Color

The theme this week over at Stacey's is Color. So here's what I did, I adjusted to add more color. Before, SOOC:

And after, with a tweek here and there:

Go check out the color.

Run!

I think that it's safe to say that the girls usually run every chance they get. It has to be buillt into the child's brain. Every cell in my body wants to yell, "Walk, please...don't fall!" I think that is built into every mother's brain.

She was running to see her sister. More from the pumpkin patch here. Run over to see more of Thursday's Theme Walk at Picture This.

Ritual

This is very late but I decided to post it anyway. Tracey's theme for this Thursday is ritual. We probably have several during our day but the main one lately is our get ready for school ritual. It's typical, nothing out of the ordinary. But today was special. Today Daddy decided to go in to work late (we had two appointments at the house that we made early). He takes Natalya to school most days but he has never taken Vienne to school. And V has been wanting him to. So today we got ready as usual but instead of just Daddy and Natalya leaving the house, we all left (in two cars because Daddy did still have to get to work). We had planned on dropping N off, going to the bakery for muffins, then dropping V off. We got to Natalya's school, unloaded and OOPS- no backpack. Natalya giggles. Daddy goes back home to get it then meets me and V at the bakery. We have our muffins then take V to school. We unload at her school and OOPS no school bag! Vienne giggles and I go get the bag. Greg heads to the house for our construction meetings but not before saying, "I'm never doing this again. It threw everyone off." Our usual ritual was interrupted and not without a price. There is a reason we have rituals. It keeps us all sane.

Tomorrow, a super fun friend and I are heading to what is said to be a famous antique show a couple of hours away. A girls road trip. We're staying a night then shopping Saturday. I'm hoping to find at least one good treasure. And it's not even the shopping that thrills me the most. It's the idea that this will be the first time that I've been away over night without Greg and the girls. Ever. Don't judge. I'm just overly attached. I'm learning to let go. Hopefully I'll bring back a good story.

Fly Girls

Well, they are pretty fly. Natalya and Vienne are accessorizers.

Natalya found my sunglasses and put them on.And when monkey sees, monkey does. We enjoyed a great afternoon at the pool with friends. We have been loving the Texas sun. Guess what? It's raining today!

Thursday's Theme at Picture This is "fly". Whatcha' got?

Cook-key?

Does it count? Thursday's Theme at Picture This is "key". Looks yummy, doesn't it?

Fasten Your Seat Belts...

...It's going to be a bumpy ride. The HipHub has decided to join the Air Force reserves. He has already completed 17 years in the Air Force. When his time was up in the AF two years ago, we (mostly meaning "I") decided that in the best interest of the family, he would not sign on for more years. He had already been deployed to Saudi Arabia and to Iraq and he would have definitely had to go to Iraq again soon. He had always intended on joining the reserves at some point to finish up 20 years and therefore "retire" from the AF then.

He just couldn't let it lie. It was burning at his inner being. OK, I admit, from a retirement standpoint, he's right. That money in the future will certainly be nice. And he did look handsome in his uniform. Very handsome. But deployments are hard. Greg is telling me that he has some reassurance from somebody (I want credentials and it all in writing) that deployment is less likely. But if you are military aware, there are no guarantees. That is definitely a journey I don't want to take again. I will keep my fingers crossed that it's an uneventful 3 years.

Thursday's Theme is "Trip". Pack your bags, grab your passport and visit Tracey at Picture This.

All is Fair

I asked Natalya, "What does it mean to be fair?"
She replies, "It means to be nice to people and to give them what's theirs."
I say, "Are you always fair?"
She says, "No. It's hard being fair."

This was taken at Boerne Berges Fest about a month ago. Small town carnival, big time fun.

This week's Thursday's Theme is "Fair". Get your tickets and join us at Picture This.

Drip

"No, I can wash my hair by myself!"

Don't be a drip. Join us at Picture This for Thursday's Theme.

Spectacle

For Vienne, this was all the spectacle she will take. She still doesn't like fireworks. But a few sparklers and a mini fireworks show in the street was enough. We did the small town parade (click here for pictures) in the morning and ended the day with cupcakes with our sweet neighbors.
Spec-ta-cle: noun; a visually striking performance or display. From Latin spectaculum, public show.
Join us for Thursday's Theme and show us yours at Picture This.

Let's Begin

This week's Thursday's Theme is "Begin". How will it end? Picture This.

Second Best

Those of us with two (and three and four plus) know how hard it is for the second child sometimes. They miss out on the Wiggles because the older child doesn't want to watch them, they have to run to catch up, they get hand me down clothes, they have to watch the older child do all of the most fun fantastical things that a child could imagine. And they can't do anything about it.
Poor Vienne. I sit back and watch her grow up behind Natalya struggling, frustrated everyday. Vienne wants so badly to finish the puzzle that Sister started. Vienne wants so badly to be at the finish line at the same time as Sister. Vienne wants so badly to have the new, pretty rain boots and not the old faded ones. Like Natalya.
Most days are good. I watch from the background Natalya being the big sister that I always imagined she would be. I watch them playing the games that Vienne chooses and hear them laugh and see them smile. I remind Natalya all the time how happy it makes Vienne just to have Natalya by her side. It's hard convincing Vienne that one day it will be her time. My hugs and sweet kisses just don't compare to a scooter ride with Big Sister. At her side. Vienne may have to push a little harder to stay there, though.

And so, this brings me to Thursday's Theme- Glee. Sister+Scooter+Friends= A very happy moment for my Will-Never-Be-Second-Best. Glee at Picture This. It will make you happy.

Imagine

The Hip Chicks like to imagine that the flowers are kings, queens, and princesses. The other day Natalya checked on them and found that the king had died. As in any monarchy, he was quickly replaced.
What can you imagine? Join us at Picture This for Thursday's Theme.

Spin

Tracey Clark at Picture This has started Theme Thursday with this week's theme being "Spin". Here's my contribution. Check out what others have contributed.

I also did a search on YouTube and found an very cool video called "Spin". It's wonderfully creative and you can get some great photographing ideas from it.