what would you have done?

i was putting my groceries in my car when a snyder's snack truck driver approached me. "how warm is it in your car?" my look was mostly curious and then he went on to explain that three children were locked in a car two down from mine. i pressed my face to the window and he was right... the oldest looked to be about 7. i wrote down the license plate number, unbuckled m2 from her car seat, and went inside (while my groceries grew warm) to speak with the manager. they paged the driver of the vehicle and m2 and i went back outside. i did not want to just leave. a few moments later a lady walked out with one bag. she approached and i heard the locks click open. "is that your car?" "yeah, is everything okay" "well, i was worried about the three children inside". "oh, they are okay but thanks for being concerned". "ma'am, it's warm out here so it's warm in there". "thanks again but they are fine". she spoke in the most upbeat manner with no concerns whatever. p.s. the manager told a customer service rep to call in the information while the mom was being paged. i can only image who they were calling the information in to but i guess they have a certain protocol that has to be followed.

before & after ~ master bedroom makeover

here is the before ~ lamps, bedroom furniture all purchased in 1992, bought after closing on my first town house. bedding is pottery barn, it's old also and i have been looking for something new.

here is the after ~ little man arrived in 2002, m1 in 2004, and m2 2008. we will keep it like this during the hurricane and change it back in a few days. i like it for now.

irene is a comin'

yesterday a weather channel guy was reporting six minutes from our house... i was hoping it was jim cantore... we did not stop by because it was not. anyway, how crazy is that?

my search for water failed, so instead of wasting my day looking elsewhere i stopped by sherwin williams, because they always have just what i am looking for. please don't take this wrong ~ irene is big and strong and we should be prepared, but one of my three littles battles an anxious tummy so i am also trying to keep things somewhat normal. this morning we did find water then stopped by blockbuster so the children could each pick out one movie. when we got home i started sanding a dresser that is going in the girl's room... if the electricity goes out i can paint, but not sand. at least not with an electric sander!

this is a desk i found on a neighbor's driveway ~ she begged me to take it away. john david was SO thrilled (can you hear the sarcasm ~ but it was free people, FREE!). i have a quart of glossy black paint just waiting to be brushed on this find. oh, and it fits like a dream in my sewing room (i mean closet off the playroom). so as soon as the weather passes and i can pull my car out of the garage these two projects are on my agenda.

first day of school

third grader

second grader

new kicks

forced smile by mommy, summer went by too fast

daddy and the back to school kiddo's, m2 does not want them to go either

botanical garden fun

saturday before school started we had a family fun day at the botanical garden. at the butterfly garden there were tons of caterpillars and butterflies.

there were ten mazes around the garden with different themes ~ hay bales, musical, enchanted, bee, butterfly, and summer to name a few.

after walking around for a while, the children enjoyed the water part of the garden.

checkers at the garden

we stopped in the enchanted forest for several games of checkers and lunch.  little man is becoming quite the opponent and john david is no longer guaranteed a win. lunch was served in the shade on the tic-tac-toe table.

before and after ~ a sneak peek

i found this dresser in my parent's lake house attic; it was previously in my grandfather's lake house. my camera battery died so i did not get a good before picture with the entire dresser painted blue. the drawers are finished except for a poly top coat. the dresser has primer on it and needs to be painted, but i ran out of sandpaper so that will have to wait for now. unfortunately laundry and cleaning is on today's list. oh, and little man's back to school class pool party.

cool mom points

little man's back to school class pool party was today and per usual i was one of two moms in the water. as i approached the diving board several girls started chanting "back flip, back flip, back flip" (i guess they know my tricks after several years of these pool parties) of course i obliged. other dives followed: the back dive, closed pike, hand springs. you know, just a normal 43 year old mommy hanging with the kids. oh, and i taught m1 (almost) how to do a back dive. fun day!

what goes up must come down

J.U.M.P.