Howdy, it's a Cowboy Cookout

Monkey had a Cowboy Cookout today at school. It was a fun fun day.

First it started with Chapel.

Do you see a student that might be a wee bit young for chapel?

Bogie didn't know he wasn't supposed to be there.

He sat straight up and listened and then let his "little light shine."

Then the "Pardners" were ready for their cookout.

(I think its time to get a haircut.)

Monkey and his Rancher Boss, Mrs. Q.

See ya'll later.

Family Foundations- A Great Read

One of the best books Mr. Dunbar and I ever read was The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families. It had been sitting on the bookshelf at my parents house for years, so one day I grabbed it and brought it home. Unfortunately, one of the Habits is not "taking things from your parents house." (That's just a really bad habit of mine. See here.)

Of course Highly Effective Families is related to the best-seller The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and the habits are pretty much the same. If you've never read these books here are the habits:
#1 Be Proactive.

#2 Begin with the end in mind.

#3 First things first.

#4 Think win win.

#5 Seek first to understand then be understood.

#6 Synergize

#7 Sharpen the saw.

You will of course, have to read the books, to understand what each habit truly entails.

The thing I liked about the Families version is that, well, it focuses on families. Epiphany, I know. That's just where we're at right now in the Dunbar home. Our sons are still young, focusing on them and their life is a major priority for Mr. Dunbar and I. This book just really simplified lots of things, like figuring out what is important, truly important to us and putting it on paper for both or all of us to see. Almost like cementing it in concrete, sort of. Did you ever have your handprint done in the cement outside your home when you were a kid? Loved that.

Anyhow, this book is not a fix it for your family. Hardly, but Highly Effective Families does offer a framework for making your home a unit with a goal. It uses business concepts like writing a mission statement and focusing on communication as well as putting your family first for generations.

I liked this concept.

Anyone else have some great family books?

Browsing Around Blogland

It's been a while since I've linked to other blogs. So today I thought I'd share a few of my favorite reads.

Rare and Beautiful Treasure: A woman after my own heart. Erin loves her home, her husband, and God.

V and Co.: She offers great tutorials and some decorating tips. Plus, she's pretty funny.

Lemonade Makin' Mama: Sasha is a TOTAL comedian and she and I would totally be friends in real life. Totally. She didn't even cut bangs because her husband didn't think that would be the best look for her, talk about two-becoming-one.

All three of the blogs I chose for today's post had fancy shmancy buttons, so just click on them and you'll be over on their sites. If you don't already read these blogs, go check em out. Tell them Mrs. Dunbar sent you.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

Just have to get started...

I've been writing blog posts in my mind for the past 5 days and have yet to get to the computer long enough to actually post something. And now that my fingers are typing, I have nothing particular to write about. How ironic. But I figure it's like anything the first step is always the hardest, you've just got to get in there and get started.

The weather has finally decided to get a bit cooler. The climate should top out in the 70's today. Wow, that's fall for you. Mr. Dunbar's cousin is completing her hospital residency in Montana and they got their first snow there yesterday. Her comment "Holy God." I thought that was funny, being that she is a California sunshine kind of girl. It made me laugh and wonder at how she is going to fare two years there. I'm feeling a need to go visit her... Mr. Dunbar what do you think? (We visited Cousin Jamie in Australia a few years back. Montana is like a quarter of the distance away.)

On another note, I opted out of my Mom's Group this year for various reasons and I must admit that I am enjoying my mornings with Bogie. We ran a few errands this morning (Target and Carter's) and now he is sleeping and I am blogging, with a few chores left to do before we pick up the Monkey. But I don't feel rushed on Tuesday and Thursday mornings this season, which is good. I always hate to be the mom that is constantly saying "Hurry up. We're late. We've got to get going." If I am prepared and not in a hurry then I feel like that will transpire over to my men and their lives won't be rushed either. We live in Southern California where everything and everyone is in a hurry. My boys will feel the rush soon enough in their lives. I'd like them to enjoy life for a little bit atleast. I also feel like I have time now to be home. Like really BE HOME. And also cultivate a few relationships that need some cultivating or build some relationships that need some building. More on that later, I'm hardly a Melissa Lester but I do enjoy a tea party every now and again. So we'll see how I do this season.

And to close this random post, the boys were excavating last night.
Here are a few pics of the excavation.

Been workin'

I normally work about two or three days a month.

This week so far I've worked, three days in a row.

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

I used to work three days, which was good. A good break down of time. A good balance between work and home. But I've been spoiled these past 20 months and I am just not used to the craziness of getting up and going to work each and every day, so too say the least; I am exhausted. And thrilled to have gotten to see all of my friends and some of my old students. And bummed that one of my co-workers had to take a leave, but honored that they asked me be the temporary fill-in. And exhausted just thinking about it. And grateful that I can still make up a schedule that works for my family. These guys make each day worthwhile.

(We don't really let our kids drink soda. Only for pictures. )

Back to normal blogging next week.

And the winners are...

Julie from Jam and Jilly won the Starbucks gift card.
Ali of The Spatz Family won the Target gift card.
Karen of Some Days are Diamonds won the Home Depot gift card.

Thanks for playing everyone!!
Have a wonderful Fall weekend.

"Berry" Neat Trick

My "crunchy" sister-in-law showed me the neatest trick ever to get out (semi -fresh) berry stains. The kids had berry smoothies for breakfast and we did this about an hour later.

In order to do this, you take the garment that has berries all over it and stretch the area where the spots are. She used a mixing bowl and a rubber band to keep it stretched out in place.
The following picture does not do this t-shirt justice of how many berry spots were on it and how dark they actually were.

Then you take boiling hot water and pour over the spots.

And Wha-laa!!

Spots disappear.

Seriously. It totally worked. We did this small procedure on two different t-shirts and a pair a pants and the (semi-fresh) berry stains all completely disappeared.

I was amazed.

Am I the only one who didn't know about this?

First Day of Fall

Well the weather guy says it can get up to 107 degrees today,
and we don't have to many trees that change colors, but I am so in the mood for fall.

Can you tell?

Happy Autumn Everyone.
You still have time to enter the giveaway.

Well I was...

I had every intention of showing you fall decor

but the others had another plan for the morning...

How was your Monday morning?

Don't forget about the giveaway from the last post, it's open until Friday.

I am so sad, so why don't we have a giveaway?

Mr. Dunbar sold my baby yesterday.

The baby I've had since high school. I remember the day I got her...
All of the cheer squad followed me home, they knew, I didn't.
All the neighbors were outside waiting with my parents, my song was playing.
She was waiting for me on the driveway with a big red bow, just like I always wanted.
Chloe. Honda Civic.

She got me through my senior year of high school.
She drove me to college, drove me home on graduation day.
She drove me to get my make-up done on my wedding day.
She drove me to my school on my first day as a teacher.

Then, eventually, she became Mr. Dunbar's commuter car. I got a new car, but she was still here.

I loved that car.

But now it was time. I told Mr. Dunbar it was okay to sell.
I cried when he told me that she sold.

On another note, my blog is 1 year old. I think the actual one year mark was actually on Wednesday. So to celebrate let's have a small giveaway.
I'm offering three different prizes.

$10 Starbucks Gift Card
or
$20 Target Gift Card
or
$20 Home Depot Gift Card

Just leave a comment on this post until Friday September 25th at noonish.

My only condition tell me where you are, geographically.

Oh and you can sign up to "follow" this blog for another entry.

Have a great weekend everyone.