Random photos (Sept)

I've been seeing a lot of sunsets lately - either at work or on the way home.  This one is while trying to get the kids off the golf course during end of League:

And then, there's traffic on the way home!

But then, it would be another beautiful morning on the way to work. I love this particular photo - with the fog rising from the lake:

And then, a very interesting looking tree along the street near the boys' school. Not sure if it's a scary tree or if it just wants to give me a hug?!

Been buying a few more things to go along with my kokedama:

Charlie cooking something in the kitchen.  He has my apron on.  Too cute!

More sunsets at work:

And then, coming home to a messy couch!!

Our neighborhood had a campout in Sept:

The boys decided to set up camp way to the left corner.  Such a small tent compared to some other ones!

And by night, glow sticks and a movie!

We didn't end up sleeping in the tent.  I had work early the next day and opted to stay home.  When I went to visit the boys before heading home, it was SO HOT in the tent! Plus, Charlie was not feeling so great. So in the end, everyone packed up their pillows and went home. LOL!!

Our peach tree seems to be doing well now.  For whatever reason, the branch broke off. And my friend's husband wrapped some tape on it.  And now that the tape is peeling off, the branch has completely healed itself!

I caved in and bought some socks for my "girls" in my golf class.  And yup, approved by my boss.  Yay!!

Graham got tired of not being able to find the lid to a container.  So... he took EVERYTHING out of the cabinet and sorted through it.  Too funny!!

This totally reminds me of the time when he was a toddler and I'd let him play with the tupperware cabinet.  Ha!

More plants for more projects for the side biz :-)

This one was pretty while it lasted. I was trying to make one for a lady that requested for some flowers:

Unfortunately, the begonias do not like too much water!

Boys and I are out for dinner while Daddy is traveling. Yup, too lazy to cook and thankfully have earned some money with my golf teaching job :-D

Charlie's ceiling tile was featured at the orthodontics office. Too cool!

I was in there because I was trying to ask for a sponsorship for some socks.  They were so generous, yay!!  Here's a quick peek at what we're buying for a fundraiser:

Isn't that too cute??! The logo was drawn by one of the kids in the neighborhood - winner of our neighborhood Turkey Trot logo contest :-)

And yet another sunset - driving home from work:

Unfortunately, I don't see too many sunsets now with the end of Daylight Savings. I've moved indoors mostly with my golf lessons as well. It's definitely starting to get cold!

Trip to Galena (Sept 7)

For whatever reason, Bobby really wanted to go to Galena.  Oh right, he wanted to see the home of Ulysses S. Grant.  It normally takes about 2.5 hours according to the map.  But no, Bobby wanted to go via the "scenic" route. And so, after a lunch break and taking in the scenes, I think we finally got there within 3.5 hours.  Ha!

Lots of farmland around here.  Pretty "scenic" I suppose :-P

Road trip we-fie!

Here's the house!

Although, technically - he wasn't born here.  It was given to Ulysses Grant by the people here.  He lived mostly in New York if I'm not mistaken:

Anyhow, downtown Galena was small and quaint:

Ha! Charlie is such a fashionista!

No... he did not buy those.  I did end up buying a dress with chickens on it though.  Okay, perhaps I realize now where he gets his sense of style. LOL!!

And then, we have Graham.  "Nothing to see here. It's just another day, carrying a katana on my belt."  Ha!!

Graham was so excited to see actual Katanas (Japanese swords) in this one particular store.  We said he couldn't get a real one but he could get a wooden one instead.  My late dad actually has one.  I was trying to bring it back last year but couldn't figure out how to get it through in my luggage. I'll have to be sure to ship it next time instead from Malaysia!

Well, in any case, Charlie bought a practice "butterfly" knife and I bought a pair of shoes.  Win-win for everyone! :-)

Interesting mural while walking back to the car:

Well, thankfully it didn't take us 3.5 hours to get home. Although pretty close because now Bobby wanted to cross the border to get into Iowa!  We had dinner across the river, although it was just so-so.  The one restaurant we wanted to try would not take us in without a dinner reservation.  Booo!!

By the time we got home, Charlie was already quite handy with that butterfly knife!

What's weird it, I've always wanted a butterfly knife.  I'm not sure why or how I even put that idea in my head in the first place.  Must have been watching some movie once I got to college in the US.  Well, living vicariously through my boys now. LOL!!

Outdoor chores (Aug)

It never ends with this house!  If it's not one thing, it's another. And it comes in waves, or wind storms.  Ha!  Like how this branch ended up on our roof.  Thankfully, it didn't break any of our skylights!

And aren't bugs suppose to stay outside and not get inside??! Ewww...!!

I really wanted some heavy duty/sturdy metal ones, but for this year, we are going with whatever that can just organize some of these plants:

Can't really tell that they are plastic, can you??!

I haven't been spending as much time now in the yard as before.  I'm behind on so much trimming!

Thankfully, Graham still likes to put stuff together:

A new arbor for a pathway.  Hopefully the vine I bought will grow on it:

Well, I looked at the vine today and there are no leaves on it.  Oops!! Maybe it will come back next year???

I finally put up the other section of outdoor lights.  These were suppose to go up like a year ago. LOL!

And all the way down the side steps:  

Boys can't complain now that it's dark outside when I need them to throw out the trash.  Ha!  I did actually buy a new planter and was going to reroute the lights a bit on the back deck. And somehow, the planter ended up in our bedroom - right next to my bedside no less. I am still trying to figure out who the culprit is - playing a joke on Mommy with my projects!

The log splitter definitely came in very handy this summer:

We should have plenty of firewood for this winter to burn in our fireplace inside :-D

I was walking back to the house one day from one of our "islands". And while crossing a bridge, I noticed the beautiful sunset:

Love this place!!

New "work" apron

Okay, I lied. Here's more stuff from August :-P

I totally forgot about my small biz work too.  Ha!  I haven't actually been selling my Kokedama since my friend's farm/market closed for the summer.  I really need to perhaps post them somewhere in social media and sell them that way, or in a store nearby.  We'll see!

I did managed to put together an apron for Plants & Paint. I ordered a t-shirt but size L was too snug! After getting a refund from the company, I decided to cut up the logo and put it on an existing apron.  

Thanks to my sister, it was actually one from her workplace.  Shhh, don't tell her. LOL!!

After poking myself with a few pins, some stitching, and some embroidery...

(I'm a bit rusty in my embroidery!) I probably should have gone with a straight stitch instead of one of those loopy-loop ones:

Ta da!!! 

Looking somewhat professional at least.  Ha! ;-)

Random photos (August)

So... yes, yes, I'm SOOooo far behind my blogging now. I didn't think I would be working so many jobs at this point in my life!  I am at the Golf Academy, and then I recently started working at an X-Golf (indoor golf simulator practice facility), and then I'm also volunteering with the Youth Committee in my neighborhood.  Talk about being all over the place! And thankfully, the boys Graham and Charlie are able to fend for themselves a little bit better now that they are older.  Phew!!

By the way, here's a photo of Graham cooking.  Yay Graham!

Okay, so here are random photos for the rest of August (Yikes, I'm over 2 months behind!!).  And bear with me here - lots of photos of my Kokedama, as I was selling them at my friend's farm :-)

I'm not exactly sure how many I managed to sell:

Hopefully the ones that are purchased are still alive??!

I liked this one with the stand.  A lucky find at the Goodwill store.

I actually still have this plant. Wow, since August!

And this one too: 

Here are some plants that I had repotted.  I love this new "face" pot for my Christmas cactus :-)

This Snake Plant is actually surviving in our bathroom. Finally, one that can actually live in there!

In the meantime, speaking of my friend's farm, I finally decided to paint my logo on the mural:

Colors are still looking so good!

I didn't write the website correctly (thankfully Bobby noticed!), so I had to make the minor correction. Duh!!

Forgot to actually spell out the word "and" that's on the website: plantsandpaint.biz

Silly me!!

Finally got some tomatoes from the garden, but gosh they are tiny. Pretty yummy though!

And some corn - purple ones!

I boiled them and they got super dark in color.  Tried to eat it but it was really firm!! 

I never did figure out if I cooked them properly. A friend suggested I make a drink with it, but that didn't happen either. I left them in the fridge for too long and it got moldy. 

The yellow corn was pretty yummy.  Check out these funny kernel patterns!

And with this one, the top half was all jumbled up while the bottom part was symmetrical. So weird!

And somehow, through all of this, I got some weird bite on my shin.  Thankfully it didn't itch, but it was definitely warm to the touch and an "angry" red!

Thankfully after about a week, it looked better.  Still never figured out what bit me!

I came home one day and there were 5 to-go mugs by the sink to be handwashed?!

I was in a store one day and saw some cute socks.  And yes, managed to convince my boss to allow me to buy them for my "girls" at the Academy. I'm such a softie now! 

We decided to check out a mall and omg, found the Rain Forest Cafe.  I haven't seen one of these since living in Arizona - and that was a long time ago!!

Daddy is doing the games on the kid's menu.  Ha!  Charlie and I are enjoying a fancy drink in a fancy light-up glass!

I can't believe this restaurant chain still exist. Boys definitely had a fun time though. Ha!

And as I shopped in the mall after, they were happily on bench, on their phones.  Aiyo, as I would say in my Malaysian-Chinese accent!

Last but not least, a sleepover at our home during the Centennial celebration of our neighborhood.  Can't believe our little community is 100 years old!

There doesn't seem to be a lot of celebration while these boys are ALL on their phones. Hmm...

At least our guest made us some yummy pancakes the next morning.  Nice!

Can't go wrong with chocolate (M&Ms) in pancakes!! :-D