InstaFriday...Our week in phone pictures

I can't believe it's Fountain Drink Friday already!  The first week of summer flew by!

Here's a little photo phone dump week in review...

reading outside...love it! 

This boy was DETERMINED to start a fire.  It was a little windy but he kept at it and eventually got it.  We are loving our little fire pit.  If it would ever stop raining here, we'd return to our outdoor living. 

Poor G.  Nathan realized last weekend that G is definitely old enough to start mowing the lawn. 

Every time Charlie gets on the swing he starts yelling for me to take a picture.  He loves these action shots.  Kinda cool. 

Nora headed out of town with a friend so we decided to do some BOY STUFF and went hiking at Oxley Nature Center. 

It was so much fun and the boys loved it. 

We found LOTS of ticks when we came home so I'm not so sure we'll be returning for a hike there anytime soon. 

When Nora returned we went on a "feed the ducks" outing.  Look at my kids all lovin' on each other!! 

We are keeping Josh's in business this summer!!  LOTS of snow cones have been consumed already.

Nora and I are working on a little dollhouse redo.  We've decided it's time for a summer makeover.  I love that she still loves the dollhouse.  She definitely doesn't play with it anymore but still loves to decorate it and rearrange the furniture.  She's got a little bit of me in her, I think. 

 

Happy Friday!!!

Have a great weekend! 

 

UPDATE:  I've never done one of those linky up things before but I just found this one that I think is too cool not to try.  So I'm linking up with Life Rearranged today.

  

© 2013 paperdoll designs
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Ramblings and a Thursday Picture Post

Happy Thursday!!

 

Today was a work FAIL.   I am SO glad I have a job that let's me work from home but it's way hard to work with 3 kids and 2 dogs coming in and out of my office.  I think my kids have gotten louder over the school year.  I do not remember all this noise from last summer.  They have also started asking more questions.  They ask A LOT of questions.  A LOT.

 

What are we doing today?

What are we having for breakfast?

Can we go get donuts?

What are we having for lunch?

What time are we going to do _________?

Can I have a snack?

Can I have a drink?

Can I go outside?

What time did you say we were going to do _____________?

Can you ask Charlie not to look at me?

Can you ask Charlie not to touch me?

Can you ask Charlie to be quiet?

Can I buy this app?

Can I rent a movie?

Can I download this book?

Have you seen my charger?

Can I have someone over?

Can I have someone spend the night?

What time did you say we were going to do _____________again?

Can we go swimming?

When are we going on a vacation?

Can we go get a snow cone?

Can we pretty please go get a snow cone?

 

and the questions go on an on......and on....

 

Not a lot of concentration up in the studio today.

Tomorrow I am thinking about working in my bedroom.  There is a lock on my door.



 

 

© 2012 paperdoll designs

Confessions of a Scrapbook Quitter

I've been dealing with some pretty severe MOMMY GUILT for the past 10 years.  It all revolves around these 2 books:

They are Graham's baby books...his first two years completely documented in pictures, arranged by date and detailed with journals. 

I have lists of all the visitors that came to meet him in the hospital.

Way too much information about his first pumpkin patch visit.

Every holiday...

 every cute outfit...

his first scribble.

His entire first two years...

 

This is Nora's book.

It still has the plastic wrap on it.  It still has some random girl in the picture frame.

I did manage to get a great spread of her cute little nursery.

Here is the spread from the day she was born.

nice, huh?

Poor baby girl.

 

For Charlie, I thought I was going to be smart and I did a digital book.

I was going to make a new one every 6 months to a year. 

That's his only book.

Poor baby boy.

 

So now, I feel a pang in my heart when I see a current scrapbook at a friend's houses.  When my kids say "Mom, where's my baby book?" I just act like I didn't hear them.  I have stacks of cds full of pictures and thousands of pictures on my laptop that give me serious heart palpitations.

 

This is one reason why I have gotten back together with my blog.  At least their pictures and some of the fun stuff we do will be documented here.  It's like an online scrapbook, right??  So, I guess those of you that are reading will have to bare with me once or twice a week while I post kids pics.  The little darlings are adorable...it won't be so bad! 
 

Despite the reunion with my blog, I still feel like I need to print some pictures.  I am contemplating at least printing off all of my phone pics and putting them in one of those smash books or something.  This mommy guilt is telling me I need some tangible form of a photo album so my kids will turn out normal.  Am I the only mommy out there that feels this way?  Can my kids still make it in this world without a baby book???

 

Have any of you tried any of the places that will print phone pics?  PLEASE, let me know if you have.  I'm anxious to give it a try.

 

 

 



© 2012 paperdoll designs

Picture Post

Our summer is off to a great start.  I'm already finding it hard to squeeze in any work with the kids home.  I need to get that figured out FAST....the orders are piling up.  My PaperDoll customers are the best!!!

I'm STILL cleaning out my picture files on my computer but I'm making progress.  These pics are from April so I'm getting there...

© 2012 paperdoll designs

THE LIST...SUMMER 2013

The list is in.  We actually crossed a few things off this weekend!

List maker that I am, I LOVE having a summer list.  It gives the kids something to look forward to and we have instant ideas for those "boring" days.  If you make a list, make sure your kids understand that you won't be crossing every item off within the first few days of summer.  It took my kids a summer or two to realize that we weren't racing to finish all the activities before the end of May!

Summer is a challenge for me because I want my kids to have fun BUT I also have to work and I want them to understand that I'm not here to entertain them 24 - 7.  This list of activities that we keep posted seems to help remind them that we WILL be doing some fun things this summer but we might not be doing them everyday. 

I'd love to here what you're doing this summer!!!

 

The idea of coming up with a Summer List is not my own.  I saw it on my favorite blog years ago.
 

 



© 2012 paperdoll designs

This is not a foodie blog...

I am fully aware that this is not a food blog.  I am lacking in cooking skills for sure.  We do not eat fancy meals in this house.  We eat kid friendly food that will keep the "gross" comments to a minimum.  However, I am on a mission to cook more and to eat out less.  Our main goal is to save money but we'd also like to be healthier in our eating habits.  I thought I would try posting our weekly menu board here on Sundays as a way to hold myself accountable and because I think there might be some of you out there in the same boat.  If meal planning is new to you, you can just use my menu for the week.  I'm happy to share!

Sunday:

beef stew...not really stew season but it's been in my freezer and it's time to use it

Monday:

Banana Pancakes...one of my FAVORITE breakfast meals!  Get the recipe here

Tuesday:

Parmesan Dijon Chicken...I've been cooking this for years and I think I got the recipe in a very old Betty Crocker book that we got as a wedding gift.  So easy and very yummy.  I am sure there are tons of similar recipes out there.

Wednesday:

Grilled Salmon & veggies...Nathan makes the whole dinner on the grill.  It's one of my favorites but Nora will say "gross" for sure.

Thursday:

Spaghetti Squash...this will only be my 2nd time to do a spaghetti squash.  We really liked it the first time.  Have you tried this?  It's really pretty cool.

Friday:

Pizza...probably out but maybe we'll make our own.

Saturday:

Mexican Layered Dip...this is one of Graham's favorites and he's been begging for it.  I know it's really an appetizer but we love to have it for dinner.

 

What are you having for dinner this week?

 

© 2012 paperdoll designs

SCHOOL'S OUT!!!

It's been a great school year for all three of my little darlings but we are all very excited to be starting our summer break today!!  Here's a little recap of the last few days for Nora & Charlie.  I didn't get any pics of Graham because 6th graders are way too cool for moms with cameras.

 headed to kindergarten graduation in style!

his moment at the mic

starting out the candle tradition with a candle in his quesadilla!

 I've been meaning to make my kids these shirts for the last day of school since Graham was in kindergarten.  I FINALLY did it!  Charlie had a great year!!  We are REALLY going to miss his AWESOME, ADORABLE, AMAZING teacher.

 Nora had a great year too!  STRAIGHT As ALL YEAR deserves a candle in her spaghetti for sure!!

We took these jars of chocolate covered pomegranates to the teachers on the last day.  I tied on a little chevron scoop from Sucre Shop and I confess it was really hard for me to give those adorable scoops away.  I'll be ordering a set for myself right away.  Aren't they the cutest?

 

HAPPY SUMMER!!!

LET"S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!!

© 2012 paperdoll designs