Closet Chaos, Morgan's Recipe And Lake days.....

We were so excited when we bought this house because the master bedroom has this HUGE walk in closet. I mean it really is a small room. You could tell a women designed the house. :) We thought it was going to be so organized and neat and tidy because we had all this room.....ummmm.....confession time. All it did was give us more room to spread our junk around. We decided this past week to take everything out and make donate, trash and keep piles and get it all nice and neat.

This is the before............

Dan said,"Um honey why are we showing people our messy closet again?"
Because honey, this is real life! People live to see others dirty laundry aired! Get it? Your really seeing my dirty laundry, like literally. I know, I won't quit my day job.
Anyways, this is the after. For privacy sake and so my husband doesn't die of embarrassment I only showed my side of the closet. See, I'm obedient. :)

I used a bunch of cute baskets and containers to hold all my ribbon, candles etc. so I could see them and get to them easier. I even used an old fish bowl to store some material ribbon I use on gifts.

If you have an ice cream maker bust it out sister! It's like 100 degrees outside. UGH! If you have one it came with a basic vanilla recipe. We swap out the milk with vanilla almond milk and use a dairy free creamer in place of the regular creamer. Then in the last 10 minutes of the ice cream makers cycle we added gluten free graham crackers, marshmallows and dairy free chocolate chips. Ta Da! Morgan's S mores Ice Cream recipe. It is YUMMY!

Our church had lake day yesterday and it was so great! The water was nice and cool and the air HOT! The kids played and played until they dropped.

The dad's took the kids on the Kayak's. (Dan & Ryanne, Jade & Jase)

Our friends little girl Kali pretty in pink. She was loving us up the entire day. I think about three slobbery toddler kisses in and Dan was giving her the keys to the car. He's smitten!

Two friends got baptized which was so fun to be present for. Really neat! What a fun weekend. Back to the grind which we call school!

Back To The Grind....................

Schools out, schools out, teachers let the monkey's out......no wait that's what I was singing in May.

Schools in, schools let the insanity begin!!! Ya' that's more like.

Ryanne started 2nd grade and Morgan 5th. This is our 4th year home schooling and I love it more each year. Maybe it's because the kids are getting older and more independent or maybe because I am more confident in my ability to teach and not kill the kids in the process. I also like the fact that as they get older the subjects get more interesting for me. I mean let's be honest; none of us remember all the state facts or the history of all the wars. So it's like learning all over again.
When I meet people that tell me they could never home school I just smile and say,"Ya' I suppose it's not for everyone." But in reality in the back of my head I am thinking,"Good luck with that sister. The last time I told God I could not or would not EVER do something he called on me to do it!" Heck, that's how we ended up teaching the girls at home in the first place.
But never fear the girls only suffer slightly through the year. That is after they get done with their super fun PE class on Wednesdays, piano, ballet, art, and the science field trip to Catalina and Disneyland. It's a rough life but heck, someone's gotta live it! :)

"Mom, take my picture!"

Ya' forget that she TOTALLY lives up to her blonde locks and focus on the fact that she is posing in front of a map of CA at least! Ha!

Ya' were getting so much geography done now!

Our class mascot is laying down on the job..............worthless really.

"Hi mom! So ready to rock the 5th grade!"

"OK mom, go away now your bugging me. No really I'm so over it."

"OK maybe just one more."

Something funny Morgan said
Usually it's Ryanne that says funny stuff but Morgan is soooo drama right now so she may not think so but I think it's hilarious!
Me: BURP!! "Yuck that tasted like beans and bananas!"
Morgan: "Oh my gosh, you disgust me! Can I please roll down the car window so I can just jump out?"
He! He! I love messing with her. I'm the mom, that's my job!

Bye-Bye Summer Vacation...................

Good bye summer break. We'll miss you. You were a good summer break. Sniff, sniff...........
So many memories, it seems like only yesterday we were saying good bye to school for the year. *Sigh*
To cap off our summer we rented a cabin up at Hume Lake for a week. We just got back and started school on Monday. A week at Hume means so much to do.......

There were tire swings to swing from.......

Yahhoooooo!!!!!

Higher Daddy!

My mom went with us and so of course we tortured her every chance we got. :)
"Look Grandma, one hand!"

I made Dan take a turn. There is just something about flying through the air on a swing that reminds you how good it is to be a kid.

There were baby ducks to follow around and feed..............(6 to be exact)

We climbed to the top of Buck Rock fire look out. It is 172 steps straight up the face of those rocks.........the look out sways on the rock if the wind is blowing.......

We had a picnic at the bottom first................

The view is SOOOO worth the climb (and fear of falling) :)

Yup' it was high, the signs don't lie.

Did I mention my mom went with us and we tortured her? She is not a fan of heights so maybe this was a little scary of a climb for her. She did it though and was still smiling after.

These dandelions were GINORMOUS!!

That has to count for a LOT of wishes right?

There was camp to go to every morning and night............

Major photo ops............

Great reminders...................

Self portraits to take...........

Sister dips in the lake.........

Stand up paddle board to master........

If you have never done this activity might I suggest a "non-blustery" day?

Father daughter canoe dates out to the dam.

Ummmm....more self portraits?

Rocks to jump from.........

Mama deers who brought their baby around for dinner on our back deck each night......

Time with Grandma at King's river..............

Time to ponder life.............

Caves to explore............

Give me your, "I'm so excited vacation is almost over and we get to start school face!"

This is the cabin we rented. See the stairs to the right? I tripped and fell down those face first. Carrying a chair. Yup' I'm good.

Dives to master.............

Running front flips to master..........(just not this picture, OUCH!)

Cowgirl theme nights at camp to dress up for............

Time to hang out at the Hume Burger joint............

Ahhhhh....more photo ops..............

Silly pictures to take...........

Good bye Hume Lake........

Good bye summer vacation...............

Until we meet again.........*sniff*