Late Night Swing

It was 11:30 at night. Wes was on shift at the fire station. Neither Emerson nor I were the least bit tired. I thought a late night swing from the apricot tree would be fun. I wondered if I was being a bad mom for keeping my toddler up so late. He giggled, he laughed, he smiled from ear to ear as we swung in circles, back and forth, side to side, high and low. As I carried him back into the house, he wrapped his arms around my neck and said, "I love you, mamma!" I knew that I was not a bad mom at all.

Eggs and Uglies

My mom and dad had some unexpected visitors these past couple of weeks. A robin had built it's nest under my parent's backyard deck and laid it's delicate blue eggs! The nest was on top of a support beam but under the floor board of the deck. It was completely impossible to see inside the nest unless you had a double jointed neck and a head the size of an orange. I had to raise my arms up and hold my camera steady and aimlessly to take pictures, hoping that I would be able to capture something good!

I think robin eggs are the most beautiful color! It makes me want to paint something in my home this color. I don't know what, but I will find something. I kept a piece of shell just in case I needed to do a color match at Home Depot! 

Both the mommy robin and the daddy robin would sit and keep a close watch on nest while sitting on the back fence. Anytime someone, or something (i.e. dog), would go in the backyard, the parents would dive bomb and attack them! They were getting really aggressive and my mom had to start letting the dog go to the bathroom in the front yard!

they wanted to protect these little "beauties"?

Every pregnant mother wonders what her baby is going to look like and worries if they will be cute. I bet this mother is really sad.

I guess the saying "a face only a mother could love" rings true in this situation! 

Every time I raised up my camera, they would open their mouths! Yes, little robins, I do have barf in my mouth, but it is unfortunately not for your dinner - it is merely from looking at your featherless bodies and holes in your head!!!

I love this picture of the tiny beak coming up out of the nest! I'm sure the mommy would have been in there feeding them if I wasn't standing there interfering and trying to amuse myself! 

They kind of look like they are singing to me in this picture!

Still Devoted!

That's right folks! I have not given up on my New Years resolution! Do you remember it?

"1. Enter something in the Utah State Fair in hopes of being rewarded a ribbon."

Ahhh. Now do you remember?

Today I logged onto the fair's website and checked out the entry form for being a "competitor" in the exhibition. Oooo - that word just sounds so scary and intimidating! A competitor? As some of you may know, I am not the competitive type. At all! It's a blessing and a curse, really. The only person I EVER try to compete with is myself. Anyway, as a virgin exhibitor, I think I may make some de-lish cookies. I figure I will be up against some pretty serious bakers (remember this is the STATE fair - not some rinky-dink county crap!) but looking over the rules, I think I might be able to handle it!

Pretty easy right? We'll see. I thought it was a good idea to go simple since it is my first time entering. Maybe I'll move on to butter sculptures or carving a fireplace mantle for next years project! 

If anything else, it will get me a free ticket into the fair so that I can ride this with my 2 favorite boys:

This picture gets me so excited! I love everything about the fair! The food, the freaks and the fun!

-So, does anyone want to do it with me? 

-Anyone brave enough to compete against the whole state of Utah?

-Why is this a goal of mine? I have no stinking idea.

Kickoff to Summer!

It makes me really sad that my own neighborhood lacks adventure and community oriented activities. (No offense neighbors, but this neck of the woods is pretty slow paced and dispirited!) So it's a really good thing that my sister and her neighbors let us piggy back on all their activities and fun! 

Each year at the close of the school year, my sister and her husband help ring in summer with a huge neighborhood food fight for all the kids...and whomever else decides to show up! Every year I would see her pictures and hear her stories and be envious of how much fun they were having. This year I wanted to be a part of it and a part of it we were! 

Setting up! The kids gets so anxious and it was hilarious to watch them try to resist sticking their hands in everything until the countdown!

3...2...1...GO! 

Lucy and Abby - my honorary nieces! Looks like they got it good! (Kim, I hope it's o.k. to post pics of your girls on my blog! In swimsuits!) 

My real niece - Isabelle. She had her fair share of fun!

And this is how they wash off!

You would not believe the smell after it is all done! The worst combination of foods covering the ground! Ugh...watch you step!

After the food fight, it is tradition to set up the longest slip and slide known to man!

My nephew, Nick, hijacked Emerson and took him down much to his chagrin!

My nephew Joey sporting some good moves down the slide!

My niece Hollie and nephew Toby going down sibling style!

Don't even think for a minute that my sister and I didn't take a turn...or 5. "Hands in the air like you just don't care!"

And I may have let forced Emerson to go down a few more times.  Look at that face! He was terrified but I think he secretly liked it. I think. I love to click on this picture and look at it over and over and over.....

hehehehehe

Yeah, I think a move is definitely in our near future! 

(P.S. My brother and his family are in town, so if you were thinking all those nieces and nephews belonged to my sister, be rest assured they are not!)

Really?

Hey, Mother Nature! Thanks a lot for being so lame today! Do we really need to remind you that June is next week? 

Geez!

Each Day

So, I have this philosophy. It's not one that I heard from a spiritual guru or self help book. I didn't get my palm read or climbed a mountain top to get the inspiration. It's simply a little something I do each day. My philosophy is that each day, something of significance should happen in my life. It doesn't have to be big or elaborate, it just has to set that day apart from all the rest. And, since I have become really bad at this whole blogging thing lately, I thought I would play a little catch up on the significant days of May!

May 3rd: Dinner with the family at Mimi's Cafe. My cousin Ron (on the left in stripes) was in town from Germany! So great to see and meet everyone and visit! 

May 4th: My big-getting-little sister had a B-Day! She is my "bestie" and we talked on the phone for over an hour. Horray for Birthdays! This was also the night of my book club! I heart all the women I get to meet with once a month for this! 

May 5th: The VIP Party and opening night of the Beehive Bazaar. Hanging with fellow crafters and DIY club members. I spent my whole paycheck that night!

May 6th: Attended the open house for the amazing and talented Katherine Wallin. She also presented me with the custom made cuff that I had requested. Isn't it beautiful? 

May 7th: I was a guest blogger on U Create and it caused me to have insomnia for 3 days straight. THOUSANDS of people looking at something I made? You have got to be kidding? Talk about a nervous stomach!

May 8th: Wes and I left E. with the parentals and hit the links. It was a pre-celebration of my birthday. 9 holes of golf and a little retail therapy makes a good day! P.S. My husband is amazing!

May 9th: It is my birthday! It is also Mother's day. It is also 5 days after Colett's B Day. (now do you see why we celebrated a day early?) The family just celebrated it all together and ate a great deal of tasty food and exchanged gifts. My mom made me molten lava cakes! Yuuuummmm! It was fun to not only be with my mom and sis on my special day, but to be with my whole fam and celebrate motherhood!

May 10th: I took the very last bite of the GIANT Reese's Peanut Butter Cup my sister in law had made for me! It was delicious and sent from heaven! If you are my Facebook friend, you may just remember a status update from me saying that I wish I had one the size of my face! My wish was granted! Thanks a million Haley! It really did taste just like a Reese's!

May 11th: Our new driveway is getting underway! How nice it will be to have the extra parking space! The weather is not cooperating, however! Why is it so cold and rainy in May? Boo.

May 12th: Worked in the yard for the first time this year. I love dirt under my nails and the smell of fresh cut grass! Man, there is still so much to do!

May 13th: I may have made an appearance on the worst TV show ever. The store I work for was featured on the style segment of the show and I wore an outfit from there to help advertise. I think I was the only one with real boobies on the whole set that day! 

May 14th: BBQ at our friend Merilee's house. It was suppose to be outside, but again with the rain. Ugh!

May 15th: The driveway is complete! I was lame and forgot to carve our names in it! Mr. Little Jeans now has a new place to ride his trike!

May 16th: Went to my parents house for dinner. The rhubarb is finally ready to eat! I planted it in their yard years ago hoping that one day I would be able to transplant it into a garden of my own. I think this may just be the year!

May 17th: Made some nifty biking bloomers that I have yet to take off my body. They make perfect PJ's and I can now wear shorter skirts and still be covered up!

May 18th: Just had a detective come to the door, flash me his badge and hand me his card. He is looking for the guys who did our driveway! Oh crap.

Giveaway!

Do you want your comfort zone to be put to the test? Do you want to feel daring and original? Today I posted a giveaway on H is for Handmade for a "non-book" that will open the doors to your creative side and will prompt you to think (and do) outside of the box! It's full of hilarious and challenging social/moral exercises and assignments. Enter the drawing and I will put forth all my wishes and desires that you will win! 

(there are rules at the bottom of the page of the giveaway. I know some of you who read this don't have an active blog so please ignore that rule and just enter anyway, because I think you're cool!)

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For a peek into the mind of the author, Keri Smith, here is a post she did on her blog. I think it's refreshing! Also, I apologize for the swear word in #8!