Things that make you go eeeew...

A friend and I were comparing nasty-fast-food-playground-throw-up stories the other day. She was telling me how her kids presumably caught a stomach bug from a kid who upchucked his McNuggets on top of the slide. I tried to one-up her by telling her about the kid that spewed chocolate milk in the very top airplane of the chick-fil-a playground...

I totally won this... Contest?

Here's the story...Leah and her friend came down to tell me about the chocolate mess, and with only a little hesitation, I gathered up a bunch of napkins and antibacterial wipes and began my assent. Yes... I climbed all the way to farthest reaches of the playground... And into the tiny airplane. I cleaned up the nastiness and made my way back down and rushed to the restroom to disinfect myself.

In the middle of my story, this friend says to me "Why didn't you just tell someone who worked there? There are people who work there who get paid to clean the playground."

Crickets...

That would have been a very good idea.

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Thumb Check 2012

I Corinthians 3:6 I planted the seeds... But God makes them grow. . The garden has been more full of drama than veggies this year. I planted about half the seeds I planted last year to prevent the overcrowding. I also planned to thin the seedlings like I should in order to maximize the size and quality of the fruit. Barely did this last year and my garden looked like an overgrown jungle in a matter of weeks.
But before I could even get a picture this year... something (I blame opossums but lets be honest that's just because I am prejudice) ate almost all of my seedlings. Those little guys burst through the dirt reaching for the sun's nurturing light only to be plucked up and swallowed by a nasty little garden villain. Something ate every green bean, okra and zucchini plant. And they ate my bell peppers and jalepenos. Not once but twice! After they ate all my peppers the first time I replaced the plants thinking surely nothing would eat hot pepper plants twice! Looking back that wasn't a smart move...
I was left with 2 squash plants and a couple of cucumber and melon vines that have yet to bear any fruit.
We were still excited by our first fruits of the year... As pitiful as it seems. This was our first harvest: 1 yellow squash and 2 cherry tomatoes.




But the tomato plants are loving the weather and thriving in their Earth Box again this year. I planted 2 small plants and they began sprawling like crazy.




One day I counted 60+ cherry tomatoes on this plant alone!




The other plant is heirloom and they are delish!




For a few weeks it was frustrating to pick 1 ripe cherry tomato every 2 days. I was lucky to make a side salad by the end of the week. But now we are cooking with gas! Every 2-3 days I pluck about this many fresh tomatoes out of my backyard!




Next year I may just skip everything else and be a tomato farmer!
I have learned a lot about myself because of this garden. Each time I plant or water or pull weeds God reminds me of the work He is doing in my life and in the world around me. Lately he has been planting this deep within me: I make things grow, not you. Don't try to force everything. Don't try to control every one around you. Just do what I have taught you. Just plant. Just water. Just weed. Just wait.

Let it fly in the breeze...

And get caught in the trees.
A nest for birds, a hive for bees.

It was time once again for a haircut. Leah and I both grow a whole lot of tangled hair. Hers was half way down her back this time.

Before:



During:



After:



Haircuts are really all about the lollipops.



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LC quote of the day

Today I had two favorites:

"Mom, have you ever been in jail?"

AND

"Mom, I have been coloring for like 3 and a half hours!"

(By my clock... about 15 minutes)


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A little minnow

Leah's very first swimming lessons! She was in the minnows class... The youngest in her class. We went every day for 2 weeks and she loved all three of her teachers, ms jaclyn, mr josh and mr ethan. She can't wait to start her next session!


Floating on her back was difficult. She doesn't relax very well. Must be from her daddy's genes. Because her mommy looooves to float.


But she does love to pick up rings, kick with the barbell and do the class ending yell!


Probably her favorite thing is getting a poolside snack at the end.











Too cool for swim school.


Pink cheeks from afternoon swimming in June. On the second day she asked me "Mommy, is summer almost over? I am tired of being hot."


And on the last day of swimming we met daddy for dinner and a treat to celebrate her accomplishment.


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Eda-mommy

It's how the lady at Costco pronounced it, so now that's what we call it.



It's one of our favorite snacks. :)



Hooray for soy!

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O perfect love

Leah loves to hop up on the piano bench and "do some entertaining or just sing some praise songs." (Her words... Evidenced by the quotes but I am just saying... Do some entertaining??)

There are daily concerts and almost non-stop singing and songwriting. Reminds me of someone...


I looked closely at the song she is "playing" and thought it quite appropriate that she is working through "O Perfect love."

I love that girl more than I ever thought I could. But there is someone who loves her even more. And even better. Her creator, God Almighty. When I ponder the fact that she is His child, it gives me such peace. He loves her even more than I do and more than I can imagine. He loves her with a perfect love.


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A little haircut (and a memorial post)

My sister knew that Danny the Shearer would be coming trough town in April and she was on the list to have him come by and give her little flock a haircut.  We were surprised to get a call one Tuesday morning that he had had a cancellation and was there at the barn ready for shearing.  Kindly, he waited for Leah and I to get there after BSF so that we could be a part of the event.  As soon as we could we flew out the door (bringing a couple of visitors with us) and headed over to witness this exciting event.  

Wickham was first. Not only she was the woolliest and therefore the hottest, but she is the easiest to wrangle. 



Now that Wickham is all naked she is feeling much more comfy. 



Naked sheep crack me up



Re-establishing trust...





3 down and 1 to go......

And then Danny would have to show Leslie how the Shepherd's crook really works...

There was alot of entertainment that day...

Look at all that fleece!  You have never felt something so soft!

While he was at it he clipped toenails...

And he had his little farmhand help to administer some vaccines and vitamins.

As you can see I was dressed for Bible teaching...
not for farming and shearing. 
But I always keep my barn shoes in the car. 

I just like this picture of my shepherd sister. 

The whole process was quite exciting for Leah...
for the first couple of hours. 

We think this one could dance for the Rockettes. 

Shearing day was a fun one!  Because Cormo sheep (Corriedale/Merino hybrid) are bred for their extra-super-duper wooliness, they will have to be sheared again in late summer so they can survive the crazy, unpredictable Texas weather. 

And on a very sad note... Sir Brandon the mooing sheep with the British accent and the freckle nose passed away in May. He died as a result of a blockage in his urinary tract. Apparently this is a common complication for male sheep, and tragically the symptoms are not obvious until its too late. My sister loves her little babies and, as she always does, she took excellent care of Brandon while he was ailing. She was able to be with him when "he counted his last sheep."  She is still extremely sad about this loss and we are sad for her too. But she knows the Good Shepherd and when she is sad she rests in His comforting arms, trusting in His perfect plan for her.

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LC quote of the day

"Hugs feel so good on me after I cry... and alot of times even before I cry!"


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