Visitors

This past week we had Tatum and her boyfriend Chase for a visit. We took a day trip to the beach and it ended with Tatum being stung by a stingray. Yes that is the same thing Steve Irwin died from but Tatum's was in her ankle not her heart. She is recovering fine. Thankfully we had Chase here to help out.

Camden was much more confident at the beach. She is also walking.



Brooklyn is very wary when it comes to being in water especially when it involves putting her face all the way under. Brooklyn watched Castaway one night with Brandon. She was very much affected by Wilson floating away from Tom Hanks. She teared up and cried he is losing his friend.

Well Chase found it funny that Brooklyn was so concerned about the soccer ball touching the water. She told him to leave it on the sand. So Chase does the exact opposite and kicks into the water. My daughter likes to run or I guess you could call it prancing. But I have never seen her run like this before. She would make a track coach proud. She had no concern about her body or the water. She dove into the water face first to catch the soccer ball. With ball in hand she walked right up to Chase and set him straight where the ball needed to stay. She then walked up to me with a strut and a very confident almost cocky expression said, "I just went all the way underwater." I wish so bad I would have had a picture.

Gardening!!

Sorry for the overload of pictures but there are just so many to share.

Not an overcast day it was very smokey. Just thought you would be interested.

These flowers are named statice. Very pretty papery like blossom.

Pink wave petunias. I thought the slugs got them but they are thriving now.

My long front flowerbed.

They're back. Very bad Japanese Beetles. I need to bring out the soapy water to kill them. Right after I took this the beetle flew right at me.

Yea!! My tomato and peppers are huge. My tomatoes are taller than me.

I love these flowers. I saw these in AZ at an AJ's market. The name is Angelonia. They grow well with little upkeep.

My butternut squash. Ants have been terrorizing my squash plants.

I love these bright red petunias.

I have never grown this variety. They look like a petunia but their name is Torenia.

In the back of our yard Brooklyn and I threw down some wild flower seeds.

My first harvest. Isn't it the most beautiful thing you have ever seen. I bet you can't wait for the tomatoes and pepper pictures.

I love impatiens. They are such a happy flower.

I call this box my melon box. I have cantaloupe and watermelon growing. Keep your fingers crossed.

I have yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, and butternut squash growing in this box. The leaves are enormous on my plants.

Pepper flowers.

I planted this flower last year. I am currently having a brain fart. I can't remember the name.

My beautiful verbena. Brandon hates this flower but I think they are pretty.


More beautiful wildflowers.


Again I am sorry for all of the plant pictures. I think they are so pretty. Stay tuned for more. I almost get a tear in my eye when Brooklyn calls a plant by its correct name.

Virginia Beach Vacation

During the week of Memorial Day we had the opportunity to vacation at Virginia Beach with five other families from our old Pittsburgh Ward. We had so much fun reuniting with old friends and meeting new friends. Here are just a few pictures from the vacation.

Our family Sunday canoe ride.

Brandon was a great driver.

The big boys created a complex block stacking game. Each one kept trying to top the next boy until it crashed.

Can you see the intensity.



First day on the beach. The weather was beautiful.


Camden was a little unsure but got use to it rather quickly.

Brooklyn calls this swimsuit her cheerleader one. I have no idea were that came from.

We had one rainy day. Our family and our friends the Johnsons went to the Aquarium. Here is Brooklyn posing for the picture as her friend Felix is concentrating on the mist.

I know this picture is blurry but what a cutie. Rex was born after we had left Pittsburgh.


I thought this looked like Jaws in the movie coming towards the underwater tunnel. I think it's from Jaws 3.

This is us inside of Jaws mouth.


Oldest Lighthouse in U.S. government history.

Brandon and me on top of the oldest lighthouse. The one behind us is the new one that was completely constructed in Pittsburgh.





Scott and Brandon took Brooklyn and Felix for a canoe ride.


I hope there are enough pictures to satisfy you.

Funny conversations

I have so many funny things to share about my girls. Here are just a few.

The other week Brooklyn, Camden, and I ate dinner at the park. As we were leaving I began listing off the things that needed to be done before we went to bed. Brooklyn asked if we could count them together. We had four things to accomplish. After we finished counting the four things, Brooklyn was confused. Brooklyn said, "Mom I think we forgot something. My pinky does not have anything to do."

This past week my sister and her boyfriend were in town. Brooklyn was very nervous that my sis was bringing a boy. She kept saying she only wanted my sister and not a boy. The second day my sis and boyfriend were here we took a trip to the beach. It is only a two hour drive. Just a few minutes into the trip Brooklyn says, "Chase, Chase. I like you." By the time we were just a few minutes from the beach Brooklyn says, "Chase, Chase. I love you."


Today Brooklyn and I have been preparing things for Father's Day. After awhile Brooklyn ask, "When is it going to be Children's Day?" I told her every day is Children's Day.

The Things People Say

I should start a blog about the stupid things people say.

I will set it up for you. As a family we walk into the Cracker Barrel, me holding Camden with Brandon and Brooklyn following behind. The Cracker Barrel has a lady there to greet us at the door.

Greeter (directed at Camden): Oh, you're a cutie!
Me: Thanks
Greeter (directed at Brooklyn): Oh, and aren't you beautiful. Your sister isn't as cute...but she'll do.

Brooklyn, I love you!!!

Today Brooklyn and I butted heads all day long. We were both grouchy and had no patience left in our bodies. But I just wanted to state that even after a rough day I still love and adore her. She can brighten my day with her warm hugs and her sweet voice when she says "I love you mom."

FINISHED!!!!

My kitchen is beautiful. I love it. It turned out better than I could have imagined. Here are the completed pictures.

The Fridge sticks out like a sore thumb.





We are looking into replacing the recessed lighting.


I can't decide if I want to make some window treatments. I want to add an outdoor lantern style light over the window rather than do window treatments. What do you think?

The Kitchen

Since we moved in our home, I have wanted to change practically everything in it. Being first time home buyers our eyes our bigger than our budget. So walls that once wore wallpaper have been bare since right after we moved in. This past week Brandon was out of town and I took this opportunity to tackle the Kitchen. I am in love with the green I chose for our wall.

The next three pictures are what the kitchen looked like at the beginning of the week.





The next few pictures are what it looks like now.


I still have the cabinet doors to paint.

This what my clean laundry looks like after a week of ignoring. Makes a great laundry basket right.