Trying to keep up.

I'm sitting in the car (with my bun warmer on) waiting on Ian. Now that Ryan has his license, idling in the car has been cut in half. This is good news and bad news.


Good: I waste less time and get more accomplished!

Bad: I don't get to slow down as much anymore (EVER!)

I'm not quite sure what has happened lately with me and blogging. I started dreading it. The further I fell behind....the more of a burden it became. I was used to writing three times a week. Now I'm doing well if I write a post a month. Many things have contributed to this. If I ever get the courage to put it into writing....someday, I may share.

For now though....I found a new way to stay in touch.

Its going to take a little getting used to. But it's better than nothing, I suppose?

T-bone hadn't been himself lately. I will spare you his symptoms because they are not proper for a lady to discuss. He's a senior citizen on Rocky Ridge Farm. With age often comes a few medical set-backs. His has come in the form of kidney stones that are sitting on the base of his bladder.
So I get to carefully place 6 mammoth horse pills in a slice of Kraft cheese and lather them in peanut butter.

This is what Gus does the majority of the time. See friends...not much changes around my house. We all do the same things over and over again.

.....and because I got distracted one day while making my bed.

We went to more physical therapy last month than all of my 30+ years combined!
This largish ankle injury was the result of an unwrapped ankle and a basketball.
Dang basketballs! Dang ankles!

Remember when I mentioned o was sitting in the car waiting for Ian. How ironic that I'm at physical therapy with him now. Again...a basketball injury his is a strained calf muscle.

We have caught our pasture on fire while burning trash. That was an interesting day. Thank goodness we have kind neighbors.

I'm decorating for Spring and I recently painted the master bath.

I watched my red-head's Varsity basketball team make it to the Championship District game. They lost....but it sure was a wild ride.

Last...but not least for today...is a picture that makes me so proud! Ladies....you jealous?

36 and Kicking

I turned the big

3 - 6

yesterday.   For the last seven years, I've started getting anxiety about a month before my birthday.   Thoughts run through my head like, "Holy cow, lady, you are old"! 

I managed to make it through the day without an anxiety pill...... or an paper bag to breathe into.  I didn't run to the drugstore for denture cream or a walking cane.  I didn't bite anyone's head off when they said, "happy birthday"!  So........kuddos to me!

The highlight of my day was when a track-hoe showed up to dig our pool at 6:45 a.m..  It would have been an even better moment if I weren't in the kitchen in a t-shirt and underwear.  (in order to put pants on, I had to cross the {glass} front door where the nice man was standing.)  There are always moments like this at the Smith home.  Crazy people running around in their underwear.  For heaven's sake!!!  

Rick bought me a cute little underwater camera for the pool.  Not that any of you care.......

but it's 12.1 megapixels and can be submerged up to 10 feet.  I sure wish that I had it when we went to Jamaica a few months back.  It would have been fun to show you all the underwater creatures that we snorkeled with.  I imagine it will also come in handy at water parks.   

I got to visit with my Grandma and Grandpa, which I love doing.

Then I ate with Rick, Gracie, Ian (Ryan was at football camp) and some of my favorite friends at El Nopal.

I had over 130 Facebook, text and emails wishing me happy birthday..... which swelled my head up so big it nearly popped!

Then I watched Ryan run all around field as the boys begin their 2011 football season.

I'm feeling pretty blessed........(and guilty).  

Blessed for all the family and friends I have.

Guilty for being stressed about the number of years I've sucked in oxygen.

So, two days ago, I was 35.  Today, I'm 36.  I guess that is ok.

Fon Getting Married

It's the month of weddings for us.  

My cousin Fon asked if I would take pictures for her and I gladly accepted.  

I'm so happy for her and I was so glad to see my extended family.  

Nature Walk

I took a nature walk last night.   I thought that I would show you some of my favorite captures.

Summer catch-up

Grace handed me a love note on a dry erase board.  My heart melted, skipped a beat, and then swelled.  I had to capture it on every camera I owned because as we all know, dry erase boards......erase.

We have nearly finished our baseball season.  Only one large tourney left.

It's bittersweet.

That's a lie, it's just bitter!  I could watch Ry play baseball every day of the week.  

Our garden is finally producing edibles.  Banana peppers, onions (red and white), bell peppers, cucumbers, and zucchini.  None of us like zucchini so I'm curious why it's in our garden.  

My flowers are chugging along, no thanks to this Missouri heat wave.  I'm pouring water in the pots twice a day.  Craziness!!!!

This plant managed to survive my "brown" thumb from last year.  It decided to give me another chance. I'm usually not worthy of a plant's forgiveness, but this gem seems to be a little more understanding.

We do manage to grow our fill of weeds.  Early this spring, we had some landscaping done.  Our landscaper is also the freshman basketball coach.....baseball coach......and science teacher.  That is how things work in a small town.  Anyway, we haven't planted anything because........

#1. It's too hot outside.

#2. We need the ground to settle.

#3. I've been particularly lazy as of late.

#4. I've also been a little indecisive..

#5. I'm not fond of the idea of watering anything else at the moment.

Ryan may disown me if he sees this photo.  

I made him help me pick green beans.  

He wasn't too keen on the idea.  

He was in a fowl mood because of it.

He IS a teen.....and I am often his enemy.

The Chicks are Ladies Now

The "chicks" are now "young ladies".  I cannot officially call them "women" until they start earning their keep.  Ya know what I mean (wink wink).

I thought you might like to see some pictures of them before...... and now.

  

 We have lovingly coined them "poopers"  I will spare you our reasoning.

Rick has nesting boxes on his honey-do list.  We are hoping to be in the egg business in a month or two.

Then I will be talking like Bubba in "Forest Gump".

".....hard-boiled egg, egg over easy, scrambled, poached, fried, egg benedict, omelet, hard-boiled, deviled eggs, ........and that's about it".