"Slick and Sly" and the Gadget Shack

Once there were two guys that lived way out in the country. They were farmers. One was called "Slick" and the other was called "Sly." You see, "Slick and Sly" were brothers. In fact, they were twins. .... and boy, did they think they were slick and sly!

Slick got a wild hair up his butt, and thought they needed a security system on the farm, because the price of cows went up. Sly agreed. So they called up Detective Gadget Shack (dot) com, and ordered one right up. They got the big one. The one that transmits for four miles. That way it would work at both of their homes.

Slick and Sly worked all day setting up their "Gadget." They figured out the frequencies, and they figured out the range. They wanted it to be incognito, so they figured out how to turn the blinking light off, and they figured out how to mount it.

Slick backed up and down the driveway by the barn about eighty-seven times, while Sly stood there with a thumbs up and egged him on. .... and lo and behold, their nifty little gadget worked every time.

So with a smug look on his face, Slick took the receiver home and plugged it into the wall. Slick was so very proud of himself. That was one problem solved. Slick decided that he was one-very-cool-super-sleuth! Sly, on the other hand, was so very happy that Slick took the receiver to his house. Sly wouldn't be the one getting up at night to go catch a thief.

All was well on the farm, and all was right in the world that day, and Slick and Sly felt safer. No one was going to steal their cows! Slick and Sly would be "Johnny-on-the-spot" if someone drove into their barn at night.

Evening came, and Mrs. Slick came home from work. Alone. For Slick had gone to Sly's house to pick up the kids. Mrs. Sly was keeping them for a little bit while Mrs. Slick was at work. Mrs. Slick decided to do a little bit of computer work (blogging) while she was alone.

When suddenly, a voice came booming from the upstairs. "Alert on unit-one! Alert on unit-one! Alert on unit-one!" Very loudly it announced a predator. Mrs. Slick excitedly called Slick and said to him, "Oh Slick .... it works! Do you want me to drive over to the barn and see if someone is there?" Slick told her, "Yes! ... and hurry! You can get there faster than me." So Mrs. Slick ran out the door and jumped in her car, and sped off down the gravel road as fast as she could go. When she got to the barn, nothing was there. So, Mrs. Slick slowly drove home and enjoyed the Rabbits jumping across the road and watched the Deer frolic in the headlights.

Mrs. Slick sat back down at her beloved computer and started to surf. When suddenly, a voice came booming again. "Alert on unit-one! Alert on unit-one! Alert on unit-one!" Up she jumped, grabbed her phone and ran out the door again. This time, throwing gravel, she spun out on two wheels and flew down the road. Out of breath, she called Slick, and told him, "I'm on my way! It did it again!" .... and Slick and Sly were smug.

Mrs. Slick again drove home in silence. She watched a cat pounce across the yard at the farm, and she watched the Rabbit jump across the road, and the Deer were still frolicking in the field by the barn. ... and she thought, and she thought some more. .... and she smiled.

So Mrs. Slick sat back down at her beloved computer and started to surf again. When, again the voice boomed from upstairs, "Alert on unit-one! Alert on unit-one! Alert on unit-one!" "Stupid gadget" she muttered, and she kept right on surfing. Every fifteen seconds (because that is the reset time) it boomed at her!

Slick finally arrived home with their children, and they put them to bed. ... and the "gadget" continued to alert them of a thief. Slick decided to drive over to the barn and look around. No one was there, so he slowly drove home. The neighbors dog chased him down the road, while a cat pounced in the yard and the rabbit jumped across the road while the deer frolicked in the field. .... and Slick didn't feel so slick anymore.

But Mrs. Slick had a great idea, and tried to cheer up Slick. One that wouldn't cost three hundred dollars. She told Slick to take two bricks, non-speaking bricks would be best, and tie each end of a string to a brick and lay it across the driveway going to the barn, and if a vehicle drove in, the rope would surely sink into the mud. .... and he would know if someone had been there, then he could decide what action to take. Then she proudly walked up the stairs and unplugged the gadget from the wall. .... and Slick and Sly weren't feeling so slick and sly now were they?

.... and the Coyote howled while the neighbor's dog chased the car, and the cat pounced in the yard, while the rabbit jumped across the road and the deer frolicked in the field, and the cows played in the barn. That sure was a sensitive little gadget!

Be Blessed my People.

One more tidbit about Slick and Sly, and the Gadget Shack .... they duct taped the transmitter to a post, and when Mrs. Slick drove in to check things out ... it reflected like the moon on fire. She thinks tonight when all is quiet, and Slick and Sly are each in their beds asleep, she'll quietly steal over to the barn and hang a sign duct taped to the post, that says, "Gadget for Sale."

Triple Trouble

No words are necessary .... they're just plain downright cute! What do you think? Come on ... feed my ego!

White Chocolate Raspberry Creme Lipstick ... Anyone?

Night before last, Meg found a Christmas present that I hadn't given her yet. Well, actually I've been hiding it from her ... and probably would have forever, if she hadn't found it. ... and find it good, she did. A big double sided "Dazzle Dream Make-up Case" ... full to the brim!~
Of course, she couldn't dive into it all alone ... so I let them all sit on top of the dining room table and put their "lipstick" on. They were loving it. Meg barked out orders to the boys, on how to apply lipstick correctly. They didn't listen though. They were too busy digging their fingers into the little containers and smelling it. I'm thinking that "the more they use now, the sooner it will all be gone!" Plus, if they're sitting on the table, they can't get it on anything except themselves.Meg actually rubbed half of that tube of lipstick/gloss/chap-stuff/wax/pink-stuff on her lips. All at one time. Back and forth 33,478 times. I counted every time she slid it across her lips. The entire time she stared at me and puckered them babies up!
Sam was eating his, as much as he was rubbing it all over his face. He's just not feminine enough to apply it correctly. He has no idea ... only that it smells good. He does have a good pucker though. ... and he is cute!

Jay, on the other hand only used a tiny little bitty speck of lipstick. He likes to save things. For later. Like hide it in his sock, to keep it later after everyone else is finished with whatever they had, and he can bring it out and tease them with it. He does this. He hides his bubble-gum in his sock too.

Final shot. ... and she's telling me to put the camera down and hide her lipstick from the boys. It's a girl thing she says .... and they're only boys!

Be Blessed Everyone!

The Babe is Home

He is home. I spent the entire afternoon, evening and into the night visiting this little guy. I fed him, bathed him, changed him and photographed him. I love this picture the best.

My daughter Juli met me at Amy and Josh's, to gift Amy, with a total cleaning and reorganization of her entire house. Room by room we cleaned, organized and revamped. She was ecstatic. It was a fun day, and as tired as I was by the time I came home ... I just felt so good.

The highlight of all this was putting the finishing touches on Carter's room. His room is "classic pooh" and painted in Khaki and Sage. We decorated the walls and went through all the tiny little preemie clothes and baby things. We "toted" up by size, and arranged everything for her, so that all she has to do is take down one tote a time. Completely organized ... in a very pretty nursery for a very precious baby named Carter Joe.

I had saved everything from my babies in case another Grandchild came along .... and Carter happened to be the winner! As Juli said, "Wow Mom! Carter scored!"

Luke, who is three, was loving his baby brother being home. As was Buddy ... the dog. He "slept" on guard at the feet of whoever held Carter.

Then, during his 7:00PM feeding ... Juli was holding him and giving him his bottle, and he suddenly stopped breathing. I noticed the odd look on Juli's face from across the room as she was watching him. She calmly said, "Mom, is he okay?" I ran over there and took him from her. He was completely apneic. Not breathing. It's funny, it doesn't matter how long you've been a Nurse, or how much experience you have ... when something like this happens, and especially to your own child, you forget everything you know for a split second. I never thought I'd have to resuscitate my own grandchild. Just as I was about to start giving him breaths, he sputtered and started breathing again.

Of course, I called the Neonatologist in the NICU he had just come from. He felt sure that it was an isolated event due to gulping too much too fast and gave instructions to watch him for a couple more feedings, and keep him upright for about thirty minutes after each feeding. Or if he did it again, he would put him back in the hospital for a bit longer. We watched him, and he's perfectly okay. Let's just pray that he doesn't do it again. My heart can't take it.

Whew! Carter is okay. It was very scary ... and I got home in the wee hours of the morning. So today, I'm Mommy again, until the next visit with this little man that I love so much ... and his big brother Luke.

Be Blessed Everyone.

Ice Again

Again, we got pelted by freezing ice balls yesterday, then rain ... and yes, it froze. ... and my internet satellite had ice balls on the antenna and I cried.

This is the second time in a week that we've been slammed with a ice storm. ... and this is the second time in a week that I talked Marlboro Man into climbing onto the roof and pouring hot water on that little antenna that sticks out. The one that was coated with one-half inch of ice.

As he was climbing the ice covered ladder with his little blue bucket of hot water, I had a little bit of a twinge of guilt .... and I almost panicked thinking he might fall off the slick roof. Then I worried that I would have to get my coat and shoes on, and go out into the cold and rescue him. Then I worried that I might bust my butt if I had to go out there. Then I quickly got over it, and patiently waited until he de-iced me.

I did pray for him though. I prayed that he would make it back in one piece and I wouldn't have to go outside in the cold.

Through out all this .... MM only had one request. Well, it really was a threat. He said that if I took his picture while he was on the icy roof doing something that stupid, he wouldn't de-ice me, and I wouldn't have my internet connection for a long long time.

But he didn't say a thing about writing about it!

Be Blessed Everyone.

Boobies

When I picked the littles up from daycare this evening .... we went out to eat. Just me and them, at Main Street, USA. Again. It's our favorite haunt these days. I carry a menu all folded up in my purse, so I can call the order in, and when we walk in .... we're ready to be served. That is of course, after we spit out the wads of bubble-gum that's always in their mouth! Sam was telling Jay a secret in the above picture. Funny thing is, Sam never whispered one word.

Meg stayed home from preschool/daycare today and went with me to Indianapolis. This was a first for her, and let me tell you ... she doesn't tolerate lone travel without her "bro's" one bit. Seven hours round trip in a carseat didn't cut it for her. She has Strep Throat and had not been on antibiotics for 24 hours yet, and couldn't attend school .... so she was stuck with me for the day. When you live way out in the sticks and there isn't anyone to watch your kiddo's ... you do what you have to do. Here Meg is telling Sam a secret .... but unlike Sam, she was talking. Loudly .... and saying way too much!

Let me back up and tell you that when we walked into the restaurant ... the Tecumseh High School basketball team was having dinner there, along with the coaches and a few other parents. Otherwise, the place was packed. ... and it's a small "table to table" place.

The boys had ask Meg if she went to the Doctor today because she went yesterday and didn't go to school then either. Meg has quite the little memory these days! She told them, (and everyone listening since we're the focal point while there) that Mommy took her shirt off and has boobies! Two Boobies.

That perked up the ears of the little Main Street Cafe, and earned a few snickers from their Kindergarten teacher to-be's Mom and Dad. It also got a belly laugh from the Grandmother of Quadruplets sitting at the next table that are the same age as my littles.

Meg looks quite proud doesn't she, in the above picture.

Then they proceeded to ask more questions about my Boobies, and all the while, telling me that they have Boobies too. Thankfully they didn't show me. Meg again told them that I took my shirt off and the Doctor touched my Boobies and she saw them. Daddy saw them too, she announced. Of course I just kept taking pictures of these cuties and tried to change the subject ... but they don't fall for that! Never.

So while these guys hammed it up and discussed my Boobs with the basketball team, the school staff and the neighborhood, I could only smile and offer them more french fries! .... and take a few more pictures like I was an idiot!

Be Blessed Everyone.

~ One Dollar ~

One Dollar. That is all it takes to make this little girl the happiest person in the world.

I buy her girly scrapbooking paper and stickers at the Dollar Tree and she spends hours and hours sticking the stickers on the paper ... and the whole time, she's telling what a Princess she is, and how much she loves her make-up.

She was hiding from the boys so they couldn't get her stickers. I think Mommy's bed was a good place to be this time. She spreads everything out all over the bed and has so much fun all-by-herself!

What cheap entertainment when you have three, three year olds! One down .... two to go!

Be Blessed Everyone.

Passing it On ~ Wings of Compassion

If you've been reading, you know that a new blogging award flew into circulation Thursday. The Wings of Compassion Award, created by me. Although I created this award with my niece Amanda, aka PhotoChick in mind, there are a few more people I want to pass this award on to. So today I'll start with Rocks in my Dryer. This woman has more Compassion than I've seen in a long time. I'd like to bestow this upon her. Go read what's she's been up to over this last week. It will tear your heart out and change the way you look at life. It will make you so ever grateful for your children and your own life. We are a blessed nation ... and unfortunately there are times we forget that.

First of all, I've been reading Rocks in my dryer for quite a while, and I got a chance to catch up on Mrs. Rocks the other day. She's been on a Compassion mission trip to Uganda, and let me tell you ... that woman is amazing. What else is amazing, is how for the most part, we don't know a thing about the people behind the blogs we read, other than what we read. We come to know their hearts by what they write. This woman, Shannon, at Rocks in my dryer, has a heart. A huge heart with lots of compassion. She opened my eyes about how rich we are as a nation, and mainly how rich we are, in the aspect of health and life in general. We take so much for granted, and what we throw away would make a "world" of difference to other people that we never think about. I wish I knew of a way to give more to the people that she visited. More than prayers and more than thoughts ... they need more. Mrs. Rocks at Rocks in my Dryer has made a profound effect on me. BooMama is right there along with her, so you might want to check out her blog as well. These two ladies rock!

As a nurse, I worked Infectious Disease for a long time. The good majority of our patients were people with HIV/AIDS. But I never saw the effects of HIV/AIDS on children, or in such quantity. I never saw the effects of poverty. The people here in middle average USA live just like we do, and you don't know them from anyone else on the street. I know that in Uganda, a large portion of the Mother's have AIDS as well, and I can't imagine what these children's Mothers are going through watching their sick babies die.

The fear is surreal. Just because these people don't speak our language doesn't mean that they don't have the same feelings, the same intelligence or the same heart strings that we have. I personally know that fear. Several years ago, I was stuck with a contaminated needle used on a AIDS patient. The fear that washes over you is unbelievable. I was pregnant, and due to the prophylactic drugs I had to take ... I was very sick. I lost my baby, but everything turned out well for me, I am HIV NEGATIVE, but for these kids in Uganda it is a life sentence, and for most, a death sentence.

So, to Mrs. Rocks (Shannon), I greatly admire you for your compassion and for your Integrity, Spirit and Faith. For your Hope, Kindness and Good ... today you are my hero. I hope many people are drawn to your blog and read about your journey. I hope we all can find a way to show the Compassion that you have, and find a way to make a difference in the lives of the people, and mainly, the kids in Uganda and other countries that need our help.

Compassion is something that we all need within us. So today, being Sunday, would it be too much to ask of EVERYONE that reads here ... to just take this symbol of Compassion and pass it on. If you have a blog, you can post this on your sidebar. Or, if you know someone with a blog that has touched your heart ... just pass it on.

Be Blessed Everyone!

Tanya

"Don't wake up Tom"

This is sad. I really shouldn't even begin to tell this story. It makes me morbid or "sick" or downright weird ... but, I have to. I have to share this. I have to put this down in writing so that when the littles are all grown up, they'll have this to talk about all of their lives. .... and I know this will become an "inside" joke and they'll laugh, which makes me even more weird.

My Uncle Tom passed away three days ago and the funeral was today. We took the little's with us for lack of a babysiter and the fact that it was in my home town, and I wanted to stay and visit with all my out of town relatives after the funeral.

We went through the receiving line without a hitch. The kids were absolutely perfect, well behaved and looked like classic triplets, all dressed up and on display.

We went a few pews back, sat down and quietly chatted with everyone around us. THEN Jay, who was too short to see into the casket earlier, spotted Uncle Tom up front, laying in his coffin. Jay curiously said, "somebody is up there asleep." Mr. Dairy Wife looked at me and I looked at him and we made a couple of winces and a few silent eye comments to each other, and decided that there was no way to explain to him and make him understand. He's just three years old. So we just said, "kinda like that" and let it go. Jay wouldn't let it go, and he had sparked the interest of Sam and Meg.

Jay, half-standing on his Daddy's lap, pointed to the front of the room and said it again, "Daddy, somebody is asleep in that there bed." This wasn't said quietly either. Sam then scrambled up to get a better look, said, "Who is that Daddy? Is ... he sick?," and Daddy quietly said, "It's just Tom." Meg piped in and said, "He don't feel good?" .... and at this point they erupted into a full blown loud chatter about the bed, who Tom is and how sick he was, and the fact that he was asleep in THAT bed.

After a five minute discussion about Uncle Tom and how he is now in Heaven, and now we have to sit down and be quiet and listen .... Megan very loudly and very sternly, in her high-pitched three year old girly voice, said, "Ja-ayyyy! Be quiet. Don't wake up Tom! He's sleee-epppping!"

Oh, the joys! .... and Oh, the embarrassment. No one actually snickered or commented ... they were too busy laughing. And they laughed some more. And, at the dinner afterward, they continued to laugh. I don't know how many times I heard, "Don't wake up Tom!"

Poor Tom! If only he could have heard. He would have laughed too!

Be Blessed Everyone.



P.S. One more thing, what's your opinion on a husband that is watching the kids while you're getting ready for a funeral, and he sits the "all-ready-to-walk-out-the-door-white-shirted-kids" down at the table to color ... and it's way too quiet, and you have N.E.V.E.R. been able to achieve that, so you know something is just NOT right. Then you walk into the dining room to see what is going on and he's furiously pulling wet wipes out of the container, trying to wipe the black permanent marker off their hands, faces and the table. What's your opinion. I'd really like to know. Do you think he needs another course in "Parenting 1-0-1?" .... or would you just kill him? We'll discuss this in the comments section ... okay?

"You're making him nervous!"

Tonight when I was getting the kids in bed, Sam would not settle down. I "sorta kinda" yelled just a little bit at him to "get back in that bed!" He instantly dropped down in his bed and started to boo-hoo for his Daddy. .... and wail was more like it.

Jay sat up in his bed, looked at me, rolled his eyes, and in his utmost exasperated voice, he said, "Stop talking to my bubby like that .... you're making him nervous!"

Well, excuse me! I thought that was my line. The kid is only three years old and I thought that I was the boss. I just want to know who taught Jay that nervous word!

Oh, he's cute enough that he got away with it. That, and the fact that my jaw is still upstairs on the floor in their room.

Be Blessed Everyone!

Ice

It roared. It cracked. It melted. Go read about it and pray with me!

Wings of Compassion

After sitting here for a few days buried in Ice and Snow, sometimes without electricity and without the Internet .... I doodled. Then I thought. Then I put some thought into my doodle ... and I made a new blogger award. I made this award with one particular person in mind.

Many years ago, long before I started blogging, I met this young girl. She was pretty carefree, with a kind heart and a very sweet nature. She was also just a teenager, and like most teenagers, pretty much into herself. Just like most of us were when we were teenagers. She was just an ordinary kid. Well, maybe she wasn't ordinary, because she was a child of God. She was a Christian and a good kid. Her smile radiated her whole being, and she lit up and let her presence be known. This was a good thing.

She graduated from high school and college and still didn't know what she wanted to do with her life. Sometimes she was a little too "good-hearted" and would do unto strangers more than she should have at times. She took the motto, "give more than you take" to heart and gave lots more than she ever took. She was always there to lend a hand and help, and sometimes she got her heart trampled on. But she always bounced up with a smile on her face.

I've watched her grow over the last few years, and especially in this last year. She married. She became a Mother, and she became "A Heart at Work!" Her heart is truly full these days.

This once girl, has blossomed into a beautiful woman. She is all the words I put onto this award. She is integrity, spirit, faith, hope, kindness and good ... and I love her. I love her because she is family, but mainly I love her because of who she is and what she is doing with her life. She is a tremendous Mother to her child and she is anchoring her marriage tightly. She is now sure of herself and she is beautiful .... inside and out. She is flying high with her "Wings of Compassion" .... and I can say, what I see the most in her .... is happiness.

I'm first giving this award to my niece Amanda. Now she has a blog, and you can visit her here. You can see her smile and read what she writes. I love you Amanda! It's up to you now to pass this on to three bloggers that also fly high with compassion! Send it out into the blogging world and link it back to both you and me.

I'll be passing this on to a few more people, but I wanted Amanda to receive it first. And to anyone else out there, please feel free to take this and spread the Compassion!

Compassion is the ultimate and most meaningful embodiment of emotional maturity. It is through compassion that a person achieves the highest peak and deepest reach in his or her search for self-fulfillment. --Arthur Jersild

Be Blessed Everyone!

A Star is Born

Meet Sam. Super-Star Sam. He's a basketball star. All thirty-five inches and twenty-eight pounds of him. He can slam dunk his "Pooh ball" right along with the best of them. He's got it going on. Notice the hands? Right in sync with the dunk!
He know just how to slam em. He also is a "ball hog." He won't share and makes his team mates cry. But he's talented. He can dribble like a pro!

He's so good, he just rises on his tip toes .... aims and shoots, and it's a two-pointer straight down the middle. Wilt Chamberlain didn't have anything over on Super-Star Sam.
Just like a celebrity .... he stops and poses.

Ball in hand .... he's going to pivot and shoot! Up in the air he goes. He's off the ground and he shoots!
.... and he scores!

Sam's Umple Darrel came over this evening and played basketball with Sam. Umple Darrel was trying to show Sam a few moves ... but Sam already knew them. Umple Darrel has to bring his own Winnie the Pooh ball next time ... cause Sam don't share! Cause he's a Super-Star!

Be Blessed Everyone.

It's My Job

yesterday afternoon when Marlboro Man went to milk his lovely cows, I bundled up the kids and headed off to visit my son Josh. I got about half a mile down the road and I called him and told him I was coming. He wasn't home, and was on his way to the hospital to visit Carter.

As it ended up, I met up with them and loaded Luke into my car and took all four three year old punks to the Mall. By myself. Holding hands, we ventured to the new little play area. I had to be some where they would all be contained ... and this was the perfect place!

They had so much fun running and climbing, so we stayed until we shut the mall down. I had to line up all four kids on the bench and put on all their shoes and coats and keep them all corralled.

Wouldn't you know it ..... Jay had to pee. It was me and them and the Mall restroom with twenty stalls and it was closing time. I peeked into the ladies restroom and no one was in there, so I locked the big door and locked us all in. Brilliant I think! I lined the kids up on the wall and they pee'd one at a time and didn't touch one thing. Just washing their hands took fifteen minutes. They were infatuated with the water turning off and on by itself. The joys of modern technology ... Ha ~

We decided to take the kiddo's out to eat, and instantly Luke turned into a turd. He has a tendency to do that when his Mom and Dad are around. He got as far away from me as he could and said, "Grandma, I don't like you." That would be because Grandma is "zero tolerance" in the minding department.

Then he grinned, and my heart melted, and he acted silly and I kept taking pictures. The whole time ... Sam, Jay and Meg sat there and watched me undo every single thing I've taught them about sitting down and eating and being good in a restaurant.

But that's okay .... because I'm the Grandma, and it's my job to pay back Luke's Daddy.

This kid (Josh, who is Luke's Daddy) said to me .... "Mom, you're nuts. I wouldn't take four kids anywhere. Ever." I think he must be remembering the stunts he pulled twenty-four years ago when he was three years old.

Once when he was little and wouldn't sit still, back in the day when you could beat your kids in public .... we were at Pizza Hut and I threatened him. He purposely fell off his seat onto the floor and started thrashing around and loudly yelling, "Mom ... don't hit me Mom ... oh Mom, please don't hit me." Then he grinned that evil little grin. The same one that Luke has. So it's my job to pay him back.

Be Blessed Everyone.

Tall Tales ...

This morning Sam and Jay were laying on the floor talking to each other. I listened for a little bit, then grabbed my camera. I didn't want them to stop talking, and if they saw me they would have. I snapped these two pictures of these little guys. The story I heard, they won't remember, but I will.

Sam: The cow kick me in the nose.

Jay: In the ... nose? In the ... barn? (in awe)

Sam: In the barn.

Jay: Did you cry? (so sad)

Sam: I have a Boo-Boo.

Jay: On your nose?

Sam: On my nose. The cow kick my nose.

Jay: Did you cry?

Sam: I got a booger in my nose.

Jay: The Cow give you booger in your nose?

Sam: No ..... The cow kick my nose ... in the barn. Whitey did.

Jay: Whitey in the barn? Whitey at the Willis barn.

Sam: No ..... Whitey in our barn Jay.

Jay: I go see.

Sam: No Jay, Whitey kick you in the nose.

Jay: I be careful. (so tough)

Just bits and pieces of imagination. Just bits and pieces of life emerging. Just two brothers that love each other. Just the beginning of Tall Tales ....

Be Blessed Everyone.

Husband for Sale

Yesterday evening we came home to this! A tree laying outside our backdoor. This tree had been coming down branch by branch every time the wind blew. Finally, Mr. Dairy Wife and his other brother Darrel, cut the tree down!

Today, The FarmHouse Kids explored the forest outside their house. They climbed all over the tree and through all the branches. They kept saying that they were climbing a tree! This is exactly what every kid that wants to climb a tree needs .... just have their Daddy cut the tree down for them! It works every time!

Mrs. Dairy Wife informed the Mr. that he has to clean up the forest. He absolutely can not leave that tree there and burn it "one piece at a time." It would take two years .... this was a big tree!

Mrs. Dairy Wife thinks "clean up, clean up!" .... and Mr. Dairy Wife thinks "aw shucks ... it ain't hurtin nuthin! The kids got a new tree house!"

Here's The FarmHouse Kids on top of their new tree house. Sam wasn't too happy to be up so high. These Indiana Redwoods grow big! .... or is that only in California? Oh well, it's the biggest maple they've ever seen three feet outside their backdoor, across the yard and the driveway!

Mr. Dairy Wife also taught them another new activity that only kids on a Dairy Farm can do. They can write their name in the special mud outside the barn with a big stick.

See the Special Mud? It is circled in the picture! We have lots of it here on the farm. It oozes right out of the barn on rainy days. Mr. Dairy Wife thought it was cute that the kids played in it. Mr. Dairy Wife is very weird sometimes. Actually, he is very weird most of the time.

This picture really doesn't have anything to do with Mr. Dairy Wife letting the kids play in Cow Poop .... other than Mrs. Dairy Wife accidently shot this picture when she threw up her hands in disgust and went in the house!

Mrs. Dairy Wife is willingly to sell quart sized containers of Special Mud if anyone wants some? She also is considering selling Mr. Dairy Wife as well ......

Be Blessed Everyone.

Three Cool Dudes!

These are "Very Cool Dudes" ..... because this morning, Jay said so. No more words are necessary!~

How cool do you think they are? They need to know!

Dinner Buddies

Clean Up! Clean Up! That's what this table needs .... right after dinner. You should see the floor! Jay and Sam always want to sit by their Daddy! Sit by their Daddy .... as on top of him and touching.

Every night this is exactly how they eat dinner. Guess who has a hard time eating? I doubt that he'd trade it for the world though. They're his Dinner Buddies!

Meg, on the other hand, is at the other end of the table sitting right on top of me, and touching of course. Those boys aren't going to get one up on her! We're girls .... she says!

Be Blessed Everyone.

Comforting Sam ....

Does this ooze L.O.V.E. ... or what? (click the picture to see it bigger)

This picture makes my heart melt into a million little pieces everytime I look at it. I can't even print it and frame it. It is so out of focus and so pixelated, and so everything bad as far as a image can be .... but it's my favorite. I photoshopped (more like chopped) it to death to even get it this presentable.

This past Sunday morning I set up a background and my nifty little "Alien Bee's" (studio lights) in my living room and stripped the kiddo's down to tee shirts and underwear. I don't know who had the most fun .... them or me!

They rolled around and posed, and hugged each other .... rode their stick horses, turned flips and smiled for me. They forgot that a camera was clicking away, and they had so much fun.

THEN .... Sam purposely hit Jay upside the head with his stick horse, and it was all over. Instantaneous quiet overcame them. Sam sat down on his little green chair, with big tears in his eyes, and his two little comrades comforted him. They always "feed the hand that bites them." That has to be LOVE!

It's so funny how in one split-second, things change around here! Click the picture to see their faces .... and please ignore how bad the image itself is. There are tons more of this session that I have to wade through that are just perfect .... and I can't wait to edit them!

Be Blessed Everyone!



p.s. and to those of you that have missed me posting .... Maybe I haven't ever posted that the end of the month and the first two days are absolutely nuts for me. Reports are due in ... gotta keep that job you know, so I can by a new lenses, a new camera, a new backdrop or two, etc... OH, and pay my cell phone bill so I can talk to some of you!

Late Night Visitors

This woman and her child comes knocking on my door frequently. And frequently, it's late night. This woman is a "night owl" too. Tonight she came ready for some Mommy & Kelcie pictures. Kelcie didn't cooperate as well as we'd have liked her too ..... she's at the stage where she wants to pose and do the "Cheesy Smile" thing.

This late night visitor, my daughter Juli, and I were talking and laughing about an incident that happened this fall. She had come to the city and met up with me for lunch, and to give me Kelcie for about an hour, because she had an Doctor's appointment.

Kelcie and I were going to meet Juli at Kohl's. I got there first, probably about three minutes before Juli, and decided to go on in and wait for her at the door. Juli walked in just a few minutes after I did, and I said to her, "Where's Kelcie?" It took Juli a long few seconds to sort it all out. Then she said, "You have her Mom!" At that moment, I realized I'd left her in the car. Juli and I both ran out to my car, and Kelcie was sound asleep in her carseat.

Juli was even parked next to me and didn't see her either. That was very scary for both of us. When I look back on this .... it's hard to believe that I really did that, and it made me realize that accidents happen this way and it could have been a bad outcome! Months down the road we can chuckle just a little bit ... but from now on, I'm writing myself a note .... that is if Juli ever lets me take her again.

Be Blessed Everyone.

Meet the Ham's

I present to you .... The Ham's! That would be Jay, Meg and Sam Ham! They were hamming it up this evening and wanted their picture taken.

Mommy is always happy to serve, especially when a camera is involved .... or these cute little turkeys!

Be Blessed Everyone.