Smiles

Sometimes I simply have to smile at what life deals me. What might have left me shaking in my boots a few years back leaves me grinning from ear to ear today! I feel like God has really smiled on me and my family SO amazingly here lately and tonight I have the biggest smile on my face and much excitement bubbling up in my heart! SO much that I am finding it difficult to wind down and go to sleep! And that's too bad...because my crew leaves out early tomorrow morning for San Diego! A MONTH on the beach! That's right! How exciting is THAT???!!!! The camper is parked out front and is MOSTLY loaded. There are a few small things yet to go...but for the most part, clothes are all loaded and we are pretty much ready! I can't wait to lie on the beach and smell the salty air. I am so looking forward to my long 4 mile morning walks on the beach...and just being away in Paradise with my kiddos! Ahhhhh....sometimes life is just too good!

Birds and Blooms

Well, one bloom! But it is truly gorgeous. Another of God's miracles in this crazy, thorny desert. I noticed our bloom getting ready to open tonight and followed it all the way through the process! SO amazing how these open with the sunset and are there in all their stunning glory at NIGHT where noone really sees or enjoys them. Little secrets of the night....perched atop their thorny thrones. I always count it a special blessing and treat to catch this cactus in action! It's a one night and one night only appearance. Here's the bloom...and a busy birdie in action!

Stalking Hummingbirds

So I've been stalking them. But they are terribly quick and flighty little creatures! And any little movement at all sends them zipping into outer space at crazy fast speeds. But still...I managed to capture a couple! Here are this weeks photo captives!

Clara and her Art

Clara did an art camp this week and I was amazed at the projects she brought home to us today! Take a look at these!

Clara and her sun.

A mosaic mirror.

A sculpture of our dog, Oscar.

A Jackson Pollack style painting.

a t-shirt of her design...

and my most favorite art piece EVER...her feet cast in her ballet shoes. Priceless!

A Great Day All Around

What a great day today was! Our family just had a great day all the way around. We all headed off to church this morning...and in true "Roberts family in Tucson" style, we bounced over to a different one today. We've been to this one before...though not for a couple of years now. I have NO idea what made me want to go...but something's been nagging at me all week and when I mentioned it to Chris he was great with it...and we went. And we were very pleasantly surprised. It didn't feel like a rock concert for once...and it didn't seem to be all about "the show" that it used to be. The message was quite good...the pastor didn't cry. And we really enjoyed the quieter scaled back elements of the worship music. Clara had a BLAST at the children's worship service and was begging to go back before we really got her out of the door! I have to admit that when I peeked into the room it DID look like they were all having the time of their lives. Quite the party was going on in there...disco balls and line dancing to Jesus...big fun going on for sure! I left there feeling refreshed and filled up and just plain old happy! There was one funny moment as we were leaving there...Max commented on how they had tried to make the children's worship room into a teen hangout and that's why it failed. We told him it WASN'T a teen hangout...that it was simply for the elementary school kids and that the teens were too old and weren't even allowed to go. Then Benjamin piped in and says "Yeah, Max. If it was a teen hangout there would be lots of beer around." And I'm thinking WHAT????!!! Good grief! Then I looked at him and thought WHO is your mother?! Max's teenage years have been tough enough and technically, he's not even a full fledged teenager for another month! I fear I may REALLY have my hands full with Ben's teen years! Especially if he's expecting to be surrounded by beer at church! Geez! Talk about a wild ride with these kids of ours!

After church, Chris and I grabbed a quick workout. Lifted some weights and then Chris took off to run sprints outside while I walked hills on my treadmill. I decided that walking today after yesterday's 10 mile run might be a really good idea. It was still a great workout. Nothing like a big hill at a major fast clip to get the old heart rate up and set the buns on fire!

After workout we had yummy lunches, showers and then headed out the door to Costco. I picked up several beach towels for our upcoming San Diego month long get away! Can't wait for that departure day to get here! A whole month of chilling on the beach, watching the waves crash on shore, early morning walks on the beach, watching my kiddos jump the waves and perfect their "booger boarding" (as Clara would call it) skills! Talk about Paradise! After Costco we were off to Fry's where we FINALLY did a much needed grocery run. I can't even remember the last time we did a super big THOROUGH restocking run. But we had to this time because we were pretty much out of EVERYTHING!

After groceries, we all loaded up and headed over to grandma's house for a yummy dinner of Prime Rib and salads and grilled veggie kabobs. Delicious!!! The kids were all kinds of fired up and had fun running around outside, then trying to beat their grandma at go fish and Old Maid. We headed on home after that and quickly tucked everyone under 20 years of age into bed and Chris and I are heading there right behind them. It's been a long day and a busy one...but a fantastic one.

Tomorrow holds it's own kind of excitement. Clara is off to art camp pretty much all day. I'll be home waiting for my new camera lens that I finally treated myself to. I can't wait to hold it in my hands and start playing with it! I see some park time in my very near future for sure! Then the rest of this week holds a newborn set of twins photo session and another big family session. Then that's officially IT for the rest of the summer! No more! Done! Woo hoo! I know I've said that now several times...but this really IS it!

And so...that was our day...and my upcoming week...in a nutshell! What a blessing we had today! Thanks be to God for that!