Running out of time....

Today, 3 days until I am back to school for good, I finally finished another item off of my summer-to-do list. I got the faded blue doors around our house painted (3 total). Oh, and what an improvement!! My earlier post today showed how Mason was enthralled with what we were doing outside. Well, this was it. The nice thing is it became a family project. My son and hubby helped me. The doors were too heavy for me to lift and my son loved painting along side me!
So, it turned out to be a nice day!

I just LOVE my.......

Baby Mason! He is the best companion, always by your side, no matter what room of the house you are in. He is curious to know what we are doing outside today!





Here is my favorite picture of him........just sitting there as I ramble on to him. I think I see a bit of that "look" my husband gives me when I try to get my full quota of words in..........in one sitting!

Poor guy!




I even looked up some neat facts on women vs. men and language etc.... here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-419040/Women-talk-times-men-says-study.html

~In fact, women talk almost three times as much as men, with the average woman chalking up 20,000 words in a day - 13,000 more than the average man.

~Women also speak more quickly, devote more brainpower to chit-chat - and actually get a buzz out of hearing their own voices.

~The simple act of talking triggers a flood of brain chemicals which give women a rush similar to that felt by heroin addicts when they get a high. (ewww...that's weird!)

~Women have an eight-lane superhighway for processing emotion, while men have a small country road.

~testosterone also reduces the size of the section of the brain involved in hearing - allowing men to become "deaf" to the most logical of arguments put forward by their wives and girlfriends. (That makes sense now!)

~But what the male brain may lack in conversation and emotion, they more than make up with in their ability to think about sex.

~to put it another way, men have an international airport for dealing with thoughts about sex, "where women have an airfield nearby that lands small and private planes".
Studies have shown that while a man will think about sex every 52 seconds, the subject tends to cross women's minds just once a day.

With that last one.........I wonder how they get anything done in a day with that much thought power going to one subject..and so often!

Well I guess food for thought huh?

Bookin' fun with my son.........

Last Saturday my son and I had a great time scrapbooking. A friend of mine held a fundraiser for JDRF, in honor of her daughter, at a local scrapbooking store. It was a first for both my son and I. It took us awhile to get going, as we were feeling like 'two fishes out of the bowl' at first. With the kind help from several experienced crafters (thank you Diane and Ally), we were able to start our creations.

The first three are my son's creative masterpieces! He was feeling a little outnumbered as he and his cousin were the only males there. I think he did well though! He wanted to make sure they had a masculine flair to them, heaven forbid they would look to "girly".















The rest are the ones I created. Once I started, I did not want to stop. Oh, it is FUN......and sooooo addictive!! Not too bad for my first time out! Main thing is, I had fun and it was well worth the cause!




I was thinking, I might frame this for my father!

Hey that's my spot........

As I left to take my son to tennis practice, I was anticipating crawling back in bed for just a little while longer. But, Mason seemed to have the same idea................ and besides he looked too cute to disturb ;} Well, I ended up staying up and getting some school paperwork and a little housework done.

So, I guess I'll have to thank Mason.....I think!

It does look awful comfy though!

His first photo shoot........sort of!

My dear sister-in-law Liz knows how my son loves to take photos, so she asked him to come and capture some for her. They were picking their two daughters (my beautiful nieces) up from a Mission trip. Since her daughter Nicole had her camera, she quickly thought of Colton to help out with his. He was happy to oblige!

Here are some of their (my bro and sis-in-law) moments during the reunion with their daughters.






Here's Rachel














Ahhh, pure happiness to have their girls back home!

Don't ya just feel good inside?

Today my son and I volunteered at the Senior Center, as we usually do every 3rd Friday of the month during the summer. As I was carrying a box for a sweet older woman today, she told me to have a great day and I replied "I am so far because I love doing this". She replied, "don't you just feel so good inside when you do for others". Oh....ya know, I couldn't have said it better myself. So true!!!!

The best gift I have is that my son has a serving heart too. When we do it together, I couldn't be happier. I love watching him interact with others; possibly holding the door for someone, lending a helping hand, sharing a smile, or wishing them a good day brings such joy to my heart!














See I think he has that good feeling inside too!




I let him capture me in the act, which made him happy since I hate having the camera turned my way. Maybe if I was svelte and slim it would be different (but, that's another story!).



Since summer is almost over, my Service Based Learning class will be able to take over until next June. I can't wait to capture that!

Oh, it is so good to give!

Three Musketeers....

Last weekend when we were all together for my sister-in-law Kim's B-day celebration, it sparked me to think of how Mrs. Ditto dressed the boys alike for most of their younger years.


To hear it from them, it was pure torture. Mom D on the other hand, was so proud of how nice they looked.

So, as I looked through our collection of photos, these caught my fancy. I got a good chuckle.....but really thought how adorable they looked. So different from today....so sweet and innocent (jk)!

So, I guess I'd have to agree with Mom Ditto...they are so cute!






The ham on the left....my hubby.....always the comedian!





Dan, Jim and Chuck. Or, as they call each other Buff, Jimmy and Chewy!





They prefer their own unique individual style better. I really thought I'd better add this photo, so I don't get that much slack for posting the others. They are pretty good sports......don't be too mad at me guys!
I love ya!

Lazin' Around.....

Have you ever had one of those days where you feel like doing nothing, because you've been super busy?

You know, I wonder if cats get that way. One minute these two can be spazing and chasing one another through the house and the next minute, they just want to plop anywhere and just chill.




Ho hum....I am bored!




It didn't last long before Jade spotted one of her milk rings, and oh.........how she loves to play with those!




If you can't tell (hahaha) I love taking pictures of my cats!

Happy 80th Dad..................

We celebrated my father's 80th birthday today. I thought it was great that he started his day working out at the athletic club today. Wow....at 80!!

Well, I thought I would show you a picture of my father in his 'glory'. He is a big Ohio State Fan, as he graduated college there in the early 50's majoring in Accounting. Shortly after he became a CPA and his career took off from there. He ended his career as the Vice President of National Standard and retired at 55. He looks so forward for fall and the start of the Buckeye football season. He would follow them to the Rose Bowl when they made it there too! These are some of his very best friends from college when they use to get together before the games! He seldom attends games anymore since my mother can no longer join him.

I love this picture because he (standing last on right) looks so genuinely happy! My mom is seated with the yellow sweater.

He does plan to attend the Michigan vs Ohio State game with my brother this year. I hope he has the time of his life!!!

Should be interesting since my brother did his undergraduate studies at U of M..........I say "GO BUCKS". Bring those Buckeyes a victory Dad!

Customized Creations........

I thought I'd show you my handyman's finished product, with the set of embroidered bags. He has made Michigan, Hope College and one with the Dodge Charger emblems. He just finds decals for whatever the person wants.

I am an MSU fan (alumni) myself so, nothing compares to those Spartans!!!


But, I do think these look nice for the ND fan. I tell my hubby he should sell these. He can get them done in one weekend. It's the custom bags and decals that take longer to get in.





So, GO IRISH!!









I'm thinking this could be a profitable talent for him.........do you agree?

Vacation in a Bag..........

Oh, man........................I am no good when I get near Coach handbags. All sense of reason, frugality and thriftiness go out the window............completely!


My sis-in-law Kim always has a positive spin on things. She tells me, " you never go anywhere because you are always helping your parents out, so what you do not spend on vacations..........you spend on purses, and they are a lot cheaper!" I like her justification! See why I like her so much!


So......here is my vacation in a bag!

Corn hole toss..........anyone?

I had purchased a Corn Hole Toss game for my husband and he did not like the quality for the money. He said he could make them better for less money. Saving a little green sounds good to me!

So....off he has set on a frenzy of making the game for his brothers, cousins and friends. He loves making things....and he is quite good at it!

I had to get the masterpiece in progress.

Any Notre Dame fans out there?

This set is for his cousin.

The proud carpenter! He finished them in two days flat!

Anyone for a game?

Happy Day Kimmy D...

It's my sister-in-law Kim's birthday today. Tomorrow we are going up to her house and picking blueberries. My poor sis-in-law Liz will have to endure my verbal diarrhea while we make the drive. You know, I often wonder if she has earplugs and I don't even know, because she never complains!

But, the big celebration for Kim will be at our house on Saturday so she can relax and float in the pool and have it "her" way. She has been going non stop this summer, as her kiddo's are involved in basketball traveling team and camps.


Isn't she just beautiful? But, the best part is that her inside beauty matches her external beauty! She is a school counselor, and the students love her!



Well, I'll have to include the best part of her life..........her family!



Happy Birthday Kim........I love ya!

Merry Mexico Missionaries

My two nieces took a trip to Mexico with Granger Community Church's Back2Back Mission. This is their second year of volunteering their time for such a great cause! The website that I borrowed these photos from is http://www.mexic08.blogspot.com/, just click on the site listed above and you are there!


Come take a peek................. Nicole has blond hair and Rachel is a brunette (just so you can tell them apart!)




I love the print on the tee shirt "Other People Matter" Oh, I totally agree!

Nicole (far right) playing soccer with staff and local Mexican children!

DC (one of the leaders) gave Nicole his camera to capture some shots. She loved it!

Rachel worked so hard in such high heat this day she got dehydrated. When she told the story, she was more worried about letting her 'team' down than taking care of herself and resting a day! That's Ray for ya............huge heart!

Nicole in the grey tee with a grey headband (second from the left) having fun painting the building!

I am so proud of these two beautiful young ladies!