4.08.2012

Saturday Is a Special Day

It's the day we get ready for Sunday...


or, if you live in the Riddle house, 


it means we do yard work! We officially broke ground for the swing set...


The location changes, but the situation always seems the same for us, huh?


Allen says digging up rocks and moving dirt must be part of his birthright.


Labor intensive, yes, but with three of the hardest working girls around, who can complain?






All three of the girls grabbed their shovels and worked side-by-side with their dad in the yard. Addie worked for about six hours without complaint. I shot a video of it so we can remember what it was like to have willing help when we have three apathetic teenagers on our hands! 


Allen was so grateful to have such dedicated support!

4.05.2012

Del Valle

A little while back (like, February) Aunt Marti came for a visit. Her stay coincided with a holiday weekend so we all piled in the mama mobile and went over the hill to Del Valle reservoir. I hadn't been there since I was a kid and when I went, it was to ride. I'd forgotten what a great place we have so close to us.

There was lots of running.





Running.


And more running.
We brought the fishing gear, too.


Who can resist throwing rocks in water?
Not Aunt Mart-eye!



And then there was some hiking.



Who can resist climbing trees? Not Allen!

 Fun was had by all. Can't wait to go back this summer!

4.04.2012

Tiffany's Box Blue

You might be surprised by this little factoid: Tiffany's Box Blue isn't an easy color to find. Rather, it's patented. So, when you meander into a paint store and tell them what you want, they cannot help. You can scour the endless wall of paint swatches, all offering their own variation of the highly sought after color, but you cannot - in fact you will not -  find the exact match.

What is a girl to do when she wants to paint a room that exact shade but cannot lay her eager hands onto said color? Well, the logical step is to get the color and have it color matched. But, you see, I do not have anything that exact color either. I know this too will come as a surprise to many of you, especially if you know Allen, but I do not have in my possession a Tiffany's box.

But, my really good friend did. And she let me put my grubby hands all over it.

I took it to the store and they matched it. I practically skipped my way home after the long wait for my treasured paint.

Original khaki color



Add caption

And this is what I got:


Not even close! This color was SO bright. I could see it glowing like a neon sign down the hall. 
Coincidentally, my neighbor was painting her guest bathroom that very same day. And she was going for the very same color. She even had the color matching done and started painting. But, it was so bright she stopped. She had purchased a shade lighter to do one of the other rooms so she put that selection on the walls and it was perfect! She graciously offered me her little swatch card and I had the color made.






Perfection!



Weight Update

- 8

3.31.2012

Through the Lens

I just discovered Instagram. It's an app that filters your pictures a variety of ways. You literally choose the photo and then, just like choosing a font, you scroll through and the picture changes with each selection. When you like it, choose the green check mark and it's done. Super easy. And, it doesn't change the original. If you have buyer's remorse, no big deal.

I've been messing around all week with it and this is what I've got to show for it:

Ice cream at Costco.
Birthday girl fresh out of bed and so excited to be 6.
Our nursery dropout playing with blocks during my class.
Halloween
Zonked.
Waiting during school drop off.
Birthday girl on her way to school.
"Writing" while mommy does chores upstairs.
Emmy saying "cheese!"
Lexi's cupcake cake.
Same picture different finish.
Costco ice cream: Emmy style.
Dress up: Lexi style.
Just chillin'
Holding hands "nice" for a change.
Don't worry Grandma's, it's a rubber mallet. Not the read kind.
Emmy wants Eggos for breakfast. Can you tell?
At the park.
Same place, just a different filter.
Looks so contemplative, doesn't she?
Picnic lunch with the cousins at Micke's Grove.

Cheese!
Popcorn Popping!
Nigh, nigh.

About Me

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What started as a way to communicate with far away friends and family has become a place for this horse trainer/HR manager turned stay at home mom of 3 girls to hold on to a bit of her own identity. It's my take on the ins and outs, the ups and downs, the thoughts and feelings, the mistakes and triumphs of this family as we bumble our way to eternity.