random sampling

Here's a random sampling of the past week or 2 around here.  And the pics are completely random too.  I haven't had the camera out much at all lately.

This is my sis Brooke's husband Brett.  From the time she was a baby Alli has always loved Brett.  I think it's his deep voice, or the fact that he will do pretty much whatever she wants him to.  Alli was so so SO excited that they got the same shirt.  So naturally, a photo session was a must!

I thought I hadn't been up to very much lately, so I jotted it down for the random sampling, turns out we've been having fun.

• planted a garden
  
• flowers too
  
• got the backyard seeded (again...)
  
• killed masses of dandelions on the front lawn
  
• a few bike rides (the hills are still killin me in this town)
  
• lots of walks to the park
  
• a fun family party in raymond with Derek's fam 
  

sneaky sneaky with the bag of oreos.

random sampling of a few baldry grankids

• a girls shopping trip to Calgary with Derek's sisters
  
• james learned take off the little child lock thing on the front doorknob, unlock the front door, open it and run out into the street or over to the neighbors as he pleases.  This has led to me in complete confusion for a few minutes of my childs' whereabouts, yelling out the front door at him while I in my towel, and him climbing into derek's car and pushing the garage door opener to open the garage door to name a few (me being VERY confused while getting dressed when that door opened as derek was at the golf course at the time)
  
• oh yeah, Derek getting in A LOT of golf, me none so far.
  
• then watching the snow fall and my flowers and tomatoes get frozen.  (really?!  3 inches of snow in June!?)
  
• Derek got a job...in RAYMOND!  (very VERY bittersweet for us, but his job was only a temporary here)
• put the house up for sale, single tear (wait, LOTS of tears for this one)
  
• did random stop bys and visits with friends and family and playdates
  
• watched James ride a training wheel bike for the fist time
  
• ran (ok, slow jogged) beside Alli as she cruises around the block on her bike.  
  
• cracked up at my little 3 year soccer team I coach
  
• watch all the other moms who were smart enough not to volunteer to coach crazy 3 year olds as they laughed at me for their entertainment as I chase the rats around cheering them on getting my 30 minutes of embarrassment for the week.
  
• learned that Alli is set in the self confidence department. 
  

Teacher at church: "Alli you look so cute, that flower in you hair looks beautiful on you."

Alli:  "I know, everything looks beautiful on me."

My friend after the soccer game :  "Alli, you played such a good game out there."

Alli:  " I know, I'm the best soccer player ever.  I scored 5 goals.  And I won."  (she did not score 5 goals, and if we were keeping score, we did not win.)

and i found this one, i just had to put up to let you know the hugging continues.

So there you have it.  Just the usual uneventful eventful stuff.  I was cruisin around the blog world a bit this weekend as Derek was away, (cause I NEVER cruise the blog world when he is around...) and I realized something.  There are a lot, and I mean A LOT, of really talented people out there.  And I feel as though I am not one of them.  I do not sew or craft of any sort.  I'm no Bakerella, or Pioneer Woman.  I'd like to be a little more organized, but I really just fall in the average category in pretty much all I do.  And while we're on the subject I can't sing or dance either.  

BUT, I gotta say, that when I go around and check out everything that is out there, it doesn't get me down.  I find I am genuinely happy for these people and their talents.  (I sometimes wish I could do what they do, but usually I just want to buy it from them.)  I don't think they are perfect because they can make amazing quilts, or that my mouth waters when I see their dinner plans, or because the can raise 7 kids and still blog on the side!  I know they are really just like the rest of average joes, and by that I mean doing what makes us happy.  If it makes you happy to clean your house top to bottom every day, then do it.  If you are always planning the next cute photo and how your gonna scrap it, then keep planning!  and scrap it too!  I hope we can always do what makes us happy while going through the rest of the sometimes mundane, sometimes hard, sometimes sad times in life.  Even if all I have in me is to just think about the things that make me happy, I find I'll be making time to DO those things because why not?!  

I love that I don't care what other people think of me (ok, to an extent...)  I hate putting on a show.  I think I'll rephrase that.  I do care what people think of me, but I won't put on a show to give them what they want.  I care what people think because I want them to know what kind of person I am.  And I hope their thoughts are good!

I'm not sure where I am going with this, I guess it's just a random sampling I felt like sharing.  It seems this topic of being perfect in some form is often what I rant about.  I wonder if subconsciously I do have this secret desire or need to actually be perfect and these are my justifications on how it is not possible, hahaha.  Plus, I have nothing else exciting to talk about.

But i'm sure these 2 gentlemen could carry on quite the intellectual conversation.