pool time with the girls

the girls and i went to keller for some much needed pool time at my parents. activities included: lounging in the pool
delicious food
 water badmitten
and
S'MORES!

 

rudi belle

"Now pay attention. First you take the graham. You stick the chocolate on the graham. Then, you roast the mallow. When the mallow's flaming, you stick it on the chocolate. Then you cover it with the other end. Then, you stuff. Kind of messy, but good!"

- sandlot

this girl...so stinkin' cute

L-R: mom, bostyn, me and chelsea

rudi was just hoping bostyn would drop something...

L-R top: nicki, kim L-R bottom: laurie, hillary, carla & bostyn, me & chelsea

carla, bostyn and me

fun pool day with some really great girls

thanks so much mom and dad for letting us come over..

can't wait for the next trip :)

are you my mother?

finally we have a babie(s) i'm hoping there are more !! i have seriously been worried about this momma bird...she has definitely been busy building up her nest and doesn't have much overhead room now, but i doubt that's a big concern to her now that she has her chick(s).

i was ecstatic when i looked up and saw two new little beety eyes staring back at me

nature is just beautiful

and it probably shouldn't make me all teary-eyed

but it does.

i am so grateful for these two little birds .

this momma bird has been such an example to me. i know it sounds silly and ridiculous but she has taught me so much about sacrifice and patience as she has been tending her nest waiting for her little ones to hatch. i feel as if i've built some kind of rapport with her because she's not afraid

when i open my door or when i'm bringing up handfuls of groceries.

i believe that this momma bird was a lesson intended for me. to learn about patience and about the love and concern our Father in Heaven has for all of His creations.

love this woman

i just love my mom.
she is remarkable, thoughtful over the top hospitable
thanks for everything today mom

ps........do you know HOW amazing it is to live an hour from my parents...
well im going to tell you
its pretty dang amazing
i'm not trying to make anyone feel bad because every one's situation is different
but for the first time in our marriage of almost
4 years
julius and i finally live close to family
and it is
fantastic

(more to come of our fun pool trip with the ladies later)

pass or fail?

a big fat

PASS

i'm a little disappointed though because...the test was very different 

then the study material i was encouraged to use

(but really..how was there next to zero anatomy and muscular questions..like hello this is a massage therapist test, pretty dang sure we need to be tested on muscles and their function and relation to the body rather than

what bone the tongue is attached too...just sayin')

regardless...

i PASSED and that's the end of up.

now onto finishing up licensure in texas so i can become

an official

texas licensed massage therapist.

:)

b-a-n-a-n-a-s

you need not have but need to try this...i'm serious
...because you have no idea how glorious this shake-drink-dessert-amazeballs it is
and the absolute best part is...
it takes 2 ingredients
#1 ingredient: dark chocolate almond milk ( i use silk brand)
and 
#2 ingredient:  frozen bananas
then BLEND!
is it just me that whenever i spell bananas i can't help but hear gwen stefani singing
"let me hear you say, this shhh is bananas
B-A-N-A-N-A-S"
repeated like a million times over in my head
or maybe its just me...most likely just me :)
 

walls of clay

some of the wives and i went to walls of clay to decorate pottery...i was boring and selected a jewelry holder that i can put my rings in at night. while the other girls picked from piggy banks, bowls, vases or cups and executed such cute and creative designs. it was a fun little activity and i realized i didn't take any close up pictures of the pottery so there are no before and afters..hmm guess we'll just have to go back ;)

7.4.11

water bad mitten. a park family tradition (ps we are wearing socks to protect from getting blisters)

girls vs boys

this is robbie. he thinks he is pretty cool :)

i think the boys were playing horse...tyler showing off his skills

sorry mom, i know you hate when we jump from the hot tub to the pool, but really how cool is this picture :)

tyler's last hoorah before he leaves for college..

julius finallllly makes it...ugh i guess someone has to "make the bacon" (as tyler would say)

my mom is a ridiculously amazing tennis player and water bad mitten player

might be my favorite picture of the evening

this kid.

 

i was so mad i didn't get the beginning of this..mom jumped in after tyler! it would have been such a great moment to capture

 

it was such a great day spent with family. i am so grateful to live in this country and be the recipient of so many freedoms and blessings. happy fourth of july.