A Day in Water at on GreenLeaf Ave

It was SO HOT today that we packed up the kids at 4pm and headed for Hayla's.  We just couldn't bare to sit around the house anymore and wait for the night to come.  I think it actually got to 100!  

Our garden is loving it.


The basil is as pretty as a beauty queen.

 And the kids had a BLAST playing in the sprinklers with D.   Thanks CYN!  Very good idea!

  I got some fantastic pictures!



 I have some beautiful Ducks !  They are such HAPPY FUN KIDS.


 I find myself being "grateful" almost everyday!  It's a matter of recognizing what really matters.  My goal is to get this feeling all the time.  That's what Buddha figured out--

Realizing the beauty of life in every moment--like playing in the water on a hot summer day.  It's more beautiful than the Mona Lisa or the glamour of Hollywood.  It is real.  It is what makes LIFE worth smiling at.

Have a Happy HOT day tomorrow and find something to smile about!

Out Door Fun

The 4th of July has come and gone.  As a kid it always marked "deep" into summer for me.  When it finally rolled around I felt like I was lost in summer having nothing to do but "nothing".  I have fond memories of going to my uncle's house by the lake and shooting fireworks.  I wish things some things never changed.  They always do.

Oh well, life tumbles on.  

We found ourselves tumbling on a smoker at home depot the day before the 4th and Matt found the register!  He is crazy into cooking.  The ribs ROCKED!

staring to smoke ribs at 3pm

loving it

3d love

lighting the fire

can't believe she wasn't freaked out by them!

poster child for the 4th of July

The kids had a blast (no pun intended LOL) and we watched fireworks from the top balcony and played with sparklers in the front yard.  It was a nice day and a loud night.  Just what one looks for.

Jack played mostly with the IPad and listened to the fireworks.  He got up at 6am (on a summer day) and didn't go to bed til 1am the night before,  he at least stayed awake!  I don't know if I would have!

IPad Bliss

more IPad bliss

As far as it goes summer is moving right along.  Can't believe it is already July.  We are looking into going to the beach in Aug. before school.  The ducks would go crazy over the ocean!  We will see, finding  place to stay will be the hard part on such short notice.  I hope everyone is having a great summer and having "fun" in the sun.

its been a busy weekend cutting trees...matt has been the "cutter"  and i am the "documentary service that he hired to insure that everyone saw how cute he was sitting in a tree!:)

i am DONE with tree cleaning and ready to move on...

although matt is very cute :-)



the chainsaw has been a bitch(breaking down, starting up, breaking down, starting up etc) and the lawn mower broke down right behind it! ....the sounds of summer  are amazing... i wish i could capture them in a jar....like a lighting bug and share it with the world....summer is......summer...we all know what it is....it IS what it IS to YOU...to all............ENJOY!  Happy 4th....our AMERICA is one of a kind and I am VERY GRATEFUL WE are HERE rather than "there".  It's EASY.... and a GOOD LIFE....LIFE is GOOD....AMERICA is GRAND....LONG STAND THE LADY we are  grateful....other lands I am sure are just as grand, but....we are pleased and live in this country that we call HOME....
all those who serve this cournty I must say THANK YOU from my bones....my father and brother have both served ...... THANK YOU.....
the world is a better place with U.S. than without...no matter the conversation........there are good peeps on this land and good intentions......

PEACE.

Ode' to Angie Beth and baby #3

Had a really great day spending time with a great friend who is about to BUST with a beautiful new baby girl!  She looks AMAZING and has the most beautiful baby belly EVER!!!!  Hang in there girlfriend...only 6 more weeks! (if that!)

Our backyard was trashed but we still managed to take some pictures and talk..well, kind of...chasing kids is what ang and i seem to be doing best these days!  Happy chasing....#3 is on the way! :-)

swimming with seahorses on a sat-ur-DAY

Our day trip was fun.

we decided to skip town on saturday and go to chattanooga and see fish...it was more fun than picking up trees and it was going to rain. i believe after today the weather will be sunny for the at least three days. plenty of time to get out there and try re-create our back yard!  such a sudden blow.  such a force of nature.  life is full of "force".  watch out, you never know what is right around the corner....maybe a mother-ship to the next best place in the galaxy.  maybe a new car.  maybe just a smile from a really cute stranger.  all would sufice on a hard day.

as far as tree cleaning.  i can only say is that matt has taken himself to a new level.  he's having too much fun.