Real Deals

This star I got for my birthday last year from my mom.

Michele said they sell these stars in ALL different sizes and colors.

Michele Smith has been talking to me about this new store that Chad's sister Natalie opened in Kennewick at the beginning of June. It is called Real Deals: Home Decor and it is located at 11 E Kennewick Ave. They are open on Thursdays from 10-6pm and Saturdays from 10-4pm.

Michele was there for awhile yesterday and said they were soooo busy. There are so many wonderful deals and way cute things for the house. I can't wait to get there myself. I got on their website and signed up on the mailing list which is suppose to send you updates on major deals and when they are having them.

I looked at the pictures they had showing products in the stores. TONS of FUN stuff. Just looking at the website I could probably spend MANY hours and LOTS of money in one stop.

Check it out! Bet you too will want to go tomorrow morning!!!!!

Many Balloons- But Only One Green Balloon

We have been getting up the last couple morning looking out the window hoping to catch a glimpse of an early balloon. Well, unfortunately we didn't see any... until TODAY. There were soooo many up in the air together this morning that we couldn't count them all. They were beautiful and so peaceful sounding.

I was running late getting Miss Taylor and Brit to school this morning so I didn't get a chance to stop and get a great pic of them all up together. But, the green balloon was right above us as we were heading up the hill to school. So, yes I was driving and taking pics kinda at the same time. No worries, everyone is still safe and sound!

I did pull over and get a few safe pictures too. As I was out of the car taking these pictures I could hear the people up in the basket talking. Kinda weird.

Ryan LOVES the color green so he told me it was okay that I didn't get any pictures of the other balloons cause this one is the best anyways.

Gettin' Closer!

We were off to a slow start getting the new shop put together until Wednesday night. It was time to get down to business. I got down there and Will and Brian were already beginning to get things hung on the walls. They did run into a couple glitches (the screws were not going all the way into the drywall). Once they got longer screws they were back in business.

It wasn't until 10:35pm that any of us (including kids) headed home for the night. Needless to say it was a short nights sleep!!!!!

Thursday we took the night off but Friday is the MAJOR day of moving. It will be the day to say good-bye to the old building and hello to the new digs!

Come by on Tuesday for a peek at the place. You're gonna LOVE IT!

Prosser Animal Hospital

Ryan's preschool was off to the Prosser Animal Hospital on Wednesday. He was so excited he could hardly stand it. I met them down there and who was the first little face I saw staring out the window...you got it RyJack's. He was so cute with this sweet Innocent look taking in the sites of Prosser.

The entire staff was so good to the kids. They took them in and showed them x-rays of animals injuries. Each child got a turn looking into the microscope at ear mites! Once Ryan looked he came up making a horrible looking face and said "Disgusting!!"

One of the nurses brought out a ferret which most kids had no clue that animal existed. No one volunteered to pet him either. They look way too much like a weaselly rat for me to be found of either.

For the last part of the field trip the kids were taken outside to see the larger dogs in the kennels. One of Ryan's classmates had their dog out there. It had gotten bit by something and they were able to see that the dog would be just fine.

Then came time to load up into the bus. It is amazing how long it takes to load thirteen 5 year olds onto a bus. They don't pay attention to the person in front of them so they are either bumping into them or not realizing that the line has moved waaaayyyy far ahead! Way too cute to see them being out in the world learning new amazing information.

Slowly But Surely??? Hopefully!!!!

Getting Barbie's new shop up and going by next Tuesday is beginning to stress me out a bit. It is a good thing that I am the stresser and Barbie is the calm one(seeing as though she is the shop owner)! Last night we went to the shop for another night of "putting things on the walls." Because Will was still at work and Brian was at practice Barbie, Kelli, Emma Lynn and myself started with putting together some of the shelving. It was a VERY good thing Emma Lynn was with us because Kelli and I were having some trouble following the wordless directions! Emma kept making "blond" jokes and we did have to remind her that she too was blond!

After two hours of work we had accomplished putting together only two shelves! Brian showed up unwrapped a couple mirrors but never did hang anything on the walls.

The second shelf should have been easier to put together...yeah, we didn't think so!

So, tonight Will is coming down and Will seems to be the one who gets things done out of all of us. I have faith that TONIGHT there will be things hung on the walls before we lock the shop up for the evening!!!!!

We did realize there were MANY males around but only females working! :)

Apple Eating

Why is it that kids want the apple cut into pieces until they are missing a front tooth? Don't they realize how difficult it is to bite into things when missing teeth? Ryan has ALWAYS wanted his apples cut up and after Dr Grow pulled that darn tooth he has wanted the apple whole.

It is soooo blasted funny watching him try to bite into it. He assures me he knows what he is doing. Then he turns his head really close to his shoulder and bites down into the apple coming up with a small shaving out of the crisp, juicy apple. Holding out the apple to show me he has the whole process handled!

By golly he is right...he sure is capable of eating the entire apple without it being cut into pieces. He is growing up right before our eyes. Isn't it just when you get all your kids self-sufficient when an "oooppss" usually happens and you get to start all over?!?!?!?!?!?!? GOD help me. What a horrible thought...I love my FULL nights sleep WAY TOOOOO MUCH to let an "ooopppss" happen.

I do have to admit...he is DARN CUTE!!!!!!!!

Truckin' Fam

This weekend Will had to go get the flatbed from the winery and the kids went with him so I could have some "me" time. I was sitting in the living room watching football when all of a sudden I hear this obnoxiously loud horn coming from the driveway. I looked out the window to see Will and the kids smiling back at me like it was Christmas morning.

Will helping Ryan honk the horn...so he doesn't honk toooooo looooonnnngggg!

Ryan laughing hysterically after honking the horn.

Ryan thought it was so cool that he got to ride in a "semi" and honk the horn. Tay wasn't as forth coming with her excitement but acted more like a teenager saying "Yeah, it was fun." with a shrug of her shoulders. I think Ryan would have stayed in the cab the rest of the night if we would have let him. I bet I can guess what his job will be during harvest when he gets old enough!!!

Maybe they can go on the road together.??

Whirlwind Of A Weekend

Wendy showing us what a Bunko is when rolling for 6's!

The weekend started with Taylor going to a friends house and Ryan going home with Nana Cheryl for the night. Then, I was off for a night of Bunko with the wacky ladies!!! It is always a night full of interesting events, strange stories, and behaviors! This night was NO EXCEPTION to say the least. We haven't all been together since last year at Lolli's house about in October ?? It has been so long I can't even remember the month of the last Bunko!!! We had a great time getting caught up with one another and playing the always fun and thoughtless game of BUNKO! After three rounds and about 3 hours we handed out gifts to the deserving 4. Most Wins: Lolli Most Bunko's: Tracy Most Babies: Barbie and Most Losses: Wanda. We all were so glad to get back together again for a night without husbands and kids!

Lolli trying to make Vampire Fangs!

Ang lettin' us know she was Winning!

Saturday brought RAIN! I so love it when it rains. Growing up on the Westside I didn't know that everybody didn't wake up (at least 5 out of 7 days) to dreary rain. It made for a perfect lazy day...Will and I woke up around 9, went and got Starbucks and waited for the Boise State game to start. Then, at 4 Little Will's Grid Kids game started down at the stadium. They won again feelin pretty darn good about themselves! Taylor was the ball girl for the 1st half again and then spent the second half hanging with her friends.

After the game it was time to get to work...

Barbie is moving into a new shop and her garage has been stuffed with items to furnish and decorate it. She got the key on Friday so we decided to get a bunch of stuff moved in and on the walls. Well, we got stuff moved in but spent a couple hours, yes, I said a couple hours, looking at how the mirrors and cabinets were going to work best.

Barbie struggling to make a decision

Four of us stood there staring at a black wall trying to decide how everything would work most efficiently but also look good. While we were doing this the three boys were running around and around the inside of the shop!!! At 10:30PM we finally decided we needed to sleep on it for a couple nights before making such major decisions. I am so glad we started this process this weekend instead of waiting until next weekend when things will HAVE TO be decided on. The new shop is going to be such a fun but also relaxing environment. Barbie has worked really hard to add her wonderful personal touch to the larger upgraded building! I can't wait until it is all finished and ready to open. You will HAVE to come check it out!!!!

By the way... Boise State BEAT Oregon 37 to 32! Way to go Kellen!! You are AMAZING!!!!

http://www.broncosports.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPID=4061&DB_OEM_ID=9900

Page To Remember

On the first day of preschool Ryan made his handprints on a piece of paper and then they attached a cute little poem. It wasn't that I didn't like what they had done with it at school I just wanted to make it fit inside his scrapbook. So I retyped the poem in smaller font and cut the handprints out. I used the picture of Ryan on his first day with him wearing his lovely beanie. What a day to remember!

Been Up To My Elbows In...CRAFT

I can not tell you how many people have called asking where I've been! I didn't realize so many people logged on each day looking to read the next crazy story about our "OOooHH So Normal" Family!

So, no we haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I have just gotten lost in a few...okay MANY different craft projects in the last week or so. It all began when I found the wordle website. I had so many different ideas floating through my head that I was trying to keep up with all of them. BAD IDEA.

Then on Monday I ran up to Craft Warehouse...once again...BAD IDEA. I came home with so many things I didn't even know where to begin. Which is why I found myself doing multiple projects at once. As one was drying I started another and when I got frustrated I moved on to yet another...Poor Will came home to a house that looked like Santa's Workshop after a MAJOR hurricane! (I know there aren't hurricanes in the North Pole! But you get my point.) ;)

I started by making magnets with the flat decorative clear rocks. I found some fun scrapbook paper stamped a few letters on it, used Mod Podge to glue them together then added a magnet to the backs and taadaa I have fun little gifts for people. I ran acrossed some ribbon I had and decided to try to make bow magnets. I think they are VERY cute!

Next, I started on something that is going to end up as a prize for this Friday's Bunko Party. I bought a glass block, a jack-o-lantern face rub-on, a small strand of white lights and a bag of small autumn leaves. I transferred the jack-o-lanterns face on, stuffed the leaves in through the hole in the back and then began the pain-staking process of getting the lights shoved into the block as well. The hole was not large enough to get the light through at the same time as the cord so I ended up taking a finger nail file and filing the hole until it was just big enough to shove the light strand through. It will make a GREAT Bunko gift and a wonderful Halloween decoration!
My final projects were started this morning. I have been looking at this post on TipJunkie which shows how to take a tin container (Altoids box) and decorate it so it can be used again for fun. After searching and finding a couple tins (in the back of the pantry) I decided what the heck! So I gathered the supplies and followed the instructions. It really was very, very simple! As I was almost finished I realized that the tutorial only had you decorating the top of the container. HOW BORING! SO, I added my own ideas and flare. I decorated and covered the ENTIRE canister. I am soooo in love with these two containers it is not even funny. The rectangle box I did first and then decided to give the round container a go. I can't wait to find more containers. Will asked me "Does this mean we will be buying Altoids and emptying them into Ziploc baggies so you can have the tins?" He is catching on to my way of thinking...I knew he would come around eventually!!!!!!

These fun containers can be used for ANYTHING. But it dawned on me as I was finishing up, that the containers are metal (duh!)and that the magnets I made the other night would fit in them nicely. What a wonderful gift to give anyone! Tonight I also thought how perfect a Starbucks gift card would fit in the box!!!!! A creative wrapping for a gift card instead of the little paper envelope.

So, long post-short...I have not been ignoring all of my wonderful readers, I have just been crafting and designing things to show you. I spoiled you all a few weeks ago doing multiple posts in one day. I will admit we are a wacky family but even we take a break from the wackiness every once in awhile.