YIKES!

I was updating my blog sidebar and I accidentally deleted my blogroll!! No offense to anyone! I will be working to restore it but the kids are calling for lunch!

Summertime Activities (with Photos)

I was able to upload the latest pictures from my camera (and Kathryn's), so this is some of what we've done this summer:




We did a little baking. Kathryn wanted to make these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, and she did a terrific job. They were delicious.

We made a visit to the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles.



This pond here shows all the tar that is still there. Gases still rise up from the earth below.

This is a depiction of how a woolly mammoth baby got stuck in the tar while momma and sibling looked on helplessly.


The ground at the museum has lots of spots like this. Tar just coming up from the ground.

Here you can see Emily standing in front of the skeleton of a woolly mammoth.

The gang is all here minus me taking the picture!

On the drive home, we passed by Paramount Studios. No citing of celebrities!

The next shots are from our short visit to the beach to collect some shells. We were only there for about half an hour. The shells around there are pretty small and mostly pieces, but they still have beauty to them.

And I can't end without a photo of some of my harvest of wonderful tasting tomatoes! I have had a continuous supply of them and they are delicious!

Summertime Activites

Well these sure have been the lazy days of summer! I obviously haven't been doing many posts lately. I've been trying to visit your blogs when I can, but have been off the computer a lot. I've been trying to do some activities with the kids before they begin school. I have pictures, but I haven't uploaded any of them yet. Hopefully, I can do that soon because I want to post them.

We visited the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. It was a very interesting place and Ryan especially loved it. We learned about the animals that lived in that area eons ago and got to see the fossils. Most of them were trapped in the tar or asphalt. There are still fossils being discovered today and we got to see some people (I forget the name of them) working on them.


We also went to the beach. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my camera. We had a blast. I pretty much stayed under the umbrella, but enjoyed watching the kids run from the waves.


Kathryn has finished her summer basketball season. Her team went undefeated and they won the championship for her team's division just yesterday! Yea!

Today, Kathryn and I had a consultation with an orthodontist. She needs to have braces, but we're not sure when we'll actually do it. Ryan is going to be referred by our dentist in a couple of months. Having two kids in braces is going to cost us a good chunk of money and I really think Ryan will need them more than Kathryn. So I don't know how we'll handle this right now. Lots of playing around with the budget. I wish I could find that lottery ticket that I misplaced :)

Well, school begins on Monday. All three will finally be in school. It's been fun having the kids home all summer and I think I will miss having them around. I hope I don't get too teary when I see little Emily in her uniform standing in the Kindergarten line! She's my baby and when I allow myself to think about her starting school...well, I don't want to stay there too long. AAAGH!! MY KIDS ARE GROWING TOO FAST!!!!!!!! I'm sure many of you can relate.

Well, it's late now and the bed is calling my name. I hope I can get a post in tomorrow with some pictures!

A Little Humor

Some funnies from Emily:

After telling the kids how much I loved them and how proud I was to be their mother, the conversation went something like this:

Me: I wouldn't trade you guys for a million dollars! I wouldn't trade you for ten million dollars!!

Emily: What would you trade us for?

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Emily: What's the Spanish word for piñata?

A New Week

Ever since I quit working outside the home, I've come to enjoy Mondays. I get the feeling that it's a new beginning, a time to start over after my plans from the week before didn't quite work out. It's a time to pick myself up and begin again or to continue with what's been working.

This summer, the routines have flown out the window. After two kids with pneumonia, things were slightly askew, but everyone is better now and I look forward to planning things again and actually going through with them, God willing!

Today will be a busy day. I have some errands to do, then pay a visit to my mother, who I haven't seen in awhile. I have lots of tomatoes to give her. My tomato plant has really started producing. I've had to start picking them while they are slightly orange, almost red. When I wait for them to get a nice red color, they've already gotten a little soft and mushy on the the inside. But they are delicious. A wonderful aroma with a taste that's hard to get all the time from the grocery store.

My blog has been neglected lately and I really need to update my list of books read. I've been on a kick for reading Michael Connelly books. My sister-in-law let me borrow some of her books because she knew I liked the Jack Bauer character from "24". The main character from these books, Harry Bosch, is a lot like Jack Bauer. The ones I've read so far are really good. They are good who dunnit, crime fiction stories. There is a little swearing and some adult situations, ..ahem, but not an excessive amount, and well, they are crime stories.

Last night, I saw the movie The Pursuit of Happyness. I just loved it! What an inspiring story about a father doing everything he can to provide a better life for his son! I stayed up way too late to finish this one and by the end, I just had tears falling down. If you've never seen this movie, I'd recommend it if you don't mind shedding a few tears! There's not many movies I give 5 stars to on my Netflix queue, but this is one.

Well, I need to get going with the rest of my day. I hope you all have a blessed week!