Volunteer Fire Dept. Fun

Today our local Volunteer Fire Dept. had a fun day and bbq for the community... They played water games, learned about the fire engines and ate yummy bbq. What a blast!! Thanks to all of you Volunteer Fire Fighters!!

I forgot one Hannah said...

Hannah wants a camera too!

Need some help...

We really would like to get a good but not expensive digital camera for Hannah and need some help. We are an Olympus family and have read, but not shot with any other cameras. I was looking at the Canons, $200 and under, and saw the Sony and then saw the Kodak and the saw... YIKES!!! We would like to have these pictures to be of good quality, because Hannah and I are going to make a book. (Hint, Hint, wink, wink) We want to see what Hannah sees and the best way we figured was for her to take some photos too. Just think of the possibilities with this, an ABC book, Nature book, and so on. :) This will promote her writing skills as well, just imagine the stories... hehehehe

So, if you would not mind leaving a comment on the type of camarea you use... and the ease or any other information, we would be so appreciative.

*Check below this post... I am leaving it at the top just to see. Thanks!

News Flash!!

Hannah and I were talking while getting our hair cut... She wants to grow her hair out a "little". Ever since the bad haircut, short is good. I think she feels a little bit safer that way. Plus, don't we all go through stages... ;) She is still a dare devil and loves functionality in her clothes and shoes, hey, me too!

For all who don't know... Hannah had shoulder length beautiful blonde hair. We went to "Supercuts" and asked for a short "Bob". She had taken a pair of scissors to hair and I only wanted it as short as the shortest piece.... well I proceeded to get my hair washed, thinking the lady had it under controll (picture and all). Sitting down in the chair, I look in the mirror and...... GONE!! all of her beautiful hair almost gone. The lady thought I said short boy hair cut, uh, was there a boy in the picture and Hannah, is that a boys name?! Well, I told my lady, cut it short for me too, tried to lessen the blow of it all.

Hannah was ok with it and even liked the ease of short hair, but it has been short, short, long enough. :)

We may get the short "bob" after all. Yippie!! Although, we can't draw attention to it, she might change her mind... :)

Oh NO!!!! You thought ebay was good... Check this out!

I was adoring Debi's page and she posted about Etsy. This morning while everyone was sleeping I thought I would venture on to the site and look around. OH NO!!! I need a job!!! :) (JK) Handmade items to buy... I know there are places to buy, but what a fabulous thing... all under one roof. :) I do have to warn all the moms with little ones... if you go into the art section, go alone. :) Sometimes I wonder, but I wont let it spoil it for the rest of the Wonderful items. What a great thing, especially for stay-at-home moms who are crafty!

Thanks for Sharing Debi!

Gila Bend, AZ

Gila Bend, AZ...

What can you say? HOT!

I wanted to include more info. about the photos, but I really did not have that much. :)

Here is a link to the city if you would like to read up on... but really, what more is there to say, HOT!!

We stayed at the Space Age Lodge, which is interesting in itself. "Space Age"... the murials are painted in the main lobby, which is circular and has tons of photos of the shuttle, moon walk and other "space" items. The restaraunt was also space age decorated... Very interesting. ;)

The figurines in the photos are works of metal and are very beautiful. I want a bunch of them... can you see it now, if we ever had to move we would have a trailer of metal art work to cart around. hehhehehe Todd says "NO WAY!!"... oh, come on... :)

P.S. Debi, looky, mountains... :)

How fun would this be?

The coolest bus ever!!!

One of our local doctors with his pride and joy. I think this is his around town vehichle and when asked he would tell you how much fun it is and you should have one too! :)

I am realizing how I have been so attracted to "Retro" lately, but with functionality.

Do you know how many kids I could take to the "Cove" in this thing. :)

Welcome to Gila Bend, AZ Part I

Welcome to Gila ("hee-la") Bend, Arizona... "Crossroads of the Southwest".

1700 friendly people and 5 old crabs, gotta love it!

We have ventured around to see what we could see...

A town that once thrived and is slowly deteriorating. The mine up the ways closed down and thus, the change of the town.

Can anyone tell me what is different in this photo?

Well, we are off to find some more interesting spots and learn about the rich history of this town. We will be adding more tomorrow... See you then!!

Where would you want to live?

What's out here?

It must be an Oasis?

Nope, in the middle of the desert... water and lake front houses.

Beautiful!! One day!

(Another Hot and Cold...;) )

What color are you?

VIOLET

You surround yourself with art and music and are constantly driven to express yourself. You often daydream. You prefer honesty in your relationships and believe strongly in your personal morals.

Find out your color at QuizMeme.com!

This was fun... What color are you?

(Found on Katlynn's Momma blog)

Hannah the baseball...

Is she walking on water... She says she was skiing on water. :)

We had so much fun last night... We bbq'd, went swinmming for 3 hours, and I liked to say, played toss with Hannah. Hannah could not stop looking at these photos and boy, the laughing that went on... I think we are having fun now!

The "Dare devils"

I am afraid... Very afraid!!

Ever wonder what Todd does?

This is it... he sits on the back of this an operates the drill. Where they are at this week it was 115 outside and 145 on the back of the rig... OUCH!! They are drilling 100 ft. holes to get soil samples to build a road.

See the white hose looking thing, that is where he sits. (I really don't know too much about it). :)

Mom's "Hot and Cold" photos...

AZ HOT... Traveling from place to place and the heat took a toll on him, the truck and the dog.

"Jim"... Staying cool, or AZ Cold (air conditioning) at Mc Donalds.

Here is a little on Jim... He is a Veteran and travels to different locations, in his words, he is a traveler. He lived in Laredo, Mexico, but had to come back in order to keep his money coming in. It took him 8 days, 22 rides and 2 rain storms to get from just east of El Paso to Gila Bend. He was a nice man.

Todd asked him if he needed a few bucks, (until his check comes in), and Hannah, very quietly, handed him the change daddy just gave her to get something out of the "thing" machine without our urging. In her shy voice said, "here you go... you can have this". Thank you Lord!!!

* I am studying Social Problems for a sociology class and I think my mind saw this because of that.:)

Hannahs version of "Hot and Cold"...

Hannah's idea of Hot and Cold... The asphalt was 140 degrees, HOT and she set a piece of ice, COLD, on it and we watched it melt. Very clever!!

This weeks 2 Things Photo Challenge is here...

Hot and Cold...

HHHHHmmmm, I live in AZ. so Hot should not be a problem. :)

Hannah and I are already coming up with ideas.

Let those creative juices flow...

YUMMY... You have to try these!

YUMMY!

We are with Todd this week... On the road and having a blast already.

Todd brought his grill and we decided to cook for ourselves.

Living on the road 4 days a week 48 weeks out of the year, restaraunt food gets yucky!

We also brought my newphew, Mike,

with us and it is much cheaper to feed a family of 4 at the grocery store.

Well, look at these delicious morsels... One of the guys chipped in and we are now feeding 5, but looky what he made, stuffed jalepeno's wrapped with bacon and stuffed green chiles wrapped in bacon. Oh my goodness!! Delicous!!

You take the peppers, cut the tops off, de-seed and stuff with cream cheese. Wrap with bacon, using a toothpick to secure bacon and grill until bacon is done.

Oh My!! So good. :)

The kids ate them up!! And grown ups too... :)

Drive-In Movie Night...

(Click on poster to watch a clip)

Evan Almighty

A MUST SEE MOVIE!!

This was great for the entire family!! We will be adding this one to our collection... Definitely.

Hannah loved it and figured the plot out before we did. :)

The 2nd movie was Shrek 3 and this one we could have waited until it came out on DVD. I think they should have played that one first, but what do I know. :)

Or, it could have been all the cars coming in late to see the movie and causing a traffic jam right in front of us... a little distracting when cars are backing up with in inches of where you are sitting with children.

Surfing Hannah... Pool surfing that is.

Yes, that is a baby pool in our swimming pool...

Hey, when you want to surf you will find a way!!

We watch a lot of the FUEL channel, dirt bike, BMX bike, surfing, skateboarding and today we watched "Endless Summer" where two top notch surfers take a trip around the world and surf the hot spots... France, Australlia, Fiji, Hawaii, and many more. Since I am a beach bum a heart, or at least use to be, lived in Seal Beach for 2 years on the board walk... well, I think Hannah caught some of that.

She came up with surfing in the pool. I don't think Todd and I have laughed that hard in a very long time. Now that is inventive!! I see a trip to Mexico in our near future. :)

Surf's Up Dude!!!

Photo Safari Artwork...

The lily pad is our favorite!! I was looking for "raw beauty" and that is what we ended up with.

Today, Hannah and I decided to develop a few of the photos from our Photo Safari...

They turned out BEAUTIFULLY!!! and we can not wait to hang them.

I would love to fill our home with our Safari Photos, wont that be fun!

Beautiful, is it not!!

We were all out this morning working around the yard... when I started thinking about how I really haven't been the biggest fan of AZ. Well take a look at the photos we took yesterday, WOW, how beautiful!!! I really enjoy the "Spring", now early summer, even with the heat. It truly is perception and for me, letting go of a town a 1,000 miles away and seeing the beauty in front of me. Charity Grace, (Todd's elegantly spoken cousin), wrote an excellent entry in her blog on this exact subject and planted that seed for me.

So, I guess what I am trying to say... not like I really didn't see it before, but now I "REALLY" see it, the beauty in my surroundings. :) And what a great way to show the beauty to a child, taking photos, really just taking the time to see. ;). hehehhehe

P.S. A Hannah "truth"; "Mom, I love Daddy and I love you, but you know I need to love Jesus a little more, cause he created me ya know." "Yes, I do know and that is 100% ok with us!!" "Also, just in case you didn't know, Jesus died on the cross for us and the cross is at the church we used to go too." :)

A Tree for Her and a Tree for Him

Dainty Tree

Masculine Tree

Noticed these trees directly across from each other and how totally opposite they were.

God Bless America!!

What more needs to be said!

God Bless America...

Poor Squirel

Rest in Peace Squirel!

I usually would not post photos of a dead anything, but Hannah and I were shocked how perfect and peaceful he looked. Several people stopped and looked because when driving you really weren't sure if it wasn't a live animal. Even the tail is perfect.

Wonderful Week!

Hannah and I had such a wonderful week!!

Dinner at the park, photo safari, and tomorrow we are going to find out about karate.
She doesn't know yet, ssshhhhh... it's a surprise! ;)

We will be going to work with Todd again and will have the opportunity for another photo safari in a new town. It was so great doing this...

seeing everything through Hannah's eyes was amazing.

She was really good at spotting the things to take photos of.

Loved it!!! :)

Our first Photo Safari

I told you!!!

I see that you are not going to leave... so I am going to just take a big pooh, so there!!

and... then "Frank" left. :)

No more pictures, please!!

Please, no more photos!!

No more photos!!

I am just going to hide from you then!!

Your still there!! Ok... I told you no more photos!!