Girls On The Run!!

I just want to say that I am beyond excited to be a Girls on the Run coach for the fall season!! WOOT WOOT!!! I will start by saying that I am not a runner. But if these girls can do it, well then so can I. I am so grateful to have the chance to be a POSITIVE influence the lives of the girls I will get to work with. Also, I am working with 3 other wonderful women who I will get to be a co-coach with. Girls on the Run is soooo much more than just a bunch of girls going out and running. We will be there to help the girls with self-esteem, expressing themselves, making good choices, creating healthy habits and helping in the community! This is such a positive program for girls grades 3-8. If you know a girl this age and she has an opportunity to join the program, let her! If this is not in your area then see what you can do to get it there! Here is a link to the website for more info. http://www.girlsontherun.org/

Takin Daddy to the Center

Yesterday we got to finally take Daddy to the Visitor's Center and go on a tour of the dam. Well Elle and I didn't get to go down in the dam. She was being a little pistol. But, I sent Baily and Husband to go. We started at the Visitor's Center. Elle ran around and showed Daddy all the cool stuff.

 Baily and Elle are gettin all learned up on the animals here.

Kris says get by the snake. (I am about 2 ft. from the glass.) There is a black rat snake in there! I am completely thrilled to be this close.

"No No Get Closer" I did. About 2 whole inches closer.

There's Baily leanin on the stump.

I love the big wall mural behind Husband's head.

He's not really on the phone. Not exactly sure what he was doin here.

That's the great thinking pose! Or maybe it's the Captain!

Daddy Daddy! I want a pic with you!

Wrasslin the monster! She would not hold still for nothin. Every time someone started to tell us about the dam she would start jabbering or yellin.

Who's kid is she anyways??

Beautiful Day

Since today is an absolutely gorgeous day outside, we are having some outside fun time. We started the morning with pancakes and fruit for breakfast. I decided we should take Daddy to the Visitor's Center since he had not been there. We walked around inside for a bit then walked around outside to see the beautiful view of the lake. There were not any butterflies in the butterfly garden today. But, on a positive note, the plants were ALOT greener everywhere than the last time the kids and I went.

After we came home, had a spot of lunch and outside we go!!! It's horrible to have to force a 10 year old to go outside. Why can't they think of something to do on their own! I can't even blame tv or video games at our house because we don't to video games unless it is winter. Maybe if it is raining, and we do not have cable! I hate that it is pure laziness. A 10 year old should not prefer to just sit on the couch and do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING as opposed to riding his bike, making forts for G.I. Joes or even just playing with them for that matter! I just don't get it.

anyways off my rant for now.

So we made the boy go outside and play. He proceeds to just walk around following us. Hello!!! Go find something to do. Bring some toys out or something. So He finally brings some G.I. Joes out to play with. That lasted maybe 30 minutes and he just sits there leaning against the house. I asked whats wrong. "I'm bored." So find something else to do. All the while I have a 1 year old in her play pin playing, Husband working with the new puppy, Jigs, and me trying to be crafty and get some projects done today.

No clue what this leg is off of. Husband found 2 of them in the garage and I decided it would be a great body for a dragonfly! So starts the process. Husband sanded this piece for me a while ago. Next, I found some tin in the yard to cut wings out of. Sorry, but this will not all get done or posted today. It will be a long process to do. This dragonfly is going to represent Husband's mom Kristie who we lost last September to cancer. She loved dragonflies. She will have a green body and blue and purple wings. I hope she turns out as cute as she is in my head! 

I scored these awesome butterflies at our garage sale. I think my mom has had them for 30 years! lol. They will be a great addition to Elle's walls one day. I picked purple because it is one of my favorite colors.

Green for the body! I love how the body has neat curves for head and tail!

Elle decided it was time to come out of the pin and explore for a while. She really likes pulling the wagon around that she got from Aunt Leigh.

 Come on wagon! Let's go this way!

And there's the hose...

 And here's the broken down wagon...Maybe I can use it for parts...

I think this fence needs some lovin' mama.

Will ya just look at this paint...

We had to come in for a nap and some pizza for dinner. Now headed back out for backyard adventures!

Today's Ramblings

Today I have a few ramblins goin on in my head! Some may say they are rattlins, but I think not. haha. Last night there was a hard storm come through here. Husband has not had doors on his truck for a couple months now. I had to drive his Tonka truck to run a few errands this morning. (Husband has been driving my car to work). I drove it by yself for the first time and I love t odrive it now! It's so fun! Elle Mae's car seat was still in the truck from a little cruise we all took last night. Husband was trying to get Jigs used to being crated and riding. So Elle Mae and I had the cab all to ourselves since Husband rode in the back talking to Jigs.

 I said I would come back out and put Elle's seat back in my car later. Then, I had a change of mind. If I had to drive the truck during the day her seat would still be here. So, silly me left it in the truck with no doors! Needless to say, we both had wet hineys this morning. (I did put towels in her seat and mine). But we made it through the errands.

On to more ramblins! Look Poppo! Elle Mae loves the little table and chairs too! There is a picture of Baily and I eating dinner at this table somewhere.

That picture is somewhere with my train of thought. I had lots more to go on about. Now where did those thoughts get off to???

Top 100 Chapter Books

I found this list on Pinterest, http://childrensbooksguide.com/100-best-childrens-chapter-books-of-all-time and becoming a reader in the last few years, I started thinking. I have never read a "classic". I don't read books on lists. I have decided I am going to give several of these a try. I have written down 39 of these books that appeal to me. I will be giving them a try.

1. The Phantom Tollbooth - Noton Juster

2. The Giver - Lois Lowry

3. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain

4. The Mysterious Benedict Society - Trenton Lee Stewart

5. Tuck Everlasting - Natalie Babbitt

6. Island of the Blue Dolphins - Scott O'Dell

7. The Bad Beginning -

8. Number the Stars - Lois Lowry

9. Maniac Magee - Jerry Spinelli

10. Julie of the Wolves - Jean Craighead George

11. Elle Enchanted - Gail Carson Levine

12. Shilo -

13. The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman

14. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain

15. Little House on the Prairie - Laura Ingalls Wilder

16. Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

17. Wonder Struck - Brian Selznick

18. Fablehaven - Brandon Mull

19. The Witch of Blackbird Pond - Elizabeth George Speare

20. The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963 - Christopher Paul Curtis

21. The Westing Game -

22. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry - Mildred D. Taylor

23. When You Reach Me - Rebecca Stead

24. Bud, Not Buddy - Christopher Paul Curtis

25. The Penderwicks - Jeanne Birdsall

26. Frindle - Andrew Clements

27. The BFG - Roald Dahl

28. Sarah, Plain and Tall - Patricia MacLaughlin

29. The Secret of the Old Clock - Nancy Drew

30. A Long Way From Chicago - Richard Peck

31. The Book of Three - Lloyd Alexander

32. Walk Two Moons - Sharon Creech

33. The Witches - Roald Dahl

34. The Thief Lord - Cornelia Funk

35. My Side of the Mountain - Jean Craighead George

36. Out of the Dust - Karen Hesse

37. Johnny Tremain - Esther Forbes

38. Where the Mountains Meet the Moon - Grace Lin

39. The Little White Horse - Elizabeth Goudge

As I read these, I will be marking them off the list. Most everyone of these are very much out of my reading element. I am trying to step outside the box and try something new. I am ready for some new adventures in my life. I have read a few of the books on the 100 list. But they were the more common Percy Jacksons and Harry Potters. It is time to branch out! Feel free to leave comments on these or suggestions for other books whether they are kids or adults. I do have a 1 year old and 10 year old that can use suggestions.