Simple Pleasures

This past week was filled with every day things that keep us moving and going from sun up to sun down. Nothing really big happened, which I appreciate. Rich worked seven straight nights (Saturday-Friday) which left me a lot of free time with the kids, and I consider that a good thing. Though, I miss not having Rich around.

I took a variety of pictures over the week and as I looked at them, I knew that even though our days were more or less 'normal', they were brimming with happy times, good memories and most of all a lot of smiles. Sometimes the simple pleasures of life truly are enough....

* Matt and the girls ran into Lowe's with me on Tuesday while Trey was at piano so I could buy a few more flowers for the yard. He spied this cool cactus and I knew it was just the thank you he needed for running errands and helping me so often. He was so thrilled with his new plant that he took it in for Show and Tell at school the next day.

I wish we all could find joy like children do, even from a $3.00 cactus.

* Wipeout started again on Wednesday night. Trey had the DVR set a week in advance. I loved hearing the intense laughter from the basement as it aired. Over the next three days they boys kept pulling me to the screen to re-watch the best parts.

People doing silly stunts and falling all over the place make you giggle no matter what age you are. *Swim team: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. We hit the pool on Monday, Friday and Saturday as well.

Being outside and enjoying the gorgeous sunny weather while watching your kids swim and splash is a highlight of our summers here in Lexington.

* Baseball games took over. Josh played on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Twice we had Trey and Matt at swimming across the street while Josh worked hard getting runners out at first base.

I love baseball and my favorite meals in the summer are straight from the concession stand window. * Scribblers popsicles. I wish we could buy them by the truck load. Yummy!

You can't help but smile when you are gobbling up such a cool and refreshing treat. *I love working in the yard. I am certainly not the one mowing the lawn this year, but I love trimming the bushes, digging weeds and enjoying the beautiful blossoms.

Every few days the girls aske me when we can go and buy more flowers and plant them. They have their own pink spades. I love that they are turning into me! (I can't help myself when I'm in a flower shop!)* I asked Rich to pick up some meat and crackers (funny list) at the little Wal-mart on his way home from work (at 9:30 AM). He surprised me with these lovely roses.

Who doesn't love flowers from your sweetheart?!* I am SURE I will be getting A LOT of help from these little ladies when this baby arrives. Kaitlyn often calls Brynn 'her baby' and loves to take care of her. She's often found in the kitchen making sippy cups for her sad little one, who's napping in her (doll) crib.

Girls are SO different than boys.* Picnics in the living room are just as fun as ones in the park. Especially when they include no less than 24 popsicles!* Watching DVD's on the floor is a perfect way to relax in the afternoon, but beware of the lull of Barbie's songs. They might just sing you to sleep.* I know I can't spell, but man, I appreciate those who can. I watched an unbelievable amount of the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee. It's so compelling, and yet heart wrenching when these brilliant 12 and 13- year old kids miss their word. Oh the agony. I set our DVR for the final since Josh had a game. I watched until the bitter end and was sad when it was over.

Kavya Shivashankar, a 13-year-old from Kansas competing in her fourth National Spelling Bee, became the national champion by correctly spelling Laodicean on prime-time television Thursday night.

The 82nd annual bee attracted a record 293 participants, with the champion determined on network television for the fourth consecutive year. There was even a new humorous twist: Organizers turned the sentences read by pronouncer Jacques Bailly into jokes. Asked during the semifinals to use "noisette" — a type of food — in a sentence, Bailly replied: "Gail couldn't keep her eyes off the piece of noisette in her date's teeth." Later, Bailly offered this gem to explain a word that means something that happens once a week: "Stacy told Alex that his dating prospects would improve greatly if he started bathing more than just hebdomadally."

The day began with 41 semifinalists. Five were eliminated in one round, then 20 were wiped out in a round so brutal that officials were getting concerned there wouldn't be enough finalists left for the TV special.

*Life is good. Especially when you can enjoy the little things!!