The Red Neck Movers!!!

My Green Machine is in the shop again. Take a peek and my new technique!!!

Sorry, I'm so late in publishing this, but I couldn't get it figured out. This was last fall, obviously, while we were still trying to move in.

The Raw Unfiltered Truth!!!

Here are the pictures you have been waiting for. Mom and I had a conversation some time back about showing the 'real' side of things. I will try to without blushing or hiding my head in shame. Some of you know I just finished a three-week camp-out in our barn while our double wide mobile home was being moved onto our land. We had a camper, but discovered it to be a bit squished for our all-arms-and-legs family. Well, you fit 5 very gangling creatures in a RV for 21 days. So, Shawn and I slept in the loft of the barn and Kyri slept in the hay in a tent while the boys took opposite ends of the camper. Amid hords of flies and horses munching hay mere feet away, and the "honey pot" behind a tree, I survived! Some of my friends here, thought how romantic it was to sleep out under the stars, or almost, let me be quick to put that notion out of you head...Okay, I've stalled long enough, brace yourself.....

The Storage Unit

The Kitchen

The Hay Bedroom

The Master Bedroom

The Camper

P. S. I do miss all the stars at night, and the hoot owls and the coyotes and...Oh, never mind....

My Point Of View!

It never ceases to amaze me how much variety God created and how blessed I am to enjoy it.

The fog the other morning had it's own ethereal beauty...

From my vantage point, I watch the world( my little corner, anyway) go by. Including what goes on down at the barn.

AND... let's not forget sunsets. My camera doesn't do it justice, but they are so pretty.

It helps to look outward from all the unfinished clutter of unpacking and just take a deep breath of God's beauty.

Until Later...

Turn Around, Bright Eyes!!!

I couldn't resist...

sharing this photo with ya'll. Kyri loves this little guy named Puck! She never ceases to amaze me with her ability to take good pictures.

Celebrating The Irritants...

Now tell me the truth, we wives and mothers have daily irritations, right?

Here are a few of mine. Can I whine for a minute?

Shallen and his daily cup of coffee. Of course, he leaves his tools behind and usually a little dirty.

And then there is Kelton...his bed is always either full or empty, LOL...

but mostly it is always messy.

Anyone who knows me and my daughter, know we don't see eye to eye on fashion.

Kyri leaves theses everywhere and wears them with anything that remotely matches.

But it's not just the kids, Shawnigans has a bad habit of throwing his towel over the door.

It wouldn't be so bad except he forgets to take it back into the bathroom, so if I don't collect for laundry, we will wind up with a collection in our bedroom.

Then, there's me! I suppose I have my habits as well.

Now for the other side of the coin, if any of the family ceased to exist who would make the coffee every morning, or mess up the beds and leave Hi-Tops around, or even the menagerie of towels in my room. And, would they miss the tea bag every morning?

I guess my musings have brought me to this conclusion, I am blessed to have occupant in my house called...Family!

Now, go hug your own, k?

How Does Your Garden Grow????

It's that time of year...

You know that time when the hubby starts bringing in the various and sundry stuffs from the garden and you start scrambling with how to process it all before it spoils.

For this week it is pickle time!

Wish me luck:)

Me? Frazzled?

Here I am! Too many bills, too many bugs in the neighborhood, too many years living under the influence of gravity...I guess just too much of everything stressful.

On top of it all, I can't find my pictures of 2010 on my computer!!!

Oh, well...this frazzled photo will have to do!!!

I'm Older! Help!

Mom and I treated Shawn and the family to Chili's for a yummy B-Day supper.

We went to Eureka Springs for a girls day out. All I will say is Eureka has some weirdies...

Our Church family celebrated my birthday on Sunday. Mom actually got 36 candles on there.

AND I blew them all out. I get my wish, what did I wish for? Oh well...

Until later, Tada!!!

Point Of View

I'm thankful for my Mom's reminder about my point of view.

It can be really depressing at times, especially for a cleany like me.

I mean really, Shawn, who in their right mind would WANT a horse on their porch. (except you)

This is the "naked" truck! Yes, I have driven it all over everywhere. It is a great reminder that God hates pride. It has made me thankful for wheels.

God also made this, one of my favorite flowers. The beauty of spring helps me forget the dirt!

AND this is where I go occasionally when I need to remember what the whole Arkansas dream was about. This is the view that I will eventually see out my living room window.

One day...

The Nasty And The Nice

There has been a major renovation happening around here--see for yourself...

This was the beginning of my new found infatuation with tree frogs...

Anyway---

The old floor was gross. Period! It had rotted and had holes and...never mind, you get the picture!

Ahhh! The smell of newness!!!

Dark paneling and the poor sink leaked underneath, the faucet dripped, and it was kinda falling off the wall.

I love white! Yea! for white! But don't get me wrong, white by itself is stark.

Hence, enter Mr. Green! Take a deep breath, can't you just feel spring growing on the inside?

Shawn wasn't sure what he thought, but eventually said it was growing on him:)

He-Man Shawn, who ripped out that moldy, fifty-year-old drywall by hand.

Thanks, Babe, at least now I can shower without my over active gag reflex in over drive:)

I couldn't resist this little sign. It seems that is what happens when you only have one bathroom.

Someone is always in it when you need it. But, hey, with it looking this sunny and clean, I may never come out!!!

Hello? Are My Kids Warped?

Do you remember those kids magazines where they showed only a part of something and then made you guess what it was? That is what these pictures remind me of...

So guess away!!!

Actually, I'll give you a hint! We butchered our roosters...

This is my son's reenactment of his father's antics. Yes, it is a rooster foot! When he was a boy, Shawn gave his own mother quite a fright by pulling the tendon and making it open and close. Kelton and Kyri were intrigued by that whole thought. No, I wasn't scared and I didn't scream. I'm no fun. So Kyri grabbed a camera and took these of Kelt hiding behind the table.

Anyway, I now have 3 of the 5 too many roosters, in the freezer. Later...

Snow? Again?

We were totally amazed at the 8+ inches of snow...

...in March, no less. At first the kids weren't very enthused,

but they got over it. They even got inspired to build a snowman.

Kelton dug out the old snowman kit we've never been able to use.

Frosty turned out looking quite nice!

It was gone in two days, I guess we can honestly say it was fun while it lasted:)

Do They Belong To Me???

"Is it just me, or are they just adorable?"

Is Shal stylin', or just into the game of air soft.

Kelt is not stylin', I think, just trying not to get hit.

Okay, they're going to kill me, I'm outta here!!!

What Do You Do For Fun?

Kids learn from their Father...

This was one of his fun things growing up and has now passed the challenge on to Kelton.

"Mom, tie me up and see if I can get out."

I failed, He escaped. I'll have to practice my knots, eh?

The Green Machine's Demise!!!

Here's what the frustrating, piece of metal looks like right now!!

Maybe I wil love it better and clean it up,

once it is fixed and working for its "master" again.

I know one thing, I'd rather play dumb and just be a girl, than be towed again by a small, little white truck..

in the dark, the snow starting to cover the road, up and down steep winding roads with no guard rails. I was praying, crying, shaking, and... driving:)

Definitely multi-tasking!!

All's Well That Ends Well...I'm Alive!!!

Update--Part III

I'm getting ooooooold!

It's not just the gray hair...

My son is fifteen!!!

I had to improvise(how's that, Mom?) and use whatever candles I could find. Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera set right for this one.

The tea lights worked, though:)

The next day a strange phenomenon had happened to the cake...

Something or someone had done some tunneling.

The guilty party was a non- sugary type person.

Shawn? Bingo!!!

Oh, Well, Happy Birthday, Shallen!

Update--Part II

Here goes...

Once there was a wonderful little pooch, who we all loved dearly...

Baxter adopted us and it couldn't be a better fit.

But, there happened along a sweet little pup who was abandoned by the road at our neighbor's house...

Though I tried and threatened to get rid of her, her winsome face made me recant of that evil deed.

It could be that a certain young lady, who will remain anonymous,

...begged and literally jumped in my arms when I said yes.

So, here we are with two dogs, one forever small...

...and the other destined to be massive...

Welcome Home, Molly!!!

Update--Part I

Time for an update...

My batteries went dead in my camera; I know that is not an excuse, but I'm going to use it anyway. So, I guess I'll start at Christmas and bring you up to the present.

Here it is before I decorated for Christmas...

...and after.

In case you couldn't tell, I collect nativity scenes.

Another before...

and after...

I definitely can't compete with all of you guys when it comes to ornaments, but I was thankful to have a real tree and the fun of decorating.

Okay, there that is done... it seems like ancient history...wait here's some more...

Kyri had a writing assignment at co-op.

Of course, it had to be on her favorite food.

Sub Sandwiches!

Okay, this post is starting to drag, so next one will bring us into the new year!!!

I hope you're happy, Grandma Throne, I know you will appreciate the nitty gritty stuff.

Until Part II...