weekend over , ALREADY?

Just a cute shot to share- Dakoda is a clown.

Busy weekend in the Barton house- seems like they all run together anymore...weekend? Is it really wehn we are supoosed to rest? HA HA! Not until the babies are grown and gone. Then I am certain I will still be on the go chasing Grandkids....I guess I love my busy life.

I truly have been trying to clean and orgaize the house for spring and warm weather clothes! However, I have a sciatic nerve issue in my right hip/tail area that is giving me a world of trouble this weekend. Thinking I will be heading to the chiropractor Monday! I have eaten Vicodin multiple times this weekend and muscle relaxers(for those of you that KNOW me,you know I hate pills and mind altering drugs totally....LOL no druggie here!!) .....and I cannot say it is from sitting on my 'arse' too much either!! LOL I wish.

Happy Sunday to all of you....have a great week.

Our life is slowing a bit everyone opted to NOT play baseball this year? Gun shoot is over now....and we are almost done with Basketball Camp....ahhhhh.

Now the spring field trips.... Heading to Sauder Village this Friday with Steven, a Tigers game on May 18 with a bunch of smelly 8th grade boys and then to Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village on June 1st! Watch for 'Mom's shots'!

photos

My fav photo...this is my mom and my middle brother, Bill. It is such a FUN and yes, touching pic....I need to send it on to both of them....love his shirt too...he is an optimist!!
On our way to Myrtle Beach we passed cotton fields...and DAKODA- yes, Dakoda- asked if we could take a photo of the real cotton fields...since they were studying the Civil War and such in school...it would be cool maybe to take a pic in. WOW- hello? on Spring break my teenager suggested a photo for SCHOOL? YEP we stopped but he didn't want a photo in the field...tried to get him to pick the cotton- he was afraid of southern farmers with shotguns! :-)
TGIF- happy Friday to all.

peek

Just a cute shot of Jake peeking to see what I was doing....I was actually just turning off my flash and adjusting my lighting on my camerafor taking pics at the shooting awards program last night....thought it was too cute not to share. Even at 11 they can be cute.

She's BAAAACK

My Mom has returned- the snowbirds have started to migrate back to the crazy weather in MI! We took my mom to dinner at Logan's Roadhouse in Muskegon on Sat- Oh it was so good to see and hug here again after so long! The long distance short chats, emails and postcards are not the same and those once in awhile hugs!! :-) Missed ya Mom!
This pic is left to right my oldesat brother, Tim, my mom, Scarlett, my middle brother Bill, and ME!- OUCH need to work on that diet! LOL

We had a great time, great chat- it was too short as always!

I will post Easter pics tonight or tomorrow.

We found these 'fellas' each and every morning washed up on the beach- the kids were fascinated by them! Infact, it was the only way I got my two tweens up to walk the beach with me one morning...they were searching for a jeallyfish. Kyle (Koda's friend) had a checklist of several things he wanted to see and do while we were in the area....and I think we marked them all off. Swam in the ocean, saw a real jellysfish, touched live marine life, touched a real palm tree....I think that was it? I sure miss my morning walks on the beach! I never slept past 7am the entire vacation......I was awake....Steve was making coffee and I was OFF to walk to beach!
These crazy kids had a BLAST playing in the Atlantic Ocean! It was 63 degrees- BRRRRR! It was tooo COLD for me....my tootsies were numb just walking in it in the hottest part of the afternoon!! Oh to be young again.....but then again.....even the tweens said it was TOO COLD. (but the TWEEN girls were in the pools :-) too! )

I am catching up on 'life' and laundry- work was nuts this week playing CATCH UP all week long....still have piles on my desk...they will be there Monday. Yeah, no work tomorrow....going to get groceries, taking Gram to get her ears re-pierced and heading North to see my long lost MOM! I have not had the chance to see or HUG my mom since NOVEMBER! Oh I am so looking forward to seeing her. We are going to dinner at Logan's Saturday evening. YUM!
Off to do some laundry and pick up the piles. Thanks Beth for the prompting to post again! :-)

Beach Bunnies Return

NOBODY :-(

is reading my blogs or posting that they were here- but I am posting anyhow...lol

Boo hoo- nobody missed me....

Does this say it all?? We had a BLAST!

Thinking I could sell this photo to a postcard company or something- it is the perfect tourist snapshot!! He is so darn cute....toting all the supplies...thanks Beth- the Macsteel cooler was with us from point A to point B all the way!!

Jakob took this picture of us in Virginia on the way to S. Carolina at one of the roadside parks.

I am back

Got back today around 6pm.....a little later than we planned. We ended up stopping off earlier yesterday than we had hoped...we ran into an ugly storm in the mountains...and YES I was driving! GOLFBALL size hail with no exaggeration...pics to prove it.....YEP pics to follow

Jake's Spring Musical

This one is before the musical...when I was still fitting and creating the long lost beard!! :-)
Gramps SHAVED!

OH NO! I FORGOT my beard!
Gramps

Just had to post a few quick pics from the spring musical tonight....it was a play/musical- Jake was 'Gramps'. Someone moved his beard (yes, he had taken it off to sing before his parts in the play were coming up) and he could not find it before he went on stage for the play - HOWEVER- the show must go on so Gramps SHAVED! Please do not remind me that I spent 3+ hours making it....anyone need a beard for Halloween??
Off to get packing and washing.....need to get that laundr moving....had a great time at lunch today with Beth! Thanks- An hour full of giggles is a great way to break up the chaos and havoc! Oh - bikes and blizzards still make me laugh out loud...THANKS!
Doubt I will post again until I arrive back in MI! Have a great week without me! Be safe!

Just had to share the wealth- not sure if anyone needs anything but - what a deal!!

50% OFF

SCRAPBOOK SUPERSTORE SALE

AT

WWW.SCRAPBOOKSUPERSTORE.COM

USE COUPON CODE SPRINGFEVER

CHAOS

Hey all- we are closing in on that big departure day...and oh are we ever busy EVERY day leading up to that day!
Monday- Koda was supposed to be Hercules in a play tonight at school- but his portion got cancelled! Lack of participation- it was his lucky night- I think he paid kids not to participate cuz he knew his mom was going to make him play nice! OH he's my TWEEN TURKEY!
Tuesday- Bowling
Wednesday- Gun Club
Thursday- Jake's play
Friday- packing up, pizza and off to bed early
Saturday- EARLY risers...leaving between 4am-6am!!
Besides all of the evening chaos...it is the end of the month at work and I am swamped.
Still have a little shopping to do but I am getting things together slowly!

Dear Blogger and Friends...

Please do not boot me from your favorites list. I have been overwhelmed with parenthood of TWEEN boys and an upcoming vacation! From trying to figure out the jigsaw of a 13 year old to creating a 'grandpa costume' and Hercules costume, keeping up with my Grandma and her love for her birds, my tan and oh my so many things have kept me consumed.I love my blog and even more I love to check in to read all of the bogs that belong to my special friends!!
Please be patient with me....missing you all. K

Pages from the weekend

Toledo ZOO - 4-05
Here they are!!
Toledo ZOO

Detroit Tigers Game

Tigers Game

My suprise flowers from the boys.

Jake's 11th birthday breakfast

Euchre King!

Ladies In Training- Red Hat
gathering we attended with my mom

Torn between hunting and love.
Met my DH on NOV 15th- he
sends me flowers or leaves
me gifts when he goes to hunt now.

RED HOT MAMA- My mom
the Red Hat lady!

What a CATCH! My handsome
baby with his first BIG lake catch.

I found this logo on http://www.stylishscrapgear.com/ and instantly thought it is a GREAT! Love it.
They have some cute stuff.
I am going to attempt now to take some digi pics of my layouts I did this past weekend.
Happy Thursday night to you all.

Not all it's CRACKED up to be......

Ok- so you may not be able to really tell what this is....BUT it is my windshield! With a 8-10" crack in it....yep! It happened on my way to the crop up north! I was on I-94 not even to 127 yet and a semi threw up a stone....smack! Now just one more thing for me to get done before my vacation gets here.
I really thought about turning back and going home after this happened BUT then I went on. I had a lot of fun with the Croppin Chics....

Just like Michigan weather.........

Plans change! Hubby has PINK EYE! I knew it last night and started the drops that we had left over from the last kid having it....but it is BAD! He is heading to see the dr this afternoon. Being this crud is so catchy he and the boys will not be traveling north this afternoon with me. I have never seen it so bad that when I put the drops in.....chunks of ewwwwww flowed out! EWWWW
I know the boys will be terribly disappointed BUT we cannot share the crud with my dad or others. If daddy has it...we will all probably catch it...YUCK! Grandpa did not welcome the option to have the boys come without dad, I think in fear they would come bearing PINK gifts!
Well, ladies.........I am hightailing it out of Jack-town ASAP! LOL Tonight might be fun and a laugh that I am leaving them and running....but reality is....I will come home to a disaster and cooties all over....they are not good at wiping and washing! It is TRUE- BOYS DO HAVE COOTIES! But we love them all the same. XXOO hope you feel better soon, honey!

Packing

for a weekend of scrappin! I am no where near ready!! UGH. The weekend long crop is in the same town where my dad lives....so I am packing myself and my scrappin goods....and the boys and Steve! They guys are all going to stay the weekend with Grandpa.
Ladies, have a great weekend....enjoy the sunshine....hoping it really does shine though!!
Better scoot and get packin.....leaving work at 4 tomorrow -no lunch.

Keeping Grandma Warm

I made a fleece blanket for Steve's Grandma for her birthday. They are the snuggliest cuddliest gifts you could give. And oh my so darn simple. No sewing involved- just cutting and tying knots! I made a queen size fleece double sided blanket in one afternoon. His grandma is always cold and napping often- this was the one thing that popped in my mind when I thought about her upcoming birthday. She loved it !! Thinking I may get started on a few more here sometime soon.
Watching for fleece to go on sale!

Michaels deals/ Joanns too

OK- I did it. Steve said he wanted my toolbox ! He looked at the ads with me on Sunday and sent me on my way to get a crop station! $40.00 at Michaels. I love it. It allows me to use the other Crop N Style totes I have...the paper taker and sticker binder(that one is full of non metal embellishments- some stickers) they stack nicely on top of this one for travels.
It took me all afternoon to unpack and repack.
They also have all of their 12x12 papers 50% off....
Joanns has their tote for just 19.99 but it is smaller....BUT they have their brand of embellishments 50% off.

your favorite scrapbookin snack?

Help! What is your favorite snack when you're attending a crop?

Yes, I am running away with my friends from high school....Michelle in Spring Lake. It is a weekend crop at the Holiday Inn. This crop has a safari theme.
Thanks ladies for your help.

Why we love Coca~Cola

Gum in your Hair!: "Just take the gum coated hair and dip in a small bowl that has some Coca Cola in it. Let sit for just a few minutes and the gum will wipe right off." Thanks Linda!

To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan; wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy

To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, And run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains.

Pour a can on your oil spills in the drive way, it will loosen them up and hose it down.

AND WE DRINK THIS STUFF!