Cambry at Rocky Mountain State Park, Sprauge Lake.
So, I’m reading this book called Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder.
It’s really good. Like, really.
I recommend it, but don’t bother getting it from the library for at least one more week…I have it…overdue of course.
More to come from our Awesome Colorado Mountain Trip 2009.
Today, for probably the second time in our family’s history, we had Family Home Evening.
We skipped the song, obviously, and went straight to the lesson which alternated between setting family goals and taking Cambry off the top of the coffee table.
We set S.M.A.R.T. goals. That’s Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely, incase you didn’t know.
Then we finished the evening off with a treat because everybody knows: FHE without a treat = frowney faces.
Jim and I ate strawberries and chocolate fluff.
Cambry preferred only the chocolate fluff.
I whipped up a shirt and skirt for Cambry last week. I made both without a real pattern, they are pretty easy. I love the stripped shirting material and I have enough I may make an identical blouse for me! I copied the flower neckline from J Crew which I love. The skirt is lightweight denim- on sale 1$ a yard! She’s so cute, I can’t stand it! Jim counseled Cambry on her catalogue poses for her photo shoot.
So apparently, someone found my blog by google-ing "miss rissa happyhater". That's me. I may be a hater but at least I'm happy about it.
Jim came home from church and suggested the relief society lesson on relief society went something to the effect of "girls are the best, boys have cooties" and was certain that we broke into a rousing rendition of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". He favored us with his "girly" interpretation of the song complete with the "wanna-wanna"'s until Cambry started screaming.
Cambry is refusing to keep a diaper on her little bum and only wants to wear what she picks out. Here are two examples of recent "Cambry outfits". Notice a theme? Legwarmers and bare body, it's a favorite look around here.
Also, last night, within three minutes time, she conked her head on the wall TWICE, both hard enough to invoke tears and need an ice pack. It's hard to feel bad for her the second time around...
The Museum of Fine Arts Houston
One great thing about Houston being such a huge city is that we have pretty much everything…you just have to be willing to make the drive.
Houston has a ton of museums to choose from and did you know that most museums have a free day once a week or a couple of free days a year! (The zoo is free 5 days a year, FYI.)
The MFAH has a few campus’, the main one being downtown. It’s free on Thursdays! They have a great photography exhibit going on now. Their sculpture garden is free everyday and is a nice place to play, picnic, or think.
My baby sister (who is 16) loved it and Cambry did pretty well considering she had to stay strapped to a stroller. She liked looking at all the different art. Her favorite was the modern art that moved.
I’m a fan of the beach-in moderation. Anyone who knows me knows I love outings and the beach is the perfect place to go for a summer Saturday outing. Luckily Jim loves to make me happy because even though he hates going to the beach (the packing, the driving, the lugging, the sand in all your parts…) he still makes the trip 3 or 4 times a summer. For me, that’s the perfect amount. Anymore and it’s exhausting.
Galveston beaches may not be the nicest but they’ve got sand and sun and salt water so they techniquely meet all the requirements. We prefer to go to Stewart Public Beach because with kids it’s just easier to pay the 8$ parking and have close proximity to a bathroom and showers. But, parking is free along the seawall and the beach is just as nice there.
Don’t forget to check the bacteria level before you go…you don’t want to get any weird rashes! And, don’t forget your buckets and boogie boards (Academy sells them), your sunscreen (we use this kind) and sun umbrella (we got ours here), and, of course, your Gatorade and snackies (those are Cambry's favorite parts).
A good link for planning your beach day: http://www.galvestonbeachpatrol.com/
A bit late for 4th of July postings, I know. But I just wanted to post one more dress I made for Cambry. It was her 4th of July dress this year.
For the record, this pattern is terribly easy and you can make all sorts of variations on it. I’ve even made some adorable little cap sleeve shirts for Cambry out of it.
Another easy dress for Miss Cambry. I made it reversible which proved to be a bit tricky. Next time, I’ll stick with only one side.
She’s so sweet.
Cambry and I went on a walk through the yard today-
(Cambry in her Tutu of course)
-to see what we could see.
This is what we could SEE
caterpillars in the garden, ants on the porch, squirrel in the tree
This is what we could HEAR
airplanes in the sky, doggies in the yard, birdies in the tree
This is what we could FEEL
smooth rocks, hot sun, prickly pinecones
This is what we could TASTE
(if you were fast enough)
chalk, dirt, a small bug, water from the hose
This is what we could SMELL
flowers in the yard, grass getting cut, cherry popsicles-WAIT-
CHERRY POPSICLES!
And, as a perfect ending to a walk full of experiences, a quick
RUN THROUGH THE SPRINKLERS!
Awesome.
We’ve caught the summer cold here at our house. The summer cold. Isn’t that an oxymoron? I mean, how do you catch a cold in the summer?!
Cambry’s is on day 4 and almost over it- a stuffy nose is all that's left. I’m also on day 4 but my immune system isn’t nearly as healthy as Cambry’s. I’m at the point where my head feels like it’s going to pop off if it dips below my neck. At least I have some energy back and I can do more than sit on the couch and mindlessly watch TV while my 14 month old terrorizes the house. Plus I'm past day 3 which is the day I sound like a man so that's a plus. Poor Jim is only on day two. Scratchy throat and beginning of a runny nose.
I’ve been on a sewing kick lately so I’m working on a few little projects. Which isn’t always so easy because I don’t like to sew at night and my child who used to take 2 naps a day is now down to 1 that most of the time is only an hour long.
I made some bibs for a baby shower. Little boy bibs with ties and bowties. You can put them over the Sunday best to protect the white shirts but still look ready for church.
Here’s Cambry modeling one while she dances.
Yes, she is wearing a tutu. The same tutu she’s been wearing for the last three days which she refuses to take off. I mean runs away screaming/ throws a tantrum on the floor kind of refusing. She’s gone to the hardware store, the library, the grocery store, and out to dinner in it. Luckily she lets me sneak on a shirt.
Here is how she wanted to dress last week:
It was the legwarmers and the glasses she refused to take off and I had to tackle her and pin her to the ground in order to get the onsie on. I caught her trying to take it off in the cart at Kroger. It’s just easier to let her wear what she wants, plus I think it’s cute that she has a mind of her own. You know, for now.
On other projects, here’s a picture of some book covers my sister and I made while she was in town.
They’re super easy and pretty cute. I think Samantha is great at picking fabrics- she’s totally different from me but I love them!
And, one last picture of the first shirt I’ve made for me (not fabulous, but okay) and a cute dress-shirt I put together for Cambry. This was taken right before we left for the circus- which, by the way, was SO much fun!!!
