Diet Coke with Lime

Summer Days

Do you recognized these eyes?!

Yes, it's me. I'm back. We have moved and I am now somewhat settled so it's time to start sharing my photos and stories again. It's going to be difficult since I have an intrinsic need to have photographs is chronological order.

Did I tell you that I once took every photograph I have (and if you know me that is a helluva lot of photographs) and put them in order. From when I was born... to growing up... to high school... college... and so on. For my later years, I used my friends' weddings as anchor dates as well as the handy little date on the back of some photos put there by thoughtful film developers. Then I used hair styles, living locations, and who I was dating at the time to get them all by date.

Yes, they were all pre-digital. Because now all one has to do is sort by meta data. Oh what a shame, my children will never be able to figure out of they have OCD tendencies because the digital age allows everyone to privilege of sorting without obsession.

So that brings me back to these photos I am sharing today. They are out of out of order. Of course, you don't know that yet, but you will eventually see... William's birthday came first, I think. Anyway...

Here is a new definition of 'lady-like': Pink Dirt Biking Gear!

One thing we did so this summer is take a trip up to the Colorado Rockies for some camping and ATV'ing. It was a great trip this year - dare I say the best ever. That is Karen and I about to go out on a ride.

Well, for me, half a ride. I road up to the mountain lake, then road back in our Ranger with Dave and the boys. Kind of like flying a plane... going up mountains is easy, going down is the hard part. 

Wanna see where we went?

See the mountain peak on the far right? We went around there somewhere... a beautiful reservoir just below Tin Cup pass. It was a perfect day. We had more perfect day this year then most trips. More later...

For now, I think I'll take a dip in the pool.

Book Fair

Last week, Jack's school had a book fair at the local Barnes and Noble. Just with book purchased in the store that night... they raised $3,000. Amazing.

More Amazing then that was Jack's class sang, America the Beautiful.

And they did the sign language to go along with it.

I watched it a few times (okay, quite a few times) and I didn't see one kid mess up!

Amazing.

Here's a shot of Jack after there done and saw me watching him.

How adorable... you can just see how he is so proud, and yet just a little bit shy, about standing up on stage.

Couldn't you just squeeze him!

Ah ha, something new!

Here is a video of their song...

America the Beautiful from Better With Lime on Vimeo.

After they sang, each student gave a book report of their favorite book.

Jack did Little House on the Prairie.

Not that I really think it is his favorite book.

It's a little ironic that most of the girls... especially the ones that are like little magnets to his side... also choose Little House on the Prairie.

See the connection?! ;-)

And girls are never far from his mind.

We have a nice drawing of Chloe. She the one in the pink standing next to him.

And notice the I do not love Ally, next to Chloe's picture? Well, the teachers told me on Monday Jack switched girlfriends.

I guess true love is fleeting.

I'm not sure, but it appears Ally saw what Jack wrote for the first time during his report on stage. She don't look too happy. Maybe you'll see it too?

Jack did an awesome job, and you can see for yourself... What I found so sweet was how both Chloe and Ally help Jack when he hits words he doesn't know. Lucky him.

Little House on the Praire Book Report from Better With Lime on Vimeo.

After they all finished their book reports, we hung around for a while.

It wasn't too often I didn't find Jack surrounded by by girls.

I thought to myself - where are all the boys?!

I guess it didn't matter.

Jack eventually settled in by Chloe's side to watch the younger kids on stage.

I wondered where Ally was...

I better start getting used to this.

The Corn Maze

A yearly tradition... our two families meet to go to the corn maze.

Well, in the past, just Andrea and I went with the kids. The men were always busy with something. But this year, we dragged everyone along.

Jack was excited.

And he should be. This year was the first year we actually went into the corn maze!

In years past, the kids were to small to walk aimlessly through stacks of corn. Honestly, I never really wanted to go either, so it worked out.

Here are our friends... John, Andrea, and their beautiful daughter, Haley.

Of course, I made everyone stop and take some family photos - could make great Christmas cards... If I actually sent it to them. I always have such grand intentions.

While corn stalks is not synonymous with Christmas... our friends are from Iowa. In fact, later in the day while we were feeding chickens, Dave commented to Jack and Will - Boys, listen up! You're being taught to feed chickens from real Iowa farmers.

We all chuckled.

Here was our attempt at a Christmas card photo...

I still haven't ordered cards. So maybe... Will is wearing green.

Dave and I should have taken off our sunglasses and the boys aren't at their best. Hmm.

After our family snapshots, we continued to aimlessly wander around the maze. Up and down, over and back. Oops, dead end. Double back and try again.

They had two lookout towers to help you find your way.

I'm not sure any of us actually looked out.

The conversation was quite involved by now.

It might have been more exciting if we paid attention. Instead, us adults chatted away as we kept the kids in our peripheral vision and followed after them like a bunch of ducklings.

Most things these days are all about the kids.

Aim...

Fire!

Just kidding.

I'm not sure how long we were wandering. Fifteen minutes? A half an hour? A whole hour? or two?! Who knows. It seemed like a day's journey.

Men serve an excellent purpose when it comes to traveling with children.

Pack mules.

I have a whole new appreciation for Dave's contribution seeing this photo.

One thing I love about our Iowa friends is they have a daughter. For just a moment, I get to pretend to be a mom of a daughter. Pink power. Flower power...

...even if it is a corn husk.