Family Love

I'm not sure what I'd do without my family.  

They are a huge sense of comfort when I'm down.

They love me when I'm strange.

They love my babies unconditionally.  I say unconditionally because sometimes my babies can be onery!

They make me laugh.

They make my heart swell up because I love them so much!

They eat a crazy amount of food (just like me!)

They do silly things and don't get embarrased about it.

They call and text me every day!

They smoke delicious meat that I cannot keep my fingers out of!

They hug me and say I love you once every hour while we are together.

They are all very nice to look at!

I love you guys!

Ya Mon!

I've been getting texts, emails and phone calls about my sudden lack of posts.

Sorry guys.... I'm still sucking in oxygen.

I've just needed a wee break.  

I've been up to my eye balls in a photography class.  I love learning more about it and I hope that it improves my photo taking skills.

I've been gearing up for a family vacation to Jamacia.  

I've done some research on Jamacian English.  It isn't the same as American English.  

For example:

"Is you cawz de accident" means...... "You are the one that caused the accident."

"How yuh nyam summuch?" means......."How do you eat so much?"

"Mi wud radda yu nuh chat to mi." means...... "I would rather you not talk to me."

"I'm jook mi inna mi yeye." means...... "He poked me in the eye."

"Mi madda sey yuh fi lef mi." means..... "My mother said that you are to leave me alone."

"Dat dawta pretty lakka money." "A fi mi dawta." means.... "That daughter is pretty like money." "Is my daughter."

I imagine that all of the sentences will be said by my clan on our trip.

I will try to do better at keeping up friends and family.

Because you are so sweet to stick it out with me.  I will post EVERY DAY until May 28th.  That is the day we leave for Jamacia.  

Ryan's Has Chicks!

Because we don't have enough mouths to feed at our house.............. we purchased 24 chicks!  

Ryan is in FFA (Future Farmers of America) and needed to have a project.  So, the chicks are "the project".  We bought 24 because that seemed like a nice even number and I was SURE that not all would survive!!!  We haven't lost a single stinkin' chick people.  Since they are all girl chickens, we should have lots and lots and lots of eggs!  So start saving your cartons friends.  

I have been lovingly teasing Ryan about his chicks.  I say, "Ryan, your chicks are cute!......... Ryan, the chicks love you!.......... Ryan, you sure have lots of chicks!".  He thinks I'm a nerd!  He thinks it's not funny.

But I do!!!!!

Christmas 2005

I was working on digitally storing my photos today, when I came across this gem!  

We lived in our first Chillicothe house at that time.  It was Christmas morning and the boys just discovered that Santa came.  He brought a air hockey table that year.  We will never be able to fathom how he got that down the chimney!  

Sweet, Handsome, and Old Mr. T

T-bone is a good ole' boy.  He wouldn't hurt a fly.

He lives for treats........ and scratches behind the ears.

It scares me that he is getting up there in years.  

I notice that he doesn't move as quick (not that he was ever quick).

I notice grey hairs on his muzzle.

I notice that he is sore after laying down for a period of time.

Sniff....... sniff........

As much as I complain about his slobbers, I sure do love this old man.

Busy Life = Crazy Person!

Well, I'm a little behind folks!  I'm crazy, disturbingly, insanely busy (and I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel).  

Ian Michael has finished his track season.  That is something to check off, right?  

Emma Grace is done with soccer (probably for life according to her).  Another thing to check!

School is nearly over..... check!

However, in less than a month, they (meaning Ryan and Ian) will begin weightlifting.  

........ as long as I'm alive, weightlifting will be a strange word to me when it is connected to my children.

Weightlifting is a word for MEN!  

My boys will always be BOYS!

End of story!

Ryan will begin playing baseball with a "semi-local" team.  

Besides my children's very busy schedules, I am starting a 9 week photography class.  Actually, it started this very morning!  I am printing out the materials as I write to you.  

I have high expectations with this class.  The instructor is OVER THE MOON talented!  She is actually in my side bar.  Her name is Karen Russell.  I will use this blog to document my progress and keep you posted.  

So.... so.... so.... excited about this, guys!  

We have been doing a fair amount of home improvement.  I intend to share it with you soon.  

We are beginning to prepare for a family vacation to Jamacia.  I am chomping at the bit for this friends!  Like..... chomping hard enough to bite through a log chain!

I haven't scrapbooked or made a single thing with paper in over a month.  This maybe a record!!!  I want to get into my crafty room, but I'm running to and fro, and cannot make myself take the time to do it.  That is, without a huge heaping of guilt.  I'm to busy to be guilty.  So, I hop in the car and run to the nearest ball field.  That makes me feel better.  

I've been noticing things budding and blooming at Rocky Ridge Farm.  I love Spring!  Everything is new!  New is good!

I would love to find a gallon of these yummy gems!  Two of them are not enough to feed a family of five!  

This photo scares me a little.  This tree is within 100 yards of my back door.  I'm certain it is the home to a critter.  ENOUGH SAID!!!

I hope that you have a wonderful week.
I hope to be more consistent with my blog.
I hope to find more time to be creative.

Doggie Duds

T-bone is a good sport.

He's patient with 9 year old girls who love to play dress-up.

He sucks up every ounce of his integrity.

He is such a good dog.

R & R

I've taken a little hiatis to do this...........................

a little R & R........................................................

a little fun with the fam.........................................

 

.... and now, I'm drowing in laundry!  I'm sitting on metal bleachers again!  Back to reality!  

Youth Turkey Season

Ryan and the hubs went out in the woods on the first morning of turkey youth season.  

This is what they came home with......

A 22 pounder! 

As far as dead turkeys go, it was a beauty!  

I was proud of my men.

Proud that they do this together.

Proud that they WANT to do this together.

Taking photographs of their plunder is a little tradition.  

You know, so our future generations do not doubt the manliness of their heritage.

In 40 years we will have robots shoot our game for us.  So, this is proof that we did it the old fashioned way.  

You know, with scopes, high powered shotguns, replica turkeys, etc..  Roughin' it, of course!

Good job Rhino!

Good job Dad!

Good job Mr. Dead Turkey!

Ian's Confirmation

Last Sunday, Ian joined our church.  After 13 weeks of classes, a weekend confirmation trip and several after church lunches...... he was confirmed.  

I am proud of him, I am proud of his peers.  I have watched them all grow up.  They went to pre-school together, shared recesses and sporting events.  Rick and I have taught them in Sunday School and I have sat with them in youth groups and mission trips.  It's hard to not be proud, right?

This is our youth pastor, Kendra.  She teasingly calls the 7th grade boys, puppies.  If you have ever been around 7th grade boys, you will probably understand her reasoning.  This picture is a prime example!!!

Congratulations Ian Michael!  Congratulations Brett Matthew (on the left), Lane Christopher (in the green and blue) and Kyle Hadley Marion (in the white)!

My Ian Michael,

I love you because............

I can count on you to do what I ask.  You are very responsible.

You are strong as an ox.

You love dogs.

You are bashful.  Really, really bashful!

Your laugh is infectious!  It's impossible to not laugh along with you.

Once you start laughing, it's really hard for you to stop.

You do not pick up snakes, lizards, baby mice or spiders.  As a matter of fact, the further you are from them, the better.  

You are smart as a whip!!!  You read at LEAST one novel a week.  

You thank Dad or I for something at least once every day.  You almost never forget to thank us!  That does not go un-noticed sweetheart.  I cannot tell you how much that means to me.

You tower over all your classmates (and your mother).

You not only LOOK like your Dad, your mannerisms mirror him also.  It is sometimes frightening how much of a clone you are to him.

I love you and I'm so, so proud of you.

The above photos were taken at Ian's very first track meet.  He placed 2nd over all in 7th grade boys shot.  Congrats EEE!

RIP Cocoa..... (finally)

Last Winter Gracie's bunny Cocoa, went to heaven.  She tried to ecsape the less than well-built pen that I made, and......... well........... she didn't escape.  Luckily, big brother was the one to make the discovery and we were able to tell Gracie in a "gentle" way.  That doesn't mean she didn't take it pretty hard.  She still keeps Cocoa's water bowl on her bedroom dresser.  She still talks about Cocoa.  

I am thankful that we still have Cookie the bunny.  However, I must confess..... I've now dread the death of Cook every since.  

This, my friends, will be the last bunny on Rocky Ridge Farm for the following reasons.

#1. My daughter loves having bunnies, but doesn't really like feeding them.

#2. I'm the mean mommy who makes her feed them.

#3. Bunnies do not have long lives.

#4. My little Miss Em. doesn't deal well with sad things (see #3).

#5. I do not deal well when Miss Em. is sad.

So..... this is our little story.....

Cocoa died during one of the coldest periods of Winter 2011.  The ground was froze.  It was BITTER cold.  

We could not bury Cocoa.  

So, I put him/her (We will never truly know the sex of either bunny because 

#1. we are bunny idiots and 

#2. even if the bunnies were boys, Gracie would still insist they are girls.  

Boys were NOT AN OPTION!!) in a large rubber tub.

So, last weekend was especially nice outside.   Gracie gently reminds her mother (that would be me) that we STILL HAVE NOT BURIED COCOA!  

Lord have mercy!

Gracie wanted Cookie to be present at the service.  We locked up the dogs, placed a collar around Cookie's neck and tied her leash to a nearby post.  

So, I dug a hole and buried the bunny.  I need not tell you that this bunny had went to bunny heaven at least THREE MONTHS ago.  It wasn't pretty!  Blah, I'm gagging as I write this.

Cookie was unmoved by the whole situation.  She thought that this seemed like a perfect opportunity to grab some fresh greens.  But nonetheless, she was there, and that is what mattered.

 After Cocoa was placed in the ground, Gracie and I decided that we would say a few words.  I told the story about how Cocoa came to live with us.  It would have been a nice story, except I kept calling Cocoa, Cookie.  Gracie was getting irritated and I felt terrible that I couldn't get my brain to recall the right name.  The more I tried to remember Cocoa's name, the more I failed.  It was not my finest moment.  By the time I was done speaking, I couldn't remember my own name.  

I did redeem myself by letting Gracie pick out a memorial stone to place on the grave.  

Guilt usually produces deep pockets.

I've already begun preparing Gracie for when Cookie leaves us.  As I mentioned above, bunnies do not live long.  Cookie is in bunny years, a very old lady.  

This is somewhat off the subject, but....... isn't Cookie attractive for an old lady?  I must say that she has pickled well!