A few new looks and crafty ladies.

Oh the yard sales!  I have more than I could ever ask or imagine, but yard sales are so fun.  I love that one persons castoffs are another's delight.  I have found quite a few treasures and have used them for redecorating.  Here are some new shelves I got for our den bathroom.  I gathered all of our green and blue decor to put on them.  Super cute!

This next one is a bit of a funny story.  After decades of using an old Ikea desk with a hutch, I finally upgraded.  It was a slow process.  It started when we went virtual at work.  My desk had a big hutch on top and faced the wall.  Unfortunately, with video calls, all of my craft junk was the background.  Definitely not pleasing to the eye.  So, I took the hutch off and discarded it.  I kept the bulky bottom and turned it around so I could have a nicely decorated wall in the background.  The desk was functional, but bulky.  I have been searching everywhere for a simple desk that would fit the space.  Alas, while browsing Target (during the 3 hour swimsuit expedition), I found just the desk I wanted.  I had to order the right color online.  However, when I received the box, it was not a black desk at all.  I received a gray table.  No!  I called Target.  They were awesome and told me just to keep the table and they would ship me a new desk.  I assembled the table to take picture s to see if anyone would want it.  However, much to my daughter's chagrin, I decided it looked very nice on my front patio.

Last summer I had bought the cutest double rocker for the front porch.  My big mistake was that I did not sit in it before purchasing.  It was THE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE rocker ever.  So, after a year of trying to make it work, I put it on marketplace and sold it.  I then found this adorable patio set on marketplace to replace it.  I am in heaven.

I made this cute little sign out of a scrap piece of wood to put above the chairs.

At the beginning of summer, I bought this lovely water fountain.  It seemed so lonely by itself, so I scored some clearance items at Michaels and put together a cute little bamboo tree.  Very zen!

I love our silhouette machine.  Sidney was invited to a birthday party for one of her horse loving friends.  They are at a tricky age where toys are no longer desired.  Sid came up with this great idea.  She bought three jars accented in her friends favorite color and filled them with her friends favorite candies.  Then she decorated the top with horse vinyl stickers.  Adorable and creative!

My sister has been redoing her house this summer.   She has created a workout room and really liked this inspiring verse.  My mom and dad found an old pallet and built a sign.  Then the girls and I used the silhouette to cut out the verse and put it on the pallet.

First off, I am pretty sure the calendar says I have a month left until Sid becomes a teenager.  Unfortunately her actions are telling me something different.  Just look at this picture.  Seriously!  She has really been getting into loom beading (inspired by her Eh Capa costume).  Next up a beaded bracelet for me!  

My daisies were in full bloom a few weeks ago.  I LOVE THIS!  I only wish they would stick around a little bit longer.  They remind me so much of Kevin and when we first started dating.  I wish he could have stuck around a little bit longer too!

Then there were bird babies.

Oh my goodness has this been a treat.  Though I definitely feel that I have missed a few stages of the process.  It seemed that our hummingbird nest went from mama sitting on it to two babies in a matter of days.  It also seemed as if the two babies did not stay in the nest long.  They have already flown off.  I did read that hummingbirds can come back to the nest the following year, so I am truly hoping for that.

One thing I have definitely noticed is the increased activity at the feeders (and I do not believe this is mama and her babies).  The mama had been guarding the feeders and her nest fiercely.  So, she has literally been the only hummingbird we have seen in the yard.  Now that she is out of the next (and babies are too), we have tremendous activity at all of our feeders.  It has been very fun to get an up close view.  I was really hoping to see the mama feed the babies, but I never caught that!

Old dog (kind of), new tricks (definitely).

 Kendall has been at camp the past two weeks, so Sidney has had some extra time on her hands.  She has decided to teach Bailey a few new tricks.  He seems to have caught on fast.  These pictures are early on in their training.  She already has him jumping over things (without a leash), crawling under things and weaving through poles.  She is working on getting him to stand on a platform (i.e. sturdy cardboard box).  That last one has been the trickiest.  Thank goodness for our ladderball set.  It has come in handy.

We had a chance to watch Sam when my parents had to take an unexpected trip up North.  These two dogs just absolutely love spending time together.  Sam is old.  Bailey is young,  Bailey really does let Sam set the pace.  Inevitably one of them always ends up with a limp for a few days after they have spent time together.

Camp Pinewood times two.

 Kendall had skipped Camp Pinewood last year due to Covid, so she was very ready to return this year.  This was the first year that she applied for servant staff.  She was selected to staff the middle school camp.  Asher and Hannah were also selected to staff that camp.  The three of them headed out early on Monday to catch the camp bus.  Sid photo bombed the moment.

David dropped them off at the bus.

I volunteered to pick them up the following weekend.  This is the camp chaos of picking them up.  The camp has grown so much!  They have literally over doubled in size. 

Kendall had so many stories to tell.  My favorite was how they referred to boys as 'blue' and girls as 'red' and their could be NO 'purple'.  I wonder how that worked out for them!?

She was very proud of her staff t-shirt.

Once she got home she spent every moment telling us all about camp and soaking up the time.  We had one day with her before she left for her own high school camp.

Sidney and I write cards and send them with her.  Six cards for six days.  One to open each day.  Before she had left for her first week, she had been admiring one of my new stamp sets.  I made her a set of cards out of the stamps for her high school week.

This girl is everything.  She is kind, smart, funny, ambitious, brave and beautiful.  I love every piece of her, even the pieces that make me crazy at times.

Summer Nights.

We have been watching a lot of sunsets this summer, as we put in some late nights with horse.  It has been a hot summer, but staying out late has brought us some glorious evenings.  If only I could manage to sleep past 6am.

The performance team was out of town for a PRCA rodeo a few weeks ago, so Sid and I picked up Marley and hauled her out to the optional practice.  It is so nice to be with everyone, but it was kind of fun to do this all on our own.

While the team was out of town, the girls and I volunteered to feed and clean the horses a few nights.  Kendall was quite a trooper going out there and helping us muck stalls.  She and Reno formed quite a bond.

It was so hot, we all donned our shorts and cowboy boots for chores.  I do not understand why my  mom finds this so hilarious, but she is obsessed.

Just one of the fireball sunsets we have watched.

Sidney and Marley warming up with the rest of the team.

Nelly and Sidney have formed a pretty tight bond.  These girls could not be more different, yet so accepting of one another.  They truly bring out the best in one another.

Alyssa's husband, Wilson, and I go way back.  It has been fun connecting with him.  Wilson took this selfie to send to our friend Paul.  Wilson is my extroverted engineering friend!

Sid goofing off with Marley.  She loves this horse.  Marley has helped Sidney grow SO much as a person.  It has been remarkable to watch her grit and determination.  At the beginning of the year, Alyssa had said it was going to be tricky and it has.  Marley is a young horse.  Sid is a young rider.  There have been lots of bumps along the way, but they are both getting there.

The other night when we went to practice on our own, one of the coaches asked Sid if she knew what 'green and green' make.  The answer:  black and blue.  Lily then told us the story of her first three years in Eh Capa.  It was good to hear someone else's journey and know that it was not perfect.  It was especially great to hear it from someone Sidney looked up to.  Not everyone arrives with a well trained, 'eh capa ready' horse and a family that has been around horses their entire life.  Who knew that one of the coaches had that very same start?

Newest members of the family.

We have two new members of the family.  Cody and Kassi welcomed their son Mclain Aaron on June 27th.  Kyle and Danielle welcomed their daughter Hudsyn Everleigh on July 2nd.  The cousins got to meet each other a couple weeks ago.  So sweet!

Grandma Terrell was up in Montana and got to hold each of them.  

'Grandpa' Roy joined in on the baby holding fun as well!

Staycation in July.

 I took a few days off around the 4th of July and had a blast enjoying the summer days with the girls.  We kayaked, rode horses, went to Wahooz, went to Roaring Springs and I golfed.  It was a fun filled time and definitely let me know that I am not a spring chicken anymore.  

The fun started with a trip to Target for new swimsuits.  The girls brought their friends along.  By the end of the 3 hour excursion (yes, 3 hours in Target), the girls had everyone laughing.  I was not sure whether to laugh or be insulted when they decided to try on 'mom' suits.  In the end, it was too hilarious not too laugh.  Every woman in the fitting room line was dying as they paraded out to show me. 

After that adventure, caffeine was definitely in order.

The swimsuit shopping was in preparation for the big day at Roaring Springs.  We literally arrived at 10:45 (before it opens) and left just before closing.  We went on the actual 4th of July, which ironically was a very 'not crowded' day.  It was awesome.  My mom went with us.  It was her first time at a big water park.  She was regretting not taking dramamine before we went.  I admired her bravery at giving most of the slides a whirl.  Kendall and Lize both tried the drop slides for the first time this year!

We spent one day at Wahooz.  Equally fun.  I took pictures of most of the rides, but did not get any of the ropes course.  Yep, I harnessed up and gave it a go.  It really was a mind over matter thing.  I had to keep reminding myself that even if I fall, I was not REALLY going to fall.  Definitely scary!

Alas, Sidney took a couple pictures of the ropes course.

Just look at this bowling form.  Do not be fooled.  I am lucky to EVER break 100.

Ah, the go-karts.  I have taught Kendall well (okay maybe a bit too well).  We had fun until....

The round we took with a bunch of 40 some year old men with g-pros and something to prove.  They were crazy, but Kendall held her own.  In fact, during the ride at least one of the men got pulled over for aggressive driving and received a warning.  As we pulled our Karts into the pit,  the worker told everyone to remain seated while he went around and issued a few more warnings.  Guess where his last stop was...Kendall!  I was half proud and half astonished.  Yep, she got herself a black x.  Two of those in a day and you are asked to leave.  I think she now understands the limits.  However, I was secretly smiling that she did not let those crazy men get the best of her!  The worker winked at her at the end of her scolding and told her, "But you are an excellent driver."  Should I be worried that she could get her drivers license next year?

Sadly I have zero pictures of all the other fun things we did.  I supposed that is good that I had the phone put away, but next time I hope I remember to grab a few snaps.