After a Hard Night Partying . . .

. . . at McDonald's

All Tangled Up

Mornings are always interesting around my house. Especially around the time I bust out the hairbrush. Two girls with heads FULL of curly hair is an adventure of the most dramatic kind.

Let me emphasize the "drama" part of that statement.


Lil Bit, when she was younger, used to collapse in a sobbing, screaming heap on the floor whenever I tried to brush her beautiful blond waves. At age six, she no longer collapses on the floor but there is still quite a bit of drama most days.

"Who, me?"


Bitty Bit goes for the "tear your heart out" angle rather than the collapsing on the floor tantrums. She will sob like you are killing her puppy and say "moooommmmyy??" as if she can't believe I am torturing her in this heartless manner.


Ask me which one almost makes me want to stop? (Hint: I have never really been tempted to cave to temper tantrums.)

I have tried pretty much all the detangling or leave in conditioner products I can find. Garnier Fructis, Johnson and Johnson, Suave, Infusium, etc. Some work better than others, but the fact of the matter is, curly hair tangles.


And thick curly hair tangles more.

And sometimes, no matter how hard I try not to, I will pull when brushing out the aforementioned tangles. Sorry, Bits.

This Will Be the Death of Me

Bitty Bit has no fear. None. I save her life at least once a day.

Last week it was from death by electrocution as she tried to stick a set of keys in a light socket.

A few days before that (and many other times), she tried to saute herself as she climbed up the oven to get to what was cooking on the stove (I stopped that one long before she was close).

She regularly attempts to run into the horse field to "try hug neigh!" Or she jumps off furniture, wood piles, or anything else she can get on and say "I high!!!"

Yesterday, she saw a "rock wall" at a playground. The rock wall was designed for 5-12 year olds. Bitty Bit just turned two.

I am sure the expressions on my face as she scaled this were pretty amusing to any bystanders.


I really wanted to pull her off that rock wall and just cuddle her. But I don't want to stifle her adventurous spirit.


OK, I lied. I do want to stifle that adventurous spirit because I am rather fond of that kid. But I don't. In spite of my self, I encourage her and cheer her on.

But it kills me to do it. See me right there? I have just had about six heart attacks, even though she never slipped once.

Memorial Day

Thank you

Peace

Cease striving and know that I am God Ps 46:10

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea.
Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.
Ps 46:1-3

They Grow Up So Fast

Lil Bit was getting ready for work this morning and enjoying a nice latte.


OK, it was really a flavored steamed milk and she was getting ready for school.


Her LAST DAY of kindergarten.

Oh, and did I mention she has already been proposed to??

She is growing up. My soul rejoices and my heart breaks.

Happy Birthday Lil Bit

Lil Bit turns SIX this week. How time flies . . .

Happy Birthday to the sweetest little blue eyed blonde I have ever known.

We love you like crazy!!!!

Morning Commute

it's a crowded, hectic drive walk

Dandylions In Crystal Vases

Some of the best gifts a mom receives have no wordly value. Homemade cards. Bookmarks with 3,000 stickers crammed into a 2x3 inch space. Bouquets of dandylions and clover.

I almost always have a few wildflowers sitting on the windowsill above my sink, either in my crystal vase or an antique Chinese teacup.
Because these are some of the most treasured flowers I have--why wouldn't I put them in my best vases?


And then, sometimes, we turn wildflower picking into an adventure together. One of the best things about a farm is that there are so many things to do.

Even when we are just walking back from the bus stop.

Field Day

Lil Bit's school had field day. I must say, her field day was WAY more fun than I remember mine being. Not that mine weren't fun, but I remember a lot of 50-yard dashes and such, which I ALWAYS lost. But Lil Bit was into it--I mean, check out that FACE as she plays tug of war!!

And the pigtails flying as she does the potato sack race!
Can I just note that these "potato sacks" made me feel old.
When I was your age, little girl, we used rough burlap POTATO SACKS. With no convenient handles.
And we liked it!
(I never did walk to school 5 miles uphill both ways in the snow, but that is only because I lived in a state where there was no snow. The rest of it is totally true, though.)

Then came the parachute games. I remember these, they were my favorite. But we used BURLAP parachutes. And we liked it!
ok, not really. we had bright colorful ones too. I am not THAT old.

Bitty Bit snuck in on the parachute action.


She hated it though. Can't you tell?

Jeremy In Israel

My super-cool brother in law is in Israel right now--check out the new blog my sister set up. They will be updating it with pictures from his trip.

http://jeremyandthecamel.blogspot.com/

How Does Your Garden Grow?

This will be our second year with a large garden. And I found a friend who knows how to can tomatoes and sauces and everything! I plan on thoroughly abusing that friendship.


I will need those skills, as I already have 16 tomato plants in the ground and am planning on buying more.

PS please notice the heavy-duty tomato cages we built out of welded wire last year. Chris and I always manage to grow MASSIVE tomato plants that crush regular tomato cages before the summer is even half over. Even these heavy duty ones will likely have to be reinforced with stakes.


We also have okra, bell peppers, cayenne peppers, cantaloupe, squash and zucchini. Still to come are corn, beans, peas, pumpkin, and cucumbers. And Chris is building me a raised bed for my herb garden! I used to have a fabulous herb garden when we lived in the suburbs, but two moves pretty much did in everything that I tried to bring with me. I am exited to have lavender, basil, rosemary and such again!!

Martha's Hands

And Mary's Heart

A dear friend of my mom passed this along to me, and I would love to share it with you. I think those of you who are moms will especially appreciate this. Thank you, Mrs P--you have been an example to me in the love and diligence you have shown, especially to our family.

Lord of pots and pans and things

Since I've not time to be

A saint by doing lovely things

Or watching late with thee

Or dreaming in the dawns light

Or storming heaven's gate

Make me a saint

By getting meals and washing up the plates.

Although I must have Martha hands

I have Mary's mind

And when I black the boots and shoes

Thy sandles Lord I find.

I think of how they trod the earth

At times I scub the floor

Accept this meditation Lord

I haven't time for more.

Forgive all my grumbling

And make my worries cease

For Thou who didst give men

food and drink in home or by the sea

Accept this service I do,

I do it all to Thee.

I may not blacken many shoes, but I do wash a lot of tennis shoes and crocs (especially after moments like this). I spend a lot of time cleaning floors (although if you come over around 3 o'clock on any given day, you probably won't be able to tell), what a beautiful thing it would be if I thought of the Jesus' footsteps as I did. I cook a lot of meals and wash a lot of dishes--may I think of His sharing his last meal (and many others) as He gave Himself. There are so many trivial things that fill our days--let us remember the higher purpose of each of them as we love our families, friends, and Lord through the simplest of actions.

She Cheats

She did NOT get this character flaw from her mother.

I have never cheated.

I did NOT con my handsome engineer into letting me win at putt-putt the first week we were dating.

Nor did I bat my brown eyes or quiver my lip at my daddy when I was a kid to get a re-draw in Uno or a re-roll in Sorry.

I have never cheated.

But Lil Bit does.

My friend caught it on her cell phone during a bus ride on a school field trip. Watch Lil Bit on the last round of rock-paper-scissors.




I swear she gets this from her dad.

Did I Mention . . .

That it is muddy here?


I mean, REALLY muddy. Our yard has standing water in it.


We are rejoicing that we haven't planted our garden yet because the weeds that are growing where our tomatoes will be have rotting roots from the moisture. When I tried to weed, I sunk ankle deep.

Oh, and the mud stinks from the water sitting there so long.

Kallie, however, thinks it smells goooooood!



clean dog


dirty dog


clean dog

dirty dog


Chivalry also enjoys the mud. He says it is good for his complexion and brings out the red highlights in his coat.

Side note: Chivalry really has a full tail. It is gorgeous and drags the ground. Not sure where he hid it in this photo. Maybe Annie opened up a pasture beauty parlor and cut Chivalry's tail out of jealousy.


Adeline, of course, loves the mud, too.


And I wonder why I always have so much laundry.

Sigh.

Spring, Part II

The Things I Hate . . .

German Shepherds who shed enough to create at least 3 more dogs (this is why I was vacuuming twice a day fora while).

Bitty Bit is laughing and saying "Blech!"
The other dogs shed too this time of year, but poor Pi gets blamed for all of it. Thank goodness for shedding blades!

Also not a big fan of pollen. Or the insane amounts of mud we have had this year.

But overall, I really do love spring.
For this:

delicate little wildflowers that crop up in unexpected places

And this:

time at parks or on walks, just enjoying the outside.

And I love the birds that have come back.

And the way that our forests have become thick with leaves.

And the softness of grass.


I still wish the dogs wouldn't shed, though.

Spring, Part I

The things I love




Tomorrow: the things I hate.

Grass

It's always greener . . .



This is about 2 days after we turned them into the big field, so there is LOTS of grass inside the fence. But Ming was convinced that it was better on the other side.

I'm Okay!!

Please don't ask Lil Bit to run anywhere.
Or jog.
Or walk.

Chances are pretty good that she will fall.

At least once a day I hear "kaTHUMP" coming from some random room in the house. And then Lil Bit's voice, "I'm Okay!"

It cracks me up every time.





This game of running laps through the kitchen, dining room, living room is an almost nightly ritual. To my recollection, Bitty Bit has never fallen. Lil Bit falls quite regularly, as you can see.

Side note: sorry about the half painted door there--it is now all white, as is the trim work in that room--makes a huge difference and I love it! Now, back to your regularly scheduled klutziness demonstration . . .

Morgan was really fine, albeit a little dramatic. She tripped and fell over the completely even hardwood surface and hit the piano bench. Chris was checking her out just to make sure.
Adeline was wondering how her sister manages to fall so often. And also telling me something along the lines of, "Sissy, boo-boo, head. owie!"