scenes from summer.

I was going to post these pictures yesterday, but instead of blogging I chose to scrub bathrooms.  seriously!  I know, call me crazy, but Gary finally got the upstairs bathroom functional to the point where the kids can now utilize the toilet, sinks and shower, which means I don't have to take a number anymore in order to shower in my own bathroom, can I get a resounding HURRAY?  and since it resembled somewhat of a construction zone, with mastic and grout and grime and who knows what plastered everywhere, I felt like I should at least scour the thing before the kids started using it.  not that they care, but you know, more or less for my own benefit.  besides, it looked like something had possibly died in the bathtub?  well, not likely, but there were chunks of stuff splattered here and there anyway.

gasp, you know what?  I just realized this, but I bet that's where Rowan and Scarlett hide while they scarf down all the snacks they sneak out of the kitchen, and those brown smears in the tub were really just chocolate chip cookie remains, not something grosser like I had initially thought but didn't dare take a sniff to find out for sure.  gosh, maybe I should've titled this post "scenes from the bathroom" instead, because that's about as exciting as my life is at the moment, elbow deep in toilets.  seriously, you guys.  I need a vacation.  bad.

as I'm typing this, Scarlett keeps chucking her doll on the floor again and again, and after each throw she quickly scoops up the doll up and apologizes to it.  "I just dropped you, I'm sorry," she says while patting the doll's back.  uhhh, not sure where she learned that?  it's not like I randomly drop Finley on the floor like, whoops!  sorry about that.  and then pat him on the back and send him on his way.  huh?     

talk about real life as it happens, folks.            

so anyway, even though we weren't able to go on an "official" vacation this summer, fortunately there are an abundance of beautiful places to visit in this state, which, thankfully, are just a hop, skip and a jump away from us.  I think the furthest we had to drive was maybe two and a half hours to Fossil Creek.  which isn't bad, considering it feels as if you left the country and arrived at an exotic place.

again, these pictures were all taken with my iPhone.  I feel ashamed, I've hardly pulled out my big girl camera at all this summer, having resorted to iPhonography instead.  it's just that my phone is a lot less cumbersome to carry around and because I always have it with me, a lot more convenient, too.  welp, enough of the babbling.  enjoy!   

eeep, one more thing.  in June, Hannah, Myra and I, along with my niece Nicole, hiked to the top of Humphrey's Peak.  although I don't recommend going from couch to 12,600+ feet like I did.  snapping these pictures was more or less just an excuse to stop and rest so I could catch my breath.  (ps. if you'd like to read about my previous encounter with Mt. Humphrey, you can do so HERE and HERE.  it's only a little amusing ;)         

windyyy!

hey, it's my city!  J for Jessica!  ha, kidding.

so, that's that.

also, to answer a few recently asked questions:

the white table in my dining room is from IKEA (we did purchase it several years ago, so guessing they don't have this exact style anymore.  but maybe they carry something similar?  not sure.)

you can find the recipe for the chocolate chip cookies HERE.

the camera I typically use is the Canon Rebel XSi. 

and Selma, you're more than welcome to move next door and try your hand at selling cookies on the golf course, just as long as you promise to keep tabs on Rowan while you're out there.  hehehe.

-jessica