The new hobby

Today was the day of Natalie's first lesson. She was so excited, she could hardly contain herself.
On the first lesson, Natalie had to learn to groom a horse. Her horse today was "Miss Mandy." A 25 year old Mare, who was just a sweet heart. Natalie had to groom her hair, brush her mane & tail, and even clean her hooves. We learned today that having a horse and caring for one is very hard work.



The highlight of our day was actually sticking our finger in the horses mouth! I learned alot today as well. It was a good time. Our next lesson is Tuesday, more to come!

Fish Story

We went fishing again this afternoon at the pond, to end the long weekend. Natalie has quite a fish story to tell. How do you catch 2 fish at the same time with one worm, one hook, and one fishing pole?

Natalie casted out her pole, waiting for the bobber to drop, and then it did! Natalie started reeling in her blue gill, when all of a sudden, an explosion in the water! All kinds of crazy stuff was going on. Long story short, Natalie caught a blue gill in the mouth of a huge bass. I didn't have my camera there tonight, but it certainly was entertaining! Fortunately for the blue gill, during the fight to land the bass, the gill escaped the mouth of the bass and was flung off her line. It was his lucky day! How that happened, I'm not sure because when I saw the bass mouth the blue gill was in the mouth sideways.....
Wow, what a fish story!

Memorial Day

Our Memorial Day was just the same as last year, we participated in the parade(riding in the fire truck) attended the veteran memorial service and then went to our local legion for bbq's.
Natalie also felt that we needed to go to the beach this afternoon, the lake was very cold yet, however this starts off the summer season of my car full of sand, until fall!

Something's Fishy

We went fishing at my Grandma's pond the other night and Natalie caught her first bass of the season. She was screaming trying to land that darn fiesty fish! She also caught a 3 blue gills and a sunfish.






After all the fishing she did she decided to just pose for some pictures....

These boots were made for walking!

And that's just what they'll do!

Photo Hunt (I'm so excited) Part 2

This weeks theme for photo hunters is shoes, and after I thought about it, maybe it wasn't fair that I mention Natalie's new hobby or sport without giving a hint about what it might possibly be......






I probably gave it away now, for those who know what it is, shhh....Her first time is next Saturday, and there will be pictures........

What have I been up to?

I've had a pretty busy week, so I haven't had much time to do my usual blogging this week. Today we did alot of yard work. We mulched the back yard, Natalie planted her garden, and I planted some flowers. I thought I wasn't going to do flowers this year, they pretty much die on me by the time we get back from vacation in June. Natalie wanted some flowers, so I bought some. Besides, who knows if the garden will grow? It'll be fun to see what comes up and grows. Natalie planted sunflowers with the hopes that she can enter one in the county fair this year. I'll have to take pictures to document our success!

Planting my "chocolate"pepper plant

Do I have enough Merigolds?

Tada! Watch Me Grow!

I'm so excited

Over the weekend, Natalie suggested taking on a new hobby, or sport if you will. I'm not going to say what it is yet, I want to see how it all works out first. Natalie is so excited about this new adventure that she can hardley contain herself. I had to make a few phone calls to some contacts of mine to find out where and how to do it. Thank you for the information, you know who you are.

I will post more on this later, and I hope to have pictures too. We both can hardly wait! I'm sure after her first lesson, she will be hooked and I will be asking for advice!

Unconscious Mutterings

I say...you think....

1. Concentration ::memory
   
2. Relocated :: my brain
   
3. Clot :: blood
   
4. Joints ::stiff
   
5. Satellite ::TV
   
6. Money back ::refund
   
7. Kittens ::cute
   
8. Shady :: not trustworthy
   
9. Drain ::sink
   
10. Stroke ::hospital
    

Ten On Tuesday

This week's theme is 10 movies I'm excited to see....
1. Kung Fu Panda
2. Indina Jones
3. The Strangers
4. Hancock
5. Speedracer
6. Made of Honor
7. Wall E
8. National Treasure
9. Untraceable
10. The Happening

Manic Monday

If you knew that every minute of the next 24 hours of your life would be recorded on camera is there anything you would change about your habits?
I would probably pick up my house a little better!
If you could take a one-month trip to any single destination in the world and money is not a consideration, where would you go?
Somewhere warm and sunny!

What is the best example of “perfection” that you can think of?

Weekend Snapshot

My hubby actually took this picture. Way to go Anthony!

Friday 5

I found this site for 5 questions on Friday. So I decided to participate this week.
Click here if you'd like to join.

What makes you feel old?
When Natalie asks to watch "Full House"
What makes you feel young?
Swinging on the swings with Natalie
What was better when you were allowed to do it the old way?
Sending cards through the post office
What’s better now that you do it the new way?
Technology has done wonders for me.
What’s something you are old school about?
My values and morals.

Friday Feast

Appetizer

What is the nearest big city to your home?
Kalamazoo, MI

Soup

On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets?
It depends, I'd say about 7-8.

Salad

Describe your hair (color, texture, length).
Dark, Fine, Short

Main Course

What kind of driver are you? Courteous? Aggressive? Slow?
I think I'm between Courteous and Aggressive.

Dessert

When was the last time you had a really bad week?
About a month ago, it came full circle.

Thursday Thirteen

I could not find a theme for this week, so I will do 13 things I look forward to this summer....
1. The Beach
2. Cookouts
3. Camping
4. Riding bikes with Natalie
5. Walking Crazy Taggie
6. Summer sunsets on the lake
7. Summer nights
8. Vacation
9. Fireworks
10. Ice Cream
11. Flip flops/Sandals
12. Blockbuster Movies
13. Picnics

WW

Yoga/Coffee

A new addiction...

I know Starbucks has been around for awhile, but I never really thought about sitting and having a cup of coffee. I always thought, what is the big deal people, its just coffee. That was until I actually had one.
At work, we have "coffee carts" brought in and they make all kinds of "special" coffee flavors, and I enjoy it when they come. It's like a special treat every once in a while. Now I discovered that Starbucks has those "coffees" everyday. Holy cow, what planet have I been living on. For all those people I thought were nuts for spending money on a cup of coffee, I apologize!

Unconscious Mutterings

I say...you think....

1. Track ::
field

2. Snake ::
bite

3. Assignment ::
lesson

4. Blockbuster ::
movie

5. Bombastic ::
snob

6. Adventure ::
camping

7. First time ::
kiss

8. Aged ::
wine

9. Grip ::
steering wheel

10. Shortcut ::
quicker

10 on Tuesday

10 Things I am good at....hmmm

1. Being Mommy

2. Being Wife

3. Photographing Natalie

4. Scrapbooking

5. Baking Chocolate Chip cookies

6. Fixing my baby girl's owies

7. yoga (still progressing)

8. being the tickle monster

9. getting stains out of the laundry (I'm known as the stain master)

10. making picture slide shows.

Manic Monday

If the statement, 'You are what you eat' was true, I would be a cow (I eat alot of cheese and ice cream!

If you had to have one piece of music (softly) playing in your mind for the rest of your life, what would you want it to be?
Probably anything Rascal Flatts

What is the most important thing in any relationship?
I think love, when you have love, you can do anything

Weekend Snapshot

Photo Hunters

My pretty blue eyed girl

Girl Scouts

We are finally wrapping up the year for Girl Scouts. It's been a long year, and I think the girls are ready to be done. We've done quite a bit of try its this year, so we should be proud of our accomplishments. Sure there tears & laughs, but we made it.

This was our first year of girl scouts. Another Mom and I were Co-leaders. We formed a brand new troop and had 7 girls. Will I do it again? Yes, but I can definitely say I've learned alot this year.

Our last meeting we went to a local nature center and went through the nature trails. We saw many plants, including skunk cabbage, this weird grass we called snake grass, insect pods, and we even saw a small Gardner snake. That was a hit with the girls surprisingly. We also saw these"water skater" insect bug things. I'm really a city girl! lol

The best part of the nature center was "mushu." He's the pet tortoise. He loves dandelions! The girls just had to show one to him and he would eat it out of your hands! He was too cute!

Friday Feast

Appetizer
When someone smiles at you, do you smile back?
Yes, usually

Soup
Describe the flooring in your home. Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix?
Mostly carpet, but would love to have hardwood

Salad
Write a sentence with only 5 words, but all of the words have to start with the first letter of your first name.
Go, go, go, go, go.....

Main Course
Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption?
No

Dessert
Name 2 blue things.
Natalie's blue eyes, the blue sky today.

WW

unconscious mutterings

I say...and you think...

1. State :: Michigan
   
2. Lively :: spring
   
3. Valet :: parking
   
4. Traction ::shoes
   
5. Official :: referee
   
6. Red hot :: peppers
   
7. Powder :: baby
   
8. Replies ::answer
   
9. Flagrant :: hard core rap
   
10. Tweet :: bird
    

Dinner time fun

I recently read a post from another blog about taking a jar and decorating it. Then filling the jar with questions to answer during dinner time. There were over 200 questions. I'm going to make our family a jar, and see what kind of answers come out of Natalie's mouth! Some examples are:

• If you had a parrot, what would you teach it to say?
• What is your favorite family activity?
• How would you stop war?
• Name a family project we can do
• Who has more power and influence, God or the President?
• What makes you special?
• Name someone you dislike. Share something good about that person.

The questions seem to be for all ages. I can't wait to start my project. I will post it when I'm done!

Heads or Tails

This week theme is Mother. I found this poem and I think its fits for this week.

For Moms, Grandmas, and the men and children who love them.

Before I was a Mom I slept as late as I wanted and never worried about how late I got into bed.

I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was a Mom I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom I had never been puked on. Pooped on. Spit on. Chewed on. Peed on. I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts..... I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests. Or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

Happy Mother's Day!

10 on Tuesday

Name 10 places I'd love to travel to, that I haven't been to yet.

1. New York- I'd love to see a show in New York
2. LA- I'd like to walk on the famous Rodeo Drive
3. Las Vegas- What is the fuss about?
4. London- I'd love to see the "Palace"
5. Paris- How romantic!
6. Germany- I'm German, what can I say?
7. Italy- I'm Italian by marriage
8. Mexico- I don't know why, just sounds like fun
9. Africa- I'd love to photograph the desert, wild animals
10. Hawaii- aloha!

Manic Monday #1

What name would you have if you were the opposite sex?
My parents wanted David

Would you share the tooth brush of your spouse/significant other? Why or why not?
No, we don't share anything! lol We each have our own blanket, shampoo/conditioner etc.

What is the song you love to hate?
Steve Winwoods "Roll with it" I hate hate that song, but I always end up listening to it...

Basketball Star

Press Pause on the music below to hear.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Weekend Snapshot