Update on Us...

Not much has been going on with us since summer started. We've been going to the library in Lancaster for story hour every week. Lydia really likes the crafts and sometimes listens to the stories. Other than that we haven't been doing much. I organized my photos to make it easier to start scrap booking (now I just need to start). I have 2 other big goals for the summer besides just the basic cleaning.

One is it organize the basement kitchen cabinets. Yes, our house has 2 full working kitchens. Some may find it weird, but it is actually very useful. The fridge in the basement come in really handy to store things in. Currently I think there are potatoes, 10 bricks for Velveeta (great sale), flour, sugar, and Gatorade. The freezer part is full of berries and peaches that I have ready for pies. The stove and oven down there are really handy also. The upstairs oven is a wall unit and a counter top stove. I would never recommend it to anyone. The oven is smaller than average so some pans won't fit. Therefore we end up using the one in the basement. I also do my canning down there. It keeps the extra heat downstairs and all of the canning stuff is down there. I use the cabinets to store the canned jars as well as extra food. When I go to Aldis I get an entire flat of each vegetable, put a few cans upstairs and the rest to the basement. It's wonderful. The cabinets also have all of the "stuff" that didn't have a place to go when we moved in. So this summer (before I start canning) I need to organize (toss mostly) the contents.

The second big job is to clean out the garage. We normally don't put the garage doors down so when someone drives by the dust from the road floats right it. Leave also blow in. Along with the basic clutter that needs to be thrown away and you have a very dirty garage. Someday while Lydia is asleep I'm going to take on that task.

I'll let you know when I get these down. What are your cleaning/organizing plans?

Lydia's Birthday Cake...

I didn't realize until today (thanks, Jen) that I hadn't put pictures of Lydia's birthday cake on here. It didn't turn on exactly like the picture I had found. The picture had pink and green circles, but I didn't think I could match the colors. It also used fondant and had fondant ribbons on it as well as flowers. I just did it my own way and thought it turned out well. Lydia said it was "preddy" and that is all that matters.

My Baby Turned TWO!!!

I still can't believe that Lydia is now two years old. On her birthday we just had her special spaghetti dinner and her party wasn't until Saturday. Last year she had a butterfly themed party. This year didn't really have a theme. Her cake was green, pink, and white and we just had summer luau decorations hanging around the house and front porch. Oh, and balloons. Can't have a party without balloons. I took tons of pictures at the party and put them on facebook. Here I'll just share with you some of her gifts.

Movies

Gail and I got her a pair of Gap jeans, 2 t-shirts, and 2 dresses.

We also got her this Keri doll from Fisher Price. It is a Snap N Style doll. You can get a lot of different outfits and the hats, clothing, shoes, and acessories just snap on.

Bubble Machine from Mommy and Daddy

Pink Horse Purse

She got an aqua doodle from a friend of mine and she LOVES it. I'd never heard of it.

Some of her Aunts and Uncles went together and got her this CD karaoke machine and some CDs. She sings and dances with it. FUNNY!!

Board Books



Several more dresses.

Pink Cowgirl boots that we have to exchange for a bigger size. I hope we can still get them.

"Rodeo - Cowboys invented it. Cowgirls perfected it" I love this shirt.

Each year we get her a Dr. Seuss book and have everyone sign it. Then she is getting a wonderful book collection as well as knows who was at her party.

It's hard to see the signatures.

Mommy and Daddy also got her a magna doodle.

My parents, siblings, and their families went together and got her this vanity. She likes to go fix her hair and pretend to put on make-up.

She had a wonderful birthday party. Thanks again to all of you who have helped us in the past 2 years and continue to be important parts in our lives. We love you very much.

First Few Days of Vacation...

Lydia and I have been enjoying the first few days of summer vacation. Gail has been off also, but he is too busy trying to get the hay done so it's been just us girls. Wednesday (Lydia's birthday) we went to the Schuyler Co. Library for her first story hour. She got to color a bunny, make a pin wheel, and listened to stories. She loved the coloring, but not the listening to stories. She likes to pretend to read them herself and doesn't even like for me to read to her. Afterwards, we went to Memphis to eat lunch with my mother, sister, sister-in-laws, and their kids. It was my mom's first day of full retirement so we celebrated. That night we had her special spaghetti dinner. We did it last year and I think it will be a tradition. Thursday we took Claudia and went to the Adair Co. Library for their story in the park. The theme was Moving' and Groovin'. Claudia and Lydia just sat, but it was a nice day to be outside and get some fresh air. On the way home we stopped at the Greentop roadside park for a picnic then came home and took naps. I hope the rest of the summer is as enjoyable and fun.

All ready for story hour.

Coloring her pin wheel.

The bluish bunny is Lydia's. Claudia made the other one.

I won this for Lydia out of one of those claw video game things. It look me four tries but I was determined to get something for her for her birthday.

The two of us on hehr birthday.

Spaghetti dinner.

Yummy!

Picnic in the park.

I thought this picture was just cute.

Summer Vacation...

I am officially on summer vacation as of 5 hours ago. Summer school is over and I can honestly say that (so can the rest of the summer school teachers) that we greatly deserve the rest of the summer off. I have several things planned for Lydia and I this summer. The Schuyler County Library is going to have a story hour once a week. I'm not sure if Lydia will enjoy it or if it will be too advanced for her, but we're going to try it out anyway. The first one is tomorrow. Tomorrow is also Lydia's second birthday (I'll post later about that) and my mom's first day of retirement. After story hour we are going to Memphis to have lunch with her at the Bowling Alley - taco salad here I come. The Adair County Library is also having different events at the park once a week. There are a few of those that I plan to take her to also. I'll keep you updated on our daily events (or lack there of) throughout the summer.

Until next time...

Vacation Here I Come...

I have 2 days of summer school left. Every year I sign up to teach summer school because we need the money. It usually goes to purchase hay, but this year it is going towards pasture rent. I don't mind teaching (some days) and get a lot of stuff done for the next school year. However, I would love to sleep in some of these mornings. I guess I just have to be patient until Wednesday.

On Wednesday, my first official day of summer school, is Lydia's second birthday. I can't believe that she is going to be TWO!! Sniff, sniff. We have a fun day planned for that day. We are going to the library for story hour and then over to Memphis to have a birthday/retirement lunch with my mom. It is her last day of work - every!!

Until next time...

Dress Up...

Lydia loves to play dresses. We have a truck that she for the Christmas that came full of stuff to play dress up with and I've added to it along the way. She'll go over to the truck, pull it out, and decorate herself. I got some pictures of her playing with it earlier this week.

This was the outcome. She ended up wearing pink flip flops, pink poodle skirt from the Relay for Life, 3 necklaces, purple wings, and a blue fuzzy hat. She didn't have the hat on until she realized that I was going to take her picture. Then she bent down quickly, grabbed it, put it on her head, and said, "cheese". She is so funny.

Until next time...