Family Blooms

Christmas Came Early

2011-12-23T13:53:00.001-06:00

I'm home waiting on a package. I wanted to get John Campbell in the shower to get it over with. Jackson Wynn wanted to take a shower - was adamant about a showerrrrrr. John Campbell chimed in, "I can help him." So, I agreed, that if no screaming or beating occurred, they could take one together. I made John Campbell promise to over see the washing and scrubbing of all nooks, crannies and crevices. He assured me they would be clean.

After 10 minutes I go in to check and they are fine. Jackson Wynn says, "You are my best friend; am I your best friend?" To which John Campbell answers, "Yeah, we are best friends, ...and brothers too." And then a conversation about the goodness of having brothers starts up. John Campbell tells his little brother that he's doing a good job soaping his hair and Jackson Wynn thanks him with pride and astonishment in his voice. It isn't often the big brother brags on him.

Then John Campbell says, "Okay, our hair is done, let's do the rest." I giggle and leave, because I know they will probably be in there for 30 more minutes. But it is worth it. I know it is only a matter of time until they are whupping up on each other once again, fighting over toys, or who said what to who and who started it. Ahhh, Christmas. It lives in the little moments.

30 things to stop doing to yourself.

2011-12-14T15:58:00.001-06:00

Saw this link on facebook. Wow is all I can say. I really needed to read this today, and may need to read it nine more times before I go to sleep tonight.

http://www.marcandangel.com/2011/12/11/30-things-to-stop-doing-to-yourself/

As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Nothing could be closer to the truth. But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.
Here are some ideas to get you started:

Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you. If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you. You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot. Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth. And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on. No, it won’t be easy. There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them. We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems. That’s not how we’re made. In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall. Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time. This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself. Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves. Read The Road Less Traveled.
Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too. Yes, help others; but help yourself too. If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like everyone else. Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you. Don’t change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.
Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing. Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success. You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us. We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future. Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive. But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either. You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else. Read Stumbling on Happiness.
Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place. Evaluate situations and take decisive action. You cannot change what you refuse to confront. Making progress involves risk. Period! You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises. Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely. It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company. There’s no need to rush. If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet. Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you. But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others doing better than you. Concentrate on beating your own records every day. Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.
Stop being jealous of others. – Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own. Ask yourself this: “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”
Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you. You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough. But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past. You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation. So smile! Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart. You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate. Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.” It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.” Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself! And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too. If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.
Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway. Just do what you know in your heart is right.
Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. – The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting. Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things. The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.
Stop trying to make things perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done. Read Getting Things Done.
Stop following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile. Don’t take the easy way out. Do something extraordinary.
Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. – It’s okay to fall apart for a little while. You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well. You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears. The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
Stop blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life. When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
Stop trying to be everything to everyone. – Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out. But making one person smile CAN change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but their world. So narrow your focus.
Stop worrying so much. – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy. One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time? Three years? Five years?” If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen. Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story. If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life. Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs. Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

Lemon Cake Cookies

2011-12-12T17:18:00.001-06:00

JC has been requesting lemon cake cookies for a week. We made them after school today. The boys helped and did a great job. By the time they had cooled and been iced, John Campbell was curled up on my bed, asleep. *sigh* I can only hope he sleeps straight through the night and doesn't wake up. He was tired when he got out of school. Jackson Wynn ended up being the only one awake for the photos.

And here's one of Jackson Wynn and I this past weekend. I don't get to snuggle like this very often.

Puppy Brothers and Christmas Crayons

2011-12-06T19:38:00.001-06:00

Mo thinks he is one of the boys. Unlike the cats, who know they are cats and therefore far superior to all other creatures, Mo hangs with the kids. I can't believe how much we love this dog after 5 short months. He's getting quite bushy - even his previous rat tail is full of hair. He loves to ride with us and will jump about 4 feet in the air when I get his leash. He went with us to pick John Campbell up from school.

This evening, we were snuggled on the couch, watching a Christmas movie and Mo was right in the middle of it. Had to sneak some pics.

We also worked on a craft this afternoon. We sorted through the big crayon box and removed all the icky, broken crayons. We unwrapped them and I chopped them into small pieces. Then we added some to a silicone star pan and baked them at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. The make star-shaped multi-colored crayons. I have poked holes in them and will string them with a little tag for the boys to take to school and give as little gifts. Pics after we finish.

Finished crayon stars: Remove paper from broken crayons. Break crayons into small pieces. Take silicone muffin pan or candy mold and put crayon pieces into molds. I didn't want really thick crayons, so I filled about 3/4 full. When they melted down they were about half full. Baking times vary. I baked mine at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. The wax crayons were liquified. Allow to cool for an hour and then pop out and allow to cure for a day or so on flat surface. I wanted to make them into ornaments, so I baked them, then let them cool for 20 minutes. I took the blunt end of a toothpick and pushed it into the crayon, making sure it went all the way down. Give it a gentle spin or two. Allow to sit upright in crayon for 40 minutes and then gently wiggle and remove. It should leave a hole large enough to use a small needle and embroidery thread to make string it for hanging.

Typical Saturday

2011-12-03T13:11:00.000-06:00

We finished most of our Christmas decorations right after Thanksgiving. It feels good to be finished early so we can enjoy them longer. Today, the boys have worked and played in the yard and ran around the house. It is pretty warm here today. The young ones like to dress up and today it is Mario and Luigi. They couldn't find their mustaches, so Moma sacrificed one of her eyeliners to make it happen. And then we turned an Alabama and John Deere hat into Mario Brothers hats. Fun times!!!

Edna St. Vincet Millay

2011-11-18T18:10:00.000-06:00

Among my favorite poets.

Thanksgiving Cactus

2011-11-13T17:42:00.000-06:00

I have three and they are all beautiful right now.

Puppy Brothers

2011-11-13T16:12:00.000-06:00

The three of them are like peas in a pod. Mo is very tolerant as long as they don't get too exuberant.

Muscle Men

2011-11-13T15:53:00.000-06:00

Why do boys love taking their clothes off? Is life more fun naked?

Harvest Meal 2011

2011-11-04T13:51:00.003-05:00

I'm so glad both my boys went to preschool at at GS. They do such a great job and are so wonderful with the kids. Everything is Christ-centered. Each year they do the Harvest Meal and the children sing. It is so sweet.

All the autumn artwork is displayed.

Singing

Harvest lunch

With his teacher

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T21:55:00.000-05:00

We've survived our 8th Halloween with kids. This year was the most fun so far, I think. The boys are big enough now to romp and stomp and we don't have to worry as much. We went to a party. The kids had pizza while the adults had chili. Then we did a hayride around some neighborhoods and TOTed. The kids had a blast. It was such a whirlwind that I didn't get photos of them on the porch this year, but got some good shots of them on the move.

Tate Farms 2011

2011-10-22T21:19:00.001-05:00

Our yearly outing to Tate Farms was a lot of fun. They add a little something new each year. The boys are getting older and it is getting so much easier to travel with them. I remember going with a stroller and a baby in a sling. Now they are running around like they own the place.

Hay ride

Holding the little ones Moma picked out

Corn crib

Gobble gobble

This is new - the big pillow jump

Hay maze

Corn tractors - JC thinks it isn't cool to ride them anymore, but he did it for his little brother.

Cotton jump

Early October

2011-10-22T20:50:00.000-05:00

Lots of soccer, school, Cub Scouts have started up. Children's Choir is going full blast at church. We have a lot going on! Busy, but good. I have soccer photos to go through and haven't been taking as many photos with all our activities. Here's one of my rose bush - decided to give me one more single rose at the beginning of October.

Keeping it Real?

2011-09-15T11:22:00.001-05:00

If you are about keeping it real, then you will love this blog/club. It is a hoot and I'm guilty of so many of the descriptions listed. But, hey, after I'm dead, it won't matter that there's Underoos under my ottoman or or a dirty sock trail from the front door to the laundry room. Anyway, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

By the way, the name is a little misleading, because the blogs on this site are written by some beautiful women, inside and out.

Our benediction from today's church service.

2011-09-11T14:09:00.000-05:00

The Big Haircut!!!

2011-09-11T13:58:00.001-05:00

We finally cut Jackson Wynn's hair and have it ready to send to Locks of Love. It was Saturday a week ago, September 3, 2011. He was SO good!!! And we had portraits made before doing the big snip. Here are some photos of him during his visit to Miss Trish's salon.

Three goals for the boy!

2011-09-10T10:18:00.000-05:00

John Campbell scored three goals today at his soccer game. I was home with the sick little one and didn't get to see it. I may take Jackson Wynn in to the doc in a box to see what is going on. The kids and I have been cruddy all week.

John Campbell did a great job at his soccer game. He played striker and defender. Proud of my little guy! Daddy took a total of 4 photos of the game. Thanks, man.

Semi-Homemade

2011-09-08T22:10:00.001-05:00

I like the idea of using ready-made products to make homemade dishes. Sandra Lee does a good job of this, but sometimes she gets a little "out there". I want to try some of her recipes.

Mocha Amour Brownies

Soft Granola Goodies

Bourbon Honey-Glazed Ham

Upside Down Apple Skillet Pie

Orange-Glazed Salmon

Okay, now I want to go to www.allrecipes.com and try to see if any of these are posted. I already found Grandma's Iron Skillet Apple Pie!!!!! You really can't beat this site for finding good recipes. At least, I haven't found a better site out there.

On My Honor...

2011-08-27T22:18:00.000-05:00

Well, it's official, we have a Cub Scout. We went and got his stuff today. Daddy is as excited about Scouts as John Campbell is. He wore his cap all the way home and then had to try his "Class A" on as soon as we got home.

Soccer Boys!!!

2011-08-27T22:12:00.001-05:00

Both boys are playing soccer this year. Go Number 3!!! They have the same number.

First game was early - Go Dragons!!! He's getting after it.

Throwing in.

John Campbell is much more aggressive this year. He plays mid-fielder and striker, or what they call wings.

JC's About Me

2011-08-27T22:04:00.000-05:00

We have homework this year - math sheets each night and soon to be starting spelling words. And he completed his first project - Read All About Me. He did a great job. It was fun helping him a bit, sitting together.

Purdy Shoes

2011-08-27T21:57:00.000-05:00

I'm making some bows for flip flops. So far, I'm getting the hang of it. I'm buying ribbon and buttons as I go. Hopefully, I'll have quite a few made by the time the next Relay is here. This is my little fund raising idea to do the night of.

Four Years Old

2011-08-09T14:10:00.001-05:00

My little sweet thing is four years old today. I can't believe it. He is growing up so fast, talking like an older child now, and getting so big. We have a little family party planned today and we will be taking him to see his trains in Chattanooga.

iPhone 911!!!

2011-08-09T14:08:00.000-05:00

I got up early to talk to Abbie this morning. He usually leaves at the butt-crack of dawn and I'm still snoozing. We talked, discussed a few birthday things for Jackson Wynn, and I laid back down. I was checking the weather on my iPhone in bed. It was storming and I wanted to know if it would get bad. He came in to kiss me by, leaned down over me and after the kiss, my phone was dark. Couldn't get it to turn back on. After doing some housework, I googled it and found out that you touch the home button and the power button at the same time for about 5 seconds and it will come back on.

I don't know what happened, maybe it was the kiss, or something in Abbie's pocket. I'm glad it is working again. I'm syncing it now and downloading a new version of itunes or something. I don't want to lose all my info and photos.

Vacation 2011

2011-08-09T14:04:00.001-05:00

We went to Orange Beach for vacation. It was a nice time away. It is always good to get back home. The bed Abbie and I slept in was very comfortable so now we are thinking we need to look at mattresses. We stayed in a condo right on the beach. Great access, the beaches weren't crowded at all and we were close to everything. The building was older, but very clean and nice. We had fun on the beach - the boys played in the sand and surf. None of us got cooked, but the sun screen I used ate through my toenail polish. We actually met a family from our town, who has a daughter in the same grade as John Campbell. We went to dinner with them one night and we hang out on the beach together for a day. They got there shortly before we left. It was a lot of fun, a lot of driving and a lot of sun and sand.

We ate at Lulu's in Gulf Shores and it was a hoot. We will definitely go there again. We also went to Lambert's, Home of the Throwed Rolls, and had fun. The roll guy threw four in a row to John Campbell and he caught them all. We had a mountain of bread by the end of our meal. Besides going out for dinner, we stayed on the beach for the most part. The views from the room were pretty. The heat was really turned up. I think going in early summer may be better from now on, but we will visit this condo again.

One of my favorite things was flying kites with the boys on the beach. It is effortless and you can tie them off to your chair or tent and just watch them dance in the sky. The boys were enchanted with them.

Before getting to Orange Beach, we stopped over a night in Fairhope to visit Aunt Jewell and Uncle Johnny. She is doing great, looking as beautiful as ever. Uncle Johnny is in the last stages of Alzheimer's and not doing well. He is in bed and Hospice has been called in. I'm glad I got to see him and talk to him. It may be the last visit I have with him. Aunt Jewell is devoting all her energy to taking care of him. I don't see how she does it. She is a true, graceful, Southern lady.

Now we are home, the clothes and things are all put away and the house is getting back in order. I'll post photos once I have a chance to go through them all and pick my favorites.

Doggie Days of Summer

2011-07-27T17:04:00.000-05:00

We took Mo to the Vet. for his third visit. He is doing great. The kids got bragged on for doing such a good job with him. His skin looks better, his hair is growing out. He has one sore spot beside his bottom, so he is back on prednisone. He's up to 10 pounds. The Dr. said she could tell how much happier he is and she said that she loved with a dog at risk bounced back like Mo has.

John Campbell went with me while Jackson Wynn was at school. He did a great job with Mo. Mo loves to ride and we rode around for a bit after the visit. I actually got us lost on some country roads and we had to use the Mapquest App to get back to town.

I needed a coverup for the beach that was something other than a towel. I couldn't find anything I liked that was under $60.00 and I can't see paying that much for something to get dirty on the beach. I'll pay top dollar on bathing suits because they need to be high quality, but not a coverup.

So I had an idea - get a men's shirt. Cut it up and make it a little girly. I wanted a black shirt, but instead found a pretty blue one. I first cut the arms off, right on the outside of the seam. Then I cut the collar off, again, right on the outside of the seam. Then, to give it a more girly shape, I made gathers at the shoulders to give it more of an A-line feel. Needle and thread and about two minutes to do that. In less than 5 minutes, I had exactly what I wanted. Yippee!!

Here's a photo of John Campbell holding Mo at the vet. visit.

Mo is up to 10 lbs. and John Campbell is weighing in at 54 lbs. No wonder he's starting to really hurt when we wrestle!!

This Week

2011-07-22T14:55:00.002-05:00

Abbie was on a business trip from last Saturday night through Thursday night. The boys and I did fine - but they were pretty antsy by Wednesday. We swam, went to the soccer field, took Mo for walks, played outside, played inside, watched movies, and did games and puzzles. Wrestling was good, but they are big enough now to hurt me. The boys gave Mo a bath and did a good job. I didn't get any photos of that because I wanted to be hands-on for them.

Betty and I have embarked on next years Relay for Life fund raising projects. We're starting in on the Thong Dongs - as I call them. They are korker bows for your flip flops, and regular bows for your flip flops. We'll do Alabama, Auburn and local school colors along with cancer ribbon colors. Betty can't sew and I don't know what I'm doing, but together we make a pretty good team. Hope we can get enough made to raise some funds next spring!!!

Jackson Wynn wanted to throw his underwear at me, but they landed on the fan blade instead. We left them there so Daddy could see them when he got home. Also, he's the only one tall enough in the house to get underwear down from a ceiling fan without having to use a chair.

Betty and three of my super heroes - Indiana Jones, Darth Vader, and Mo the Wonder Dog.

On Wednesday, we had weird storms coming from the east and south just as the sun was setting. It made for an incredible glow outside. Jackson Wynn noticed it first, saying, "Mommy, look outside!!!"

Go Big Cats!!! Some of the ribbon fresh out of the oven.

Today, I tried my hand at assembling corker bows again. Abbie won't come out and say it, but they are too long for him and he doesn't really like them. I think they are cute and might need to be shortened just a bit to be practical for wearing down near the ground.

Abbie is working from home today - he almost never does this. He came back from his trip exhausted and physically beat, to the point of being sick. I hope he's feeling better soon. We have a weekend to get going with.

A Whole Other Post

2011-07-12T20:00:00.000-05:00

The boys and I have been enjoying these lazy days, but they sure do get wound up. They were little monkeys in the pool, but I didn't get any shots because I was working on my herbs and was watching to make sure two heads were above the water at all times. I did get some sweet shots inside. I made them promise to make nice smiles for me. And then I let them make some silly ones.

"Wonna These Days..."

My Super Heroes

Lazy Days of Summer

2011-07-12T19:52:00.000-05:00

This is the second week we haven't had swim team and it has been LAZY! We've watched some of our favorite movies, played outside, swam, taken Mo for walks at the park and hung out in our jammies. It has been great, but we can't stay idle forever. We need to get back on track. Abbie has been working some late nights because of IT problems at work. He has a business trip coming up and then we go on vacation. After all that hubbub, we'll need to get back on schedule so school won't blast us out of bed completely.

Today, we slept in, hung out and I did housework and played with the guys. We tried to swim and within three minutes of getting wet, it started thundering. Then it went from a completely lovely day to something wicked this way comes. Big storm, lost power, lost of thunder and rain. And it came from the northeast, so from the totally wrong direction. Strange weather patterns we've had this year.

We got out, ran in and waited it out. Played and talked. After, quite a while after, we went back out and I let the boys swim again. I wasn't going to get wet again, so I trimmed back my herbs and started some clippings indifferent pots. And here's what I found while trimming my mint.

This is the second time I've spotted this rare pink grasshopper. He's munching on a fallen bloom from my mint plants. I had tried to get photos with my iPhone the last time I saw him, but they didn't turn out. This time I ran in for my real camera.

Mo continues to do well. He's getting hair more and more. I hope it all comes back. If not, he'll be one shivering pup this winter. Small dogs don't do well in extreme temps, so I'll have to buy him some kind of sweater. Abbie will have a cow - owning a dog who wears clothes. He'll be humiliated. He's already making "yappy dog" jokes. He doesn't yap much though, just when he sees people out in adjacent yards. Here's a few shots of today.

This kid is a survivor.

And I got pics of the boys, but that is a whole other post.

Butt Whuppin'

2011-07-10T16:18:00.000-05:00

Daddy got beat up again today by two cute little guys. They are getting bigger and stronger. It won't be long before they'll really be able to keep him down. He's had this T-shirt for years and it has had a hole in the armpit forever, yet he won't let me throw it away. It is a beloved Boy Scout camp shirt. Well, it is officially ruined now. Has a huge tear. But well worth the fun.

Mo, Week Two

2011-07-03T22:52:00.000-05:00

We've had Mo for two weeks. I called him Jeronimo to begin with, and then it hit me - Satchmo!!! Who better to name him after than Louis Armstrong?

Mo's been fitting in quite well. We kennel him at night. He seems to rest better that way. He wimpered a little the first couple of nights, but now he's content and we've got it fixed up nicely with cushions and a blanket.

He has barked and it is cute as pie. He has even protected us a little when we've had visitors - barking and giving them "the look". He eats well, loves the hotdog bits that we give his pills in, and is helping to keep my floors free of crumbs.

Elmer and Mo are getting along well and have shared the cushion on the couch to let me pet them both. Henna is fine - she hides as usual unless she comes out to play with Elmer. I hope she will get back to her usual self and come out a little more.

His skin is free of sores and redness and we have hair growth!!! He has a follow-up vet appointment this Wednesday and I hope we have some ideas about what caused his coat loss and skin irritation. If it is allergies, we may have flair-ups. His thyroid is normal and he didn't have any kind of mange. Here's some photos of him from tonight.

This was a dog with really bad skin, sores, always shaking and not a single bark. He was completely scared. His skin was sticky and covered in sore spots. He was scared to death of us. Now, he jumps up to be petted, begs for treats, barks and runs around the yard. He loves to roll in the grass and rub his muzzle in it. When he poops, he goes in a little circle and then jumps for joy a few times. It is hilarious. I was never a dog person until I met this poor little creature. It will be a long time before his hair grows back completely, but he is already looking so much better. He has a rubber steak that squeaks. He'll fetch it and chew on it, growling and rolling around. He lasts about 5 minutes before he's tuckered out and ready for a snuggle.

His crinkled ear, caused by a hematoma that went untreated. The ear is permanently shriveled, but it adds to his character. When his hair grows back it will be less noticeable.

Little Swimmer

2011-06-23T14:09:00.000-05:00

I wanted John Campbell to become a better swimmer, so I signed him up for swim team. He has improved so much - it is amazing. He can do some form of all four strokes and is gaining endurance. We have to work on swimming with his head down in the water and on diving. He can go really fast when his head is in the right position.

Mo

2011-06-22T18:30:00.000-05:00

We adopted a dog the day before Father's Day. I guess that is not exactly what Abbie was wanting to get for his special day. LOL The boys have been asking for a rabbit or a dog. We decided a rabbit wouldn't work well with the cats. So, went online to www.petfinder.com and started looking. It was really hard to get people to call us back and we finally got to meet our little guy on Saturday. He was very nervous, stressed and unhappy. He had lost most of his hair and was not happy in the shelter. We took a chance, even though he looked awful and was very skittish.

He was quiet all weekend and didn't have much to say or to do with us. Off we went to the vet on Monday morning and she told us she thinks he has a thyroid problem. Well, poor little guy, of course that would make you feel bad. He's been with us five days as of today and he's fitting in nicely. He likes to be beside you or on your lap. He enjoys going outside and taking walks. He likes our cats and our cats are getting used to him. Elmer wanted to be a butt, but we're working through that.

Here is what Mo looked like on the website.

He is some mix of Pomeranian and maybe Chihuahua. But, when we met him, he was hairless and looked more like a boiled egg than a dog. We couldn't turn him away, so off we went with him.

He was being dipped and treated for mange, which he doesn't have. He either has allergies or hypothyroidism. He also has yeast in his poor little ears. He was wonderful during the vet visit and let them draw blood and clean his ears out. They trimmed his very long nails. He needs his teeth cleaned, but we'll wait until his skin and coat start to perk up.

We've been medicating him for less than three days and his skin already looks better. He has one crinkled ear, from a hematoma that was not looked after or treated. His actual ear is fine, just crinkled up. He sounded very good and strong, so his heart and lungs are fine.

We are using a special shampoo on him and giving him an antibiotic for the infections, something for the yeast, and some prednisone for all the stuff going on with his skin. He has yet to bark one time, but he has started doing a cute little growl when he is playing and stretching out in his bed.

Today was the first time I was able to hold him against one hip while Elmer laid on the other hip - me petting both of them at the same time. That is a very good sign. As long as Elmer knows he's still my number one man, he'll be fine. Henna has looked and sniffed and not changed her behavior at all. Still a scaredy cat.

Just hours after getting home with him.

Elmer didn't know whether to bond with him, bury him or eat him. He is slowly warming up.

The boys love him and have taken turns walking him and holding him. He even rode in the van with JC and I when we went to pick up Jackson Wynn from school today. And John Campbell and I took him for a walk around the neighborhood earlier today.

I hope we can make this little 9lb. sweetie happy and healthy again.

Father's Day

2011-06-22T18:05:00.000-05:00

We had a good day, though I've been fighting ear problems and the boys have had stomach bugs. We hung out, had fun and swam. Had Abbie's favorite dinner - applicious pork tender loins with creamed potatoes, green beans and steamed carrots. Rolls and dessert. The boys also had fun in the pool. I didn't swim so I could keep my ears dry.

It is so hard to get these characters to smile and look at the camera all at the same time!!!

The Boy Turns Seven

2011-06-13T13:14:00.000-05:00

Wow. Seven years? It can't be seven years. Right??? So much has happened in the last 7 years. It is amazing. We didn't do a big party this year, but opted to go to Lake Winnie instead. Now, to find a weekend to actually take him. It has to be soon!

My sister's family came the next day for swimming, grilling and birthdaying. We had a good weeekend!

Elizabeth Taylor

2011-06-11T21:34:00.000-05:00

To those that know little of her aside from her fame, it all seems so glamorous. After reading her biography, "A Passion For Life", it is obvious that she had all the glamor you could imagine and more. But, she definitely had a life filled with pain and chaos. Here's a quote at the end that I especially liked.

"In my life, I have never, God knows, done anything by half-measures. I believe people are like rocks formed by the weather. We're formed by experience, by heartache, by grief, by mistakes, by guilt, by shame...I am glad that in my life I have never cut short my emotions. The most awful thing is to be numb."

Birthday Boy and an Aha Bible Verse

2011-06-10T12:59:00.000-05:00

My eldest son is about to be seven years old. My life has been turned on its ear in a fantastic way for seven years!!! Where has the time gone. He's such a wonderful youngin'. He's on swim team now - lots of posts to make on that one and get caught up - he's getting ready for first grade and made incredible grades for Kindergarten. We are doing a family party this weekend and will be taking him to Lake Winnie next weekend. Can't wait!

And, earlier this week, while reading Max Lucado's "Cure for the Common Life" I read a Bible verse that BLEW MY MIND. Each and every word hits me like a ton of bricks!

Philippians 2:13¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

God is IN us - in lowly us dwells the Holy Spirit. Because of the grace of God, He has chosen to dwell within us and do good works. And those works are for us to will and to actually do the good that is God's purpose for us. It is all a plan. God is in us; He is working in us, at work - Holy actions going on right now. His work in us will help us to live God's will and to act God's will in our lives - the good works he has planned for us to do. And all of this is given to us through His grace and love. It is astounding to think of it that way. This is my "a-ha" verse right now. It is so humbling to know that God, the One True God, is at work in me. Working on me with each breath I take.

The thing that gets me is that my will is usually very far from where it should be. I seem to want the things I'm not supposed to want. I need the things that I shouldn't need. Even love the things I shouldn't love. Don't we all at some point? So, this verse helps me to hang on.

Ice Cream!!!

2011-06-05T13:18:00.001-05:00

We made some home made ice cream while Betty was here!!! It was a fun night, with good food and a good friend. Her homemade cherry ice cream is wonderful!!!

She had two very good helpers.

And we had a Memorial Day concert at the end of May. Playing with the Twickenham Winds is a lot of fun and keeps me on my toes. The music is challenging.

Kindergarten Graduation

2011-05-28T14:01:00.002-05:00

Grab the Kleenex. We are finished with Kindergarten. He had a great year. The entire class was wonderful - so many great kids and parents. I was told that we'd won the Kindergarten Lottery when he was placed in Mrs. Thomas' class. That isn't even the half of it. It was a complete blessing. Mrs. Thomas took such good care of him, all the kids. And she took care of us nervous parents as well. We will miss her so much. Lots of pics here. They had awards day in the room with a more causal approach and it was wonderful. The kids got academic awards as well as fun awards. They played a touching slideshow set to music. The kids got a goodie bag full of photos and mementos. He was given a DVD of the slideshow and I'm so thankful to have all these memories. After, the kids had light refreshments and the parents took tons of photos.

John Campbell won awards for reading and led the class by reading 391 books this year. We had the Book Worm club and kept up with most of the books we read. I can't believe we read so many. It was amazing, because he is now reading them to us instead of us reading them to him. He also won the Nutrageous award for having such a fun, outstanding personality. Of course, he got Skittles instead of the candy bar because he can't have peanuts.

Graduating is serious business.

There's a smile!

Getting awards from Mrs. Thomas.

Photos with friends and girlfriends throughout the year.

"Peace-out Suckah" has been a popular phrase...have no idea what it means.

Mrs. Cater, our aide for the year. She was wonderful and helped us out of the van in the mornings.

One last goodbye hug from Mrs. Thomas, and a final thank you for such a wonderful year.

I spotted this as we left the parking lot. I think this is great.

Yardage

2011-05-28T13:07:00.000-05:00

Mexican petunia bush with bloom below.

Butterfly Bush

Lilies from my sister.

Can't remember the name of this one, but it is a very pretty and interesting plant.

Hooch running pappy. Nah, it's just a pool sample to take in.

Fuzzy plant from my sister. Once it gets a little bigger, I'll plop it in the flowerbed.

Hot, tired and thirsty super heroes.

Gardening with the Dynamic Duo

2011-05-28T12:58:00.000-05:00

Batman and Robin stopped by while I was doing some gardening. There were some villains running around. Glad they were there to take care of the bad guys.

I've been notified that this is NOT the Batmobile. It is the Batmonstertruck.

Missed

2011-05-26T20:30:00.001-05:00

I lost loved ones in my early 30's who I will never get over losing, my mom and dad especially.

So Thankful

2011-05-09T08:35:00.001-05:00

April 27th is a blur for me. We awoke to a tornado warning - and turns out one passed just a few miles to the south of our town. Damage done. Homes damaged and gone.

We started getting ready for school, thinking that the worst was over. Abbie had a business trip to Canada. He headed out, then the kids and I headed out. I had a bad feeling. I dropped John Campbell at school, worrying about him being there. I had a nagging in my heart. Then I took Jackson Wynn to his school. They had no power. I had felt like God was trying to get me to do something, so I took Jackson Wynn with me and went back to the primary school to check out John Campbell. By now we knew there were more lines of storms on the way.

I was glad to have both boys with me. We had a few more tornado warnings, as storms went to the north and south of us, going through neighboring counties as well as ours. Then, a small break in the storms. The sun came out and it heated up. I knew we were in trouble as the air even felt unstable. Around 3:00 in the afternoon, a nasty one came toward us, coming from Cullman where it had just gone through downtown. A tornado was on the ground. I was so frightened. I sat in the hall bath with the boys and prayed. The electricity went out and I knew it was bad. I couldn't really hear anything outside. We waited. A tornado had passed within less than three miles of our house. An EF4 - taking out houses and killing five people in one family, where there were nine seeking safety in one house. It crossed the highway and continued taking out houses, one of them belonging to a little boy in John Campbell's class. I didn't now any of this. I got the kids out once the sirens stopped and checked out things outside. It was already clear again. I talked to our neighbors and they stood out on their back porch and watched it pass. He said he could see it. My friend Betty said she could hear it as it passed around the back of her area, following the river.

Tornado as it passes just north of town. I had a friend in the bank vault, just on the other side of the Taco Bell. She said that she got out and looked at the storm as it passed, once they were sure it was going north of them. She saw several emergency vehicles swarming up Highway 231. And then they all stopped and started inching forward. They were watching the storm and going slow so they didn't drive too fast and get caught up in the tornado. My heart goes out to the Hallmark family. They lived in the Ruth community and five members of that family died in the tornado.

There would be more tornado warnings that day for us, and many more tornadoes for Alabama and the Southeast. 254 people killed in Alabma alone. 340 killed in the entire region. I still can't believe the amount of damage. We were without power for five days. We lost water for a few hours. It was very stressful while it was happening, but I had no idea just how bad it was everywhere else. There are so many devastated areas you just can't remember them all. On Saturday, we drove to Gadsden to get the boys a good meal. We stayed until dark and then headed back to our house. We had five nights of sleeping in total darkness. But, we were so fortunate. So many people lost everything. Food out of our fridge is nothing in comparison. A monster tornado hit Tuscaloosa - so much damage done. All counties in North Alabama had damage. Driving to Gadsden, we saw thousands of trees down until we got out of Albertville. Just so much damage. I can't say that enough.

God sustained us through it all. We prayed to God as we sat huddled in that bathroom. God still has work for us to do - still has plans that He wants to see fulfilled in our lives, because we were spared. So many people were spared. It is amazing. And watching the aftermath, you realize just how lucky you are. God has been good to us. My two boys were real troopers through it all. Abbie was in Canada until late Thursday night and then he was at work the entire time, trying to keep from shutting down other auto manufacturers across the US and Canada. We hardly saw him.

I've realized that there's no use in worrying about everything. You do what you can and keep moving forward. You can't control life. God is in control of it. I think I'm finally learning to put some things down and let God have His way. I've always struggled with that. I'm trusting God, that His plans are better than my plans.

Here is some media of the Tornado that hit our area.

Tornado as it comes within 150 yards of my husband's plant. He was headed to Canada at the time.

Downtown Cullman, Alabama. This tornado is the same one that hit the Ruth community.

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Video of the tornado going through Cullman County.

Tornado coming through Arab, just north of the city, in the Ruth community.

Life of a Rose

2011-04-26T20:37:00.006-05:00

April 19, 2011. Chicago Peace, tea rose. Just opening up. It had rained the night before and that morning.

April 20, 2011. The next day. Opened more, more of a blush.

April 22, 2011. Just about to finish and drop its petals. Fading, but still beautiful.

This is the only bloom on the bush when these were taken. Since, no new blooms. This may be it for the year. But, I hope not. The bush is a little runty, but I have high hopes.

Easter Sunday 2011

2011-04-26T19:55:00.001-05:00

The boys woke, looked in their baskets, and then we all got ready for church. The service was wonderful. Sermon, music, everything, great. After, we met my sister's family and spent time together. It was great too.

mmm

The boys, after a wonderful church service. Jackson Wynn's sweater lasted all of 8 minutes. Abbie took him to the bathroom shortly after the service started. They returned and Jackson Wynn had only the white under shirt on. Somehow, they had lost a fight with the water fountain. So typical for those two. It had dried enough for these photos.

Easter and such

2011-04-22T19:11:00.001-05:00

We had such a nice Easter this year. The weather was beautiful, as was the church service and the activities leading up to and following it. We had an egg hunt on Saturday, with a church brunch following. After Easter service, we met my sister's family and spent time together. It was a very sweet weekend. And we got to fiddle in the yard some too. My sister gave me pieces of rose bushes, clematis, and some lilies. They were in dirt within 30 minutes of our van hitting the driveway. I hope they all take. Church started with Christ The Lord Is Risen Today and it always gets to me. Just amazing - the whole idea of Christ giving himself for our sins is amazing. I don't think I'll ever fully comprehend until I'm in heaven with Him.

Pastor Kenny sharing the Easter story with the kids

The younger group. The older kids did their thing later in the afternoon.

The boys had a great time. We made their egg bags earlier in the week. Puffy Paint is fun stuff. They did the designs and I did the finishing touches.

By Grace performance

Puppet Ministry

This is the rose in its final form - fully open. Getting delicate and getting ready to finish. Still beautiful.

Pansies by the front door. Love'em!!! The floral photos were all taken on Saturday.

2011-04-21T18:48:00.000-05:00

He was being a turd and I got on to him, making him so mad at his mama that he went and stewed under his bed. And then fell asleep. Old grouch man...

Same rose from the rose bush, a couple of days later. It has opened up and the colors have deepened. Again, I took a bajillion photos.

The roses on mama's bushes are opening up and looking so pretty. It is loaded with blooms, and Abbie says there is a robin's nest in there.

Camellia bush! Also one of mama's favorite kinds of plants.

Paper Mache Eggs

2011-04-21T10:24:00.000-05:00

Our yard is getting some blooms and I've gotten some pretty photos after the last two rains. Will post them later. I need to put this link here so I can remember where the instructions are. I'm going to do this project with the boys. I don't enjoy dying eggs and then having to throw them away. I'd much rather do something I can keep. So, this year, I'm trying paper mache eggs. Should be fun!!! Martha Stewart's directions with a little tweaking should do the trick. Instead of being cracked, as in the MS photo below, ours will be whole and will have a ribbon at the top so we can hang them.

Around the Yard Mid-April

2011-04-17T18:22:00.000-05:00

We've added more plants to the flower bed. I need to find some kind of ground cover that I might like.

The rose arbor is starting to bloom. Mama's roses are very happy this year.

This isn't on the arbor, but one of the bought roses in our little row. I took a gazillion photos of this one bloom.

The azaleas are beautiful again this year. I love the salmon color.

The Confederate jasmine is getting ready to bloom.

Pansies still hanging on!

Our Babies Are Growing Up

2011-04-16T20:14:00.000-05:00

But, every now and then, we get to pretend they are still our babies. Like John Campbell did on Wednesday night after church. We rehearsed in the Sanctuary for Palm Sunday and then took the kids to the playground to play. They ran all their energy out, or whatever they had left. Soon after getting home, we had sleepy heads again.

This would have been a great photo if my husband knew how to operate a camera...

Soggy Weekend

2011-04-16T19:54:00.001-05:00

We started the week with storms on Monday. It could have been rough, but things didn't get out of hand, thanks be to God. On Friday, same song, different day. Lots of storms and damage to the north and south of us, but our area remained safe. Thanks be to God!!! Today, the yard is soggy, the plants are happy and the skies are sunny with the remains of the clouds passing on through. I've been exhausted this week for some reason - like pregnancy exhausted. That kind of tired that gets you in your bones. I think it is age. The kids have been restless and the husband has been moody. And I've been moody too. I've caught some sweet photos of the boys the past week. And I've worked on a little online project of my own.

I've seen family rules signs popping up on other blogs. Like this one at My Repurposed Life. I don't have a cricut, good freehand painting skills or a large board, so I decided to play with my little free Photoshop program. Someday, I really am going to get the newest version. Here's what I came up with. I hope I didn't leave anything out. Actually, while I was stirring the green beans tonight, I thought of one more thing I'd like to add - something about learning. "Learn Things." I may go back and tweak and fix. Later.

I used one of my plank wallpapers/backgrounds and borrowed a hue from a plank fence I saw online. Played with the fonts and sizes and that's it. I want to find a place to print it out in high quality. Then, I could put it in a simple frame and hang it.

Here are shots of the boys on Tuesday. We hit the park after school and the boys played hard. They didn't quite make it to bedtime.

If you ever want a man to smile for the camera, just say something naughty to him.

How can Jackson Wynn be comfortable like this?

Springing in 2011

2011-04-12T17:53:00.001-05:00

This afternoon, before planting some new goodies, the boys asked for some slushies. Our ice shaver is missing one small plastic part that keeps it from working (figures) so I was going to get crushed ice from the fridge. The ice machine in the fridge was clogged up. I had to do major battle to get that sucker working. Sent the boys out of the kitchen so I could curse properly while dealing with the cold, wet, stubborn ice. I had to remove the ice holder and empty it out in the sink to get it put back in place. Instead of wasting all that ice, I decided to put it to good use.

I made sure that the ice didn't come into direct contact with the plants. At least it wasn't a total bust. And to top it all off, when I finally got some crushed ice in glasses, I opened the fridge to see that we were out of slushie syrup. Thankfully, I had some grape juice and they didn't balk too much.

Today, we did school, taught a clarinet lesson and had lunch at Sierra's. On the way home, we stopped by the flower shop and bought some plants to put in the hillside garden. Did a little laundry and then made the afternoon school run. The boys wanted to go to the park, so we headed there. I was in shorts and got a little cold in the brisk wind. Got home and got the boys going with a snack so I could dart outside and get rid of the evidence. Got everything planted and got back inside to do a little more around the house before the news came on. I planted three blue/gold spiderworts, three May Night sage plants and two citronella geraniums. I also planted a big bush known as Mexican petunia. It is supposed to grow easily and put off new shoots. We'll see. It is at the top of the hill. The citronella plants are in pots on the table - hopefully it will keep mosquitoes at bay when we are outside.

When plagued with covert gardening, it is important to put everything in the ground, place all the pots in the garage to mix in with all the other pots, and to hide the plant tags. All your hard work will be in vain if you leave the plant tags sitting out. And if someone looks at the garden and asks, "Where did that come from", you can answer by saying that it was there all along, or say, "Honey, you don't remember planting that for me?" Those kinds of answers will usually stop the questioning. Or, the old standby, "I pulled that from the other side of the yard. Do you like it here better?"

We're getting older

2011-04-04T13:28:00.000-05:00

Abbie had a check up with his cardiologist today, and I went back for more breast testing. Fun day. But, after all of it, we both got good news. Abbie's slightly irregular heartbeat (dr. called it a skipping beat kind of thing) is totally normal considering the surgery he had ten years ago.

I also got good news. Everything is normal. I have two little cysts that have actually gotten smaller. The problem was that I was not symmetrical. The glands on one side were larger than on the other. Okay, if someone would have told me back in January, I could have explained that I was only nursing on one side, making those glands/ducts larger. I almost freaked out today when they did a round of mammograms, went to show them to the doctor, took me back again for another set of mammograms, showed those to the doctor, and then did a pretty extensive ultrasound. She left to show that to the doctor but told me to stay on the table.

Next, the actual doctor comes in and starts to take a look. I was nervous and starting to really worry. Then we had our baba discussion and a look of relief crossed her face. And my heart rate and blood pressure both started to inch down from the ceiling. Sheesh!!! I guess there aren't many nursing moms my age.

So, aside from sore boobs from having them totally mashed, it's all good. Thank You, Lord!!!!!

Hillside Garden

2011-04-03T21:16:00.001-05:00

We went ahead and finished the hillside garden today. Abbie didn't think we'd finish it by sundown, but somehow, we did. He has worked so hard and shoveled so much. Today, I got a taste of shoveling and it is back-breaking work. I'd forgotten how hard it is. We started this project two weeks ago. We laid the rocks for the lower section and moved dirt in. Yesterday, we finished adding dirt (lots and lots and lots of dirt) and plugged in several bulbs and some flowers. Today, we dug out, laid rocks and did the dirt for the upper section. And, I went ahead and got flowers from here and there to stick in. We ended up using half the day lilies that grow at the end of our pool. There were some tiger lilies in there as well. And I went ahead and threw in some of the tulip bulbs I had left over. All we need to do now is add a little mulch and keep it watered and happy. I hope all the babies aren't too shocked from being moved around, and that they will perk up in a day or two. The forecast calls for rain tomorrow and the next day, so that will help. Speaking of help, John Campbell was super helpful today - he helped me replace dirt and grass in the area where we removed all those rocks two weeks ago. I couldn't have done it without him.

The whole reason for putting this flower bed in is to keep from having to mow this hill. It is a real pain to mow. Hopefully, we've curved the bed so that the mower can get really close without having to go too steeply up the hill.

In front of the waterfall and flower beds, we have lots of work to do. There is a ton of gravel and small rocks surrounding the entire pool. We've removed one side, now we need to do this end, the other end and the side against the house. We hope to put down some kind of pavers instead. Right now, I'd be happy with just plain old dirt. Anything but all those little rocks. Moss would be nice on this end too, to soften up all the rocks.

Side view - there will be a smaller hillside flower bed on the far side of the waterfall. That will have to wait until the fall, or even next year.

Dirt Time

2011-04-02T21:09:00.000-05:00

I went to a Priscilla Shirer simulcast last night and this morning. It was really great. After getting home, we had lunch and then headed outside to play in the dirt! My little hill garden is now planted with a lot of bulbs and some creeping phlox. I also put in one of the rose cuttings that came from San Jose'. It is big enough to brave it outside. Abbie pulled dirt out of our weed garden to fill the space, adding garden mix and top soil in. We have a big garden spot that we don't use and it has great dirt. Moving dirt 40 feet is a lot of work. John Campbell and Jackson Wynn were such good helpers. Jackson Wynn has natural helping abilities - he loves to pitch in. John Campbell sometimes needs coaxing, but he is really good help. They especially loved moving the flowers around. Jackson Wynn made the delivery in the little truck they drive. I bet our backs will be sore tomorrow, but we'll have a sweet little patch of flowers to gaze upon.

Springtime!!

2011-04-01T15:47:00.001-05:00

I love this time of year. Everything is popping out of the ground and growing. I have my spring wreath on the door. It is funny, because bees will try to get in the flowers for some insane reason and we've had to fight it out to get in the door before. So, I spray something on there that will deter them. I made this wreath myself about three years ago. I needed something quick and cheap. I bought two little metal wall thingies and paid two dollars each for them. I got the florist foam and silk flowers from Freds or the Dollar Store. I cut some blocks of foam and crammed it in the thingie and then stuck the flowers in. Very easy. And when I get in the mood to switch it up, it will be easy to yank the flowers out and replace them with something else.

I think this may be the last year for these flowers - even though they get shade, they are starting to look a bit faded. I also need to paint the front door - that is on my Honey-do list.

Daughters and Sons

2011-03-29T19:31:00.000-05:00

On my facebook profile:

Reasons why I need a daughter:
*No one in this house tells me if I have food in my teeth, messed up hair, straps showing, lipstick smearing, colors clashing etc...
*After this summer, I will have no long, curly hair to play with.
*Two words - Shop.Inggggg.
*A bathroom reserved only for people who sit down!!!!!!

So, Jackson Wynn and I wrestled today. Then we ran out and picked up John Campbell from school. I didn't think to have a once over before heading out. Neither of my kids told me I had bedhead, or couch hair (as was the term in my college years). Or, freshley, somewordthatstartswithFinthepassedtensethatIcan'tputhere. That term was also used in college.

It looked bad. And I had a barrette in back, to hold all the awfulness in place. My hair really did look like a stump full of grandaddys (thanks, Mom, for that memory!) piled up on top of my head. Neither boy said anything. I reached up to scratch my head and found this pile of hair up there, went to look in the mirror and was horrified. How long had I been like this? Did I actually leave the house like this? Good heavens, I went by the library...I drove through the car riders line. I drove through the pharmacy! Maybe it happened after I got home, but the wrestling happened before we left. None of the three men in this house would tell me if my hair were on fire, much less out of place. The two younger boys will mention, "You look nice, Mama." when I'm wearing something out of the ordinary. The older one grunts occasionally.

Yet, when John Campbell puts his Batman mask on me a few minutes ago, he takes pains to get my hair out of the way and get it up to his standards, lest I disrespect the cowl.

Jon Stewart

2011-03-29T10:43:00.001-05:00

Is he the only one willing to tell the truth about how this nation is being run...and run into the ground financially?

The Daily Show - I Give Up - Pay Anything...
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

I am ready to give up on the Democrats and Republicans and have a party - or even just one candidate - who actually gives a shit about the normal working American family. I want people to get rich, sure, I want people to prosper. I don't want corporate America to get even richer on the backs of hard working Americans, like unionized firemen, policemen, municipal workers and teachers. I don't want these people demonized so that GE can continue to pay NO FEDERAL TAXES while getting TAX BENEFITS of BILLIONS and all the while continuing to move jobs overseas because the US hasn't kissed their ass quite enough yet.

Where is my tax benefit? I want to "pay" taxes like GE does and actually make a shitload of money on the deal. Trickle up economics sucks for the majority of the nation, so why are we letting these jerks continue to bleed our nation dry??? The Republicans are Guilty. The Democrats are Guilty.

Badabing!!!

2011-03-25T10:53:00.000-05:00

Another wonderful giveaway, this time from Miss Mustard Seed. Yippee!!! Join the fun HERE! Miss Mustard Seed is just lovely, and so is the Blog. You just have to get over there and see for yourself. Okay, I went over there and just got lost for about 20 minutes - just looking at all the wonderful things going on, all the guest contributors - it is wonderful.

Tis the Season for Spring Giveaways?

2011-03-25T10:28:00.000-05:00

Another one of my favorite blogs, The Frosted Gardener, is hosting a wonderful giveaway. This blog is pure inspiration if you are wanting to try something on your own with a piece of furniture. Just look at the photos to get your creative juices flowing. Read the posts and realize how much intent and care goes into each piece they create - or rather - recreate. It is wonderful. So, take the link, look at all the lovely furniture, and sign up for the great giveaway here!

More Silhouette Love!

2011-03-24T09:46:00.000-05:00

Another Giveaway - this time at Decorchick. Check out the link here!

Silhouette Love!!!

2011-03-24T08:57:00.000-05:00

Remodelaholic is doing another fabulous giveaway! This time it is a Silhouette cutting machine - very desirable!!!

Check it out HERE!!!

Pretzels for Lent

2011-03-22T20:23:00.001-05:00

Though the true origin of the pretzel is unknown, legend states that it has Christian and Lenten significance.

Our church bulletin states that the common pretzel was created for Lent during the Middle Ages, when people abstained from meat, eggs, milk, butter and lard. Some say pretzels originated in Germany, while others say they started with monks in Southern France or Northern Italy. If you turn a pretzel "upside down" where the two humps are on bottom, it symbolizes the way children used to pray - with their arms crossed and hands resting on opposite shoulders. Some also say that the three open areas of the pretzel symbolize the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. If you turn the pretzel 180 degrees, it resembles a heart and reminds us of Christ's love and sacrifice. And breaking the pretzel bread while eating reminds us of the Last Supper, when Jesus broke the bread and passed the cup. Here's an interesting article about the different histories of the pretzel.

Here is a simple pretzel recipe, even though it still uses dairy. So, if we're going to cheat, let's go all the way and make the mall pretzel recipe here. Or, let's just go to the mall and get some of those tasty pretzels...

Switchflops and Sewing and Backyarding

2011-03-14T16:28:00.001-05:00

Last spring I bought a pair of Switchflops at the pool/spa store. My husband didn't want me going with him to get the water tested after that. But, I got a pair and some straps. Then, I found them even cheaper at a drug store here in town - they were called Sierras flops and the straps fit between both kinds of shoes. So, I have a dressy pair and a casual pair, and straps. I want to try making my own straps, using instructions found here.

How To Save With SwitchFlops By Making Your Own Straps
SwitchFlops have several different bases. The real savings come with being able to change out the velcro straps. As a matter, of fact if you are crafty you could probably do the same thing with a regular pair of sandals. I will show you how to make your own SwitchStraps or alter sandals that you own right now.
The straps for these sandals are probably a little bit pricey for me cause I have 5 kids but the idea is really cute. However, if you want to make your own here's how:
Materials:
Measuring Tape
Velcro
Ribbon, Buttons (whatever creative items you can find to use)
fabric glue or glue gun
Measure the sandal strap.
Cut two pieces of velcro using the measurement you did above.
Glue the ribbon, buttons or whatever other decorative items you use to the velcro in a "v" shape.
There you go, velcro it on to your sandals.
By the way, you can put velcro on existing sandals too if you like and follow the instructions above to make straps for it.
I will be listing a video for it on YouTube shortly.

Okay, also on my "to do" list for this spring/summer is to learn to make drapery panels for my huge windows. I can't find curtains that I like and they are very expensive. The windows in the living room and kitchen are rarely covered, so I would really need only dummy panels. I also have some Pottery Barn fabric that matches my duvet in our master bedroom, and would like to make drapes for that room, but can't afford to screw up the fabric. So, I want to buy an inexpensive sewing machine and try to make drapes. And if I can pull that off, I might even try some simple roman shades for the smaller windows in the bathroom, kitchen and play room. Think of the money saved if I can learn how to sew a huge square of fabric with a liner. And it will be exactly the fabric I want, not some pre-measured, overpriced thing from the internet or a store.

I've already been stalking fabric online and have found some nice things. Now to get busy and get to work! Not to mention the work I want to do in the back yard. I just need some pavers and a lot of dirt. Then, get some things moved around and get the hidden bulbs out of the garage to drop in. Of course, Abbie has no idea I'm planning this, but like the rest of my outdoor endeavors, once I spring it on him, he will get into the spirit of the thing after seeing the possibility of how it will turn out.

Ash Wednesday

2011-03-09T22:14:00.002-06:00

Have mercy upon us, O God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out our transgressions. Wash us thoroughly from our iniquities, and cleanse us from our sins. For we acknowledge our transgressions, and our sin is ever before us. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I found this on Facebook:

On Ash Wednesday, we are reminded that every sinner has a future and every saint has a past.

Living Room Campout

2011-03-07T19:52:00.000-06:00

For something quick, warm and with a little bit if vegetables, I make Ramen noodles and add peas and carrots to the hot noodles before serving. My boys love to eat it.

Speaking of boys, while I was away at the UAB Clarinet Retreat, they camped right here in the living room. They moved the furniture back and set up the four-man tent right in front of the television. That's roughing it, I tell ya. So, they laid there with the flap open, watching Batman. I'm glad they had fun. I certainly had fun at the retreat.

Riding the Bus

2011-03-02T20:24:00.000-06:00

Since he was real little, John Campbell has always been excited to see the school bus. Jackson Wynn is the same way. John Campbell has ridden with me this year, but wanted to try riding home on the bus. So, we let him. Maybe we should have picked a different day. We let him ride on Dr. Seuss day, so he was wearing pajamas. Add that to the fact that older kids, much older kids ride the same bus, and he was one unhappy camper. He had to sit by a really mean guy who yelled at him the entire time and was mean. He wasn't just upset when he got home, he was mad as hell. I've never seen him so angry - just plain angry. Needless to say, he doesn't want to ride the bus again. But, he got a taste. And he made it home in one piece. So, yay. The photos show his mood at the time.

My poor baby! But, that's what I'm here for - so if he wants to ride Mom's Taxi, it is there for him. The things he wanted to do to this other kid - wow. I've never seen him so dang mad.

Giveaway at Remodelaholic

2011-03-01T11:08:00.001-06:00

My favorite blog, Remodelaholic, is doing another fabulous giveaway. Today, the prize is from Saffron Marigold, and the fabrics will make you drool!!! Check it out!
http://www.remodelaholic.com/2011/02/saffron-marigold-giveaway.html

Bath Boys

2011-02-27T17:57:00.002-06:00

Jackson Wynn is such a good bath boy for me. It is usually all giggles and helpful pouring and rinsing. Not so much with Daddy. But, then again, Daddy doesn't take the "make it into a song" tips from Mama. If you start singing, you can get a child to be so helpful. And John Campbell took a shower all by himself. I talked him through it and he did great. His hair was very clean and so was the rest of him. The opening the door and letting the cold air hit him was the hard part, but he tried to smile for me.

And here's one of Abbie and someone I'm sure he wouldn't mind taking a bath with. This little poster was in a box of his high school and college stuff.

Southern Plate Cookbook

2011-02-21T21:33:00.001-06:00

I just downloaded my free Southern Plate Slow Cooker E-book. Yay!!!

Click on the photo to go to the download page, and then check out the rest of her blog! Thank you for the free Download, Christy!

Bulbs

2011-02-21T18:33:00.002-06:00

It got to 70 degrees today and my porch was looking a little winterized. I needed some green out there! So, I went out to get some daffodil bulbs. I ended up getting those and also getting some other bulbs and some pansies to fill in where the snow has gotten some of them. They were ultra cheap and will perk things up until the spring bulbs come up.

I already have bulbs around my crepe myrtle and they are poking up. My bed in the front of the house is looking a little beaten down. I hope my Lenten roses come back. I haven't even looked around out back, but some of the bulbs I got today are for an area back there.

I also saw this post and was instantly drawn to the chicken feeder planted with bulbs. All afternoon long, my mind kept going back to that image. Lissa's home is so beautiful and I give Humble Pie a peek daily.

So, I went on with my day and was finishing up my potting this afternoon as the boys played outside. I looked in the garage for something that was rectangular. No such luck. I had a quick inspiration - I would go to the local thrift store and give myself five minutes to streak through and see if I could find something that would work.

While inside, I found some fake terra cotta planters that were made of stiff foam. Not quite it. I was praying for God to guide me where I needed to go in the maze of booths. That is when I found this.

About 16 inches long and 4 inches wide. Some kind of brass finish, though it wasn't solid brass. The finish was in good shape, but there were spots that wouldn't buff out, so I decided to paint. I thought white with some glaze would bring out the details. Since the boys were playing well together, I decided to give it a go.

Here it is primed. I liked it so much, I thought about leaving it that way.

Then I decided to have a look at the bottom and maybe give it a few squirts of paint. Glad I did...

Since I had some cream colored spray paint from my music chair project, I used that and immediately liked the warmer tone. Balancing the planter on another spray paint can was really helpful.

Now to decide what kind of glaze to add. I want to give it about 24 hours before glazing. The painting steps are quick and simple. It is the waiting between steps that takes patience. I'm thinking a blue/grey tone for the glaze. It won't take much - just to make the corners and details around the rim pop.

And, after all that playing, Jackson Wynn came in and made a nest. He was asleep within minutes. John Campbell snacked around some and then headed into the bedroom. He's eating a lot lately - definitely going through a growing spurt.

My sweetie pie!!!

Happy Presidents Day

2011-02-21T17:46:00.001-06:00

I love the Jefferson Monument and also think President Jefferson was a very interesting man.

I love the cherry trees around the monument. I used to say that, after retiring from teaching, I was going to be the head gardener at the Jefferson Monument. Oh well, that didn't happen, but it is still beautiful!

Daffodils

2011-02-21T12:12:00.001-06:00

I don't think I have any in my yard - not any. My mom always had them in a row beside our driveway. I need to plant some. I moved several bulbs away from the pool to the side of the yard last year. I put them in around my crepe myrtle. There are a lot of chutes coming up, but I don't think there are any daffodils in there. I need to get some. It seems a waste to buy them - I would love to have some from a friend's yard. I need to ask around. Anyway, until things start blooming out there, I'll enjoy my blooms in here. My mom's violet is loaded with beautiful blooms. I got a few more pics of them today.

Daffodils need to be planted in the fall, but they have some in pots at the nursery, so I'm going to go get some, let them bloom inside, and then plant them outside after the heat of summer is gone.

Next to Last Basketball Game

2011-02-21T11:52:00.001-06:00

John Campbell is truly sad that basketball season is almost over. He has really loved it. He's learned so much. We've met some nice people as well. The entire Upward group here has done a great job. It is well planned and things have been so easy as a parent. The fact that it is all Christ-centered is a wonderful bonus. Here's some shots from his next to last game. He is hesitant to try for the goal now, for what reason we aren't sure. He likes to dribble down the court and get it to the goal, then pass it off to one of his teammates. He is also very good at rebounding and getting the ball away from the other team.

Music Chair

2011-02-21T11:40:00.015-06:00

We've almost finished the little music chair I got at the Salvation Army. All that's left is permanently attaching the seat. Abbie replaced the seat bottom by tracing a pattern with the old wood. We sanded and filled in a few spots. Then, primed and sanded and did about three coats of cream paint, sanding lightly between each coat. I'm doing pretty good at sanding and Abbie has the wood filler and gluing down. We need to work on our spray painting. We had a few drips on each coat, but sandpaper takes it right off. I thought about glazing it but wanted to keep it simple. The chairs in the background are next on my list.

My husband likes natural wood - he wants to see the grain. We have a ton of oak in our house - all the floors and cabinets. It is just too dark for me. I enjoy the floors, but would like to paint or at least re-stain my cabinets. This chair was a pretty shade, and I would have kept it natural if it weren't for the damaged veneer on the lyre. I've never been much on white painted furniture, but I like how the cream color turned out. It is cloudy today and the absence of sun isn't helping my photos. I love the pretty, happy shade of blue.

So this is my official music chair. I'll give lessons in this chair and practice in it. To see some really good makeovers, click on the buttons below. It's a party!

Hanging with my boys

2011-02-16T12:55:00.003-06:00

I helped my nephew with his jazz band audition tonight, so he and his dad and brother came for a visit. My sister had a meeting she had to attend, so she wasn't here. Nothing like being the only girl in a room full of guys! We blew through almost $80.00 of pizza in 15 minutes.

Cousins!!! I'm thankful they are close.

Abbie and Jackson Wynn. He's a daddy's boy some times.

Jarrett and Dwayne. It is wonderful to see a teenager who still loves on his parents. He's a great guy.

Being silly

Jackson Wynn loves hanging out with the older guys.

"I'm just trying to stay married."

And the movie they are sitting so quietly for???? It is this one.

Yeah, and at one point, we realized that the three younger kids had gone on to play, and the dads and I, along with Jarrett were still sitting there, quietly watching. It is riveting to see Adam West and Burt Ward running around in tights.

Two of my Valentines

2011-02-16T11:33:00.001-06:00

On the actual Valentine's Day (a Monday) we waited for Daddy to get home and all went out to eat. The boys were pretty tuckered out and were both asleep by the time we pulled in the driveway. So, they didn't get their Valentine bags until the next day. Among the goodies and cards was a big Hershey's Kiss in each bag. They liked looking at it and holding it more than eating it!

Have I ever mentioned that Jackson Wynn is a sniffer? He doesn't trust food unless he can sniff it and test the temperature on the tip of his tongue.

Bikes, Furniture and Funnies

2011-02-13T17:07:00.004-06:00

The power went out early this morning, so our house alarm woke us up with all the chirping. We got ready and to church a little early - so there's always a silver lining. Got home, ate lunch and hung out a little while. I read. The boys played. We then headed out and rode our bikes around the yard and house. Abbie sanded the wood filled parts of the music chair while we rode. I was trying to keep the boys occupied while he worked.

We were following the leader and I mentioned to them that I would "bring up the rear" so John Campbell asked what that meant. I explained and we continued to ride. A little while later he says, "Mom!! It's your turn to take it up the rear!" Disclaimer - we do not use that phrase at our house, so it was an honest mistake. Still, I almost fell off my bike trying to control my laughter. Abbie continued to sand and work and just shook his head. So, m my oldest son definitely has a low brass mentality. Someone just hand the boy a trombone already and get it over with.

Had a blast riding, even just in the yard. Pure joy to get out and ride a bike. I highly recommend it. I'm hoping we can do some interesting rides this year, as Jackson Wynn is doing so well on his bike and John Campbell is an old pro by now. They have a harder time off-road, but we just need to let them practice. I'd love to do an easy bike trail and have a day of it - riding and a picnic.

My childhood was full of bike riding. After we moved down South, we lived in Bridgeport for about 9 months while looking for a house. My dad was the bike guy for the entire neighborhood. He would grease all the chains and patch tubes, fix rims and whatnot. He could do anything with a bike. He had an old bike that had more chrome on it than a '57 Chevy. We called it the Cadillac. My dad always made sure we had good bikes in perfect working order. I gave my first bike away to a family who needed it, along with a couple other bikes I had. I still have the 10 speed they got me for a birthday. I tried a mountain bike and it was way too big. Then, my husband and I got matching Trek bikes. Also too big for me and I fell off of it. Finally, I got a Schwinn that is a true ladies bike and it is lipstick red. I love it and it rides just like the bikes of my childhood. I guess I hadn't been properly fitted for a bike since then. Instead of a cool banana seat, I have an old lady seat. My butt greatly appreciates the extra padding.

Here is a photo of my 2009 Schwinn Sierra GSL. Perfect for the lady rider who wants to scoot around town and on easier trails.

We all have squeaker horns, which are a must! So much fun. Need to get out and get some pics. Loving this weather.

The chair is completely glued, sanded, and primed for painting. I will sand the places that the spray ran and give it a first coat of paint. Then, I'll sand again and do another coat of paint, then glaze, then maybe I'll be finished. It has taken us so long to do one chair, how are we going to do the 9 others we have for the kitchen? Good thing it's fun.

Weekending

2011-02-12T16:53:00.001-06:00

We have a Saturday without basketball or anything else, so we've enjoyed a sweet day at home. The boys have played inside and outside. We've gotten the music chair glued and there's just a little sanding to be done before I can begin priming. I went to color my hair and when I got out, Abbie was behind behind plastic sanding or spackling a wall and the other two were doing this.

My Yoga Boys!!!

John Campbell says he likes yoga. Jackson Wynn likes to push John Campbell over while he's trying poses. I did catch them working together before the pushing and growling started. I'm more of a Zumba! girl myself.

Fabric for Chairs

2011-02-11T11:26:00.001-06:00

I'm loving this Robert Allen Kiki Pinata. I think it would do nicely in the kitchen chairs. I need to find something coordinating for the windows. We have a ton of windows in our kitchen, so I need to find something I'd love to keep for a long time.

Still looking...

Scented

2011-02-10T11:19:00.012-06:00

My mother's signature scent was Youth Dew from Estee Lauder. I react strongly to the fragrance - it takes me to so many memories of my mom, in some ways the essence of who she was. I still have a bottle that sat on her dresser. It is one of the few fragrances I can detect on someone.

My dad was all Lectric Shave and Old Spice, though he had some colognes I bought him later in life and he loved to wear them. I gave him some Joop Homme and it smelled so good on him. I have bought some for my husband and he rarely wears it, only when I ask him to. Daddy also had Colors de Benetton (from me) and it smelled pretty good.

I love perfume and the memories it brings. I started with Charlie and haven't had a bottle of that in years. I'm amazed they still make it. I suppose I had some Love's Baby Soft, didn't all girls of a certain age?   I also tried Colors de Benetton when I was a senior in high school. I seem to remember Primo - a knock-off of Giorgio. Then, a brief flirtation with Anais Anais because a friend wore it and it smelled good on her. Not so good on me. Funny story - I was shopping one Christmas and these two girls were trying perfumes and one said, "Gurrrl, smell dis anus anus - it smells so good!!!" And they oohed and ahhed while I tried to keep from collapsing in uncontrollable giggles. I think there was a bottle of Ciara in there somewhere, and some Cool Water Woman. Also, a little bottle of tropical bliss that I bought on my honeymoon in Maui, called White Ginger. I wear it usually on my anniversary. While looking on perfume sites, I saw a bottle I recognized - Exclamation! Wore it in high school. Let's see, what else? We tried giving Mother different perfumes, but she only wore Youth Dew. So, we would try them - White Shoulders, usually something Estee Lauder.

College, I wore some Lauren, by Ralph Lauren because a certain guy liked it on me. It lasted less than one bottle, the perfume, not the guy. He didn't make it that long. I think I still have that bottle somewhere, or maybe I gave it away. Then, I had a bottle of Joop and really enjoyed it. I'd like to have another bottle of that. It was supposed to have pheromones, and in the early/mid '90's I thought that would be advantageous. Yet, it did smell very good.

Then I discovered my signature scent, I guess. I've worn it off and on for about 20 years. I kind of keep it a secret. I like it, but it seems to suit more for winter. I've tried and loved Kenzo Amour - it is also a winter fragrance - a warm scent on me. It is pretty recent. I've had a brief flirtation with Bvlgari. I also tried SJP's Lovely, but it turned sour and harsh on my skin, like so many perfumes tend to do. Maybe that is why I gravitate to a warm scent - they seem to do better with my chemistry. I gave Lovely to a dear friend, because she is lovely, and I thought the perfume would do better on her.

I need a new scent for spring. Or, maybe I need to revisit an old scent for spring. I think I need to get my box of cosmetic goodies and see if there are any bottles in there.

What would be cool, would be to have a bottle of each perfume and smell them one at a time, seeing what images, memories and emotions they would bring back to me. That would be fun.

Now Smell This    a nice little perfume blog

Basenotes   another perfume site

Post Script: I dropped by CVS on the way to the school and actually got to smell some Charlie (wow they had it!!) and some Ciara. They both reeked of alcohol. Yikes. But I did notice that every actress and pop singer (as well as some bimbos who are famous for being reality show bimbos) has their own perfume line. Who would have thought it?

My Generation

2011-02-09T17:20:00.001-06:00

I lost a dear cousin to pancreatic cancer on Tuesday. Barbara Ann Nipper Carter. She was 63. Some of the family thought we had the same laugh and similar voices. She was a wonderful woman with a great sense of humor and a generous and loving spirit. That makes the third loved one I've lost to pancreatic cancer. It is a shock to stop in your life and realize how many people in the older generation are gone, most of the uncles, a beloved aunt, my precious parents. Everyone on my Dad's side is gone now from that generation. And now, the first from my generation has gone. Most of my first cousins are many years older than me. My parents were both young in their sibling groups, and they had kids late in life. So, that put my sister and I several years behind many of our cousins. I think my oldest cousin on my dad's side is close to 70. It kind of puts me between generations. I was too young to hang out with many of my cousins at family gatherings, but many of their kids were too young to really hang out with me. I'm in the middle. Maybe that's why I've never really felt a certain age, not that I'm ageless, but more like a floater. I'm worried about my aunt. She's had so much on her and I hope she can get through this. My uncle, her husband, isn't doing well either. I'm praying for Barbara Ann's immediate family and especially my Aunt.

Boys, Blooms and Basketball

2011-02-08T18:41:00.004-06:00

John Campbell coming out of the tunnel.

Go Magic!

Dribbling - he's a natural at rebounding and getting the ball to the other end of the court, then he'll pass to one of his teammates.

,,,,

My African violets are blooming - well, one of them is blooming. This violet was started from one of my mother's. I still have the original and have started several from it. And I have things poking out of the dirt in the house. Also, my Thanksgiving cactus is blooming - so is it a Valentine's cactus now? Spring is sending us hints that it is time. And I'm so ready.

My sweet potato vine has survived the winter so far. In a few weeks, hopefully, I'll be able to plant it outside and see it take off - and be able to share it with my sister and friends who want a piece.

John Campbell brought some sweet peas home in a plastic bag. I hope they make it. I'm not sure what I was supposed to do with them, so I stuck them in a pot with some baby violets.

I've had this plant since my mother's funeral, and it has gotten leggy, almost died, and then I rooted some small leaves and it is coming back. It is a fun plant, but doesn't look good if it gets scraggly.

My ferns are also coming back. Little baby fronds poking up out of the dirt. I hope they all come back. So far, I still have one pot that is not doing anything, but I can transplant and share if I need to.

And here are some shots of all the boys playing and having fun when Carrie and Harrison came to visit. We really enjoyed having them.

Visitors!!!

2011-02-08T16:43:00.002-06:00

Though it is a week later, it seems like the weekend just happened. I had a friend to visit. She had her two year old were here for a couple of days and it was a wonderful time. We got to catch up a little between chasing after the kids. Next time, we want to let the guys camp with the kids so we can have some girl time. We'll be attending a clarinet clinic here soon, so maybe we can have more chat time then. That was Wednesday and Thursday night. Wednesday, we met up with Betty for dinner. The kids were sleepy, but they hung in there and we got some smiles.

You can tell John Campbell is soo sleepy...but Betty is the boy whisperer.

Getting kisses!

Carrie and Harrison - he's grown so much and he's such a good little talker.

Abbie decides to get in on the action. The boys aren't paying attention, until they figure out what he's doing...

This is a John Campbell/Betty thing - I don't know what it means.

She finally got a smile out of him!!!

Group shot - kids are not cooperating. They are done for the night.

Good one of Carrie, Betty and Harrison. John Campbell is a walking zombie by this point.

We got home late and got the kids in bed. The adults were tuckered out too. Thursday, Carrie and I did a little shopping and found some shoes for the boys. We had a nice lunch and then picked JC up from school. And while waiting in line, it started doing this sleety/snowy kind of thing. We got home and my boys went down for a nap while Harrison watched television. And Carrie and I darted outside with our cameras a few times. It didn't take long before everything was white and wintry.

I ran out the first time in house shoes and no jacket. Dumb idea. After a few minutes, my teeth were chattering.

Carrie did a good job keeping her new camera protected.

By Thursday evening, it came a little mini blizzard. I immediately called Abbie and asked him to come home so he wouldn't be stranded at work. An hour later, he and other managers were riding the roads around the plant to see if they could get home. I wanted to reach through the phone and jerk his tail home. He ended up making it home, but it was slow going and he passed many wrecks. Then, my friend Betty was coming from Gadsden with many mountains to cross. She made all but the last one to getting home. She called us to make a hotel reservation for her, and then realized that she wouldn't even make it to the hotel, so she had to turn around and go back to her mom's. Thank goodness she was able to do that. It hit right when everyone is out on the roads and was a scary few hours. The next day, it was snowy and rainy and school was canceled, even though the roads were clear. So, we were all home, watching it rain and wash the snow away. Another day to make up. By that evening, Carrie and Harrison had left on the next leg of their journey - Scottsboro. We had dinner at home and went to bed a little early. The next day was basketball and hanging out around here. Sunday was church and doing things around the house. My little chair is almost glued back together and then it will be time for a base coat and some light sanding. Can't wait to finish it!

Carrie and Harrison's Visit, part 2

2011-02-08T09:37:00.001-06:00

More shots from Carrie and Harrison's visit.

Penis Too Big?

2011-02-01T10:16:00.002-06:00

I need to write this down now, so I never forget. My three-year-old looks up at me while we are sitting on the couch and says, "Momeeee, my penis is too big! I want it small again!!!" and I immediately started shaking with laughter. I told him to leave it alone and it would go back down. Now I'm wondering when that magical age is where they want it forever as big as humanly possible (or as non-humanly possible) so they can swagger when they walk, knowing that they carry a "big stick". And, I wonder if there is an age where they get old enough to stop caring, like, maybe a hundred and twenty?

This reminds me of when John Campbell was about four years old. He asked me where my penis was. We had that talk and he acted genuinely sad for me because I didn't have one.

More Clarinet Love

2011-01-31T13:22:00.001-06:00

I got the chance to work with the local high school clarinet sections today and it was a blast. Loved every minute of it. The kids are so good - kind and polite. And there's a lot of talent there. It is good to be back in a band room again, working with great people and kids. I would love to have a big clarinet ensemble for S&E this spring. Such fun!!!

Family Time

2011-01-29T19:56:00.002-06:00

A couple of weeks ago... On the way home from school, John Campbell asked if we could call the cousins and have them to dinner. I said, "Why not???" We called them and they said yes. So, we had an impromptu family dinner. I had chili makings on hand, and we threw it all together. The boys had a lot of fun and we all got to visit - something we need to do more of.

Of course, we can't get together without some wrestling. Even the old man, Jarrett, got in on the fun and wore a Batman mask. They had a blast.

Hints of Spring

2011-01-29T19:40:00.002-06:00

We played basketball today and, once again, John Campbell had a blast. He is doing such a good job and having so much fun. He's one of the stronger players on his team. It is amazing to see how they improve every week.

We got above 70 degrees today and it was gorgeous!!! The three boybarians played outside and had a blast while I had some quiet time. We went to Hancock fabric and got something to cover my piano bench with. And also got something to reseat my lyre-back chair. Can't wait! Then, went to get paint for the train table and the chair.

We are grilling out now - lemon chicken and hot dogs. I've made a yummy corn casserole and some steamed veggies. Should be good. I hope to get to bed early and sleep hard tonight.

Here's basketball photos from today:

Time to hit the library

2011-01-27T22:55:00.003-06:00

http://www.amazon.com/All-over-Shoutin-Rick-Bragg/dp/0679774025/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296189939&sr=8-1

Projects for Spring

2011-01-26T19:51:00.001-06:00

We need to finish the table and chairs for the dining area. I have some frames I want to make into magnet boards. I have some roller shades that I want to try spray painting and stenciling. We'll see how that goes. I have some curtains I want to make or finagle out of something. Just to try it. I bought a chair today that I want to paint some fun color and recover the seat in a fun fabric. And I bought a dresser that I want to use for storage in the dining area. It is curvy and pretty. I hope I can do a few of these things. I enjoy trying. Abbie said tonight that he could see he would be busy sanding most of the spring and summer.

Here's a sneak peek at the chair.

normal little chair with dated fabric

not a lot of work to be done

liking the curvy legs

Abbie had already taken his dead blow hammer to it and gotten it apart, but I didn't have before photos, so he just stuck it loosely together and snapped some. The seat bottom needs new wood. The other parts are in really good shape. The lyre is a veneer and I'll patch it up a little bit, sand it down, glue it back together, paint and add fabric.

The Magician's Rod

2011-01-22T14:18:00.000-06:00

I am ordering something special for Valentine's Day for the hubster. He is a model train enthusiast, so I'm ordering a train print with a wonderful Emerson quote. You can see it here and you can read the photographer's blog here. Robin's blog, photography and her very spirit are wonderful. She's an amazing person and it comes through in every photograph she captures.

Since our eating area in the kitchen is pretty big, we decided that a separate dining room is a waste of space, so we are going to turn it into an office for Abbie, and he will also have his train table in there at some point. Right now, it is still a toy room for the boys until we get the extra bedroom finished. Once their things are moved in there, we'll paint and appoint the dining room into some kind of study. It sure does feel nice to type those words out, even though it will take about 40 years to make it all happen. Things move slowly around here. But, by getting the print, I hope it will motivate us to create a lovely space to hang it.

This weekend, we are doing little projects around the house. We went to JC's basketball game today. He was so good - he got the first goal of the game! Watching basketball is fun and watching the kids enjoy it makes it all the better.

I Think I'm in Love

2011-01-20T23:07:00.006-06:00

And it is oh so good the second time around. I first fell in love with Leblanc clarinets when I was in high school. I had a Leblanc L300. It was beautiful, bright silver plated keys, dark wood. Felt good in my hands. The case was a crimson leather thing with brass latches. Downright sexy to a 16 year old girl (and a proud band geek).

Then, I went to college and was told that a Buffet was the only way to go. I sold my L300 and purchased a R13. I still have my Buffet; I still love it. I'll never part with it. But. Leblanc has some dead-sexy clarinets on the market, and a young, incredible performer as the poster child for the clarinet world. I would love to get my hands on a Leblanc Legacy. Just play it and see how it feels. I think I know how a guy feels when looking at Playboy, because these Legacy photos take my breath away. Way sexier than the L300. I bet a Legacy would make even me sound good.

Lovely photos can be found here. And Here. And Goodness, Here. And here's the official Leblanc Site.

Had to show just a little hint of the voluptuous barrel...and the bell is just as nice.

Apple Salad

2011-01-20T12:35:00.000-06:00

This easy, yummy salad is good for pot lucks, church suppers, family gatherings, or as a snack for the kiddos.

Apple Salad

*Peel, core and dice apples to fill your container about 2/3 full or as many as you want, mix them in a splash of lemon juice to keep them from browning.
*Add raisins (white, regular or both kinds) - as many as you want
*Add pecans - as much as you want
*Add just enough Cool Whip to coat and mix it all up - can use low fat cool whip
*Keep refrigerated.

Linking up to the All Things Delicious post today - share your favorite salad!!!

Joshua 1:9 NIV

2011-01-15T16:30:00.002-06:00

Time to go to the Living Proof Ministries Blog and add your verse for memorization. I'm really enjoying this and am thankful that my dear friend, Betty, invited me to participate.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 NIV

Basketball

2011-01-15T14:07:00.002-06:00

John Campbell loves it. Loves it! He has no problem getting aggressive and physical on the court. And he has a complete look of joy on his face while he's playing. I'm so proud for him!

Friday was the only day kids went to school, due to snow. When I picked him up, John Campbell said, "Mom, guess what! We are going to have cheerleaders at the game tomorrow." Then, he named off some girls' names, and continued. "They are going to yell at us, and then cheer for us, and shake pom-poms at us!" He was so proud. And his little girlfriend was going to be there.

Today, they cheered for them, shook pom-poms at them and they all had the best fun! John Campbell does such a great job on the court. He scored a goal and had several assists and rebounds. He is the little rebound king and goes after that ball like rocket. Last week, he got a star for being the best defensive player. This week, he got a star for being the team's best offensive player.

He gave me several thumbs up while he was on the court. I had so much fun watching him. Much more than soccer. And Upward basketball is so organized and everything is run so well. They do a devotional at half time - with the entire crowd. They pray before the game. It is all geared toward Christ. We are having a ball. And best of all, John Campbell is loving it so much.

I always enjoyed pep band in high school and college - more than marching. It is fun to sit in the stands, with your Uncle Sam A'Strut book and play for your team. Basketball is more fun to watch - you are closer and can see the action, and you can tell what's going on.

Today, they had some passes that were beautiful. And they are only in kindergarten. He gains confidence and a sense of achievement and worth with every game and practice. It has been such a blessing. No photos yet, but we have videos of the two games so far. Now, to figure out how to get those online.

Something to think about in this political climate

2011-01-14T11:54:00.001-06:00

A Tale of Two Moralities

But the truth is that we are a deeply divided nation and are likely to remain one for a long time. By all means, let’s listen to each other more carefully; but what we’ll discover, I fear, is how far apart we are. For the great divide in our politics isn’t really about pragmatic issues, about which policies work best; it’s about differences in those very moral imaginations Mr. Obama urges us to expand, about divergent beliefs over what constitutes justice.

And the real challenge we face is not how to resolve our differences — something that won’t happen any time soon — but how to keep the expression of those differences within bounds.

Finally Friday

2011-01-14T11:21:00.002-06:00

We've had a week of being mostly indoors. We've played in the snow, but the novelty wears off and then you are ready for things to be normal again. I want to thank my local school system for giving me the opportunity of driving today. For the most part, the city has done a great job clearing the streets. I haven't seen dirty snow in the side of the road in many years. Brought back memories of my Yankee beginnings. There were a few icy patches, but I took it slow and didn't freak out. I don't like ice. I had a bad fall on the ice once, and the aftermath was not good. My muscles went crazy and I was eventually diagnosed with polymyositis, a nasty and rare muscle disease. So, to say I'm scared of falling on the ice is an understatement. I did pretty well today though. With three boys in the house, I get knocked around and tackled quite a bit, so I've toughened up a lot. I still don't like falling and don't want to ever tempt fate with a bad fall - as it could bring another round of illness. Now, if I could just convince my husband that moving furniture or other heavy objects is not a good idea for me...I'd be set.

I'm looking forward to a warm-up over the weekend. I get to see JC play basketball tomorrow. He is loving it and I can't wait to watch him. I've always liked watching basketball. In high school and college, the pep band for basketball games was a ton of fun. It is inside and during the colder months, so it gives you something to do in the winter time. And it is easy to understand. And you are pretty close to the action so you can see what's going on. Unlike football, were the field is a big distance from the stands. I would love for him to continue playing all the way through high school if he's able. Last week, I worked at a little band clinic and it was his first game. We were at the same school, but I didn't get to see him doing his thing in the gym. My husband videoed the game and I got to watch later. JC did such a good job! And he got an award at the end - best defensive player. He had no problem getting right in there with the other kids and getting the ball away from them. I can't wait to see it in person tomorrow.

Jackson Wynn gets to start soccer this summer and I can't wait to see how he likes being out there competing. I think he may be a bit more aggressive than his older brother. We'll see.

Mellow Fellow

2011-01-13T19:11:00.002-06:00

I've had a deep, fulfilling relationship with a wonderful man since around 1995. He is the strong, silent type and he is gorgeous. His name is Elmer and he is my lovely purr baby. He is currently sitting beside me as I type. He loves to put his paw on me and "hold my hand". And he even lets me massage his paw and play with his little fingers. He's getting older, but he just keeps getting better. And he's a total lover, my kind of man.

He's a total lap kitty. He's worth the extra effort to get Blue Buffalo food. And he even likes my husband, after about 8 years of just tolerating another male in my life. At first, when he was still an outdoor/indoor kitty, he would jump from the floor directly onto Abbie's chest in order to be let out. This happened about 4am each morning. Abbie couldn't stand it. Imagine an 18 lb. cat jumping onto your chest while you're in a deep sleep. He's a big cat. You can hear his paws on the floors when he walks. He's got attitude. Now, years later, he will follow Abbie into the bathroom, wait for him to get his shower, and then wrap himself around Abbie's ankles while he's shaving. So, Elmer has accepted him into the family, finally. He's been so tolerant with the boys - letting them pet him and love on him when they had a hard time being gentle. He has never hurt them, even when they got rough.

I need to get some recent photos and post them. I now know what it means to be long in the tooth, as he is getting that drawn look a bit around his muzzle. But, he's still a total charmer and so beautiful, even if his ears have lost a little fur and have some balding spots. It just adds to his charm. He's literally been with me through thick and thin. I've known him longer than my husband. As a matter of fact, the longest relationship I've had with a male (besides my dad) would be Elmer. He truly loves me just as I am.

Wait Upon the Lord

2011-01-12T18:20:00.001-06:00

Winter is often a time of waiting. Life can go through long periods of waiting. It is important to be waiting on the Lord during these times, because He is the One who delivers. Nothing or no one else can.