You Don't See That Every Day

 I came home from church on Sunday to find these in my house. Along with some black roses. Thanks a bunch older brother and sister.  The kids and I headed out to the farm for groceries today. And boy did we come up with some good food!  Little K had a grand time in the dirt. She helped pick carrots, and helped taste-test the beans and carrots and cherry tomatoes. (Boy did we all pay for that later!) She also had fun letting the beans drive the car. I don't know if you can tell, but that car was covered in dirt.  What a fun day! even though I ended up driving back out to the farm for a mattress I had forgotten to pick up while I was there - I didn't mind so much going back to that peaceful place on earth. Tomorrow the cousins arrive here - we are so excited and looking forward to visiting with the other side of the family.

It's the end of August ...  and my girls are singing .... Christmas carols. Yes, of course. why not? In my free time, when I'm not driving the kids , er, traveling the world, I managed to clean out some of the crevices in our house. I moved boxes, and desks, and beds. I painted. Oh yes! did I paint. I was hoping to get some photos up (once again no deal) but the computer is being wonky and won't upload. Sigh. I hope to either get a new computer (cough, ahem) or get this one working better. The room that was once orange downstairs is now a beautiful white, with the window sill and closet trim painted a lovely green. All this because we moved a boy upstairs, and also because we are having company! Nothing motivates me more to clean and declutter than having company come! So, this means I was able to make room in our downstairs storage room, er, playroom, so that the kids can actually use the piano and games and floor that we have in there. And this means that they fou

Because birthdays around here don't just last for one day! I have eaten way too many desserts this week. And I have run ... 3 miles total. Ack. My sweet husband had enough points from traveling for work that we got a free night at a hotel on the coast. So excited! We finally spent a night away from home without children ... for the first time in 2 years. It was a much-needed break from reality for the two of us. We were able to talk without being interrupted. We sat and watched a sunset without any little hands tugging on us. And we ate what we wanted - like ice cream for lunch! Of course by morning time I missed those little minions ... but we held out until late afternoon before returning to the home front. Of course I forgot to pack the camera. So all my awesome photos are on my husband's phone. I am hoping he will upload or download or whatever it takes - to the computer so I can share some of the gorgeous views we had on our mini-mini vacation.

What a weekend! I spent Saturday canning peaches and plums. After I did a 3 mile PR. And attending a niece's birthday party. It was a long full day. Sunday was our church picnic. For the past few years we have had one big church service at a local park, and then potluck picnic right afterwards. This year the weather was perfect! A little cloudy in the morning with bright sunny, but not too hot skies, in the afternoon. Our neighbors joined us this time - and we spent the day just hanging with them and talking. I love living in a neighborhood where we like our those we live next to. When G and I were once discussing who would be fun to go out with, as a couple. And our neighbors were the first that came to mind.  So Monday dawned bright and early. I had to take the boy down to his school and get a class changed in his schedule. We waited in line for over an hour. Now I know kids in high school or bigger schools probably have much longer lines and waits .. but this being our

A year ago we were dealing with a broken arm and cute little one year old (along with the other 3 kids of course) and also - we had no roof on the garage. A lot has changed since then Now we have an upstairs over the garage!! The doors are in. The mini-heat pump has been installed and we have had cool air upstairs since Tuesday! The other day I couldn't find the girls. They had been playing upstairs because it was cooler up there than downstairs! We moved the Boy into his room, starting Tuesday night. Little by little he has been moving more and more up there. The floor is not completely finished, the window casings are not in, and the electrical is not fully hooked up. But there is a floor and a door, so we moved him. What a difference it has made. We took a break from all the work and I drove the kids to the beach. Funny thing, looking back at my photos, one year ago exactly I had taken the kids to the same beach! It was very hot inland, and s

My long, slow run this morning. 4 miles. Used to be long, slow run meant 10, but I'm okay with that. I'll get there again. So I ran by this park-and-ride on my usual route. I like to count the cars parked there, maybe think about who drives which one, see what there is in the lot. Today I saw Hondas, Toyotas, a Ford pickup, and - double-take - a Jag. What? You just don't see a Jaguar parked in the park and ride everyday. I hope it makes it through okay.

We seem to pack it all in on the weekends, making for a very full Saturday. This round included farming, canning, a trip to the town dump, and a county fair The beginning dawned brighter - and earlier - than I was ready for. I headed out to the farm with the kids before they even had breakfast. It was an in-the-car meal for them that morning. Two of the kids helped my parents with the picking of the garbanzo beans, while I headed to the apple trees with my younger two. I climbed into the trees to pick what I could while the girls played in the bed of the truck. It was like being a kid again, picking those apples up in the tree. They make great applesauce too. I only picked two boxes, but it has been plenty for now.   So while I was away G was busy busy working on the upstairs and the stairway. We have a heat pump installation this week and he wanted to get as much sanding done as he could. Along with painting on the outside on other hard labor, a trip to the dump was neces

For the runners out there, do you ever imagine you are someone else as you run? You know, like one of those really really great runners we are seeing on TV theses days? Little kids do it all the time. Why can't grown-ups?! Maybe I'm crazy (not certifiably) but it helps me get through the miles, and up the hills, to think I am Shalane Flanagan. You can stop laughing now. I've made progress from last week. I imagined I was Ryan Hall then. This morning I had a great run. I felt fast. And I was - for me. My fastest 3 miles ever. Since the run I did back in July, where I kept pace with my older brother, I have been knocking my time down on my fast workout days. Boy does that feel great! (thanks brother T!) My husband is starting to train for another half-marathon. I might join him. I might not. Right now I have another 5k in my sights. Every fall for the past 4 years we have run a certain Oktoberfest race. It has kind of become tradition for us. So I think I will keep worki

My husband is amazing! We've gone from this - one year ago: To this - today: a room, with a door, and a floor and paint! (and the other rooms of course, but they aren't quite as far along.) It's pretty exciting. We're hoping to move the boy in soon. Today while the kids did their thing, I canned beans. Since we have a flat top stove, I have to do the pressure cooker outside on a burner. Which is actually pretty nice. My house doesn't get all heated up, and I can keep an eye on the little one who loves to be outside.  Plus I was in earshot of the goings-on today.  The girls wanted to have a lemonade stand.  It's on our List of Summer Activities, and so I thought, sure, why not!? So they did. They did it all, from gathering the materials and making the drinks, to taping up signs around the neighborhood. They even went around on their bikes hollering, "Lemonade for sale! Get it while it's cold!" You probably

   We started painting the exterior of the house. Let's play with that term 'we' - actually, I started painting some more on the house this past Friday. I got paint in my hair, on my arm, all over the clothes. It looked like I swam in it. There were some areas which I never finished last year! Wow. As I was up there this week I couldn't recall just why I hadn't finished those few spots. My husband reminded me that I just ran out of steam last year. Probably. I got very tired of painting, and then the rains came. This summer! This year will be different. This time around my kids are going to help put the second coat of paint on the outside. G and I had a mini-date night. Actually I think it was a family date night. Is there such a thing?! We all went to the Depot of Home and picked out flooring for the Boy's room. G began putting it in yesterday. This picture is just of us laying it down to see if we really liked it, and which way to lay the grain. We