Gratitude Monday...Crescent Bar Style

80. Sometimes the best things in life are the little things in your life. (This is all the kids on the last day of our "Friendcation.") I sure do love all the little things in my life. They are pretty sweet most of the time and a little sour some of the time!

81. The joy of watching Husband and Friends Husbands as they work on Project Sandbar Waterslide 2010. Just good, albeit gritty, fun!

82. Pulling Husband in the early morning sun behind the boat he loves!

83. Oldest Son and his sweet smile.

84. The simple happiness that is having both Oldest Son and Youngest Son looking at the camera at the same time! (This happens only once or twice a year at best!) (They love the boat too! Like Papa Like Sons.)

85. Sweet Youngest Son and his love of the "Pool."

86. His too cute for words goggles.

87. The way he says "Look at me Mama!" (Said just before diving under the water and popping his head up to quickly look and make sure I was looking!)

88. Youngest Son and his sweet soul. I am afraid he is getting older.

89. Two of my three sisters.

90. How we all wore black swimsuits on the same day...without planning.

91. The help those two girls give me on vacation. They are truly a blessing.

The Rose Parade

Oldest Son and Youngest Son watch the Portland Rose Parade. The fact that they are both in the photo and that it is not blurry is a small miracle.

Youngest Son looks onward with one of his Cousins in the background as well. It makes you wonder just what a parade looks like through the eyes of a two year old boy?

Loved this float. Love Portland Town. Such a great place to call home.

My sweet little Niece. It was her birthday this day. I bet she thought the parade was just for her! Happy Birthday to Me!

Oldest Son loved his free red balloons. I let him pick a chocolate from Moonstuck. We had come with Grandma Grape. There were too many fun things to count!

"Time Is of the Essence" by Irene Foster

Now is the time to get things done...

wade in the water,

sit in the sun,

squish my toes,

in the mud by the door,

explore the world in a boy just four.

Now is the time to study books,

flowers,

snails,

how a cloud looks,

to ponder "up,"

where God sleeps nights,

why mosquitoes take such big bites.

Later there'll be time

to sew and clean,

paint the hall

that soft new green,

to make new drapes,

refinish the floor -

Later on...when he's not just four.

"Can we go at the dead end again?"

papa’s day

as i sit in my bed

exhausted after a long day of life

i listen to the sweet voice of our papa

words of curious george bring laughter

soft and loud

silly and sweet

though bedtime should have come

they have found their way back

to our bed

he found then and met them with patience

and offered them one more story

i am so thankful for him

when i have no more

when i am done

he pulls through

he brings much needed relief

i love that papa of ours

he is truly the best

always

 

I Heart Safeway!

I got off work about an hour early yesterday and made my way over to the Salmon Creek Safeway for a little weekly grocery shopping. I was not planning on getting a lot, but one thing led to another and this is what I ended up with.

Pep Farm Crisps

(3) Hamburger Helper

Honey Nut Cheerios

Trix

Molten Choc Cake (2)

Wheaties Fuel

Jolly Time Kettle Corn

Cheetos (4)

Tortilla Chips

Snyder's Pretzels (4)

Sobe Life Waters (6)

Vitamin Waters (3)

Simply Potatoes (2)

Whole Milk (2)

Quik Choc Milk (2)

Yoplait Yogurt (10)

Fage Greek Yogurt (2)

Frozen Dinners (2)

Always Pads

LA Looks Gel (2)

Stayfree Pads

OB Tampons (4)

Alice in Wonderland Blu-Ray DVD $24.99

Bananas (5)

Green Onions

Romaine Lettuce

Cilantro

Whole Rotisserie Chicken

Total: 36.72 OOP

(My total before all the COUPONS was about $137.00!)

Memorial Weekend Love

I just love holiday weekends. More appropriately I just love holiday weekends where I am not working. I was supposed to be working but some nice person was willing to work my day for me and I her day for her. (I just love amicable relations.) (I just love it when things turn out in the end.)
We spent the weekend up at The Lake where my family has property. I just love being there. It brings back so many good memories and it requires one to just let go. In fact, camping in general is a loss of control. No house to clean. No dishes to wash. No clothes to launder and fold and put away. No bed to make. No toys to put away. Yes...camping is the perfect get-away for the Type A individual such as myself. I can finally let go and I love it.

(Some examples of the simplicity of camping.)

1. After dinner. No dishes. Just burn them in the fire or throw them in the trash.

2. Wake up in the morning and roll out of one's sleeping bag. No bed making needed.

3. The kids can run and make all the mess their sweet hearts desire. I don't care. I don't have to clean it up.

Yes, most everything about camping appeals to me. Like I said, I love it.

I don't even mind the clean up when one arrives home. Throw it all in the wash and put it all away. (Restock all the camping bins so they are ready for the next adventure.) The house is clean and the bed feels so good. In fact...everything is good. You are home and everything is as it should be. Oh...and that first shower after a weekend away from one. So good. Love it.

The mind is rested. The memories are made. The soul feels free. The kids are worn out and sleep soundly. Love, love, love camping. (Even camping in the rain.)

P.S. Husband loved camping as well, though everyday he would threaten to go home if the weather turned. (Which it did.) Though he never went through with his promise. We were having too much fun and love and camping...in the rain.