Keeping It Outside

Still taking advantage of the weather, I had my dad cut out some small boards for the boys to have and do some painting. I made them strip down to their underwear, even though the paint is 'waterproof' I don't believe it. They dove right in.

Tanner just went for it, no plan in mind. He enjoyed mixed the colors and seeing what different shapes he could make. Ty was a little more specific on his picture as he started to make a rainbow. Austin even had a board with some paint, but most of the paint just ended up on his legs and he was done within about 2 minutes from when we started. He did however become every interested in what the boys were painting and wanted to a; add to their painting using his own creative eye, which did not sit well with the other artist, or b; step on the boards which cause all sorts of tears and pushing as the older two tried to save their artwork. I didn't want to stop the fun, but didn't know how else to keep Austins attention, so I filled up the pool for the little guy to keep him out of his brothers hair. It worked, kind of. As soon as Austin jumped in the pool, guess who wanted to join him? T & t. Ugh, so much for prolonging the painting experience. I asked the boys if they wanted to finish and they said no, they were done. As the boys jumped around in the pool I didn't want to waste all the paint so I flipped to boards over and started painting myself. I am no artist, unless it is on the computer or behind a camera, so I really had no plan for my art. I just had to use the rest of the paint that was in the bowls.
I was impressed with the results although I have no idea what I am going to do with them. Maybe I'll flip them back over and use the kids original paintings for a fun addition to my walls.

Simple Welcome, Happy Days

I have never been a huge fan of our entry way, cause I have never done anything with it. I love walking up to a persons front door and being in love with their house before ever stepping inside. It doesn't have to be fancy, just welcoming. But I just can never find anything I like, unless it is in the Pottery Barn catalog, in which case I cannot have it because I would rather buy my family groceries for the week rather than buying one welcome mat, let alone the rest of the decor which is so appealing. So I have lived here for 4 years with no decorations and no one to blame but myself. My dad is always great at decorating is porch (and when I say decorate, he's not all Martha Stewart or anything, but he likes to get a wreath or a door hanger.... pre-made mind you, and replace the current one hanging there already.) He always has something new and seasonal adorning his entry way that lets you know you have arrived at the Dicus house. So I had to laugh a few weeks ago as I called him on his cell and he mentioned he was in JoAnn's. 'Ummmm, are you lost Pop? I know you aren't sewing a new set of knickers for yourself, or scrapbooking your latest robot creation, so why are you there?' I was just really confused. Not the normal answer of Home Depot or the auto store that I am use to getting. So when he calmed my fears by letting me know he was grabbing some 4th of July decor I could only smile knowing next time I went to my parents house, there would be new things waiting to greet me.

The following week I was at JoAnn's myself, which isn't as uncommon as my dad's trip, but I was there for some fabric for something I was throwing together, no big thing. But I was there at one of those awkward times where I didn't have enough time to go to another store, but if I went home I would have to turn around in 10 minutes to go pick up Ty. But if I left the store right then I would be about 15 minutes early to pick up Ty and would have to sit in the car. I hate times like that. So I decided to stay and walk around with Tanner and Austin who both seemed content to just look at all the little things in the store. While strolling around the store, looking at nothing in particular, Tanner found this little frog that was going fishing. It was actually really cute, and he just kept talking about it. I asked what he wanted to do with it, and he said put it outside to look at. That was all I needed. The wheels started turning and I was off shopping again. The frogs had these perfect spring/summer colors and every turn I made, there was something else I could use to put together my creation. It came together all to perfectly, and I couldn't have been happier with the results. So now when you come over, it might not be a Pottery Barn entry way, but it is definitely a Lawrence home entry way, and I hope it puts a smile on your face like it does mine every time I come home.


DISCLAIMER: Handsome Man doesn't come with the display and isn't always present, but sure looks hot when he's there.

Eating While In The Air

Why eat inside when you can eat lunch on the swings? There has been a nice change in the weather and the boys are once again living outside. We occasionally have lunch on the trampoline or the patio, but just to keep it exciting (like it is ever boring around here) the boys wanted to eat their sandwiches on the swings the other day. Why not right?


Well, Austin wasn't really swinging as much as just leaning on his swing, but as long as he is with his brothers, he is happy. He just has to be one of the boys.How can you not love that smile?They really did a great job of eating, which isn't always the what happens if they are outside, say on the trampoline which in that case half of the food ends up bouncing around with them.But as long as they are having a good time, everyone is happy, and you just can't beat that.

What I should be doing....

As it is getting close to midnight I sit at the computer looking at all that I accomplished tonight in my night of work. While I am impressed I realize that I have just wasted a whole night and didn't get anything done on my list. I am tempted to stay up and get at least one thing done on the list so that I can say I did something I was suppose to, but the daunting fact that I have a 6am photoshoot in the morning is making a good case why I should just stop now and get some sleep.
I should have...
- folded laundry
- made either one of the two wedding slideshows that I want done by tomorrow for two different clients
- worked on an album for a third bride
- file the things in the huge stack of 'to be filed' papers sitting next to me on the desk
- got some final measurements for my couch that I am so close to finishing
- replied to some emails I haven't had time to get to
- cleaned the kitchen

oh my goodness, I am getting so tired just writing all the could have and should have blah blah blah. The list goes on and on. Bottom line, I didn't do any of it. But this is what I did do. Eric came up with a fun new blog. He always sees things a little differently than I do, so it should be fun to read his posts. Plus, with as big as slacker as I have been lately on blogging, maybe he can pick up some of my slack. But I love the name of his blog so much, and he hadn't done anything with the layout, so.....

I made this fun new header and changed his colors and all that fun stuff. What do you think?
To see it in its full glory check out his blog.
http://boysagainstgirl.blogspot.com/
I think it looks great! Okay, now I am just being overindulgent so I'm off to bed.

That's how we roll

Whole House Fan, how I miss you!

My family stayed out in the front yard for a moment or two this evening after FHE to say goodnight to my parents and get the last bit (well, the last allowed for the night) of energy out before bed. It was a warm, very warm 95 degrees today but we were pleased to feel the nice cool breeze tonight as a slight cooling trend will allow those hot summer temps to get back into the 80s which they totally skipped right over this weekend. It was the kiss of summer on my checks as the breeze swirled lightly around that always brings back fun summer memories as a teenager. Never anything specific, just the overall feeling of youth and freedom that so many summer memories stem from.

But the night was growing near and the kids need to get to bed so in we went. I promptly opened the house to welcome in the much cooler air, and now, 90 minutes later I am wishing I could drag my computer outside so I could again enjoy the temperature. See, even with all our windows open the airflow in our house is lacking. It is probably a good 10 degrees at least warmer in the house than in is outside. And unless you are sitting in front of one of the windows, you would have no idea that there was such a wonderful breeze outside. So as I sit at my computer, trying to get some work done, I am roasting. This brings back another summer memory I wish I could capture again so badly right now, although I never realized at the time how much I really appreciated it. My parent had a whole house fan put into their house many years ago, and it always did the trick. I just didn't appreciate the true benefit of the fan and I only like the amount of noise it created.

I will admit, I took advantage of that wonderful house fan in my youth. See the fan was in the hallway leading to the bedrooms. When on, it created enough noise that it was more difficult to hear what was going on in the front of the house if you were in the back. So there might have been a time or two, that as I left for the evening to hang out with friends, I might have moved the timer of the fan to make sure it continued running, at least 30 minutes after curfew. Not that I even needed that buffer of time, or that I was ever, ever late getting home at the set time given to me by my wonderful, loving parents, but knowing that if there was ever a time that I needed just an extra minute or two... opening that front door would be muffled by the sound of the glorious house fan. It was wonderful! I mean to say the thought was wonderful, not the actual action of being late, which remember, I never, ever was. And if by chance I was late, it would have been for saintly reasons like a friend desperately needed a shoulder to cry on, and I left as soon as possible. Or I hit every single red light on the way home and didn't want to speed which might possibly endanger my life, or others. Or there was a dog wondering the streets late at night and several cars had to swerve not to hit it, so of course I stopped and tried to help the little dog find it's home. But we are getting way off the subject.....

So anyway, I sit here tonight longing for the true use of a house fan, so I can suck that breeze right into my home and cool everything down quickly and enjoy this beautiful summer night. To bad so many things go unappreciated for their true benefit until it is too late. So until I get a whole house fan of my own, here's to the many years of wonderful evening of cool summer breezes inside and out and the fun memories of the past and a future full of new adventure.

How many Goats do you see?

The city of Rocklin decided to try an unconventional way of taking care of the over growth in most of there city a little while back. In stead of hiring high school or college kids to come out and chop down all the brush, they hired goats. And I'm not talking about a couple of goats, I am talking about 2,000 goats. No joke! The goats were hired on by the city and let loose on various hillsides in Rocklin for a few days before being moved to the next. You never knew where they were going to be but I lucked out one day as my dad called to let me know exactly where the goats had been spotted. So of course we jumped in the car and went for a drive. It took me a while to find the little fellas, but once I figured out exactly where I was going, you couldn't miss them.




So actually there were mainly sheep, with a few goats mixed in. It was really fun to see them all on the hillside. All different colors and sizes. I was sad that we couldn't touch the goats and the fence was electric, so we kept our distance, but the boys didn't seem to mind too much observing from afar.
At one point all the animals got spooked by something and took off running. I don't think it was from Austin's growl that he let out at one of the sheep, but Ty and Tanner thought so, which began a bunch of growling from all three in hopes of another stampede. No luck.

I liked all the baby goats. Too cute. I really want one... but then they get big and aren't as cute. I am glad I can make grown up decisions. These pictures make me want one again though.
The afternoon grew late and we had to leave the goats, but it was such a fun adventure and if we hear of where the goats are next we will be sure to go say hi to our new friends.