Date Night

Nothing like date night to remember why I love this guy so much.

It's nice to step away from the daily grind, for a bit.

A simple evening out, but it felt so decadent.

No negotiating, eat one more bite then you can have your soda.

No threatening, if you don't get out from under the table, you will go to bed when we get home.

No tag-team, you go wash his hands and I'll take them to the car.

Instead,

table for two!

spicy cajun food!

band so loud you have to talk into each others ear!

order from the dessert menu!

And somewhere along the way I remember...

BEST thing I ever did was marry David Painter.

I got nothin'

P.S. if you want to pour a lot of love into a cake for someone special...THIS one will surely do the trick, DELICIOUS! Happy Birthday Kyle!

Honestly, it was one of those weeks. The kind that leaves you exhausted from all the thinking, and from all the feeling. And I'm not talking 'oh that's a bummer' type stuff, more, eternal consequence type stuff. But don't you know it, life keeps on all around you. And I've kept on too. But as I look at the pictures I have taken this week (all for my class) I see that it looks just like any other week. So it's a good reminder for me. That sometimes, when I am out in the world (or out in blog-land) there are surely some people who are only just surviving. Keeping on, if you will. It makes me want to be a little softer, more gentle, and smile a lot more.

One more warm evening.

First things first.

I'm so happy to have a picture of this familiar summer scene.

Many, many, many of our summer mornings, afternoons and evenings looked just like this.

Tonight could very well be the last night a run through the sprinkler is possible.

Goodbye summer 2010!

These photographs are actually my homework.

Finally, I am getting around to taking my first photography class.

And I am loving it so much.

All of these pictures are straight out of my camera. Not an ounce of post processing.

I don't even have Photoshop anyway.

Certainly, that is nothing to boast about, because heaven knows I'd love to have Photoshop.

And even more, know how to use it. Sparingly of course :)

Not that these pictures are some sort of photographic ideal

(i'll probably cringe in another year and see all the mistakes I made)...

But just for kicks I switched my camera to auto-mode for a comparison.

Example below.

.

Not gonna lie.

It feels good to be a little smarter than my 'fancy' camera!

Happy Birthday Lily!

(biting her lip and looking shy while we sing happy birthday to her...and the party hat...blown off by wind)

I think this might have been my most favorite party yet.

Admittedly, I spent a lot of time planning. It's what I like to do, and I sort of hope it will add a little magic to their childhood memories. So, I filled 3 sheets of paper with menu ideas, decor lists and sketches of what the dessert table would look like. My mom and I hand stitched a fabric flower garland, and I bought Martha's white cake plate especially for the strawberry cake. This is what I dreamed up in my head: A strawberry themed party for family at the park. Eighty pink and red streamers gently swaying in the breeze, each table would have 3 helium filled strawberry balloons (heart-shaped balloons with green crepe paper toppers cut to fit). Finally, the piece de resistance would be the cake table...decorated thoughtfully (and symmetrically) with platters of homemade goodies.

And then, a small dose of reality.

Wind Advisory. 40 mph gusts of wind.

When I arrived at the park, David had been laboring over those eighty (gently swaying) streamers, but it actually sounded more like a used car lot as they whipped around frantically in the wind. The strawberry balloons lost their tops and most broke free from their strings, the handmade goodies never quite made it out of the storage containers for fear they would fly away too. The hand stitched garland stayed in it's box until halfway through the party my mom helped tape it up. We had to duck tape the kids plates to the table as they ate lunch, and well, there was just no use in even attempting to light candles in that kind of weather.

But you know what, it was fun.

A lot of fun.

It was nice to let go of party perfection and just enjoy a (windy) BBQ at the park.

And now, Miss Lily is four. She's been pampered with a mani/pedi, signed up for more gymnastics, and showered with strawberry shortcake and littlest pet shop toys from the people who love her most...her family.

A lesson for mom in what is most important...

Check that off the list.

A penny saved...

I've experimented with many many different ways to conserve money.

Makes me chuckle to think about all the things I have tried.

Mostly though, I'm encouraged by the valuable deals.

Yet the fact is, no one really cares. I'm sure my husband appreciates it, but I have a hunch he is feigning interest when I display my loot on the island and declare, "LOOK! Look what I got for $2.34!"

And so it goes with the laundry soap.

I've been making my own for almost a year.

It works, is amazingly economical, is not a difficult process, and I've upgraded the look from a 5 gallon Lowes bucket to pretty glass bottles. (recycled $1.50 Heinz vinegar bottles)

Oh, I have a feeling that picture of soap will send me down memory lane in about 30 years.

Ahhhh yes, those days of business start up, making soap and clipping coupons.

And speaking of memory lane, I hope this is one I will never forget.

Last week I hopped into bed next to Lily after she was asleep.

I kept staring at her sweet little pigtail,

thinking about what an amazing perk it is to be able to

crawl into bed for a nap on a sunny afternoon next to my little 3 year old.

If I have to make soap the rest of my life...so be it.

First Day of Kindergarten

If there is one thing I want to remember,

it's Zach's level of excitement and happiness on his first day of kindergarten.

He took the obligatory photographs, and didn't ever stop smiling in between shots.

I walked him into school and to the kindergarten hallway

(stopping, per school rules, before I got to his classroom :)

I gave him a little squeeze and said, "I love you, have a great day!"

(my voice might have cracked a bit, but I kept a smile) and he was off.

He started down that corridor, and turned around just once with a big big smile. (I caught it!)

Then, he didn't look back again. Past the drinking fountains and into his classroom.

I'm not sure how I made it out of that building what with the blurry vision.

Ahhhhh, rough stuff for a sensitive soul.

I'll go ahead and say it, I'm sensitive.

Hard as I tried to avoid it, I tortured myself all day with thoughts of what was.

Taking naps with tiny baby Zachary, sprawled out on white sheets in our sunny room.

Who would sneak in at first peep to get Roman out of his crib?

And Lily, well, she's a little lost without her best bud.

8 hours is a loooooong time.

But then he came home. And he loved it.

Loved it with a capital L.

I'm going to love it too. (eventually)

Just as I've loved every other step along the way.

(In his own words...)

a video for grandmas, grandpas, aunts and uncles!

An ending. And a beginning.

I'm not even going to try to aim for 'well written' on this post.

My emotions are running a bit high for that.

Tomorrow is the first day of school.

Kindergarten.

One the one hand, I'm excited, and looking forward to all the new opportunities.

And on the other hand, I'm devastated.

But enough about me.

I asked Zach what he wanted to do.

Our last day of summer looked like this...

Morning spent at Penguin Park.

Special lunch at McDonalds (with a toy!)

Zach helped make lasagna and chocolate cake while the littles napped.

Last minute haircut.

Back to school dinner.

Father's Blessings for Family Home Evening.

(Zachary hugged David for a full minute after the blessing...David's eyes were full of tears)

Bath.

Pack the lunch.

Family Prayer and tuck in.

And now I need to get into bed.

But I doubt I will sleep.