so... if I had a housekeeper I would have more time to go to the spa ;)

4. Is ther a song that you here that will take you back to that moment, like junior high or high school dances? I graduated in 1995 and our popular school dance songs were "Stairway to Heaven", "Everything I do, I do it for you", "Kiss from a Rose", "Waterfalls" - ok I feel really old now!

5. What song best represents your life right now? Darius Rucker, "History in the Making" It reminds me that we are constantly making memories and to cherish every "first" and all of those special moments.

Deal of the Day

Party City, one of our favorite "fun" stores, has all of last year's Halloween Costumes back out and they are all on sale for...$5.00!!

I bought the kids each one to play in now for dress-up fun and they have had a great time all evening being Luke Skywalker and Buzz Lightyear. It's hard to predict who they will want to be in October, but now they are enjoying the costumes just to play with. They had all sizes from baby to adult and some sold for as much as $50.00 last season. I am not sure if Party City is just a regional store for where I live or if it is national, but I wanted to share a good find, if anyone is interested.

Wordless Wednesday - Petting Zoo

Monday Mugs - Summer

This week's theme is summer ~ and my family LOVES summer.

Whether we are at an amusement park enjoying our rides or...

at the beach digging for sand crabs....

enjoying a carnival during a warm summer evening...


sometimes it's fun to visit neighbor's and enjoy their pool, but...



sometimes we enjoy summer by just being silly!!

Visit more Monday Mugs at http://www.oswaldcuties.blogspot.com/

Have a good week everyone!!

It's Father's Day Weekend!

Life Lessons

You may have thought I didn't see, Or that I hadn't heard,

Life lessons that you taught to me,

But I got every word.
Perhaps you thought I missed it all,And that we'd grow apart,

But Dad, I picked up everything,

It's written on my heart.
Without you, Dad, I wouldn't beThe woman I am today;

You built a strong foundation

No one can take away.
I've grown up with your values, And I'm very glad I did;

So here's to you, dear father,

From your forever grateful kid.

By Joanna Fuchs

5 Question Friday

1. What is your favorite thing about summertime? Warm weather, vacations, fun, flip flops, swimming, being outdoors, and I could go on and on and on...

2. What is your ideal retirement location (if money didn't matter)? Somewhere that is warm all year, on a beach but with a nearby mountains, steams, and woods so my fishing and hunting loving hubby would come with me - I don't know if such a place exists, but it sounds wonderful :)

3. Do you live in the same town you grew up in? Close, I live about 9 miles from my parents house.

4. What nervous habit did you have as a child that you kicked to the curb before becoming an adult? I used to suck my thumb to go to sleep and when I was nervous.

5. What is the most embarrassing thing that happened to you while on the job? When I started the job I have now ( I am a school administrator), I was asked to come in and get my office keys and sign my contract about a week before I started working and I was told to just stop by and that it would only take 5 minutes. Well, it was summer time and I was in the area, so I stop by, expecting for a very quick, informal visit. I had no idea that they were going to take me to meet the Superintendant for the first time while I was there. I was wearing jean shorts, flip flops, and a t-shirt!!! How's that for a first impression! I've been here almost 3 years and he likes me, so I suppose he didn't hold it against me.

Read more about 5 question friday at http://www.fivecrookedhalos.blogspot.com

1.I would love to someday be able to sleep in until 6:58, but my boys seem to prefer 5:58 instead.

2. It was the reason, of course, that was funny for why he felt the need to do that!

3. Go out and party all night like I did in college is something I no longer feel the need to do.

4. I have another errand to run, then I am going home to start my next project.

5. It has to be here somewhere...just go find it

6. What were once vices are far from my mind now!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a t-ball game, tomorrow my plans include swimming to survive the 90+ degree weather we are getting and Sunday, I want to enjoy a Father's Day breakfast with my Dad and family and then spoil my husband like he did for me on Mother's day.

Friday Photo Flashbacks - Father's Day Edition

I thought I would flashback and honor some of my families favorite fathers.

My Dad with my boys showing Nick some of the Tow Trucks his company makes.

Nick was 3 and Adam was 5 months.

My Dad holding 4 hour old Adam.

Adam, 20 months, old helping my father in law install my pantry cabinet.

Ray and his little Steelers fans - Nick 3, Adam 2 months

My boys, stil to this day, love to "help" Daddy mow grass.

Nick 4 - Adam 1 1/2



Happy Father's Day Weekend Everyone.

Visit more flashbacks at http://minyards7.blogspot.com/

Suprise Vacation!

Last Thursday I worked a half day and got off at 12 and off on Friday. I received a cell phone call at 12:10 and was told to come straight home for a surprise. I could hear the kids giggling and being excited in the background. When I got home Ray told me I had 1/2 hour to pack for a trip and to pack swiming stuff, the kids were already packed. We got in the car and I was kidnapped to an unknown destination. Little did I know, we were going to one of the most wonderful vacation I ever had. We went to Raytown Lake. It's a lake resort full of activities, boats, gorgeous scenary, and a peacefulness of the outdoors, without any commercialism. He had this planned for weeks and I was so proud of him for doing something like this. In 15 years of knowing him he has never planned a real vacation, I am always to vacation planner/coordinator!

Below are the highlights of our trip. I will warn you, it's a long post, but I just couldn't narrow down the pictures any more than I did to capture our 2 wonderful days - away from it all!

We just got out of the car and the kids were patiently waiting to go to the pool and waterpark!

Nick, my little fish, loved the pool and doing cannonballs !!

Adam was more cautious in the pool, but had fun playing on the steps and hanging on to the side.


This water park or, "sprinkler park" as Adam called it, was more his speed and everyone had fun playing between here and teh pool. In this pic they are getting wet from the big water bucket that fills up and then dumps the water out.

The awesome sprinklers and sprayers!!

Running throuhg the spraying frog - all 3 of my boys!

The outside of our room. It was nestled in the mountains and overlooked the lake. The view was breathtaking.

Pure Beauty!

My men at the boat marina.

This is the view from the balcony of our room. It was Ray and I's favorite place to be at night after the boys went to sleep. We just talked, had a few drinks, enjoyed the view, got some bugs bites, and loved each others company.

Me and Nick

What?! I'm ready, let's go to the beach.

The beautiful walk to the beach area.

Enjoying the beach water.

Huddling around the portable DVD player to watch a movie before bedtime. They were 2 very tired little boys and fell asleep very fast.


We had a great time. We still have a few more trips to enjoy before the summer fly's by! Next weekend we head out to Lancaster and Dutch Wonderland to stay adn play for a few days. I promise to share all of our summer fun with my blogs friends - it's looking to be a great summer!