Theme Monday...

Decided to do something fun each Monday...pick a theme and post random pics that match the theme. Most of the time the theme might be kind of obvious, but I might be feeling wicked sometime and make you guess! Me? In the mood for mischief? You must have stumbled on somebody's else's blog. heh heh.

I am going to post the pictures, and at the bottom I will tell you the theme. I am sure you will figure it out though!

Yep....COOKING!!

Just getting you warmed up. Pre-heating, if you will. Next week is going to be smokin hard! (of course pun intended..you had to ask?)

Any Given Sunday

Today was a typical Sunday for our family, and its the small everyday-ness that sometimes makes life so sweet.

We went to church. I was the last one in the car, as usual. Michael avoided the temptation of honking the horn. Hee hee. The mountains were just gorgeous, and I wished I had grabbed the camera for on the way. We stopped at McDonalds, and had an egg-mick-something. We were a little bit late for the song service, which Michael was happy to see, because he thinks they are a bit too loud and too long!

Headed home after church. Two of us wanted to eat in town and two at home. So we grabbed a bit of something at Arbys. Saw a couple of moose on the way, and two seals in the Kenai river. I could not believe it was not raining...that is like, almost three days in a row. Whoa.

Home again. Michael grilled some sausage for sandwiches, and put those together. I was sleepy and took a short nap while the rest of the gang went down to the lake. Michael mowed the lawn at the shoreline, and the girls caught minnows, and played tag with Dandelion. Chena caught a huge-striped minnow and wanted to show me but Penelope set it free too soon. Michael decided to take a nap in the sun, and the girls put Dandelion on the boogie board and let her be a surfer girl. She rode the board, splashed and played, and as Michael put it, she learned how to "hang ten".

We got the horses out on the grass, the new pasture which is also part of our huge lawn. They are very happy horses! And we need to let them get it now, because snow is coming soon.

Chena and Michael saddled up and headed out on a trail ride. Penelope and I went for a walk to pick up agates from the runway. When the sun is shining a certain way, they are easy to find along the way. It was a nice walk, but brrrrrr.....so cold in the shade. I found some pretty agates!

When we got home our trail riders were home, and they were unsaddling the horses. Found out why it had been such a short ride-Whisper threw a shoe out in the woods. She got her hoof caught on the root of a tree sticking out. Bummed out about that, because our farrier is out of town and our substitute just left for college.

Chena was not ready to stop riding, so she jumped back up on Summer, bareback, and headed back down the runway to catch the evening sun. Penelope, who had been wearing her riding helmet on our whole walk, eager for her turn, had to give up for today. She cheered up quick though, because Daddy decided to take her for a ride on his motorbike, and give her some steering lessons.

Guess we will have some leftover tater tot casserole for dinner. Maybe some clam chowder. Sunday dinner is usually leftovers, if we have any. Chena just came in and said she wants to make some pancakes too. Strange and weird dinner but sounds yummy!

Later we are going to pop some popcorn and watch an Andy Griffith episode on Netflix.

(Nah, too tame! We actually ended up turning all the lights in the house off, and played hide n seek in the dark. Tried to gang up on daddy, but he piled us all up in a huge tickle pile and declared himself the winner...AGAIN.)

More Fall Pics

I took a TON of pictures here at home, and really had fun. I thought I was done...but nope...the shutter bug in me came to life again on the way home from church Sunday. The sun was shining, and the rarity of the moment made me reach for the camera again. We stopped at a little park in town and the girls were happy to race into the woods, climb trees, play on the swings, etc. It was just a GORGEOUS afternoon.

My monkey girl

The woods were so pretty! I love the leaves growing up near the birch trees in this shot.

My poor patient girls would really rather be swinging!

There ya go!

Spouting Off with Whalewiches!

I don't deny it. I am all about fun. In this house, there are two ways to do something. The just-do-it-and-get-it-done way, and the do-it-and-make-it-fun-way. I know, I know, I am supposed to be the adult and things cannot always be FUN. (my friends tell me anyway). But I refuse to give up! If I can find a way to take something boring, like lunch for instance, and make it more fun and interesting, I am going to try. The girls are like that too, so put us together and its always a bit kooky around here.

So that is how we came to turn boring old tuna sandwiches into WHALEWICHES. Land HO!

Take tuna and spread it on a hot dog bun. Cut cheese into triangles and tuck in each side for "fins". Take a string cheese stick, and string it from top in various directions, about half way down. Insert in top of bun for "spout". You can use anything you have handy for eyes, but we used pieces of ham, and pickle. Super easy and sea-worthy! Hee hee.

Now eat with ENTHUSIASM!

(and don't forget to tell as many whale jokes as possible, right girls?)

Annual Fall Photos...aka School Pictures!

Each year I eagerly await our fall photo session. I have been doing this since the girls were tiny, and I enjoy it so much. I grab the girls, fresh batteries in my cam, and head down the trail behind our house. It has to be the perfect day, late in fall..but not too late. Lots of gorgeous colors in the leaves, berries, etc. Not after the colors are faded and defeated looking. Sun peeking out from time to time, but not too much glare. Ya know, the perfect day. And day after day this month, all it did was rain. I was waiting and waiting, and knew my days were limited for getting the pictures I wanted.

Then one day, the rain stopped. For only 3 hours! And in those three hours I flew around like a maniac, trying to get outside while it was nice. I'm so happy the weather cooperated with me, if only for a short time. I'll take what I can get at this point!

So here are a few of my favorite shots from this year's photo shoot. Grandparents, take note and tell me your favorites! In fact, everyone please let me know your vote-getters for your favorite shots. Pick 3 for me: your favorite Strawberry Girl (Penelope) and your favorite Flower Girl (Chena) and your favorite of the two together. Thanks in advance!

Some of the pictures that just grab me are ones where they are just being silly, giggly girls. Sisters who adore each other most of the time. But who love to bug each other and get under each other's skin. Girls happy and fresh and energetic. Girls sick of the camera. Girls rolling their eyes at their fussy photographer-wanna-be mama. You get the idea!

I started with the barn as my background, for a few shots.

I like this shot of my pensive dreamer girl. She is always dreaming big dreams, and this look is one I see often.

I like using the hay for a background too. It adds some texture, but doesn't take too much away from the subject.

These are just a little bit down the trail, past the horse pasture.

and down by toward our lake...

She looks sooooo cute in that hat.

Chena was grinning at her sister. Love that sly look.

Yeah, Penelope is pretty enthused about the hugging... hee hee.

Have you noticed yet I have a thing for HATS?

Uh huh. Had to have a few of these moments.

Goofballs!

And this was the last shot of the day. It was after I told them they were done, and they had eaten their marshmallow pies (yes, of course a bribe!) and run around like wild indians. I stopped them on the trail back home and begged for just one more shot. And ya know, it just might be my favorite of all of them!

Just a picture I like

My horse, Whisper, racing around and feeling good. I look at this and get that feeling of flying, and it makes me smile.

Sometimes I just feel like posting a picture that has no event attached. And you can bet if I choose it, it has a lot of meaning for me. I'm like that.

So from time to time, I am going to indulge myself and throw one out there. Forgive me!