Sweet Summer

It's Summer!! HOORRAYYY....I'm not much for hot weather...I'm sure some of you are booing while reading this. I just don't dig the super hot weather, UNLESS....I'm near a body of water or sprinkler of some sort. That's why I live where I do! This week has been sooooo warm...and I'm trying to do fun things with Hal. SO....today we picked up Kiana, ran a few errands and made it home in time for lunch & a nap. While the little brown girl napped Kiana and made a tutu...she's showing it off in the picture below. We watched a movie, ate popcorn and chatted...it was PERFECT! When Hal woke up we headed outside for some splashpad fun! Both girls were drinking out of the sprinkler at one point and we all had a good time...UNTIL...I went inside to get something and my sweet little girl pulled the screen door shut (it was open)...Mommy crashed right into it. OH MY! Aaron thought Halle would be the one to do that...well, nope....it was ME! Shoot.

Fetching the Christmas Tree!

The weather was beautiful yet oh so chilly on Sunday, but...we needed our tree and Grammie needed her's....so off we went. We all bundled up really good, but...Mommy forgot Halle's gloves.....She could hardly move anyway! But...boy did she look cute. We would have more pictures, but...she decided she would rather be *running* around and not hanging out with Mommy & Daddy. We did manage to get some pictures with Grammie and while Hal was chillin' in the Ergo on Mommy's back!! Don't you love Halle's new hat that her Nana made for her!!?? It's so cute!! I promise to post some pictures of our Christmas tree and decorations soon.....

Christmas Tree

I just got finished decorating the Christmas tree...Halle sat in her bouncy seat and watched me until she fell asleep.  I just love decorating the tree...don't you?  Aaron and I put the lights on together last night and I did the rest this evening.  I remember as a kid decorating the tree and how my Mom liked to move the ornaments from the spot my sister and I had put them.  She liked a nice tree...I do as well....like Mother like Daughter.  We also both picked Noble Firs for our trees....of course, they are the most expensive.  But, growing up we always had a Noble Fir and that's what I'm used to.  As I was decorating the tree I was remembering....with each ornament.  This snowflake I got at Kyle & Angela's wedding, I remember the bazaar where I got some of my first ornaments....these faith, family & friends ornaments I got from Candace the year my Dad died...these bells I got for a wedding gift...the snowflakes as well...Grandma Carla gave these Noah's Ark ornaments to me.  We have guitar ornaments for Aaron, one my Mom got especially for him on a trip to Lincoln City, Oregon....we have many Smore's ornaments...a guitar one, a bbq one and this year...Baby's First Christmas for Halle.  AND...another Baby's First Christmas from Auntie Gail & Uncle Gary for Halle.  I do love that all my ornaments don't match...it's a country Christmas tree...right down to the raffia tied on it...and that's just fine by me!  Tell me about your tree!!

Hooray for FALL!!!

Ok, some of you may think I'm crazy, but...I do love FALL!!!  That being said I had to change by background!  AND...I found an even better site for free backgrounds...I LOVE this gals designs...she is RIGHT up my alley!  The format is wider...I think I can make my pictures bigger!!  So...visit her site.  I will most definitely be going back there...in fact, I have my next background already picked out!  Now I'll leave you with some of my favorite things about fall, not in any particular order.

the leaves changing color...

cool crisp mornings with dew on the grass....

pumpkin spiced lattes from Starbucks...

let's hear it for sweatshirts and long pants...

volleyball season...

fall line-up...

hot apple cider....with caramel...

pumpkins...

all things gloriously fall at Fairway Country Furnishings...

snuggling on the couch....

reading a good book with a cup a tea while it rains outside....

What I loved....

about this Sunday!  First it was raining...I know, I know why did I like that?  Well, because it felt great to have a refresher to our dry ground and it reminded me that fall is just around the corner...big HOORAAYYYY there.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE fall.  Next the message at church was AMAZING...thank you Heavenly Father for sending your message through Pastor Kim.  AND...it just so happened to be "Surf's Up Weekend" at our church.  It is tradition to have a LARGE baptism service on one of the last weekends in August at our church.  Usually, we have it outside, but...due to the rain we had it inside.  WOW!!!  I was so blessed....at least 15 maybe even 20 people were baptized.  Most of them students....one, my good friend Candace....what a lesson in obedience she shared...I'm proud of you Can!  About four male students who had started a bible study got baptized, two middle school girls who are good friends, together were baptized.  A Mom of two boys who overcame her shyness, just being obedient to God's leading.  A local high school sports hero gave his testimony of how Fellowship of Christian Athletes had lead him to be baptized and finally, a young man who was shipping out to Iraq today.  WOW!  His Dad had the opportunity to help with the baptism and it was the most emotional, touching time of all...in fact, I'm tearing up now typing this.  We gave this soldier who is fighting for our freedom a well deserved standing ovation!  The heavens were definitely rejoicing......After church we went to my Mom's for a roast beef dinner....MMMMM!!!  And bonus, we got to spend time with Cheri our good friend.  We closed up the day with Catalyst at our church.  This is a time of worship and communion.  Aaron plays in the worship band that leads and I was sure blessed last night.  I love to worship, but...I am so blessed by others worshipping.  I watched a Dad wrap his arms around his son and bless him with prayer!  I turned around and saw not one, but two beautiful HIS Kids from Ghana worshipping our Lord and Jesus with such passion. These kids are probably not even ten years old yet.  They put some adults to shame!  Right down the row from me was yet another beautiful little girl from Ghana pouring her heart out in song!  This is what I loved about Sunday!  

Strawberry goodness

Yummy.....look at this sweet strawberry goodness.  Do you seriously see how BIG some of those berries are??  MY WORD!!!  Clark's Berry Farm....YOU ROCK!!  This year Clark's Berry Farm donated 20 flats of strawberries for a Relay for Life Fundraiser.  My sister happened to be on the team that used this for one of their fundraisers.  They picked the flats of berries and delivered them to those people that purchased them.  For $20 I got this beautiful flat of strawberries.  I made jam, ate them fresh on some hot cereal, put some in yogurt and Aaron and I enjoyed them on ice cream!!!  MMMMMMM!!!  They definitely were ripe for the picking.  

This CRAZY Weather!

I can not believe this. Today is April 18 and it snowed today!!! How crazy is that? I believe our Washington weather brought us a little bit of everything today. I saw it snow, rain, hail & even sunshine. Remember when I posted that spring was here last Friday? Well...I think it's gone. It's currently a mere 40 degrees right now. SHEESH!! I actually said I didn't like snow today...that is so not like me. But, seriously, enough is enough. I suppose it's all because of global warming. Well.....I hope wherever you all may be the weather is better than it is here. I think I'll go back to Lake Chelan...it was a balmy 60 degrees and it wasn't damp there......that is so nice. I was there this week Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday for a work conference and trust me....I would have loved to have sat on my little deck outside my room for much longer. But....we all needed to get back to real life. {Sigh}

60 degrees and SUNSHINE!

For so long now it seems we have had January weather in April. GRRRRR! This did not make me very happy. I was so excited to leave work this evening and not have to wear a coat...and I had a short sleeve shirt on today. Did I mention I was wearing flip-flops? I was!! That was for my friend Amy, she would wear them in the snow if she could. Love you Am!! I believe my love of flip-flops may have come from you! And I thank you for that...I truly do! I drove out of the parking lot with my window open. Thinking....spring truly has arrived. The smells of spring met me as I drove home. Fresh cut grass, spring air, but...the one I hate the most....POOP! Sorry, I had to say it. I live in a farm town and let me tell you...the smell can get pretty bad. I don't think I'll ever get used to it. The birds are chirping outside and I'm so ready to wash my filthy, dirty car. Hopefully, tomorrow will bring more sun and we can get that done!!!