River fun.......

The boy's and I went down to the garden this morning to pick some squash. While we were down there, Salvador asked if we could go 'swimming'. Most anyone who knows me knows what I think of rivers, lakes and the such......they're big potties for animals, and who or whatever else comes along.....yuck. Granted, pretty to look at sometimes but not what I want to soak MY body in. Anyways, I told them, yes I would stay down there with them if they wanted to splash around in the water. One thing led to another and the boys ended up crossing over to 'the island'. They had SO much FUN and I had SO MUCH FUN watching them and snapping pictures.

Let me share:

Here's Salvador. He ventured out to the island by himself first.

For those of you who don't know him......

Salvador started out as being one of Nikki's friends.......LONG STORY--too long for this post. Anyways, he is one of the kids who's really become a part of our family. He has spent quite a bit of time over here this summer and we enjoy having him around. Samuel LOVES it when he's here and Salvador takes such good care of him. Salvador says, 'Samuel is the younger brother I never had.' We are very blessed to have him in our lives.

Anyways--- Here he is......Grrrrrr! He did it!!! Lemme tell you, it was no easy feet getting up there!!

Once he saw what it was all about, this was the FIRST time he'd been been out to the island, he came back for Sammo. You can see the water isn't real deep in this area, yet still he took Sammo's hand.

I just thought that was so sweet!

It REALLY can be tricky getting up different sides. It's ALL sand in this area so as soon as you get somewhere you fall back down!! Samuel tried a few times and then Salvador gave him a boost.

HE MADE IT!!!

The HAPPY DANCE of sweet success!!!

If I've said it once, I've said it a million times.....

...this kid CRACKS ME UP!!!! LOL

After the happy dance.........

I just thought these shots were such 'boy' shots.

I just like them..

Running, dirty, playing....it just yells BOY to me!

Salvador finally made it up, he didn't have anyone to lift him up!!! :) And they shared a 'boy' moment!!

These two are a crack up!!!

Well, they disappeared for a while and I just busied myself with pictures of all that was around me......after a while I called for them and before I knew it here they came.....

They found a big stick, of many I am sure, and twisted it into the sand, 'marking their territory'.

I told them I was ready to go back up to the house so they decided to come.

A Samuel thing...........

He says its his 'man hair'. UGH!

I guess it's the same as when the little girls try to 'make boobs' with their shirts........you know, when you flip it over and THINK it looks like you have boobies. LOL-the things kids do.......

And here he made a bear print with his hand. I thought it was pretty cute!!

After we were done down by the river we came up and they got changed. Samuel looked so darned cute so I asked him to come to the 'sitting tree' to take some pictures....

He told me about a sliver he had in his foot earlier in the day. I told him his dad was going to have to take it out and he got all upset because it hurts ya know! So I told him maybe he could try soaking in the tub first. While we were walking to the sitting tree he mentioned his sliver...wondering if it was still there......here he is looking.........'Nope! It's gone.' Great right?? So what is Samuel's take on this discover??? 'Oh Great! I guess I don't have to take a bath now!' BOYS!!!!!!

Here he is swinging on the tree swing........

The kids love these little tree swings. When I was back at my moms a few years ago when she was so sick I picked them up at The Christmas Tree Shoppes. I LOVE that store!!!!

They were ONLY a couple of bucks each and the kids have had MORE fun on them!!!

They make for good pictures too!! :)

Are you tired yet of all my pictures?? Trust me when I tell you this is FAR from ALL of todays pictures!! As a matter of fact, I took OVER 300!!

I thought I was done too but I'm not...........just a few more...

These are for Nikki.......

She's still in Tx.

I told her I took some pictures of her kitty and she asked if I'd post them so she could see.

So, here they are Nickles...

And one more pic of another one of my blooming lillies!!

These seem to be a little darker pink than the others.

Well, that's all for now.......I've got some 'business' to take care of.

Enjoy the rest of your week!!! I'm back to work tonight for 3!!!

Just fun.....

Sammo had his BF Riley over yesterday.....well, he'd spent the night the night before.... Before he left yesterday they were outside playing--they play SO well together. I went out to check on them and this is what I found:

I just thought it was SO cute.

It makes me so happy when the kids find FUN in the MOST simple things.

I realize this blog has become more of a family/summer/life blog than the 'my creations' blog that it started out as. With summer here, Nikki away and our schedules what they are, I haven't made ANY time for creating. I'm STILL in the process of moving my room--although MOST of what I 'need' is already up here, there is still TONS of 'stuff' left down in the other room. I just have to figure out WHAT to do with it. And honestly, as much as I've had ideas and THOUGHT about 'creating' my heart just isn't in it right now. Hopefully I'll get my 'mojo' back soon?!

Anyways-

It's back to work for me tonight--for 3--. It's all good 'cuz I'll be 3 days closer to Nikki's return!!!! We all miss her so much and can't wait for her to be back home!!

That's all for now.........

Enjoy the rest of YOUR week!!

Smiles and love!!

Fun! Fun!! Fun!!!

I've been off for the past couple of days and BOY o BOY have we been enjoying them!!!

I got off work Saturday morning and by 11:30am Me, Sammo and Salvador were headed down to Wenatchee to spend a few days with my friend Kim. We had SUCH a nice time. I didn't really get much shopping done but it was ALRIGHT. We just relaxed and enjoyed. We took the kids to the Riverfront park. We'd brought Sammo's bike, well, actually it's Nikki's but he's been riding it, and Salvador brought his skateboard-of course!! :)

Here's Sammo riding into the park......

Kim was FINALLY able to get him to get into the water....he didn't want to because he didn't have swim trunks on. LOL

HE FINALLY decided to get in to 'spear a fish'. LOL

Then they splashed each other with water to cool off. It was SUCH a hot day. In the 100's. The water felt SO cold at first but it was OH SO refreshing!!

And here he is riding out of the park.

What a cutie pie!!

After the park we went back to the house. Kim made rotbeer floats for the boys so we sat outside on the deck while the kids finished their rootbeer floats and played with Libby. She's SUCH a sweet dog.

Isn't she a cutie pie?!

Sunday we went to Kim's sister in laws house to hang out in her pool. Sammo had such a good time playing in the water.

Shelly has all kinds of water toys so he went from playing to just relaxing on a float to playing.....

HOW cute is he huh? How could you NOT just LOVE that face?!?!

And here's Salvador....eating and listening to his iPod. His 2 most favorite things to do. LOL

Sammo playing some more............

...............CLOWN.

And Salvador listening to music and eating MORE!!!

Then yesterday we went to the park here in town. Salvador and Laz had their skateboards so they were doing their thing while Sammo and I were waiting for my friend Sonia,her son and little sister. While we were waiting, I took pics of the boys. I love those mid-air pics. Here are a few of my favorites.....

Poor Sammo. He was so bored while we were waiting.......

..........can you tell????

--Look at that silly thing he has on his head! LOL I found it in the HearthSong catalog, I think, last year at Christmas time. He LOVES that darned thing!!

That's about it for now I suppose. I ran a few errands earlier with Salvador and Sammo is at a friends. He'll be back later with his friend....he's gonna spend the night. One more day and it's back to work for me. Time flies WAY too fast when you're having FUN!!!!

My boys.....

We JUST HAD FUN yesterday!! Didn't really do MUCH, just hung out and enjoyed the day. The day FLEW by!!! I guess that goes to PROVE we had fun. 'Cuz the ONLY times when time FLIES by is when you ARE having FUN!!

Mid-day, when it was warmest of course, we all decided to go play some Wii games..

Look at MY Guitar Hero's:

OH MY GOSH! What a cutie huh?! He just melts my heart!!!

Joe cut his hair. He was gonna 'shave 'im bald' but he decided against it.

I don't know WHY they always want all the blinds closed while they play? Maybe it's easier to see without all the light???

'ROCK ON

DUDE!'

LOL

Can you see those huge tonsils??

And those ears......

And Salvador......my adopted son! :)

I don't know HOW they can play like this. I have a hard enough time upright and straight!!!

These 2 AMAZE me at HOW fast they can play. I'm still trying to perfect Easy!!!

Then, all of a sudden, while we were playing, we heard 'Jaz', our German Shorthair/Lab mix, going crazy. Joe asked Sammo to check and see what she was barking at and this is what he saw!!!

A COYOTE!

Yikes!!

Joe scared him off but WHAT was he doing over here?!?!

Lookin' for some 'eats' I guess........

And there's my other 'boy' (man!). He looks SUPER tired here doesn't he?!

He had worked all night it's true BUT he ALWAYS has time for a little Wii Sports!! LOL. I'd whooped both he and Samuel the night before at bowling so YOU KNOW he had to prove to himself AND of course the rest of us, that, he IS the man!! LOL. He wooped me. - I was just having a bad bowling day--it's all good 'cuz it was ALL FUN!!!

And here's a close up of Sammo's eye. Teeheehee.

Eye's, like this, freak Nikki out......

But Sammo thought it was SUPER cool. Each time he see's it he says, "WOW! Look at how long my eyelashes are!!" He DOES have long eyelashes....just like his Daddy!!

Just not fair!! lol.

I'm back to work tonight so that means Joe will be off for the next few...I wonder what kind of FUN those boys will 'cook up'?!

My Stargazers are FINALLY blooming!!

Isn't it pretty?? There are a TON of blooms this year......I'm just awaitin' for them to ALL bloom!!!
I really have to reorganize that bed--but I don't want to do it until they've all bloomed. Actually I have a few beds I'm going to re-do. I've gotten quite a few new flowers and plants from friends and neighbors this year so I'm kind of excited to get things prettied up!! :)
Oh, you can be SURE I'll shoot some pictures! Of course I guess it won't look like much with no blooms.........Next Spring!! :)
Now you KNOW I had to click some pics of my little clown. This kid just cracks me up!! I can't even begin to describe the pure JOY he's brought me!!


He LOVES riding that darned scooter and riding both HIS bike and his sister's bike!! ALL BOY!!
I LOVE IT!!
Of course my Nickles is STILL in Texas. But not for TOO much longer!!! About 3 more short weeks 'till she'll be back home!! Yahoo!! I SO can't wait to see her!!
Thing is........she 'found a boy'-surprise, surprise............so she's not quite as excited about returning as we are.
And get this........HE let HER cut HIS hair today. Now, THAT my friends is LOVE. LOLOL!!!! (just kidding, just kidding!)
She's posting some pictures on her facebook so we can see.....
Now, don't go getting all excited or anything. The boy is the son of one of Joe's school friends and his mom's mom actually used to take care of Joe. So he's not a complete stranger.
Alright. I think that's enough for tonight.
I'm headed down to play some Wii games with the boys. They're SO addicted to those games. Geesh. -I must admit though....I DO like Guitar Hero III and bowling....tennis is alright too!!
Until next time.........

Raspberries

Samuel just came in with these beauties....Mmmmm FRESH raspberries!! Gotta love that!! I have a cheesecake--Joe's birthday was yesterday--and guess what's going to go PERFECTLY over that cheesecake?? YOU KNOW IT!! These very raspberries!!

We were given a bunch of thornless, seedless blackberry starts a few years ago and Sammo and Joe say there are quite a few berries on them this year. YIPPEE!! Sammo says they're still a little green so they're not quite ready but I'm patiently awaiting...........

Fresh fruit....one of THE BEST things about Summer!!

On a not so happy note.......

Have you, or do you have a CLOSE friend who you'd even call your BEST FRIEND, that you moved away from....or they from you? And even though you shared MANY years with that person and their family and they know you like a book and visa versa, you don't talk nearly as much as you'd like? BUT when you DO talk you pick up just like no time passed? Well, that is my friend D'Tri. She has lived in Hawaii for almost as long as we've lived here in North Central Washington. We FIRST met in San Diego when Joe was in the Navy and Nikki was only a few months old. We left for about 8 months and then found ourselves right back in San Diego. Our friendship grew even closer and we were pretty inseperable. She loved and cared for Nikki like she was her own and I did the same with Nene and then later Billy. She and her family hold a special, special place in my heart and they ALWAYS will. It's just like that. Well, I got an email from her daughter, Nene-who, by the way JUST GRADUATED this year!!! telling me her Grandma 'Bessie' was sick. I called immediately called 'D'. She had to call me back because as I called they were taking her mom off life support.

This was all so sudden. Noone had any idea Bessie was even sick.

Bessie was an AMAZING, God fearing woman. There is NO DOUBT in my mind where she is RIGHT THIS VERY MOMENT.

I just ask for your prayers at this time for my friend and her family-for safe travels but also that they would feel God's embrace, love and comfort at this time.

Thank You.

Sammo and I went to the lake the other day...

I met my friend Katrina at the lake on Thursday. I had to work in the evening so we met with the kids for just a few hours.

Here's my Sammo while we were waiting for them to arrive.He's so big.

Time just flies by.....

It took them a little while to warm up to each other....they haven't really played together in a long time... but by the time we left both he and Tori were playing like old friends again, both wanting to go to the other's house or have the other come to their own house to play. It only figures I had to work that night!!

The other Queen tagged me.......

.......so this is what I'm supposed to do:

Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.* Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.* Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So-here goes:

1. I was a synchronized swimmer. I loved it. I STILL LOVE watching it.
2. I met my husband while we were both in the Navy. I was a Hospital Corpsman....did my 4 years and got out. I have some AWESOME memories.....and wish I'd kept in better touch with many of the incredible people I met along the way.
3. I'm originally from Connecticut, my husband from Texas. We've been married 16 1/2 years and to this day our parents have never met one another. That's the truth.
4. I like grilled cheese sandwiches with applesauce on the side. Many people think it's strange I know but I think it's more like apple pie with cheese.....my mom always says, 'Apple pie without the cheese is like a hug without the squeeze.' Don't knock it 'till ya try it!!! :)
5. I drive a 2008 GMC Acadia, Red Jewel, and I LOVE it. I thought I'd buy another mini van--I loved my last one--but we decided to go with the Acadia and I'm SO glad we did!!! I never thought I'd have a red car either--all my other vehicles have been some shade of brown--but red is FUN!!!
6. My mom took foster children for years while we were growing up so there were always plenty of kids in our home. She was licensed for 5 plus me and my brother so we were always a BIG family!!
7. We have 2 dogs: Fifi (Yorkshire Terrier), Jasmine (German Shorthair/Lab mix--and THE BEST DOG EVER), two cats-Mittens and Two-Two and we're now down to 2 fish (one is a no-name and the other is Princess Peach--even though he's a boy!!!) OH! and let me not forget Samuel's turtle Fred. He found him out in the yard, put him in an aquarium and has been taking care of him--feeding him worms and flys-mmmmmm.

So now I have to tag 7 people. This is who I'm tagging:
http://www.auraofdesign.blogspot.com/
http://createdbycourtney.blogspot.com/
http://www.katncoffee.blogspot.com/
http://theinkboutique.blogspot.com/
http://inkysmiles.blogspot.com/
http://colourdujour.wordpress.com/
http://www.michellewooderson.blogspot.com/
If you've never visited their blogs I encourage you to!!

CHERRIES!!

It's THAT time of year again!!! Cherry time!!! And they're OH! SO YUMMY!!!

No time to create

There's just TOO much going on!!

I think I may just take a break until school's back in!!

Slowly my 'studio' is being moved but when I say slowly I mean S-L-O-W-L-Y!! It's all good though.....

Joe and I DID go for a ride yesterday with Sammo just to go.....AND to take some pics. Joe was not in as patient a mood as I was but I got some cool pics.....

Let me share:

This is the Lutheran Church up in Havillah. Nikki made her Confirmation here. I just LOVE this church.

It was beginning to be a little stormy while we were up there--as you can see in the background--all that dark sky but I think it kind of made for a cool pic.

I like this picture with the street sign and the field in the background....

I forget what Joe called these blue birds.....but they were all over the place. It was hard to get a GOOD picture of them......I think the radio from the car was spooking them and by the time I figured it out they were all gone. They sure are pretty though. Next time I go up there I'm going to just sit and wait in the car until they come closer and then get some pictures of them.

And THIS is the BEST picture of ALL!! :)

My little man. Look at that ear. UGH!

I think I might just have to frame this one! I love the close up pics I get of him. :)

Well, back to work for me tonight and tomorrow and then off for a few. Phew!! I'm sure looking forward to them! I'm HOPING to get some GOOD work done in my 'studio'. Maybe I'll even post some pics?? We'll see how it goes--right now it's a HUGE mess--huh Katrina?!

That's all for today. Enjoy your week!

-S