THE LATEST FARM HOME PICTURES and the kids

Once the sunshine decided to stick around for while, the plans were made to go check out the progress on Mamaw and Papaw's new home. It looks like they have been working hard and making lots of progress!

Handrail all around with detail to the steps. This is a view of the backside of the house, taken from the side.

The back, taken straight on.

The mud room, freshly tiled.

The Great room fireplace.

Coming in through the basement. Notice all the new rock and doors, beautiful.

Emily, looking like she is really enjoying herself.

Chris looks like he is really up to something. I found this on the camera with several other questionable pictures. Nothing bad....just questionable.

Doing what kids do best. It looks like all the emotions were out....

Good times!

Disclaimer-I wasn't able to join them yesterday, I had to work. I heard lots of stories of good times, fun play. These are most of the pictures I found on the camera, minus the few questionable ones.

SURPRISE

I'm not sure what to think. I started a website in hopes to connect with family and get family connected. I sent emails out, telling family about it, expecting to hear from them.

It's been almost a week, I'm still waiting.

What does that mean?

Am I the only one interested?

Do I give up so easily? Or do I trudge on, knowing that I care more than anyone else?

Or, is everyone else so busy they have no time to reply?

Only time will tell.

For the few that have joined the website, thank you.

TRANSFORMING WEEKEND

Emily, acting out. Picture memories made by Katherine.

I'm not sure where to start. I guess the best place would be Thursday evening, when my weekend began. Elijah had a concert(that was beautiful), and my parent were passing through. Friday, I went to work for a while, and then got myself ready for my brother and his family, who were arriving after Naomi and I attended twin friends birthday party at Bounce U. We have had a great time, getting much need time together catching up.

I ask Katherine to be on camera duty knowing that she would be willing (and able) to get the shot. She did a great job, making it hard to narrow down what I wanted to post. So, sit back and enjoy the show.

Need I say more?

IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME

DO THESE DOGS LOOK SMART TO YOU?Butter and Flash

I have been working with them for a few weeks on a new trick. Both of them are smart, but Flash is a little quicker to respond. He is a year older and has always been more laid back. I think they like the challenge and LOVE the treat!

So, today when I came home from work, the house was quiet so I thought I would give it a try.

And Flash did it! He rolled over!!!

I think this is one of the hardest tricks for and animal to do. Mostly, I think because it shows vulnerability and submission.

Butter did it too, I just had to start her over, but once on her back she rolled over too.

They may drive me crazy and be a little stinky at times but I love them. They are fun to be around and obviously give us hours of entertainment.

And now, you too!

FAMILY REUNION

I am so excited! Not as excited as I was earlier when I thought I was so clever.

See, when I went to name the website I wanted something different. I know some people don't like to use their real names either so I was trying to be sensitive.

So I googled one of the family names and found what I thought to be the perfect answer. Then I told my mom. She got it after a minute of quizzing. I still thought it was catchy, until dinner time when I was telling my family about it. Levi and Joe both thought I named it that because I was doing something no one else wanted to do! Gasp, gasp.

Oh no, I thought I was doing something really cool but I had already messed it up. I sent out all these email notices (wondering who checks email, anyway) and now I have made a mistake.

So, with the way my luck is running these days.

I check the website (because I haven't got any email replies) and see that two family members have joined. One was my brother in law so I thought I would text him to see what he thought. He thought it was cool until I ask him about the name. What, I'm shocked!

He thought it meant someone was apposing me or I them. So, it looks like I am on a quest for a new name. Any suggestions? Something different, but not offensive. I can do that all by myself, thank you!!!

3 Doors Down - Landing In London (All I Think About Is You)

This song reminds me of my faith. The journey I have taken over the years. I know it written in another context, but we all know that words can have different meanings.

IMITATION

A few words come to mind: Role model, influence, example. This is what I think of after I have put the artwork on my hands. This is after she has ask that I do the same to her. I am not sure where I got my original ideas as a child. Some I guess came from my family, only I took them one step farther. Now that I have children of my own, I still want to express myself but am conscious that they are imitators. I don't like to be judged, and I will (am ) teach them not to judge. But I believe that once you are true to God and yourself, you make your choice and be proud of it. Be secure, hold your head up high, and stand behind your beliefs.

OOPS SHE DID IT AGAIN !!!

Sometimes, once is never enough. Other times once is WAY more than enough.

So the case may be with the skunk spray.

It was late last night, all was well. We decide to let the dogs out again one last time before bed.

I am downstairs switching the laundry out, thinking that Joe must have washed the laundry from the previous skunk spray. (Yes, I put it outside thinking I would wash it latter. Now I am scared to put it into my machine!)

Before I open the washer Joe appears and ask me to come smell Butter to see if she got sprayed again. I knew the answer without even putting forth the effort.

Once again Flash escaped the wretched smell and was allowed in.

Butter on the other hand, has become a temporary outside dog. Worst of all, she hates it.

I feel guilty. Do you know how hard it is to sneak around without your dog seeing you???

At least the inside of my house smells good. We had just got the last skunk smell out and I am not ready to go through that again.

Sorry Butter, we really do love you!

SPREADING SOME GOOD OLE IRISH LUCK

Today is St. Patrick's Day, as I'm sure most of you are aware of. Because of St. Patrick, today is extra special for the kids. Since my kids go to a school that requires a uniform, and the resident nun loves St. Patrick's Day, they decided to let them celebrate with a non uniform day. The only catch was you had to wear green. Naomi's teacher took it a step farther and added a contest for the most Irish spirit. So the challenge was on! A while back while supplies were still plenty I picked up each kid a green item to wear today at Target for a dollar. Not bad! Little did I know they were going to be able to go out of uniform, but the items still worked. Elijah got a green bow tie (not sure he will let me take a picture) which I thought was really cool. Lots of GREEN. We even had to make green water for them to drink today!!!

Complete with green earings and necklace.

Check out this boy's socks, do they rock or what?

RANDOM

These pictures show the way my life is. Very random, very funny, very different...all the time. This has got to be one of the cutest dogs I have ever seen! Her name is Polly and she is my girlfriends dog. She comes to work with her sometimes so we get our "Polly fix". She is still young but you can tell by the look on her face how smart she is.

One of the cutes boys I've ever seen!

Do I really need to say anything about this girl? She is still young but you can tell by the look on her face she is full of mischief and .....how smart she is. Just a little silly I might add.

We like to spread the silliness around! Levi entertaining us before the recent birthday celebration.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

DIRECTIONS TO OUR FATHER'S HOUSE.

Make a Right onto Believers Blvd.

Keep straight and go through the Green Light, which is Jesus Christ.

There, you must turn onto the Bridge of Faith, which is over troubled water.

Now when you get off the bridge, make a Right turn and Keep Straight. You are on the King's Highway - Heaven-bound.

Keep going for three miles: One for the Father, One for the Son, and One for the Holy Spirit.

Then take the Grace Blvd exit.

From there, make a Right turn on Gospel Lane. Keep Straight and then make another Right on Prayer Road.

As you go on your way, Yield Not to the traffic on Temptation Ave.

Also, avoid SIN STREET because it is a DEAD END.

Pass up Envy Drive, and Hate Avenue. Also, pass Hypocrisy Street, Gossiping Lane, and Backbiting Blvd.

However, you will have to go down Long-suffering Lane, Persecution Blvd. and Trials and Tribulations Ave, but that's all right, because VICTORY Street is straight ahead!

AMEN! ( Author Unknown )

CONTEST

I would like to enlist all the help we can get. See, there is a contest in Hawaii that my cousins daughter, Tiki has entered. The way to help her win is to go to the sight, click on the contest section of the page, look at all of the contestants and then vote for #53, Tiki. Once you have voted you can tell all of your friends. This way she will better her chances of getting on the calendar and help her modeling portfolio. The link is www.ir985.com . You can also go to my cousins blog here and find out more about her. She is the cutes kid and has lots of personality.

Thank you all for taking your time to help my family. I know I call on you a lot but you always come through!

BUTTER after the spray

This is butter after being sprayed. She looks kinda sad and a little fuzzy. Her tail is down, not looking and feeling the same. A little better here, just still a little fuzzy and out of sorts.

I'm just sayin' , this is an experience that will hopefully not be forgotten for a very long time!

I do have my theory on what to do if anyone I know ever gets sprayed. It is very similar to what I found on the Internet, only I would modify the application. AND I would definitely find out what they could ingest to neutralize what's going on inside!

THE HOUSE

It was raining while we were at the farm the other day so the pictures didn't turn out as well as I would have liked. I also didn't get to take as many and I learned after taking the ones I did some of the work had to be redone. So, maybe I'll save those for another day to compare. Non the less, the house is beautiful and fun to watch go up. There are so many details and none of them seem small. This, is the front steps. It is hard to tell in the picture but in time the support for the steps my be different. Maybe rock pillars to hold them up???

Levi was so disappointed to see the insulation! He just had to get one picture of himself walking through the walls. I guess so he can tell his grandchildren that he walked through the walls of his Grandparents home, just to hear them ooh and aah.

Looking at the mess.

My girl by the front steps. With the rain, this was one of the pictures that was hard to take. I'm sure you will be seeing the front steps again!

Looking at the side view. It really looks good. Mamaw, spreading the love before we leave.

LENT

Lent should be more than a time of fasting . It should also be a joyous season of feasting. Lent is a time to fast from certain things and feast on others.
It is a season to turn to God:

A Lenten Prayer

Fast from judging others; feast on the Christ indwelling in them.
Fast from emphasis on differences; feast on the unity of all life.
Fast from apparent darkness; feast on the reality of light.
Fast from words that pollute; feast on phrases that purify.
Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger; feast on patience.
Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism.
Fast from worry; feast on trust.
Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation.
Fast from negatives; feast on affirmatives.
Fast from unrelenting pressures; feast on unceasing prayer.
Fast from hostility; feast on nonviolence.
Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others.
Fast from personal anxiety; feast on eternal truth.
Fast from discouragement; feast on hope.
Fast from facts that depress; feast on truths that uplift.
Fast from lethargy; feast on enthusiasm.
Fast from suspicion; feast on truth.
Fast from thoughts that weaken; feast on promises that inspire.
Fast from gossip; feast on purposeful silence.

Gentle God, during this season of fasting and feasting, gift us with your presence so we can be a gift to others in carrying out your work. Amen.

-William Arthur Ward (1921-1994)

I just thought you might want to share in my class I am taking on Tuesday mornings. It help renew my faith and gives me many thought provoking moments.

Enjoy today, I'll be back later with new pictures of Joe's parents house. They are really making progress, it looks great!

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION posted a little late

We did celebrate on Elijah's birthday but with school and the skunk smell it was a little low key. Because of several roadblocks he felt his birthday was anti-climatic. He said he didn't even want a cake! Who ever heard of celebrating with out a cake?! (Unless your husbands birthday was the week before and you still had most of a ice cream cake left). So being the sweet mama I am, I set off to make him a cake. Because he said he didn't care, and I had the pink icing from Naomi's original birthday cake idea (she DID care, very much so that I had to scrap the first idea) he ended up with a chocolate cake with pink trim. Turns out he did care, and he REALLY liked the pink icing (thought it was cool)! So many candles, now I realize why they make sheet cakes!

Being the good sport that he is, posing for a picture.

One of the few gifts he received. Cool little game from Naomi called Q20. We have one of the original ones I think it's called Q10.

Did I say he didn't receive too many gifts? I think he got exactly what he wanted, the right size and color.

My girl doing what she does best, being silly striking a pose!

"IT WAS A GOD THING"

Today I have a moment to share. It happened last night while we were at church. First, I must give you a little detail. Our priest will often use props to get attention from the kids or to emphasise a point (he doesn't do it as often as he used to).


We sit close to the front most masses and every time he gives one of his props away, my two youngest raise their hands with enthusiasm. Every time, Father walks right by them or doesn't even look their way. It can be disappointing especially if it is something you really want. I guess this is a lesson in itself.


The homily last night was about faith and trust. Father used a gold dollar coin to emphasize the this fact, pointing out the "In God We Trust". Something that we have lived by for as long as I can remember.


So, last night when Father was finishing up the homily, he ask who would like the coin. Without hesitation, my kids raised their hands. Father looks around and picks Levi! He ask him to come up front (which is unusual) but Levi went. There was an exchange between the two of them and Father ask Levi if he wanted the coin. Of course he wanted the coin. Father gave it to him with the stipulation that he had to give it away. You could see the surprise on Levi's face. He wanted the coin, had it in his hand, but had to give it away, to anyone of his choice. Well, the hands flew up again! Levi looks around and decides to give it to one of his classmates. We all clap and Levi is going to sit down. Father ask him to come to him again. He hands Levi another gold coin and points out the fact that he had faith and trust to give away the first coin. Knowing that he would be taken care of, not expecting anything, just doing what is ask of him. Levi happily sat down.


After mass the mother of Levi's classmate comes up to me. She says that she has just experienced "A God thing". See, her child had been having a hard time that day and she felt he really needed that coin to reassure him that everything would be OK. She was even praying that he would get the coin and guessed it wasn't meant to be when Levi was called up. That's when she realized that she and her child had been blessed, by Levi working through the Lord. So, she felt the need to share her blessing with me after the mass, just as I feel the need to share this with you.


In God We Trust.


Yes, my dog's breath still stinks! The house is getting better with the nice weather. We have been able to open the windows and let it air out a bit.

STINKY POETRY

My girlfriend sent me an e-mail this morning. I thought I would share it because it seems so fitting.

My love, you take my breath away.

What have you stepped in to smell this way.

By an unknown author.

At this point I must share, my dog still smells. The house still smells. The car/van still smells.
Only better, except for the dog. Her outside smells OK, but the smell is coming from the inside!The smell can only be related to the strongest perm smell in existence! As I mentioned before she took a direct hit to the face, was frothing at the mouth. My guess is she is expelling this smell from her gas or when she sighs heavily. I have thought of giving her vinegar to neutralize the smell but I'm pretty sure she won't drink it.

This has been a funny, sad, exhausting experience. One that I hope to never deal with again!!!

STINKY UPDATE

I'm just sitting down for a minute after dinner. I have been to the pet store to get the de-skunk spray, tried it on the carpet in a inconspicuous spot and waiting for it to dry. I dreamt about skunks all night and awoke to the pungent smell. Before we went to bed last night we had febreezed the entire house in hopes it would neutralize the smell. I even drove the little car and made Joe drive the truck in hopes that the smell would at least stay here and not follow us around.

My hopes were shattered around 8:30 when Naomi's teacher called saying that she thought her backpack was sprayed by a skunk. I told her about the "incident" and how I sprayed her with febreeze to eliminate any lingering odors. I guess febreeze is not a long acting odor remover as they would have you believe by the commercials! Anyway, she said she thought her lunch was ruined and would I please bring her another.

Being the good mom I am I packed her another in a gallon zip lock baggie and went to work. Once I arrived at work I explained the situation to my client (planning on leaving while the color processed) they said that the skunk smell was still on me. I completely saturated my hair with febreeze! I get to school and Naomi's lunch, backpack and coat are all tied up in a bag outside. It was pitiful!!!

The rest of the day was ok, I had to put my hair in a ponytail because of the smell. People thought I had given a perm (which is ok I guess), but my real concern was the kids.

I pick Elijah up first and ask how his day went. He starts laughing saying it went good and bad. He had the same reaction that I got in the stores. Classmates noticing how bad things smelt but never suspecting him.

Levi had it the worst with the kids telling him he needed a bath. I think he did OK today but I pray he stays strong as long as the smell does.

Let's just say Naomi's a mess. No one said anything to her but, she no longer has a coat ( I refuse to wear mine ) thank goodness it has warmed up some, she has only one sock on, the other is in the lunch baggie. And, to top it off her pants are unzipped.

Life is good.

SKUNK SPRAY

I just had the most horrible experience! One of my dogs got sprayed by a skunk!!! Being the younger more curious one, apparently went directly up to the skunk and got sprayed in the face. I felt so bad for her and was a little worried. She was foaming at the mouth, miserable.

To top it off, the house started to smell. One that I can hardly describe. I read on line people compared it to burning rubber but that is not it at all. It is like a sickening strong garlic and onion smell. I don't know that I will ever be the same!

Now, I must see some humor in this, otherwise it's sad. The kids will be made fun of.....

I am at the local Rite aid and I hear people talking, "something smells bad". I walk around a little bit more. "I didn't smell anything out side", "smells like a skunk". I couldn't take it any longer! I confess, it's me. Then she starts holding her nose!!!

Now I am home and try the solution I have found on the web. It seems to work a little, but the house is still contaminated. So I get the idea to use febreeze but we are running low. Now I must make a trip to wal-mart.

I walk in pretty much unnoticed. Then I head to the cleaning supplies, am there only a moment when I hear, "Man, it stinks over here". The other worker replies he can't smell anything and they go back and forth. I can't take it any longer and once again confess, "It's me, me dog got sprayed". I got a little sympathy but I could tell he was miserable.

I move on to the food isle still needing to fix lunches for my kids. People sniffing everywhere, talking among themselves. By the time I get to the checkout I hear more speculations on what the smell might be. I can barely contain myself. I have a basket full of febreeze and various other odor eliminating products and people all around me wondering what is smelling. I heard skunk quite a bit but the funniest was the lady who said, " They must be working on something inside here". Yeah, right.

THE PARTY

Now that the work is done, looking back, we had a really nice party. Most of the girls from her class got to attend but she also had her two best friends, Veda and Georgia. Marqi and Levi got to attend also but they weren't always involved in the games (only by choice). Thankfully my parents got here Friday night so they were able to help with the decorations and set up. Elijah got the music play list together and showed us how to put it on the stereo system. Everyone got along and seemed to enjoy themselves! The girls.

Getting ready to play a game.

Some of the decorations, we had the streamers hanging in the basement. Love the turtle cake! The idea was formed from the new turtle she got when she had her blood drawn. Her name is Lisuanne (pronounced Lee-sue-anne). I think Mom did a great job and no one had any trouble eating the turtle cake.

My girl and Meme after they arrived.

Naomi and Pop after the party was over, they still look pretty good!