Boys

My nephews came for a visit! They live in Arizona and unfortunately, we do not see them very often. My mom flew out to bring them back to PA for about a month, so Sean and I took the opportunity to have them stay with us for a few days. If you are not familiar with little boys, let me tell you that it's non-stop action and words. But we loved it! We visited a friend's farm and pet the calves, climbed on big machines and had a picnic. We went swimming in our neighborhood pool and played on our neighborhood playground. We watched movies and cartoons. We chased Winter around the yard and played fetch with her. We read books together. We played airplane games on the X-Box. We went to the park and played on the playground, did art projects and visited the petting farm. We went for walks. We ate at McDonald's. We went to Hershey Chocolate World and Zoo America. Like I said, it was non-stop fun! Now that they are gone, I'm having a day of rest. Although, I will miss them. Winter does too. She spent some time yesterday looking for them in the bedrooms and on the couch. Where did those fun boys go?

Here are a few pics from our time together . . . Boys

More Pics

We spent this sunday afternoon enjoying a picnic with some of our good friends, Mark and Holly, and their little guy.
I took the opportunity to take a few pictures of their son playing on the playground and having a great old time.

It's usually a challenge taking pictures of kids, cuz' they wont look at the camera for more than a second!!
An eye constantly glued to the viewfinder, and a quick "trigger finger" usually means you can end up with some great candid pictures.

They're a great family, with another on the way - Holly is going to have her hands full soon.

Click here

Phoenix

The sun was high but the temperature was not. I thought Phoenix, Arizona was supposed to be warm. But when my mom and I arrived there the day after Christmas, it was only about 50-something. That didn't bother us too much because we were there to see my sister, my new brother-in-law and my crazy nephews. My sister didn't tell the boys we were coming. So when she pulled up to the curb at the airport, the 7-year-old sees my mom and starts yelling "Momma!" They were so excited to see us, and we were thrilled to finally hug them. It's not always easy having family across the country, especially with the boys growing up so fast.

We spent a lovely 5 days with them in their new house. My mom and I took the boys with us as we did some sightseeing. If you ever head out that way, I highly recommend a trip to Sedona. It's breathtaking. My photos do not do it justice. The rocks are just red and amazing. The variety cactuses (you don't have to say "cacti" anymore) were neat to see. The architecture of the homes and buildings was interesting since it's so different than back east. The southwest flare is everywhere. I really enjoyed Old Town Scottsdale as well and it's quaint cowboy-esque and southwestern buildings and shops.

Our vacation ended quickly and I already miss the boys. But it's back to reality.

Click here to see the photos from the trip . . . Phoenix

Priceless

Our new favorite TV commercial. Enjoy!

Math

Like Sean, I thought I'd do the You Tube video posting too. It's a cute one and right up my alley with the "take aways." I'm a little concerned that a 4-year-old has to do subtraction. Must be something from No Child Left Behind.

Breaking and Entering

There they are . . . the little culprits caught in the act! Meet our new cute little neighbors, our "key" to getting into the new house. They have been used by many a desperate soul wanting to see the latest work on their homes. The poor kids have even been used by their parents! Oh well, they love it and even fight over whose turn it is to put a little hand through the deadbolt hole and reach around to turn the lock on the doorknob. I do hope they will not be led into a life of crime because of this!

This picture was taken last night when Sean and I wanted to inspect the house and needed an "in." Note the newly painted charcoal gray door. The garage door is also freshly painted. At this point we have the flooring in the kitchen, dining room, entry hall, and bathrooms. All trim is in place and stark white painting is complete (We'll remedy that when we move. Can't afford to pay the builder to paint). The banister has been stained. Doors are attached. The stove, dishwasher and microwave are sitting in the middle of the kitchen ready for installation. We think the only big things left are installing cabinetry, laying the carpet, paving the driveway, putting in the lighting, installing the plumbing fixtures, and landscaping. Of course, there's a million little finishing touches they must do. But we only have 4 weeks!