Free Fun

     Earlier this week, I took the kids to the library for the first time. I've been meaning to get a library card for awhile now, seeing as how I have been reading like crazy lately and in turn, spending lots of $$$ on books. Once we got inside I kicked myself for not taking Ally sooner! She loved it and had a great time picking out books to take home. She got her very own library card and signed it herself. (I happen to love her signature.)

 

     I also had Drew with me and he was excited to be at the library, too. He let everyone know just how happy he was by continuously letting out high pitched squeals at the top of his lungs!

     Later on in the day we went to the park behind the house, and I got some cute picture of the kids.

     Such a great day with my babies <3

Being Satisfied

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"You can never get enough of what you don't need to make you happy." -Eric Hoffer

      More. We always want more. More possessions, more money, more popularity -- whatever it is we think we don't have enough of. If we just had more, we'd be happy.
     We should know better. If what we have of something right now isn't giving us any happiness, why should more of it give us happiness? More of nothing is still nothing.

Today I will find satisfaction in things I already have. Before I look for more of something. I'll make sure that it is something I know brings me happiness.


- From The Daily Books of Positive Quotations by Linda Picone

10 Things I Love About Fall

1) Warm Drinks – drinking coffee throughout the day (love me some Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Peppermint Mochas), having some hot chocolate if the mood strikes, and just recently I discovered how amazingly delicious Spiced Apple Cider is.

2) Fall Fashion – In the past I have sported hoodies 97% of the time once the weather started cooling off; however, now that I am getting older and finally figuring out my style and also the fact like I want to dress like an adult, I’d prefer to put them behind me. I’ve fallen in love with skinny jeans, and boots, and I actually bought a couple dresses the other day (crazy, I know!). Now I need to buy some tights to wear underneath them. I also discovered a love for knit hats and scarves, not to mention, I absolutely love fall colors.

3) Fall Nail Polish

4) Fire in the Fireplace – We have yet to light one in our new home and this is one of the biggest things I’m looking forward to.

5) Curling up inside with a good book or watching a movie while cuddling up to my hubby under a warm blanket

6) Fuzzy socks

7) Sweats! – Still like to rock these bad boys in the home

8) Fall Meals, such as soups and chili, as well as getting to use the crock pot more often. Oh yea, and we won’t mention baked goods. I’ve already started a little early this year…

9) All the seasonal activities such as the pumpkin patch, taking the kids out for Halloween, birthday parties, Holiday get-togethers…etc.

10) The atmosphere that fall brings.

Dad's Birthday

My dad turned 54 on Sunday, the 25th. Chad was on shift so I loaded up the kids and headed to my parents' house. Shortly before leaving I made a card for my dad. Ever since I can remember, when I draw pictures of him, he always has a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Classy, I know, but that's my dad! So I thought I would carry on that tradition into his 54th year of life.

Funnier if you know him or have seen pictures of him in the past because he seriously dressed like that, and when he was a teenager he broke his femur playing baseball. Overall, we had a great time. A couple of his friends dropped by, Ally got to help Grandma and Papa feed the fish, and we ate brats and hot dogs and birthday cake. The only thing that would have made it better was if Chad would have been there.

I'm Still Alive!!

I am slowly but surely trying to get back into the rhythm of blogging. I have a lot of posts in mind, it's just trying to find the time and desire to write them. I think one of the biggest things holding me back from updating regularly is the fact that I get a little OCD at times, and the perfectionist in me makes blogging take FOR..EV..ERRR. I spend so much time editing photos, working on a layout, reading and rereading every entry that I wear myself out. Not only that, but I go through phases where I am really into reading others' blogs and I have recently gotten back into scrapbooking. This has in turn motivated me to start writing again.

I recently read Ali Edwards' book, Life Artist: Scrapbooking Life's Journey, from front to back and continue to look back at it regularly to remind myself of her incredible tips and techniques when it comes to memory keeping. So because I have gotten back into one of my favorite hobbies, I'd like to start posting my pages (the most recent ones of course, some of my older ones are pretty sad). I also need to give an update on how the kids are doing as well as the most recent before/after photos of the house. Hopefully this will all be posted sooner rather than later. I don't have enough hours in my day, coffee in my cabinet, nor do I have a babysitter to accomplish all the things I would like to before bedtime. Ahh, life. Wouldn't change mine for the world.

While Watching Sesame Street...

I made cookies the other night and told Ally she could have two and then she was done. About an hour or so later, right before bedtime, she disappeared to the bathroom and came walking back out in the living room with her little red step stool. I didn't think anything of it until I noticed her carrying it out of the kitchen. I asked her, "What are you doing, were you getting a cookie off the counter??" With her mouth full she said, "Nooo..."

Last night during her bath I was washing her hair and she started singing, "Walking on 'shunshine', Oooo, Walking on 'shunshine'!"

We brought Daddy some leftovers to the station and afterward made a quick stop at the Dollar Store to get something to do inside. The weather is already ridiculous and it's only June. So we got some watercolor paints, flashcards, a new coloring book, some drawing paper, and a plastic watering can so she can water the plants with me. As usual, she was running up and down the isles, grabbing everything in site while saying, "Oh Mom, look at this!" as well as having conversations with every person we came across. I'm always exhausted when leaving a store with Ally.

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