What a blessed thing!  When you have had insane heat it is such a relief! ;D  The kids…specifically Ava…have taken to wanting to play out in it.  Laney likes to…as long as there isn’t thunder or lightning.  She’s terrified of both. ;D  I don’t really like them going out when there is lightning.  But I do want them to enjoy the rain.  I captured her out in it the other day.

It never fails…I take my camera, no one cooperates, weather, sunlight, subjects (ehem, namely my eldest daughter), whatever!  I DON’T take my camera and everything is just perfect.  What is up with THAT?   Seriously.

We went to the dog park this morning.  It was so nice.  Cloudy. 62°.  A very nice break from the insane heat.  Everyone was in good moods.  Skits could actually run…and not be limping and whining from his “recent procedure”.  And I didn’t bring my camera.  Typical.

I do have some photos from yesterday.  I took the girls hiking on The Rock in Castle Rock.  It was hot but we went early and were mostly in the shade.  It’s not a bad hike but I’m still having days where I just don’t feel up to par.  That day was one of ‘em.  But I pushed myself and we made it! ;D

In other news…I will soon be selling my designs at My Life and Scrap!  Insert the Chandler Dance! ;D  In an effort to make everything current I am going to be closing my store here on my blog for a time and taking down my freebies.  Some of these products have been around for awhile and I want to do some updating.  Please bear with me as I update things and get things going over there at My Life and Scrap.  Meantime you can stop by my store at DSM and purchase some of my newer designs!  Thanks for all your support!

…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!

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…

I have been working.  The problem is…I can’t really show you because I’m not done and the product isn’t released yet.  Sometimes that is frustrating.  Having the kids home from school is definitely throwing a different element in the mix.  So I work and we go to the pool and relax and we do it all over again.  So far it is working.  I think I like relaxing by the pool the best. ;D

A layout I have been working on with products soon to be released…;D

And then just some pictures from recent days…

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!

Baxter is not a water dog.  We think it might be because he can’t stand to be cold.  There is a creek running along side part of the trail at the dog park.  The girls always wanted Baxter to get in but we tried to explain to them…he’s just not a lab! ;D  After we got Skits…seeing his personality…Corey said if either dog ever got into the water it would be Skits first…then Baxter would follow.  He was right.  Today it happened.  They both got in the creek…Skits leading the way…well not in THESE photos.  Once Baxter realized it was fun he was all over it!  The girls were THRILLED!

Skits is completely photogenic.  NOT Baxter.  When I get near him with a camera he moves or looks away or actually bolts.  Not Skits.  Skits poses.  He DOES!  Case in point…

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…