Camping

Labor day weekend we took advantage of the extra day and made our way up to Arkansas to have some family time. We wanted to see if camping is our thing. We found a great spot close to the river and the bathrooms. We had neighbors on either side who were so sweet and helpful. They told us of places to explore and loaned us lanterns when they saw us sitting out in the dark.

We had a wonderful adventure swimming and hunting for gems,zinc and tumbled glass among the rocks



some of them were much too big to bring home



we hiked and picnicked in the 'air conditioning' of this old zinc mine




we cooked smores and chai tea



we fished a little and soaked up lots of vitamin D



we wore Camille here



there



and everywhere



we found this skull rock



and even spotted a mama and her baby deer.



It was quiet and peaceful and the kids were in there element enjoying so much nature.



As it turns out camping suits us quite well. So much so that we decided to go again last weekend. But that's a whole 'nother post.

Self Portrait

ONE

As promised here is some more on Camille's recent first birthday party. I can't believe a whole year has passed. She had a pink,yellow and orange lemon themed party.


For the first time Daddy helped open presents.



She had one fancy cake to share



and a small cake for her very own.



Doesn't she look like she is trying to blow out the candle?



What a messy face. She sat eating fistfuls of cake for quite a while. I took it away before she made herself sick.






She had a sweet guest of honor. They both had huge flowers on their heads and rhyming nicknames. Millie and Lili. Miss L wore the perfect dress if you look closely you will see why.






All grown up but not quite walking. Happy Birthday Camille!

Sweet and Sour

Sometimes life hands you lemons whether you want them...



or not




and maybe you aren't quite sure what to do with them




and sometimes when it rains it pours but




just give them a try you might like them




or maybe they are too sour for your taste so





you might want to try making some lemonade






and that's pretty sweet!

We Are Country At Heart

Sometimes when I look outside and see Silas playing in his white polo shirt I wonder what in the world we are doing in the city. Deep down we are fresh air breathin',chicken raisin',g droppin',small town lovin',country folk. And I am reminded of that every single time I clean the feathers off our rug.

Weekly Remnants

8/6/11 Saturday

Today Silas had whatever Camille and I had and couldn't hold anything down. He got to sleep on the couch and watch pink panther until he fell asleep.

I took pictures of about a thousand things and posted them for sale on craigslist.org.

*Online shopping is fun*


8/7/11 Sunday

Shiloh made shelves in Silas' room today. For books and toys. They are great!

I think Silas' swimming incident paid off. He has become quite a little fish. I have never had a 3 year old swimmer but he is swimming like a fish and a shrimp. He made up the shrimp swim. It's easy you just put out your pointer fingers while swimming underwater and open and close them. Like a shrimp,ya know. He swam a lot and had a late night last night so in the middle of the day he asked for a shower and fell asleep. In the shower. On his stomach. But he assured me he was only resting his eyes. So cute.

I ran 5 miles with Abbie this morning (there were dorks strewn all over the path *giggle*)and was pretty useless the rest of the day. We planted water bottles along our run so we could stop and get drinks and someone took my water bottle! It was new. I got it for my birthday. Wah. It was a fun run regardless. It takes me until about mile 3 and then I can finally stop waiting for the run to end and just run. I get faster and it doesn't feel like so much work. Boy I can't wait to see what happens at the end of mile 6. (Sarcasm) I do like it though. That's why I keep going back for more. That and I have a desire to be a different sort of shape than round.

I sold a car seat and delivered it.

I just heard a mouse playing with one of Camille's new ball toys. Tomorrow I hope I blog "Got traps today" er if it wasn't a mouse,then I think we have a ghost.

Can't wait to go to a photography workshop with Abbie and Mckmama. So I can learn to do this




and this




8/8/11 Monday

Pretty basic day around here. Sold some stuff @diaperswappers. Post office tomorrow. Whoever thought one could be excited about swapping used diapers. It gets weird being a mom. Things like that can excite. :)

We couldn't find the chickens last night to put them away and this morning our favorite one,big mama was gone. She was a good chicken. Our tiny rooster is missing all his tail feathers. I guess he was trying to protect Big Mama. We used to call him Valentine but I think now we will call him Valiant.

8/9/11 Tuesday

Watched Kung Fu Panda with the kids today. It inspires Cecily to really work on her forms out in the yard. And practice with her stick homemade bow staff.

8/10/11 Wednesday

Wasn't feeling very good today. I just kind of "managed" until Shiloh got home. He came home with a goat... He found it at the shop wandering around. I'm not sure how to go about finding the owner. He said he just thought the kids would always remember the day their dad brought home a goat. :) I think they will.

Silas has been complaining of his ear hurting so I took him to the clinic today and they told me he has an ear infection and some swimmers ear. We got drops and our first ever antibiotic. Hoping that it won't be a trend. I heard the algae in the pool can cause swimmers ear and maybe that led to the infection?


8/11/11 Thursday

Cooked sweet and sour meatballs and took them to Granny and Pawpaw's today. The kids actually got to play outside! The clouds rolled in and there was a slow steady rain for a bit cooling it off just enough. I can't wait till the fall.

8/12/11 Friday

My mom came in last night to help celebrate my Granny's birthday today. She brought my adorable nephews with her. I love them. They came over and kept my kids entertained. We all went to eat at Golden Corral.

8/13/11 Saturday

My mom spent the night with us tonight and we all watched Enchanted. We fed the kids fruit and popcorn with m and m's for dinner. After they settled in for the night we watched The Terminal with Tom Hanks. And some of us had more popcorn with m and m's. It's hard to remember which one of us...

8/14/11 Sunday

Today my mom took one deep breath and then she took five big kids on a six hour trip. With six car seats,five pillow pets,Hank the Cow Dog #1 and six sippy cups of water. They made one stop. Now I have one child and a million things to clean,sort,organize and sell before my five days are up and I make the same six hour drive with one baby. I haven't had one baby in six years.

8/15/11 Monday

I made some progress today on the big Organize(that's what I named the big house cleaning event). I shopped at Target for bins and curtains. I saw a ball popper I wanted to get for Camille. I went home and looked for the cheapest one online. I searched Craigslist. I found one right in my very own town. New unopened and I got it for half the cost of the one at Target. She loves it. It frightens her a very little bit when the music suddenly starts. I think she'll live.

The goat is fine I'm going to go search for her owner now on craigslist.

Birds Eye View

I want to do a longer post of Camille's first birthday but for now I will just leave you with this birds Camille's eye view.