as beachy as you can get in colorado.  like the reservoir.  it sounds so ghetto, lol.  swimmin’ in our drinking water!

we had a lot of fun, but man!  i have never been a beach person (the sand is enough to drive a person crazy!!), but even if i was – it is not very relaxing with four kids.  immediately when we got there norah ran full speed into the water.  and under she went!  thankfully there was a kid right there who pulled her right up.  it was totally exhausting, but i am so glad we went.  even if i did have to rinse sand out of charlotte’s mouth seven times, and someone stole one of our shovels.  i was too busy trying to keep my kids alive, though, that i totally forgot to stick some sunscreen on myself.  totally paying for that mistake!

i’ve been getting a lot of these looks lately!  hmmm …. not so crazy about it!

i love three day weekends.

i haven’t been taking pictures of lunches, but have still been having some fun with them.  it’s been helping to plan ahead.  kayleigh has been bugging me for days to let her make her own lunch.  i finally gave in, and let her make her lunch for tomorrow, tonight.  it is hilarious, she made the same exact lunch i made her from today!!  pep/chz on skewers, grapes, strawberries…. although she added a mandarin orange, and a smoothie pop.

here is ethan’s lunch for tomorrow.  usually i make their lunches when it’s already dark out, and i forget to take a picture in the morning.  this one is pretty boring.  the box is by lunchbots.  the uno.  mini wheat bagel with pb & jelly, sliced in half.  cherries, grapes, and strawberry hearts in the silicone cups (from world market & michael’s), and carrot sticks between.  oh, and a home made smoothie pop.

my sweet johnny picked up some bento stuff from dasio out in san diego for us!  how awesome is he?!  the back box says “monotone lunch.” lol!  he will hopefully get to hand deliver it to us in a couple weeks – but we’ll see.  no plane tickets, yet!

it has been one wild week, for sure.  i can’t believe it’s almost the weekend.  a THREE day weekend!  woo!  that is cause for some celebratin’!

i am getting old!  for months now, i’ve been getting a stray gray hair now & then.  they’re usually weird, though.  thick, and springy … they stick straight up.  but today, as i looked in the mirror for like the first time in a month …. there they were.  real gray hairs!  and long, too.  i wonder who has noticed that hasn’t told me!  now what?  do i have to start coloring my hair?  or should i just pluck ‘em as i see ‘em?  lol!

last saturday we went cosmic bowling with the deployed spouses group.   it was super fun, & i’m really excited go go to the next event.  we played with another family that had three kids close in age to mine.  they got along great.  we did have to call for help  twice for balls that just couldn’t quite make it to the pins.  ooops!  the kids loved it, though – and we got to spend a couple hours meeting new friends and doing it for free – nice!  i used my flash & bounced it off the ceiling.  it worked out pretty well, but it was hard with a wiggly baby on my hip.  i couldn’t put her down because she’d crawl right down the lane, or pull up on the ball return.  she was so mad and screamed a good portion of the afternoon.  and yes, those are silly bandz on my two and 7 year olds.  i guess we’ve succumbed to the craze.   i am only supporting the habit by paying out allowance, though.  i do not “get” them at all, and they end up everywhere!

it was so funny watching them.  those bowling balls are so awkward and heavy for little hands!  as usual, norah was dancing in the spotlight in her self-chosen outfit, lol!  she is definitely the attention hog of the family!  she looks like she belongs in the roller derby!

also, i got to wear my early birthday present for the first time.  my birthday isn’t until september (the 19th!  mark your calendars!  ), but originally we got tickets to see jack johnson as my gift.  after finding out about the deployment, we realized we weren’t going to make it to the concert.  it wouldn’t be the same without john, and even if i did go without him, i wouldn’t feel safe taking 4 kids to a busy festival without him (they are all huge jack fans, too – they would be crushed if we went without them!).  so we sold the tickets.   cry with me.  the second time i missed him while he was here!  since john was going to be gone for my birthday, i was trying to think of what to “ask for” instead.  i had settled on a rapid strap for my camera, so i can stop hitting my kids in the head with it all the time.  it isn’t so romatic, or personal …. but it is something i was planning on saving to buy eventually.  but then i fell in love, and everything changed.

i was blog hopping one night while rocking a restless baby on my lap when i happened upon tina steinberg designs.  THUD.  what gorgeous stuff. actual wearable art. as personal as it gets.  and not even in the same ballpark as an r-strap!  i spent a good thirty minutes on her site, looking around at all her little pretties.  at first, i loved the round up my love charms, thinking of all my little’s prints around my neck was sweet.  but then i saw the dog tag and i was hooked.  i mean, hello!  my husband’s dog tags were sitting on the counter waiting to be packed up in his sea bag to disappear from our house for the next 369 days  at that very moment.  and besides.  the kids have daddy dolls, and their own daddy dog tags, why not ME?!  so i emailed tina, with probably more info and questions than she was interested in, but she was so kind and patient with all of my blabbering!    can i just say that working with small and local businesses is is my favorite!?  you will never get the same kind of treatment at the gap.  never!

it came last week, and i am hooked.  i’ve never worn silver before, but i now have two of everything she makes on my wish list!  remember, september 19th, folks!  it is nice to have my own little piece of john while he’s gone, too.  why should the kids get all the love?    there’s more than enough to go around!  best birthday present. ever.  hop on over to tina’s and check her goodies out!  http://www.facebook.com/TinaSteinbergDesigns

so i am headed to bed.  at 8:30 on a saturday night.  quite the party animal, huh?  but all the kids are out, so i’m taking advantage of it.  i mean, i’m getting old anyway.  i’m a year away from THIRTY!  now that is old!    more about that tomorrow….

you dig out your phone, unlock it, wait for the camera app to open  & take a picture, before you remove the fist full of sand in your kid’s mouth.  mmm … gritty!

(top notch camera phone pic, lol)

i have some fun bowling pictures from a deployed family event last week i want to share, but  i have to resize them first.  it’s been so weird lately, only having two kids!  i’m not sure it’s easier than 4 (a lot of the time the big three are all playing together, and now i’m playing with norah all day, so i don’t get much else done!), but it is definitely quieter!

norah’s newest thing is that she’s a puppy or kitty.  all. the. time.  the puppy/kitty’s name is lulu.  lulu often can’t do many of the tasks that norah should be doing.  like putting her plate in the sink after a meal, or putting her shoes in the closet.  isn’t that convenient!    lulu also often has very dirty legs.  because she crawls everywhere!  even at the park today that has shredded tire instead of wood chips.  kayleigh was a puppy for a while too, around the same age … so i’m not worried, but man …. is that lulu the kitty lazy!  it is a good thing she is so cute!

i picked up my 50mm 1.4 again, after only using the 35mm the past few months.  there is a readjustment period for sure.  i’m missing focus a lot, and forgetting to BACK UP!  it is a great lens, though.  i hope we become good friends again, soon.  i’ve noticed that 90% of my pictures lately are the little girls (hence the title up there).  for one, ethan’s been pretty sick.  but i think after our trip to urgent care yesterday we should be all good to go now.  and for two, by the time 2:30 rolls around and we get home with the big kids, get snacks, homework, dinner, showers, and books done …. whoops, there goes the time for pictures!  i am hoping  that once we get into more of a routine again, i will be able to find time for things i love again … photography, sewing, reading … good stuff.  right now things are crazy.  i would venture to say the craziest they’ve ever been in my married with kids life.  between getting no sleep with sick kids, and strange middle of the night phone calls, and running kids to school, doctors appts., and  a baby who is so very adorable, but so very crabby so often…. i’m exhausted. and the tooth fairy even forgot to show up last night.  she was probably afraid to come to our crazy house …. or something like that.    hopefully she makes it tonight!

this was a super cute catch at the playground today.  charlotte is way out of focus on the full file (i was focusing for norah, and she pounced on poor charlie and i snapped with no time to back up or toggle my focus points…. still a keeper for me, though.   poor charlotte.  norah still won’t leave her alone.  she’s usually just overly lovey …. but sometimes just plain bossy and pushy with her.  you can see the horror in her face here starting.  a second later the wailing started.  she cries when she sees norah coming her way!

but it’s not always like that, just often!  lol.  they were playing so sweet at the park, norah had charlotte doing these hilarious hearty belly laughs!  it’s those moments when i feel like i can actually breathe, and not feel like it’s keeping a cat and dog seperated all day.  doesn’t last long, but when it’s going on, everyone is happy.  norah loves to make charlotte happy, but i think she’s also a bit annoyed with her for stealing her mama.

what you look like after crawling around in rubber chips.  and maybe trying to eat a couple.  :-O

it’s been a nice week, but i’m glad tomorrow is friday, and i’ll have my big kids around.  as wild as it gets, i do miss them so much during the day.  we’ve got a fun weekend planned, we’ll be making the most of every minute!  if it would just cool down a few degrees outside, then life would be good.  but we’re embracing the heat for now. 

it is not getting any easier to get things done around here.  i thought with john gone, i’d have all this free time to get things done at night.  things  like sewing, catching up on photo editing, stuff i usually don’t have too much time for.  but nope.  since my right hand man is gone, i have LESS time for all that stuff.  normally i blog or edit pics while he gives the kids a bath and does bedtime.  when he takes the kids up to get them started for the bath, i clean up from dinner.  so now, since i’m doing all this,  there isn’t much time for anything else.  after the kids are in bed, i go downstairs.  i clean the kitchen, make lunches, clean the living room, and by then it’s usually 10pm!  i think i just need to get into a routine.

to easier explain how behind i am.  i grocery shop every two weeks.  usually the day before payday (not as crowded).  the last time i went, john was here.  we got paid last thursday, lol!  i have to do a two week menu, and a detailed list before i go.  i’ve been using the same menu and shopping list for years, and it works perfect.  i always know what is for dinner, and we have everything we need.  no running to the store every other day.  i just have not had the time to sit and do the menu, so no list.  no shopping.  hoping i can do it tomorrow night, and shop tuesday.  otherwise we might just run out of food!  i did do a bread/milk/fruit run last week.

i’m totally feeling out of my (chaotic) element with only two kids all day.  seriously.  two kids is a cake walk!  it’s been nice spending time with norah.  it seems like she’s always been along for the ride… going here & there for the big kids.  now it’s her turn to be the big girl of the house.  she’s a lot nicer to charlotte when it’s just us 3 as well.  so that is a big plus.

tonight it took me 10 minutes to make the kid’s lunches.  that is the shortest, yet.  on thursday, it took over three hours!  i think i am just a glutton for punishment!  i made them pizza on a stick from artisan bread in 5 minutes a day.  so i had to make the wheat dough and all that jazz.  between charotte waking up a million times, and the clean up – i was exhausted.  and i didn’t take a picture, lol!  so friday they got like the easiest lunches ever.  wheat sandwiches, annie’s cheddar bunnies snack mix , fruit leather, and cheese.  but it sure didn’t take me three hours!!

today we had a nice day out at the zoo.  we haven’t been in a while, it’s just so hot.  we have a membership. though, so we’ll be heading out a lot more as the heat dies out.   it has been cool in the mornings lately, so we packed up & went today.  i totally bribed my kids.  i told them when we got there, that if they’d take “two clicks”with the gorilla, i’d buy them a cotton candy to split.  and it worked.    i’m not against bribery for certain things – ha!

oh – one last share.  daddy dog tags!  there is a weird photo company called art’s cow.  everything ships from hong kong.   their photo prints are pure junk (won’t make that mistake again!), but they have quirky little gifts that are actually pretty decent.  they send out random coupons for things & they’re dirt cheap.  a few weeks ago, i got a coupon in my email for photo dog tags on ball chains.  2 for $2.49 shipped.  so the day (before?) john left, i took a picture of him with each little alone.   they came last week, and they love them!  for all 4 it was under $5 shipped.  not a bad deal!    definitely check them out for silly gifts.  but don’t dare order prints or a $2 canvas.  because you do get what you pay for!  lol

this morning ethan became a kindergartner!    he has not been looking forward to it too much (he’d rather play all day!), but this morning he actually said he was EXCITED!  what a relief it was to hear him say that!  his teacher was also kayleigh’s kindergarten teacher, so that makes things a bit easier as well.

and i couldn’t get him to look at me to smile, but this is about as real of a smile i’m going to get from him at 7:25 am! 

i made his favorite lunch (pb&j) hoping it  would be a nice comfort for him. he also had carrots, pirate booty, & a yogurt smoothie pop.  they do a group snack, so i sent in a few things for the class to share.

i’m so nervous.  i hope he speaks up when he needs to use the bathroom, and i hope he makes some new friends.  his class is huge this year, so we will see how it goes!  i can’t wait until 2:30!