Happy Birthday, Sweetheart! part 1

For Brian's 39th birthday we took a trip to Chattanooga, Tennessee. We visited Rock City and the Tennessee Aquarium. I wondered if the kids would have enough stamina to make it to both places without any meltdowns. I didn't need to worry about that at all; they did great! The weather was beautiful and there were not too many people at either place. The only disappointment of the day was that our favorite restaurant, The Pickle Barrel, changed to an "Age 21 and older" establishment because smoking is allowed inside.

Grandma and the kids

June Bug blazing the trail.

Look at Lady Bug ready to climb over the edge!

Cuddle Bug looking out over the 7 States.

no explanation needed


Taking a break while a quick rain shower passes by and while I run down to the store to get more batteries for the camera.

What a gorgeous place!

Daddy holding up the 1,000 ton balanced rock!!

Looking at the gnomes behind bars. : )

Cookies 'N' Icecream

Last Friday, Taylor, the most efficient, competent babysitter EVER, watched the kids while Brian and I went out. While we were gone she helped them whip up a batch of cookies. She gave them baths and did the dishes! They will never want a different sitter ever again! .... I might not either.

Look how much Lady Bug loved the cookies: I think she wrote an ode to the cookies on Saturday afternoon.

And, later that day, Daddy hailed down the ice cream truck at the end of our street.
Spongebob

Bugs Bunny

Dora, ...of course. With one eye left.

And the classic fudge covered cone. He knows a good thing when he sees it.

And when he tastes it.

Even if it is mixed with a little dirt.

Mmmm... Heaven on Earth.

I Heart Faces - Pets

Too cute! Took her outside for the first time to take some pictures for the i heart faces "Just for Fun - Pets" category this week. Because, let's face it, my photographs indoors are "lacking."

What took me so long?

Oh man! I should have done this a LONG time ago! I kept thinking that if I let it grow that eventually it would look like a little girl's hair cut. But I finally got so frustrated with how long it takes Lady Bug's hair to grow and it was so uneven. The hair in front was like 3 inches shorter than it was in back so I decided it was definitely time for a real hair cut instead of just trimming her bangs. I can hardly believe my busy bug sat still enough for me to do such a good job. She's such a wiggle worm that I expected it to be a great big mess but it looks great!

And she is SO CUTE!!!

Who let the dogs out! Sorry, I couldn't resist.

They're done! My first order of cupcakes. I didn't go looking for a second job but it found me anyhow. Like that guy on Sixes Road that has a sign outside his house,"Will do any kind of work. Call ______ at 123-456-7890." Not looking for a job, just wants someone to come looking for him. Anyhoo...

Here they are. Eleven different breeds. Six different icing colors that all had to be dyed separately (sheesh!), mini-jelly-beans all over the table to search for all the black ones and sticky bits of cut-up marshmallows and Starburst candies all over the kitchen table. These were tough! But most of them turned out very well. My favorite is the pug! He's so cute!

I'll clean up tomorrow. Right now, ... I'm going to bed.

And, no, I didn't come up with these on my own. I'm only good at copying someone else's brilliant ideas. And here's my favorite source:

Summer Storm

I kind of wasted the beautiful weather last week and we ended up in the house nearly all day every day. And now we're getting some much needed rain this week and are going to have cabin fever. I need to find an indoor activity for them that doesn't include torturing the kitten, aggravating eachother or watching TV. Yesterday 2 out of 4 children in this house went to play at the neighbor's house for 2 hours. But, before they could make it back here, it had started to rain and the neighbor had to bring them back huddled under an umbrella. I think the umbrella was only necessary for the neighbor because after she and her son went dashing back to their house my children did this:

June Bug came in the house when it started coming down harder.
But Lady Bug...

and Baby Bug...

got absolutely...
soaked!

Aren't they adorable?!

I don't do this often enough. Stand in the rain that is. Both literally and figuratively. Because my God does pour His grace down on me new every morning and too often I'm standing just inside the door of my house watching it rain on everyone else and not reveling in His goodness. Thank you, Lord, for your Grace like Rain; thank you for giving me things that I don't deserve every day.