Hot Air Balloon Festival

This post would be a perfect opportunity to put up a really gorgeous picture of a hot air balloon, but that is not to be. Let me tell you why.
About 7 years ago I went to the Eden Hot Air Balloon Festival. I loved it! So, for the past 7 years I have tried to go and it usually corresponds with hunting season and does not work out.
Well, this year my mom was in town so J went hunting and I excitedly planned going to the Festival. It was Friday and Saturday.
We passed up Friday for various reasons and woke up at 5am on Sat morning to make the 1 1/2 drive to Eden. Woke poor Carse up and packed in the car for the day.
The lightning and driving rain would have turned most people around. But not us. I figured it would clear up. I was determined and if anyone has seen me in that mode... you would understand.
Got lost a few times. Ended up in Eden around 7:30am. No balloons. Talked to a sweet kid who told us to come back at 6:30pm as one balloonist was going to launch NO MATTER WHAT.
Drove all the way home. Carson was loving the ride. Went home took naps and drove BACK UP. It was sunny and beautiful.
Arrived at 6pm. Waited, waited, waited. No balloons. At 7:30pm I went and spoke to a pilot who said it was not going to happen. But, they would try for a balloon glow at 9pm. The music was horrible and the vendors were all at a different location(weird planning).
So, we made the drive back. Stopped for a concillatory peach frozen yogurt and tried to make it back before dark.
No balloons. It was so beautiful up there I am trying to convince my husband to sell our house, buy a lot and camp year round until we can afford to build up there.
I guess I will try again in the next 7 years.

Direct Order from my Etsy Shop

www.trendybendy.etsy.com

trendybendy

What I have been up to?? Well, a lot of sleepless nights and quick dinners as I start my small business...

The website and etsy are in the works, but in the meantime I have a few designs on http://www.trendybendydesign.blogspot.com/

I will also be hosting an open house in the near future--(tentatively, August 17th)I am offering interchangeable watch bands, watches, and bracelets at a reasonable cost.

It is so much fun--

I also just got picked up by Seasons Boutique on 10600 South and State --across from Southtowne Mall. They are selling my designs there--so make sure and stop by and check them out.

Let me know if you would like to host a party --people can pick their own watches or make them as well.

I am so excited about this new venture--all profits made go to invitro round #2--so we can try and get Carson a sibling (he is getting much too spoiled all by himself)

Thanks for your support! Tell your friends (website should be up and running by Friday)

Washington Trip

This was take #543...amazing huh? The other pics are funnier, with parents arms in, Carson crying because he didn't want to share the wagon, I think there may have been a bit of pinching, kissing, and grabbing.
From left to right- Shawn Jr 4 yrs, Baron 9 mos, Xarik 14 mos, Carson 18 mos, and Brooke 4 mos. While they look like we dosed them with Benadryl for the pic, it was actually quite a busy time with all these babies.
We all went camping and it was a blast! I was impressed with how well Carson did sleeping in a tent but I should remember he is his father's son and if he is outdoors he is happy.
He tried so hard to keep up with his cousin and ended up with a forehead full of bruises, a scraped up chin, and no skin left on his knees. At one point he had such a huge bruise on his forehead we were calling him Cyclops. But he was not deterred and had a great time!
Usually you go to Wash for milder weather, but temps reached all time records of 109 degrees with lots of humidity and not much air conditioning. Thank goodness for the hot tub turned "cold" tub or we would have all fainted.
While it was hectic, it was so much fun having all the boys together. And Brookie of course. She will either be spoiled rotten or one tough cookie... we are waiting to find out!

Washington

Washington has been great so far but it is HOT HOT HOT! Extreme temperatures and no air conditioning.

More later--ready to go jump back in the sprinklers.

Finches

The kids, not the birds.
This summer we have been able to have Faith and Jonah over on Wednesdays. It has been so much fun!
I find myself looking forward to Wednesdays more and more. Faith is almost 8 and Jonah almost 7 and they are a blast! Plus, they are so helpful with Carson... and he stays very entertained. We were even blessed with the company of Jake (12) last week since we went rafting and I guilt tripped him into coming.
Anyway....we do something different every week. The first few weeks it rained but amazingly the rained stopped during our outings.
We went to:
Wheeler Farm
Gardner Village for Petting Zoo and horse rides
Lake and rafting
We also have craft time and journal time during Carson's nap. The kids each have a journal where they draw pics to record all the things they did. Faith likes to include EVERYTHING.
The pic below is of her going "Podey".... yes, those are her underwear around her ankles. So funny!

Thank Heavens for Broken Dishwashers

I most always try to find the silver linings in things. But the fact that our dishwasher broke about two months ago and it is not on our immediate priority list to get a new one--I was not so happy.

I realize this is not the worst thing to have happen. After all, the first place we lived after we were married we did not have a dishwasher. Of course, we worked all day and really only needed to wash dinner dishes and had the time to do it together. Now, I feel like it is an endless battle.

Of course, today changed that. This last week I have been letting Carse pull up a chair and "help". I am not sure if the clean dishes are worth the pile of water on the floor and on him but how he loves it.

Today I had a big pile and I was going to wash them during naptime. Carson had other plans. With all of his strength he began pulling the chair to the sink. So, we started washing.

He actually was a big help today. He was very serious about getting all the bubbles off and laying them on the towel. I would then proceed to turn the dish upside down on the towel. Well, it only took him a moment to realize what I was doing and he began putting them upside down and then beaming at me with the biggest look of pride on his face.

Thank heavens for broken dishwashers or I may have missed teaching my kid how to help mommy with dishes and that look of pride that will make me smile all day.