Tara's Birthday

On Sunday we celebrated Tara's 8th birthday with a little family party at my house.  Of course all four of the girls were there.  We also had some Aunties, Uncles, and a few others. Tara requested a luau theme for her party which turned out really well.  There were luau paper plates, umbrella straws, leis for all and sand pails full of goodies for the kids.

Tara's mom, Laura, made chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla cupcakes with green, pink, and blue frosting.  They were really yummy!  She also made some really cute cookies, which I can't describe, so here is a picture.

I told you they couldn't be described!  Can you believe they are really cookies?  So cute!  I didn't try one of them... they were too cute to eat!

Besides all of the goodies to eat, we had chicken, potato salad, beans and hotdogs, and a variety of chips.  Lots of good food!

After we ate, the kids all played outside in the sprinklers for awhile.  It was a really hot day! They all were soaked by the time they were tired of the water.  They had fun and also stayed cool.

Then it was time for Tara to open her presents.  She really enjoyed all the books she got. Did I mention that reading is one of her favorite pastimes?

Here she is while we all sang happy birthday.  She really wanted to eat that cupcake!

Everyone is waiting patiently for their cupcake and ice cream!

It was a really full day and well into the evening when the party started to break up.

And one last picture of all the kids together before everyone headed for home.

What a fun day!

Sunday

What a really busy Sunday we had.  In the morning I picked up Kayla and Marissa and took them to church.  After we got back home and ate lunch, Jason brought over his laundry and his girls, and we enjoyed a fun, busy day.

The girls spent some time playing outside together, then they decided to come in and be creative.  Katie and Kayla decided to color, and Tara and Marissa made cowboys and horses out of the legos.  Here they are, hard at work.  They didn't let the piles of laundry that were waiting to be washed, deter them!

They play so well together.  Well, most of the time anyway!

And one of the finished lego products!  They did a good job.

Meantime, Jason and I had a few projects of our own to work on.  Of course there was the laundry for Jason, and I can always find schoolwork that needs to be done.  Our main project though, involved tasty cinnamon raisin bread.

So while I got out the ingredients, Jason started putting them together.  We soon had a bowlful of rising dough.  We used half raisins and half craisins - really flavorful that way!

Later, after putting a quick dinner together, we finally pulled the fresh bread out of the oven.  It was perfect for our dessert.  It turned out really yummy!

After everything was done and we were all stuffed from the good food, it was time for everyone to head home.  It was really late and the girls were all worn out and ready for bed - and so were the parents!  

I love Sundays! 

Tomorrow is another day of cooking.  Marion bought ingredients for a big pot of soup and the two of us are going to make a big batch for freezing.  Sounds like fun to me!

Barns And Crickets

I love summers when I can leave the door open in the evening, or even sit outside.  It is so nice out, and quiet.  Well, that is, except for the very loud cricket that has been right outside our front door for about a week!  We've been enjoying his music!  He makes me feel like I'm outside in a tent, camping in the middle of nowhere.

This was a barn in Ashland Oregon that I just had to take a picture of.  I don't know why I love barns, especially falling-down barns.  The more of a ruin they are, the better I like them.  I can't pass one up without taking a picture.  We don't have any around here.. that I know about anyway.  I wish we did.  It looks like a perfect spot for a picnic... and for that cricket!

I'm getting a lot of tomatoes from our two plants that we have this year.  They aren't very big, but still good eating.  I made some salsa with them yesterday, and still I have about a dozen left in the bowl.  I'm thinking a nice big salad tomorrow night for dinner!

Tiny but tasty!

I love to just eat them right off the vine!  We also have some bell peppers that will soon be ready for picking.  I have a really good stuffed bell pepper recipe and they'll be just right for it.  Right about now I'm wishing that I had planted more of a vegetable variety!

Oh, and here is a flower that was falling over out in the garden, so I had to bring it in and display it.  I love gladiolus... I looked it up, the spelling is correct!

Well the cricket seems to have stopped his music for the night.  Guess I'll do the same!

Camera Shy

Wednesday morning while answering the phones at church I decided to go into the kitchen and get out the snack I had brought.  In the kitchen, there is a full wall of windows and I glanced that way. On the other side of the windows I could see a whole family of squirrels sitting in the grass munching away on something tasty  - I don't know what.  I just had to take a picture of them.  They must hear very well because they started scattering when I got close to the windows with my camera.  I did manage to get a couple of pictures, though.

They are kinda hard to see, but there were quite a few there.  They were scattering when I took this.

Then I noticed this little guy just kinda sitting there posing for me.  Too bad he's in the shadow!  Anyway, it was a very cute site.

So today I decided I'd better work on granddaughter Ashley's birthday.  I made her a quilted purse that only took about three hours to put together.  I found the directions for it on a fellow student's blog. (Thank you Nikki).  I am sure I'll have to make more of them as soon as the rest of the granddaughters see it!

I thought it turned out really well.  Perfect for little girls.  I wish it was as easy to find something to make for the grandsons!  So far, I haven't been able to find a pattern for transformers or hot wheels!

Midsummer Thoughts

I am home now and getting things back to normal after our trip to Oregon.  We enjoyed our time there, but it was still nice to get back home.  The girls really had a great time, and they wrote some cute thank you cards to send out.

 4th of July fireworks 

Since coming home, I've started the first week of my final class.  Yeahhh.  I can't wait to be finished. Of course then I will probably have to do some things that I have been putting off forever!  Anyway, for the next little while, at least, I will be at home working on finishing up my schooling. 

Right now though, I am working on birthday gifts for the three grandchildren who celebrate this month.  I don't know why this is the "birthday" month.  

Since we returned home, it has been warm and humid here.  Not a usual condition for the desert.  So, in the evenings when it cools down we've spent some of our time in Marion's jacuzzi.  I know, a warm dip!  It is during the evening cool, and it is relaxing, though.  

Marissa, Derek, & Kayla

At least these three think so!  

The Oregon Trail

Wow, I didn't realize how long it has been since I was last here!  I have been so busy that the time has just flown by.

I have been on my computer somewhat, however, not as much as usual, as right now I am on vacation!  Jennifer, Kayla, Marissa and I are up in Oregon having lots of fun.  We drove up on Sunday, June 26.  We arrived at LuAnn's house, and have been constantly busy ever since.

LuAnn's nephew and his cousin have been visiting also and they have kept the girls busy swimming in the pool, playing ping pong, riding bikes, and playing Wii on the big screen TV.  They have been having lots of fun.

All four at the river today.

So far we have been to an old, still working, mill and museum,

and wandered through Jacksonville which is an old, very quaint town.

We also went to Harry & David's which is where LuAnn and Israel work.  It is a very large place and they have duck ponds, rose gardens, and a park.

Kayla & Marissa at the duck pond

Today since it finally stopped raining and we had some warm weather, we went to one of the local rivers.  It took us half of the day to pack up everything.  Finally we headed out for the day.

The water was cold, however, once we got there we enjoyed it.

Jennifer and Marissa headed out for a river rafting ride.  I couldn't see them but I heard them hollering a little way down the river when they hit the rapids!  They had a great time.

Then it was my turn.  It was a lotta fun!

Kayla decided she didn't want to go.  She's the cautious one!

We have done a lot and had lots of fun.  Tomorrow we plan on resting for the day.  We have all been running non-stop and it's time for a rest!