Father's Day Weekend-Swimming Pool

This photo cracks me up. It's late at night and yet here my boys are all decked out and ready for the pool. All my kids wanted to do all weekend was swim. I am so glad that they have swim lessons coming up because they would be in a pool all the time if it were up to them.

Hayden

CJ & Emerson

Hayden

Father's Day Weekend-Dave & Buster's

Saturday night was spent playing and goofing off at Dave & Buster's. We had no idea what to expect since we have never been in one (well, CJ and I tried to go to one in Atlanta but they wouldn't let me in because I wasn't 21 and it was 3 days until my 21st-mind you, we were there early in the day and lots of little kids were going in but I couldn't be chaperoned by Clayton unless he was over 25 and he was 22-UGH!). The kids loved it and so did we.

Oh.My.YUM!!

Last week I decided to try my hand at making homemade cupcakes with peanut butter icing. Let me tell you, they ROCKED!! I initially put them in the fridge so that the icing would be thicker but I realized later on that I preferred them at room temp.

I found the recipe for these cupcakes here: Buns in My Oven

Our Garden Boxes

This box is growing like crazy. I love it!! The lettuces on the left have already been harvested many times and the spinach on the right has been harvested twice. Everything else is just now taking off. I can't wait to harvest the cucumbers, onions, zucchini, tomatoes, peas, carrots, beans and broccoli. I also have lots of herbs in the second box that I have been using on occasion in the kitchen. Clayton bought me a huge tomato plant this past weekend that I plan to keep in a large planter on the patio. I had to have it because I want fresh tomatoes ASAP. My box plants are still small and I am a bit impatient, lol.

Besides the boxes, I also have strawberry and watermelon plants growing throughout our landscaping. Yum!

Flowering Broccoli from Our Garden

I had no idea that broccoli would flower like this because I am gardening dumb, lol. Doesn't it look cool? I wish I would have taken a pic with my big camera but this will have to do because I was too lazy to get it out. :P

Miss Kitty

Last Wednesday, my good friend Melissa took her family on a camping trip to NE so we got to kitty-sit while they were gone. I didn't tell the kids or Clayton until she was already here. They were all surprised to find a cat in the house that evening. She made life interesting and I believe that everyone really enjoyed having her. She was an absolute riot when she would play and I couldn't help but laugh at her all the time. It was great having her snuggle up to my legs when we went to bed. I miss her already. Even though we loved her, we still don't plan on adding a pet to our household. They are a lot of work and expensive too. I am a realist so I didn't get blinded by her cuteness (though it was hard not to!). Anyway, I hope that the Pattersons go on more camping trips this summer so we can kitty-sit again. ;)

Hayden's Contribution to Our Garden

Hayden handed me these sticks recently and told me that I could use them to mark the plants in my garden. It cracked me up because he went and copied all the ones I *already* have out there. How cute are these?! I love how he drew little illustrations with them.

Hayden's Field Day-5/20/10

Hayden was "it" during a game of 1-2-3 Octopus

Running hurdles

This photo is simply hilarious. Do you see the blooper? It was not intentional, I promise! He was playing with the bottom of his shirt by twirling it around his fingers. It sure looks like he was telling someone off though, huh?

Golfing in Worland, WY

Clayton (Did ya notice that he is a lefty?)

Me (Now I can see why I sucked that day. Notice the lazy bent arms? lol)

We headed out for Worland this past weekend to visit Clayton's Mom and her husband Jack. It was a long car ride but worth it. We went on Friday and returned last night. The weather stunk on Saturday so we lazed around and didn't do much that day. Sunday was beautiful so we went to the local golf course. I sucked all day long and couldn't hit the ball on many occasions (cut me slack though, it was only my 3rd outing) and Hayden did fabulously. He was knocking the ball all over the place. I wish I would have gotten a pic of him doing it but I will have to wait until next time.

We spent Sunday night sitting around a fire roasting marshmallows and that was so much fun. I wish it hadn't of gotten so cold but it was still awesome.

Emerson getting driving lessons from Grandma Christie

More Golf...

Emerson got a surprise shower when he went to fill up his water bottle, lol.

Hayden being goofy

Grandma Christie

Monkeying around on Grandma's cart

My Gardening Ventures

2 types of lettuce, a couple carrots and onions

One of my square foot gardening boxes

So far, my square foot gardens are doing wonderfully. I never have to weed and they are so easy to maintain. I have 2 boxes, 1 is shown above and the other contains mostly herbs with a few tomatoes, leeks, peas and zucchini plants. It is amazing how well everything is doing. I have already harvested the lettuces 3 times and have cut some of the herbs many times. My next harvest will include spinach. In addition to my boxes, I have 5 strawberry plants and 2 watermelons planted within our landscaping.

I will say though that I have babied these plants and seedlings. Unfortunately, we have had snow, wind and hail hit us but I have managed to keep them all healthy. You should see me run outside and cover them all whenever I see a storm coming. I am sure the neighbors think that it is hilarious. I have a million containers that I use to individually cover each and every plant. It takes forever to do but has shielded them from snow/hail damage.

Broccoli, chives and spinach

Peas

It was a wonderful weekend and I have been naughty (again!)

Our new outdoor table

My FIL Steve and Clayton

This past weekend was a whirlwind. We had lots of plans but it all changed when we got a phone call late Friday evening. Steve, Clayton's dad, called and wanted to help build our picnic table this weekend. We dropped everything and headed out to Lowe's to get the wood. Our vehicle is a 4-Runner so you should have seen us hauling it back. It was hilarious! It didn't help that we had to take the kiddos too. We were crammed into Suzy (my affectionate name for the 4-Runner is Suzy the SUVy, lol). It was late by the time we got home and then my house was unfortunately a wreck. We scurried to get everything cleaned up and then we had to get up early Saturday morning for Emerson's soccer game.

We got up and met our in-laws at the soccer field. Emerson had a good game [with the exception of the time I had to go all "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" (Rebecca De Mornay) on one his teammates for pouring water on E]. Afterward, we went to pick up a saw from Sears and went to a yummy lunch at Olive Garden. Sandy (Steve's wife) and I went shopping while the boys all headed back home. I was very naughty and took her to the Coach store. You better believe that I came home with yet another new purse. Ay-yi-yi. I couldn't resist. That makes 3 new purses in the past 2 months. Clayton wants to kill his sister for ever getting me interested in expensive purses, lol. I really couldn't have cared less before she introduced me to Coach. Anyhow, Sandy made an awesome cheese ball for us to snack on while I made us steak, sweet potatoes and grilled zucchini for dinner. The guys worked on the table right up until it got dark.

Sunday was spent doing a little more shopping up in Fort Collins. I took Sandy to Five Guys Burgers and Fries for lunch. That place is beyond fabulous. Their burgers and hot dogs are truly the best I have ever eaten. We got home that afternoon and the boys still weren't finished with the table. We sat in the yard and supervised while they continued to work until dinnertime. Clayton ordered us Chinese delivery and we ate while admiring their beautful table. Isn't it pretty? I love the fact that it weighs a ton. Our last table was really heavy but it blew off the porch during a wind storm and we had broken glass all over our yard. That won't happen to us again. This thing won't budge in the high winds and I am so thankful for that.

My newest acquisition

Florida, ahhhhh...

Florida. Doesn't that sound nice? I don't know why but I really see us moving there in the near future. No, we don't have anything lined up but it is really weighing on my mind. Clayton looked up jobs there (he's a chemical engineer looking for process engineering jobs) but nothing turned up. I have a feeling that will change though. Something is going to open up there (at least I hope so!). It's funny but this is how we got to Colorado. I just had a feeling that something would move us here and I was right. I hope that I am right again as I am sick of snowy winters, 1/2 day kindergarten (what a crock-everything in NC was full day), severe allergies, altitude and lack of beaches. Please God, if your will be that we move, let it be Florida! Ya know, it would really be great for us financially considering that we would get fabulous deals on Disney cruises since we would be Florida residents (they get super cheap offers for Disney vacations). I also might look at getting a job there if we move. I would love to work for the Disney vacation call center in Tampa or Orlando. That would be a dream job for me even though it probably doesn't pay diddly. I would do it just because I love planning vacations. My major at NC State was Parks, Recreation and Tourism Mgmt. with a concentration in commercial tourism. How perfect! Ahhhhh...I want Florida!!

A Tribute to My Sweet Surro-Girl (Trollbeads)

I knew as soon as I started looking at Trollbeads stuff, I would have to have this particular bead. This is the Indian Elephant and I got it yesterday. I want something to represent each of my kiddos and something to represent each of my surrobabies also. This one was chosen for surro girl because of her Indian heritage. I just love it! I hope to find something to accurately represent surro boy too. I would love to find a star of David or a dreidel for him because of his Jewish heritage. For my own kiddos, I will likely get ones that have their birth stones in them. Collecting these are so fun & addictive!

Mother's Day

I totally forgot to post about my Mother's Day. Let me tell you, it was FABULOUS!! Clayton really thought about it and made the day so much fun. He started off by serving me breakfast in bed. Hayden brought me a blueberry muffin and a cute card that he had made especially for me too. They gave me their gifts after I got out of the bath. I got a beautiful new Trollbeads necklace with 3 beads that each of my guys picked out for me, a new pink golf shirt and khaki skirt, a box of pink/purple/orange/yellow golf balls and Emerson gave me a potted plant with a pot that he decorated at school.

We headed out to church and then went out for lunch at a cute new place called Snooze in Fort Collins. That place rocked!! I couldn't choose between eggs benedict and the cinnful pancakes so my server offered to get me both. She gave me a half order of each and it was perfect. Let me tell you, those pancakes were exceptional. Here's the description:

Cinnfull Pancakes-glorious buttermilk pancake with white chocolate chips, drizzled with our homemade Bacon Caramel, vanilla cream sauce and topped with cinnamon butter.

They had me at "bacon caramel". Oh my gosh, I have never had such good pancakes in all my life. If you ever find yourself chillin' in Old Town, you definitely should check this place out. Please note that it is rather small and you will have to wait but it is soooo worth it! Also note their hours. It is referred to as an A.M. Eatery so they are not open for dinner.

Surrogacy and Disney Cruise #2

I am close to embarking on my 3rd surro journey. Stay tuned for upcoming details!!

We have already booked our next Disney cruise for the eastern Caribbean for 1/29/11-2/5/11 and we are super excited! The first day just happens to be Hayden's birthday also. It may have to move though if I am pregnant because you can't be past 24 weeks on the ship. That would be fine by us because then we would go even earlier. In that instance, we are looking at October 23 of this year. Whoo hoo!!

My Soccer Boy

Emerson lolligagging on the field

Big E started soccer last month and he is having a wonderful time being on his team. We love watching his games. The funny thing about him is that he doesn't always pay attention. The above photo shows him during an actual game. He is just standing there with his hands in his pockets, lol. It was really chilly that morning but he should have at least had his hands and feet ready for action. :P

I love my little soccer guy!!

The Boys

Hayden (7) & Emerson (5)

Level 2-Wilton Cake Decorating Class

I just now got around to uploading photos from my big camera. It took me forever to get a card reader and I couldn't get them to upload on my new laptop without one. :P

Anyhow, this was my final cake for the level 2 class last month. We had made the flowers weekly during class and then let them dry. I didn't think that I would enjoy making flowers but I did.