Stars Without Makeup
Next time you are feeling a little down cuz your hair isn't just right, click here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RokIWzt5YLw&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eanvari%2Eorg%2Fcols%2FStars%5Fwithout%5FMake%5FUp%2Ehtml

This girl brings so much joy to our lives. She is smart, funny (although she doesn't know it) and so sweet. She wakes up every morning bursting with energy, ready to take on the day. She never gets bored. Never. She has such a wonderful imagination too. Now, finally, (and I have been waiting a long time for this) she has taken an interest in "reading" her own books and making up her own stories. Not a day goes by that she doesn't make us laugh out loud. What a blessing it is to have her.

Athena is gone. The house seems eerily quiet. Where is she and what is she doing?

She is at cousin Abby's house. So far she has scared Auntie Jen out of her wits about a hundred times, (See above picture and you will know why) eaten lunch, played in Abby's pool and tried to wear some 24m sized dresses of Abby's when she actually wears 4T. I miss her already, but... it is like a refreshing glass of water on a hot summer day to have some time alone. Thank you dear Jen.

Summer Fun


Summer time is nearly over. Hurray! I find summer the most disagreeable season of all. This one in particular. It has been hot. Way too hot. I am not a complainer by nature but come on! Give us some nice moderate weather.

Anyway, we have had some wonderful times. We had the Payette family up for a bbq and they ALL tented in the back yard. Great fun. They are such nice people.


It was Edens birthday so we celebrated with cake. Speaking of Eden, I will include a picture of her taken on the weekend swinging by herself. She is great at is for only being 3 years old. She was trying to teach Athena by repeating "Pump and forward, pump and forward..." about 500 times. I told her she was going to lose her voice and Jill shouted from the deck "Oh no Mom, she has a looooong way to go before that happens" Payback, I thought as Jill talked nonstop as a little girl. She even went so far as to say, "I think I may have told you this but pretend you don't know."



Athena and Daddy have had some great times this summer too. Paul bought a tent and sleeping bags, set them up in the yard and at random times I find them out there together reading books. He took her twice to "eat lunch on a blanket" and she went to her first movie Shrek the Third. She of course had to wash her bike when Daddy washed his too. Monkey see monkey do. The two of them are just nuts some time. Just yesterday they picked all of the apples off of the tree. She remembers that and looks forward to it each year.



Paul and I celebrated our 24th anniversary as well. My how time flies.



This coming up week, Athena is spending two days with Auntie Jen, Uncle Jordan and Abby. She and Abby play so well together. I hope it won't be too much for Jen, being almost 9 months pregnant and all. They will bring her back on Saturday just in time for the 4th Annual Thompson Family BBQ. I will have some time alone to prepare all the food so that is extra nice. It is a whole lot of work but so worth it. What a fun time. I understand there are a few minor feuds in the family so I may have to have arranged seating. :)



So with the barbecue coming close and the weather days getting a bit shorter, my mood lifts as I look forward to the fall. My most favorite time of year.