Bugaloo shoes! You could win!

We are hoping to win a pair too! Aren't they cute!? Rori loves to wear this kind of shoe so cross your fingers and check out the site!

http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2009/06/bugaloo-kids-the-cutest-baby-shoes-and-you-could-win-some.html

Let's color

Isn't it funny how a change in weather can change your mood faster than anything else? We have been stuck in the house for what seems like forever due to insane heat and I know that it's really only been probably a week or so but our moods are all getting terrible being cooped up. I swear this cabin fever is worse than when we were stuck indoors with -18 degrees in Alaska! (Ah, those were the days) I have been sick for a bit now too so I'm sure that hasn't been helping my mood but I think I am finally starting to kick this cold too. I've always thought it was crazy to think of catching a cold when the weather is so hot! How does that happen? I think it's the AC 24/7 that sends my head into shock...Is it crazy that I'm praying for fall already when it's only June!? lol
From the time I was little, I can always remember being my most creative on days that it rained...I always had this uncontrolable need to color. Crazy huh? Now that I am an adult, things haven't really changed. I still have the urge to color only now I am redirecting my thoughts to sewing and crafting. Today I think I am going to actually get a few scrapbooking pages done!
I know people think I'm a bit crazy but since we moved here I have found the day-to-day heat and clear blue skies are really rather depressing. I think it goes back to the rythm of our days and life in general. When all you see is bright blue skies and intense heat is all you feel outside, there is really no rythm...no chance to "breath" in and out...it's all one extreme after another. I know some would think that is how Alaska would be too but it's really not. Things are slower in some way and from morning to afternoon things could change so much! It was always a joke that if you don't like the weather in Alaska, just wait a minute and that really is true. It took awhile to get used to having to take a jacket with you even on the warmest days but after a bit it became second nature, just one more thing about life in the extreme north. Maybe that's why we loved it so....Before I make myself sad thinking of what could have been (I'll save that for another day) let just enjoy the grey skies and rain....Let's color...

Solstice ball!

The girls are so excited about the Solstice Ball tonight! They decided to put Christmas lights out for the fairies to have "stars" and also some water and sunflower seeds to snack on...We'll see what happens when we wake up in the morning. We hope the party is a success!

Fairies among us!

"We thought you'd never clean up your mess! We came last night but there was no room around all the toys! And then, you were making so much noise instead of napping so we had to wait to sneak in again! The ball is tomorrow night! Why can't we see the stars at night? We miss the lights!

Love,

Sunny

P.S. Thanks for the snacks! Building is hard work!

Janie has been just bubbling over about this pretzel and how cool it was that the fairies took all those little bites out of it! She came up with the idea of putting up Christmas lights for their party so the fairies will think they are stars...so cute! The girls are so loving the new items the fairies left...a grill, ladders etc. I love seeing them and their imaginations pouring out!

What will those fairies do next?

How'd they do that?

Jason and I were sitting on the porch enjoying our morning coffee when J came out to say good morning. When she went back into the house I could see her through the window. She walked in slowly....stopped....and turned around running! She came bursting thru the door so excited and told me I had to come see what happened to the mushrooms! I told her I hadn't seen anything different and Jason hadn't seen anything either but she insisted that we come and see! How'd those fairies do that?!





The note read..



"I hope our pounding didn't wake you! We tried to e quiet but there is just so much to do! Summer is an exciting time of year and the Solstice ball is SO much fun! Thanks for letting us borrow your mushrooms. Please tell your mom we put hers back!

Love Fern

A Summer fairy"

A fairy ring

The girls got up from their nap and were playing in their room when I called them to the kitchen and asked if they'd seen my wooden mushrooms (which are usually on a shelf above the sink)...They said they hadn't seen it...so we searched the nature table...still no luck! Then we started searching the rooms and this is what we found!!! The fairies had collected mushrooms from around the house and put them in a fairy ring! How'd they do that!?



The card reads...

It's time for us to set up for the Solstice all but it's just TOO HOT outside! I hope you don't mind if we move the summer celebration indoors!

We'll be setting up the next few days but we promise to be quiet and stay out of sight!

Your friend,

Sunny

The Summer fairy

A sad day in our house...

I just feel compelled to share this information so no one goes thru the day I've just had.... For anyone using Nutro food for your dogs or cats PLEASE research it and/or switch their foods.... We have been having issues with our male cat not wanting to eat so we tried a different food (we had been using Nutro complete cat from the commisary) he seemed to be getting better so we weren't worrying....last night he came out of hiding (we've had company) and his eyes were watery, hair was falling out and he was SUPER thin...to make a long, heartbeaking story short - we had to have him put to sleep today.
Last week I had heard about another cat food recall from Nutro (including the kind we had used)and the vet couldn't say for sure but he felt that this could have very well been caused from this food. Now that I am researching it, I am horrified that we've been using this food and will be switching our other cat and dog off of it ASAP. I have used this food since I was living at home with my parents and it has always been a great food but recently there are hundreds of stories online just like mine...so to anyone I've ever refered to this food...please stop and try something else! There is no proof that this is what made Kaladi so sick but it's so worth buying a new bag of food...I wish we would have known!

Our house feels so empty...

The Perfect Storm

There are certain moments in life that are so unexpected but that couldn't be planned more perfectly if you tried...(this is a picture of an unexplained reflection! We never could figure out how it did that!)

The kiddoes were exhausted from our day of piratey fun and our patience as parents was wearing thin as we were all juggling clingy toddlers, persnickety eaters and a trying game of Monopoly with a frusstrated pre-teen. The night was potentially on a course for disaster when the distant rumble of a storm brewed outside too!

One particular clap of thunder (perhaps even combined with a beam of lightning flashed) made me scurry in preperation for candlelight mode. No sooner had we resumed our Monopoly game when the lights went out! I'm still not quite sure what made me think to bring a candle to the table, or to make matches handy for the storm wasn't tht tuned up yet, but I'm glad I did. Those cranky youngins turned into anxious weenies scared of their own shadows! We quickly illuminated the rooms and broke out some glow sticks for some lights out fun...

There is something to be said for the quiet that comes from a lack of technology (forced or otherwise). It makes you stop and realize what's imprtant, get creative and realize just how much clutter backround noise adds to the energy in a room. The lack of light makes you slow down in movement, not to mention tune into our own thought process that we seldom use in a world that seems to be in such a hurry for tomorrow that we forget to truly live today.

After our eyes adjusted to the lights (or lack there of) and the kids had turned their light sticks into swords, there was a calm in the room that felt so refreshing and oh so welcome! The kids and I sat down to tell some stories and the creative juices started flowing! I would say a sentence and then the kids would take turns adding to the story. They picked it up right away and the stories got more creative and colorful as they went!

After the stories started getting pretty repetative (lol) it was time to get the kids wound down and us adults brought out the guitars. We sat up for hours playing/practicing and had a really good time. Out of all the moments we had while they were here, I think that night is my favorite...it was the perfect storm!

One fish, Two Fish...ten fish?

I know we didn't "need" more fish but when I saw an ad on cheapcycle for a tank full of fish in need of a new home I just couldn't resist! There was a teacher that needed to find a home for her fish due to a move. She even delivered! Sorry the pictures aren't that great- they were NOT cooperating last night! We got ten larger fish and a TON of little guppies! We have little babies everywhere and the girls are loving it! The best part is, they have been so interested in the fish that they haven't even asked for tv this morning! Go fish!