What can I do with my kids for free?

Firefighter Song (tune: I'm a Little Teapot)    I'm a little firefighter on the go. Here is my helmet Here is my hose. When I see a fire, Hear me shout: "Turn on the water and put the fire out!" Shhhhhhhh!

Did you know that most Fire Stations will give your kids free tours?

Have you been in a while?

Here is a link to the Fire Stations in Philadelphia.
Unknown Mami
Fresh Mommy Citar
Nihaoyall


'Each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.' 
~Edgar Allan Poe

4 x 365

He could have never known how loud his world would get

that fateful day we met.

He is quiet. Very quiet.

Peaceful. Tranquil. Calm.

And I?

Am not.

Not quiet or peaceful or tranquil or calm.

He could have never known how much work a house would be.

He didn't go to college and live with anyone.

Just himself and his Dad in their peaceful & quiet house.

He liked the calm. The structure. The stability.

And here came Becky.

I threw all of that stuff he loves, right down the drain.

Hello house! Hello mortgage! Hello Kaishon!

And holy cow, hello to all the other children I acrue as well.

Lots and lots of children.

Lots and lots of loud.

Lots and lots of different.

I don't know what made him like me.

And then love me.

I don't know.

Really, I don't know.

I wonder sometimes if he made a mistake.

If he should have married a peaceful and quiet girl

that would have been happy to stay in Philly.

Who would not have wanted a house

or more babies

or random children roaming around day in and day out.

I wonder.

I can't tell you why he loves me,

but, I can tell you why I love him.

I love him for the quiet.

For the calm.

For the peaceful.

I love that every summer he says, 

'Beck, could you try not to spend all of your paycheck on the kids and their activities?'

and then, when I do, he says,

'That's ok. I will work more.'

and he does.

I love that he smiles and his eyes crinkle.

Even after he worked a 16 hour day his eyes are still crinkly.

He has the best smile.

Great big teeth.

Great big smile.

Great big heart.

I love his laugh.

I love that he barely ever gets mad at me.

Even when I have freakouts that totally destroy his quiet and calm.

Even when he is working in a building that was 112 degrees for 7 days in a row.

Even when I forget to buy him fishsticks.

He brings the quiet. I bring the chaos.

We merge in the middle.

4 years of merging.

4 years of learning.

4 years of love.

Happy Anniversary to my Gary.

Please know, sweet Gary of mine, that I do know,

absolutely every day, how incredibly blessed I am.

And thank you more than anything,

for loving my Kaish, like he is your own.

1 year

2 years

3 years

Summer Sippin'

Summer:

Sippin' from the hose.

Sniffin' flowers with our nose.

 Squeezin' baby cheeks.

Skippin' in the creeks.

 Sayin' bye to friends.

Sleepin' in 'til tens.

 Smilin' day and night.

Sprayin' all in sight.

Sailin' through the air.

Sunin' everwhere.

 Did I mention we love it?

 Oh, maybe once or twice, eh?

 We can't get enough.

It's official.

We aren't ever letting Summer depart.

Sorry, Fall.

You aren't welcome up in here.

Skeedaddle.

What are you doing this Tuesday?

My 3 Boybarians

Communal Global 

Water, water, everywhere!

  I heart Faces

John went to visit his 90 year old grandfather in a very secluded, rural area of Georgia.

After spending a great evening chatting the night away, John's grandfather prepared breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast. However, John noticed a film like substance on his plate, and questioned his grandfather asking, "Are these plates clean?"

His grandfather replied, "They're as clean as cold water can get them. Just you go ahead and finish your meal, Sonny!"

For lunch the old man made hamburgers. Again, John was concerned about the plates as his appeared to have tiny specks around the edge that looked like dried egg and asked, "Are you sure these plates are clean?"

Without looking up the old man said, "I told you before, Sonny, those dishes are as clean as cold water can get them. Now don't you fret, I don't want to hear another word about it!"

Later that afternoon, John was on his way to a nearby town and as he was leaving, his grandfather' s dog started to growl, and wouldn't let him pass. John yelled and said, "Grandfather, your dog won't let me get to my car"

Without diverting his attention from the football game he was watching on TV, the old man shouted...

"COLDWATER, GO LAY DOWN!!!"

'Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.' ~Pablo Picasso

Studio JRU
This is what we have been doing:
Creating and trying to stay cool.










Think about this for a few moments:

1) It isn't 106 degrees, 
2) I'm not 5,700 miles from home, 
3) I'm not dressed in full BDU uniform and helmet and carrying 70+ pounds, and 
4) there is very little chance that anyone will shoot at me or that I might drive over a bomb in the road today.


 Thanks to all who serve. 

Unknown Mami
Sunday Citar
Nihaoyall
This is part of Photo Story Friday at My Chaos My Bliss.

Honored to be hosting In The Studio this week with Studio JRU.

Pretty Much LOVING every minute of this glorious season!

Awesome new Meme alert!

Weekly Kodachrome at 

Adventures and Misadventures in Daily Living.

Check it out!

What are you doing today?

We are going to make a care package for our friend in Afghanistan.

The kids are super excited.

We might hit the pool again since it is going to be 103 degrees.

Maybe we will send someone a letter today.

Check out my friend Jennifer's post at {in}courage today.

good mamas and abundant love {neigh, neigh}

A good Mama would check the weather 

and figure out which day of the week 

would be the coolest.

A good Mama would take the kids 

first thing in the morning 

before the sun got too hot 

on the coolest day of the week.

A good Mama would bring water bottles

 in a cooler

 to give the kids 

first thing in the morning 

before the sun got hot 

on the coolest day of the week.

I am NOT a good Mama.

We went on the hottest day of the week. 

I believe it was 101 degrees.

Since I am an exaggerator though,

let's just say it was 121 degrees : ).

I didn't remember water bottles.

And we went at 1:00 PM.

It could not have been hotter.

Thank goodness the kids had fun and love me any way.

{Despite my Good Mama failings!}

This horse is half horse/ half zebra.

How cool is that?

We love Haycock Stables.
If you live near us,
go right away.
Joanne and Abe are the nicest people.
They have been married for 50 years.
Farmers don't have easy lives.
I love their smiles.
I love their horses.
I love their love that has endured.