A little bit of this and a little bit of that...

DAY 241 - August 31, 2009

The boys and I had a little game night tonight. As you can see, we played Jenga. It was quite a game since the balancing act that was produced and that can be seen at the bottom of the stack occurred quite early in the game. EVERY time we took a piece out and put it on top I was sure it was going to topple over. We played the game 3 times and, surprisingly, this is the one that lasted the longest and the tower that got the highest as a result!

DAY 240 - August 30, 2009

This picture was going to be the picture of the day. I liked how all the bats were lined up in a row and so brightly colored. That's the boys' coach, Coach Derek, crouching down in front of them. As the day moved on I quickly realized there would HAVE TO be a different picture of the day because then this happened...


Yep, that's Kaleb pitching in a game for the very first time! The little guy just to the right of Kaleb is Little Bit watching it all happen and cheering on his brother. Kaleb has been wanting to try pitching this time around and got his chance today. He did WONDERFUL and we're so proud of him! He not only pitched for the first time but he pitched a 3-up and 3-down inning! Each of the batters that came up all struck out. He didn't walk anyone!!! Chalk that inning with no runs up to Kaleb!! Way to go Bubby!

DAY 239 - August 29, 2009

The boys each had a friend spend the night tonight. Here they are eating a snack...a Cinnamon Wheel from Papa Murphey's Pizza. Kaden's friend is Jacob West (in the red shirt) and Kaleb's friend is Mason Holmes (in the white shirt). They had a great time and packed so much into an evening! They played dart guns, played the Wii, played on the computer, ate pizza and watched some TV, and swam. They ended the night around 11:30pm watching a little TV all crammed into Kaleb's room. They had a blast!

He's Baaaaaaack...

DAY 238 - August 28, 2009


The Blue Heron was back today. It seems that he'd found a new place to hang out for a while because we haven't seen him in a while. I guess he must have liked our pond enough to return though.

I was (again) experimenting with my camera and shot these from the front porch. It was early evening when I took these and the sun was beginning to get low in the sky. I do like the way the sun is hitting him from the front.

Another critter...

DAY 237 - August 27, 2009


I was backwashing the pool and cleaning out one of the filters tonight and found another critter. This little crayfish was trapped in our pool filter and just hanging out. Surprisingly, the chlorine didn't kill him. We have a little plastic critter tank we tried to maintain tiny frogs (from our tadpoles) in but none ever survived long enough to keep. We put it to use tonight by putting a small bowl of water in it with some rocks and giving him a home. Kaden just keeps saying "I don't like him because he looks creepy" but all he does is keep looking in at him. Kaleb was our little researcher and did a Google search on them to see if they live in or out of water and what they eat. We found out they can live out of water as long as their gills stay wet but can live in water all their lives. We opted to put him in water and see where he goes. He also found out that they can eat vegetables (frozen peas were recommended if you have one as a pet) so we put in some peas. Not sure if you can tell by the picture but this guy is pretty tiny...only about 1 inch long. Last summer we must have had his poppa because we found one that was about 5 inches long on the cover of the pool swimming in the rain water. We turned him loose before we even thought about keeping him a few days.

It was a sod, sod day...

DAY 236 - August 26, 2009

Today Doug worked his hind end off buying sod, loading it into the truck, carrying it back to the yard, and laying it. He got something like 39 rolls of it...all Dammann's had...and put it down. It looks really nice and I was quite surprised at all he'd accomplished in one day. That is a tough job!! He really enjoys working in the yard...he puts his headphones in and just works away. It's his way of relaxing. He gets to do something he enjoys while making our back yard beautiful for the rest of us to enjoy! We appreciate all his hard work so much!!

We're (or should I say "Doug is") getting there...

DAY 235 - August 25, 2009


I came home today and found this accomplished in the back yard. Doug's been working very hard on the landscaping project in the back yard. The landscapers at Dammann's drew up a plan for our property and we had them do some of it last year and Doug has taken to finishing it up. We had a large portion of the back yard that still needed done and Doug decided to tackle it himself. He's really got a knack for these things and has done a great job. I really like the way this area looks...the stepping stones really make it look polished. Once the rest of the area gets grass and the mulch bed gets it's boundaries it's going to look fantastic!

The boys in action...

DAY 234 - August 24, 2009

The boys had their Legos out tonight. It's always so nice to see them work on something together and enjoying themselves. Legos can do that to kids can't it?

DAY 233 - August 23, 2009

Fall baseball at Edgewood Little League. I got to use my new camera for the first time today. I would have liked a sunnier day but had fun watching the boys and playing with my camera. I love the first picture...look at the way Kaden is standing there as if to say "Come on, get home plate cleaned off...we've got a ball game to play!"

The bottom 3 pictures were taken using the continuous shot mode on my camera. Kaleb is sliding into home plate. I love that in this mode I can hold down the button and it just keeps taking pictures until I release it. I'm sure to get some great action shots using this! On this day alone I took over 200 pictures! I'm sure one of these days those boys will smack that ball and I'll get the point of impact. Until then, I'll continue snapping away...

DAY 232 - August 22, 2009

We were visiting with our neighbors, the Goldmans, today and the kids were playing while Melanie and I chatted a bit. Kaleb came across this "Rip Stick" in their garage and wanted to try it. It's like a skateboard only it has 2 wheels instead of 4, one on each end, that can turn in any direction. The front and back are also connected by a tube of sorts that is flexible and can swivel the front and back in opposite directions. All of this combined makes it difficult to stand on let alone ride. In about 20 minutes Kaleb had it mastered enough to make it down the Goldman's driveway. They let him borrow it and he has since been able to get a start by holding onto my car in the drive and then ride it half-way down the block. I was quite impressed since this all happened in less than 24 hours!

Capture a rainbow.

DAY 231 - August 21, 2009

The boys were outside playing tonight with some friends and they called me out to the front porch. They found a rainbow! It might be hard to see here but it's there...up in front of the white clouds. This was a strange night because behind me there were lots of dark clouds and the sky looked very ominous. Just turning the other direction we saw some white clouds, blue skies and a beautiful rainbow.

Can you say Nikon D40?

DAY 230 - August 20, 2009

I think I'm in a rut here for the pictures of the day recently. Playing with my camera...again. I took this picture from my front porch using one of the lenses John loaned me. This is the street sign on the corner across the street from our house. It's also the intersection at which we live so it is still something from my "everyday" being captured as the picture of the day.

I would NEVER have gotten such a good picture with the detail of a street sign from my old digital...Bring on Disney and all the photo ops I'll have there! Hope I don't drive the rest of the family nuts snapping away while that camera is affixed to my face...

What color!

DAY 229 - August 19, 2009

Here I am again...playing around with my new camera. Tonight I took lots of pictures using the lens it came with along with some that Doug's dad John gave to me on loan from his old Nikon 35mm camera. Without his generosity I'd have only the included lens to use since they're so dang expensive! Thank you John!!!

These are the flowers we have out back by the pool. It's hard to tell from this picture but if you look really closely the flowers up front are in focus and the ones in the back are not. That is one thing I'm really looking forward to mastering with this camera. I like that effect and think it will be fun to play with. The color is so vibrant and the images so sharp with this camera too and I love that!

My favorite things to capture...

DAY 228 - August 18, 2009




I got my new camera yesterday...here are the first 3 shots taken with it. As you can see, they reflect what is most important to me. When Doug found out that I wanted this camera he set out to make it possible for me to get it. As soon as I mentioned that I'd found one at a good price he was on the phone getting some DUI project time and part time set up. He is always so good about making sure that I get something if I want it. It's rare that I "really want" something for myself. So much of what we do it for the house, something together as a family, or for the kids. This time I really wanted this camera.

More than just making it possible for me to get the camera by working for the extra money he ENCOURAGED me to get it. I often need a little encouragement on these things, especially when it's something so expensive. It meant a lot to me to have him really encourage and want me to get this camera for myself and our family. Thank you Honey!!

So much excitement!

DAY 227 - August 17, 2009

It's here!!! It's here!!! I'm so excited...my camera arrived tonight. I only ordered it last Thursday at about 4:00pm and it arrived Monday around 5:00pm! I love it when things arrive early. The website said it would be 7-10 business days and would come through regular mail and shipping was free. Well, it came via UPS and was still free to ship. I can't wait to play with it...all I got done was getting it out of the package and setting the battery up to charge. The deal I got was a really good one in my opinion...the package deal came with the camera, one lens, battery, and charger along with some extras - a nice camera bag, an 4GB SD card, and an extra battery. I also purchased a 2-year extended warranty. I got all this for less than the camera costs if I'd gone into Best Buy, etc to purchase it. You'd never know it but the camera is refurbished (which is what made the difference in the price I think) but with the 2-year extended warranty I feel pretty secure with my decision. Better pictures are soon to come!

DAY 226 - August 16, 2009

COMING SOON!

DAY 225 - August 15, 2009

Kaden had a birthday party to go to today for twins Camryn and Connor DeLuca from his school. We decided to get something different as a gift this time instead of the usual toy or game. We searched at Kohl's and decided on a couple big cozy pillows they could cuddle up with for movie nights. Kaden picked them out and then we set off to try and figure out how to wrap them. We couldn't use paper because it would just rip...we couldn't find one of those really large gift bags...so we decided on buying plastic table cloths and tying them at the ends like a big piece of candy. Because it was also a pool party we got a little pool toy - dive sticks - that they could use. Turns out, both kids really liked our unique idea as a gift. Their Dad said that they were so excited and said "Dad! We can put them on the couch and watch a movie tonight!"

Play time...

DAY 224 - August 14, 2009



Tonight we didn't really have much that needed to be done. Kaden came to me and specifically asked that we go outside and play. We decided on playing with some sidewalk chalk...first it was hopscotch and then we drew pictures of ourselves. I traced each of the boys and we were going to color in their clothes. Kaleb got bored with this and went off to ride his bike but Kaden and I worked on his. It was a fun evening!

A favorite...

DAY 223 - August 13, 2009

Tonight was "Back to School Night" at JG-E. This is the night we get to meet the boys' teachers, see their rooms, and meet their specials teachers (Music, PE, Art, and Spanish). We spent a few minutes talking to Mrs. Calvin. She is not necessarily a "teacher" but someone who works with the kids on their behavior, manners, values, etc. as well as working with the student actors in 4th and 5th grade.

Kaleb knows Mrs. Calvin well because in 1st grade he had to attend "Manners Extreme" often. So often that Mrs. Calvin now jokes about how she had to retire his chair because it had a permanent imprint of his booty because he was there so much. Manners Extreme is something the kids go to if they are not behaving as they should. It's held during lunch time. The kids have to go to Mrs. Calvin's room to eat their lunch. EVERYTHING must be eaten with utensils (even a sandwich if that's what they have), no elbows are allowed on the table, "Please", Thank you", "Yes Ma'am", "no Ma'am" etc. must be used. During this time they discuss "what is right" and how they should act putting their core values to use.

Kaleb no longer goes to visit Mrs. Calvin for Manners Extreme and Kaden has only been a time or two and we are very happy about that! This year Kaleb has been accepted to be an actor. They will practice in the mornings and present a play in October, February, and in the spring. As a result of Kaleb getting invited to be involved Kaden is automatically eligible to be involved in the 4th grade. Kaleb is very excited about participating. Both boys really enjoy Mrs. Calvin and were excited to make her the Picture of the Day.

Again?!?

DAY 222 - August 12, 2009

Here we go again. For the 2nd time this year we had to have the pool drained and refilled. The first was just after we opened it after the winter. It was dirty and would not come clean. Some type of algae had taken up residence and would not die!

Last week we got 7 inches of rain in 2 hours. All that water in the ground saturated the area around the pool causing the liner to float. That is not a good thing and once it settled back down there were lots of wrinkles in it. Ordinarily I could live with wrinkles but not in the pool liner. If they stay there too long they can become permanent and then become a breaking or cracking point which will mean we would have to replace the liner. Draining and refilling is a hassle but much less expensive than replacing the liner. Here is how they refilled the pool...obviously the hose is in need of some repair but it does get the job done.

30 minutes a day...

DAY 221 - August 11, 2009

School is back in session and now moving along at full pace. That means that there is reading to be done (as well as other homework) and reading logs to be signed. Both boys must read a minimum of 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week. It's amazing just how difficult that can be to get done some days. Today was a rare day in which they both sat down together on the couch, with the TV off no less, and got their reading done.

Landscaping and more landscaping...a project finally getting done!

DAY 220 - August 10, 2009

We were lucky enough to have someone in the neighborhood that let us use his tiller. It definitely works better and quicker than shoveling the ground under to make way for seed or sod. BUT, Doug found out quickly that it's definitely not as simple as it looks. We both thought it would need the tiller run through it and be pretty much ready. That is not the case! We've had to go over and over the same area a few times, pull out rocks and clumps of grass, and rake it smooth. As you can see, it's coming along but by no means easily!

DAY 219 - August 9, 2009

COMING SOON!






DAY 218 - August 8, 2009




Let the landscaping begin! We've been looking at this eyesore side of the backyard since we had the pool put in and we're finally doing something about it. If not, the "grass" might overtake us! Those clumps there are nasty and grow very tall and spread out so much! It's really ugly but we never had the time, nor the energy, to do much with it. We finally bit the bullet...Doug's off for 4 days and really took the initiative on this one. I'm always happy to help and don't mind working outside and getting dirty. He bought some plants yesterday and got a few of them in. Today we went to the nursery to pick up some more and spent the whole day planting. Eventually it'll look the way we want it to. Doing a little at a time and anchoring the beds with the main plants and shrubs is a really good start.

Trying to learn...

DAY 217 - August 7, 2009

I picked this book up at the library a few days ago and have been trying to reference it a little to learn about Digital SLR cameras. I know I want one and Doug has said that he's signed up for some DUI Project time to help pay for it. I know he knows I really want a new camera and he'll do anything to help me get it. Now I just need to make a final decision on which one. I'm actually pretty set on the camera itself...I want the Nikon D40. It gets rave reviews so now I'm on the search to find one at a good price! I can't wait until I get it ordered and it actually arrives at our doorstep...

A quiet visitor...

DAY 216 - August 6, 2009






A friendly (and quiet) visitor stopped by and perched himself here on the awning of our front porch for 2 days - he didn't move! The boys thought it was pretty cool and we kept an eye on him while he visited us. We began to wonder if he was dead but after those 2 days he was there one minute and gone the next. I'm assuming that means he got bored with our place and headed out to find something else to do.

Jeremiah-Gray Edison Elementary

DAY 216 - August 5, 2009



School started yesterday. It occurred to me that school is such a part of our everyday lives but we had no pictures of the school itself. Here is one as the sun is setting. The school is much more expansive out both sides but I wanted to capture the entrance a bit more than the "wings" of the school. I wish the flag was up because it would have added some color to the fairly dull picture.

Back to school already?

DAY 215 - August 4, 2009



It's back to school time already! I can't believe how quickly the summer went. The boys only had 8 weeks off from school...and 2 of those were spent in Iowa and Nebraska. It sure seems like there wasn't much summer in their summer break. They were excited to get back to see their friends and I'm happy they're excited. I am not excited (nor are they) about the schedule, homework, reading logs to be filled out, spelling words to be gone over, and the general "stuff" that goes along with school.

From colorful shoes to the mundane and everyday things.

DAY 214 - August 3, 2009

Today is the last day before school starts back up again. Kaleb is going into 5th grade (almost a middle-schooler...YIKES!) and Kaden is going into 3rd grade. We decided to do something fun with them this evening and they chose to go bowling. I thought the attractive shoes that go along with bowling would be a nice picture for the picture of the day...wakes everyone up at least with their brightness at least! After 2 games of bowling we went to dinner...it was Kaden's choice tonight and he chose Outback. After all, they do have the best Mac-n-Cheese!


DAY 213 - August 2, 2009

Nothing exciting here is there? Just the bathroom cabinet where I hide all the necessary stuff to make myself presentable every morning. As you can see, the cabinet is not that big and a lot of things need to lay on their sides. Oh well, it works for me.

DAY 212 - August 1, 2009

This happens every week and a half or so...might as well make it the picture of the day for today. Gas prices right now are decent - about $2.45/gallon. That is much better than the over $4.00/gallon that we saw last summer.