mud is fun.

We have a small area by our fence that we have not been able to get anything to grow.  It gets a lot of sun in the summer and not too far down in the ground are the roots from our neighbors climbing vine. I can spread some wildflower seeds and they will sprout for a bit and then die off pretty quickly.  It's the same year after year. Plants for a bit and then nothing.

So...
for now it stays dirt
for now it is a place for the girls to 
   .dig
   .bury
   .find worms
   .pretend
   .get muddy
   .have fun

impromptu camp-out

We took advantage of this past weekend's why-we-pay-up-the-wazoo-for-where-we-live kind of weather and had a camp-out (hot dogs and s'mores included!) in our very own backyard.  Truly, it was just gorgeous out - mid to upper 70s, nice breeze, and oh-so-quiet.

Kaz bought our tent pre-marriage and kids, so it's a bit small for all of us to fit in now.  So I had a perfect excuse begrudgingly volunteered to come inside and sleep in my own bed.  Ha, ha.  Really, I am looking forward to going camping away from our home once we get a larger tent.  You laugh.  Yes, I can hear you all the way over here.  I am looking forward to it...just as soon as we get that tent...which just happens to be w-a-y down on our list of things to purchase....way, way down.

summer entertainment

sprinkler + Bella and Lola = one fun morning

bespectacled beauties

We recently went to the eye doctor and both girls needed glasses. I guess that's not too surprising since Kaz and I both wear them.  They have done really well with them, Lola only needs hers for close-up while Bella needs to wear hers all the time.  I honestly thought it would be a struggle to get Bella to wear hers, but I think it has made such a difference to her that she actually wants to wear them.  Who knew?

Well, here they are - our bespectacled beauties...

...being their usual goofy selves! 

like father, like daughter

I'm so proud...Kaz's words last night to me when we had to tell Lola that she needed to put down her book and go to sleep.  Although she wasn't using a flashlight like Kaz used to do, she was up late trying to read her book in the dark.  I so love to see her love for reading grow - she and Bella have always enjoyed books, but now that she can really read she is just sopping it all up.

Lola was too cute and so so surprised when I told her that yes, we really did know she had been reading in the dark.

     'Momma, daddy didn't even realize I was reading when he came in to check on me!'

     'Well, not really Lola, we took a picture of you reading'

     'Oh, so that's what that flashing light was on my book!'

happy birthday to me!

Now let me just say even though it truly is my 36th year, I consider it my 35th.  I had Lola 5 weeks prior to my 30th birthday and remember absolutely nothing about it...zilch, nada, zero, zip.  It's amazing what a lot of sleep deprivation can do for you!  So I figure I can skip a year for that, although I think I'll store it up until my 40th, that way I can be 39 twice.  Or I could just do as my mom used to and say, 'I'm 35+'.  I really like that one, although I would still like to be considered only 30+ at this stage.

The girls and Kaz made me a cake (from scratch!) to celebrate.  It was DEE-LI-SCIOUS! 

I saw this idea on another blog and really liked it.  36 things to do before I turn 37.  Sounds easy enough, right?  She had much more interesting things listed on hers (like climb a mountain, ride in a bike race, etc. etc.), but I thought it would be fun to put things down that I would enjoy doing, even if they are pretty low-key.  So here's to a great 36th, one I will hopefully be rested enough to remember!