Wells Dam

Yesterday I had to pick up my car in Wenatchee---we had a BIG windstorm here a few weeks ago and my car was parked under one of those carports with the canopy overtop--well the wind blew it right into the drivers side. Really that damage wasn't THAT bad...a few little dents and a metal rub area on the back. BUT, it's, fairly, new!! We only just bought it in February. For a $100 deductible, I figured we'd have it taken care of........
Oh! And let me tell you---if you live anywhere in the area and EVER need any body work done to your car, truck, SUV, whatever.........First Choice Collission in Wenatchee on the Ave. OH MY GOSH!!!! AWESOME job, NICEST people in the world. VERY impressed!!! I hope to not have to use their services again :) but KNOW FOR SURE where I'll go if I do!!
I was also able to schedule orthodontist consults for both kids for the same day. I always TRY to 'kill two birds with one stone' and make more than ONE use out of the 2+ hour trip over.....
anyways...........Joe was going to drive me over so I could pick it up.
My friend Kim came up with a MUCH better idea...........
Her husband was going salmon fishing so she said how about drop Joe off (half way) to meet up with the guys to go salmon fishing. I'm pretty sure you can figure out already that Joe was all over THAT idea! :) He went, had a GREAT time and is now CONVINCED that he NEEDS a $50,000.00 fishing boat. HA! He didn't catch anything--except for maybe some sun--lol. Shane got one though--way to go Shane!!! But, Joe DID have FUN!!
Kim was nice enough to drive Joe's truck back to Well's Dam where we met up with the guys later in the day, fishless..........
Of course the kids wanted to get out while we were waiting so they played on this horkin' turbine:


So here's Nikki, on her oh, fourth attempt to run up the ...whatever you'd call that piece.....










Here's Salvador......
He ran RIGHT up to the top. I told him, Imagine having your skateboard?! I guess I probably shouldn't put ideas into his head.....










......and of course my little man........
He finally made it up....after a few tries....to the top. I don't think he ever made it up quite high enough to sit up at the top like Salvador but at least high enough to 'hang' for a bit........lol

I've gotta say....I was a little tired, oh the last 45 minutes home......Keep in mind I'd worked the night before and had been up since 4:00pm Thursday.......When we got home, I unpacked the car and fell asleep on the sofa!!


Looks like Nikki will get braces after all. He said only a year, he can't guarantee but was pretty confident it wouldn't be much more than a year if at all. Of course all she's concerned about is NOT having them on for her Quincenera next year--Yes!!! She wants to have a Quincenera. And after being in Texas this year---well, it's only confirmed her thoughts!! UGH!! More money, more money, more money!! Anyways, would you believe, for a 'nominal fee', of course, they'll take the braces off and replace after the event?!?! Hmmm, the things they'll do these days! LOL
Anyways,
I'm off to a wedding this morning....I'm starting and finishing up the card as I post this......
I'll post the pic when I'm done.
Enjoy YOUR weekend!!!!!!
I KNOW I'll enjoy mine!!!!
;)

What a week!

I had hoped to get back up to Sherman and get some pics this week. I guess it wasn't to be.....I haven't made it there yet!!! :)

The Birthday lunch went well. The 'Birthday Girl' was surprised!! Yeaaa. It was nice to catch up.

Nikki's party was great. TONS of GOOD food. We STILL have leftovers after giving food away AND the kids (including 2 TEENAGE boys eating for 2 days!!!) We are very blessed. In so many different ways.

Thursday we recooperated. NO KIDDING. ALL DAY! We didn't do anything....well, I didn't do anything---I guess I DID take a nap outside on a blanket!! It was so warm and just a beautiful day. NICE. Joe went down to the river with the kids and did some fishing....they threw 'em all back but had some SERIOUS fun!! Joe even caught a few 'big ones'.

Friday I ran some errands--joe invited some friends over for dinner. He made his homemade enchiladas. Mmmm. They WERE delish. Mmmm. Not too hot, just right. Joe makes his enchiladas flat. Have you ever had them like that?? I'd never seen an enchilada much less a flat one before meeting Joe but that is the way his mom makes them, tex-mex style I guess. He also makes his own chile. Mmm Mmm good. One of the local grocery stores had strawberries (in a flat) for $6.99--so I bought two and made strawberry shortcake for dessert. Mmm. I had a hard time keeping the kids out of the berries. They were delicious too!!

That brings us to Sat.............

I brought Nikki and her friend Laz down to Walmart for a fundraiser car wash they were participating in. Some of the kids in her class are going on a trip to Washington DC next summer. It's through World Strides. Anyone out there ever have their kids go on this trip? It sounds like it's going to be a good time. Anyways, I dropped them off down there and then came back up to meet a friend at the Garlic Festival. They have it every year here where we live. Let me share some pics and show you what we did.......

We watched the Belly Dancers..............

I teased my friend and her mom that WE should learn how to belly dance. LOL

It's actually a GREAT work out. I have another friend who was going to the classes for a while. Only thing is my husband would only let me dance for him!!!

:)

We walked around to the different vendors to see what was there....when the kids came to this!:

YUP! Those are dung beetles and YES! They are racing. LOL

Here's an up close and personal pic of Lucky #7, who wasn't so lucky while we were there.....

Some other little kid tried to get me to hold one or even just touch one while we were there.....uhhhh, NO THANKS!

It was SO hot yesterday...103-105--in the shade at the festival it wasn't SO bad but when we left.........UGH! So the kids and a few friends went down to the river. The boys have really been getting into fishing lately so they went down to try their luck. Well, they only got lucky times one today!!

But hey! It was better than those little 3-4 inchers they were catching the day before!!!

We were all excited about going to Tito's soccer game later in the evening but it was cancelled. :(

So they were Wii potatoes until they left for the movie. I think I was already sleeping by the time they got back. I was a tired girl yesterday!! I don't even know how they liked the movie!! LOL

It's gonna be time for church here in a bit so I guess I'll go get ready. I just LOVE going to early church!!

I hope you enjoy your Sunday!!! I only have a few more days until I head back to work so I'm going to make the MOST of them!!! I was SURE hoping to get some creating done this week but it just hasn't happened. Tomorrow morning I head over to Wenatchee for a bit so I don't imagine I'll get much creating in tomorrow either........maybe I'll come home with a few new stamps though????? -Unfortunately, anymore it seems just to add to 'the collection'! UGH!

It's Sunday!!

Whew!

I'm off for a few and have TONS to do. But I'm EXCITED!!

Graduation was yesterday and we had quite a few friend's (siblings, children or siblings of friends) graduating yesterday. Those kind of events always make me teary. Anyways, we are the partying family this weekend with all these graduations!! But that is FUN!!!

I have SO much I want and NEED to get done in my house too so I'm HOPING I'll have some 'good time' on Monday and Tuesday to get stuff done around here.

Between working and just the busy time of the year that June tends to be I have been SO busy AND since my 'studio' is between rooms right now I just haven't made the time to create anything lately. IT makes me sad, ESPECIALLY because for a while I just didn't FEEL like creating......lately I've been WANTING to create but just haven't had the time! Isn't that the way of EVERYTHING though.

Wednesday morning I went with Samuel on his fieldtrip to The Molson Museum. This is my dad's FAVORITE place to go when they come. Probably because he has most of the stuff that's up there! LOL and to just see it all in one place, organized and set out like it's important, brings his heart joy. I know when I went with Sammo I kept thinking, 'my dad (or grandfather) has that' or 'I remember that from when I was a kid'. There really were some pretty cool things up there.....things I wouldn't mind having in my house!! I just LOVE old stuff!!!

Anyways, here are a few pics from our trip:

This is the old elementary school room. Look at ALL those OLD desks!!!! I LOVE them!!!

I just saw some at an antique shop a while ago for like $50. I MIGHT need one if I end up having any spare room left if in my 'studio'!!

This is the Old Post Office.

Here's Samuel making his list......

The kids had to mark down at least 5 things they thought were 'cool' or 'interesting' from each floor. The only thing about this was of course they wanted to do their little schpeel about each floor--which is fine BUT then they wanted to RUSH the kids through. Well, they're ONLY in second grade and it still takes them a few minutes to write. After the 'leaders' did their 'schpeel' they didn't have much time and for the little ANAL kids like Samuel who HAD to make sure to get ALL FIVE things. UGH!!! I told him on the first floor--don't worry about it. Just have fun and enjoy your time here. Look at the different things and how cool they are--- But, NO! Like his Momma, Samuel HAS to follow directions and do as he's told. :)

Look at THIS!!!!

LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!!

I WANT it!!!!!! :(

And this.........

It just looks cool to me. I'd LOVE to have this too. I took the picture to send to my dad so he can keep his eye out for one in all his travels. He will often buy the remains of an old house and just poke through the stuff--keeping the cool stuff getting rid of the junk.

He's found some pretty cool stuff !!

He found some beautiful old antique rings one time in an old book. Well, it looked like a book but it was really a holding spot for these old rings and stuff.

Well, that's all for today......

I hope to be able to post something creative soon........we'll see though.

Nikki's promotion is Wednesday so I'll FOR SURE post a few pics from that. :) And then Nikki leaves on Tuesday the 17th for Texas for the Summer. I'm not so excited about that. I'm gonna miss my baby girl!!! But she's excited. HOPEFULLY she'll come back knowing some spanish!!!

Adios!!

:)

Busy, busy, busy.........

....it just NEVER seems to END!!!!
I got off work Saturday morning and went to the Chelan Water Slides with my kids. Our daughter was going to a birthday party for one of her friends (who's also a family friend) and we were asked to go along---so Samuel and I DID!! It was fun. The kids ALWAYS LOVE going to the water slides. Samuel chose the water slides over the Annual Founders Day Parade. I was surprised in a way (he LOVES the parade) and then not at the same time -he LOVES the water slides!!!
After just getting off three 12's I was a little tired. I took a one hour nap before we left, played for a bit and ended up taking another nap at the park after lunch. I was BEAT!! One of the BEST things about the park is that it's pretty safe and I feel comfortable letting the kids go off and enjoy the rides without me so long as they are together or with a friend. I didn't get too many pics but I'll share a few......
Here's Sammo going down one of the 'kiddie rides'. We chose to park our 'party' right to the side of these slides. It was actually a REALLY nice spot. Sunny yet a NICE BIG tree with cool, shade in the afternoon when it was too hot for me! Of course the girls wanted the SUN--they ALL had sunscreen on!! :)
WHAT a GOOF BALL right????
This kid just cracks me up!!
I know, I know.....even Joe said, "He looks like a 'bobble-head'." That's alright, cuz he's MY bobble-head-and he brings THE BIGGEST smile to my face and MOST incredible JOY to my heart.
And here he is AGAIN--the little clown. He and Raechel were hiding coins and finding them.......(8 year old fun)....he couldn't just find them he then had to pose with them!! LOL His expressions just kill me. To me, he's just funny.....a clown. He TRIES to make ya laugh--and he USUALLY succeeds!!! :)




And then we have 'Nickles' or 'Neen' or 'Beans' or 'Nene Beans' or 'Sweet Pea', whichever I decide to call her at that moment....
How can ONE child have SO many different nick-names???
Good question.

Anyways, that's typical Nikki---with a phone of SOME SORT connected to her ear. UGH!!!! Teenagers!!!


And LOOK at these beauties!!
This is Nikki and her BFF Vanessa (or 'Vaness' or 'Nessa' or 'Ba-Nessa'-that's what Samuel used to call her, 'Ba-Nessa', before he could make the 'Vv' sound. It just stuck. Now even JOE calls her 'Ba-Nessa' half the time!! They've been friends since we moved here, when they were in 3rd grade. Most people think they're sisters. Although Vaness is a WHOLE head taller than Nikki.
So that was my Saturday.
Sunday was just as busy. Nikki and I had to 'run' to Walmart for a few things, rush back up for a baptism and then off to the party. Let me tell you about SCRUMPTIOUS food. Mmmmmm.
Monday, Nikki and I went to Wentachee (2+ hours from us) to pick up MORE last minute things (and then some) for her promotion next week. It's hard to believe Nikki will be in the High School this Fall. Time has just FLOWN right by before my eyes!!
Have you ever heard the song, Turn Around Slowly by David Kauffman?? (click HERE and then click on Turn Around Slowly to listen to it. It's just the beginning part/clip of the song but you'll get the idea.) If you can listen to that song and not tear up or full out cry............I don't know what to say. The first time I heard it was at a Chondra Pierce event and he sang it there. I was WAY pregnant with Samuel-like READY to deliver-so some could have said it was hormones but let me tell you........there wasn't a DRY EYE in the place!!!
Anyways........when we got home last night my NEW kitchen window was in. YIPEE!! We had a garden window and I HATED it. HATED IT!!! I was TALKED into it and I REGRETTED it ever since. Well, I'm happy now. I NO LONGER have a garden window!!! It's not 100% finished yet, Joe has to put the trim back up and finish the trim outside but this is what it looks like now--
I like it WAY better!!
That little wooden thing won't be there either. It was in the garden window and just got put there this morning until it finds a new home. The counter needs to be cleaned off (and the dishes done) but you get the idea..... The river and our lower back yard is STILL flooded. Not AS BAD as it was but still flooded. Joe's NOT a happy camper but what to do baby boo? :)
Today is going to be a cleaning/catch up day.......just as soon as I get my bum off this computer. Tomorrow is Sammo's field trip to The Molson Museum--of course I told him I'd go. I haven't done ANYTHING with his class YET this year--what a BAD mom huh?! I know, I know. And then tomorrow night it's back to work for me for another three. ICK!!! But, then my last 5 off--thing is it's PACKED FULL of things to do too!!! Somewhere in there I HAVE to get a handful (at least) of Graduation cards done, a few Father's Day cards, a gazillion Birthday cards, the list goes on and on.....This time of the year is just a BUSY time huh?!
Well, enjoy the rest of YOUR week. I HOPE to be able to share SOMETHING soon and THANKS for stopping by!!