Just another day in paradise....

Well, we've started. Started with our "fun" summer activities. Bean and Bling-Bling have started the summer band program in our area. Its for continuing musicians and prospective musicians that have completed the fourth grade. The older musicians can try out other instruments for one price, its a wonderful program that I hope doesn't get cut in all the budget cuts we are facing. This year, Bling-Bling is trying out the family tradition of flute. Bean, already a flautist, is in the Advanced and Intermediate bands (they need filler musicians in Intermediate), and is trying out the French Horn in Beginning Band. Its very pretty. I can't wait to see her perform on the 24th. Band is only a month long in the summer, so it moves fast. Bling is tickled and its soooo great to see her wanting to be involved in something that could fill her life more than clothes, shoes and hair. (Yeah, I'm not a proper girl.)

We haven't been able to go to the public pool because its been raining off and on for a few weeks. It will be warm enough soon and we will make good use of our Family Swim Pass. My girls are finally old enough, and responsible enough to each other to go on their own and I don't have to sit out there an fry like I have in years in the past. My age spots are not so happy with sun. I am really only comfortable at one of our area pools, because it has very little temptation to leave the pool area. Its not pretty to go outside, and all the good stuff is inside!

Today we started putting a few things in our "garden". Snickerdoodle started tomatoes and carrots (her favorite food ever) from seed, and we've been nurturing them into their own for a few weeks. Then we had a pounding rain storm for a week (um yeah, a tornado, but they say it isn't - so let's just say some mysterious force that resembled a lot of wind and rain ripped some 18 inch diameter trees from the ground, and tore someone's roof off), and end of school activities, and finally, they are in the ground. We are not big gardeners here, so this is our little garden area. We've composted this so it should be good and ready. I'm trying to get rid of the dog house, since our dog never uses it....but its proven to be a challenge. I so do not want to lose our efforts this year. We will be on vacation for one week (two weeks for us girls, one for the hubs) and last year, our tomatoes did not make it (but my dad had a stroke and he's much more loving than tomatoes!).

Soon it will be time for camp and there are many projects to accomplish during that week! I hope to paint rooms and furniture while my husband slaves away at work, and all three of my girls go to camp! WOO HOO...MOMMY PARTY! :D Sad and no-life like....ya know?

I've been trying to watch blogs for ideas about how to decorate the area above my kitchen shelving. Since painting our walls a lovely red, our oak cabinets (ala 1989) aren't bothering me as badly, so I can live with them through another season (or kill off my husband by working him to death) until we can paint them and add some crown molding according to my evil plan of updating our home. You know how it is, you have babies, they consume your every waking moment until they get opinions and have quasi-lives, and then you have to entertain yourself. This is my way of entertaining myself. It used to be paper, because then I could buy it, take it home, and use it whenever I wanted (nap time), but now...now I can shop, or paint, or nap while the kids are off doing other things. Its GRAND!

This is what I found today at St. Vincent's Thrift Shop. I have about 87,000 projects waiting for paint now. But this tray, four bucks, waiting for vinyl. And the fabric, I think is vintage...soo soft, cute...$1. Wall hanger thingy, four bucks!  The pedestal, I have been looking, and looking...and looking for one, this one is soooo heavy/sturdy...four bucks! I'm stoked. I can't wait to fix her up!  I haven't shown you guys my bookshelves that my parents gifted us for Christmas, but she will be grand in there.

So.....stand by, because tomorrow I will have the vinyl urge bad. I would have had it today, but my kids maters had to go in the ground. (Along with a hydrangea, african daisies and some other freeway daisy type stuff, and petunias.) So today, I will clean and fold laundry, eat hot dogs and wait for the rain tomorrow. :D