4th of July Weekend Photos!

4th of July Family Fun!

We spent the long 4th of July weekend at my grandparents old farm (they have both passed away) in North East Texas in the Piney Woods. My parents, my brother's family, my sister's family, and my family all spent the weekend at the old farmhouse. My sister-in-law's parents came out on the 4th and fried fish for us and ate with us. My brother went and bought $300 worth of fireworks for us to shoot off that evening. It was SO much fun. On Saturday, the kids spent part of the day running through the sprinklers while my mom watered the plants. It was the "Best Weekend Ever" as the kids kept saying. My mom had 4th of July necklaces and bracelets and cups and plates and house decorations. It was just a wonderful, blessed weekend enjoying our family and being thankful for our great country! It is a summer tradition that we love!

Popular Vote

Okay, by popular vote, I posted my "coy" self photo in the bathroom mirror picture. :o)

My new treadmill works great! It is so nice to have when I can't get to the gym. I'm hoping my hubby starts working out on it, too. I told him just because he is tall and thin does not mean he is healthy. He knows that. There just never seems to be enough time in the day ... or evening when he gets home.

Becky, maybe I can call you when I get on my treadmill and we can talk to each other while we workout on our treadmills at home!!! :o) I can remember being in high school (before cell phones and texting) and calling my BFF (who I have no idea where she is ... I guess just BF at the time! :o) and watching reruns over the phone together of Little House on the Prairie ... the episodes where Almanzo (Manly) and Laura got together. I know ... I'm showing my age. Don't remind me ... my 20th HS class reunion is this summer.

I have a painting done I need to get posted and I'm going to enter a painting (that I haven't done, yet ... but need to get busy doing) for a giveaway at Funky Finds, http://www.funkyfinds.blogspot.com/

So, stay tuned for some actual art from my Artful Life ... not to mention I need to get some things done for the Mushroom Festival.

We should close next week on our construction loan, so we can get started building our house. We went and picked out our appliances the other day to get bids on and to know what size things need to be framed up as ... that was LOADS of FUN!!! Can't wait to entertain with my cool new appliances (I love to entertain and just haven't had the room to do it for the past few years) ... I'm just excited to be getting a dishwasher that works!!! At least works better than the one I have here in this little house.

Another New Photo of Me

My husband still isn't done with the treadmill (but almost). So, I touched up my make-up and went to our bathroom where I was able to get a better angle and lighting and took this photo in the mirror I now have posted to the right. It is a little better. Still a little goofy looking, but at least I'm smiling.

I could be doing laundry, but this is more fun. I'm entertaining myself. :o)

I took this self portrait in my bathroom mirror, too. It is kind of cute, but I look a little coy. I can't decide which I like better of the two ... until I get my husband to actually take a photo not in the mirror of me! :o) They are both a little blurry close up. Okay, enough about me!

New Picture of Me

Okay, I know this is a terrible new picture (see to the right). But the old picture was about a year old, and I have cute new short hair now. This is a self portrait I just took in our hall bathroom mirror because my husband wants me out of the way while he is putting together our new treadmill. (he's one of those who reads the instructions first, lays out all of the parts to make sure he has everything ... the exact opposite of me ... which is one of the things I love about him ... he does things right ... it also kind of drives me crazy because I'm more the just throw it together and this looks like this goes there type ... thus why he asked me to find something else to do other than sit and watch him and comment. :o)

Back to my photo ... I couldn't get a good smiling one at that angle ... I don't have a tripod ... which I need to get.

I just got back from the gym this evening, haven't touched up my make-up since this morning, havn't brushed my hair, and I have on an Old Navy shirt from 2001! The black and white helps.

Anyway, I'll get a happy picture posted soon ... next time I look cute and all dressed up with fresh make-up, I'll get my hubby to take a happy photo of me to replace this one. He took the other photo when my hair was long, and I liked that picture.

The Mushroom Festival

I got an invitation to be a vendor at the Mushroom Festival in Madisonville, Texas on October 25th. Last year at the Kolache Festival in Caldwell, a lady who was on the vendor committee saw my art and asked for my business card. She sent me an invitation last year, but we had already made plans to be in Disneyworld during the Mushroom Festival last year. So, this year she sent me another invitation, and I'm going to take her up on it. I think this festival is geared more toward art than the Kolache Festival is. With the Mushroom Festival being in October, hopefully it will be a little cooler, too. It was SOOOO hot in September last year at the Kolache Festival.

I need to get painting. I have a few pieces, but I want to do some smaller pieces like ACEO's (baseball card size) and some on just canvas board so that I'll have a wider price range ... so I should have pieces from $5 up to $200.

Here's a link for more information about the Mushroom Festival, and I'll keep you updated. It was nice to be invited and not have to go through the application and waiting process. I still need to get my information in, but they contacted me! :o)

You want to know something funny ... I hate mushrooms! :D At least I won't be tempted to eat while I'm there (at least mushrooms!)

Ninfa's Needs to Join the 21st Century!

I've been trying to watch my calorie intake (along with protein, fat, carbs, sodium, etc) per doctors' orders and regular visits with them, because I've been struggling with some health issues.

My extended family is planning to go to Ninfa's tomorrow for lunch, so I tried to find a website for the restaurant to plan ahead what I would like to eat that is healthier. The only website I could find was for the one in Houston ... what business doesn't have a website in this day and age!? Especially a chain!!!

I called today to see if they had nutrional information available, and the girl who answered the phone acted like she didn't know what that was so she got a manager. When I asked the manager about it, she said no at first and then she asked me what I wanted to know. I'm not sure what she thought I was talking about ... I told her calories, fat, carbs, protein, sodium, etc ... she said no, they didn't have anything like that.

So, rather than take a chance, I'll just bring something else to eat. Maybe I'll bring a Lean Cuisine and ask them to heat it up for me! I could get a salad, but I *HATE* not knowing exactly what I'm eating when I'm trying to be so careful, and it is so easy when you are eating at Chick-fil-a, Subway, Freebirds, Olive Garden (though their's is not extensive), Chili's, Taco Bell, even McDonalds!!! I love the Bacon Ranch Salad with grilled chicken and low fat balsamic viniagrette at McDonalds ... only 260 calories for the salad and 40 calories for the dressing. You can go here and "bag" a meal at McDonalds and they'll tell you all of the nutrional information about your meal.

So, next time the family suggests Ninfa's, I'll suggest a restaurant that has information so that I know what I'm eating. Another place we love but won't be going to anytime soon because they don't offer nutrional information is Texas Roadhouse. They have great salads and I'm sure their 6 oz. sirloin isn't just terrible calorie wise but the fact that they are unwilling to disclose to consumers what they are eating makes me leary.

Wise up restaurants!!! Your customer base is in the information age ... join us!!! Do you know some other good sites for finding nutritional information at some of your favorite restaurants? What is your favorite low calorie restaurant meal?

Happy 4th Birthday!

My almost 4 year old is now officially my four year old! This is one of my favorite pictures of him (at about three weeks old) and one of my favorites of my uber handsome hunny! That sweet little baby turned four on Sunday. We had celebrated his birthday early with his PreK 3 classmates, but we spent Sunday afternoon on his actual birthday at my in-laws house swimming and having cookie cake to celebrate with family.

Sweet 4 year old, you are so special. You are so cute and so funny and silly! You are a great painter. You are my pickiest eater when it comes to normal meal foods like meat and vegetables ... you prefer to snack all day, but you like apples, bananas, strawberries, yogurt, goldfish, pretzels and deviled eggs ... those are some of your favorite things to snack on. Oh, and you love BBQ sausage!

You are the quickest of my three to tell me thank you for doing things for you, and you randomly tell me that you love me. You have such a sweet voice.

You matured so much this past year in Pre-K 3. You can spell your name without even stopping to think about it. You know your alphabet and your numbers and you are ALWAYS singing. Little Caterpillar is one of your favorite songs ... and anything Toby Mac or God Rocks!

You are so special and handsome and a blessing and joy to me and your dad (and to your brothers most of the time). You haven't yet decided if you want to be a big boy or a baby just yet ... being the middle child, you see the advantages of being a big boy like your 5 year old brother and you see the advantages of being a baby like your 2 year old brother. You'll get it figured out, but I can see your dilemma! :o)

I pray you will be filled with the joy of the Lord always and always see His blessings. Happy "Dirthday" (as you say) special 4 year old boy! You are so loved!

House Officially Sold

Today was bittersweet. We signed the final papers and closed on our "old" house. I know I have so much to be thankful for (especially when so many people are struggling to sell their house), and that the Lord provided that house and that He's providing us another house that suits our needs better for a family with three growing boys. But, we have so many happy memories in that old house. My hubby and I picked it out together just before our wedding ... he moved in early to get it ready, and I moved out of a house I shared with my best friend when the lease was up and moved in with my parents until after the wedding. All three of our boys were born while we were living there. All three boys learned to walk in that house. As my sweet hubby says, "we did a lot of living in that house." I know it is just a house and not something eternal ... but the sweet memories are eternal in my heart. God used that house to bless us. I hope He uses it to bless the new family who is buying it. They are super nice, good people, and I know they will take care of it and be thankful for it as we were.

I took the boys over there yesterday and took their picture out front. I did one final walk through ... I'm tearing up just typing this ... I am COMPLETELY rediculous. This is why I have pack rat tendencies, I know. I'm just so thankful for the Lord's greatness and goodness to provide for us beyond what we could even think to ask ... it is very humbling. Thank you Lord for who you are ... always faithful, always provider, always all we need.

Potty Training Update

Night five of staying dry through the night. When he woke up this morning dry, I praised him and asked him if he wanted to sit on the potty. He said yes. I sat him on the potty and after about 2o MINUTES of reading books and getting milk for him, he pottied. Woooo Hoooo!!!

He wasn't interested in putting on padded big boy underwear. He balked at that idea. I asked him if he wanted to put on a diaper, and he was pleased with that situation. I've put underwear on him earlier this week and he didn't like the way it felt when he had an accident ... which is why I think he wants the diaper.

Nicole, as you know my oldest wasn't potty trained at night until about 6 months ago. The almost 4 year old potty trained almost instantly (day and night) a little after two. I've NEVER had one potty train himself at night before day time potty training. It worries me something is wrong with his bladder or something. I see our pediatritian next week for one of the other boys, and I'm going to ask him about this.

Thanks for the input!