great song

I've been meaning to include some great songs in my posts. Here's a powerful song from Casting Crowns called Voice of Truth.

I'll try to remember to include another won in my next post.

blessings, joie

BONUS DAY!

Jim didn't have to work on Thursday, so we had a nice bonus day with Daddy! Jim decided that we should go to our church parking lot for the boys to ride bikes (and Big Wheel). It has a small playground because we also have a school. It sounded a little boring to me, but the boys had a BLAST! (I brought my scrapbook magazines, and Jim and I talked for a while) Jim ran out and got lunch at Burger King, then we sat at the picnic table by the playground and had lunch.

After that, Jim had to stop by his truck to drop something off. The boys loved climbing in and pretending to drive!

Later, after we got home, our neighbors invited us over for a campfire. We love doing that! After it got dark, we saw this incredible scene looking at the moon! There was a RAINBOW over the moon!! What a great way to end the day!!

I receive a few natural health newsletters regularly. This one gives a list of produce that you don't have to buy organic -- meaning they have the lowest pesticide load. There are 12 of them on the list. Unfortunately the 12 on the "highest load" list are so many of the fruits and veggies we eat! Check it out.

That's all for today!

blessings, joie

MAN, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF RAIN!

We have had so much rain lately! Our lower lawn is squishy all the time! Two days ago, it rained so hard, it flooded a section of the cellar. Jim was out with the boys, so I had to clean it up myself. It hailed, so the water I was dealing with was COLD! It's not even the middle of August! Yesterday I wore a long sleeved shirt outside while I sat watching baseball and racing in my backyard...

That's right! I said racing. Bless the hearts of my two older boys! They "raced" with Owen, and they had a blast! Yes, that's Nathan on the tricycle! When he and Jared ride on it, they look like they're trying out for the circus!

Owen JUST learned how to ride his Big Wheel yesterday! It's been hard for him on the gravel driveway, but he was able to get his little legs going to pedal. Big Wheels are weird. The way they're set up doesn't give you the leverage you need to push with your legs! I know... they've been around for years. My sister Brenda had one when she was 3 or 4. That was almost 40 years ago! (sorry Brenda!)

Jared is really into "AniMusic". It's computer animated music. This photo is taken from the computer, but our library system has one dvd. Needless to say, the boys have been watching it alot. Here's a link to the Animusic website to check it out! Don't know if you can view the sample clips, but here's a good quality video on YOUTUBE. You might want to check it out first. It's very cool!

This post was actually written a few days ago. More pictures since then, but I'll post this one and add another one over the weekend of early part of next week!!

blessings, joie

COWBOY DAYS

This is Owen's latest interest. I think he's a good guy...? I do recall him saying that he's after mean animals, so I think he's a protector! He's FUNNY (and adorable), that's all I know!

A remote control from a broken toy makes a great "gun"!!

Cowboy Goof!

blessings, joie

SOMETIMES IT'S BUSY HERE!

Well, Nana left. She arrived Saturday morning and left Wednesday morning. We had a really nice visit. She was more attentive to Owen this time that she has been in the past, so that made my heart very happy! Speaking of Owen, he has a sty in his eye :o( Today it's really red and puffy.Owen with sty (and milk mustache)

love this picture!

Sunday we spent the afternoon visiting the family of a friend of Jane's -- actually her daughter Tammy is our friend too. LOVE them! We met Tammy's sister for the first time. We'd heard so much about Myra! LOVE her too now! Tammy's brother and his wife graciously let us use their yard (and pool) for the gathering. They live right next door to "Miss Kay". What a great family!

Jim, Myra, & Tammy with Owen and Dylan

The boys LOVED the built-in pool!


Jane & "Miss Kay" (friends since 5th grade!)

We had a WONDERFUL time! The food was great, and the company was delightful!

Rainbow on the way home from Miss Kay's

Anyone tired? Long day for all of us!

Monday we spent just hanging out with Nana. I spent a little "me time" going to the local thrift store and grocery store. I hit the jackpot with winter coats and snow pants! Yea! Love that!

Owen looking "tough" (his word) with his new snowpants, flip flops, and
old Nerf gun of the boys (not to worry, it doesn't work; but it DOES look tough!).


This might look strange to see a 4-yo needing help on a tricycle. It's almost
impossible to ride on a gravel driveway, so Owen hasn't tried much.
The boys used to ride it around in the house--when we had more room!

I also bought a small desk for the boys -- they share a room, and the DON'T have much extra room. But I knew this small desk would squeeze in there. I spent $10 on it. Jim and I picked it up on Tuesday. It was a little heavier than it looked. As we went up the stairs to the bedroom--not getting any further than than the first couple stairs--it fell apart! :o( I was so sad. Here I felt like I was doing a good thing by buying a desk at a thrift store! It was one of those furniture pieces that you put together yourself--made with "press board". The top of the desk can be salvaged, so Jim and I (or Nathan, so he thinks) may be able to put some kind of base on it so they can still use it.

Jim had Tuesday off, so we went to play mini golf. N & J have gone with Jim before, but this was Owen's first time. He LOVED it! I didn't want to play, and I'm glad I didn't because I got some great pictures! I was also "caddie", carrying both mine and my mother-in-law's handbags!! That was a job in itself!

This little guy was so close to us during the course.

He didn't seem very afraid!

After that, Nana treated us to lunch at Pizza Hut. NOT impressed. I haven't been to Pizza Hut in a couple years. It was the service and atmosphere that weren't impressive. It wasn't even busy -- at 12:30! Don't know what the problem was. The food was okay. However, it was nice to have lunch out.

I always have my camera with me, so Nathan grabbed

it to photograph one of his FAVORITE subjects!

I guess that's enough pictures for one post! Hope you enjoyed catching a glimpse of our sometimes busy lives!

blessings, joie

PAGES!!

Just thought I'd post the three pages that I've completed recently. The last one I did this afternoon.

My boys and their cousins from Plattsburgh.
Chloe's expression, hanging out with all the boys, is priceless!

You have to read the story to understand this one.
Of course, he dressed himself! Can ya tell I love my
Dymo label maker for embellishments!

My little niece Chloe, showing me her vacuum cleaner last fall!

Love the ragged edged look of the background papers. Also, I just tried for the first time,!paper piercing the circle. I LOVE it! It's such a simple technique. I simply traced around a plate--lightly--and pierced holes with my hobby awl (also called a paper piercer in the scrapbook industry)

That's all for now! Enjoy the weekend!

blessings, joie

Friday, August 1st

I should be more diligent in posting. The longer I put off posting, the harder it gets, and I just end up posting pictures with little text. I'll try to be better. My mother-in-law is coming this weekend, so hopefully, I'll have nice pictures to post next week.

I just love pool pictures! The blue background is
always perfect! Love this picture of Owen!

A few days ago, I mentioned a shirt that Jared had. This is it! I got it at the
thrift store and cut it down to a "muscle shirt" (he HATES t-shirts!)

I have a couple pages that I recently did, but I haven't taken pictures of them yet to post. I'll try to do that later today.

The other night, we went to dinner at the home of friends. We had SUCH a NICE time! We don't get out much because of Jim's crazy schedule, so this was such a wonderful blessing! The boys thoroughly enjoyed themselves (and there were no children). The food was yummy and the company was great! Thanks, N & T! You're a true blessing to us!

blessings, joie