Suzanne McGrath Photography

It's Been a MONTH!

Holy cow!  Can you believe it's been a month since I last posted?  Yeah, me neither!  But I just went to look at my last post and sure enough - it was June 12th.  In typical fashion, this post will be random.  Here goes...

1.  We had a birthday in the last month!  #2 finally became a teenager.  Can you believe it?!  I have TWO teenagers now.  That's just crazy.

 

At 13 years old, #2 is:

• sensitive.  She still wears her heart on her sleeve and I'm sure she always will.
• funny.  She has a great sense of humor and I love to hear her laugh.
• caring.  She takes great care of her sisters and our puppy and really does what is best for them.
• a chef.  She loves to cook and does such a fabulous job.  I need to utilize her more often!
• athletic.  She is such a great soccer player and so fun to watch.
• smart.  She does great in school with zero prodding from us.

I'm sure I could go on and on, but I'll stop there.  In short, she's fabulous and I just love her to pieces!

 

2.  Our road trip truly was EPIC!  I'm serious.  We had so much fun and I'm thankful for that because the girls were not exactly pumped to hit the road.  But after more than 2,500 miles I can say it was totally worth it.  If you have not done that trip or parts of it (Black Hills, Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons) you totally should.  For reals.

I'm not going to write much more than that and post a few pictures because I hope to write a detailed post or posts about it in the future.  My former boss gave me her family's itinerary and it was so helpful so I figure it might be good to write it all down for those of you who would like to do it in the future.  Because you totally should.

I will tell you our favorites, though:

#1 thought the entire day in Jackson was her favorite.  We started out whitewater rafting, went to lunch and shopped, and finished the day by taking the aerial tram to the top of Jackson Hole ski resort.  (It totally fits her personality that Jackson was her favorite.  I swear she'll move to the mountains some day.)

The aerial tram:

 

View from the top:

 

You must eat waffles at Corbets Cabin:

 

#2 loved whitewater rafting.  The end.  Her favorite.  (No pics because I didn't buy the digital negatives - I just ordered an 11 x 14.)

#3 had a tie between whitewater rafting and swimming in Firehole Canyon in Yellowstone.

Firehole canyon:

 

#4 loved our horseback trailside the most.  Now she insists she wants to take horseback riding lessons.  (I only see dollar signs but I'm torn because it is the first thing she has been interesting in pursuing since ever.)

Trailride at Blue Bell Stables in Custer State Park, SD:

 

The hubby's favorite activity was whitewater rafting.  

Mine was a tie between swimming in Firehole canyon and book-ending our trip with stays with friends.  Firehole canyon - there was just something that was so neat because it was "off the grid" and not many people knew about it.  So cool.  Major props to my former boss on that one.  (Thanks, Laurilyn!)  And spending time with some of our oldest and dearest friends and their family will always be a highlight for me!  We are so lucky to have such great friends that they will take us in - ALL SIX OF US - and still love us at the end of the day!

Friends in Sioux Falls, SD:

 

Friends in Denver, CO:

 

My college girlfriends and me (all sans make-up since it was a pool day):

 

3.  We got back from our epic road trip on Monday (the 27th) and turned around left for my mom's house that next Friday.  Yep, we only slept in our own beds for four nights before heading out again.  Of course it was worth it and we had a great time in Arkansas with my family.  We had decent (not perfect!) weather and lots of family time.  We were able to go boating, waterski and wakeboard, hit up the Farmer's Market, shop a little, eat too much, blow off fireworks, and watch fireworks get blown off.  I'd say that's a pretty great weekend if you ask me!

 

4.  We got back from our Arkansas weekend and then the hubby and I turned around and left for Lake Okoboji on Wednesday night.  Yep, only two nights in our own beds that time!  As in past years, we had a BLAST with our friends.  

Luckily, the hubby's parents were able to watch the kids for us and of course the kids got spoiled!  They went out to breakfast at t.Loft, went shopping and bowling, and had movie night every night.  I'd call that a success.   

As for us, we had so much fun.  We went for several runs by the lake, did some boating, went shopping, drank too many beers, ate at lots of fun places, sang karaoke (not me), played darts, and danced our asses off one night.  It's so fun to have friends that we have known forever.  One night we sat reminiscing over beers and I laughed so hard my stomach hurt.  Man, we have the best stories!  From stealing Iowa flags in the middle of the night to stealing golf carts, there's a story from every year.

 

5.  As for the kids and I, we are making the best of our summer.  We saw Finding Dory last week and loved it.  #2 - #4 have all gotten haircuts and #4 chopped hers.  (It's simply adorable.)  We've gone out to lunch a few times ranging from Freddy's to Costco.  We've spent major time at the pool with our numerous floaties - including our mammoth swan.  Today #4 got her ears pierced for the first time, #2 pierced her one ear that closed, and #3 pierced hers a second time so now she has two earrings.  #1 celebrated their ear piercings by getting a couple new pairs of jeans.  (Why do I feel the need to keep things even?!)  Sheesh!  

 

 

6.  There you go!  I'd say you're all caught up.  I hope you are having as great of a summer as we are having over here.  We have no crazy plans for the rest of the summer so I should be able to get back onto my regular Sunday night programming.  Also, I hope to get my epic road trip post or posts up soon - before I forget the good stuff.  Have a great week!     

Six on Sunday

I'm here to report we had a fabulous week down in Arkansas.  It really was nice and relaxing and fun.  All of it.  That's the short version.  Read on if you'd like to "hear" the long version/photo diary...

1.  We hit all the things I mentioned last Sunday...

Silver Dollar City:

 

Kayaking:

 

Lunch with just my mom and me:

We also walked through Crystal Bridges art museum, the kids and the hubby went for a hike (while my mom and I were at lunch), we spent lots and lots of time on the boat, my mom took the little girls to the movie, Max, while the big girls and I went shopping, we went out to a fun Mexican dinner, and lots of hanging out as a family.  

2.  My sister and her family joined us Friday morning for the 4th of July weekend.  We had perfect weather!  

Here are my little girls with their cousin in matching swim suits.  Cute, no?

 

My mom with all her grandkids:

 

We decorated the front of her house with flags - I love this look!

 

3.  We watched fireworks from the lake on July 3rd.  (The city of Bella Vista always launches fireworks on the 3rd which is actually really nice because then we had our own show on the 4th.)

What you can't see is how many boats were out there!  It was crazy.  And then it got so hazy from all the smoke that we couldn't see the fireworks for about 5 minutes or so because they were hidden by a veil of haze!  It really was a lovely night where we enjoyed pizza and appetizers on the boat before the big show.

4.  We went to the parade on the morning of the 4th.  The kids were in heaven because...candy.

 

 

Check out their pockets:

 

5.  I only went for two runs while we were down there.  I ran 8 miles on each Sunday and thoroughly enjoyed my time on the trails.  The first Sunday I ran by myself and the hubby joined me this morning.  Although I slipped in those two runs, it was really nice to take a week off from the gym or feeling any pressure to work out!  I truly think it's good to take a mental break every now and then. 

6.  Lastly, thank you all for the kind words you offered me after my post last Friday.  We definitely missed my dad this weekend.  He would have loved spending time with all us and being the captain of his beloved Black Pearl.    

We honored his memory and let his ashes go this past weekend.  We did it off the boat into the lake as he wanted.  We toasted him with a Miller Lite or frozen Snickers bar - depending on our ages.  I'm glad we waited to let his ashes go but honestly, it didn't make me feel any better.  I still miss him.  I will always miss him.  

 

I love you, dad.

Six on Sunday...Is it really July?!

Holy cow.  I'm blogging on the 7th day of the 7th month of the year.  How did we get here so fast?  And can we please slow it down a little?  Just for the rest of the summer?

OK.  Sit tight.  I've got a lot of photos this week.  Afterall, it was just the 4th of July!  So here goes...

1.  But first...a book update:  Anna Karenina.  Holy cow!  Could Tolstoy have been a little MORE detailed?  (In case you missed it, that was totally sarcasm.)  I mean really!  He goes on and on about farming techniques that Levin is thinking about.  O.M.G.  I'm seriously practically scanning those chapters.  I'm past page 400 so I have to finish, but it's a little challenging to pick up the book.  But I'm trying to force myself to do it.  I mean, I may have cheated and googled the ending, but still...I have to read it for myself.  

2.  Project updates.  If we are friends on Facebook (which are probably all my readers?!) you've already seen the picture of my deck with the fun lights.  But I'm going to show you again because I love it THAT MUCH!

I'll post instructions of how I did because it was so easy.  I think the part that took the longest was finding the right screws and bits for the screwdriver!

My kitchen.  It's getting an overhaul in the former of painted cabinets and hidden, European hinges.  This is what it looks like right now:

Yep - the doors are off two walls of cabinets.  The frames are now painted (3 coats!) and I spent a couple hours this afternoon filling in the hinge holes on the doors so I can sand and paint them as well.  Then I get to do this for another entire wall of cabinets and the lowers.  Yippee!  Thank God for beer.

3.  Last week the little girls went to my parent's house for a few days before the rest of us headed down to Arkansas for the 4th of July.  As much as I love #3 and #4 dearly, it was nice to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet around here.  They are TALKERS, man!  It was sooooo quiet without them.  I was able to paint cabinets AND relax on my deck!

(I've started watching Weeds again.  I stopped after season 2 or 3 and it was so long ago I didn't remember it very well so of course I started from the beginning.  That show is FUNNY.)

While I was relaxing, Darby was hunting:

Her animal of choice?  Birds.  So far she's caught two in the last two weeks.  She doesn't kill them, she just brings them to the door to show us and then drops them like, "See?  Look what I can do!"  

4.  We spent the 4th of July holiday at my parent's house - along with my sister and her kids.  We had a great time and absolutely perfect weather!  Their boat is docked on a lake that is formed by a dam.  The city of Bella Vista shoots their fireworks off on the dam on July 3rd.  So we all headed out on the boat that night to watch the fireworks.  It was really a lot of fun!

Here's the sun as it was setting over the lake:

Here's the scene about an hour before the fireworks started:

I'm not going to show you a bunch of pictures of fireworks because if you've seen one, you've seen them all.  But it was fun and they were pretty.

5.  The actual 4th of July started off at the parade in Bella Vista, followed by a day on the lake, dinner and dessert at home, topped off with sparklers.  Does it get any more perfect than that?  I think not!  And yes, I am totally one of those the glass is half full type of people.  I know.  I know.  Sometimes I am annoying.  But I just LOVE the 4th of July.  I love the colors - red, white, and blue - my favorites!  I mean, come on!  And I love what it symbolizes.  And I love that we get to just enjoy the day with each other.  SO MUCH FUN!

The fam...so sad the hubby's eyes are closed.  I couldn't tell on my iPhone.  

And now...pictures!

Here are my two oldest on the tube.  Love the tongues!

 

Here is my nephew tubing with my oldest.  They are so cute together!

 

This is #2 with her littlest sister.  Of course #4 was pouting about something.  Typical.  But she got over it, as usual.

 

This is my niece with #3.  The bumpier, the better!

 

Last tubing picture, I promise.  Here is my nephew and #4.  This is such a typical shot.  Before the boat can even begin to gather speed they immediately raise their hand and give us the "faster" sign:

So I said that was the last tubing picture.  I did not say that was the last lake picture!  Here are the three older girls on skis.  My niece was so excited because she finally got up and stayed up for long enough that we knew she finally "got it"!

Here's #2:

And #1:

I think we'll try to get her up on one ski next time.  She's pretty athletic.  We'll see how it goes...

And lastly.  I'm going to skip right to the dessert.  I made it and got the recipe from Iowa Girl Eats.  It's just cubed angel food cake, strawberries and blueberries, and Cool Whip.  The hardest part of this recipe was cutting up the strawberries.  For reals.

The best part?  If you have leftovers you can totally eat it for breakfast the next day.  Because FRUIT!

6.  I saved the best for last.  This whole long weekend wouldn't have been possible without these two:

Aren't they cute?  Thanks for the good memories, mom and dad!  Now rest up:)