End of Summer...

We have had a blast the last few days...the girls and I went swimming yesterday, had a great visit with Aunt Mindi and her girls...today we drove around looking at local garage sales {found a couple of great buys...will show later}, went to Home Depot to pick up stain for our fence...while we were there I had to show hubby this light that I had been drooling over for months...it was on sale but there were none left...sad...but I asked just to make sure and the guy said he was out but we could buy the display for an extra 50% off!!!!  We got a beautiful chandelier that was originally $100 for $25!!!!  It is in the craft room and I love it {early birthday present from hubby}!!! I will take some pictures tomorrow when it's light outside.

This afternoon Beanie and I went to her friends birthday party...it was a pool party...we had a blast!  They had a diving board and a large slide...beanie can't stop talking about it!

It's been a little hot...so when we haven't been in the pool we have been watching the Disney show Good Luck Charlie...the girls and I are a bit obsessed!  I love the set design and the mom...and the girls love the main girl "Teddy"...it's a good family program...so we fired up the Netflix through the Wii and starting watching all the past episodes...we are on 14 of 46 :)

Hope you are having a great weekend so far!

Here is a look at the set of Good Luck Charlie

{photo via Hooked on Houses}

Dreaming of blue...

 I would love to paint our interior a beautiful blue {instead of boring builders beige} but hubby and I have decided to save the money we could spend on this house and wait til we get into the next.  We have already been looking for houses around town that have a little land...so much is out there and so affordable!  

It's sad to think about how much money we will lose when we sell our current home...but I remind myself that there are people out there who are much worse off.  Hubby has 1 1/2 years to go with his apprenticeship program so we figure we will put the house on the market this Spring/Summer.  I love our house...hubby does not!  It was a good move at the time...both the girls were little and I didn't want to buy something that needed a ton of work...so we bought a brand new cookie cutter house....like I said it was good at the time but now we want to find our forever home...something with character...and land!  

It's kind of exciting to think about moving...

{all photos BHG}

Homemade...

I don't know what got into hubby and I last night but we decided to make pesto and blackberry jam...we had a beautiful full basil plant that was starting to wilt so we cut it all and made some yummy pesto...

Hubby and Beanie went behind the house and picked blackberries...we had more than enough to make jam...so we did :)  Of course the girls wanted to help...they went back and forth helping me with the pesto and hubby with the jam...we had a blast!

{a yummy dessert}

The other night hubby cut up a couple of peaches and I remembered that I had some whip cream that I hadn't used yet...I put it in the mixer for a few minutes, then added some vanilla extract, and powdered sugar...it tasted amazing {I've never made whip cream from scratch before...so easy} we put the peaches in a ramekin and topped them with a ton of whip cream...we were all in heaven!  I love that something so simple can taste so wonderful!

The girls have spent a lot of time here...coloring, painting, cutting, and eating :)  We are taking it easy knowing that school is starting soon and life will be a little crazier...

Productive Tuesday...

We have had a busy morning...now that school is fast approaching I have been spending more time helping out at Bird's preschool {I'm the board president}  I have to say... I love our preschool!  I love our teacher! I love the little house that our school is in!  It reminds me of my childhood and it makes me happy!

Anywho...

I have been meaning to make these cute luggage tags for our swimming bag and the girls' backpacks {can find free download at Jones Design Company...she is on my blog list}...so this morning I got everything out and made them...they turned out so cute!  All you need is the Scotch brand luggage tags {office section of market}, stamps for the names, and some ribbon.  

Super easy & cute!

 Both sides are super cute...hard to pick which one you want to show :)

 And of course...Lucy lounging...

~Maris

Our Weekend...

We had a great & productive weekend!  

We spent some time with baby Jack, hubby used the new carpet cleaner {love it!!!} , the girls played well together, and we finished painting the master bathroom {it's only been like 2 years...}!

 At the hospital Daddy made the kids glove balloons...they are still playing with them...

 Beanie wearing hubby's old cowboy boots...they add instant sass!

 The girls making funny faces...

 Bird can hardly do it cause she is laughing so hard...

 Hubby working hard cleaning the carpets...thank goodness Lucy is potty trained...no more pee pee carpet!

 Speaking of Lucy...she realized that Bird had left over yogurt on her face and had to have a taste {i'm sure my mom is having a heart attack right about now...sorry mom!} Bird laughed soooo hard!

 Lucy's hair is growing back beautifully...she can now leave the house during the day :)

 Leaving the hospital Hubby decided to act like the paparazzi and was taking an absurd amount of pictures...thought it might make him stop if I made a horrible face at him...didn't work...he continued...they get worse from here...

Beanie in boots...

~Maris

All about Jack...

I had a little giggle writing the title...it made me think of a Will and Grace episode where Jack started his own stage show called "Just Jack"... if you watched the show you will know why it's funny {I hope...}

 We have almost the whole cast of Will and Grace now...my neighbors kids are Will and Grace {not after the show...had to set the record straight on Emily's behalf} and now we have Jack...all we need is someone to name their kid Karen and we are set!  

Anywho...

Here he is...beautiful baby Jack James {my girls call him Jack Jack}... they are in love...as am I!

A little Random...

 Long time no talk to...it's been a very exciting week around here...my little nephew was born Wednesday...Jack James and I'm in love!  He is absolutely wonderful!  I have forgotten my camera the two times I went to see him in the hospital...we will go again tonight and I promise not to forget it.  Tomorrows post will be all about Jack!

Until then here are some photos of our lazy {but fun} week...

Hubby was diagnosed with pneumonia earlier this week so he has been out of commission for awhile {on the mend now} 

I put my grandmas china in the hutch and I love the way it looks with all the white!

 I got out the face paint and painted rainbows on the girls' cheeks...they were so happy!

 Here is my fab sis n law a couple of days before Jack arrived...love the baby bump!

 The girls spent one morning in their jammies and played games and colored on butcher paper that we laid on the floor...lots of fun!  Cousin Kelley stopped by and hung out with us {sorry there is no photo of sweet Kelley} the girls love her!

We also spent a couple days at the outdoor pool.  The girls had fun swimming in the foot deep pool while I caught a little sunshine...can't ask for anything better!

Hope you have a great weekend...I promise I will post some pictures of Jack tomorrow!

~Maris