dancing in the rain - all 3 girlies!!

We have had an unusually wet summer, but it hasn't rained when the girlies could get out or when it wasn't lightening! Addi commented that she had never gotten to dance in the rain so we waited until EVERYONE was home - NOT an easy task! Last night was FINALLY the night! It was fairly late and obviously dark but I was still able to get some good pictures AND keep the camera dry! I know that these will be priceless memories that they will keep with them always! :o)

4th of July...

Here are a few pictures. We didn't take a ton before the show because we were too busy getting everything ready. We got some OK ones of the fireworks but since we were so far away, they aren't super good...since we can watch from our house, we don't go fight the crowds! We are cheapies & did not buy any this year - really I can't tell you the last time we DID buy some!

Nothing...

I just realized that I haven't posted for a while so I thought that i better write something. Really, I don't have much to tell and I couldn't think of a good title...We are trying to get all the clothes put away from camp. You know, camp is really a LONG process - you get all ready, names in clothes, figure out 14 outfits (x's 2 girlies), pack the trunk, yada, yada,yada...and then when you get home it is MAJOR laundry - not just any laundry but VERY STINKY laundry!! When we were at the camp, I wondered why Emee's laundry bag wasn't very full - then I thought that it was because many of her clothes were still clean (?) but now that I am trying to put outfits together, I see that we are definitely missing LOTS of pieces. I am sure everyone in her Barn took something home with them as a reminder of my sweet girl. One thing was given to us that was in Lost'n'Found and so far one thing has been sent to us from the camp - wonder how much more they will find? I went to my sweet Hi-De-Do's house today to help do some work to get it ready to go on the market - I made Addi go with me and help. I worked on cleaning out a section of the yard that was a little lean-to that Pappop used to keep his lawnmower under - there were MANY other things that he had put there (I figure he was going to something with & then his health just got too bad) and then vines & weeds had grown over it. I had to pull out the vines and then drag out all of the "stuff" that was under it. Thank goodness it didn't seem as hot today - I think it was because the wind was blowing. Addi mainly carried stuff to the dumpster - from inside & out. When we got home, Dave had done the yard and I planted a few plants that I had gotten to "fill in" where plants had died or suffered too much after the last hailstorm. We are going to grill out tonight and then tomorrow I am fixing a brisket with all the "fixins'' & having my mom and a couple of families over. I am also making homemade ice cream. After we eat, we will walk down to the corner & watch the city fireworks display. You can see it from our yard, but better from the corner! What will you do this 4th of July?

Going to Get the GIRLIES...broken AC!

Here I sit trying to think of what I need to pack to go get the girlies from camp and a couple of days in Branson. When I packed the girls for camp, I did not pack for the days AFTER camp so I trying to figure out what they have and what I need to take. Plus, I need to pack the least amount of stuff as possible because we have their 2 trunks and laundry bags filled with dirty, stinky laundry to get back!! We have a Honda van that has that "well" in the back so we should be OK with the trunks, but still not a lot of room for all our stuff (Dave, my mom & me). I have already bought the super HOUSE Renuzit air fresheners to stick in the back with the stinky laundry!! We will drive to OKC tonight and then on to Branson tomorrow for the Closing Ceremonies - I am READY TO SEE MY GIRLIES!!

Other news, I am sitting here waiting for the air conditioner repairman to get here...YEP, our AC is not working! Thankfully, we have 2 units and the one that cools our bedrooms is still OK so the night wasn't too bad but we certainly don't want to come home to a miserably hot house since it is supposed to be between 96-100 while we are gone! I have just been praying over and over that it is something that can be fixed easily and INEXPENSIVELY (we just bought a new frig, by golly!)! Oh...he is here - gotta go! Have a good rest of the week & weekend everybody! Oh yeah....when we return from Branson, I will turn right around and leave the next day to drive to Abilene to pick Kendie up - can't wait to see that girl either, but at least I have been able to talk to her on the phone and thru iChat!

Week without GIRLIES!

We seem to be surviving just fine without the girlies here. Monday night we went to dinner and to see a movie. YES, we went to the movies! We never go to the movies because when we do get to go out (which really isn't that often), I would rather spend our time together TALKING and being together, then staring at a screen! Anyway, we saw "The Taking of Pelham 123" - being that we never see movies (unless they are Disney!), I thought that it was really good. My only complaint was the language - I am not some Pollyanna Prude (even though some would disagree! LOL!) and know that people talk using curse words sprinkled in their language (even if I don't). I can certainly understand & deal with the APPROPRIATE use - and I understand that this situation would definitely bring that out. HOWEVER, this was just a deluge of the "F bomb"! Anyway, I enjoyed the story and suspense! Tuesday, we went for a quick bite to eat and then to our new photography class - oh my goodness! We actually took our cameras out and looked at them - even snapping some pictures to see what they did! (For those of you that don't know, Dave & I took a photography class from the same CC during the winter semester and NEVER ONCE took our camera out!! It was the BIGGEST waste of time - but at least Dave & I got to spend time together!) I think we already learned more in this one class than in 18 hours last time! The teacher is very funny and personable too! Last night (between the crazy storms), Dave ran a few errands and I got a PEDICURE (major treat for me) and then we met up for dinner at the newly reopened Bennigan's. Tonight we are going to dinner with some friends from church - I know it will be fun! I am keeping Rachel during the days so I am not just laying around eating Bon-Bons! I try to think of things that would be fun for her since the girls aren't here to play with her. Yesterday we went to eat with her dad and Dave and then I took her to Brush with Art to paint - today we are supposed to go swimming with some friends IF the weather cooperates!

Oh yeah, I am putting up a picture that I took the day the girlies were playing in the Slip'n'Slide - I am VERY proud of it!!

The one thing I forgot & you can't buy it at Target!

So in my last post I talked about packing the girlies and not worrying as much about Kendie because whatever I forgot, they could just run to Target to get...well, yes, in theory that is correct EXCEPT the MEDICAL RELEASE & INSURANCE CARD that I have so diligently left EVERY TIME we have EVER left our children. Of course, it has never been needed - AT ALL - not even a sick trip to the Dr....until NOW! Yes, Saturday night I had just talked to Grandma to find out how everything was going (she & Eliot had just arrived that day). They were having a big cookout with everyone with hamburgers, homemade ice cream and swimming and Kendie was having a ball - we wished we were there too - all was well! Then just a few minutes later, my cell phone rang & it was Leah, "Aunt Kay, I'm just calling to let you know that my mom and Grandad are taking Kendie to the ER..." YEP - minutes after Grandma and I hung up, Kendie was getting out of the pool after jumping off the diving board and her foot slipped on the ladder and she hit her chin on the side of the pool! Poor baby! Of course, the first thing I said when I heard was, "OH NO - all she wanted to do was swim in Grandma's pool for 2 weeks!" My next thought was, "Oh my gosh - I didn't send a release or insurance card!!" I knew that if Aunt Kathy thought that they should go to the ER (she's a nurse) that it probably would result in stitches. Thank goodness, they were able to use superglue and steri-strips so she will be able to swim today or tomorrow! I talked to her Saturday night and then again yesterday and she sounded fine - she is such a trooper! Grandma & Grandad altered their plans for Sunday and they went to the Downtown Aquarium instead of going to a swimming party and all was well. In fact, I could barely hear Grandma Sunday night for all the the little girl giggles in the background!! :o) Kathy said that it should heal OK and not scar - I hadn't even thought about that! She reminded me that of course we have to be diligent about sunscreen this summer on the scar and I told her that I thought I could handle it - I know a few things about BIG scars on the face!! ;o) Oh yeah...did I mention that in the last 23 years with 14 grandkids - aside from sickness - Grandma & Grandad can't remember ever having to take a (bleeding) grandchild to the ER (can anyone else in the family?) - we are so proud to be the FIRST at something! :o)

Crazy Day

As I sit here waiting for the new refrigerator (yes, our refrigerator practically blew up - NOT a good sign when you hear, "Dad, why is the refrigerator so HOT? It burned me when I touched it!"), I have a 100 other things I SHOULD be doing, but if you know me at all or have read this blog very long, you know that I specialize in PROCRASTINATING, especially when there is something BIG to do...like say, packing 3 curly girlies for camps for 2 weeks!! Hee, Hee! It will all get done...eventually! My niece flies in tomorrow to take Kendie back to Houston with her on Friday (thanks, Leah!). She is going to "Camp Grandma" for two weeks - we will drop them off at the airport on our way to Oklahoma City. Grandma is also getting my niece from LA - she & Kendie are 3 months apart and BEST BUDS! They will have Grandma & Grandad to themselves the WHOLE time - pretty neat when you stop & think that they are grandchildren #12 & #13 out of 14! I haven't even started packing her yet, but since she will be with Grandma and they can run to Target if I forget anything major, I think it will be OK. Also, since she & Emee share clothes and I have to have 14 outfits for Emee, I have to get her done 1st and poor Kendie gets what is left! I told Grandma she might be washing every night - at least all her clothes are GREEN (her favorite color) - she will just have 1 load! Addi and Emee are going to Kanakuk for 13 days and they are VERY excited - this will be Emee's first year and she is just beside herself! Addi has pretty much gathered all her stuff (it helps when Mom has already purchased everything thruout the year). Today I will teach her how to iron the labels in her clothes - she has been a GREAT help with Emee's stuff and with advice about camp in general! I have started getting Emee's outfits out and other stuff so I think we will get that done too - just have to get all her stuff labeled too! I am taking care of my friend Rachel also this week and next. She & the girlies (especially Kendie & Emee) are having a GREAT time. I actually would probably be having them do more if she was not here, but since this is their only week together, I have kind of just let them play. She is going to be lost next week when she is stuck with just me - I am sure we will find something to do!! We are supposed to go swimming today but it is cloudy and actually sprinkling a bit right now - hope it clears off! Well, they just called and are on the way with the frig so I better go...is it right to be so excited about an appliance?? I think so now knowing how much refrigerators cost these days!! Happy Wednesday everyone!!