How to have fun . . .

Saturday morning I found the boys on the couch in their pajamas. Landon (7) had his swimming goggles and dog nose on, and was holding his sword. Bob (4) was holding Landon's Nerf gun, which he liked quite a lot by the way.

There were lots of sword fights this weekend. Ladybug (our dog) was the only casualty.

I took Emma (9) and Samantha (8) to get a pedicure. We each decided on blue nail polish. After all, it is getting close to the 4th of July!

Samantha decided to read a magazine while she was waiting to get pampered!

She hated every minute of it, can you tell?

Pretty feet! Can you guess whose feet are whose?

Savannah decided to give Samantha a new "do". She did a great job, if I do say so myself!

Getting pampered . . . nails and now hair. This is the life.

Moran cousins + Machado cousins = a weekend full of fun!

The cousins stayed over this weekend. We had a great time. The girls and I went for pedicures while the boys played in the park yesterday. Cousin Samantha got a new hairdo and the boys had lots of sword fights. And that is only a part of what we did. It was a fun weekend but I have a hunch that we are all going to sleep very well tonight!

Simply Sweet

Kevin sent this picture to me in an email with a simply sweet note that said:

Honey,

I couldn't have said it better myself.

K

He found it while he was doing a home inspection so he snapped a picture. It put a smile on my face today. :) So sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

Love,

Michelle

Face Lift!

My blog is getting a new face lift! It is in the process now and is going to look so cute. I can't believe the talent some people have. I just have none in regards to blogs and websites! It's a good thing that we all have our own unique talents, isn't it?

Michelle

I Wish . . .

I think I am a country girl at heart. I live in the city and always have, but sometimes I really long for a "country girl" life. And not only for me, but for my kids. I want the best for them and sometimes this life in the city that I have given them really bothers me. Sometimes I daydream of moving someplace quaint, someplace simple, someplace peaceful.

I wish my kids could play outside all summer long in their bare feet until exhaustion (or hunger) overtakes them and they need to come in.

I wish my kids could count wild flowers, run through grassy fields and make a tree house where they could have tea parties and secret clubs with their best friends.

I wish my kids could sleep with their windows open and wake up to a cool breeze and sounds of the country singing to them from outside.

I wish the kids could experience the caring for and birth of various baby animals, from chickens to cows.

I wish the kids could go out in the garden and pick fresh herbs and vegetables for dinner and gather the eggs for pie and homemade ice cream.

I wish television was not even a thought in their heads because they were having too much fun to care; and I wish all of the silly electronic games were something they knew nothing about.

I wish life was simpler, lovelier, and kinder. Sometimes I long so much for this that my heart fills up with sadness and I kind of want to cry. Isn't giving out kids the best we can what it is all about? And I don't mean money, and things, but a good upbringing with amazing memories and a lot of love.

What do you wish for your kids?

XO,

Michelle

Happy Fathers Day!

Happy Fathers Day to one of the best fathers in the world! We love you Kevin (Daddy!!)

Love,

Michelle, Savannah, Emma & Landon

First Day of Vacation Bible School

Landon & Emma (T-Shirt Day) at VBS

Savannah with Jonas - she is now a "helper" because she is too old to attend VBS! She loves it!

Landon and friends, singing songs to Jesus!

Some of my happiest childhood memories are of Vacation Bible School. My kids love it too. Today was their first day and talk about a great day- wow! There were about 1000 kids and 4-500 volunteers. All of them there to dance, sing and learn about Jesus!

While the kids were at VBS, I did some long over-do grocery shopping. After such a crazy few months, it felt good to have a well-stocked fridge again. I even prepped a bunch of food and did "Clay Pot Chicken" for the kids because they love it. I even managed to clean out the fridge, freezer, and my food pantry. It is just the simple things, you know?

Summer Vacation Begins

I can take a nice, slow breath of air. All of the school year craziness is gone (for now), and we can relax and have a little bit of fun! Yesterday the kids all got out of school early and our day was filled with fun! The kids had a pool party with their friends which included swimming, writing on their own t-shirts, and root beer floats - yummy! Then we headed over to Linda's house to eat some pizza, do a little bit of scrapbooking and I left Savannah overnight to do her first real babysitting gig all by herself this morning for a little bit of time so that Linda could run. What happened to my baby girl? She grew up so fast this past year. They all have. I am noticing how tall Landon is getting and his baby cheeks that I love to smooch on so much are going away. Besides that, he now only lets me smooch on him in private. Emma still gets kissy with me but she is looking more like a colt, with her ever-growing legs.

One day the summers won't be as fun anymore, and there will no longer be any "school days", so I figure I better enjoy the ones we have. Everyone I know who has teenage or adult kids tells me to enjoy this time because it goes so fast. I am going to listen to their advice, because it is true, so very true.

Have a wonderful summer everyone!

Big Hugs,

Michelle

Beautiful Day

I am sitting at my computer getting ready to pay bills. I hate that job. Actually, aside from writing a letter, poem, or a story, I don't really care for any type of paperwork at all. Accounting is definitely not my idea of fun! It seems that crafty people and people who are more accounting-minded usually are not one in the same. I wish I was, but I'm not. If I never had to pay another bill or do another bit of accounting, I would be completely satisfied with that. However, it doesn't seem quite so bad right now as I sit here with my healthy Juice It Up juice, and the windows are wide open with a wonderful cool breeze blowing through as I listen to the outside noises. I am extra thankful because it is not uncommon for it to be 110 plus degrees by now already. I am going to enjoy this beautiful day, even if it does include paying bills.

xo,

Michelle

Moran Happenings

Here are some pictures of what has been happening in our lives the past 5-6 weeks or so . . .

Mother's Day - Me and Savannah (age 12)


Mother's Day - Me and sweet Landon (age 7)

Mother's Day - Me and my silly Emmie (age 9)

6-1-09 Father's Day Brunch at school (yep, that is Kevin and we are so proud.)

6-1-09 Father's Day Brunch at Jordan Christian Academy

6-1-09 Father's Day Brunch

6-1-09 We cooked for about 75 people in about 1 hour and 15 minutes. 14 dozen eggs!

6-6-09 My pretty ballerina at her dance recital. This is her 9th year in ballet!

Savannah is such a gorgeous ballerina!

Savannah is growing up so very fast . . . how did this happen??

6-1-09 There is nothing quite like family


June 2009 - Our scroungy little Butterscotch before his first grooming appointment.


June 2009 - Ta da! He is so handsome now!

I can't believe it has been so long since I have blogged. I have been taking a lot of pictures though. Now I am wondering how I am going to get them all scrapbooked! I have high hopes of getting a lot of scrappin' done this summer. I would love to catch the kids albums up to 2008 and then go from there. I thought it would be nice to scrapbook our wedding album also but it has been 15 years so what is another 15, right?

The school yearbook has taken a whole lot of time, not to mention all of Savannah's ballet rehearsals and everyday life. But, the yearbook is done and Savannah's ballet recital is done as of last night. Now we just have to get through this week and school will be out for the summer. I am looking forward to no commitments, just a lot of fun! There is so much I want to do with the kids this summer. Savannah will probably take a few dance classes, maybe even Emma and Landon. We are going to catch some movies, of course! Swim, swim, swim! We are going to spend time in Big Bear, and in Crestline at Grandpa and Tiffany's house - yippee for cooler weather! I want to take a ceramic painting and firing class with the kids! Emma is going to take a sewing class with the new Hello Kitty sewing machine that Deanne brought for her! Savannah and I am going to do some late "Spring Cleaning". I am going to scrapbook, design some new jewelry, get on an eating plan and exercise routine and we are going to have a lot of great fun together!

What are your plans for this summer?

xo,

Michelle