Things the kids learned from the back yard....

So in whatever spare time we might have (LOL!!!!), while the kids are playing outside Phil and I have been working on the yard. This usually consists of me mowing and Phil weed eating and we clean up the flowerbeds. As I was mowing one day I noticed out of the corner of my eye the fence moving. This is what was moving. They kids were ecstatic and wouldn't stop touching it.


One day Phil was working and dug up a bunch of landscaping rocks and brought them home. It took Phil, Katie, Jack and myself and the wheelbarrow to get them out of his truck and put them in the back yard. I wasn't quite sure what to do with them when we first started. As I cleaned out around the crepe myrtles we started placing them it all came together. I was really happy they way it all came together and it was free.



Something else we found in the yard were "Baby Bob's". For those of you who don't know, back in 99 we planted a tree not knowing what it was. So we named the tree Bob. It turned into this beautiful tree that has served as homes for the birds, shade for the kids and a perfect anchor for some wooden rope swings.

As I was mowing the other day, I discovered some of the acorns that fell from Bob (Yes, we now know he is an oak tree) in the fall rooted and new trees are growing. I harvested one and moved it to another part of the yard. Hoping it will grab hold and just grow till it's heart's content.

Below is picture of Bob today. I am hoping that in a few years I will the "Baby Bob" starting to become like the original. My only worry is that Bob is a hard wood tree and in a bad storm his branches won't bend they just break, fall down or crash into the house. Always hoping Bob remains good to us.

TTFN~

VBS 2011

Over the last two weeks we have been very busy. Upon returning from DC, Kaitlynn and Jackson attended Vacation Bible School (VBS) and had a great time. They rode with me to the office and then went off to VBS. All week they were singing song and telling me Bible stories.

Kaitlynn was excited one of her Sunday school friends ended up in her VBS class. Jackson just loved it. He loved it so much one morning he woke up, dressed, and came in my room. He realized it it was way too early (try 4:30 AM!!!) so he crawled in my bed fully dressed (hat and all) and went back to sleep.

TTFN~

Honeydew and Chocolate Pie

Recently the kids have discovered honeydew. They get excited when they see it and fight over it.

If I let him, Jack will literally stand in the kitchen and eat it as fast as I cut it up. Maddie likes it so well I bribe her with it to eat foods that are not her favorite. I make her take a bite of the meat she doesn't like so well (trying to get her used to it) in return she gets a bite of honeydew.

That is until it backfired the other day and she bounced up and down in her seat shouting , "Honeydew, Honeydew, Honeydew!!!" Since she ate half of a cheeseburger and she really dislikes ground beef I gave in and she turned into 'hoover sucking up honeydew'.

Since that adventure went so well I decided to get creative. I went snooping through the cupboards, freezer and refrigerator and found the following.....pie crust, chocolate pudding, cool whip, chocolate chips.

After baking the pie crust, filling it with the pudding and cool whip and grating the chocolate chips over the top I snapped a picture and sent it by text to Phil. I titled it, "Tonight's Dessert". Within a few minutes Phil walked in the door. After dinner everyone inhaled the pie.

As the kids were clearing the table I asked Jack if he would put the pie in refrigerator. Phil looked at me and said, "Are you sure that is safe?"

To take precautions I asked Katie to open the child gate and open the refrigerator so Jack could safely put the pie on the shelf. Phil looked at me and said, "Whatever."

I explained he has to learn to help and try new things, besides Jack makes life exciting. Just then I hear, "SPLAT!! Oh No!!!"

"Mommy I dropped the pie!"

I walked in the kitchen and Jack didn't just drop the pie, he dropped it putting it into the refrigerator and it went everywhere. On EVERY SINGLE shelf, in, on and under the drawers and on the floor.

Phil walks in sees the mess and says, "Is that exciting enough for you??"

Point taken.......at least everyone ate a piece before it hit the refrigerator and floor. Jack and I cleaned up the mess and YES it was interesting enough for me. Besides how else is Jack going to learn if I don't let him try knowing it could be a messy result.

So I learned that my kids love Honeydew and Jack is not ready to carry pie from the dining room table to the kitchen.

TTFN~

Graduation in VA.

This past weekend we had the opportunity to help Phil's niece celebrate her high school graduation. As three generations of family came together, the afternoon was full of laughs. There was a boys on girls basketball game with the players ranging from 5-22. Lets not forget the scooter races or just cousins just getting to know each other. There were lots of smiles all around.

TTFN~

To my Dad....

How lucky am I to still have my Dad......

For starters ask anyone......I look just like him.

So many people I know have had to bury their Dad, don't talk to their Dad or just don't know their Dad. I don't fall into any of these categories. Without my Dad I wouldn't be the person I am today.

He has a work ethic like I have never seen. He always made sure we went to church. Most of all he made sure we understood the importance of Family. I do remember times that he couldn't always be with us.....he was working. When it matters most he is always there.

He was there when I graduated kindergarten, elementary school, high school, and college.


He was there for paddle boat rides, canoe rides, roller coaster rides (I can't tell you how many coaster rides we went on).

He paced the floor in the hospital waiting to see Kaitlynn's face (his first grandchild/granddaughter). I remember the camera just clicking away but I also remember watching him hold her for the first time. He was such a proud Grandpa.


He bought Jackson his first baseball glove, spent all day putting a train table together and even when he shouldn't, the first one to go outside and play with the kids.


He talked and laughed with us as we waited ALL day....literally....for Madelynn to show her beautiful face. Although, Madelynn was not in our plan, but God's, he was just as excited to see her with his camera at the ready.



He sat in silence as the doctor's told us about Madelynn's open heart surgery the next morning. I know he and I talked that night but I don't remember much of what we talked about. I just remember he was there. I know he left that night, I don't remember when, except he was back early the next morning to see Madelynn one last time before surgery.



I can count on one hand the amount of Father's Day's we haven't been together. This weekend will be one of those few times. He is headed to a car show in Michigan and I will be headed to DC for Phil's niece's graduation. I have to admit I wish I were going to the car show with him. I have been there many times even took Phil once. When the weather is nice it is a GREAT day!!!

So to my DAD.....I remember the day that you walked me down the aisle. Right before we took the first step you reached over and kissed me on the cheek and told me that you loved me. It is a memory I will never forget. Thank you for all of the wonderful memories. I am sorry we won't be together today. I will be thinking of you today and hoping you have a GREAT day!

Happy Father's Day!! We love you!!

But Not Tonight.........

Life these days have been really crazy......I am hoping in the next few weeks things settle down. But not tonight................

I am Phil's personal hairstylist. However if you have ever met Phil you would know what an oxymoron that really is. Basically every few weeks I "mow" his head. I promised to get the mower out after dinner tonight.

Katie went upstairs to get the bag with all the tools (cutters, comb, scissors, etc). While waiting for Phil to go to the bathroom, I jump on the computer. Little did I know that the kids unzipped the bag and each was investigating a different tool.

Yes!! You are exactly correct............you know exactly where this is headed........so drum roll please.... the answer is Maddie got a hold of the scissors and took three inches off the side of her head.

Lucky for me she has really blonde hair from being out in the sun, she cut the side of her hair that shows the damage least but it will take a year to grow out and then I will have to cut her hair short again to get it all evened out. I should have known. I did it as a child, Katie did it twice and now Maddie did it.

So the moral to the story is each child will be locked in their room the next time I cut hair OK!.... so maybe just watching from the next room.

TTFN~