Dungarees Ablaze is our host for this weeks Fun Monday. Here is the assignment we have:

“…for your assignment let’s hear about your favorite “Birthday”, it needn’t be your actual birthday just a “birthday” celebration. You can use one you planned, one you attended, one you crashed, just a fun time for this FUN MONDAY’S assignment, and of course you can use one of your very own Birthdays.”

So, I thought it would be fun to share a few pictures from last October- Hailey’s 1st birthday.

So go on and check out Dungarees Ablaze to see what everyone else is sharing this week.

Our host this week for Fun Monday is UR Olive and here is the assignment Olive gave us:

“I would like to hear about your *whopper* of a fishing story. Yes, you heard it correctly whether it is fictional or non fictional I want to hear a fishing story from you.”

So here’s the problem- I don’t go fishing.  It’s probably been like 20 years since I’ve been fishing.  But I still wanted to play along.  So I found a cute fishing story to share with you instead.  Hope it’s okay that I broke bent the rules this week.

One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf. He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish.

About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach, trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday. He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his family.

“You aren’t going to catch many fish that way,” said the businessman to the fisherman, “you should be working rather than lying on the beach!”

The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, “And what will my reward be?”

“Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!” was the businessman’s answer.

“And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman, still smiling.

The businessman replied, “You will make money and you’ll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!” “And then what will my reward be?” asked the fisherman again.

The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman’s questions. “You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!” he said.

“And then what will my reward be?” repeated the fisherman.

The businessman was getting angry. “Don’t you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!”

Once again the fisherman asked, “And then what will my reward be?”

The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, “Don’t you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won’t have a care in the world!”

The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, “And what do you think I’m doing right now?”

Stop on by UR Olive to see the rest of the participants this week.

Be sure to check out my latest giveaway on my Livin’ With Me blog- it’s for a $25 gift certificate to Chocolate Cake Club.

Our host this week for Fun Monday is Growing Older But Not Up and here is the assignment she gave us:

“After much thought and consideration I’ve come up with the following topic….clothing…specifically clothing you can’t get rid of. We all have at least one or two items of clothing that we can’t part with, even if we can’t or don’t wear them. I want to know about yours. Show us if you have pictures or describe it in detail. Model it for us if you dare.”

I wasn’t sure where to start- with my drawers full of jeans that don’t fit anymore. Or with my closet full of shirts and skirts and dresses that don’t fit anymore. Or with the containers in my garage full of clothes that don’t fit me anymore. I still have all of these clothes because they will fit me again someday. Oh yes they will.

So, rather than show you almost all of my clothes I picked my two favorite pairs of jeans that I am using for motivation for my diet.

First up- these are one of my favorite pairs of J.Crew jeans.

They are soooo comfy.

Ahhhh, size 2. Will I ever fit into you again?

And now let me introduce you to my favorite pair of jeans ever.

These are the best pair of jeans I have ever owned.

Will I ever wear a size 4 slim fit again?

So now go and visit Growing Older But Not Up to see what everyone else is keeping in their closets.

I got so busy this weekend- doing things I should be doing, like hanging out with Hailey- that I ran out of time to do my Fun Monday post.  I had planned to work on it on Saturday night after she went to bed but The Notebook was on.  I am not usually one to watch TV but I love that movie, so I got caught up watching it.  Then yesterday was Father’s Day and we spent the day relaxing and I never had time to do my Fun Monday post.  So, if you’re here looking for it- sorry!  I’ll be back next week.

Our host this week for Fun Monday is Molly and this is what she asked us to do:

“For your assignment tell us about a happy memory from your childhood. If you have pictures, please show us your pictures.”

Should be easy, right?

So, I started to think about a happy memory from my childhood that I would want to share.

Of course I have to tell you about all of the fun nights of playing games and watching movies with my parents and brothers.  And the trips to get an ice cream cone, just because.  And the vacations we took together as a family.

No… wait- I want to tell you about all of the Sunday afternoons spent at my grandparents house.  Every Sunday after church we went to my grandparents house for a big dinner and time spent together.

No…wait- I want to tell you about great times I had when I went away to camp with my cousin Beka.  It’s probably better if I don’t share all of the stories but wow- did we have some good times.

No… wait- I want to tell you about all of the Thanksgivings spent at my parents house with all of the family there.  I think Thanksgiving has to be my favorite holiday.

No…wait- I want to tell you about the Christmas Eve parties at my Aunt Winnie’s house with my dads side of the family.  I don’t remember a single present I received (although there were many) but what I do remember is the fun spent with my family.

No… wait- I want to tell you about all of the fun New Years Eve parties spent with my moms side of the family.  Lots and lots of fun times.

No…wait- I want to tell you about all of the fun I had in high school with my friends Patti and Sheli.  I loved high school and all of the fun I had with those two.

No…wait- I want to tell you about the fun times I had with my dad during our father-daughter time.  Dinner at Friendly’s, basketball in the backyard, sledding in the winter.

No… wait- I want to tell you about the shopping trips with my mom.  Not necessarily the shopping, but the fun we had talking and laughing.  There were times that we were in the car in the parking lot having so much fun talking and laughing that we never even made it into the store to go shopping.

No… wait- there’s too much to share.

Quite a dilemma to have, right?  My childhood was filled with family, laughter and happy memories.  I have been truly blessed.