Boot Stomping Time!

It's that time of year around here agian....

time for boot stompin' at the California Mid State Fair!

We aren't as crazy around here this year as we were last year (everyday, 12+ hours, a business booth AND kids showing!), and we headed up today for the first time.

I made the mistake of leaving my camera in the car with the kids while I ran in to grab some last mintue thing from the house.... These are some of the suprise pictures I found on my memory card when I check it out last night!

One of my favorite parts of the fair is Christmas shopping at all the booths that have unique items. I love finding hand crafted items that fit the personality of each of those on my shopping list! I planned to share some of those amazing finds here with all of you!

These adorable pot holders caught my attention. They are cute, colorful, unique (I have a bunch of Wrangler boys on my list!) and I thought a great price....

BUT after less than 2 minutes in the company of the owner of this both and her husband I would NEVER spend ONE PENNY there. She was completely rude beyond words, he was a complete ass and they both need a lesson in customer service... All I wanted to do was plug their cute product, but now I am going to tell YOU how to MAKE thier product and completely bypass them! So here you go... here are links to directions on making these ADORABLE Pot Holders!

Go HERE

Or HERE

And I think I will be doing a how to very soon to make ones that look even more like these, because I like the contrasting fabrics!

I know I will making some of these for this holiday season!

So after the last horrible experience I was a little gun shy about this product, but it was SO YUMMY!!!

I need not have worried... the owner operator of this booth was a DOLL and I will be heading back there to get yummy lotions and scrubs for my friends and family!! The Lemon Basil lotion was devine and Audrey loved some of the scrubs ( I can't remember the names, but I will let you know what we choose!)

Check her out HERE

The kids were pretty well behaved and we had a great time (for the most part, as long as you ignored the rude people..) and the weather was FABULOUS! Mid 80s and a nice wind blowing, who could ask for better at fair time??

Nat even found some things that interested him... he loved the coloring of this car!

Audrey enjoyed seeing the 4H and FFA animals coming in...

And then we ended the evening with a nice dinner with Uncle Grady... Nat was a bit of a pill at the resturant, but it was nice to see my brother for hte second time in a week! Fair should come more often so I could spend a little more time with Grady! :)

TIme for summer Dos!

It was time to go get our summer dos....
OI went short on Audrey...
I think it's cute, she is not so sure!

And Nat sure was a shaggy looking guy...

But he's all trimed up now too!

I got 4 or 5 inches taken off of mine, but the best treat was in my mail box that night...

New treasures from a dear friend!!

Whoo Hoo!!

Project Surf Camp 7-9-2010

Some of my favorites from Surf Camp on 7-9-2010

Always love the group photo in the beginning
Caleb and Nathaniel telling secrets, love the look on Nat's face!

My creative way to transport the surf board AND 4 kids AND the wheelchair in my little car!

This was the first time that Nat got to take his new board out!

So Nate D (one of the owners of Morro Bay Surf Co.) taught him how to wax his board.

It was great watching his patients with teaching Nathaniel!

Finally getting ready to get in the water!!!

Best surfing buds!

Nathaniel and his special friend Matt taking his new board for the first time!

Love the water shot!!

John having an attitude adjustment talk.

Finally found Audrey's smiles!

Audrey STANDING!!!

Brianna finally learned how to smile for pictures :)

These were my favorites but if you want to see the whole album check it out HERE!

Hockey pucks and all!

It's been a day.

A LONG, hard, emotional day.

(at some point I am going to have to do a "life in the day of.." kinda post so you know what I am talking about when I say this! But for now...)

On days like this I usually am on my knees BEGGING for something to be easy!

And tonight I got that easy in a small dose!

I came home from work and drug myself into the kitchen. I knew I had to cook dinner, even though it's Monday and I usually don't cook on Mondays (the kids are usually with their father for dinner, but his visits are suspended right now.) Tonight I had to cook. I grabbed some pork out of the fridge to BBQ, the mac & cheese that my daughter convinced her papa to buy her (thinking it would make her happy to have it) and was grabbing some veggies when the Little Princess wandered in.

LP: "Is THAT dinner?"
me: "Yes, as soon as I get it cooked."
LP: "NO WAY. That will be YUCKA!"
me: "But that is the mac & cheese you wanted. Won't that be good for dinner?"
LP: "No way!"

And she proceeds to rummage through the cabinets.

LP: "Here mom. I want Hockey Pucks. With sliced apples."

Hockey Pucks with sliced apples (and other fruit) it is.

A 5 minute start to finish dinner that cost less that $3.00 TOTAL and only used 7 dishes total...

Yup! I would call that easy!

And for those of you who didn't grow up with me....

Hockey Pucks
English Muffins, split in half
1 Can tuna fish, drained
a couple Tablespoons of Mayo
Salt, Pepper & Dill to taste
a slice of cheese for each hockey puck

Warm up broiler
Split the English Muffins and place cut side up on a broiler sheet
Mix tuna, mayo, salt, pepper and dill in a bowl. Spoon over muffins. Top with cheese.

Broil until warm and cheese is nicely melted.

And why are they called Hockey Pucks you ask?
Well, growing up my mother would always forget that she stuck them in to broil and only remember when she could SMELL them....
and by that time they closely resembled Hockey Pucks... small, round and black! So my brothers and I took to calling these open faced tuna melts "Hockey Pucks"

Tonight this simple meal made for one happy Little Princess!

The best part of Rummage Sales....

I making more $$$ than Faline!!!!

The second best part was hanging our with Josie and her new boyfriend!
I think he might think we are crazy....
but that just proves that he is a smart boy!

Josie drew great pictures...

of pigs on surf boards and skate boards!

We did make the kids VERY RED when we told them that they could hang out together....

Just NOT ON the bed together!!!!

We let them sit on the couch hoping that they would sell it for us :)
I mean if you got to look that cute while sitting on a couch wouldn't you pay $10.00???

Love fun family weekends!!!

Love you Josie.....

even when you are RED :)