Happy August!

Wow, we were good bloggers in May. I have time for blogging when on vacation (beware - no time for cropping), so here I am counting my blessings that we were able to get away again two and a half months after our last little trip. I can think of nowhere I would rather be than here in California for the next two weeks. I have to say my favorite part so far was not nursing a baby every two or three hours during the eleven-hour drive. (It turned into fourteen-hours last year.)

My least favorite part was the electrical fire that threatened to start while we were in the middle of nowhere in Nevada. It's always something. Can

anyone describe that smell for me? I cannot put it into words. Aaron says formaldehyde, but I strongly disagree. (MOM - EVERY ONE IS ALIVE AND I ONLY HAVE A TEENY LITTLE BURN ON MY FINGER.)

My other favorite part is that Lydia is growing out of most of her clothes. We "had" to go shopping for her today and except for the kicking and screaming (Lydia, not Aaron) it was fun. I have trained my children so well that Weston (7, and usually living in another world) was able to find shoes that he loves all by himself, on the clearance rack, IN HIS SIZE! I even have a hard time doing that.

Lydia got her first Disney Princess merchandise. I don't really go for the "officially liscensed products" unless it is for sports, but Daddy couldn't resist the slippers. Ever since we got her dressed for bed Garrett has called her "Princess Lydia." Of course, I was at the computer in the middle of the night when I thought to get a picture. I didn't think it would be right to wake her.

We gave the kids each their own envelope of "vacation money" (ideas for a better name welcome) and wise

advice on how to spend it. Aaron asked if I would print up a thousand of them for him. I said no.

Aaron's Parents are on a major league baseball roadtrip (Mariners, Rockies, Diamondbacks) so we feel like we have a summer house of our own. It is good to have a couple of days to train the kids not to hang from the chandelier and smear jelly on the couches. (EVERYTHING IS FINE HERE MOM AND DAD.)

The kids have plans of the beach, amusement parks, and swimming every day. They might get Aaron on board . . . what do you think? (In his defense, my insanely fanatical athletical husband is heroically doing without satellite or cable in the name of saving money at home, so I am totally for him being a couch potato here. at least for one more day.)

I actually volunteered to take the three boys swimming and he was kind enough to stay home with Lydia so she could take her nap. He got to watch the A's almost win and the US beat AUS. Or at least I assume they won.

Oooh - I checked out Martha Stewart magazines from the library for some vacation reading. I have to say I am loving reading them. Last week got new shelves and started to redo (I guess it would be "do" in our case since we haven't done anything to it yet.) my music/living room and some of her ideas will really help it come together. ***Melissa do not check out the Sept 07 issue and see her converted attic craft room - it is unbelievably perfect.***