Stone Mountain

What a great evening for a laser show! While Cherokee county was getting hit hard with thunderstorms, we enjoyed a overcast, breezy night at the rock. Love me some family time!

Who really needs those cucumbers???

Today has been a busy day! Its been a good busy, I like good "busy's" and thank God for giving me busy days like today.

Here's my day in a snapshot......
Grocery shopping
made waffles
Put dinner in the crockpot
Church

Lunch - chili cheese slaw dogs..... mmmmmm!
Raingutter Regatta w/ Troop 1153 - Drew had a ball!!! Love my little tiger!
Rain - Homemade ice cream...... yum!
Had dinner with sweet friends over

A good girls talk on the driveway..... thanks Denise!
Cleaned the kitchen
Worked on flipcharts for my class next year
Gave Drew man a bath

and then had a late night snack, cucumbers from Tony and Denise's garden..........

Whew!! I think I'm the one that needs those cucumbers! :) Hand 'em over Drew, mommas gotta get some beauty sleep!

A man and his yard.....

After spending all day at the pool with my dear friend Denise, the kids and I decided that we were going to do our good deed for the day and cut the grass for Darin. Darin has been working long hours and hasn't gotten much sleep, so it seemed like a good idea. Let me stop.... did you see the title? You can probably guess the ending can't you.......?

It was 8:30ish, the sun was setting and the temperture was pleasant. And so it began.... I began mowing, the kids - to my surprise started raking up the extra grass ('cause I don't bag.... Problem #1)

It started getting dark and I am sure I missed a few spots... (Problem #2)

And I could only get the blower cranked once and didn't get it all of the grass blown off the driveway and walkway..... (Problem #3) Do you see a pattern?

It felt good to get out there and sweat and my heart smiled everytime I looked up and saw Madison and Drew working together as a team. I was a happy momma. I was doing something nice for my husband and my sweet babies were helping, willfully and they were having fun. :)

By the time I finished, it was dark. Drew had been begging to light the sparklers he found in the garage so I did what any good mommy would do.... we had a sparlkers fest in the driveway.

The night ended on a good note, the kids helped with the yard, they got to do sparklers, and all three of us hopped in the car to get out Free Race Trac cup refills.

Fast forward to lunch the day after our good deed......

Darin: Honey, don't ever cut the yard again.

Me: Why? I think it looks good.

Darin: It looks like tee-total hell.....

Drew: (begins to cry) But Daddy, we did that......

Me: Nice Darin, Drew it does look nice. And we had fun didn't we?

Darin: Honey, don't ever cut the yard again.

Mom for the summer

Come Wednesday I will be able to step in to the position of my 2nd dream job. The job of MoMMy!!! Of course this job title could also be re-named as:

• short order cook
• taxi cab driver
• event planner
• maid
• custodian
• etc

I can't wait. The Goodwill store is going to LoVe me this summer!!!!!!! :)

A DaY iN tHe LiFe oF tHe DoWnEy'S

I started this blog last year to keep a log of my weight loss. (hahahahaha... those that know me know that didn't last long!) Not just a log of weight loss, but also to keep a log of things that are happening with my family. Time isn't slowing down any....as a matter of fact, I think it is picking up speed. A year has passed....and so many things have happened. SO, I wIlL tRy AgAiN.

My goal is to post at least once a day. I want to remember the quirky things my 6 year old says.... and I want to remember what Madison was like before she becomes a teenager. (GASP!)

And if Darin is lucky... I might just mention him now and then. :)

So here we go......... on a journey "A DaY iN tHe LiFe oF tHe DoWnEy'S"

Never leave home without it.....

Here it is, my coupon book. I love this book. This book and I are like peanut butter and jelly. I can't take credit for the idea however, a saw a lady in Target one day using her 3 ring binder and I being nosy....nah... okay, well I asked her. She was so sweet. She took the time to explain that it was just a three ring binder with plastic baseball card holders. (all found at Wal-mart)

You would have thought that it was Christmas. I came home all excited! The next day, I had my very own. :)

I clip coupons out of the Sunday paper every Sunday.... I buy 2 of the double papers so I get 4 copies of coupons AND I get the free Thursday paper. It has coupons in it too! By doing this I sometimes get 5 or 6 of the same coupons.

I never leave home without it. And the kids know, when mama takes in her coupon book... it is going to be a while.

Happy 4th of July

This 4th was a special one. My dear sweet aggravating brother was home in the states to celebrate it with me. He has served in the Army for 19 years now. I am so proud of him. He is one of the many that put their lives on the line to protect our country. He will soon be leaving on his final tour to Afghanistan....this will be his 4th and final tour, hopefully.

He has been very brave over the years and I am so glad to call him my "butter."

We started the day of like all of the past 32 4th of Julys..... at the Marietta parade. I have posted a few pictures for y'all to enjoy.

Here is my sweet little girl. Is she really almost 11?

And this little guy....all he has to do is wink and I am mush.