{Time}

Every year, at about this time, I buy a new planner.  It's the only way I can keep our household organized.  It's full of birthdays, anniversaries, events, appointments, the school calendar, deadlines, etc.  Without it, I would be lost.  I know it can all be done on the computer, and with the laptop, it would be easy and convenient.  But I prefer a real book...something I can put my hands on and thumb through. 
~
I bought my new one today.  School starts on August 24th, so I've entered the school's calendar and what few appointments are already scheduled.  Once school starts, I'll add the kids' schedule, my volunteer days, practice dates, recitals, games, etc.  But, for now, it's pretty bare. 
~
Time has been on my mind today with the news this morning that a friend of mine had passed away, very suddenly and at a very young age.  No warning...just gone in the morning.  Her passing is a very real reminder that age does not matter when it comes to our time...we need to live each day as if it were our last.  It's o.k. to plan for the future, as long as we are living as if this is our last day.
Often, I tend to forget that.  I spend so much time looking to the future that it seems another day has passed me by without really taking notice.  Her life was an example of how to live...I'm hoping that her death will also be an example for me of how to live.

Spaces

My best friend from high school stopped by our house a couple of weeks ago...visiting from Texas.  The kids gave her a tour of the house, and I had to tell them to please skip the craft room.  She asked to see it anyway; since I knew she wouldn't shudder judge me turn away in disgust...anyway, I let her in.  Since Christmas, this room as been a danger zone.  As I made gifts, I'd throw supplies back in~not bothering to put them back in their places.  When we had company, stuff was tossed in.  You literally could not take more than one step inside.  I would have taken a photo, but I was seriously too embarassed!  Luckily, that visit from my dear friend inspired me to get with it and clean the mess.

{This isn't it.}
This is the main room downstairs.  It's where we hang out most of the time...it's SO cool in the summer and it's where we keep all of the fun stuff including the fabric cutting table pingpong/pool/table tennis table.  It's also where I sew.  There's a little space that's  just perfect.  It's near the table that the boys so kindly share with me (it really is the best place to cut out patterns!!) and the ironing board.

And this beautiful quilt hangs over my machine. 
This is great place to pin my pattern directions!! 
And it's gorgeous and inspiring to look at!
{No, I didn't make it.  This very talented quilter did!}

Right next to my sewing desk is the door to the (now clean) craft room.
It's 5'x22' and used to be a laundry room. 
Now it's where all of my sewing, scrapbooking and card making supplies are kept.
And where I work with the paper crafts.
And where Emma likes to make a mess as she creates beside me.

There's ALOT a few things in here, but everything has a place
and I can find everything!
What a concept, eh?

It's too narrow to have a standard desk or countertop, so we got some 22" doors from Habitat for Humanity for a few dollars and made a "L" shaped built in counter.  It works perfectly!

These are the two cabinets that used to be in my kitchen...now they are holding current projects and my slowly-but-surely growing fabric stash.
~~~
I love this space!
{And thanks to Diana for the little nudge!}

Lakeside Lavender Festival

Mom, Emmalee and I headed to the Lakeside Lavender Festival this weekend.
After you park and get out of your car, the smell is amazing!
Here's the view...lavender with the lake in the background.
I would LOVE to live here!

One of Emma's friends has encouraged quite the fear of bees.  In each picture, you'll
notice that she's cringing.  Sigh...we're working on it!

This little girl was SO smart!  She made a bunch of paper fans, decorated them and sold them for a quarter each.  She sold all of them!

They have the PERFECT climbing tree...Emma loved it!

Afterwards, we headed to downtown Nampa.  Emma was amazed by the size of these horses.
Look how little she is compared to them!

Emma got a balloon butterfly at the farmer's market.  While the balloon artist was making her butterfly, she couldn't help but shake her hips to the beat of the band.  :)

She was enthralled, watching these little skinny balloons become a butterfly.

This week...

...we've had a kangaroo in the house.  She was pretty cute,
but she liked to attack Ryan.

We've watched for our friends...and then had a ton of fun playing with them.

We've been amazed by how tall the hollyhocks are this year.  If you click on the picture,
you can see that the top of this one goes clear up into the tree!

And we've revisited those good ol' fuzzy posters.

{Which meant at least 30 minutes of quiet!}

Lastly, we've spent hours and hours with Peter, Molly, Black Stashe.
We cannot put this book down...
~~~~
And please continue to the next post...I need your help!



I need your expertise!

I've finally painted the last wall in our kitchen (it's white with just a touch of the yellow).  This wall divides the kitchen from the living room. 
There are three arched doorways, and it meets up with the yellow wall on the right (see below).

What do I do with this wall?  I don't want to put any furniture along it as it crowds up the kitchen.
I've been thinking some kind of vinyl mural, but I'm not sure.
Ideas?  Please?!

At the Zoo

So last Thursday, I took my two monkeys to the zoo.
Yes, I did threaten to leave them there.  But, in the end, we all
made it home safely.

The summertime argueing and bickering from days prior must have
been in my imagination because look at those sweet, angelic faces!

Anyway, we spent a lovely four hours with some cute, scary, noisy, and very stinky animals!
The day was perfect...not too hot, a light breeze, and it was half off day!

Ah, the goats!  The sweet smell of them brought back such fond memories of my childhood.
I tried to tell the kids about how me and my brothers would get up before school, chase down the four contankerous animals, milk them and then feed the milk to the baby cows.  I tried to tell them that they are cute when they're little, but not so cute when they are big.  But, no, they didn't want to listen to stories of the "olden days."  They just thought they
were cute and wanted to feed the little monsters goats.

For both of the kids, the butterfly house was the best part of the trip.  They could have both stayed in there all day.
If you go...a tip...wear white!  Ryan had on a while shirt and the butterflies seemed to be very attracked to it.  So much so that Emma was getting quite sad/angry that none of them were landing on her.  I'm sure is had nothing to do with the fact that she's flinch everytime one got too close!

But, finally, one did!  We thought it was funny that it landed on her hat right next to the embroidered purple butterfly!

Ryan with a little friend on his sleeve.

This may be my favorite photo of me and Em.

Ryan is such a sweet boy...sometimes!  Emma loves to ride on this, and it makes me ill.  Ryan doesn't like to anymore, but he'll ride, standing next to his sister, just because she wants him to.
Then they get off and start bickering again.
Ah....siblings!

The lions were especially active.  The two females were stalking each other, wrestling, and having a good ol' time.
Then the male lumbered up to his perch, and they layed down at his feet. 

He is pretty regal looking!

Getting a misting from the elephant.  Feels so good on a warm day!

This is one of Ryan's photos...so glad for that thick glass!

After the zoo, we walked across to the rose garden.
Emma thought that this dear old lady should be sharing the apple with her.

A few flowers, and then my camera battery died.
~~~
I have to tell this story...a nice end to our little trip to the zoo. 
So, when we're at the rose garden, Emma decides she has to use the bathroom.  There's one in the park, so we walked over to it.  Ryan's waiting outside, while Em and I are inside...well...using the facilities...in stalls next to each other.  I've got my bag and jacket hanging on the back of my door, which must swing in.  I'm finished, so I flush.  Rather than going down, the water erupts into a lovely fountain.  I'm desperately trying to avoid the fountain, get my stuff off the back of the door and not drop any of it, open the door (in...towards the fountain) and get out.  Just as I'm escaping, I hear this pitiful cry start in the stall next to me.  I'm finally out, so I go to Emma's door and ask what's wrong.  She, in the most pitiful of pitiful voices, said, "Mommy!  I dropped my favorite hat in the potty!"  I pulled it out, assured her that we could wash it, and left that place!