It's almost August? Seriously?

This summer is going too fast. Must have something to do with age.

I finished my 6 months of work and am off until December or January- I hope someone needs me earlier so I can feel productive, needed and sane. I do so much better with work (something about a trait from my mother....). I have the rest of the summer to play (pull weeds), goof off (clean house) and go shopping (make 3 squares a day that will actually be eaten). I am so excited!!!

The kids have managed to spend 2 weeks playing at the Rec Center with great games, activities and swimming. Too bad it would break the bank to keep it going. I am not certain if I will tackle swim lessons or a pool pass this year. It always seems like so much work....did I mention it costs money?

Carmen is coming "home" tomorrow from her train tour. From the few texts and emails we have had it sounds like she is having a wonderful time. That girl has learned it is easier to have fun and be happy...smart girl! She has 10 or 11 days here before packing up to back to Italy. I can honestly say I have adored having her here and I will seriously miss her when she goes back home. We are crossing our fingers that we will be able to see her this fall (and give her all the things she forgot to take home).

We are happy, we are well. That is more than most people have in a whole lifetime......

I feel like I live in a time warp!

I truly have no idea where time goes around this house. It seems as though it gets eaten up or it flies out the window. All I know is that time is moving and I am trying to keep up!

The kids loved finishing school! I am still trying to decide if I can keep up with them this summer. I am hoping I have the energy and strength (and wallet)!! We finished school on a good note with all 3 kids. Gabe's grades rocked and he really made amazing strides as a first grader. Marin had her struggles this year but we managed to finish strong and get enough work done to pull the grades up. Carmen stunned us with awesome grades to finish a really amazing school year. Her english skills improved so much and she did an amazing job of finishing off her 1st senior year. She gets to do her 13th year of school back home in Italy so I figure she'll be a senior for the 2nd time there.

Marin had a piano recital for her piano teacher and also performed her recital piece for the 5th grade talent show. She adored her recital piece this year and for the first time memorized it! WOO HOO! She absolutely stunned me at her recital. Her hands are beautiful....they just flowed over the keys and looked so elegant. I have heard the song over and over for months but I had not stopped to watch. What an absolute treat to watch those hands... Her treat this summer is to have 8 weeks off of piano and take a break. Thankfully Brett enticed her with some music from Twilight to keep her working over the summer. She is hoping to stun her piano teacher with a completed Twilight song when she starts back in piano.

Gabe is the lego master at our house. He delights in designing new lego creations and making them all come to life. He has an awesome imagination and keeps us all laughing. I am stunned that my baby is going to 2nd grade. He still seems so small but so big. I don't understand how that can be but I adore that boy! Gabe is learning all the things he can do now and is quite thrilled that he can open a can of soda all by himself. He is gaining his independence but still loves to snuggle and hug. I can hardly wait to see what these kids become but I don't want them to grow so fast.

Carmen celebrated her 18th birthday with us at Lagoon. She took one of the other exchange students and they had a blast! I think we all wore ourselves out that day but we had Cafe Rio for dinner at Carmen's request and finshed off the evening with Mamma Mia - very loud!! I think she had a fun day and she doesn't have a ton of gifts to pack home. She and 4 other exchange students left Monday on a train tour around the US. They will spend 33 days traveling to some amazing places in the US. She was so excited! I'm sure it will be a fun and memorable trip.

Brett and I continue to work and try to keep up with this family. We are so happy and so lucky and so tired! It seems like there are never enough hours in the day to do all we want to do. Our lives are full and rewarding and filled with happiness. I could not ask for more than that.




(click on the above picture and see how Brett spends his Sunday evenings...)

Snowplows in Spring?

I'm sure you think we had some freak snowstorm this Spring. Nope. We just had a crazy Rhetta moment with an idea and people willing to have fun. I am grateful I have earned the trust of teachers and faculty alike at my kids school. I'm sure they wonder where I come up with some of my ideas, but somehow they continue to arrive and support me.

I found out that schools can paint the snowplow blades that work in the area of their school boundaries. So fun!! These are some pics of our results. For our first time I felt it was easier to do hand prints than try a major "work of art". There is always next year!

Taking a break at Daybreak

Daybreak has to be one of the best new walkable communities that I have seen. While running on Saturday, Mom and I came across the coolest area in the community so I had to take the kids back to see it. Who would have guessed that the developers would be so kind as to import a beach along the lake?

I told Gabe that I had found the most amazing Spider man playground ever! Thankfully the playground lived up to his expectations. I think we will be spending quite a bit of time there this summer.

I have learned I have a house full of monkeys and we need more playgrounds like this one....and the lake....and the picnic areas......and the running trails.....and the geese......need I say more?

The sweet stink of sweat

It surprises me every year what we have accomplished around here. We started with bare dirt, rocks and weeds and we are well on our way to creating the yard we have envisioned. There is still far too much to do but one major yard project a year is all we can handle - or afford.....



I took a minute this morning to photograph some of the pretty parts of the yard so I don't forget what they look like when it's 105* outside and everything turns yellow and brown. So far we have made some great progress on our "Spring To-Do" list.....I am loving it!


Each corner of the yard has something to please me....a mulch pile, chalk for the kids to decorate, a horseradish plant that scares me and a new little magnolia tree.....

Sophie, the garden cat.....catnip and new little flax flowers starting to bloom....

My favorite purple flowers!! Spring pea plants and purple tulips.....

The cherry tree has blossoms that remind me of little girls fluffy skirts, so full and swishy....

And here is our latest project - the new sidewalk to make it easier to get to the front door, give the kids more places to ride their bikes, give Brett more places to shovel snow in the winter and also give us more places to sit and visit with friends.....Come and visit!!

Planning and wishing and lots of hope....is it Spring yet??

We took the kids to the local farm store......chicks are in!!



How can I ever resist begging spring to arrive by holding tiny little balls of fluff??
Thankfully the employees are used to parents like me who let their kids love all over the little babies (with no kissing of the little birds....) but Marin seriously fell in love with a little bunny that all the employees were carrying around.

We had to convince her that a baby bunny might be adorable now but it would make a yummy little kitty treat once she got it home....

Brett and I spent a bit of time planning what we want in our garden this year. Most years we have too much desire and too many dreams....other years we actually accomplish it! This will be the second year in the new garden spot and I'm not sure what we will end up with. I think I have 40 packets of seeds. Is that too many? He he he!

These are pictures of what a beautiful garden looks like. I'll pretend this is what mine will look like. I usually get huge Hollyhocks and Sunflowers in the middle of my plants which is pretty gorgeous until they block all the sun from the stuff I planted on purpose.

My mission this year is to propagate and grow my most favorite plant.....

My second mission this year is to kill anything that looks like the plant in the picture below....it is looking like it will be a very busy year.

Then after all those....I need some sidewalk, Brett needs a shed, a couple of new garden hoses, move the composters, spray sealant on the deck and arbor.....the list goes on and on and on....
I LOVE SPRING!!! (why is it snowing outside??)

U2 still rocks!

We took Carmen to her first 3D movie last weekend.
We absolutely had to take her to see U23D.
I have seen it twice now and would willingly go back with anyone who wants to go.
It makes me contemplate how a group can stay so consistently wonderful for 30 years...

So look for the new U2 CD tomorrow.....and I am looking for a concert schedule soon. If they come to the US I will be there!! JJ - will you be ready to go?