Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday. This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I've been on vacation in Kansas City, and shopping was most definitely not one of our pass times. Our destinations? Absolutely not fabric stores. With several totes of fabric at home, there is no way that I would need any more. I don't know... somehow it just jumped in my cart and begged to be brought home!

Speaking of Kansas City... any idea how stinkin' how it is there? We saw temps this past week in the high 90s. Added with the humidity, the heat index was over 100. Well, what do two highly-sophisticated, not at all redneck sisters do on such a hot day? Erin and I definitely did not join Samantha in her kiddie pool in the backyard. And we did not get completely drenched in the process. Hey, what are buckets for, anyway? They were just sitting there begging to be filled with water and dumped over sisters' heads!

Sunday was my big driving day. I did not pray for clouds, because it's much easier to drive without the 100-degree sun beating down on you. It's always a challenge to keep myself entertained in the car, especially when driving alone. In reading the road signs, for a split-second I did not have a sickening feeling in my stomach. It's was more than the fact that I don't like Chinese food. Normally this wouldn't have grossed me out. The title of the restaurant? Hunan Chinese Restaurant. Driving past at 70 mph, I for sure did not misread this as Human Chinese Restaurant. Oh, I'm so thankful that double-take reassured me my eyes were playing tricks on me!

Driving through Iowa, I was impressed with the clouds (that I prayed for!). Not wanting to stop every five minutes, you would not have caught me snapping pictures as I was driving.

I did stop for this shot!

After being in KC for two weeks, I did not become accustomed to the heat... therefore, feeling the 60 degree temp when I arrived home in Minnesota, I definitely did not shiver when I got out of the car!

I almost hate to admit this, but today as I was driving through town, I most certainly did not see a red maple tree. I tried to look the other way and ignore that it was there, but I was already sucked in. My eyes were drawn to the brilliant color and before I knew it, I was seeing red leaves! Fall colors??? You have got to be kidding me! It's NOT time yet! I'm not ready. Yikes, so much to do!

So there you have it, a brief synopsis of what I did not do this week. Join the fun next week!

The Award Goes To... UPDATE

So today my sister Erin was checking out my blog. Our conversation went something like this...

Erin: "No, that's not your first award."
Me: "Well, I don't know where the other ones are."
Erin: checking her blog... "Yep, here it is. April 6th. See?" Showing me her blog...
Me: "Oops, didn't know about them... or what I was supposed to do with them. Now I'll have to redo that post."
Erin: "Yeah, you will."

So, here are my real first blog awards. From my sister Erin. From April 6, 2009. As in four months ago. I'm so ashamed.

Here are the awards and their rules...

The Lemonade Award

Rules:
If you are given the award, put the logo on your blog or post.
Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.
Next, nominate 5-10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE!
Be sure to link to your nominees within your post. Let them know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

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The Friendship Award

The friendship Award: "These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated."

Rules:
Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

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Kreativ Blogger Award

Rules:
1. Post the award on your blog, and link to the person who gave you the award.
2. List 7 things you love.
3. List seven blogs you love.
4. E-mail or comment on those blogs to let the people know you've given them the award.

7 Things I Love: (you know the answers everyone usually says, so I won't say God and family. Those are "of course" answers.)
1. my camera
2. ice cream
3. air conditioning (since I'm in KC and it's 100+ "real feel" temp today!)
4. fabric
5. computers
6. vacation
7. sunsets

7 Blogs I love (and also the ones to whom I'm passing the awards... I know there are more than 7, but for as long as it's taken me to post this--4 months--I figured I can have more!))
1. Erin's
2. Becky's
3. Vijini's
4. Jessica's
5. Katie's
6. Nicole's
7. Sharalee's
8. Sara's
9. Adrienne's
10. Ashley's
11. Kristin's
12. Raechel's

Erin was very "kreativ" in her post, the one in which I actually got these awards. She mentioned that she had been procrastinating in writing her post about the awards. And it was only 5 weeks. Hmmmm... what kind of an award do you get for procrastinating for 4 months? One-third of a year? Four flips of the calendar? A whole season ago?

I'm not sure what kind of award there is out there for me, but in the meantime, I'm borrowing keeping Erin's procrastination award. Because, frankly, I think I deserve it.

If you read the small print, here is what it says... I'll find a picture for it later... Jump over to Erin's blog and ask her if she's found that picture yet. **HINT HINT She hasn't!

Thanks for the awards, Erin, and next time (if there is a next time), I'll try not to appear so ungrateful by waiting four months to acknowledge them!

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ORIGINAL POST

ME!!! My friend Ace over at If You Think Round Is Funny... sent me this award--my very first (or so I thought--explanation following). Now I get to pass the fun on to others. So here goes...

For this award, save the picture and add it to your blog, then in a post, acknowledge the blog and blogger who gave you the award. Be sure to post a link to his/her blog (If You Think Round Is Funny...). Next, pass the award on to 15 other blogs that you love to read. (I know I can't count, because I don't have 12 blogs listed below.) And be sure you let everyone know that you've given them an award! Have fun!

Here are the blogs I love:
Erin at Ben + Erin = Samantha & Ryan
Becky at The Swanson Six
Vijini at Life on Earth with God's Grace
Jessica at Is It Nap Time Yet?
Katie at A Day In The Life
Sharalee at A Tale of Three Kiddies
Nicole at The Chronicles of My Three Peanuts
Sara at Domestically Challenged?
Ashley at Let Go, Laughing
Adrienne at Another Ordinary Miracle
Kristin at Girly Girl
Raechel at Finding My Feet

So to those of you who give me reason to procrastinate something to look forward to (reading your blog updates), THANK YOU!!

Down on the Farm...

Deciding to take advantage of "cooler" temps yesterday (high of 86), rather than wait for today (high of 99), Erin, Samantha, Ryan, and I travelled south to Overland Park, KS, to visit Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead. What a fun place for kids... er... I mean adults to play.

The kids enjoyed feeding the goats. Even Ryan, who seemed hesitant at first, ended up very excited to chase the goats while yelling "Goat!" at them.

These goats saw Samantha coming and backed her against the fence before she could get food ready for them.



Isn't he adorable? So is the goat!

Samantha was having a blast.

Pumping water from the pump like Great Grandma and Great Pa used to have.

Ryan just chillin'.

Pony ride!

Just like a real farmer.

Bottle-feeding the baby goats was so much fun!


Indian House



Anyone know these two?




The pretend milking cow. Too bad it didn't work.

Cowgirl Samantha

Mom finally let me out of the stroller!


Samantha was "mining" for gems. And was beyond thrilled when she found some beauties buried in the sand!

Pleasant Ridge schoolhouse... the year 1869

Samantha had fun being in a "real school," as she called it.

Just a couple more years, Ryan.

Don't they look so innocent?

It was a very fun day, and we definitely were tired when we left. Of course, hitting Sonic on the way home wasn't a bad deal!

Sunday Silliness

Sunday.... it was a great day. Church, shopping, yummy lunch. Throw in dinner at Church's Chicken, a bunch of silliness, and that was pretty much our day. Here are a few pictures as proof.

Ryan at Church's Chicken. He decided he wanted to wear his ketchup instead of eat it.


Samantha was hard at it with her safety glasses, drill, and hammer and nails.

We did have time for a couple nice pictures in the midst of all the craziness.

The following picture shows my brother-in-law Ben trying some Kung Fu moves on Erin. Yes, I was snapping pictures, but what you can't see is him crumpled on the floor in pain as he landed on his injured knee. Boys... will they ever learn?