Big Screen movie night!

Popcorn, root beer floats, and a big screen movie make for a great night! Ben and Lucy came over with the kids and we waited and waited and waited for it to get dark enough. About 9:30 It was dark enough. We want to do this again soon. So if you want to join us next time let me know.

Celebrate the Pioneers!

We love pioneer day! As a little girl it was one of my great memories. I was a little disappointed this year when the parade was little there were three games and just not like I remember as a little girl. I am grateful for those who traveled across the plains, made many sacrifices for what they believed in. I know I don't (so far) have to leave everything I have a travel across the plains to a new place. I do have to deal with different challenges of worldly things that threaten me an my children. I have learned that some very hard things may come my way but I just need to pick up my hand cart and travel on.
Clint and I were challenged to a potato sack race. We rocked! It was so fun having Amia with us. Here and Valencia would do " Bonnet talk" (as they call it) and tell their little secrets. Vincent had a hard time getting into the whole dressing up thing but he soon had a fun time. The food was wonderful. I probably should have stopped at one cinnimon roll!

Silverwood

Ben and Lucy invited us to Silverwood. What a fun time. The Lazy River Rocks that is where we spent most of our time. We hit the rides in the morning and the water park for the rest of the day. When we pulled up in the morning I got out of my van and went around to the other side and there I had a flat tire. So I got to change a tire later that night for the first time. Ben helped me out but I am hands on so I asked if I could do it. I told him everyone walking by probably thinks you are just standing there letting your wife change the tire. He thought if anyone said anything he would just tell them I was a great cook too. So now if I get a flat tire I can do it all myself.

Strawberries Yum!

A couple weeks ago my friend Tara invited us to go strawberry picking. I was so glad she did. We had a great time . Valencia sat on the handle of the basket and then would lean over and pick. It worked great! It will be something we will do next year and pick many more! Vinny Liked the funny shaped one so we had many of those.

Swim lessons

I got the kids into swim lessons. Poor Valencia went to the kiddy pool all last summer because Vinny was so little. It just made it easier on me. So now this year we went swimming and all her friends are down in the deep end without her. She has been so bummed. She has a hard time putting her face in the water, which I think is the problem. She has improved immensely in the last four days and I think by the time lessons are done next week she will be fine. Vinny on the other hand has no fear. During the whole lesson if he is on the wall he is doing bobs. He loves the water. I have to watch him close.

Remember When?

Follow the directions below: This will be fun!

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, if it is recent or years old, silly or serious--anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

TEE PEE

Saw this tee pee on flickr.com here and decided we were going to do it. It was the easiest project! $13 later we had a cute tee pee.


You just take 6- 5ft x 3/4in pvc pipe and drill holes about 10in down.



String your rope through leaving some space in between each pole and tie together.



Set up and wrap with a sheet. Secure with clothes pins and voila a tee pee.

Our excitement for the night

This is the view west from the front of our house tonight! Our 72 hour kits are packed in our car but I think we are out of harms way at this point. We were just a couple blocks from the evacuation zone. The kids had a scare but are now tucked quietly in their beds. Pray for those still in this scary situation.

We had some neighbors ask "What should we take with us if we are evacuated?" I am so thankful for the guidance from our church leaders to be prepared for a situation like this. We had been told many times and not to long ago I got our 72 hours kits all together. What a comfort It was tonight to know we had everything ready and could just grab it and go. Although if we had been evacuated I think I would have had Clint pack up all my scrapbooks and my camera. Everything else I would not have trouble leaving.

If you would like to get started on your 72 hour kit here is a list of items.

I suggest this for food. It is light weight and last for about 6 years. We tried out the lasagna and it was stinkin' good.

Sometimes you just got to...

feel pretty while doing house work.

He proves himself a worthy Mechanic

So Clint last night proved to me that he truly could be a mechanic. Before it was just little stuff but this was the real deal. Our ignition switch was out and that is why for the last four summers when Clint's car would set out in the sun it would not start. So he would have to park on a hill to roll start it every day. Finding a hill everywhere a guy needs to park presents a problem. Luckily his work parking lot has one.
So we love the Tune Tech guys they told us what it was and we said "Wow $400 is a lot of money!" and they said cheap part but hard to get to and they didn't charge us for the diagnosis. They are wonderful! Clint was determined to save us $350 and he was on his mission until 4:00 in the morning. What a determined fellow. He did it. I have to admit I was worried and had my doubts. Actually I was filled with them so I kept myself inside. I think I was of more help from there anyway. Honey I am so proud of you. I will put more trust in you next time.

So yesterday I found this cute bird mobile here on Spool and had to make one. So I set down at my sewing machine on a quest. Today my kids have a breath of fresh air hanging in there room. I Love it! I may have to make another. They have the pattern for the birds on the site too. Clint was a doll and let me do my obsessive thing today. How did I get and deserve such a great hubby?

Surfing

As I was surfing this morning I found this site there is some great stuff on here.
Ohdeedoh

Funny Faces

Yes, now you know you want to do it. I remember doing this as a kid. My mom recently for my birthday got me this book Mama's little book of Tricks


It has some great activities in it. This being one of them.

Sleepy?

I guess when your tired your tired and it doesn't matter if your comfortable. Playing in the mud swimming pool you made must wear you out.

Suitcase!

I have been looking for some different size suitcases to use as decor and toy storage in the kids room. Maybe stack them up in the corner. So I finally made my first purchase $5 at the neighbors yard sale. Most this size have been $45 or more. Of course it has the musty smell in it so I febreezed it, that was a no go. Then I covered the inside with baking soda and left it out in the sun all day and night. Then we had this crazy rain storm that came abruptly and it got wetter than I would have liked but that caused minimal damage. My kids will do more damage than that. The smell is somewhat there still but the slightest mustiness sets off my asthma. So now I put a cup of vinegar in it closed it up and put it in the sun. Hopefully this will bake it out. I would rather have vinegar smell. I will let you know how it works!

Don't Mess with Texas

I know my blog is very picture heavy but that is how I speak. Obviously you can tell by all my spelling errors. Spell Check can only do so much.

So my mom and I went on a trip to Texas to visit my Aunt Cathy and Cousin Marilyn whom we have not seen for 22 years. It was a wonderful trip and so nice to visit. Cathy kept us busy from the moment we got there which was wonderful. Thank you for the great time and all you did for us!

Marilyn and Cathy


Marilyn and I


We were able to go to a session at the Dallas Temple while we were there. Wonderful!


We went to the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealy Plaza. John F Kennedy was shot from the sixth floor of this building. I learned a lot here. I am not too much of a history buff so I probably should have known most of what I learned already.


I thought for just a moment that while in Texas I needed to get myself a real cowgirl hat. That thought only lasted until I tried some on and remembered that I don't look to good in hats.


I'm thinking the same for you mom!



We hit the Japanese Gardens and these Koi were the biggest I had ever seen.


As we were walking through downtown Dallas we happened upon the Holocaust museum. I am so glad we did. It was incomprehensible what happened there. This is the first picture you see as you enter. Above it, it reads "The world is too dangerous to live in-not because of the people who do evil, but because of the people who sit and let it happen. -Albert Einstein
I cried through most of the exhibit and cry as I write this now. It is something I hope we all remember and do all we can to not stand around and let it happen.

NaNa came to visit!

It was nice to have you here! As you probably noticed I am playing catch up here on the blog. Clint's car would not start today, so I am home all day with the kids plus 3 extra and no car. Good for blogging.

It's summertime

Sun Bathing


Popsicles


Sun Rings?

I guess this is what it is :

WEATHER FOLKLORE: "A ring around the sun or moon, means rain or snow coming soon"

APPLICABILITY: This lore most commonly works in the cool season and in the mid-latitudes. Mid-latitude storm systems and fronts are more common in the cool season. It is also applicable to tropical storms and hurricanes since there are thin high clouds around the periphery of the storm system.

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION: As an upper level disturbance approaches or warm front approaches the clouds tend to start off as high clouds. Over time the clouds gradually lower and thicken. Near the source of the greatest synoptic lifting is where precipitation and thick clouds are most likely. The sun or moon will no longer be visible once the clouds thicken too much.

The ring around the sun or moon is caused by ice crystals within thin cirrus clouds. The refraction causes light to shine into a ring. Cirrus clouds are generally the first layer of clouds that are seen as a storm system approaches.

PITFALLS: a. Cirrus clouds not associated with a storm system will produce the ring also. In these cases precipitation may not occur. (the weatherprediction.com)



So I guess the folklore is true it rained and oh how it rained. We could hardly see out the windshield. We left costco and it was in the 80's no rain and by the time we got home(15 min away) it was 68 with lots of crazy rain and wind.

Valencia Recital 2008

Playing Interlude a Sonatina




Ashley Valencia's Piano teacher will be going off to school. We will miss you!




Amia played too!

Been Sewing...

Placemats, Napkins, tea towels and recipe for BTRS Swap #2 done! Hope she likes.




Art Smock for my niece's birthday! A present from one mom to another.




This material was 50% off so I had to get some to make Valencia a dress. One seam, two straps, a hem, rick rack and 45 min later I had a great summertime dress.