Up- Side-Down House

My house is in disarray as we get the natural wood floors done in the living room.  The garage is full of stuff. Te kitchen is full of couch, piano, table ..  What a dang mess!!!!!!

But it should be done by Friday.  

Thank goodness I was at work yesterday.  One less day I had to deal with it all!  But, work was crazy!!  Seems like it is always like that whenI am there!   The NICU gods are tormenting me.  There was a pot luck at the end of work yesterday for our manager, who is leaving this week.  They have an excellent gal replacing her,

One of these evening we shall go to the the fair.  Curtis already went on Monday evening to help our friend man the photo displays.  

Late Night Storms

Awake for a while in the middle of the night, due to a VERY loud thunderstorm.  The thunder shook the house.  Not sure if we got hail or not, but the rain was torrential.
Had two very busy shifts at work over the weekend.  But, Saturday, I came home to a yummy meal with grilled salmon and prawns.
We have had to pack up and move everything out of the living room, as the carpet has been removed and we are having the wood floors redone.  Look forward to seeing the end result.

Pictures are from a storm we had last week.  We were on the outskirts of it, experienced the wind and rain.  But, other areas had damaging hail.

Home For a Visit

Caitlin is home for the next week.  She worked extra on most of her days this week, so she could leave early yesterday and head for MT.  She got 100 mi. west of Missoula and had to stop at a rest area and sleep some.  She was back on the road early this morning and home by 11am.  I had just got back from the grocery store and doing some watering of plants outside.  Another hot day, into the 90's.  A cool down for this next week is muchly anticipated. 
She packed no clean clothes.  Just brought home a hamper full of dirty clothes.  You think she was still in college or something.  H&N were excited to get over here and see her.  And she got to meet Mr. C for the first time.  H is spending another weekend at nana's.  Too bad nana has to work all weekend. 

Good Morning, Thursday!

I had such a busy day at work yesterday, couldn't even face my blog last evening.  So, you get a post this morning.  Sometimes I think I am getting to old to face the work load in the NICU.  YEs, I can do it.  But it takes a toll on this lady.  Hopefully the weekend will be a little calmer!
So not much else to report on.  But there was a wild storm pass through last evening around 9pm.  It kind of skirted around the city and we got the wind and the rain from it.  Others got damaging hail!!!

Have the munchkins today. They will keep me busy.  

Another little layout:  H&N taking a ride in Nic's car.

Papers-Echo Park(Playground-Red Rover)
            Pink Paislee(Tinsel Town Collection-a Christmas Carol)
            Pink Paislee(Queen Bee Collection-Worker Bee)
American Craft Thickers
Stash Buttons

Still Creating

Lately, not much time for creating.  Although I did get a couple of layouts done today and will share one with you. 
Today was a day to clean up the house.  At least vacuum through and mop floors.  I can't believe how dirty the water is when I get finished. 
Fit a little ironing in there too. 
Sometimes it is good just to have a day to oneself!!!!

The layout is of H. Kindergarten Spring Program.
Lots of photos to try and fit on the double page layout.  Hidden journaling on a tag behind a photo. 

Product use:Papers-Bazzill cardstock
                              Simple Stories-Documented
                              American Craft-Amy Tangerine-Yes Please
                    Cosmo Cricket-Tiny Text
                    MME
                     Prima
                     Glitz Design-Teeny Slphas
                    Title is Echo Park stickers
                     LYB-Doilie

Happy Birthday, Tim

Today, is Kirsten's husband-Tim's birthday!!!  Which he will now share with the new royal baby. 

No big celebrations, as he was working his 2 jobs today.  Harlee thought he should be able to have the day off since it was his birthday. 
Curtis left early and is on the road tonight.  I picked up Kirsten and headed out to Home Depot.  I needed some boxes.  Having my wood floors redone next week and need to pack up a few things so they can move furniture-  everything out of my china cabinet, all my santas,  my teacups, some books, and all our CD's.  Hopefully I have enough.  Then we visited Target to pick out school supplies for the munchkins.  Barely a month and they will be back to school.
Kirsten brought the kids over later this afternoon and they played in the pool and had dinner with me.
Had a call from Kirsten after they got home.  Harlee lost her 2nd top tooth.  It won't be easy for her to eat corn on the cob this summer!!!!

Making Smores

Friday evening when Harlee was here. She wanted to roast marshmallows in the outside fireplace.  I didn't have any big marshmallows.  She and Curtis headed off to the grocery store for some.  They came back with chocolate too, so we could make smores. 
She had done this at least once before when we took her camping to Yellowstone. 

Had a quiet day hanging out at home.  This morning Curtis and our friend, Robyn got the digital files all organized for the digital entries for the fair.  A first for me- I actually entered some photos in the fair.  We shall see how they fare.  Harlee and I ran to the grocery store for fixings to make her daddy a banana cream pie for his birthday tomorrow.  She doesn't think he should have to go to work on his birthday.  We ran the princess home after lunch and then headed to the fair grounds so I could submit my scrapbook entries.  I am more sure about them winning.  We shall see.  We came home and booked hotels for our drive down to Disneyland in
Sept. Gradually it is coming together. 

Picture of the Week #29

The picture I am sharing today is of the lilies in my garden.  They seem to bloom beautifully every year. 

Harlee stayed with us overnight last night and again tonight.  She really isn't any problem and entertains herself fairly well and is very well behaved.  Curtis lit the outside fireplace last night, so she could have smores.  Pictures coming!!!!
Today she crafted.  She loves to cut out dies and make all kinds of things.  If I only had all the art stuff she has available to her when I was a kid of 6.   She went to the river with papa and took some pictures, which I believe are on his blog.  And then a treat, we went to see Despicable Me.  It was a great show and very entertaining.  A great sequel!

End of Another Week

Another Friday has arrived, so another week has almost ended.  This time next week Cait will be home and we are all excited for that. 
It was another day of watching grandkids, except I had Curtis around to help.  All went well.  And I guess Nic crashed on the way home.  Harlee is spending the weekend here and soaking up grandparent time.  Every once in a while this happens.  And she wants to come back next weekend when her auntie is here.  Curtis and Harlee have gone to the grocery store to get some marshmallows to make smores.  I guess Curtis will be making a fire tonight. 
Thought I should post the kids enjoying their new play center.  Nic really loves the glider, as you can tell!

Out of the Loop

For the past couple of days.  I worked Mon. And Tues. and met Kirsten at the pool after to help her wrangle kids and get them home.  I was exhausted come Wed.  I had a day where I practically did nothing.  I have worked a lot of hours in the past couple of weeks, that I haven't done in quite a while.  I still had work call yesterday to see if I could work the afternoon.  I had to tell them no.
Today I had the three musketeers here!!!  They were thrilled to see papa had finished building their play center.  We played outside for quite a while.  Nic said he was hot, so we all came in where the AC was running. Had the last swimming lesson tonight.  The kids did real well.  Until next season.
Now I am having issues loading photos on to my new IPad.   Super frustrating.  I had planned to post different photos, but I just discovered this  photo I took of little Cooper today and it kind of says it all.

A Pirate Party

Yesterday we had a pirate party in our backyard to celebrate Nic's 5th birthday.  The weather co-operated nicely.  It couldn't have been a more perfect day- not too hot.  Quite a few people showed up and the back decks were full.  The kids had fun walking the plank.  Going on a treasure hunt and trying their luck breaking the pirate ship pinata.  Nic got lots of nice things and the talking minion was the hit of the party.  Not only with the kids, but with the adults too.  He was excited to get on the bike and it went home in Grandpa Skips trunk. 

Today, has been a quiet day at home--which I greatly needed.  Curtis and I went out for breakfast.  And I have been watering the grass as it is starting to dry out in places because of all the hot weather we have been having.  Tomorrow it is back to the grind to work 2 days. 

Picture of the Week#28

The photo this week is of Harlee during swimming lessons. She is coming quite proficient during this second week of lessons.  I won't say the same for her brother!!!

Had a busy shift at work yesterday and I am very pooped today after working 4-12 hour days this past week!!!  Later today will be a pirate birthday party for Nicholas.  We got him a bike.
 A pirate ship pinata.  Walking the plank and such!  We got him a bike.  First out to lunch with some friends.

A Little Creativity

I haven't posted anything creative in a few days.  So I will put up a couple of soccer layouts I completed last week.  No time for creating as I have been working in the NICU or playing nana.
I have been needing to make a Costco run and decided today was the day.  The last time I was there was before Cooper was born and that was back on Apr. 18.  I always love the drive through the canyons and along the mighty Missouri river.  Lots of fishermen on the river today.  And lots of traffic on the road.  I headed 90 miles south to Helena.
Was back early to finish up birthday shopping for Mr. Nic since his party is Sat. and I have to work a long 12 hours tomorrow.   Oh, yes, also got the grass mowed after dinner. 

Happy Birthday, Mr. Nic

Today was Mr. Nic's 5th birthday.  We didn't have big celebrations as his pirate themed party will be on Saturday. He did get to open his present that arrived in the mail from Auntie Cait.   B I did met them at the swimming pool after work.  And he did get to swim today.  Another busy day at the office!!!!

Celebrating Nic today. 

It's been never dull with this little man around.  But he is so darn adorable.  And he loves his nana.  And I sure love him too!!!  It has been an adventurous ride with Nic. 

I See You!!!

Another Tuesday almost done. 
Cooper and I spent the day together.  He was pretty good and took a long nap this morning.  He is such a snuggle bug!
Managed to get the wash done and the floors mopped too.
Kept Kirsten company at the swimming pool.  Nic didn't behave in the pool so his lesson ended early.
Back to the grind in the morning.

Pictures of Nic peeking through the new play set.

Summer Storms

We have had some storms moving through Great Falls all day.  Started early this morning around 3:30 with thunder and lightening. 
When I was coming out of swimming with Harlee this evening, Kirsten had been trying to call me to let me know it was super windy with power lines and tree limbs down.  Yes, it was very windy and the temperature had cooled down significantly. 

The storm cells were huge!!!  Places had received golf ball hail.  Thankfully not us, and it our pwer was not affected. 

Curtis and I took a short drive out of town to capture these shots!  Don't you love the blue skies and the green of the wheat fields?  

 Wheat blowing in the wind

Have had a busy day, not at work, just at home.  Was up in the middle of the night with the storm.  Had Harlee and Cooper for a while today.  Nicholas was at a summer program that the preschool provides once a week.  Got the bathrooms cleaned.  Curtis had driven 2 hours north for some work today and when he got home we headed to the dreaded Walmart.  Wanted to pick up a bicycle for Mr. Nic.  His birthday is this week.  Hard to believe he will be 5.  Not only did we get a bike, but a few other goodies.  Headed home and cooked dinner and headed to the pool.