I’ve told you before that when I get out the camera to take photos of the dogs Skits poses and Baxter runs away.  It makes me laugh.  You might wonder why I have more photos on my blog…cute photos anyway…of Skits and why I have layouts, and the kids do too, of Skits and not Baxter.  Same reason.  Better photos cause he poses.

The other evening Corey and the kids went outside to play catch in the front yard.  We have a window seat in the formal living room that the dogs like to perch in and watch the goings-on in the front yard.  I found the dogs perched there watching.  I grabbed my camera to capture it.  As soon as I returned Baxter ran away.  Skits turned and literally “posed”.  Here he is…

…the photos from our home fireworks show.  I love that we can buy fireworks here in Colorado.  In Maine we were lucky if we got a box of sparklers for the 4th. ;D  We got a large pack of fireworks on sale this year and there were a ton inside.  You know its pretty good when the neighbors come out and watch.

Having fun playing with long exposure time.  I told the girls to not move…but move the sparklers.  So much fun to do this!!!!

I’m so thankful I have Corey who will light these things.  Cause even tho I will participate…I hate lighting them.  I especially hate the loud ones and I hate those freakin popper ones…the little white ones that you just throw at the ground and they snap really loudly.  The girls just LOVE THEM…even tho they are the most simple things on earth and Corey will do all those nice loud ones with them.  When they come out…I disappear inside.  Thank goodness for a fun Dad! ;D

After almost a year…my Kia is finally fixed and running again.  Oh man is it ever nice not to be doing the one car thing!  Why so long you ask?  Well it needed a new engine…and they aren’t cheap!  Don’t ever buy a Kia.  Just sayin’.

So we drove my little suv over to Roxborough State Park today and went hiking.  So when I say back to normal I mean we are starting to do more and more outdoor adventures like we used to…before I got sick.  And it feels so good…AFTERWARD.  During we have to listen to the girls complain how horrible their lives are and they can’t take one more step.  Then when we get home they are like, “That was the best day ever!”  They make me laugh!  They were saying how much they have to write about over summer break when they go back to school.  In an hour they will be saying how bored they are.  Oh, to be a kid!

Corey really does have the best ideas. ;D We were trying to decide where to watch fireworks for the 4th.  Lots of places were firing them off on Saturday the 3rd.  One of those places was Glendale…which just happens to be where Corey’s office is.  In a high rise.  On the 15th floor.  Facing the directions of where they were going to shoot off the fireworks.

We avoided crowds, parking problems, noisy people, mosquitoes and enjoyed comfy office chairs, air conditioning and hot chocolate!  Oh yeah…and we could see the fireworks just perfectly!  The 15th floor offers some advantages…and so does a private parking lot and a badge to get in the building.  What a neat way to watch them! ;D

My only issue…I still can’t exactly figure out my new camera when taking photos at night.  So these aren’t the greatest photos…at least not how I like them! ;D

Two weekends ago we took the doggers to another dog park.  This one is further away…but…it is off leash and in the mountains! ;D  So we took the 45 minute drive to investigate.  Yeah.  It rocked.  It has fenced in areas so you can rest easy about your dog running off.  But.  It also has just regular hiking paths in the woods and if your dog is under voice command…which our are thank goodness!…then you can be on the trails with them off leash.  Oh man was it ever fun and nice.  We got a little hiking in…and didn’t have dogs on leashes…which really rocks!  Yes.  I said rocks more than once…but it DID!

Skits is total outdoors dog.  I mean he is anyway…he loves going outside all the time…even in the snow and rain.  But he was like all over the woods and hiking and climbing rocks and doing crazy stuff.  Following the kids everywhere…even up big rocks!  He is a wild man! ;D  And very entertaining!

Oh yeah.  In other “Skits news”…he caught a bird the other night.  He came up to the back door and “presented” it to us (like cats do).  He was like, “LOOK what I got!”  He’s moved on from snakes cause he has killed all of them in our yard.  He is crazy! ;D

And here’s a layout I did of some photos of Ava on our hike…

Monday we did a little of everything.  I’m feeling it now.  I mean…I’m feeling better overall…but apparently I can do too much.  I guess I wore myself out.  We biked 4 miles, went to the pool and then took the dogs for a walk.  Then I took the girls to the pool yesterday.  I got too much sun and a sunburn.  I’m wiped out.  But so so glad to be able to be doing things! ;D

First.  If you came to my blog yesterday or earlier today you may have seen my post (that I have since deleted) about my new store at Digi ScrapBook Mania.  Well.  I messed up.  So it will not be opening until next Monday.  Stay tuned! ;D

Second.  We made our debut at the pool this season yesterday.  It wasn’t the warmest of days…but we were tired of the constant nagging from the girls.  So we went. ;D  Our new pool has a diving board and two slides!  What fun!

You don’t need to have sons to play catch…not in our house anyway!  The girls were throwing the football around with Corey tonight.

See…Laney’s even got her Broncos shirt on!  With an expression that says, “Bad throw!” ;D

Which then turned into yard work…

Yesterday we were involved in a car accident.  Someone rear-ended us on our way home from church.  I’m very thankful we drive a Volvo.  Very safe cars!  We are all ok…just fyi.  I think Ava has the worst of it.  She has a pretty bad headache and a goose egg on her head.  We are watching her.  In any case…the funny story…and yes I am trying to put one out of this because right now this is our only working car…thank goodness it is still drive-able…the funny story is that as we were sitting there I took out my phone to take a photo of the girls and Laney shrieked, “MOM!  Why are you taking a picture of this horrible time in our lives!!!!!” Which was my first thought exactly!  But after…ehem almost (whisper just for you Jeni) dieing…I was thinking why don’t I take pictures of everything…including the bad???? ;D

I also have a new product in the store.  It is a doodle pack called Little Sweeties.

I hope you have a GREAT Monday!

I’ve been feeling kinda rotten since I got out of the hospital.  Just frustrated with how slowly it seems to be taking to get better.  No magic pill to take…you know.  But today was sunny and warm and I thought maybe if I sat outside for a little while it might make me feel a little better.  It did.  Now I still can’t run any marathons or anything but something about sitting out in the sun…does wonders for my soul.

When I downloaded my camera tonight I was very surprised to see that I had over 160 photos!  Granted it was Mother’s Day…not that we did much given the circumstances.  But for some reason I was feeling great behind the camera and everyone was cooperating well. ;D

Here are just a few I’m going to share.  Of course there isn’t room for all 160!