Alaina's 5th birthday party was big fun. We had asked for items to donate to the local animal shelter instead of gifts and got a nice bunch of stuff to take in. The kids swam, then came in for snacks like watermelon, veggies w ranch, goldfish and swedish fish with pink lemonade. Next they each "adopted" a tiny stuffed kitten from a basket and picked a ribbon for a collar. They decorated nametags and strung them on the collar. If I had thought of it sooner I would have had tiny bells to string on also but they turned out cute.
Next we had kitty cupcakes. The kids ran and played and we gave out my rudimentary drawstring bags of goodies (thank you Oriental Trading for having so much themed junk). Several friends stayed to fish for a while and there were some big thrills when the catfish were reeled in.
Afterward we continued fishing while the kids played with their friend Mariel on the hammock and tree fort. It was a perfect evening and we were ready to relax after our party weekend. Soon Joe and Julie arrived to pick up Mariel and we all sat on the screened porch to relax some more. We got great furniture for that room(wicker with thick comfy cushions) and with the horses in view and sounds and smells of nature around, the screened porch is becoming a favorite place to be.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Blog - Round Trois
Here I am determined yet again to do my blog. I love the idea, and am forever thinking to myself "I need to blog this or that", but it just hasn't been happening. I was given crap for that the other day, and life is calming down a bit again, so for the sake of recording life's moments and for the enjoyment of my two followers (estimates rounded up to the next whole number), I am back.
A list of things I need to catch up on:
Key Largo
Curacao
Ethan's basketball and baseball seasons
OMG Did we really bid on a house?
Cub scouts
New house
Jordan mission trip
Jordan tennis
Tour of Warm Springs Ranch
Fishin'
Pool ownership
Loose horses
PA Board
Summer visitors
Skunk!
Shamelessly enjoying neighbors' expensive firework shows
Lainey is 5 years old
Wednesday's with Eliza
Reverting to slow internet
That Lake House feeling
Learners' Permit
Gator
Trail ride
House selling fun
Bill's fun with pool skimmers
Right now I am sending a couple photos to a friend. I began that project a bit before 10AM. It is now 11:30. Still "sending mail". Yeah right. Happily if I don't add photos to this blog I should be able to post things in a reasonable time frame. Besides the photo uploading (don't expect a ton of stuff on Flickr anytime soon) it's not so bad and certainly limits any unneccessary web use. Except for Jordan who still manages to enjoy 6 hours or more per day online. Teen priorities!
This weekend is a fun little whirlwind. Yesterday we cleaned and prepped for a swim/fish party for Ethan's baseball team. From 4-6:30 all was as planned. Luckily we held off eating and had set up food indoors because about then a huge storm rolled up and we all rushed in just in time to eat and watch the storm. So instead of lawn games and a bonfire with marshmallows, the kids played Wii for a bit then when Wii gave way to battles in the basement (fun ones with toy swords and helmets) Bill and Coach took them to the barn for some basketball contests. It turned out beautifully and ended up lasting until about 9:30. A stringer of fish were taken home including the new record Cat of 26 inches. Coach hooked it but handed it off to Danny (Lightning) Nichols who reeled it in and claimed the prize for Biggest Fish.
Next I ran Jordan to town. She, Kahlea and Mikayla had planned to spend the night together at Kahlea's house before leaving at 6:30 this morning for their mission trip. The plan, like last year, was to dress all in black and sneakily decorate the four vans last night. The rain spoiled that plan, but after a quick stop at Wal-Mart for last minute items, Jordan drove me from Wal-Mart to Kahlea's house (significant driving in town, in rain, in dark even if a short way) and the girls had their slumber party and compared snacks and other fun stuff they had packed.
Today we will freshen up the house in preparation for a 3:00 pool party. Lainey's birthday was the 10th but this was our best bet for a party with friends. We have a kitty theme, with donations to the local Humane Society instead of gifts. Kitty cupcakes, goldfish crackers, Swedish fish, and goody bags that I sewed (yes the machine was coated in dust and the bags look like a second year 4-H project) and we filled with kitty themed crap. Kids will decorate little pet picture frames if time permits. Hoping the sun stays and no more pop-up thunderstorms today! This has been the rainiest July ever.
Must go prepare!
A list of things I need to catch up on:
Key Largo
Curacao
Ethan's basketball and baseball seasons
OMG Did we really bid on a house?
Cub scouts
New house
Jordan mission trip
Jordan tennis
Tour of Warm Springs Ranch
Fishin'
Pool ownership
Loose horses
PA Board
Summer visitors
Skunk!
Shamelessly enjoying neighbors' expensive firework shows
Lainey is 5 years old
Wednesday's with Eliza
Reverting to slow internet
That Lake House feeling
Learners' Permit
Gator
Trail ride
House selling fun
Bill's fun with pool skimmers
Right now I am sending a couple photos to a friend. I began that project a bit before 10AM. It is now 11:30. Still "sending mail". Yeah right. Happily if I don't add photos to this blog I should be able to post things in a reasonable time frame. Besides the photo uploading (don't expect a ton of stuff on Flickr anytime soon) it's not so bad and certainly limits any unneccessary web use. Except for Jordan who still manages to enjoy 6 hours or more per day online. Teen priorities!
This weekend is a fun little whirlwind. Yesterday we cleaned and prepped for a swim/fish party for Ethan's baseball team. From 4-6:30 all was as planned. Luckily we held off eating and had set up food indoors because about then a huge storm rolled up and we all rushed in just in time to eat and watch the storm. So instead of lawn games and a bonfire with marshmallows, the kids played Wii for a bit then when Wii gave way to battles in the basement (fun ones with toy swords and helmets) Bill and Coach took them to the barn for some basketball contests. It turned out beautifully and ended up lasting until about 9:30. A stringer of fish were taken home including the new record Cat of 26 inches. Coach hooked it but handed it off to Danny (Lightning) Nichols who reeled it in and claimed the prize for Biggest Fish.
Next I ran Jordan to town. She, Kahlea and Mikayla had planned to spend the night together at Kahlea's house before leaving at 6:30 this morning for their mission trip. The plan, like last year, was to dress all in black and sneakily decorate the four vans last night. The rain spoiled that plan, but after a quick stop at Wal-Mart for last minute items, Jordan drove me from Wal-Mart to Kahlea's house (significant driving in town, in rain, in dark even if a short way) and the girls had their slumber party and compared snacks and other fun stuff they had packed.
Today we will freshen up the house in preparation for a 3:00 pool party. Lainey's birthday was the 10th but this was our best bet for a party with friends. We have a kitty theme, with donations to the local Humane Society instead of gifts. Kitty cupcakes, goldfish crackers, Swedish fish, and goody bags that I sewed (yes the machine was coated in dust and the bags look like a second year 4-H project) and we filled with kitty themed crap. Kids will decorate little pet picture frames if time permits. Hoping the sun stays and no more pop-up thunderstorms today! This has been the rainiest July ever.
Must go prepare!
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