Pool Time...

Today was the first time Elsie and I went to my parents house to use the pool this summer...I haven't really wanted to bring her over to the pool...because she has no sense of water danger...and that is not a good thing around a pool!
She was quite happy to play in the little pools with the kids...Emma would much rather play in the little pool so that made Elsie happy! They had lots of cups, spoons and buckets to keep them busy!

Sitting on the edge of the little pool...they were throwing a handful of pennies in the little pool than go "diving" for pennies! I am sure they were imagining that little pool was really the deep ocean...you never know with the crazy imaginations they have!

Colter on the other hand is just plain crazy! When is in the pool his goggles and flippers are practically glued to him! For some crazy reason he decided to wear his little sisters life jacket and jump in...just to be sure he didn't drowned in the 3 1/2' water! I am sure he was also imagining he was jumping in the deep ocean...with 30' killer waves and maybe a few sharks swimming around!

This is Colter's other favorite thing to do...float around in the little pool placed in the big pool...I love that he is still wearing not only the goggles...but a snorkle as well!

Elsie was very good today about playing on the deck in the little pool...but finally she did get in the big pool...She floated around in her little floaty...and loved every minute of it!

Since the big aunties are away at Ana's for the week...and I am too much of a baby to swim in cold water...Uncle Colter brought Elsie around in the pool...He assured us that if she started to drowned he would rescue her! What a guy!

Elsie loved to relax in the floaty...she would tip her head back till it would just touch the water...and she would giggle like it was a joke!

Elsie had lots of fun floating around...and uncle Colter never had to make any dramatic rescue attempts! She did have a fit when everyone decided to go inside...I think she is quite a water bug...

All was better when she found out that she could join the kids for their "hot water bath" to warm up after swimming...they kids always have to take a hot bath after swimming...no matter how hot it is outside. I remember doing the same thing when I was little...

As Elsie went to sleep tonight she was talking about going swimming in the "big pool" tomorrow morning! Oh dear...what have we started?

Goin' Green...

Our entry is goin' green! I have wanted to paint the entry and the inside of the bathroom cabinet green for a long time...and today Jon surprised me by going up town and getting me the paint!

I just painted half the entry...all with a 1 1/2" brush because we couldn't find the roller trays!All finished...Jon even hung the hooks back up for me...

I love the colour...I can't wait to tackle the inside of the cabinet next...but that will be a bit of bigger job!

Kitchen Face-Lift...

Today Jon finished painting the crown molding for the kitchen cabinets...The below picture is a before picture of the cabinets...
And the after picture...The crown molding added so much detail to the kitchen...I love it!

Another view...I still need to fix the red vines on the top...they kinda got shoved around while hanging the trim! Our kitchen is an old kitchen (with NO dishwasher!) but I really do love it! Painting the cabinets from light brown to black took years off the kitchen...and with the molding it looks even better! I really will be sad if we ever have to re-do the entire thing!

Picnic Basket...

While out garage sailing a few weeks ago I found this neat picnic basket...it still had the original tag on it...$40! I got it for only 25 cents...all because the snaps to hold the basket together in the back were broken off!
We used some wire-ties to hold the back together...just tight enough to hold it together yet allow us open the basket up...

A perfect picnic basket again! We love to use picnic baskets when we go on little trips...this one will work perfectly...I need to keep some napkin and paper plates and silverware in the basket so all we have to do is add food and run out the door!

To cover the wire-ties I added some cute red and white bows...I think now we need to plan a picnic!

Roller-skates...

A few weeks ago while garage sailing we found these vintage looking roller skates...they are very dirty still...maybe someday I will get around to cleaning them up a bit! They are far too bit for Elsie...but she still makes them work!

She walks around in them on the carpet...she really thinks she is something!
Maybe she is practicing to be a waitress at the Sonic restaurant!

Sneak-peek...

Here is a sneak peek at Elsie's Halloween costume! When out garage sailing today we found this adorable little bee costume...for only $3.00...so we quickly decided that she would make a cute little bee for Halloween! Elsie's favorite part is the shiny antennas...she loves wearing the headband and making the antennas bop around...
Have you ever seen such a cute little bee? I think we will have to find some black and yellow striped leggings and a black turtle neck to wear under the costume...The back of the costume even has little wings and a little stinger!

Now...this was a little peek...and you have to forget all about the little bee costume so it is a surprise on Halloween!

These Boots are Made for Walking...

A few days ago i found some super adorable cowboy boots at a garage sale for Elsie...and she loves them! This afternoon she was digging around in her basket in the entry and found the boots...and insisted on wearing them...with just a diaper on!
I thought she looked so cute...she calls her boots her "cowboy"!

I showed Elsie that I also have some cowboy boots...so we both had to wear our boots around the house for a little bit...she was concerned because daddy doesn't have any cowboy boots!

Today At another sale I found this little pink cup for Elsie...she loves eating off pretty plats and cups...so she was very excited to have a new pretty cup to use at dinner time! I have noticed that because we only use glass with her, she is far more gentle with things like this than other kids her age...I love watching get carefully pick the cup up and put it down...so far she has yet to break any glass dishware...hopefully it stays that way!

Pickles...

Wednesday evening my mom helped me make the cucumber into pickles...We got out her trusty recipe for the "best pickles ever" at least according to the kids!
Pickles all ready for the vinegar...

Emma was the helper...first she would drop the garlic in then shove the dill in the jar...

Filling the jar with the liquid...and wait a few months for them to turn into pickles...

Multi-tasking...I think that blue tooth is permanently attached to my ear...Jon and I always talk every evening...

Making the pickles was super easy...the hardest part was staying up past midnight to do the water bath to 12 jars of pickles! Hopefully Elsie will enjoy the home-made pickles this winter!

Farmers Market...

Last Wednesday Grandma B., Laura, Ceara and myself went to the farmers in the cities...I love going to the farmers market! Last year Jon and I went on a Saturday and it was super busy...so this time we opted to go on a weekday...
There were so many cucumbers...I got a small basket full of baby cucumbers for making some pickles for Elsie...

Lots and lots of fruit,too...though I have a feeling most was imported...unless I just don't know about a mango and pineapple farm around these parts!

We mostly bought veggies for either canning or freezing for this winter...

And some fresh garlic for making the pickles and for eating...and making lots of garlic oil!

Broccoli...some for eating fresh and some for freezing...I think we will have to get more to freeze because I only have about 5 bags in the freezer! That won't last us very long...Elsie is such a broccoli fan!

And lots and lots of peas...We were able to buy some pre-shelled! I think we have about 8 bags of peas...so we will need to get more of those next time as well! I think frozen peas is Elsie's favorite veggie for munching on...

After the Farmers market we made our way to Ikea...We only got slightly lost...ran one red light...almost went the wrong way on a one-way street...but the point is we got to Ikea...though I think we all were about ready to give up hope on ever arriving at Ikea! Crazy little adventures only keeps things interesting and makes good memories...I think my sisters will probably never quit talking about how I ran a red light! We did find far too many good buy at Ikea...as always! I went with the intentions of getting 6 curtain hooks...but walked out with a bag full of stuff and a little chair!

This picture is just for Laura and Ceara...The hand dryers in the Ikea bathrooms are the coolest things ever! If ya ever go to Ikea...be sure to check out the hand dryers...you won't believe the power they have!
We had a very good day trip to the farmers market...and came home with lots of food for this winter...and we came home with far too many treasures from Ikea...and a garage sale, goodwill and salvation army...when we started thrifting it was hard to stop! We are all looking forward to our next trip to the farmers market! (Hopefully no running red lights will happen on that trip!)

Down by the River...

After we finished with the park we drove over to another little town and enjoyed the views of the Mississippi river...it was such a lovely view that my mom attempted to get some pictures of Elsie and I...we plan on getting some printed off so Jon has some new pictures of his girls for his wallet...
Elsie was less than cooperative! She would not look at the camera for anything!

Soon she just went off down the trail herself! She had enough of taking pictures!

The 6 monkeys hanging in the trees..oops...I mean the 6 kids looking good!

Elsie and papa Wayne...sitting on a tree stump...

Because she was sitting so well with my dad and cooperating for a picture...we had to try one of Elsie and I...

Everyone walking along the river...as we walked along we could music being played...under the pavilion at the end of the path were some musicians playing bluegrass type music...we sat on the ground for awhile a listened...we had a very leisurely afternoon...

The kids enjoying the river views...

One the way home Elsie was so pooped out she took a late nap around 6 pm! Uncle Colter tucked the flowers under her ear as she slept...Such a sweet thing!

We all had a great spontaneous day...a full but leisurely day...With any luck my parents will call again and ask us along on another spontaneous day! But we all know if they don't call we will just invite ourselves...there really is nothing better than being surrounded with family, laughter and adventure! Any maybe a few cray fish!