Favorite Shots - Covered

Messy Messy Fail - I thought I was being smart by recording the Grandparents Day date on my computer calendar from last year.  I thought Grandparents day was always September 8th.  Well, turns out Grandparents Day is on the Sunday after Labor Day, not September 8th, which was the date of the Sunday after Labor Day last year.  All the grandparents in our family received a very early Happy Grandparents Day message.  I guess at least I didn't miss it all together.

Favorite Shots - Red Oriental Poppy On Fire

Messy Messy Mess - As I was enjoying my butternut squash and banana chocolate chip cookie while driving in my car from the high school to the middle school, I dropped a chocolate chip into the seat.  Therefore I was sitting on the chocolate chip while driving.  In my white denim shorts.  However, it was not until that evening that I REALIZED this had all occurred after tossing my clothes into the hamper.  I don't know if my students were too embarrassed for me to say something or they didn't notice.  Hopefully the latter.

Wordless Wednesday Favorite Shots - Lucy Goosey

Messy Messy Fail - I definitely thought it was a great idea to put a yogurt container I had frozen to keep the UPKer's lunch cold in his lunch box, and it definitely made a huge mess everywhere.  I can't figure out now if HE made the mess or if IT exploded in his lunch box, but either way I felt horribly guilty that I made his teacher's afternoon unpleasantly sticky.  

Wordless Wednesday - Favorite Shots

Messy Messy Fail - Another badly packed lunch yesterday - curdled yogart (again?!?!?!?!) and a moldy Cutie.  What's up with that (in the words of Keenan from SNL)??!?!?!?!!?

Wordless Wednesday - Favorite Shots

Messy Messy Mess - Now this hasn't actually occurred yet, but I will be taking BOTH boys for haircuts in approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.  I'm sure you see that this can go one of two ways.....will keep you posted.

Wordless Wednesday - Favorite Shots

Messy Messy Fail - For my week working at orchestra camp, I tried to be frugal (cheap!) and pack my own lunch.  My PB&J sandwich was great, but when I went to take a juicy bite of my Cutie (clementine), it was bitter.  That's ok, I still had my creamy smooth Greek yogurt   Or maybe not - curdled!  I ended up buying an expensive salad, but at least it wasn't spoiled or bitter, just costly.

Oh, Hey Friday - Rodeo Time

Messy Messy Fail - I have now gone through 2 new light pendants to hang over our kitchen table - I rejected both.  I thought the first one looked rustic hanging up at Home Depot, but when installed in looked beyond industrial.  The second rejection was my fault - I didn't check the size before ordering and it turned out to be a minnie pendant.  Back to searching I go.  However ANYTHING beats the Pizza Hut looking light we had prior.

Tidy Victory - We finally flipped the baby's carseat around so he is now forward facing.  I swear I heard him singing "A Whole New World" from Aladdin in the backseat while we were driving. 

This was my last weekend home before orchestra camp so we decided to do a whole slew of fun activities.  My husband will be with the boys while I'm working, so this next coming week will be quite the role reversal.  In the mean time, here's what we/I have been up to!

<One> Every year, usually around the first weekend in August, the rodeo comes to town!  The event is a fundraiser for the local volunteer fire department, so for a small town it is a big deal.  People from all over the area come to see the cowboys and cowgirls do their thang.  Nana Patti and I took the toddler for the Saturday night show after eating their delicious bbq dinner at home.  

<Two> August Ipsy Box - So here is what came in my box (from left to right) - Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Gingsng + Biotin Volumizer, Trust Fund Beauty Nail Polish in Elegantly Wasted (how appropriate!  I kid....) Skone Cosmetics Luxe Doubler Eye/Lip Pencil in Wine, Juara Skincare Tumeric Antioxidant Radiance Facial Mask, and Noyah Natural Lipstick in Rose.  So far I have tried the volumizer, which I really liked and smelled FANTASTIC, and the Noyah lipstick  The color is okay, I didn't think I could wear rose, but I think if I adjust my makeup a bit I can do it.  I definitely love the cute houndstooth makeup bag and the nail polish color.  Good job this month Ipsy!

<Three> Traveling - Since both of our families live out of town, we are frequently traveling for long weekends to visit.  I used to dread packing when it was just hubby and I - now packing for us AND two young boys is a snap.  I keep at least 4 plastic grocery bags in our suitcases to separate clean and dirty clothes.  I also keep plastic resealable bags with travel supplies including toiletries, medicine and eating utensils ready to go.  That way when it's time to depart, I can just grab the prepackaged bags and start the trip!  We were able to visit my sister-in-law Sarah in her beautiful new home that she purchased a couple of years ago.  She's also really into photography, so I was able to ask her a bunch of tips.  She reminded me how much I like black and white photography.

A practice shot of the back of Sarah's garage, with her "gnomes" growing in the gutters as she calls them.

Vibernum or hydrangea?  It's growing in front of her house and we can't tell!

<Four> Back to School - As I wait patiently for the toddler's UPK list of supplies I need to purchase for him, I think about how SAINTLY his teacher is for committing to him and up to 17 other precious toddlers in one classroom.  I know that there are definitely some supplies that will be needed and are not provided by the school system, such as tissues, hand sanitizer, etc.,  so I'll make sure to stock up and deliver some extras to his teacher.  I also plan on emailing his teacher to see what their other needs are so we can help out.  I can go without my triple cream cheese or olive tapenade for a week if I can donate some supplies to my son's classroom.

<Five> Zoo - While traveling, we had an opportunity to take the kids to a local zoo and MAN did we have a good time.  This was actually the first zoo visit we have taken the toddler to where he was actually interested in the animals - what a concept!  I recall previous visits being dragged directly through with the toddler leading, wanting to know where the exit was.  The baby hung out in his stroller while Sarah, my husband and I pointed out all the cool animals including: a rhino, orangutans (including a baby so cute!) a snow leopard, tigers, a polar bear, penguins, elephants and the coolest - sea lions!

I forgot how much I love B&W photography!

I wish I would have gotten this shot in color, but can you see the beautiful bird and his reflection that I captured?

It has turned out to be quite the perfect weekend weather wise.  How lucky did we get?!?!  Enjoy these last few weekends of August!

Wordless Wednesday - Favorite Shots

Messy Messy Fail - The side garden has been overtaken by irises.  Who knew they could be so overbearing?  They have spread themselves so far out, literally any way they could go except the garage.  Time to clean out some flower beds.  

Tidy Victory - I had noticed my shower curtain liner was starting to get slimy and mildewy.  When this happens I am very tempted to throw it in the garbage and buy a new one.  But that would be wasteful, and I am frugal (cheap!).  So my trick is - throw it in the washing machine, sometimes with some dirty towels, on a hot water cycle with the usual dose of detergent and one cup of white vinegar.  Good as new!  As soon as the washing cycle is done, simply hang the shower liner back up to dry.  I found that pin here.

A corn field in rural Western New York

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5 Minutes for Mom

Wordless Wednesday - Favorite Shots

Messy Messy Fail - I find it very irritating when I buy a product and it does not work properly (see this post).  I don't care if I paid $100.00 or .01 - it should work as it's supposed to.  So when I bought this sponge holder by Interdesign and one of the suction cups was so cockeyed that it would not properly adhere to the sink, I tossed the whole thing in a plastic bag and hung it on the doorknob so I wouldn't forget to return it.  Four months later, there it still hangs.

Tidy Victory - Both of my daycare provider's two sons (who are about 3-4 years apart) enlisted in the army this past spring.  Both of her sons were around my boys at daycare as she runs her business out of her home.  To show our appreciation to them, I had the toddler make cards to send to them at their current station.  I think it's very important to show our appreciation for those who have chosen to serve our country, and not just during patriotic holidays by at any time.  They need to know that their sacrifices and commitment does not go unnoticed.

Photo taken at Hidden Bench Winery in Beamsville, ON with my Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX100V

Five Minutes for Mom

Wordless Wednesday - Favorite Shots

Messy Messy Mess - My fairy garden has been completely overtaken by tiger lilies, lambs ear, foxglove and hostas.  It's hard for the toddler to look for fairies if he can't even find the fairy garden.  

Tidy Victory - In my search for a missing birthday card with a gift card in it, I was able to tidy up the built-in shelves in the living room (I tend to stuff random things in between the books), the magazine racks and a stack of random papers on the kitchen table (that we don't eat on).  Yay for tidying AND I found the card in my bedroom closet. :)

Dunn's River Sandals Resort, Ocho Rios, Jamaica

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