Sandy Toes

Well, they brought me out here to the beach, now what do I do?

Play in the sand?

Yes, this is fun....but surely there's more to play with than this red cup?

Oh, look! Some funky toes!

Toes are always fun to play with!

Now that's how you make some fun on the beach with sandy toes!

My favorite people.

 I don't know why I bother. But I do. Because I love a good family pic.  And at the beach....what's not to love?

I always have good intentions of getting coordinating clothing for the family and being diligent about taking a nice family photo early on in our trip.  And invariably, I fail on both accounts every. single. time.  This year, I went for seersucker and shades of blue. I love seersucker....it just screams southern summer charm to me.  I made the mistake of assuming I could just run over to the outlets one day and find my man a pair of seersucker shorts to wear for the occassion....I was wrong. 

So mistake #1, you see him here in plain ol' unmatched khaki, which we didn't do a good job of hiding for the photo.  Mistake #2, I kept putting it off until the last evening of vacation....for 7 days we wore sunglasses to shield our eyes from the glare of the sun off the water and sand.....which in turn, left nice little rings around our occular area.  Mistake #3, be mindful that a nice gust of wind will whip up at any moment, and late evening thunderstorms, although usually short lived, are common occurences which you have no control over.

Imperfection is perfect to me. 

Crops or Interior Design?

Now, you can't just expect a garden to tend to itself, nor will it gather it's own crop.  So, every day I go out to see what bounty has been bestowed and pluck it from the vine.  I was so excited to see my butternut squash blooming last week!  And so I couldn't help but take one, the biggest one I could find, and bring it in.  I have no idea if it was ready to be harvested or not, but I took it anyway because I'M GROWING THINGS IN MY GARDEN!!

The problem is I just love looking at all the veggies, the vibrance in their color,  and the wonder of their growth.   So, I just started using them for decorations. Who knew tomatoes and banana peppers would make such a nice arrangement! :)

The post where I express, yet again, my dislike of science fair projects.

Spring is a wonderful time of year, really it is. Except for the dark cloud hanging over that date on the calendar known as the science fair.  The point at which I want to crawl back in a hole and hibernate some more for winter. Because let me tell you, I loathe science fair projects.

Sure, the first 2-3 projects we did for the science fair those early years, back when Elder Son was a mere lad running down the primary halls, were fun. Exciting. Riveting even. Back then Middle Child and Baby Girl had not yet even made it to the ranks of homework much less science class, but that didn't hinder them from begging to do science experiments at home, make project boards like their big brother, cut out letters, glue, glitter, etc.etc. the whole nine yards.  In the early years, I loved getting so involved and wanting to help the kids make the best experiment decisions and clever project boards that they possibly could.

Then reality hits hard, as many years down the road, I was helping with science fair project #10. 

That's 10 science experiments, 10 project boards, 10 reports, 10 discussions at length about coming up with a good experiment, 10 fights over who gets what border from the leftover bin and the self-stick letters, 10 arguements about proper line spacing, neatness counts, the hypothesis is an important integral, and no you can't just do an erupting volcano.

Everyone in the family lost the thrill around project #5, or back around the year 2005....so it's been rough in the spring when that date on the calendar rolls around. 

However, there is hope. High School doesn't require science fair projects--to which I say Hip Hip Hooray!! That means that only the sweet little crafty girl in the family is left to deal with the chaos from here on out. Which is good, because I'm here to tell you, one more year of multiple science projects and this mama was going to lose her mind.

Now, all that to say, that even though this year I declared we would have a calm experience with the projects, we would just relax and not get too stressed about the whole affair.....not worry about whether or not we had matching borders, in fact we didn't even bother with borders this year. That's right, I threw caution to the wind and said to heck with it, we'll just spray paint the boards and add in a different color for the border. I didn't fret over whether they had everything glued or taped in perfect placement.  And do you know what.....they turned out just fine. 

Baby Girl tested what household items would help you in the event you were out of laundry stain remover and a giant sharpie marker stained your t-shirt. And I'm happy to report that she won a place at her school again this year with her science fair project. And then she proceeded to move on to the next level, the county science fair.  I was unable to attend the county science fair that morning, but was able to meet up with her sponsor and the other kids for lunch after the judging.  She was excited to see me and smiling said, "Mom, I didn't win anything this time."  To which I replied, "oh, that's okay Baby Girl, you won at your school, and the county is tougher, I think it's just an honor that you were able to represent, you did good, I'm proud of you no matter what!."

She laughed real loud and then held up her trophy....."just kidding, I won 3rd place!"  

Spray painted border and all. 

Next year, I may just let her do an erupting volcano.

15 on the 15th....however, I still don't think the temperature is as hot today as it was back then.

Today we celebrate our anniversary. Fifteen years. It's our special anniversary, that will only happen once, where the amount of years wed matches up with the date you were wed. 15 on the 15th. Wow. It's been an amazing adventure.  

So, let's take a stroll down memory lane, 15 years ago today:

I walked down the aisle, latched onto my father, to meet the man of my dreams.

We recited our vows as well as a selection from the book of Ruth....and I could not stop smiling.

We became a Mr. and Mrs. (oh my lands!-- we look so young)

Whoever said you couldn't have your cake and eat it to?

Yes, Cinderella, dreams really do come true.

To my beloved, thank you for the most wonderful 15 years a girl could ever hope to have. On this day, standing barefoot beside you wearing the big white dress and an enormous smile, I believed in my heart that I loved you with all that I had in me....but I was wrong, I loved you even more then and still more today. 

 I have but one thing left to say:

"Entreat me not to leave you,

or to turn back from following after you;

For wherever you go, I will go;

and wherever you lodge, I will lodge;

Your people shall be my people,

and your God, my God.

Where you die, I will die,

and there will I be buried.

The Lord do so to me, and more also,

if anything but death parts you and me."

~Ruth 1:16-17

Summer is here! Let's get this party started!!

Finally, after what seemed like for-e-vah, the school year came to an end.  Did you have to go to school in June when you were growing up?  Not me. I've never been to school in June in my life, except of course, when I attended summer semesters in college (which was really just to prolong the party season, classes were a side dish).    

But let me just tell you, and I think I can speak for children everywhere not just those who reside in my household....school in June is for the birds. FOR THE BIRDS.

Anywhoo, to celebrate the arrival of our summer and to kick the previous school year to the curb, I made HAPPY END OF SCHOOL buckets for the kids. No, I didn't come up with the idea on my own.  I did what any good mother would do....I stole it from a smart, creative mom, who happens to be a bloggy friend of mine, and doesn't mind when I steal her ideas.

The kids were really excited to learn of this new tradition we would begin to kick start summer each year.  I tried explaining that it wasn't going to be one surprise but rather a series of events, a series that would last all summer. Some added fun to look forward to amidst all the other chaos that is involved with our usual summer.....football workouts, gymnastics training, camps, vacation, reunions, vbs, basketball, weddings, sleepovers, etc.

And so, the buckets (individual color coded popcorn buckets) were filled with:

•  telescopic marshmallow sticks
•  giant bubble wands (who doesn't love bubbles?)
•  tennis balls
•  shrinky dink sets
•  free summer movie schedules
•  craft kits
•  grow your own (legal) herb kits
•  badminton
•  new earbuds for the ipod
•  water balloons
• a calendar of our events
• you get the idea

I had already bought cards for each of them and included a personal note from their Daddy and I about how proud we were of them and how much we enjoyed watching them grow this year in academics, sports, programs, church and life. 

Then I had a revelation about 5 hours before school ended.....wouldn't it be fun to have a picture collage of highlights from the school year, various sporting events, field trips, school plays, etc. And I'm so glad I did that....the kids LOVED it, and had fun remembering their year through photos....and mama has her a nice little keepsake too. I hope to find time to go back and make one from all the previous years as well. Kind of a "year at a glance". Great for sparking conversations and giggles.

Since everything wouldn't fit in the popcorn buckets, I bought fun plastic boxes (which for future use will make for great storage spots for each of them) for their coupons. They had no idea there was more fun waiting inside.

Each box was filled with coupons and gift cards to be used this summer.

• Movie passes (theater and drive-in--we love $10 carload night at the drive-IN!!)
• Family camp outs (to make good use of our telescopic marshmallow stix)
• Picnics--at places locally around our little rural neck of the woods
• Mommy and Me date (they get to pick everything!)
• Swimming (hey Mrs. Joy!! hope to visit soon! :) )
• Baby Girl had a coupon for a pedicure
• Elder Son and Middle Child wouldn't go for a pedicure, so they have multiple passes to the batting cages
• Trips to Aunt Karisa's
• Tennis (my only rule was that we couldn't go during the heat of the day....mama might have a heat stroke)
• Family game night (I can bring a mean game on bowling for the wii)
• Hi-Ho Hi-Ho off to work with Daddy you go (they love, I mean LOVE, spending time at Daddy's office)

So, hopefully I'll be updating throughout the summer as we cash in our coupons for fun galore. And pray right now they don't make me play tennis in the heat. Or choose paintball wars as their date with me. Or camp outs in the rain. Or choose family game night to include two hand touch football. I may not survive. There should be rules. Mental note....Next year I need to print out a set of rules for the buckets. :) 

When life hands you a tomato, you make a tomato sandwich.

(especially a plump, juicy, red, ripe, first fruit of the harvest tomato)

(I grew it...all by myself.)

Yes it was definitely sandwich worthy. The proper way. With mayo, salt & pepper  and the freshest white bread you can find.

Oh my.  It may have been the best tomato sandwich I have ever eaten in my life. In my entire life. And I've eaten a lot of them.

I feel certain it was enhanced by the sweet flavor of satisfaction. 

Moo Cows.

Recently we were at a family reunion hosted by a cousin who owns a cattle farm.  Our niece, Katie, adores moo cows.  A cattle farm has lots of moo cows, so we took a little trip.

"Dang Paparazzi, always pointing that camera right in my face."

LOOK!! I'm growing things!

real. live. edible things.

Like corn and squash and zucchini and banana peppers and tomatoes.

AMAZING.

(Of course, as we've established countless times before, I am easily amazed.) 

Yep. That sucker right there is ripe for the picking!!  And you know what that means?  I guess it's time for me to become a real farmer and begin the harvesting of my crops, y'all. 

Oh, sure, I realize it's one tomato....but you gotta start somewhere with this agriculture gig.

To trust brings peace.

Back in 2009, when I began H3, I wondered when I would use this verse. It is one of my all time favorites (okay, really I have a lot of all time favorites…what can I say, it’s a good book!) I kept putting it off, not like when you “put off” mopping the floors, but “put off” kind of like when you think something is special and you want to save it for just the right time.

Then I decided it was silly to wait for the right time….God’s time is always the right time….so why not use it today?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart

 and lean not on your own understanding”

~Proverbs 3:5

How easy is that? Trust someone else, not just what you know….um, yeah, not easy if you think of trust in worldly terms. But we have to think on a much larger scale....trusting the One who created the world. It can still be hard, we often get caught up in praying for God to help out in a situation, when really we still have our minds closed to what He may be telling us.  All because we think we understand it ourselves. We don't. Very often when we try to "lean on" our own understanding, we fall flat on our face.

Trust, honest trust in the Lord, is what carries us through.  And as I titled this post, to trust brings peace. But it's not always an easy road. However, it's the right road if God is on it.  I recently read in a Max Lucado book, "Peace is promised to the one who fixes his thoughts and desires on the King."

Fix your thoughts and desires on Him today.  Trust in Him and His will.  Peace follows. 

It really is that simple....we humans just make it hard with all our warped ideas (please tell me I'm not the only one who has some warped ideas that God has to set straight :). 

Again, "lean" not on ourselves....God is there to provide all the foundation we need. 

(And by the way, you better learn this verse....it's a foundation for next month's scripture!)

Breaking Free.....

Middle Child is no longer an Elementary Kid.  An achievement he's super proud to have behind him. In fact, it'd be just fine with him if school ended entirely when you completed elementary school....but alas, there's more educating to do yet, so he'll be forced to attend high school next year.  

He had a WONDERFUL teacher this year....who also happened to be 9 months pregnant at their class night ceremony. Bless her heart, but she looks great!

A few of his best friends:

Family who came to see the big guy on campus:

His class recently toured the high school and on another day had the high school guidance counselor along with some students visit their classroom to help prepare them for the change. Once the floor was opened up for questions, not being shy to speak up, Middle Child proceeded to pull out his list of impoortant inquiries.  

• Is it hard to open your lockers?
• Is lunch better at the high school?
• How long are the classes?
• Do you get bathroom breaks?
• Do 7th graders really get shoved in trash cans?

Clearly, he's as prepared as he's ever going to be.   

 

(There is no picture of Middle Child with his mother.....because my eyes were red from the crying.)

No, really, it was the sweetest moment....and showcased the epitome of the tender heart Middle Child has.  During their class night, they sang songs, Miley Cyrus' The Climb, they had a video presentation and they all came down from the risers one at a time to retrieve a single stem rose and bring to their mother in the audience. I had my long lens on so Temple couldn't use my camera real quick to get our picture, but friends of ours sitting behind us were ready to capture the moment.  

It was neat watching all the kids walk all over the gym floor to find their parents.....a sweet gesture by everyone, and I was fine...completely fine, okay maybe I already had a tear in my eye, but I wasn't crying....until Middle Child was about 2 feet away from me, stretched out his one hand to hug me and with the other he offered the rose and said, "thank you for being the greatest mother ever".....and then he proceeded to cry. I hugged him tight. And it didn't matter one bit that I didn't get my picture made with him, it was forever etched in my mind and more deeply engraved in my heart.