Squirrel!!!

I'm thinking it is the same squirrel that keeps coming around:

We are finding random peanut shells everywhere!

By the way, how do weeds grow in between these tiniest cracks of the pavers??!

As long as the squirrel doesn't come around stealing our apricots and apples!  Still waiting for apricots to appear on this tree:

We had just one apricot the entire year last year.  It didn't flower very well this year so I'm guessing maybe no fruit this year :-(  Now I'm almost tempted to have this tree removed because it is getting way too big for this spot!

Backyard hardscape update

Seems like there is always a lot going on in the backyard.  I think it's mostly because we spend most of our time out there and I am just still not happy with it!

I've decided to add on to this one paved area.  These pavers were what was around the trampoline.  Obviously too dangerous if the boys plan to land OUTSIDE of the trampoline net!

Graham's little red wheelbarrow really comes in handy :-)

I was trying to make it more curved but it just didn't work out that way, so this will have to do.  For now, at least:

In the meantime, I've purchased some flexible rubber border edging.  A bit pricey but it really does the trick!  Especially if we want a softer landing for the boys:

Looks pretty good! And supposedly it should be just at the same height as the grass so the mower can go through it with no issues:

At least that's what it's advertising.  Knowing Graham and Charlie, they will probably just mow right OVER the edge and shred the rubber into pieces!

A lovely sky last night.  So glad we have this yard!

And as much as we complain about all the things that need fixin' in this house, we love it.  Even if it looks like a tornado went through it.  It's so messy and somehow I just can't seem to get to the mess?  As one of my plaque says "Don't mind the mess, my children are creating memories."  :-)

Recent finds

As usual, I am browsing through all the sales on our local app -  mostly really late at night, when I am at my "A" game :-)  So here are my most two recent finds:

A new (used) clock:

I assumed that the pendulum would actually swing but it doesn't.  So I'm glad I saw this clock again and this time it was half off.  I'd say it was a steal!

And just picked up this new (used) chandelier:

I think it will need a new paint color and not sure if the chain/wire needs to be longer too, to hang over the dining table.  Seems rather short, but this is what the chandelier will look like when hung:

Looks pretty cool, doesn't it?  At least I think so.  Ha ha!  I still can't figure out what my style is - like mid-century modern, maybe???  Bobby has finally learned to agree with (most of) what I says,... "as long as Momma is happy."  13 years of marriage and he is finally learning!

Here's what we currently have over our dining room table.  It's actually a foyer pendant light, the same one that we had in our first Phoenix house:

I think it is time for an upgrade! 

I also have a couple other pendant lights that need to hung as well in both bathrooms.  It's going to be a busy summer!!!

Happy birthday to me ~ June 12

Yes, it was my birthday last Friday.  Sheeeshh... 44 years old!  Last year, I told the boys I was 34 and the year before that I told the boys I was 24.  Looks like either way, I can't swap the numbers around anymore from here on out!  Well, as they say - it's just a number but I always think back about when I was a kid and my mom was in her 40s.  That's like me now with Graham and Charlie! And I'm also getting far-sighted now so I have a combination of near-sightedness AND far-sightedness.  You ask how that's possible?  Well, I can even prove it with my contact lenses.  I actually have to cheat with a bifocal lens in my left eye.  Ha ha!

Okay, I've probably given away too much information there. Anyway, started my birthday morning with a guilt-free sleep in.  Yes, I do love my sleep-ins. I'm glad there are no more 9am Zoom calls for the kids.  Yes, it really was that difficult to even get ready for those.  Ha ha!

Bobby bought me some biscotti a few days ago and the minute he handed those to me, he said "Happy Birthday!".  Ha ha, he does know the way to my heart with food :-)

Looks like the theme this year with birthday cards is Star Wars.  And the newspaper wrapping paper continues to be a hit!

A new camera! Yay!!!  I did mention to Bobby that I wanted a new camera, but this one is too big :-\  Bobby said this one has all the bells and whistles and has a really good review, but I'm not sure how it will fit in my back pocket when we are out and about:

So before solving that problem, we watch a live Zoom call from the Natural History Museum.  They are in the Butterfly Pavilion.  Learned some interesting facts such as... Did you know that butterflies have ears in their wings??!

Looks like I may have found my new camera :-)  And while I'm at it, I am also going to paint my nails.  Don't do that very often but a birthday would seem like a good day to do it:

Bobby said it's Tiffany blue.  Maybe I was subconsciously trying to send him a message???

I decided to put on some sparkly specks as well.  Almost like a robin's egg now that I look at this photo again:

Okay,... after lunch it's off to the backyard.  Oh, I had to make my own lunch and the boys' lunch.  How did that happen???  Anyway, here's my view from the hammock this afternoon.  Look at those wispy clouds!

Two thumbs up from Mommy! Yay!!!  The hammock is mostly Bobby's spot but today, it is mine :-D

Trying to tan up my "flip-flop" tan line.  Gone are the days of the golfing sock tan line! Gosh, mine was really bad when I was golfing fulltime:

Coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon:

Now I'm just going to watch Graham and Charlie play on the slip-and-slide:

So glad there's two of them to entertain themselves:

How is it that there's always a competition though? I had to give them a score (out of 10) as to who's "trick" was better on the slip-and-slide.  Of course, it was never quite the perfect 10 so they would just keep trying:

And we finally broke the glass jar that Graham was growing crystals in.  We did lose quite a few crystals but most of the base was intact.  Maybe another crystal growing kit is in our future:

I think this is the first time I'm actually looking at the boys' faces next to each other in a photo - without them making any funny faces.  They have both grown up so much! And they both look so different from each other.  I'm not sure why people would ask if they are twins? Although they both have my stubby nose and Charlie is catching up in height to Graham!

Charlie made me a happy face for me.  Awwww...

Yup, you guessed it - take out from our favorite Chinese restaurant again!

It's nice to be able to sit outside on the back patio.  This is pretty much our larger formal dining room.  I think that's how we will have to advertise it when we sell the house as the dining area inside is not too big. Wish I could get a banquet in there too, that would be so nice!  Yes dear... I will slow my creative mind down now :-P

Time for bundt cake!  I received an email to pick up a free bundt cake but how could I leave with only one??!  So, there's carrot, lemon, red velvet, and of course chocolate choc-chip. YUM!!!

Charlie wanted to soooo badly eat one of these cakes even before my birthday and I said no.  Well, he ate most of my carrot one even though I told him to save it for me for later.  Little stinker!

It was a team effort to get the candles lit on this windy day:

A quick birthday song! And still not quick enough to blow out my candles.  Ha ha!

At least Graham is still willing to share some of his bundt cake:

Unlike this "Ham".  LOL!!!

One last pressie to open.  I told the boys they can buy me a pair of therapeutic slippers:

Well, I did eventually pick them out online.  Graham says it looks very "sciencey":

Weirdly enough, the slippers have changed up my posture a bit.  My belly is more tucked in and my tailbone is also more tucked in.  And I can also feel the weight on my feet shift back more towards the inside/center of  my body - since I do have a tendency to walk with the weight along the outside of my feet.  That's the "walking like a duck" thing when I was pregnant with Graham.  Ha ha!
Anyway, super sciencey for sure!!!  The only thing is I can only wear the slippers for about 5-10 minutes at a time as they really hurt the bottom of my feet!

Well, one more birthday left to go this year and that's Charlie's.  Poor kid has to wait through all of ours and that's probably a lot for an almost 8-year old.  Three birthday within a one month span. Phew! And I'll have to think up what to buy for this kid.  So many different demands.  Kids these days, I tell you!

Finally, some beach time

It was super hot last week! 100F outside and 86F inside the house. Yikes!

We are working on getting our squeaky air conditioner replaced.  After looking up some videos on the internet (yes, some sort of research), we figured we could just pull the wall-unit out.  Looks like it just might work??!

We ordered a new through-the-wall ac unit online and are waiting for it to arrive later this week.  Looks like a lot of these new ones are not as tall so not sure what we're going to do with the gap. Drywall and stucco is not my thing! In any case, my "throne" is in the middle of the living room now and someone is sitting in it.  Ha!

Well, don't worry - this a/c replacement project will definitely be in the blog - failures and all. Yes, already expecting something to go wrong!

Back to the beach... yup, so many people!!!  And this was on a Thursday.  Definitely way too many people for us to even think about wandering down there.  And I didn't see a lot of people wearing masks either.  Hmmm...

So, we drove to another part of the beach and ended up by the rocks instead. Actually, from the photo on the top - just all the way along to beach to the left. Ya... boys kept complaining that there was no sand.  We haven't been on the rocks for so long either, it's was a bit tricky with the footing:

At this point, we are going to stick to the rocks since there are too many people on this side of the beach too!  Are those people congregated under the tent??!?

Yup, sticking to the rocks for sure now.  I love seeing the boys close like this:

How is it that this group of dad and 2 kids thought it was okay to intrude into the boys' space??!  They are obviously not obeying the social distancing rules!  I had to ask the boys to put up their mask, which meant pulling up their turtle necks up.  Charlie likes to pull up his entire shirt to the back of his head too.  Ha!

Looks like the bucket is coming in handy.  I have no idea what these things are.  Snails? I told Bobby I would bring these home for him for dinner :-)

Graham is on some sort of mission:

Tide is coming in!

We are looking for crabs under the rocks, and "we" as in the boys.  I just plop my bum on a flat rock and enjoy the sun, the wind, and the sound of the waves.  And take lots of photos of course :-)

Graham found the antenna of a lobster???

Charlie caught a crab!!!

I was hoping we would get a better photo but this one was it.  The crab pinched Charlie's finger and he dropped the crab!

Well, all the sea creatures needed to go back to it's natural habitat anyway.  I was almost THIS close to letting the boys bring them home.  But we don't have any sort of fish tank.  I mean, Graham and Charlie collected some roly pollies the other day, put them in a jar with some soil, leaves, and what nots... and then haven't attended to them since.  That was like 3-4 days ago!!! And, they left the jar in the sun too.  Sounds like they put the roly pollies through some sort of torture, but it started out as some spa retreat???  Let's just say the roly pollies did NOT see that coming!  I wasn't going to let them do that to the poor crab and snails :-\

Well, it's always a good outing when Charlie falls asleep in the car on the way home:

I told the boys we would try to go to the beach again later this week.  Hopefully it won't be too crowded earlier in the week.  We'll see what happens!  They are just dying to get their feet into the sand.  Poor kids!  And wait, did I mention that the summer holidays has already begun.  Yay!!! No more homeschooling!!! :-D