Summer Fun!!

I've been spending quite a bit of time, on Pinterest lately. Mostly because I need some ideas, for Danny's birthday party. Between, if you have any ideas, please leave me a little message. :) Anyway, I've been hunting on Pinterest. But like with most things on Pinterest, I got a little distracted last night. And found this beauty!

Seriously amazing! Now if only we had a deck like that. We could make this amazing transformation! Could you just imagine? I'd NEVER get my sons to come inside again!! Heck I'd never want to go inside either! This is just so fun! A slide, sandbox, chalkboard, fun playhouse....and a great entertaining deck for Mom and Dad! :) Such a great inspiration!!

♥Rach♥

How About a Summer Beach?

Sometimes, I really miss Georgia! So much, that I wish we'd move out there. It was the best, of so many worlds for me. :) But one of my favorite parts of growing up in Georgia, were the quick trips to the beach. We'd pack up a few things, hop in the car, and head out.

I spent so many days, playing in the sand, swimming in the ocean, and enjoying the sun! I wish that my kids got to do that. But we live in the desert. I'm not knocking the desert. But it's so different!

When I saw this picture, I about jumped out of my pants! Are you serious? A little beach for our backyard? Wow! And ya, I found this picture on Pinterest. I told you, we're having a bit of a love affair!

I'm positive, my sons would adore this idea! To have their own beach, in our big 'ol backyard! They do love digging in the sand. And playing in the water. :) I think we could make a bigger "beach." We do have 3 kids. And I feel like they'd need some more space.

I'm gonna put this on our "to-do" list. :) Maybe Mike will get to come home soon! And we can tackle this project. Heck, we've got the wood, 2 kiddie swimming pools, and 4 of those little chairs. We've also got plenty of sand toys, and beach balls. I'm positive all we'd need to buy is the sand, something to cover it up (when we're not playing in there), some poles, and the fabric covering.

But honestly, isn't this a great idea? Something fun. And definitely unusual for the desert. I could see this little project, lasting for years. Meaning, our kids would get years of fun, out of a day of work. Good idea in my book! Now, we just need to be patient. And wait for Mike. Our head DIY-er. :)

♥Rach♥

For Our Winged Friends

I don't think it's a shock, I'm not very crafty. I try. But I'm just not. Even with all my education. You know, I was supposed to go into the field of education. But well, you know. Life happens. I'm getting off topic here....

It's been so hot here. Been in the 90s for weeks! And the boys are dying to do all kinds of crazy things outside. They've hunted lizards for weeks! Literally, no lizard is safe in our yard!! They all end up in a jar. With 2 boys poking them. Staring at them. Just being curious.

Bugs get the same treatment. I find Mikey digging in the yard. And Danny standing there, with another jar. Ya, no jar is safe in our home. I do make sure, to poke holes in all the tops. I'm trying to save the creatures here. :)

With Mike being gone, fighting the wild fires, I'm all the kids have. So I've been trying extra hard. To be a good momma. We go on daily "nature walks." Early in the morning. It's the only time it's cool out. And in the evening, we head to the park. So they can play with their friends. But around the house, I'm a little at a loss. What can we do?

I found a fun project. That involves a Slinky, birdseed, and birds. Even I can manage this one! I bought all the supplies yesterday. And today, during the "peak heat hours," we're going to create some wonderful things. For our winged friends. :)

What are some of your "go-to" activities to do with your kids? Especially in the heat. We live in the desert. For about 5 months out of the year, it's tough to be outside, between 9AM and 7PM. I'd really like to hear some great ideas. I know my sons would appreciate it too!

♥Rach♥

What a Blessing!

How was everyone's Mother's Day? Our was nice. Low key. And at home. It was really nice! Both my family, and Mike's came down for a visit. Which made it an extra special weekend for us. :) If you read Monday's post, you can tell...it's getting warm around here.

Our moms cooked all the food! And it was so good. I'm still stuffed! But I wanted to contribute something too. That's when I tried a new recipe. For cheesecake cookies. Um, hello! If the name of the recipe didn't interest you, well I'm not sure what will! But they were amazing!

And we just enjoyed a lot of time, with our family. Everyone melted over Mikey and Danny...in their little suits. And Savannah, had everyone, wrapped around her little fingers. :) We don't get to see our families much. It's really unfortunate! But Mike's family lives 4 hours away. And mine, well they're a plane ride away!

It was a nice little visit. Everyone was so happy. Life was going well. And we were just enjoying life. It's nice to be spoiled by my momma, and momma-in-law! In some ways, it made me feel like a little girl again. To have my momma, make me a yummy breakfast in bed. The only difference was, I'm now nursing a sweet little girl. With 2 little guys, who couldn't decide if they wanted to eat with their momma, or daddy.

This was the kind of weekend, that we all needed! Low key. Surrounded by our loved ones. Unfortunately, before our families even left, Mike was called out to work. And with that, "Fire Season" has begun. We were all sad, to see him go. But I know, my husband is good at his job. And he enjoys it. Believe me, we're all praying. For Mike's fast, and safe return!

♥Rach♥

We NEED One!!

Not even going to lie here. It's already insanely H-O-T! The rest of the world, is excited about summer. I'm well, not so thrilled that the temps are already in the 90s. Years ago, when I was in college, it was great! Welcomed actually. But these days, with 3 kids, it's tough. My boys want to be outside. 24/7! Never mind that it's 110 degrees. They don't care!

And I feel bad. I don't want my kids to be stuck inside. Not when our summer pretty much begins in May. And ends at the end of September. I want them to enjoy the summer months. And the nice weather.

But we need some activities that will keep us cool. And I'm not just talking swimming. So I took to Pinterest for some inspiration. Look what I found!

It's a sprinkler! Made out of PVC pipe. It might have taken me a week, to track down the original post. But I did! Mike told me, that he could make one. He's calling it the "Kid Car Wash." And after Mikey happened to spot it on the computer, I was writing down the supply list. Well it is essentially set in stone! Mike can't get out of it now. :)

I do have to say, we're blessed. Not only is Mike the kind of guy, that enjoys DIY projects. But the firefighters, are always excited to help us out. Especially when it comes to our kids. So guess what's on tap, for their next day off? This bad boy! My boys are so excited! They keep calling this, the "wimmin wower." If you didn't get that, it's the swimming shower. :) How cute! This momma might even have to run through it too!

♥Rach♥

I Can't Wait!!

Until Savannah is old enough, to play in the sand. I found this picture on Pinterest, and I just fell in love! I'm going to keep my eyes opened, for this little bathing suit. Isn't it adorable? These are the things I dreamt of, when I dreamt of having a daughter. Pink, ruffles, and the girly things!

I also can't wait, until Savannah is old enough, to go to Georgia. And play in the sand. Like I did, when I was little. When my baby girl, is big enough, to explore new things. And enjoy the beautiful state I'm from. :)

Yes, I'm counting down the days. When we can hangout on the beach. Our entire family! And enjoy building sand castles, playing in the water, and soaking up some sun. These are the things, I always dreamt of, when I dreamt about being a momma.

♥Rach♥

Who Would Have Thought?

Mike and I, have been looking for some DIY projects to tackle. Outside. For our boys. They are very curious, and active. My boys, are totally the typical "boy." Their days include chasing our dog, hunting lizards, and digging in the yard. Nightly baths, are not optional in our home.

We have a nice playset for them. That they love! I tell you, I've got 2 little monkeys here. :) But we're always looking for something new. Something to keep the boys active. And to keep their sense of exploring going on.

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this. On I Heart Naptime. Which happens to be one of my favorite blogs! Who would have thought? A tire...into a sandbox. :)

We happen to have a friend, who has a Ranch. And I'm tempted to call him, and ask him if he has any old tires. I think this would be a fun project to tackle with the boys. Something that they've helped their daddy build.

♥Rach♥

Looks Yummy!

I have to come clean here. I'm a bit of a sweet tea and diet Coke addict. It's a little troubling really. But since I was pregnant with Danny, I cut myself off of my 2 favorite drinks. I mean, really, that can't be good for my babies. And you know, I've been a breastfeeding momma. So it's been since the Fall of 2009, since we were daily friends. Although, daily....I have to fight the cravings!!

So for the last few years, I've stuck to water. Water with lemon. Water with lime. Water with orange. Water with cucumber. Mike has attempted to get me to drink Sun Tea. But I just can't do it! I mean, really....it just makes me depressed. I'm used to that "sweet nectar of the Southern Gods!"

I really wish that I had the patience to make aguas. They are super yummy. And not sweet. But a little time consuming. So I just indulge, when we go out to eat. :) Around here, they are at all the local restaurants. I might need to make an excuse, to go out tonight.

You see, I'm always fearful, that if I eat or drink too much sugar....it will affect my babies. Since Mikey was a baby, I've been making frozen treats for us. Less sugar. More fresh fruit. Delicious! But the drink situation, I've never really thought "outside the box." I just dilute my kids' juice. But nothing else. Until now.

Blame it all on Pinterest! Because that's where I found this picture. But there was no link. No description. Nothing. But it looked so yummy! And it got me thinking. :)

We make fresh lemonade. Pretty often in the Spring and Summer. But this is a fresh spin on things! Raspberry or strawberry iced cubes. With the lemonade. Oh, doesn't that sound like heaven to you? To me it does! Heck, I might just make a ton of these fruit ice cubes. To add to my water. Yummy!

♥Rach♥

Gardening on the Brain

Lately, I've had gardening on the brain. Do you remember this post? Well, I'm still looking for ways to "beautify" our yard. I like doing fun and unexpected projects. Here are a few ideas, that I've recently come across.

What do you think of this? A little vertical growing unit. And all those potted plants. I just love how this looks.

And this sweet, little idea. Would add a ton of color to our yard. Wouldn't this be so fun? You could build them around a deck. As the corners. Now that would be nice!

Lastly, is this idea from Home Depot. Have you noticed the commercial? The first time I seen it, I told Mike, that he needed to build us some of these! I'm thinking it would also be nice as an herb garden. Near the kitchen.

Have you started gardening yet? I know that we're late at it this year. But when I should have started, I was 8 months pregnant. And since then, well I've just been enjoying my kids. Although, a friend helped me plant some bulbs, early in Spring. They're just starting to pop out of the ground. :) And sometime this week, we're going to go pick up some plants. You know, veggies and stuff. Let's see what we can get done this season.

♥Rach♥

Thank You Pinterest!!

In the last few months, maybe even year, I've spent lots of time on Pinterest. No lie! There are so many GREAT ideas on there. And sometimes, you just need to "shake up" snack time. That's when you turn to Pinterest. And find something fun like these carmel dipped grapes. :)

My boys are good at eating their fruits and veggies. With little more than, some Ranch dressing to dunk their veggie sticks in. But this Momma, sometimes is looking for a sweet snack. These are the perfect little treat. Super quick to make! And so easy!

I buy some of those carmel squares. And I melt them in the microwave. Be careful not to burn the carmel. Literally, I had a whole bowl melted and ready for dunking, in 45 seconds! Then I take a toothpick, and load up about 3 grapes on it. This is where I differ from the picture. I dip all the grapes in the carmel, then quickly roll them in some crushed nuts. Because my carmel is pretty thin, it doesn't give a thick coat. And it doesn't over power the grapes.

What a fun, and unexpected treat! I made these on Friday. During the boys' nap time. It was definitely a fun treat for them, when they woke up. Not something we'll have every day, or every week. But a nice treat, to "shake things up." Have you found some fun snacks too? Things that are unexpected. I'd love to hear all about them!

♥Rach♥

Trying Something New

Sometimes I feel like I get in food slump. I'm not the best cook around. Especially not in Mexican food. But I try. Every time that we go to visit Mike's family, I try to learn 1 more thing. Sometimes, it's simple things. Like beans. Or Spanish rice. And I have to say this, I have a very patient husband. Who endures it. Endures the same food every week. Who happily smiles, at the 10 or so dishes that I've mastered.

But even I get tired of it. And go hunting out simple and new recipes. Things that I can tackle. With success. And that we'll enjoy eating. Tonight, I'm feeling a little stuck. Like I can't endure the same tacos on Tuesdays, and Spaghetti on Wednesdays. So I went to hunt out a new recipe. And I found this one. For Shrimp & Garlic Pasta. Yum! It already sounds AMAZING!

We're also blessed, with sweet boys. Who aren't picky eaters. That will try, just about anything. At least once! :) That is truly a blessing. Ask any mom. But honestly, this is going to be a home run for our family. I already know it.

My sons adore pasta. I'm sure, all kids do! And shrimp, that's another favorite around here. I just showed Mike the recipe. And he asked if I can make it tomorrow. I can't wait for dinner. Do you have any other good resources for recipes? I'd love to hear about your favorites. :)

♥Rach♥

The Sweetest Thing!!

I'm due in one week! Can you believe it? I feel like this pregnancy has just flown by! Probably because for once, I wasn't pregnant during the "Dog Days of Summer." I mean, I was. But it was morning sickness. Not the "how many weeks do I have left" pregnancy. I'm sure, if you've ever been pregnant, you know what I mean. When you're just ready to have your baby.

But I'm not feeling that right now. I'm happy. And comfortable. Honestly, I don't feel like our baby girl, is coming anytime soon. I'm not feeling that same "feeling." I don't know how to describe it. But after having 2, it just doesn't feel like we're too near yet...

Our family is taking this time, to just relax. Enjoy being a family of 4, for a few more days. I'm loving being a "Boy Mom." In fact, we added a few fish, to our family. And we're just enjoying life. This time of year, is just so nice out. The boys and I, have been going on daily walks, through our neighborhood. It's the first thing we do, after breakfast. And I think our neighbors are enjoying it too. Many, have started to wait for us. At 7:30AM, you'd be surprised how many people are out, and enjoying the weather. :)

But I've also been looking for some inspiration. For our baby girl's newborn pictures. And I've found lots of things, that are going to be fun to try out! I've also been looking for some cute clothes. Cute little things, that would look darling. On our little girl. Let's just say, Pinterest and I, are becoming BFFs!

Isn't this the most darling picture? Oh, I can't wait! I'm telling you, I just can't wait until we get to meet our little girl. I can't wait to dress her up. And recreate fun pictures like this one. I just feel like our little girl is the final piece, to our family puzzle. The one person, that is going to make our family whole and complete. I can't wait to meet our sweet little one!

♥Rach♥

Yes Please

I know that it's just February. But around here, it already feels like Spring. Mikey and Danny, pretty much want to be outside, 24/7. And honestly, I can't blame them. It's gorgeous outside! In fact, for the last few days, we've found that jackets, are optional. :)

It also has me dreaming about other things. Like projects for our yard, new toys for our kids, and a big 'ol porch! You see, I'm from the great state of Georgia. And it's very common to have the big sweeping porches. Where you spend long evenings, rocking in a comfy chair. Sipping some sweet tea. And enjoying your family.

I've wanted a porch like this, for a long time! Since we moved into our home. I'm a subscriber to lots of magazines. And every time I see something like this, my heart just melts. I want a porch. To just hangout, while my kiddos run around the yard.

Doesn't this just look so peaceful and inviting? Those rockers, remind me of the ones at Cracker Barrel. Oh, how I love them! I'd love to have a space like this. With big flower pots, overflowing with pretty flowers. I'm going to add this to my "Wishlist." Maybe Mike will see it. And maybe, just maybe...I'll get me a relaxing porch too! :)

♥Rach♥

Exciting!

In just about a month, we get to meet our daughter. I'm super excited! What's one of the things, that I'm most excited about having a baby girl? All the cute clothes! Pinks, purples, peaches. And the ruffles and bows. Oh, and the dresses!! This is going to be such a different experience.

I found this picture on Pinterest. And it just got me thinking about my precious little girl. How fun this is going to be!! I love my boys, with all my heart. But I'm so excited to meet my precious little girl. I have a feeling, being a "girl Momma" is going to be very different, from being a "boy Momma."

♥Rach♥

I Would Have Never Thought....

Back in the day, between moving out on my own, and getting married...I lived to shop!! I can't even lie. I'd head to the store, the minute I got paid. Well, I'd pay my rent first. :) But you get the idea!

I had this fabulous closet. Full of great clothes, shoes, and tons of accessories! Loved it! I'm pretty sure, I was the most stylish student teacher out there. Which was hilarious! Then I met Mike. OK, I still would dress up. Actually, we were just talking about this. How I was always so stylish. Had the most current clothes. Now, I wear my husband's firefighter t-shirts, and leggings. With the waistband cut out :)

After Mike and I moved in together, I realized I need to "downsize" my closet. Really, who needed all those clothes! And shoes. And purses. Little by little, I sold most of those things. And used the money for furniture. And eventually, our home. A much better use of my money.

But there were things that I couldn't get rid of. Most of that, was my jewelry. I don't know why. But somehow, I didn't find it hard to get rid of blouses, dresses, shoes, purses, or jackets. But my jewelery, I couldn't do it!

Since we moved into our house, I'm embarrassed to say this, but it's been all tangled in one of our dresser drawers. 1. Who does that? 2. I never wear any of it. Because it's all tangled up. And I don't have time, to untangle it. 3. I could think of a million better uses for that drawer. Like a place to put my pjs. 4. I thank God, that Mike bought me a jewelry box, for my nice jewelry.

Yesterday, as I was getting ready for church, I wanted to dress up a bit more. Put some effort into my "mom outfit." I opened that drawer. And I knew exactly which necklace I wanted to wear. 40 minutes later, I only had it half untangled. And I was annoyed!

We went to church. My necklace stayed home. In that drawer. And I was so annoyed. That I wasted all that time. I still wasn't wearing what I wanted to. And all that jewelry is being wasted. I told Manders about it. An she told me to check out Pinterest. Because she had gotten a few ideas, about jewelry storage.

When the boys went to bed last night, I started my search on Pinterest. There are a ton of ideas! But the one that I like best, was this one. Simple. Easy. And inexpensive!

Guess what I picked up today. Other than our weekly groceries. :) Yes, a few kitchen organizers. This is my project for the weekend. Hopefully Mike can get them hung, before he has to go to work. And fingers crossed, that I manage to untangle all my jewelry. You know, before I go nuts!

Isn't this a great idea? I love it! I still have a few things to search for. But I'm going to tackle this project, before I dig up anymore. And hopefully, by Sunday. So I'll be able to wear that necklace. Oh, that pretty necklace! It's been years...

♥Rach♥