summer night

You know what's even better than watching a sunset on a summer night while wrapped in a blanket on your back porch?


Sharing it with him.


Coming in a close second would be your baby sleeping soundly in her room early enough for you to catch said sunset. :)

no pictures please

Saturday afternoon, after all that pool fun, the Chica was plum tuckered out. Why don't people say plum tuckered out more often? I love it. I'm going to start the trend. When it comes to the plum tuckered out saying, I'm going to be the change I hope to see, people.

Sorry. Point. Get to it.

After all that sliding, swimming, splashing and squealing, the plum tuckered outness really got to the Chica. I put her in her swing for a nap. While I was strapping her in, she snatched my sunglasses off the top of my head. Being plum tuckered out myself, I let her have them. I turned on her music and closed her bedroom door behind me. A little while later, I peeked in her room to see if she was asleep. She was.

She put on those sunglasses in the privacy of her own room as if to warn her picture taking possessed mama to back up off her already. Like I don't have anything better to do than to take pictures of her while she's sleeping? I think my poor little over-exposed child might be onto me. :)

In other news, what kind of self-professed, garage sale obsessed blogger would I be if I didn't share my weekend plunder with you??? Check out my new mirror! It is big and it is heavy. The Kirkland's price tag on the back said it retailed at $49.99. The sweet lady sold it to me for ten bucks.


So what do you think? All the better to see a burned out light on my chandelier? :) Emily gave me a hot lead on some spray paint she loves. I might have to try it out. But for now, I think I'll keep it like this.

monday google fun

Good morning bloggers. Happy Monday!

I just googled myself.

Is that terribly narcissistic? If it makes it any better I googled my name to look at pictures of other people with the same name. That's weird isn't it? It's official, I'm a narcissistic weirdo. See, this is what happens when healthy curiosity merges with the world wide web.

Would you like to see what I found?

This is Rachel Hinton. She's cute. Sweet smile and good hair. Why can't all Rachel Hinton hair look like this?


Scrap that! I want this Rachel Hinton's hair. Doesn't she look fun? How great would it be to go to a convention where only people with your name were invited? There would be no need to introduce yourself, and you'd never forget anyone's name! I think I may be on to something.


In this picture Rachel Hinton is on the far left. She helped her squash team win a bronze medal. Way to squash, Rachel!


This Rachel Hinton has a Master's degree in music performance. She plays the piano (and brilliantly well I'm sure.) I can play a mean chopsticks.


Look, I wrote a book! Well, ok, I didn't really write it. But some Rachel Hinton did!


Hello Dr. Hinton. I'm not sure which one of these ladies you happen to be. But I am loving the robe.


To summarize, we have some piano playing, cute hair styling, squash dominating, fab robe wearing, book writing Rachel Hintons among us. Bravo Rachels. I'm proud to be one of you.

What do I add to the group? Well, I'm just the crazy girl who rounded them all up. Now go forth and google bloggers. (Aren't you just the least bit curious?)

poolside

Despite the sad state of America's economy, Danny and I impulsively (and uncharacteristically) splurged and put a pool in our backyard. This was the Chica's face when she saw the newest addition for the first time, completely in awe of our self -indulgence.


Did I happen to mention our new pool is inflatable? Danny blew up all twelve sections with his own two lungs.


We'd planned on buying something small. Something basic. But when we arrived at the swimming pool aisle of Target, you could say we were sucked in by all the options. Or just suckered. For three dollars more you could get a fountain. For five dollars more than that you could get an attachable slip 'n slide. And so on and so forth. Thus explaining why we have a tandem of water spraying elephants, shaded by an inflatable palm tree living in our backyard. Believe it or not, this was the middle of the road choice. I really didn't want to have to resuscitate Daniel.


Reesie couldn't wait to try out her new pool. After last weekend's pool party she knew of the fun that was in store.


If she had the capacity to jump, she would have hurdled the side right then and there.


"Please, Daddy, please, please, please, please, please. Can we please get in yet?"


The temptation was so strong, she decided to sneak her hands in. Just for a second. Just for a harmless, little splash.


Oh yeah. It was as delightfully refreshing as she had suspected it to be.


Eventually we ended our toddler's torture. We slipped her into her swimming suit, called up a friend and had our inaugural hinton home pool party. We traded off picking up the Chica and perching her at the top of the slide. Very quickly she learned how to thrust her legs to propel herself down the slick slope. She could have played all afternoon and have thrown out all our backs in the process.


But you know what works wonders on sore muscles?

This face.

jingle reese

So we're six months ahead of the Christmas ball game. We're also several weeks out of school with a bad case of cabin fever. Can you blame us for being a little loopy?

The Chica has this toy she carries around. It has bells on the end and every time she shakes it, it sounds like Christmas. This afternoon she provided the bell accompanment to a rousing round of "Jingle Reese". I think it's her new favorite song.



P.S.- We're looking for a new lead singer. Preferabley one who can actually sing Jingle Bells correctly.

I'd have a third degree black belt...

If I could spray paint one.

Ok, confession time. My latest obsession? Black spray paint. It turns cheap ugly garage sale treasures,


into stuff I'd actually put in my house. Dan said it best, "If it's for sale at your garage sale, we'll spray paint it black and put it on our walls." And while my pointer finger may be in a permanent cramp, to me this stuff looks better black.

Cheap and easy. (When you're talking about home decor, those are positive adjectives.)

Now, should this $2.00 lamp cross over to the dark side? I just can't decide. I'm kind of digging the gold. But a black lamp is easier to pair with a shade. What's a girl to do?


All I know is I'm not asking Daniel. He'd stage a spray paint intervention.

wild woman

She likes tall heights,


fast cars,


and sudden,


steep


drop offs.


As long as her Daddy is with her every step of the way.