8, 8, 8 is Great!

Well, the day didn't start off too good, but it got turned around. Thank Goodness! Luckily Jacob is not in the 100% in size like his brother so I can still carry him up the stairs kickin and screaming.

From this picture you can see that the day ended up good. Jacob enjoyed being the center of attention for the birthday song and did a little jig.

Auntie Barbara was getting cakes for the family reunion so Joshua wanted me to make him breakfast pancakes to put candles in at home, which we did.

 Luckily he is still easy to shop for, and less expensive. The boy loves his wheels!

This little patutie was so cute I can hardly stand it!

Thanks for visiting ♥ Michelle

Happy Birthday Auntie

August belongs to Joshua, Auntie and Christian. While Christian lives way out in California, we still thought of him on his day. The boys sent him a video doing some bike tricks...but deleted my camera picture card without saving my videos. My old software used to upload both but the software I use now only does the videos. I don't even think about it so I lost them all :(

Auntie loves canolies. The boys...not so much. So this is the compromise.

 After birthday treats we headed to the beach. This was heading back in from the jetty. Even mommy walked out. For proof click here. Find Waldo in pink. 

 The tide went out in time to do some crab hunting. It's a good thing it wasn't for dinner though. We would have starved.

Some tidbits about Auntie....

• She says chicken is her favorite food but when given a choice she'll get seafood.
• She loves to read.
• She listens to her music really loud in the car.
• She gets bored with her hair and always 'needs' a haircut.
• She works way too hard.
• She likes bright colors, green, orange, purple.
• Secretly I think she's a clothes-a-holic.
• She's not a fan of exercising but loves to play sports.
• She's been the best friend out there for 20 yrs.
• My kids adore her.
• She needs to have more sleepovers with them :)

Thanks for visiting ♥ Michelle

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

For some reason Aunie just can't enjoy a couple of days at the camp without me having some hairbrain idea of a project that 'we' should do. Last year it was painting the camp. We did the road side, the inside porch, and the bottom part of the front. This will be a couple year project, as the water side and back side still need to be done.

This particular weekend I had all good intentions of getting up on the porch roof and paint the peak. After I climbed up three steps on the step ladder that plan was quickly altered.

Auntie made it up the ladder, had a little harder time getting down...but she did.

 The catch...she made me take a before and after picture.       :)

Thank you Auntie for coming to my rescue again.

Thanks for visiting ♥ Michelle

A Diamond in the Rough

I am so proud of my husband. 10 years ago we bought this house. We were newly married, new parents buying our first home. When we bought this house Jim didn't just see these four walls, he saw the potential it had. The other day we were watching home videos from shortly after we bought the house and Jim was doing a video tour. Even then he was describing his vision.

When it was time for baby number 2 to arrive he got busy and expanded our house to almost double its size and changed almost everything on the inside of the original part.

 Next came our lovely deck that we just don't enjoy as much as we should. 

Then of course he needed a place for his toys. He had outgrown the screen house, turned shed and built himself a garage. Is it still called a garage when cars don't go in it?

 And I am very lucky and grateful that he isn't afraid to tackle any project even if he's never done it before. That certainly saved us about $4000 when our septic system failed.

Even though I hate the dirt every time a change happens and I question him every step of the way (which drives him absolutely crazy) he has done such a great job making a house into a home ♥

Thanks for visiting ♥ Michelle

JT turns 10

This year we had a quiet little celebration for Joshua's birthday. I made him this fun little cake which I totally stole the idea for. I saw one decorated similarly on FB and my niece had one like this on the inside. It was one layer cake and one layer ice cream...YUM-O.

 I would have to imagine that his wish in some way involved four wheelers. One because he is his father's son and two because his little brother's machine is faster than his.

 Jacob just loves buying birthday presents for people that he likes. I think on this day he even bought himself a car while shopping. He just can't help himself.

 This is pretty much what Joshua has wanted forever. He has been saving his money to buy some, which was a slow process since his teeth aren't falling out as often as they used to, and they haven't really been doing any chores. (which is in part due to the fact that I am too lazy to put a list together)

Yes, more Zigs. You may remember a while ago he was saving for some and settled for the black and white high tops because they didn't have these. But these were always on his mind and in his heart.

 With that said, he loves them so much he hasn't even worn them in fear of getting them dirty or ruined. The way he grows they will be too small before he gets much wear out of them. Did I mention they are a size 9 in mens!

I totally remember when this boy looked like this.

 Every once in a while we bring out the home videos and I get to hear his little voice and it just melts my heart and puts a lump in my throat. It is also a reminder that I haven't videoed to capture the last several years, which I really should.

Here he was painting himself to be the Hulk...on Auntie's watch I mind you.

 God, now he barely fits on the whole length of the couch.

Thanks for visiting ♥ Michelle

Girl's Weekend (Boys allowed at night)

July was a busy month at the camp. My Gram and Aunt were up in the beginning, our Tennessee girls came in the middle and at the end of the month I got to share God's Country with a few friends. We've been wanting a girl's weekend, but it coinsided with a four wheeler event so the boys came too, but we banished them away for the days and let them back at night.

Emily came....

Chris came....(she's having fun....really)

Karla came...even with her broken foot.

Schelly came. I think she loved it (even if she was doing her studying)

Corona came...wait, what???

I even got behind the camera, even though I was totally feeling like crap this day. (Thank you Schelly for keeping the camera up)

 We had lots of fun playing Screw Your Neighbor (the card game...come on now, I'm a married woman!!!) First we played for pennies....

but then we put on our 'Big Girl' panties and played for real. 

 Don't worry, we ate some snacks so we didn't get too silly :)

 The rest of the time we floated around... 

went for a canoe and kayak ride...

 and posed like the super models we are.

We had some uninvited guests...

that Chris tried to scare off. I just hope she didn't literally scare the poop out of them. I like to swim in these waters once or twice a year.

 Auntie and I even did a little project. And when I say Auntie and I, I mean I dictated orders and held the ladder, while her knees shook and she worked the tools. Hey, I know my strengths and my limits :)

They say pictures are worth a thousand words...well this picture spreads lies. I don't even drink beer. YUCK!

 And no weekend is complete until ice cream is involved. Go Big or Go Home!

Thanks for the fun ladies...next year a few more games are in the works.

Thanks for visiting ♥ Michelle

Never a Dull Moment

Apparently Jacob Paul doesn't think our life is exciting enough and needed to spice things up. The Monday before our TN girls arrived he made his move. He decided to put a 'foreign body', as it was refered to, in his mouth. And his brother just being the funny guy he is made him laugh hysterically. Which caused the 'foreign body' to take a little journey down the throat.

Best possible worlds would have had it travel into the stomach...through the intestines and well...out in the poop. I had him take some sips of Powerade to help it down the pipe. But that weazy sound I heard soon made me confident that wasn't the path it took.

Who would have known this little piece could have caused so much trouble.

Actually, the trouble really would have come if they hadn't found it or worse yet, didn't go looking for it. X'Ray can't pick up translucent plastic and the weazing sounded like asthma to them. The 25 times I answered, "no, he's never exhibited signs of asthma" convinced them to go in for a look. I am grateful they did. I prefer answers to the 'wait and see' game. Chronic pneumonia is not something I want to be on the look out for.

This is the boy en route in style to Boston. He wasn't the least bit thrilled I was taking his picture. I told him it wasn't my idea, the ambulance lady told me too (really she did).

This is a vision of your kids you never want to see.

And this is a picture I keep on the refridgerator to remind him not to do it again. The ironic thing about the whole incedent is that Joshua is the one who always has things in his mouth and I am always warning him of the dangers. But, Jacob is the one who had to learn the lesson the hard way.

Tuesday was a day just like any other. He went to the sitters, Mommy went to work (tired as you can imagine) and we were all excited when our TN girls arrived in the afternoon. He is doing great, no side effects and was even caught putting a 'foreign body' in his mouth again! Perhaps I need to blow these pictures up!

Thanks for visiting ♥ Michelle