these two

I love that my two kiddos love being with each other. At times they really are inseparable.  These pictures were all taken within 2 days.  They just love each other that much that they want to be close to each other.   

Bill snapped this one and it is blurry but I had to include it

I have three sisters and I have always wanted Sydney to have a sister so she can experience the bond that sisters have but for now she has a little brother and it seems she is experiencing a bond with her brother that I never had. 

And just so you know my kids are real, they do fight and bicker with each other, but the togetherness far outweighs the negative stuff.

Maybe one day she will have a sister. 

Coming soon.....

A lot more relaxation for me!  We are all looking forward to our vacation for so many reasons. 

1. spending time with my sister and her family
2. hanging out with my mom and papa
3. driving to Maine and seeing new landscape-we have never driven there from NC
4. spending time with Bill and the kids
5. having time to relax- I just cannot sit and relax sometimes when there is always something that needs done
6. having a break from cooking meals- I do love to cook but at times planing and prepping get old
7. eating fresh seafood!
8. visiting Bar Harbor-where Bill and I spent our honeymoon -very appropriate since we are coming up on our 10 year anniversary in August
9. getting away from the office- I do LOVE my job but it has been busy and also stressful lately

 
 

Movie Night

This week I signed the kids up for the summer reading program at our local library. I am a huge reader (Bill laughs at me because I read all the time, even while blow drying my hair) and I read to the kids daily.  When I signed the kids up they both received a brand new book (they have not seen them yet because they are a vacation surprise), Sydney got a big hardcover Disney princess book and Griffin got a hardback Sandra Boynton book.  The library also a schedule of events and one of them is movie night.  So this past Friday after feeding the kids dinner, and giving them tubbies we got in pjs and headed to the library to watch It's a Bugs Life.  Well our family made up 4 of the 6 people that were there.  Oh well the librarian served us drinks and we enjoyed the show.  Two years ago we went and I just remember the room was full and dark and Griffin was in the stroller and decided to have an acid reflux vomiting episode.  Yes it was lovely.

After the movie we played around the fountain for a bit then headed home to put some sleepy kids to bed.

Does your library have a summer reading program and if so have you signed up yet?

Splash Pad

Our church reserved the Splash Pad at the YMCA last Friday night for all the little kids so I took the kids for a fun evening.

We had a great time.

These days

• we have been enjoying our sun room so much, breakfast, lunch, dinner and after the kids are asleep, it is so relaxing
• we have a new favorite sandwich: rye bread, ham ,turkey, Munster cheese, little mayo, coarse ground mustard and avocado slices-yum
• on the weekends we can usually be found sitting in bag chairs, sipping coffee watching the kids ride bikes in the cul-de-sac before 8 o'clock
• we are counting down the days until our vacation!
• I am using plenty of water from my rain barrel to water the garden
• we are just beginning to enjoy vegetables from our garden, yellow saffron squash
• we are filling up our calendar with great fun, including kindergarten camp, vacation, VBS, an anniversary getaway for Bill and I, water days at daycare and a medical conference/vacation at the beach

What are you up to these days?

recipe- Sunshine Casserole

This is a recipe my mom made when I was growing up and it is so yummy.  A great way to use summer squash.  The recipe is from a friend of my mom. 

1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 tsp cumin
4 yellow squash
10 oz package corn, cooked
1/2 tsp garlic salt, or 1 fresh clove
2 Cups grated cheddar cheese (I use sharp)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 T butter
bread crumbs

Saute onion in butter, add cut up squash (I like small cubes 1/2 inch) cover and steam until tender.  Drain then add seasonings and corn and cook for few minutes (4).  Stir in cheese and put in 1 1/2 quart casserole dish, top with bread crumbs.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes uncovered.  So yummy.  If you do not like the taste of cumin just leave it out, it will be different but still delicious.

project

I saw this idea on another blog and decided to give it a try. I went to Lowes Hardware and purchased 1 2x4 and then had it cut into 14 inch pieces- (I have some pieces saved for another project) I sanded the wood smooth and then used Modge Podge to glue on my paper. Using a makeup sponge and ink I added some color to the wood and the edges of the paper. Then I used sandpaper again just to add some character. I attached glittered sticker letters and tied ribbon. (I could not find the clips that she used but I may still find them and tweak it a bit) 

I had just gotten these pictures so it was perfect timing.

What do you think?  Of course Bill loved it and it is in the center of his desk.