Summer time...Picture Perfect...2nd submission....

Yep...

That's Reag.

She's trying to spray me.

Little stinker.

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#1 Picture Perfect...Summer

Here we go peeps...

Entry number one...

I LOVE  me some SUMMER!

This is our little cousin Colston.

He sure was loving him some sprinkler on this HOT summer day...

and I sure was loving me the expression on Colston's face!

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Click...

Go check out the photo's...

and

VOTE...

<3



Summer Summer Summer time....

When I married Ryan my family grew...
and not just in the "let's make our own little family" kind of way...

He has a HUGE family.

He has blessed me with 16 brothers and sister...our children have 25 first cousins on his side of the family.


I have two brothers.  One I talk to ...the other I don't.  I have two nieces.  TWO.  and that's it. 


The other day someone said to me... I am so jealous...You seem like you always have someplace to be,  A cook-out, or a party, or a Christening, or a wedding...

and it's true.  and it's even sometimes a bit overwhelming. 

but most of all.  It's super fun.

This weekend was no different. 

We headed over to one of Ryan's Aunts house...to "catch up" with one of his cousin's...and her family.

This kids love going over to Aunt Cherie's house. 

They love hanging with their cousins..

and they always find a way to get into a little bit of trouble.

and boy oh boy do we love these boys and girls!

How could you not?

Cause they are so stinkin cute....

I kind of wanna just eat them all up!

It's kind of funny...

they've grown up with me having a camera in their faces!

They're kind of used to it..

and their Mama's ...

They kind of love it too...

Cause they get so so so many shots of their kiddo's!

All of the kiddo's!

Including the dogs!

and of course I had to throw my beautiful babies in a few...

and when you add cousins and water...

it goes from fun to super fun!

Especially when there are older cousins...

who get a hold of the hose...

Cause to me...

Nothing says Summer

like kids...

and

Water...

Sometimes...

When I think about these little ones...

growing up...

I am so happy we will all have these pictures

to remember the moments...

Cause these are the moments

I want to hold onto...

I want to burn these smiles into my mind...

and the sound of their laughter ...

I want to remember it...

always...

All of it...

This kind of day...

when the sun is hot

and hose is on...

all day long...

The days when you have to

reapply the sunscreen

three or four times...

When the adults

sit around..

and watch their babies...

I LIVE for these days...

*side note*- I am entering "Picture Perfect" again this month.  It's a super cool photo contest with

Nancy...and Ordinary Miracles and the Crazy 8...

Click the link up there....to check out some great pics... I mean some REALLY great pics...

Last month I was the runner up...

You can enter up to three times...

Two of my entries will come from this post...

we'll have to see about the last one!



These are the times to remember...cause they will not last forever...

Remember that song.

I do.  It was my prom song actually.

This is the time to remember
Cause it will not last forever.
These are the days to hold onto
Cause we won't although we'll want to.
This is the time, but time is going to change.

It some how seems so fitting for this blog.

Here's the thing...I haven't really been blogging lately.

I mean...I've done a linky party here and there.

but really blogging.

Nope. 

Cause I've been in kind of a rotten mood.

for a really long time.

and I haven't been able to get out of it.

This funk.

It's been sticking to me like glue.

but.

Then this weekend came.  I have been looking forward to this weekend for. 

Well...

FOREVER.

and this weekend.  Well....

I think it was just the thing..

to get me out of that funk..

Way back when...When Reilly was a wee little thing...way way way back...when she was in kindergarten.  She met Chelsey.  From day one they were inseparable.  They sat together on the rug.  They read together.  They colored together.  They played together.  They very quickly became besties...

along the way...they grew up...but never apart. 

They made different friends... Found different interests....were put in different classes...

but they always came back to each other.

They are super secure in their friendship...they know...they always have each other.

and the very very best part of their friendship...

is they brought two families together.

It didn't happen over night.

It kind of grew gradually.

It started with little chats at sleepover drop offs.

Calling to talk about car pooling...and then talking about everything under the sun...

and then one day...

Our families were hanging out.

Barbecuing.

And then last year.

We decided to go camping together.

It was fantastic.

Everyone had so much fun...

So this year we planned two more trips...

This was the first one...this year.

I know when I look back...on these years....these times..

When I look back.  I will remember how these times were some of the happiest times of my life.

When I look back I will be so grateful that those two girls met.

And that they knew a good thing when they saw it.

And that they held onto each other and the friend they found in each other.

Because when it comes right down to it.

If these two girls hadn't met...

none of this would be possible.

So I would like to personally thank you.

Thank you for bringing these two families together.

Thank you for the memories. Thank you for one of the greatest gifts I have ever received.

My best friend.

It isn't easy to "make friends" at my age.

I mean you met people.

You talk to people....

but a true friend....

they don't really come along all that often.

When this one did.

I lucked out.

This chick.

She's got my back.

My kids call her Mom...

and I don't mind....

She treats them like her own.

She would do anything for me.

and has.

I can be honest with her...

about things...

I don't want to be honest with anyone about.

She has a heart of gold.

Here's the thing.

I always had this idea that you met your best friends when you were young.

You know..those people (like my Reilly and her Chelsey) who meet their best friend in kindergarten...

or those people who meet up in high school and never grow apart...

That was my idea of a best friend.

Well I met Shan when I was 27 years old.

It means so much to me to have someone I can count on.

Someone who knows I am crazy and loves me anyway.

I am not really sure what I did to deserve her...

but I can tell you I don't know what I would do without her.

All I do know...

Is that being with her is easy...

It's comfortable...

I can be myself....

I know...

That she accepts me for who I am.

and the feeling is very mutual.

I think maybe when we're younger we take those relationships for granted.

We expect people to be good friends...

and then if they aren't we are surprised...

but when we get older...

I think we hope for people to be good friends...

and then wait for them to prove us wrong....

I didn't expect to find this friendship.

I wasn't looking for it.

As a matter of fact...

to be honest it kind of snuck up on me...

but I gotta say...

I'm pretty freakin lucky...

To have her on my side..

To talk about all the teenage girl drama with...

To drive all over the flippin North East to watch Cheer leading Competitions with...

To car pool with...

To keep me sane...

and...

most of all...

to have my back.

Love you my Shan!





We Want to Know...week 12

We Want to Know
Wednesday Q&A wk12

This week's questions are from Janette:

{1}Name five of your favorite new blogs that you're reading.


So I have fallen in love with a few new blogs recently.  First of all, you have to check out this super cool chick.

She is super funny and you know you could just sit down and shoot the shit with her.


I am also loving this lady...
CLICK HERE TO CHECK HER OUT!
She's hilariously honest and she is so real!




{2} When you were a young child or teenager, did you have an idea of how many children you wanted and what their names would be? Did you follow through on your ideas?


I remember loving the names Lisa and Ashley.  I named all my babies Lisa and Ashley...They seemed so cool and beautiful. I didn't name either of my girls these names...Not even middle names...




{3} "What is the silliest thing you fight with someone about? Could be your spouse, sibling, parents, co-worker etc."


I fight with my teenage daughter daily about how much make up she has on.  I wear very little make up.  A little mascara and some lip gloss.  Reilly looks like she is going to a britney spears concert every. single. time. she leaves the house.  I have threatened every day this week to take her make up away until she hits 16 if she can't tone it down a bit!
{4} What is your favorite scent that other's may not find very nice? ie: gasoline, sweat from your sweetie, etc.


Yes, I love the smell of gasoline.  Weird I know...but I love it.  I also love the way my husband smells when he comes to bed at night.  He's been working all day...sweating...cause I like the way his deodarent smells...all musky and manly.


{5} Thoughts on Plastic Surgery? (had it? want it? regrets?)


I would LOVE me some plastic surgery.  A tummy tuck after two c-sections would be awesome...can you say bikini?  I also would mind a little boob lift.  I would love the girls to be back where they were when I was 25. Botox wouldn't hurt either...can you say bye bye wrinkles...

Happy List with Mamarazzi...

You HAVE to come on over to Dandelion Wishes and meet Mamarazzi....

Here's the thing...

She is FANTASTIC!

her blog is SUPER  fun to read...

and she is so flippin nice!  

I stumbled across her blog and left a comment...

and she tried to comment back...

but noticed my email wasn't set up.

Not only did she find  me...

She sent me an email and told me exactly HOW to fix it.

ONE comment people...

I left one comment...

and she welcomed me into her bloggie world right there...

seriously.

This beats some of the "other" blogs I follow...

you know the ones...

who have 2000 friends...

(including YOU)

and you comment...

and comment...

and comment...

and NEVER hear back from....

Anywho....

Here is one of the super fun things she does on her blog...

A freaking HAPPY  list.

Who doesn't need a reason to write about what they're happy about...

 I know I do...

because this week.

SUCKED.

I have been crazy grumpy....

So this weeks happy list....

It ain't gonna be so easy sistahs!

Here goes...

My "school" kids make me happy!

 I am a preschool teacher.

I have two kids of my own...

and 18 I borrow everyday....happy!

They randomly walk up to me in the middle of the day...

and tell me they love me.

like for NO reason...

other than...

well they love me....happy!

They like my singing.

Trust me when I say NO ONE above the age of 5 likes my singing...

They do.

They ask for it....happy!

They remind me to play.

They ask me to swing and go down the slide...happy!

They like to "play" beautician.

Which means they "fight" over who is going to do my hair

anytime someone is playing with my hair...happy!

They hug me randomly all day long.

They just walk up to me...

hug me...

and go back to playing....

hugs...for no reason...happy!

They buy me the most amazing presents...

When they leave..

Which doesn't make me happy...

but the presents..

they make me happy!

I can say the coolest things...

Like I taught her to write her name...

or He knows how to tie his shoes because of me...

or She learned her colors after we spent weeks working on it...

I get those things forever.....happy!

What made you happy this week?

Link up and let everyone shine in your happiness!

Missing in action

So I know I've been kind of missing in action.
Here's the thing.

I've been grumpy.

Like super duper grumpy.

Don't get me wrong.  I have plenty of things to not be grumpy about.

you should see my rocking new dishwasher!  I love it.

But still grumpy.

Don't feel much like sharing cause it's all yuck yuck yuck, blah, blah, blah. 

and I don't want to be putting all my wah wah wah out there for everyone else.

Cause grumpiness...it's contagious...

but so are happy, sunny thoughts. 

So I keep reading....

Cause ya'll have a lot going on.

A lot of good fun stuff...

and I'll be out of my funk soon...

I hope.