A Swing & Some Horseshoes

I loved this swing as a kid...

... I fell off time and time again... this is not one of those park swings...

... it's the real deal, a piece of wood and some rope, hanging from a BIG tree...

... and the horseshoes...

... they are metal, not plastic... they are heavy and rusted...

Fun Family Time

While we spent some time at the family cabin that is near and dear to my heart, Isaac found some great treasures!

He found this flashlight and on the bottom of it a name was written "Mary Olson"... it was his MAMA's!!! He thought it was the coolest flashlight ever!

Daddy went tubbing in the COLD water! It was really fun to watch him!

Isaac loved to play on the rocks by the river while he watched his daddy float by!

Time stood still...

Do you have some place from your childhood that was just fabulous? Well, for me, it is a place about 30 miles North of Fort Collins, Colorado. One must drive through the mountains on what has to be the curviest road ever made... note to self, fresh air is a MUST! It is simple, it is beautiful, it is pure...

... I have memories of camping at this place and listening to the river as I fell asleep... My daddy would wake us up at an ungodly hour and we would walk for what seemed like miles to a little fishing spot... I now know that the miles we walked was just a few feet through a beautiful field, down a make shift path onto the river bank... we would hang out there for what seemed like hours, when we got back my mom would have fresh scones and bacon for breakfast, just there waiting for us and if we were lucky we brought back some fish for Papa George and MorMor...

.... there is no running water, you must enjoy the smell of fresh air as you spend time in the "privcy" that is a hand made, beautifully crafted, dual occupant outhouse... trust me... LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN...

... the cabin is rustic, beautiful, pure and comfortable...

... the wood stove, the coloring books and crayons, the board games, the dirt and the grass was what we had growing up...

... this place was where the diner bell rang when it was time to eat... we would run from the tree swing as fast as we could to see what fabulous meal was being cooked over the fire...

... well, I got a chance this weekend to step back in time and go back there, it was the same place it has always been... a place for me to call HOME... the trees seemed larger than life still, the water ran through the river just the same as it did years ago and the deluxe outhouse was as smelly as ever...

The only difference... this time, I was the mom, not the kid...

Wordless Wednesday

Yep... my son has learned to pee in the toilet and outside... this time, he just happened to pick outside, at a public place...

You know...

... when your son LOVES a certain cartoon...

... when that certain cartoon ends up on your sons bum...

Saying GOODBYE hurts...

Isaac and Mercedes eventually had to say goodbye... and it was so precious to see and hear them express how they felt...

... we met Mercede's Grandma Joyce in Longmont and the ENTIRE time we drove, Isaac would say "Goodbye hurts mama..." or "Cede wans to stay wef me..." and when we got the our meeting place, Isaac needed some time with Jesus to talk about how he felt... and this is what his mama heard:

Dear Wesus, Cede wans to stay wef me, but I have to say goodbye... bwess her with sucker balls and binkie time. Amen

They cried, hugged and kissed each other...

... and Isaac said "I wuv you Cede" as he kissed her on her head and got in his seat in the car...

... it was pretty much the most precious thing I had ever seen!

More Cousin TIME!

It was only right that while Mercedes was at Isaac's house, she rocked some Heavenfest clothing. Isaac helped his mama make her a "dress" to wear while we went out to find a "Splash Park"...

... we got our beverage cups filled, mama got some coffee and we were off to a "Splash Park"...

... Mercedes had fun standing on the bench with her shoes on ...

... and Isaac had fun running and jumping through the water with his shoes OFF!

That is the difference between these two, one runs around without his shoes on and one walks around with her shoes on...

While her MAMA was away...

These pictures are new to my sister, who happens to be the mama of the precious girl in them. I took many, many, many more, and will post a few of my favorites, but the rest are just for her mama!

My sisters, parents and brother-in-law went across the pond for a few days, and during their time in Germany, we got to have a SLUMBER party with Mercedes! At Auntie Mary's house, she got to do a LOT of fun things! Like eat snacks in the play room!

Isaac and Cede-lay-lu spent every waking moment together... they laughed the entire time they were awake!

They got out EVERY toy Isaac owns... even the ones he never knew he had! They played with every single one of them...

... the played hard and slept hard...

We LOVE the Zoo ...

We recently went to the zoo with Isaac's cousins... both of which are girls... but he had a great time doing what boys do at the zoo...

We ate lunch...

... we walked around while we enjoyed some juice boxes and a few snacks...

... and we just had a good time together...

... man, we LOVE the zoo!

What they doin?

Isaac: "Mama - what they doin?"

Mama: "well..."

Isaac: " They giving piggy back rides mama!!!"

Mama: "yes... they are..."

Sometimes...

... life is just more beautiful through black and white pictures...

Yep... He is ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL BOY!

Yes - that is what you think it is...

... he is all boy and this is what he had to say about it...

"I touched a snake..."

Capable...

...See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I walked by these flowers at Target a few days ago and the scripture mentioned above rang out loud and clear... so naturally I purchased them and they are now sitting on my dining table...

... the bright colors, fresh smell and simple beauty remind me of just how much HE is capable of...