Confessional Friday #2

I'm linking up with A Blonde Ambition again for Confessional Friday. Time to unleash all these deep dark secrets...

 #1 I confess...I found a penny! And it made my day. I was at work and I should have been doing something productive than picking up another person's castoffs. I can't help it the shiny copper caught my eye.

 #2 I confess...I'm so ready for our vacation. 'Nuff said.

 #3 I confess...the closet at the top of my stairs desperately deperately needs to be organized. I have been avoiding it for months... and months...and months. I just keep throwing stuff in there and promising myself I will get to it. Not happening.

 #4 I confess...I admit while playing Words With Friends with my hubby. I got 36 points by adding an S to LOBSTER/RANT. Haha. My husband thinks that is the truest form of cheating on that game. I think it's the use of Qi and En and all other words that have no meaning!

#5 Went to see Magic Mike with friends. Let me say...those boys can move! Yikes!

InstaFriday: Summer Begins

Hello everyone! I am participating in my first InstaFriday link up hosted by Life Rearranged. This link up is perfect for me because I take more pictures with my phone than camera. We had a busy week and here are the pictures to prove it.

Monday: Work preparations for a major giveaway for expecting military spouses.

Monday afternoon: Trip to the orthodontist for child #2. I so went into the wrong profession!

Tuesday: Daughter's birthday. Knocking out the Summer Bucket List.  Check out my birthday post to see how much I adore her.

Wednesday: Dinner experiment due to upcoming vacation and desire to avoid grocery shopping. 

It's my take on Orange Tequila Chicken. 

Thursday: Blueberry picking at a local farm

...and Pinterest fun!

                      

Here's the only one in our family who knows what summer is all about!

Ky's Birthday {summer bucket list}

Today we are celebrating our oldest child and only daughter's birthday!

Happy Birthday Ky!

I can not believe how fast time goes.
Here you are turning 12 and you look so grown up!
You act so grown up too.
What I wouldn't give to go back for one day
one hour
 to appreciate all of your
energy. creativity. love.

I remember the minute they laid you in my arms
and I got really scared
you were bald. puffy. red. slimy.
Not at all how I imagined a newborn baby would be.
But what would I know because you were the first baby laid on my chest.

I remember those first days after we brought you home.
You wanted the lights on. TV on. Fan on.
Or else you cried.
And we just couldn't have that!

I remember the first year of life.
You made great company
You learned so many things
 you caught on so quickly.
You were very smart.
Still are.
Everywhere we took you people would say.
She is so alert.
She is so smart.
Still are.

I remember the next year following you around everywhere.
You were my leader.
The only thing I could do was teach you how to make your way in your world.
How to walk. run. climb. jump.
Because your lack of inexperience wasn't going to stop you from exploring your world.

I remember all the super cute things you used to say.
Do you?
Do you remember when we use to go to the "pof-es"?
To mail letters?
Do you remember when you told everyone
"Stupid is a naughty word. We don't say that word?"
Do you remember when you would wag your finger, crook your head, and ask me
"Didju mommy, didju?"

I remember like it was yesterday.
I don't think I will every see you as anything more than
 a little chubby cheek preschooler
prancing around the house singing
with the biggest blue eyes
and
cutest little dimple.

I think the best and worst thing
I will do in my life
is watch you grow up.
The most difficult thing
will be
letting you.

I hope you will always know
You are important.
You are valued.
You are loved.

LOTS OF LOVE!!!

San Diego County Fair 2012

Sunday was our annual trip to the San Diego County Fair. As long as we have lived in San Diego, we have made one trip each year to the fair. I guess I'm a country girl at heart. Being from Iowa it should be expected. San Diego County Fair is a little more city than what I'm used too. Lots of food booths, rides, and vendors. Always a ton of people. Sunday was not an exception. It was a little overwhelming. I was kind of over it by the end of the day.

Every year there is a theme. Out of This World is the theme for 2012.

There is a lot of space stuff in the main exhibit hall. I cannot make sense of it. Boys loved it but not my thing!

My favorite things to see are the photography exhibit and the collection displays. It's so interesting to see what people collect. My favorite this year was a collection of geo- caches. We have been thinking about trying out geocaching for awhile. I put it on our summer bucket list so I think this might be the year!

We always love to see the animals. My daughter is such an animal lover. I got this cute photo of her with the goat. This same goat who was trying to eat the shirt off my husband's back. Don't let that sweet face fool you...on either one.

The goats were feisty, the chickens fancy, and the baby ducks were a hit with my daughter. Do you think we could sneak baby ducks into military housing?

You always have to check out the fair food. I was most impressed with the Bacon A-Fair. I left my heart in tact and skipped this booth.

Here is another impressive food booth.

Other than food, the rides are something to investigate at the fair. Father and son stood in line FOREVER for the chance to race soapbox derby cars for free...BOYS!

And the winner is...

There was one paid ride he asked his dad to ride. It makes me sick just looking at this picture. This ride twists you this way and that. Proof enough is all the coins laying on the ground under the ride. Yikes!

All this fun was to celebrate my husband and the father of our three fun, energetic children. He is awesome. He takes such good care of all of us. In fact, I struggled to take care of him on Father's Day because I'm so inexperienced. We are lucky to have him.

Baby, you are an...

Last Week of School {in pictures}

Is it Friday yet? I've been asking the question since Tuesday. It's the last week of school for the kids and things are busy. There is always something to buy for a class party, a performance to attend, or paper to submit. Not to mention all the other school day activities happening in a snowball effect this week. May I just say, I looking forward to not packing lunches at 6 AM for the next two months. Yay me!

With all these energy zappers, I decided to post with minimal effort today. This is my week in pictures from Sunday to Friday.

Last weekend was not a happy weekend. My husband had been gone for two weeks of training and his return day was being changed every five minutes. Oh yeah, I went there...I was crabby AND sad AND irritated with all things military. By Sunday, I knew we needed to escape the house and get a little happy back in here. So, we went to the library....

...and we spent two hours in the kid room where my daughter read, my sons played on the computers, and I perfected my chair balancing ability...

Lots of Penned Up Energy

Monday my husband finally came home after two weeks on the boat. The honeymoon stage lasted all of five minutes because he decided his 'mini-vaca' was exhausting...

...and that does not sit well with someone who just spent two weeks single parenting three children and a dog...

...oh yeah, Charlie has taken center stage this week because I'm secretly preparing a birthday gift for my daughter involving photos of her beloved...

Tuesday we were back to our regular family activities, HIKING...

 I don't do much of it when my husband is gone because I get scared.

Wednesday I was in the kitchen trying my hand at a new Pinterest find...

Shrimp Fried Rice. Yummy!

Thursday was ho-hum but the much needed day to catapult me into FRIDAY.

Finally, the last day of school! Let the fun begin! It's time to start checking off the Summer Bucket List.