Still bloomin'.....

Just when we thought we would never see rain again, BAM! Rain. A few days later, a little more rain. Now, we're back in bloom and going green again. So, Fall may be a little late now, I'm thinking. I thought this was a loverly fence view of the garden. Something out there smells really good right about now, but I can't identify what it is.

The open areas in this pic will one day be a small garden surrounding the path that wraps behind the creek. I'm really dying to get something going on the north side of our house, but GardenDaddy isn't as keen on starting things as I am. Mostly I have to resort to bribery, general threats, and promises I don't intend to keep. Maybe I'll come up with something soon.







In other news, Sam sneezed at school today. This was, obviously, a life altering sneeze as he felt it necessary to describe every detail of the sneeze to me in a play-by-play sneezing. It's hard to believe the red monster will be 6 in a bit more than a month. Sigh.
Sophy has decided she wants to be a kitty for H'ween. I'm not surprised, since she pretends to be a cat about 75% of the time. She will even eat her supper with her plate on the kitchen floor if I'm not careful. I'm thinking I can come up with a pretty cute kitty costume with a headband/kitty ears, cat print skirt, black leotard/tights/mary janes, etc...and of course, a tail.
My mom (who is like a child whisperer...whatever that is...I just made it up) has always said that 8 year olds grow and change an enormous amount. I must agree with her. Jack is changing so much in his actions, mannerisms, likes/dislikes...sniff, sniff. I'm getting so old. Argh.

Soccer monsters!

Today was our first day of soccer this year. Sam's first day ever and Jack's second year. Sam had a good time. There were a couple of times where he shouted across the field to me, "Mom. Is it over yet?" He was a hoot to watch. The spectators were so awesome and supportive and cheered for the little guys/gals. It was a great time.



Jack's team is awesome. They won 8-3, but I'm such a ditz I thought the score was 6-2. Oh well, counting never was my thing. HAHA. Last year, Jack was happy to play, but never really 'got it.' This year, he was really into it. He focused and played hard the entire game. He was so proud of himself.


Soccer is just another opportunity for Sophy to practice her wind-blown look.


We're off to my niece's bday party in a bit. It could prove to be chaotic for a host of reasons. However, my sis-in-laws and I are going out for pedicures this evening after the party...so bring on the chaos.

Good times. Good times.

If this doesn't make you smile, you got probs. Goggles, a pink/purple tricycle with an 8 year old at the wheel, 2 boys wearing goggles, driving on an obstacle course with safety cones. C'mon. This is prime-time, grade A good stuff!!

It's no secret!!

I want to shout it from the roof tops!! GUESS WHAT? After 51 days without rain....
It rained! We were bombarded with buckets of rain for about 10-15 minutes complete with thunder and lightening and wind!! YAY!! According the radar, we should be getting even more in about an hour!! WAHOO!!!

Dust Bowl '06

To say that we need rain would be an understatement. Our area is typically very green and humid with lots of fertile SOIL. Not sand.







Here we have 3 hot, sweaty kids rolling in the powder-like dust of my daddy's garden. We rolled and played until well after dark, and the kids cried muddy streaks down their cheeks when it was time to go in. It was actually a really pretty sight. As the sun was setting, the dust that was floating in the air like smoke made the sunlight streak through the air like a prysm. If it hadn't been for the grit in my teeth and the sand in my eyes, it would've been a beautiful experience. Sam begged me to join them, but I declined. Once I kicked my shoes off to get in for a better shot, and I swear to you it felt like I was standing in silk. That's how powdery the dust is. At one point, it looked like my daddy's field was on fire from all the dust particles in the air. Remember the little kid from the Peanuts, Pig Pen? As we left the field, Jack said, "Look at us! We're Pig Pen!!"

Mr. Weather Man is calling for rain in a couple of days. We'll see.

Fast Facts

Birthdate: 6-28-98
Favorite Color: Blue-Green
Favorite Food: Anything with syrup on it
Hobbies: Trains, airplanes, SCIENCE!!

*Tonight we bought soccer shoes. Jack needed a size 6 and a half. SIX. And a half.

*Jack's class is, undoubtedly, studying the life cylce. We've had to console a very tearful Jack twice this week that he isn't dying. Or getting old. Or getting wrinkles.

*Jack can eat his weight in mini-pancakes. He even likes them frozen.

*By the age of 8, Jack had drawn ZERO pictures. Nada. Since July, Jack has figured out that he can draw pretty well. Now, he draws airplanes and race cars instead of doing his classwork. Ahem.

*Jack told Sam that if he would clean their bedroom, he'd write Sam a paycheck. Sam agreed but then didn't clean the room. Sophy ended up picking up the Lincoln Logs for them. Without pay. One day, I'll explain to her how to avoid such traps of coercion.



Birthdate: 10-28-00
Favorite Color: Bright Orange
Favorite Food: Bologna
Hobbies: Dirt

*As I walked Sam to class this morning a fourth grader shouted, "What's up, Sam?" Sam yells excitedly back, "Hey, man!" I asked Sam who the kid was. Sam says , "I don't know." We round the corner to make the straightaway to class. A kid wearing the safety patrol vest waves and says, "Hi Sam." Sam says, "Good Morning" without even looking at him. I am scared to know.

*Sam will be going to school tomorrow dressed as a construction worker. It's community helper week. He thinks by wearing this outfit, as opposed to maybe a dentist or vet, the teacher will be more likely to let him play in the dirt at recess. He explained this logic in great detail on the way home from school. I'm curious to see whether or not it pans out for him tomorrow.



Birthdate: 11-21-01
Favorite Food: PBJ's or green beans
Favorite Color: Pink. Hot Pink. Soft Pink. Glitter Pink. Pink.
Hobbies: Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, and Jewelry.

*Sophy can answer most addition facts 0-10 and read most K-1st grade books.

*Tonight she asked me to teach her how to roll her eyes. You think I'm lying, but I promise to you. I'm not.

*Sophy has eaten at least one PBJ sandwich every day for the last year.

*She can hide, indefinitely, without breathing a sound.

*She once ordered Mr. GP to call me Queen Mommy and her Princess Sophy. When daddy balked at the idea, she told him he could be King Daddy.

Peace out! Don't flip a scrimple. Whatever that means.

The little garden that could.

Bless my poor garden's heart. It just wants to live in spite of the neglect from it's mommy and the torture of it's mother--nature. Several weekends ago, we had a particularly mild afternoon. Sophy and I put on our gardening clogs and set to work with clippers, shovels, and rakes. Three GIANT lawn wagon loads later, we had made a dent in the over growth. Usually by now I have pumpkins attempting to grow or another round of zinnias but nothing new has been added thus far. Mr. GP cringes everytime I mention my latest idea which involves enlarging the garden area. ((insert evil laugh here))

Here you see my attempt at an interesting camera view of our creek. HAHA, my camera got slightly wet. Wonder what that does for the warranty?


Tomorrow is almost Friday. Remember that.

Dear God,

((Sam's prayer at supper tonight...as we all hold hands...for a really long time:))

Dear God,
I pledge allegiance a'cause you're invisible. Don't forget we need some rain. Everyday God, we need some rain and it hasn't rained so make it rain. Thank you for our food and keep our food safe. ReNember when people die? Well, we don't want to die, so don't go to Hell. Hell is a bad, bad, bad, place God. Don't go there, ok? ((Mommy interjects an 'Amen' while he pauses for air. To which Sam says with his eyes closed)) Not yet, mommy. Not yet. There's more praying in me. And you got liberty and justice. Honor the Texas flag. I pledged some legiance to thee Texas who was invisible ((this was a spin off of the pledge to the Texas flag..see below...we're all still holding hands...I say Amen again...)) Just one more thing Mama. Don't let our pets die. We want a hamster or a duck. Sophy wants a turtle and Jack don't want to die real bad. We don't want to get hurt at school and keep people safe on their trips. Keep us all safe and don't let the tricity go off when it rains a'cause we need rain. Please let us go on vocation one more time to our camping trip. ((I said, SAM WE WANT TO EAT! SAY AMEN!)) OH, ALRIGHT! AMEN!!! Sheesh, Mama.

It's a state law that schools say the pledge to the American flag then to the Texas flag followed by a moment of silence.

PLEDGE TO THE TEXAS FLAG:
Honor the Texas Flag. I pledge allegiance to thee Texas. One and indivisible.

Apparently Sam is learning this at school. HA! If you say it three times fast out loud, you'll get a Texas citizenship card in the mail! TRY IT! It works! Now forward this to 75 people and something wonderful will happen to you within 30 seconds. Hurry! Go!!

Tastey Butts and Loose Teeth

First, the really BIG news! Sam has 2 loose teeth (bottom)!!! Words can not describe how excited he is about this development. He has waited and waited for his first loose tooth. Jack lost his first 2 teeth the month that he turned 5, and he had lost 2 more within the next couple of months. I mistakenly (is that a word?) thought that Sam would do the same. His teeth, up until now, have seemed to be anchored. I couldn't even pretend like they were loose, although I did try for his sake. So, rest assured I'll be posting snaggle-tooth pics as soon as they vacate the premises. I can't imagine what Sam will look like with big boy teeth in his head. Sam squealed, "I'm finally a man!" My kids are getting so big! Sniff, sniff.

Jack informed us after church today, complete with a stirring visual aid in his own mouth, that the little dots on your tongue were your "tastey butts." After we stopped laughing, I explained to him that they were TASTE BUDS, which didn't sound near as exciting to him, so he no longer wanted to talk about them.

The week ahead looks normal. Speech for Sophy, soccer for the boys, Mr. GP has a wedding to shoot next weekend. We have a party to attend at a beautiful bed and breakfast near here, but that is the weekend after next, I believe. I'm going to be the ultimate dork when we go and take my digital camera. I have very few pics of Mr.GP and I together, so I'm going to have someone snap pics of us while we're there.

If Mrs. PithyDithy doesn't update her journal soon, I may have to get in my vehicle and drive to her little patch of Vermont heaven to see what is up!! Update already!! I'm dying. I hope you're busy making fall plantings, knitting, or shopping. I'll wait patiently, but not for too much longer....

Eyeliner, Beads, and Elastic

A local artist was commissioned to capture my morning visage in stone. Here you see me in all my morning splendor. Pretty, ain't it?


Typically, I buy my base, concealer, and face powder from Estee Lauder. At that point, I'm usually broke at the bank, so I fill in the blush, eyeliner, mascara, etc from their free gifts (I live for Estee free gifts) or just your average, everyday Cover Girl, L'Oreal, etc. My makeup bag was looking pretty skinny this morning, so I decided to fatten it up. ((Sidenote: I'm learning that Sophy--why am I surprised--is as dangerous in the cosmetic section as she is in the shoes/clothes departments. I was in awe this morning as we ventured together down the makeup aisles together. She would choose an item off the shelf, turn it over and read the colors, instructions, etc. and either put it back because she didn't like what she read or go, "Oh my gosh, mama. Lets get this one for you!!" A couple of times I would put something back on the shelf that she had selected only to hear her say, "Mom. That's to make your eye pretty and black, get it!" So, together we fattened my makeup bag almost near obesity.
I bought a few things that I really like! Read my shameless product endorsement:
Maybelline New York Line Stylist, eyeliner in black sparkle. I really, really like this one. Eyeliner is a dangerous weapon that most people are way to familiar with in my opinion. I think it's the one item in most folk's makeup bag that they have no idea (myself included) how to use. This one is super, super skinny. The point stays very blunt and skinny which makes it really easy to guide, and it goes on sort of charcoal-ish. You can make a subtle line or a dramatic one.

Maybelline VOLUM EXPRESS mascara. My favorite mascara. It's doesn't make your lashes spikey or give you tarantula eyes. Still, it gives you fat lashes. I love fat lashes.
Revlon 5 Star Eye Mousse, in Natural Cashmere. This is that really whipped eye shadow stuff. I don't particularly care for the kinds I've tried, but this one did go on smoothly and stay put. (Sophy picked it out) I love the color of it. I am wondering if I use it over regular shadow or under if it will be to my liking. I'm not really an eye shadow girl, but if we're going out for the evening I'll usually wear enough for me and Tammy Faye.

Cover Girl Wet Slicks lipgloss, in Pink Sequin. If I were to like lipgloss, I'd like this one. It's pretty thick and stiff, yet it goes on nicely. Remember when you were a girl and you had those glass viles of the stuff with the roller ball applicator on top, so you'd smear this insane amount on your lips and you'd walk around with your lips stuck out trying to keep them from touching your teeth....I hate gloss. This seems to stay glossy even after you attempt to wipe it off, which I'm thinking would be good for longevity. I love the color. ((Sophy picked this one out also.))

We also tulled over to the crafty section and picked up some thick elastic cord, diamond beads, mini-charms, butterfly beads, etc to make Sophy some bracelets and hair doohickeys. She also likes wearing shoe charms stuck in her shoe laces, so I bought some really cute pink, green, and purple large safety pins to slide some beads and charms on the put on her shoes. I swear, I should've named her Sparkle.

Not much planned for the rest of the day/weekend. We might go for a picnic this evening. The weather has been mild, but today seems to be the first really hot day we've had in a while. We'll see.
Ta~Ta~
P.S. I want you all to know that I do receive all of the comments, and I thank you for them and look forward to always reading them. BUT, I can't respond directly to each comment for some retarded reason. Sorry!!! Please keep leaving comments! I love reading them.

It's the year of the cardigan.

Or so says my Land's End catalog. Maybe they just want to dupe me into buying one. Maybe I'm easily duped. Maybe I want to be easily duped. Maybe I want a cardigan! Maybe I already ordered one...shhh, don't tell Mr. GP. Also, don't tell him about the 2 knit dresses that were soooo adorable that I bought for Sophy, along with some precious striped tights, and a few other tidbits. Ahem. And then I went to Old Navy.com and ordered a few Saturday type outfits. Sometimes, I feel so thoroughly frumpy on Saturdays. As in, I'm wearing 8 year old jogging pants with the elastic ripped out, rolled down, cut to crop length, with a tshirt I once painted a new living room in. Well, so there. I feel justified in a little retail therapy. Oh, and then there are the gymboree outfits that I'm winning as I type. ((evil laugh inserted here))


Did I ever post a pic after the painting of the headboard? Since this photo, we have added a window seat. Why am I always a week behind with my pics?

On Labor Day, we went out to lunch (my way of not laboring), and we also let the kids out in the wilderness for some fresh air, a game of hide and seek, and overall craziness. Want to see some pics? Sure you do.




Yes, Sam has a dog stuffed in his pants. The dog's name is Happy, and he has taken every step Sam has taken for the last 5 years. Happy cried the day Sam went to kindergarten, but Sam told him all about it when he made it home. Actually, Happy got to see Sam's class room at Open House, so that eased a lot of the depression he had been experiencing. Happy is a real dog. Just so you know. ((PS Happy reminds us of Hobbes. You can further deduce that Sam reminds us of Calvin. Uh-huh.))

Hehe, Woops.

So, my #1 funny sort of read like someone had told Jack to go to the Nether World at our Sunday dinner table affair. Actually, that is not the case. We were having a serious discussion on heaven and hell which left Jack in tears over the entire conversation, as it were. So, ok. I feel better. And you should to.
Bye.

Top Ten Funnies Heard Around Our House This Week

10. If you guys don't be quiet, we're never going on vacation again!
Sam to Jack/Sophy when they wouldn't sit down and be quiet in his pretend bus.
9. That's the biggest stink I ever saw!
Sophy while flushing.
8. I like real science, just not science class.
Jack reassuring me that he still likes science.
7. You have 5 minutes to get rid of all of this electrical tape.
Mama to Sam after he made a 'spider web' in his room with an entire roll of elec. tape.
6. Excuse me, sir. Care to elaborate on the dead dog laying in your front yard?
Police officer to Mr. GP after an unfortunate incident involving what turned out to be our neighbor's dog.
5. Stop! Spit it out! Don't you cram all of that in your mouth!
Daddy to Sophy as she swiped 3 cookies and took off running down the hall.
4. Why do we have butts?
Sam to no one in particular.
3. Do bees have butts?
Sam, again, to no one in particular.
2. "Words can not express how sorry I am...."
Mr. GP to our neighbors on a floral arrangement card, ((re: their dog))
1. But I can't go to hell! I've never even been to New York City!
Jack at Sunday dinner.