Tagged by choice....

Here is a fun tag that I found on Mama Nirvana's blog. It is to list three random facts about yourself. So here it goes:

1. I occasionally get inspired with little "inventions" or things that would help people's lives if only I knew of a way to market them. It happens about once a year or so and they are NOT big money making ideas- just small things that I think would be handy. Here is one random idea I had last night. It is for scouts or anybody learning to tie knots. Get a string about 12 inches long and color half of it red and half of it blue. It really doesn't matter what colors you choose. Now whenever you wrap the string around a pole to practice tying knots, just remember what color was in your left or right hand and then follow the directions. The pattern will show up much better than using just one color. I just had a great idea for the name of this string- Knot So Simple........
2. I want to learn to play the guitar.
3. I still have bad dreams once in a while about forgetting my locker combo in high school and having to go to the office to get it. Sometimes I have a dream where I am late to class and don't remember which one it was! Then I have to go to the office to figure out my schedule!

Ooops!

Did I do that?

No use crying over spilt milk Dallin!

It was mostly my fault since I left him for a second to give something to Ryan. Dallin loves playing with the lids of things like his soy milk carton and taking them on and off. I knew the milk carton was mostly full, but I got distracted and thought he would be okay for a second with the carton since it was on the floor. Silly mom.

Active Wonders Daycare- open for business!

It's official! I was able to get my State License for Daycare last week. I worked hard for two months getting my home up to code and getting organized. We also had to install a fence around our playarea because our backyard isn't totally fenced. I repainted our entryway to cover up our 5+ years of scratches and dings on the walls. It has been a long process, but totally worth it. I am caring for a 5 year old boy now and he made this really cute dinosaur. I was totally surprised with how well it turned out. I didn't help him- it is his own creation! When my kids came home from school, they wanted to play with it too. I hadn't bought playdough for a couple of years, not since I last did childcare, so Tyler and Sydney played for a long time with it. The other boy in the picture is Tyler's friend from our neighborhood. I won't be posting pictures of my daycare kids on the internet.

Sydney playing with Shrek and notice his pearly white playdough teeth!

I've been trying to get a nice picture of Sydney lately, but she won't smile for the camera now. This is the best I could do. Isn't she looking older- She's only eight! She will be nine at the end of this month!

Helpers

One great thing about having family here in Utah is being able to ask them for help! A couple of weeks ago we needed some help installing a fence around our playarea. This is a requirement for me getting my State License for daycare. Randy was on a break from school and was able to help us out for a couple of days. Micah, his third child was able to come and hang out with Dallin. They had great fun and Randy got a really good burn......ah tan......on every exposed area! Thanks for your help Randy!

Cousins

Jasc Paint Shop Pro 9

Ryan bought this program called Jasc Paint Shop Pro 9 for editing photos that he takes of snakes. I have really enjoyed using this to edit my family photos and outdoor photos. Here is one example of a feature I played with for the first time. I love the outcome! It is the Kaleidoscope feature. The second photo is the original. Enjoy!

Blossoms a-plenty

Popcorn Popping by Moiselle Renstrom

I looked out the window, and what did I see?

Popcorn popping on the apricot tree!

Spring has brought me such a nice surprise,

Blossoms popping right before my eyes.

I could take an armful and make a treat,

A popcorn ball that would smell so sweet.

It wasn't really so, but it seemed to be

Popcorn popping on the apricot tree.

- Children's Song Book pg. 242

This tree is in our mini-orchard and is a Shiro Plum tree. I love how you can get lost looking up through the branches into the beautiful sky. I also love how there are hundreds of blossoms clinging to each branch. This tree literally puts on a cloth of flowers each spring!

This is a variety of ornamental weeping cherry that is in our neighbors front yard.

Bleeding hearts

Ever wonder why they call this plant Bleeding Heart?