Help out?

Yesterday i stopped for my weekly visit to Trader Joes to buy groceries. Every time i am checking out they always ask me if i would like help out. I always decline with a smile and manage my two kids and cart of food out to the car just fine. Well yesterday the checker looked at me and insisted he ring the bell for a helper, so i went with it. Wow! It was so nice! The guy wheeled my cart, which also carried William, out to the car and unloaded all my bags while i buckled up the kids. He made funny noises for Williams entertainment as he pushed him and then whisked my cart back to the store so i didn't have to make the trip. How nice is getting help out! I might have to except the offer more often! I love Trader Joes.

Thank yous

I decided to take a stab at creating a thank you card. After visiting my sisters in Utah in August and going to a card making night, i got inspired. I got to make some really cute cards that others had designed and thought i should attempt this art too. So, here are the thank you cards i sent out after Williams birthday party. I like the way they turned out and they were very simple. Thank you to my inspirational sister!

Birthday Surprise

Billy surprised me with a very special gift for my birthday. A beautiful painting by our great friend Kevin Gleason! Kevin is VERY talented and has a very fun and colorful style to his art work. I have always loved Kevins work. We went to one of his art shows earlier this year and his most recent painting was hanging on the wall and titled " Canyon Wren". Billy and I looked at each other and said - That's us! We should have that painting in our house!

My sweet husband had been thinking about it ever since and made the purchase for a wonderful birthday surprise. I love it and i think it looks perfect in our home out here in the canyon under the oak trees.

Tarantula

William and I spotted our first Tarantula of the season yesterday! It was a big one, cruising down the street in front of our house. William was really excited and kept shouting "big spider!"
Ooh the wonderful wildlife in the forest :)

Williams Birthday Party

I am very overdue in writing about Williams 2nd birthday party!

We planned a little BBQ and party for William (and me) on the 21st of September. It was the day before our birthday because it was Billys day off and we could all enjoy it together. We invited the neighbors over and a handful of other friends and family to enjoy the evening with us. I made the invitations and I also decided to create a treasure hunt for the kids to find their party gift bags. It was a hit with the two oldest girls there and a few younger kids, including William, came along for the walk. I sent them once around "the loop". (Our neighborhood is a big loop that is exactly a quarter of a mile, the size of a track, very convenient for me and my jogger!) The kids found there buried treasure and then we ate bbq hamburgers, hot dogs and yummy salads and fruits. I made two cakes- one chocolate baseball cake with banana frosting & one funfetti cake with cream cheese frosting. So yummy! The kids played at our "park" in front of the house and i think everyone had a good time.

William loves playing with the neighborhood kids. It's really fun to watch them all together, they are so darn cute. The highlight of his night was opening his Thomas the trains from Grandpa and Grandma. He loves those trains! I found a train table on craigslist and tried to get it all fixed up before his birthday... it's a work in progress. I will have to write about it when i'm all done.

Happy birthday William!