SO not clear....

Sorry. That last post was sooooo not clear! I totally re read it today. Kerri's exchange student, is from FRANCE. The Korean food had NOTHING to do with her exchange student other than the student was there with us. The food was a thing that Kerri just learned from a Korean woman that she knows. My little sister is Korean, and I like these foods. So I wanted to learn. Because even though my sister IS Korean, she was 3 months old when she came to us, and she doesn't know how to make Korean food. So now, her HISPANIC sister, who can't make tamales knows how to make Kimchee! So much clearer now.
I know.
Here's a little tid bit to make things even clearer!
That exchange student I told you about? She's black, and goes by Seynabou (say nah boo) and her Father lives in Africa! So when people see her, and hear that she's an exchange student, FRANCE isn't the first place they think of. LOL
WAY clearer.

I
KNOW.

on a totally different note-
This book I just read,Stopping at Every Lemonade Stand and it's the inspiration that I had to FINALLY get off my hiney and HAVE A BLOCK PARTY for the whole block. I bought hot dogs and soda, and chips, and printed out some paper invitations with the time and day. Well, that was today. All of the houses I put out an invitation to CAME except for two. I had TEN neighbor's households in my front yard today, and ALL of them thought that my idea was a great one! My next party is going to be in October, and we are going to have a Pumpkin Carving Party. With a fire in the fire pit, and hot cider with cookies. Yummy. There will be people there! I know, because they all loved my idea. If you haven't had a good read lately, and like those books that make you feel empowered, have a garage sale with a REALLY slow day, and then read a book. I recommend Stopping at Every Lemonade Stand.

School is coming

some of you have already started school.
some of you have been back to school for WEEKS!
I can't imagine.
I can hardly imagine starting NEXT week!

both Ian and Josh start next week.
We have the school supplies
We have our shoes
We have our coats
We have our lunch boxes
We have the teacher's gift
We have our clothes.

Still.
it seems like summer was SO fast!
I mean, I know that we were busy and all,
but summer was FAST
like
*blink*
whoops! Where did that go?
That's it.
I must've blinked.
because it's time for school. not that I'm not looking forward to school, just that it snuck up on me really
really
r
e
a
l
l
y
FAST
in three more years, I won't have anyone who ISN'T in school.

on another note:
I just read a book called Stopping at Every Lemonaide Stand. It was THE BEST. I loved it. made me feel like I can make a difference on person at a time. More importantly, one kid. Kids have a special place. in the world, and in my heart. for this reason, I am looking forward to school. because that is where the kids will be. and I
CAN
make a difference.

Note number three:
My friend Kerri was just here to stay the weekend with her newest foreign exchange student. She was so much fun! I love having the chance to meet these kids from other countries. Had so much fun visiting with her. and Kerri too. Kerri taught me how to make Kimchee and Bulgoulgi (not sure if that's spelled right)and we had Oysters. What a dinner that was! Oysters, Kimchee, Bulgoulgi (a Korean Beef dish), BBQed chichen for the weenies that won't try new things in my house, and rice. MMMmmmmmmm. good.
reeaaaal good.

That's about all I have on the brain right now.
For those of you who are wondering-
The garage sale was good,
I made some money.
I shut down a day early.
Still sold a lot.
Paid the things I needed to WITH the money.
have some left.
Planning a block party with the left overs.
and got RID of a ton of junk that I didn't want. took it STRAIGHT to the thrift store. outta here. gone. see ya!

Getting Ready for GARAGE SALE

I'm getting ready for a garage sale.
I'm really glad that I've gotten most of it taken care of because it's a lot of my ebay store stuff.

I've closed my ebay STORE for now.
I still plan to sell there, but just my art and hats.
For now,
I'm going to pour myself into Josh's school,
and teaching Macs for Preschool.

I'm going to focus on the things I love.
Art,
Books,
Reading,
Gardening,
Holidays.... (don't even get me started on HOLIDAYS.....look out new neighborhood! I've got
D E C O R A T I O N S!)
My kids.
Other people's kids
My community.
This is a year for putting down
R
O
O
T
S
nice
L
O
N
G
r e a c h i n g
roots.
SO....
I'm starting by purging the house of all the things we don't need or want,
the weeds.
That way my roots will be able to go far.
Won't be around to post anything new for a few days....

rachel

I've gotta lay off the reading

Dude. I gotta stop reading other people's BLOGS! I keep getting TAGGED. So- here's my newest tag reply....

If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be? I'd really like to build in the country on a few achres. Just enough for our family farm... nothing too big.

What's your favorite article of clothing? I like my capris jeans and pink sundress turned top.

Favorite physical feature of the opposite sex? Back and Shoulders
What's the last CD that you bought? The last CD I bought was the soundtrack to the "new" Charlie and The Chocolate Factory.

Where's your favorite place to be? With my husband. On our front porch watching the rest of the world walk by.

Where's your least favorite place to be? Shopping with my boys.

What's your favorite place to be massaged? Shoulders

Stronger in mind or strong in body? I am stronger in heart. But I'm not pansy push over either! LOL

What time do you wake in the morning? Too early. Actually, not early at all. Just sooner than I WANT to be up. Once school is back in, I'll be getting up at 6:00 *crossing my fingers*

What's your favorite kitchen appliance? My coffee pot

What makes you really angry? Child abuse. Neglect is the one I REALLY get fired up about. I also hate HATE H A T E men who do not treat their wives as a partner.

If you could play any instrument, what would it be? I want to be able to play the GUITAR.

Favorite color? Orange (sorry kelli)

Which do you prefer, sports car or SUV? I’d REALLY like to get an SUV that runs on Bio Disel

Do you believe in afterlife? Yes. I believe in Heaven and Hell.

Favorite children's book? The Very Busy Spider

What is your favorite season? It might surprise you with all my gardening and flowers, but I love the fall.

What's your least favorite household chore? Laundry. but Travis and I have traded. Laundry for Trash. I take out the Trash and go to the dump, he does the laundry. Of the chores I still have to do? Dishes. blech....

If you could have one super power, what would it be? Mind Control! LOL No, Super Speed.

If you have a tattoo, what is it? It's easier just to show you....

The one person from your past you wish you cold go back and talk to? My gramma. She was an amazing woman. I want to know how to make tamales, and to hear more stories about her as a young woman.

What's your favorite day? Birthdays. The BOYS birthdays! LOL

What's in the trunk of your car? I have a stroller and three
birdhouses that Ian made at summer camp.

Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger? I'd eat a BBQ burger ANYDAY, but I do like some Sushi too.

Still Reading this? Consider yourself TAGGED! C'mon, play along...

Blackberries

Just around the corner....
In the middle of town....

We
found
Blackberries.
Blackberries!!
Even for the stickerbush avoiders,
dude.
They are BLACKBERRIES.
bet you can't eat just
O
N
E
I even let Josh go get some in a bucket.
So big.
Six. gettin berries.
all
by
him
SELF.
There are blackberries in a bucket under our chins in the picture of the two of us. Josh's face was WAY cuter than the berries.
They
got
CROPPED.
Sorry.
Sue Me.
look at the face. you won't be mad for long.


This
is a picture of Josh's FAVORITE kind of blackberries.
Which really AREN'T black at all.
Red.
Redberries.
Those are the good ones.
The sour ones.
nature's version of every popular candy out there right now.


Your Honor:
I'd like to enter picture #3 into evidence.
as CLEARLY pictured in this photograph,
the accomplice, here after reffered to as Macs,
did not, as he suggested,
HELP
with the berry PICKING.
In fact, as the picture indicates,
he
helped.
WITH THE EATING....
I'd like the jury to pay special attention to the staining and discoloration
on Macs' SKIN
and under the NAILS, your honor.
This staining is consistant with
the staining that occurs when one picks a berry roughly.
when berries are picked roughly,
they squish.
and as we all know,
squished berries MUST
must
M
U
S
T
be
e a t e n.....
NEVER
put in the
bucket.
May the Jury Here by find the Defendant, Macs, Guilty of 1 count in the 2nd degree of EATING,
and 1 count of failing to bucket the berries.
The Prosecution rests.

Honoring 9~11 Victims

I came across a really neat and ambitious blogger who has started a project called 2,996. It's a project that asks for volunteer bloggers to sign up to the porject, and to post something on 9~11 this year honoring ONE victim. The site will assign you a person to honor, and give you information about that person and their lives. I have signed up, and I urge all of you to go and sign up as well! It's a really neat thing, and the count for participating bloggers is up over 1,500! Please help this blogger and add his site to your blog so that even if you choose not to participate, others can decide for themselves. click here

Up In the World

"Look Mom! I throw the ball up in the world!"

Everything in the sky is up in the world for Macs.

Balloons are "floating up in the world"
Butterfies are "like a angel up in the world!"
Birds are "flying up in the world!"
Clouds are "beautiful up in the world"

I had this post all ready to go yesterday, and then blogger lost it into cyberland. I had such neat thoughts in it. I sounded so deep! LOL I had all this neat stuff about how big my baby is getting, and that
I
am
not
~do you hear me?~
NOT ready for him to grow "up in the world"
I'm not ready for that.
I feel like a momma bird, who is trying to keep her last little baby from leaving her nest.
God has made all these beautiful things up in the world.
Things that Macs wants to go out and see...
but I want him to stay with ME.
be little and sweet
with ME.
Marvel at the things up in the world,
but not go out too far in it.
I know one day I'll have to.
I'll have to let him fly.
but right now,
I just want to savor
enjoy
press pause
take it ever so SLOW.
because I like to hear from
about things that a two year old notices are up in the world.
Like
Balloons....
and Butterflies....
and Birds...
and Clouds....
and Football. 

NO PICTURES!!!!

My sister was here for THREE days.
I told my sister.
We need to get pictures while you
ARE
H E R E....
she says OK.
lookie here.
No
Pictures.
s
p
o
o
t
y
WAAAAAAAAAY
spooty.
dude.
I had the best time with her!
She got here on Friday, and
we stayed up late watching movies everynight!
I got her hooked on Nanny McPhee.
Saturday we went to the beach, and
SHOPPED.
Sunday, my mom and dad were over, and we went to a town near here, and
SHOPPED
and
ATE
I had such FUN.
I haven't been able to spend that kind of time with my sister in YEARS.
She's starting college for her masters in a few weeks, and I bet it will be another few years before we can get together for a weekend.
Aaaaaah.
the lives of the grown up.
spooty.
At anyrate, you'll just have to
believe me that she was here, because I have
NO
PICTURES
to prove it.

rachel

Seafood smorgusboard

I have younger three cousins over from Travis' side of our family. They are the best behaved girls I have ever met. I have enjoyed everysecond that they have been here! (one of the reasons that I haven't blogged lately!) I brought them home with me from Travis' family reunion, and they are here until the end of today. On Tuesday, we went to the local fish markets and got a few seafood items that they had not tried. Let me just say that I was impressed to see how willing they were to even entertain the IDEA of eating squid. We had a seafood feast! They tried Calamari, Octupus, Crab, Steamed Clams, and Pike. There was nothing left in ANY of the dishes, except the Pike, and that's only because we all got FULL. It was so much fun to share a bit of my ocean with them. And watching them eye those tentacles on the octupus was worth every bite! Great company, and good eats. I love life at the Beach.

Getting out my Sillies

My mom and I do crazy things. I never really think about them when we do them.
But
I was looking at pictures in my Picassa folders, and realized that we are really silly. Here's a few picks just so you know I'm not just saying.....



Ok! so there you have it. and on another note, I'm not going to be around for a day or two. Going to TRAVIS' family to show them how silly I can be. 'course, over at the reunion, I have
COMPETITION.......