Maybe...

With a new deck being built on to the front of the house, my little guy has been spending a lot of time hanging out with Daddy and his tools.

Hammering is the big thing.

I am surprised that we haven't had a major smashed finger catashtrophe yet.

Yet....

This little guy is so intent on learning to use these tools...

whether real or play.

I am proud of his initiative.

Maybe we'll get lucky and not have any big disasters...

Maybe...

In the photo above you can see what has become our path out of the house.  A series of plywood slabs that keep us from hitting the ground.

But...

Below is the beginning of a beautiful deck.

Beautiful.

We are using the old barn wood.

Planed.

Planed.

Planed

and then trimmed to size.

This is gorgeous stuff!

The photo was from a few days ago...

so the deck is about half finished now.

Hooray!!!!!

My man is working hard at it...

and he loves every minute of it.

What was I doing while this work was being done?

Only making the most gorgeous french bread!

It really did turn out beautifully.

No.

You don't understand.

I have been making the transition from an electric stove to a gas stove.

It has been years since I used gas...

It is a much bigger change than you would expect!

Some things haven't gone so well.

There may or may not have been some burning of certain items...

maybe...

This bread...

This very bread turned out amazing!

I think I am finally getting the hang of this stove!

Maybe...

Barns and Firepits...

I've been noticing a trend.

The men...

Out in one of the back fields...

While we girls sit at the firepit.

Sometimes, it is really good to just sit at the firepit...

and enjoy watching two men try to take down a barn...

with ropes, chains and a truck.

My excuse for not being out there

(ummm I don't think they invited me, thank you Lord)

is that I have to document the process.

Taz is smart.

He doesn't get too close.

He stays  in the yard with us.

Good boy, Taz Miraz!

Okay...

I'll admit it.

These photos are from last week, when the weather was still warm.

Today...

FREEZING.

But, trust me, I'm not complaining.

This has been the easiest Fall I've spent in years.

There is no snow.

Mild days.

I can handle this!

Have a great day.

I know I will!

sick

I am sick today.

Flu-ish.

Yuck!

I went to church but could barely keep my eyes open...

came home and fell asleep on the couch...

went out into the hot sun with a jacket on...

because I was freezing...

the kids made fun of me...

I came inside because all I want to do is sleep some more.

So...

enough about me.

The photo is of Big Mama.

Our sole surviving guinnea hen.

The only one who made it out of the Raider years alive.

Poor things.

The Haps...

 Mark and I are heading out to visit with our Cheyenne today. 

I am so excited. 

I miss her tons. 

Besides, a little birdy told me

that someone is turning 21 soon

and I don't live where the big stores are...

so I will be doing a little shopping and

heading to the post office tomorrow. 

I hope it makes it in time.

I told Mark that everyone is going to think we have become some type of firebugs...

Besides the burn barrel and the burn pit...

and burning the garden field...

Last night, we finished making (I use we lightly.. since I had nothing to do with it. lol) our fire pit.

We then proceeded to sit out there long past Mark's bedtime and enjoy a cozy fire.

It was really nice.

I thought I would share this photo of me and my dad.

... now I need to get one of us with my brother!

Happy Friday, everyone!



Homecoming...

Today is HOMECOMING in our small town.

I have never seen a town get more ramped up, excited and go all out!

Today is a parade....

for homecoming.

The whole town has decorated and I have been told to come early because everyone attends the parade and the game!

Miranda has been working on one of the floats for the parade and she said she was amazed that you can call up any store around here and ask for Cabool Bulldog blue paint...

and they know exactly what you are talking about...

and they keep a steady supply of this color on hand.

So cool!

So, tonight I will be sitting on some very uncomfortable bleachers (if I can find a spot) and scream and yell to support my team.  I wouldn't be surprised if I have a bit of a sore throat later... afterall, I am that kind of gal.

All 3 schools get out early today so they can prepare for the parade and the game.

The kids are loving that.

Sydnee gets to ride on the fire truck in the parade...

Which has her so excited she can hardly contain her middle school self.

Miranda will be with the float she and her classmates have been working on.

She is equally excited, just better at hiding it.

I will be there with the camera to "capture the moment", of course.

The following photos have nothing to do with homecoming or the parade.

They are just of a beautiful little girl with a thousand emotions running across her face...

What a blessing!

Your Days Are Numbered...

Mark has been stalking the elusive armadillo that has decided it belongs on our property.

Why do we want him gone?

Holes!

Yucky deep holes.

Lots and lots of them...

This is really bad for horses, dogs,and people...

My husband has been tracking him on the nights he can stay up late.

This little monster seems to be aware of that and has gone into hiding on those nights.

He is sneaky...

creepy...

and soon to be a goner!

Beware, Armadillo...

Your days are numbered!

Because My Son-in-law Says We Have No Grass...

I was talking to my daughter today and she informed me that she and my wonderful son-in-law think we don't have any grass around here.

Now, I will admit that it has been a very dry year...

but since receiving two huge rain storms, things have greened up beautifully.

So, out I went to take some pictures of some of my favorite spots around here.

I love some of the random spots that just have the most amazing beauty.

I mean, the green alone makes your eyes hurt.

... and this is the end of summer!

I thought the spot below would make an amazing tree house!

Shhh...

Don't tell the kids or they will expect it to be built tomorrow!

"We can take a ride on my big green tractor..."

If you don't know that song...

My son will no longer talk to you!

It is his favorite!!!

"We can go slow... or we can take it faster."

Moon...

The moon...

coming over the mountains...

Beautiful...

An Unnamed Man and His Dog...

There is a certain man...

Who shall remain nameless...

Who pretends that he doesn't love a certain dog...

Who I will name.

Taz.

As in, the tazmanian devil.

I am told that he was a little crazy when he was a youngster.

Now, however, he is a huge furball of love.

He is huge, people.

Huge.

I thought Raider was big...

Compared to Taz, Raider is a small dog.

I just want it to be known that I see all of the little signs of affection between the unnamed man and Taz.

I see the petting and...

shall I say it...

baby talk...

That goes on between them.

How could you help it, though?

A huge furball of love...

Learning New Lessons...

When you have lived in the city most of your life, you don't know things like...

What is a burn barrel and a burn pit...

and

What are they for.

Now, we know.

We are also learning what they are each for...

and what shouldn't be put in them.

Garbage can be a complicated thing.

Making a New Friend...

Friends can come in all shapes and sizes....

Buck has become a close friend of all the girls.

Brysen likes him... but isn't quite as impressed.

What is it about little girls and horses?

I remember being captivated with them.

I would spend time at my Dad's place and ride and ride.

Everyone always knew where to find me.

My girls are no different.

They have made a new friend...

and Buck is getting a lot of loving now.

Family Visit...

We had family stop in for a quick visit last night.

It was so nice to stop packing for a bit and just visit.

They left this morning on their way back to California.

..... now I think I don't have any excuses not to pack........

WAIT!  Does the lawn need to be mowed?!


12 Days Until The Big Wedding Event...

Yesterday..

So tired today.  We had a marathon garage cleaning session yesterday... as in, we were out there for 9 hours going through everything... we ended up taking 3 truck loads to the dump.

After that long day, I took 5 of the kids to vbs where they did their thing and I photographed the event.  When I got home, I could hardly see straight... I gladly fell into my bed where I once again couldn't fall asleep right away, but I did manage that within about an hour.

When Brysen woke my up this morning... I told you I was tired... I could hardly open my eyes.  Maybe I will get a nap later... Oh, who's kidding... I can't stand naps! 

Never gonna happen.........

16 days until the big event!

Just Living Life...

That is me... with most of my peeps...Except my Reno peeps....

But I am hoping to get some really cool pics...

4 tiny little weeks from today...

When my daughter...

ahem...

marries my... (glad to call him) son.

We are finally experiencing some warm weather around here.  Today will be in the 80's!  The sky is amazingly blue.  My kids are soaking up the sun!

We have been so busy!  The good kind of busy, though.  We have been getting things around the old homestead ship shape for the summer season.  It really needed it, too.  After getting back from visiting my daughter, I was just so exhausted that I didn't do much for over a week.  Finally... finally, I felt like getting off of my booty and getting some things ship shape.

We have been running around town getting our wedding ensembles together.  My mother in law is making the dresses and they came for what we all thought was going to be a wonderful time of visiting and finalizing the dresses.......

That isn't what happened!   I felt so sorry for her.  She worked her fingers to the bone trying to make that darned pattern work... finally she came up with a solution, but it meant taking everything home and almost starting from scratch.  Now, we are expecting the dresses in the mail so we can fit them and return them for finishing.

We took the kids to Toy Story 3 last night.  Wow!  I really liked it.  The kids did too.  We had such a good time.  It was later when we got home, though... so off to bed for hubby.  I was a good wife and fed him a bowl of cereal before he went to bed... tee hee hee.

They did the restructuring of their routes on hubbys job... so he starts his "new" route on monday.  He is excited about  it.  He thinks he got a pretty good one.  I know him... and he can make something out of nothing... so it doesn't worry me at all.  He is such a good provider.

My brother was in the hospital over the last couple of days.  Pnuemonia, I guess.  He is still feeling pretty rough, but he is back home... which is now in Mountain Home, Arkansas.  He made the move about two weeks ago... which is, I'm sure, part of the reason he ended up so sick.  He is very excited to have the move over.

So...

That leaves out about ten thousand things that we have done in the last week.  However, it lets you know that I haven't just abandoned you.  I have just been living life......

Hallelujah!

I promise that pictures will return tomorrow.

I just have been fighting to regain my footing around here.

I was only gone for 5 days, but it has taken me over a week to get my groove back.

I am feeling more like my old self now, though.

Hallelujah for that!

Get Busy...

So busy...

Catching up on all of the stuff I chose not to do while the weather was really yucky and my wonderful inlaws were in town.

Now, I need to get busy...

Good Morning...

I got home around 3:30  yesterday.

I was tired.  So Tired.

I came home, started a fight, grouched and grumped while trying to pull myself out of the frump I was in and then I went to bed.

That was the best decision of the entire day.

Today feels so much better.

I have pictures and stories and such...

...but for now, I have babies to love on.

Now Do You Understand...

The picture is for me...

It makes me feel better when I see someone laughing...

You see, yesterday I went to get the girls birth certificates and found that someone had removed them from their appointed location (that I have kept them safely in for 22 years)...

And now, they can not be located.

I spent several hours tearing the house apart trying to find them.

Gone.

Completely.  Gone.

So...

Now I get to figure out how much it is going to cost us to replace all of these...

YIKES!

Now do you understand why I need the smily picture?

p.s.  After about a total of 7 hours of searching, a complete night of praying, and finally feeling like we would have to spend a fortune to replace all of them... I just found them in  a location that had been checked by 3 people at least 10 times!  They are now under lock and key!

The Pits...

I laughed so hard today.

I haven't laughed this hard in a long time.

My 10 year old daughter asked, "Mom, what does bloody L mean on Harry Potter?".......

I kind of ignored the question the first time because lots of kids were asking questions and standing around trying to get their breakfast...

So, like any good kid in a big family...

She asked again..

"Mom, What does bloody L mean on Harry Potter?"

I said, "It means bloody hell."  

and then proceeded to break down and laugh myself silly when I looked at all the kids faces........

Then my lovely 16 year old decided to jump in on the fun and said, "That's a lie from the pits of L!"

I may never stop laughing!

It Can Be a Wonder...

Sometimes it's easy to see all of the ugliness around us.

We can become focused on the small things that can get in the way of seeing the beauty that is there...

if we just take the time to look...

I almost walked right past this flower...

It was laying on the old, dirty bar-b-que...

It looked lost and half dead...

I stopped for a second and took a quick photo...

And never even saw the beauty...

until I looked at the photo afterward.

People are like that sometimes...

lost, alone, half dead (on the inside or the outside).

If you just stop...

and take a second look...

from a different perspective...

You may find the beauty that you didn't know existed before.

Try it.

It can be a wonder.