Just a lot of things going on in a short period of time!

Mom will be here two days from this moment! I am uber excited by this! Yeeeeeeee Haw! Vacation for a few days!

As promised a few photos from the pig roast at the Giroux's!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the next week, I will be taking more than enough photos of Moo, so I will spare you.... just this once!

 

Fire works are coming y'all!

It's been the kind of week where you step outside and your glasses immediately fog up! EWWWWWWWWW!

Last week we had our first Hip Hop Dance class... Moo did real well at first... actually thought she was enjoying herself...

 

then she decided she was shy....anyone that knows her, knows she isn't shy by any means.

 

Hopefully, this week (which is the last one) will be better... speaking of better...

 

Jon finally mowed the back lawn... yay! With all the rain we've had the past few days, it needs it again!

Father's Day started with a very early rain storm and then a bright blistering sun... we went back to Standing Bear so Ken could fly, and Linda and I could walk... Linda actually got a bit lost finding the place, but once she made it, we started.

 

 

 

 

I have realized, thanks to Linda, that I take my camera just about every where. If I am not toting around my SLR, I have my cell phone out and snapping shots with it's camera. I guess I have gotten a bit photo happy... but life is beautiful so capture the moments that you can!

 

We have a pig roast on Saturday, so I am sure to have more pictures to share... have a great week!

It was truly a lovely weekend, weather wise... couldn't have asked for nicer... 60s - 70s... beautiful!

Well on Saturday, Moo and I, (ok mostly me...) cleaned off the back patio in the beginning preparations for my moms visit in a few weeks. I actually got mad at a bush and cut a lot of it off, but it's about 9 feet tall and Ken will have to take the chain saw to it. It only needs to be about 4 feet tall!

Our yard(s) really look like crap. Since Ken's business has been taking off, he doesn't have much time for yard work... bummer! I will not mow the yards. I just won't... not that I can't, I just won't!

I also did a little shopping. Since I have been losing weight, a certain under garment has not felt very good, so I thought, "hey I will measure according to on line charts and go buy a few new ones that have better fit." Easy enough... I visited herroom.com and followed the directions to a T. Plopped my measurements into the calculator on Linda the bra ladies site  (too lazy to calculate by hand), *eyes bugged out of my head*, thought I did something wrong and had Ken help me remeasure. He came up with the same figures... I have been wearing the wrong bra size for YEARS! I have been wearing bras that are too small.... WAY to small... go figure! So off I went in search of a new sized under garment. Found one, and you know what??? Having one that fits really helps! So my advice to those ladies that have never, or haven't had it done in a while, is to measure and get a better fit!

Picture time! Picture time! No... not of bras... thank you very much! Ken went flying out at Standing Bear and had us go with him again. Grabbed the camera and raced Moo to the door! She wanted to play on the swings right when we got there, but I convinced her to go for a walk to the lake. I am in love with the late afternoon for taking photos! Goregous time of day anyway, but photos just seem to sparkle a bit more in the waning light of mid day...

 

The clouds looked fake, in a photo shopped way, but I didn't touch it up at all!

 

I know it's not a butter cup, but that's what I named it to get it loaded!

 

a wild daisy growing in the fields...

Trying to get a child's mind off the swings is as easy as letting her discover flowers and all sorts of neat objects on a nature walk. Letting her touch the water in the lake helps too!

 

an interesting cone flower...

 

a beautifully reflective portion of the lake...

 

a deer print...

 

stop to make a wish... look up, only to discover that we are being watched...

 

wow! How cool is she? She stood there for a few minutes then bounded back into the brush.

 

a neat feather...

which leads us back to the flying field...

 

Moo's bouquet...

 

and my most handsome husband...

 

then of course, down to the swings.... in the heavy sun light...

 

 

I love that I caught a strand of spiders web in this shot...

all and all it was a grand evening!

 

One last picture to share... went to the nursery with Linda, my Sunday going out with friend...

 

we looked for trees... Ginko trees. She is gonna plant one in her yard... soon. Do you know how much a large Ginko tree is??? All I am gonna say is... wow... I could almost buy another lens for that!

 

Have a great week!

 

Dance is over for another year... still not sure if we will be dancing next year. We will see what August brings.

We weren't allowed to take photos on recital night, so these are from dress rehearsal... and now I bring you... "Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini"

 

 

 

 

She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was as nervous as she could be
She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was afraid that somebody would see
Two, three, four, tell the people what she wore

 

 

It was an itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini
So in the locker she wanted to stay
Two, three, four, stick around we'll tell you more

 

She was afraid to come out in the open
And so a blanket around she wore
She was afraid to come out in the open
And so she sat bundled up on the shore
Two, three, four, tell the people what she wore

 

It was an itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini
So in the blanket she wanted to stay
Two, three, four, stick around we'll tell you more

 

Now she's afraid to come out of the water
And I wonder what she's gonna do
Now she's afraid to come out of the water
And the poor little girl's turning blue
Two, three, four, tell the people what she wore

 

It was an itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka-dot bikini
So in the water she wanted to stay
(From the locker to the blanket)
(From the blanket to the shore)
(From the shore to the water)
Yes, there isn't any more

Too cute!

 

I am nursing a bit of a sore back - left over from last weeks furniture moving. I am seriously not as young as I once was!

Things are looking good for mom to be out for the 4th of July this year. We are trying to get a trip to Mountt  Rushmore in during her visit as well. Neither mom or I have ever been. I am looking forward to it! Keep your fingers crossed!

On Memorial Day Moo, my great friend Linda, and I wandered around the Renaissance Faire that was out in the middle of nowhere, on a very WARM day!

I took a bunch of photos... I personally thought they turned out great! *Pat* my self on the back - I have sent an email to the talent coordinator of the Faire to see if they want to see or use them for next year, but haven't heard back... so I figured I would share with the folks that visit my blog! All six of you! 

I started tagging my photos with "artistic visuals by andrea" I figured I have to give myself some credit!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

well... I have a big ole birthday tomorrow - Ken has already given me a gift... an axillary lens that makes my standard lens a wide angle lens! Sooooo cool!

Have a great weekend!

Moo had her last day of school on Wednesday, Jon has till Friday. Summer time and the living is (not) easy!

Today is my mother's birthday... happy day mom! We love you like crazy! Hope to see you for the fourth of July!

 

My irises are in bloom. I really need to thin them out, but with so many it's a sea of sweet smelling purple flowers on the side of our house! They are the prettiest things in our yard right now!

 

speaking of pretty...

 

Goofy girl had two inches trimmed from her hair today. She loves getting her hair done! Our friend Linda went with us today so it was an extra special trip! Since we have Monday off we are hanging out together again for the day... I will have my camera so lets pray for great weather!

I have a birthday this next week too... oh my! Odd to think that I am this old! In my mind, I am still 20/30 ish, but my body betrays me... gray hair and wrinkles... more mommy material than hot mama now a days!

 

I hope to post again Monday... but lately my track record isn't so good! :)

Have a great weekend!

Sheesh.... here it is Mother's Day and I am not doing anything.... ahhhhh bliss!

This past week flew by rather quickly! Ken came home on Tuesday and we had our Mother's Day brunch on Friday... oh, and I do remember that I owe some photos from last week too! So on with the show!

 

 

 

 I finally gave in to the hype... During this past week, I finished book three in the Twilight saga. I am going out on a limb, but I really think Bella (main character) is a spoiled rotten brat. She wants her Jake and Edward too. I think her author tried to make a modern day heroine of her but in my opinion, by book three, she is on her way to becoming a monster of the spoiled rotten kind... I will read book four just to give the saga closure... I just hope it's better than book three.

Friday was the Mother's Day brunch at Moo's school. Too cute! They sang several songs - including Itsy Bitsy Spider in SPANISH! The students made muffins and fruit slushes for the moms - it was AWESOME!

 

 

The Facebook Photo Shootout started on Friday... the element this time is shoe... and this time, we can load more than one! Here are my entries...

 

I drove around our area on Friday evening looking for shoes in the streets. I always wonder how ONE shoe gets lost. This one, I imagined belonged to a passenger on a motorcycle... the bike took off quickly from the light, and the owner of this shoe wasn't ready for it - her shoe flew off and because she was still in the first stages of romance with the driver, she simply laughed the loss off!

 

entry number two: a little setting up for this one... used a whole stick of yellow chalk!

 

 

entry number three: just cause they're too cute!

Anyway, wish me well in the contest, as of right now there are over 150 photos and all are terrific!

Hope everyone has a terrific Mother's Day!  

Last year my tomato plant struggled and barely survived long enough to gift me with a bit of fruit... not very tasty since it bore it's fruit right at first frost... This year... will be different! I planted a cherry tomato, in a pot... in a very sunny part of my yard (front entry) and am hoping for the best! I will chronicle it's journey here of course!

 

Ken has been away since Thursday morning. Georgia for a trade show. I am sooo looking forward to his return! It looks like he may be home Monday night or Tuesday! Yay!

My mother made the comment the other day, "if it wasn't for Molly", my blog would be empty! Well I started this whole thing so far away family could watch her grow up too... and with that being said

 

 

Friday was Kindergarten round up... she went to class, by herself. When I went to pick her up, her teacher (the one I wanted her to have) asked about her brother Jon. You see Jon went to the same school, and the teacher thought she knew him, but Molly told her that her brother Jon is 27 years old! :)

 

Saturday Molly and I along with my mother in law went to the first farmer's market of the year... I have some more photos to share - but that will be at a later this week. I do want to tell on Ms. Molly though. She took off on me at Shopko. Total panic set in after I started searching and could not find her. Imagine, crazed woman running through the store yelling for her daughter... yup - that was me! She was only gone for a few minutes, she ended up having a clerk spot her and they paged me... only a few minutes, but I could already feel the tightness in my lungs as my panic level rose. I can just start to imagine what a parent must feel if their child is truly taken from them. How could you leave the store? How could you just walk out with out your child?  My God, I'd be a nut case!

On to nicer things... Friday is mother's tea at pre-school! I can't wait to see what is on tap for this years festivities! Last year was so cute! I don't know how they can top it! I will be sure to share with you all!

anyway... watch for more pictures later and have a great week!

 

The sun will be shining, the birds will be singing, and all of us die hard scrappers will on the computer, bouncing from site to site looking for great deals and scrapping our hearts out!

 

I will be attending a few different "crops" (for the lack of a better word) around cyber space over the weekend...

 

Kindred Creations will host contests, have helpful tips and surprises! kindredcreations.com

 

{we are} storytellers

I have to tell you that this kit is HUGE! Journal Prompts, Templates, Elements, Backgrounds... THE WORKS!

Here is a little something I whipped up with it!

 

I'd be real interested in knowing where all of my scrapping friends are spending NSD... leave me a comment... enable me!

 

Gotta love these three day weekends... just sad that it's almost over... Easter is tomorrow, and our girl Molly is soooo excited! I will be sure to take pictures of her hunting for eggs!

Here are some photos that I have shot over the past few days...

 

For Molly, it is all about the eggs... she wants to dye every egg we have in the fridge!

 

pink is her favorite color

 

the fruits (or spoils) of her labour!

 

ewwwwwwwwwww!

 

 

Friday was so nice we went out to blow bubbles...

 

and Molly tried to catch every one before they hit the ground!

 

Today, we spent a few hours at the park... this pose reminds me of a musical entrance or something... sheesh... what a ham!

 

Jon, Mr. Cool... seemed a bit bored, but then he got his sister and another little boy involved in a game of hide and seek!

 

I really like this photo... she looks so grown up and so serious. She sctually had sand in her shoes and it was getting her mad!

 

just a hawk that was flying over head... :) I love my new lens!

Tomorrow is Easter... may God bless you all!

I want to leave you with a miniscule video... if you have never seen one, you should! French created and absolutely the cutest things ever!