Right this moment

Came across this meme on Ali Edwards' blog and thought I'd do it too. Sometimes it's fun to just take a look at what is happening RIGHT NOW, no matter what it is, and have it to look back at later and remember...

FOR TODAY
June 25th, 2009

Outside my window...it is raining but sunny. We looked for a rainbow, but can't see over our neighbors trees.

I am thinking...about scrapbooking, but can't seem to get away from the computer.

I am thankful for...window air conditioners in the unbearable heat and humidity we've had this week.

From the kitchen...we had popcorn and red grapes for "supper" tonight.

I am wearing...adidas shorts and a stained pink t-shirt.

I am creating...a photo video--or trying to, but it's not working. I think I used to many photos. Imagine that!

I am going...to have to clean up around here soon!

I am reading...Praying the Names of Jesus for my daily devotions right now, and love it!

I am hoping...to be inspired and motivated about something soon.

I am hearing...High School Musical 3 -- the kids are watching it right now. I admit, I enjoy the HSM movies too.

Around the house...there is a LOT of work needing done.

One of my favorite things...sitting down at the piano and sightreading some classical music. I love that I now find that relaxing!

A few plans for the rest of the week...Annah is having a friend for a sleepover tomorrow night. Saturday we hope to get donuts and go swimming. Sunday I'll teach the preschool Sunday school class during 1st service, then sing in the EPIC band during 2nd. Sunday evening I'll teach a couple/few piano lessons.

A picture to share...

What I see...

• Sadly, the first thing I think is how messy this room is, and that I need to vacuum up the popcorn Caeden spilled! But, what is true is the fact that we've spent the entire day in this room, with the doors shut and the window air conditioner running. (It has been in the 90's with heat index into the 100's and crazy high humidity levels all week!) We finally opened the doors and windows an hour ago.
  

• The kids are watching High School Musical 3 right now, having popcorn and red grapes for "supper."
  
  
• Sylvie and Annah have been playing with baby dolls, so they are here.
  
  
• A box of clothes came from Gram this morning, and had to be quickly repacked when guests arrived. (Thank you SO much Gram!!)
  
  
• Wii games are out. We've played a LOT of Wii this week (Before Jeremy put the window a.c. units in we were staying inside and trying not to move and stay cool)--even I have! I'm liking My Sims Kingdom, and Annah is getting really good at Mario Kart!
  

So that's what it looks like around here at the moment! Hoping you are well, whatever you are doing in life at the moment!

New Darda, thank you Grandma!

When we met Grandma & Grandpa Lopshire for ice cream in Churubusco, Grandma gave each of us $20 and told us that she wasn't going to shop because she "has bad taste" and we should each just get what we wanted. What a nice gift!

My $20 went towards buying us all McDonald's on the way home.

Sylvia picked out a DVD of "A Bug's Life" at Wal-Mart over the weekend with her $20.

Annah plans to buy some new earrings with her $20, when we get a chance to go to the mall.

Caeden has been wanting to get some replacement connectors for his Darda race track, so we ordered some from Amazon.com. Also, he had enough to get a really cool new loop tower thing!

It's so fun!

Vintage

Do you Twitter? I've been Twittering for over a year now, even before the huge craze started and it became the cool thing for the celebrities and politicians and activists and ministries and companies and cities and everyone else and their brothers! I keep coming across interesting people and things through it, and I like that it's not as overwhelming or time consuming as blogging or Facebook--which I also do, of course. Ha.

Today someone called "Graphics Fairy" started following me on Twitter, so I checked out her blog. She has some great vintage graphics that she shares for free, including the image at left, which I promptly downloaded. Then from her blog I came across the blog, Green Paper, which is also cool. I think vintage items are so beautiful, and they always make me wonder about the stories behind them and where they've been over the years.

My online scrappy buddy Angi is having a contest on her blog, In That Moment, and the challenge is to share your favorite vintage "want" or "find." Since I haven't shared any photos of the guest room we've been working on since it was in the wallpapering stage, I thought I would use this opportunity to do that.

This chair was kind of the inspiration for orange being the accent color of the room. It belonged to my grandma, and no one else wanted it anywhere near their home when things were being sent out of the house. I happen to love it, and think it's very unique.

My husband hates this light, but I happen to like it. Everyone who sees the room comments on it, and it is staying for now.

These things are just inside the door to the room, near the foot of the bed. (Note the toile blanket on the chair. Toile is one of my favorite things!)

This is the view looking straight into the room. We still have to finish staining and hanging the window trim. Mom has made us beautiful drapes, so I need to get the trim done and hang them soon! I love the comforter. I knew I wanted damask, and it was definitely the whole inspiration for the room.

One of my very favorite things about our old home, which would definitely qualify for "vintage," is our brass doorknobs. There are at least 17 of them throughout the house. I love them!!

Squirt, Squirt!

Oh my, oh my; it's so incredibly hot and crazy humid outside! We've been having such a mild, even cool, summer. Then BAM! it hit us with the heat yesterday!

The kids spent the morning out on the front lawn squirting each other with cold water from their squirt guns!


Good, simple, summer fun!

Miller Park Playground

Annah's friend Hannah moved into town and out of our school district a few months ago, and the two of them have missed seeing each other every day! So, we were really excited to go visit Hannah and her parents at their new home today. We had lunch there with them, then rode over to check out the playground at Miller Park. It's an awesome playground...with a splash pad and huge playground equipment. We had such fun!

Amanda and I sat on a bench watching the kids, and all of a sudden she said, "Now there's a cute picture!" This is what they were doing...


They're inside a ship!


After the park, we went back to their house and had Fruity Pebbles treats (like Rice Krispy Treats), and they were so yummy! Thanks for a super fun day, Hannah and Amanda!

Scrappin' like mad!

I usually take my scrapbooking stuff along when we go stay at Mom's & Dad's for any length of time. Over the past 2 weeks, I've done about 25 pages! As always, click on the picture to go to a larger version.

Family

Krampa & Gram and the kids by the fence garden before we left
Thank you for such a wonderful start to our summer, Mom & Dad! You make your home so welcoming, and we love to spend time with you!


Me and my little chicken nuggets


I won't ever turn down a smooch from my little guy!


I don't know how it happens, but Travis & Erin always seem to manage to squirrel their way out of the pictures! So, I forced them to stand for one! Aren't they cute?!
Thank you Travis & Erin, for spending time with us! We love you!



This afternoon before heading home, we attended the Lopshire Family Reunion. It was good to see everyone, and many came from far away. We celebrated the baptism of Matt & Sheli's baby, Isaac, the 25th wedding anniversary of David & Karen, and the life of Uncle Lee who is suffering with a brain tumor. It is good to be together and thank the Lord for the life He has given us!

I'm just so excited to have this picture! It is the first time we've ever even attempted to take a picture of the whole Lopshire gang, and I think it turned out pretty nice! Jeremy's cousin Donny is a photographer in VA, and he thanked all the kids when he was done and told them what a good job they did posing for the picture!
So here we are--all 15 of us!
Jeremy's parents: Gary & Carolyn
Jeremy's brother, Eric, and his wife Marti
their six children: Wilson, Charles, Joseph, Simon, Andrew, Anthony
And the five of us!

Fishing and Bubbles

We went fishing this morning! Now, there aren't any huge fish to catch right now, and we don't want to hurt the few that are big enough to catch. So Krampa filed the barbs off the hooks, and we threw them all back. I think the kids caught 7 between them all, and we had a great time.

The Boy Who Can't Hold Still demonstrated his jumping skills on the pier.

Krampa wore his hat like Caeden's so he could look cool too.

Fun with bubbles!

Annah ran down the driveway with her bubble wand making tons of bubbles for Caeden to run through behind her!

Music for Grandma

Last night, per the kids' request, we met Grandpa & Grandma Lopshire at the Magic Wand! The girls each had a huge E.T. Sunday (with lots of Reece's Pieces!), and Caeden had a chocolate dipped crunch coat cone--and at least half of Grandma's french fries! We had such a fun time laughing and visiting with them. Grandma gave each of the kids money so they can go shopping, and they are happily (or should I say greedily?!) dreaming about what they want to buy.

On Friday last week, we visited Great Grandma Crabill and made tacos and ate lunch with her. We always enjoy visiting with her, and seeing what her latest crochet projects are too!

This morning we visted Great Grandma McEowen. Sylvia was glad to play her new violin for her!


Annah was a bit reluctant to take her violin, but dutifully played a Bach piece she's been working on. When she played America, The Beautiful, Grandma closed her eyes to listen and wept. She loves music so much. We were blessed in our time with her, and enjoyed talking about flowers and animals we've seen lately.



This evening, Mom and Dad kept the kids so I could go meet my friend Lori at the Mountaintop Coffee Shop in Churubusco. Sadly, we hadn't seen each other or really even talked in a year! But, it's always just like we saw each other last week, and we pick up and chat away for hours about what's going on right now. Her friendship is such a blessing to me--no matter how long between times we see each other!