No excuse, really...

...for not blogging much lately. I have been pretty busy, but I have been slacking over here and I'm really gonna try to do better!

Whether or not anyone else reads my endless run on sentences, I do like to keep a journal of the things that go on here on "the farm" and I haven't done much of that lately!

In my last post I mentioned taking the kids to the circus, well, we did! And we all had a great time! Carter is still talking about it, and still doing some of the "tricks" he witnessed there at the greatest show on earth....so much so that I'm starting to rethink whether or not we should have taken Little Mr Imagination.

Why?

Well, just the other day I was in the bathroom that joins our bedroom and he and Lilah were dancing on our bed like they do all the time when I heard something break. I ran in there only to find that Carter had taken 3 big picture frames off the wall (very quietly) and lined them up in a row across our bed. He then proceeded to walk across them because "Mom, the man walked on glass at the circus!"

Oh,..... well, alrighty then.

Also, he is constantly doing "tricks" from the ottoman to the couch and back again, and since the moment we left the circus parking lot, there is a new requirement that must preceed each and every "performance" of said "tricks". Here it is:

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, childrens of alllllllllll ages, presenting Carter Kyyyyyyyle Piiiiiiiiike.........He can do tricks!!!"

....and after a trick or ninety, I get a little lackluster in my ringmaster skills, and he ain't havin' none of that!

Also, Lilah has a few new skills of her own......

*She talks 97 miles per hour.
*When you call her name she very unpolitely says "WHAT?" (heeelarious!)
*She don't take nothin' off her big brother, and she will bite to prove it! (not so heelarious!)
*she will eat anything and everything, and you know she enjoys it because she says "mmmm"
after every bite.
*she blows fabulous kisses!
*she gives even better real kisses....complete with smoochy sound effects! (so precious)
*she will not wear hairbows, or shoes! I take her shoes to the car with me and put them on when we get where we're going, otherwise I put them on 3 or 4 times per trip!
*She talks the most adorable baby talk to Walker. It goes like this, "jabber jabber jabber, yeah. jabber jabber jabber, oh yeah baby Caulker" (SWEET!)

I'm sure I'm forgetting something....

.....and Walker, well he just smiles and coo's and looks and smells adorable and cushy, and I love that he loves me more than anything or anyone right now. I know this phase will end, but for now, I'm basking in the fact that I am his everything....

So, since I know you've missed seeing them constantly, (unless you're on Facebook, then you're still bombarded regularly!)....I'll leave you with some pics of my little darlin's from this morning...

About time!

Really? It's almost been a month since I posted? It's hard to believe that our little Walker is a month old already! He is such a sweet baby. He only cries at diaper changes or when his sister smacks him with a large bottle of Bath & Body works Vanilla Bean Noel.....and he's beginning to tolerate the diaper changes a little better. The Vanilla Bean Noel, notsomuch. (it's put away, hopefully it was a one time thing!)



Anyway, it's been such a whirlwind month around here! The first couple of weeks the ladies from our church blessed our socks off by bringing food every single night! That was such a wonderful help! It allowed me to rest up and feel human again! I always forget how miserable the end of pregnancy feels until I'm not pregnant anymore. I think it's a God thing! He lets you forget the bad parts so you'll want to have more babies!



Carter is a fabulous big brother. We already knew this, but having another baby has just confirmed for us that he was meant to be a big brother. He has taken it in stride, and never fails to kiss Walker at least 150 times a day.



Lilah is doing good too! She loves "thebaby", and is sure to pick him up at least once a day. Yes, I watch her, but she is a climber and she lies in wait until I turn my back for a second and she can make her move. The good thing is that she only wants to love him, so she is always gentle (as gentle as a 19 month old can possibly be) when she gets her grubby little hands on him.



Kyle is (still) trying to get all the beans harvested, and I have been in full swing with my photography so it's been a little bit of an interesting juggling act the last couple of weeks but it has been fun! Yesterday was the first time I actually left Walker anywhere but at home with Kyle, and it was to photograph a 2 week old baby boy, so I was afraid I might weep and leak and all other things hormonal new moms do.....but I didn't!



I also didn't waste any time getting back to my parents house to pick them up!



I have to wrap this up, but first I have to tell you that Carter is going to be "performing" with the children at church in the Christmas program. Kyle has taken him to all the practices so I haven't seen it, but he sits at the piano to "practice" and sings words that I'm pretty sure would not be part of any religious Christmas song, and shows me dance moves that are a mixture of Toby Keith and MC Hammer, so I'm really looking forward to this performance.



........and I really hope that after the "performance" our family isn't asked to move to another church. :)



I'm looking so forward to Christmas this year! Our little ones are at such fun ages! This is the newest pics of the grandbabies on my side of the family.....don't you think it's going to be fun?!



...and loud?! haha!

No Whining Allowed.

I'm fast becoming a slow blogger. I'm enjoying the quick status updates available on Facebook and neglecting my blogger buddies. I like FB. It's quick, I can check on friends and family quickly and then get on with my day and off my computer. It's working for me right now. But! I read over my last couple of status updates and cringed a little. They sounded.......whiny.

I don't like whiny.

At all.

I especially have a low tolerance for it when it's me who's sounding whiny!

SO! I thought I'd give a super wordy detailed update while trying to be as un-whiny as possible. :)

I don't sleep much at all while I'm pregnant. The whole time. I don't know why, I just keep telling myself it's getting my body prepared for the sleepless nights of round the clock nursing that are just around the corner. I think that mentality keeps me from stabbing my husband as he snores through every single night of the postpardum party. (is it just me or did that sound hormonal?)

I am also experiencing some of the same "issues" with this pregnancy as I did with my other two. Lots of swelling and my bp is rising. Which with the other 2 pregnancies wasn't a huge deal since it basically didn't get too bad until 38 weeks so Dr H just delivered the baby.


This time it's happening earlier. I'm between 34 & 35 weeks now and yesterday when I went for my appt my BP was 150/100. (which I'm pretty sure is a record for me...at least the bottom number) anyway, we spent last Monday night on the Labor & Delivery floor because I had another symptom that I've had before...but never as bad as that night. I was seeing lots of spots and had zero peripheral vision. That was scary. Thank goodness I don't have full blown pre-eclampsia yet, but it's looking like things are headed that way. (fyi... full blown preeclampsia requires immediate delivery)

So. Dr H reviewed my test results from Monday night, and from yesterday and decided to try putting me on medication for my blood pressure and putting me on bedrest. He doesn't want to mess around with my health but also doesn't want to deliver the baby this early until he's tried his best not to. I don't want that either. I just keep thinking NICU NICU NICU...ugh! I don't want that! (even though I know that realistically baby may not have to go to icu at this point) I'm already a little freaked about having a baby right smack in the middle of flu season.

He wants me back on Monday morning and if my BP isn't better, he said we may talk delivery.

Gulp.

I think my BP is better today. I haven't checked it yet, but I know for sure it wasn't better after my appt yesterday. I'm also pretty sure I was not my usual sunny self, and may have been a tad over the edge and possibly even grumpy. Possibly. I may have even gotten a smidge upset with my husband a time or twenty.

But at least I didn't whine.

lol.

So I'm laying low for the weekend. I had a full day of fall portraits lined up for today, and had to cancel them when the "bedrest" word came up. It's raining though, so I don't feel too horrible about that anymore. I kept my babysitting arrangements so I could rest and Kyle has mysteriously disappeared (I can't imagine why after the hormonal explosions of yesterday:) so it's just me, HGTV, my laptop, & photoshop. At least when my puffy little fingers will cooperate.

How's that for non whiny?


p.s...the 4d ultrasound at the top is a picture of our little bundle of joy! Wanna place a guess?

Harper or Walker?

Because I'm generous like that.....

In honor of the fact that it is cooohold (and windy and wet) here today....and the fact that I am very close to coveting a large steaming mug (or 5) of this myself today. I thought I'd share my fabulous recipe for Better Than Starbucks Caramel Apple Cider.

Here ya go!

Caramel Apple Cider


¼ c heavy cream
¼ c brown sugar
3c apple cider (get the good fresh kind if you can…it makes a difference!)
½ c water

Combine cream & sugar in saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add cider and water and raise
Heat to medium high. Heat only until cider starts to steam. Stir almost continually.

Whipped Topping:
½ c heavy cream
1 tbsp brown sugar

Chill bowl & beaters. Whip cream & brown sugar until soft peaks form.

Drizzle with caramel syrup.


**Quadruple this recipe for a large crock pot full**

Send your outpouring of thanks and undying appreciation to:
Deedra Pike

(OH YES!! It’s THAT GOOD!)

You're Welcome.


p.s....if anyone local is going to Crow Mtn...(or sees it at a roadside stand) please bring me some cider! (seriously!)

Fabulous Fall

I love fall, don't you? I love it when the leaves start changing. I love it when the corn gets picked, and the pumpkins are ready to be harvested. LOVE it! It probably helps that I love all things "comfort food". The first day it was remotely cool & rainy I jumped at the opportunity to make Loaded Potato Soup. Yum! I've also made Taco soup, and rest assured as soon as I make it to the grocery store again, there will be homemade chili in my crock pot!

This fall in particular I'm loving the cooler temperatures. I have never been pregnant during the heat of late summer before and I must admit I herded my little ones outside many mornings super early so we could get in our outside time before it got too hot for mom. We are all loving the weather so much we can rarely be found indoors during the daytime now.

A few days ago I was even inspired enough to attempt flying a kite with them on a particularly windy day. If this baby decides to hang out in utero longer than I like, I might try that one again. I seriously thought I would give birth right in the front yard after that little bit of fun.

I forgot how much (ahem) running was involved in flying a kite.

I'll pause now while you experience the full visual of that moment..................



As for what's going on around here, I'm staying pretty busy with my photography. The first round of Fall Portraits is this Saturday.....and I'm SUPER excited about that! Then I have a few appts scattered through next week and another round next Saturday, then a few here and there up until delivery. I have lots of ideas that I can't wait to use over the next few weeks. God is really blessing us with this new venture!


Baby is doing great, rolling and moving. I'm going to the Dr every 2 weeks now and probably after this Friday's appt every week. This Friday I have a 4D ultrasound scheduled so I'm hoping he/she will cooperate and we can get a good face shot! I have good ones of both Carter & Lilah and will treasure them always!


On a side note, since Kyle was laid off in May I have dealt more with insurance than I care to and learned something that didn't shock me, but did further convince me of the awesomeness of my OB. I hear a lot of people say their insurance doesn't pay for ultrasounds, or only pays for 2, or won't pay for 4D ultrasounds. Get this. My Dr does an US at every single visit throughout the entire pregnancy, but they only bill for 2.....and! if your insurance doesn't cover those, they don't bill for any of them!! How is that for fabulous care??!


So, in honor of the rain I can hear hitting the windows now (which has been hanging around here alot lately, but who can let a little rain keep them indoors?), I'll leave you with some of my latest fav pics of my little ones. I so love them and have them ordered to hang in the playroom which is super colorful.

Follow The Leader....

I saw this church sign today.

.....and it was possibly the most powerful one I've ever saw. Definitely worth an entire post all by itself.

It said:

"You're leading someone. You're either leading them to Heaven or to Hell."


wow.

She Blogs!

Where to begin? I haven't really intended to neglect my blog (or yours), but it seems as of late that we are busier than ever and every spare minute has been spent lounging in the hot tub (yes..hot tub, set at 104 degrees....safe for a pregnant woman for 15 mins or so) nursing my back, legs, and ever present sciatic nerve. Ahhhhhh!

Also, in our teeny little town, football season has begun. Now, I'll be the very first to admit that neither my husband or myself are huge football fans when it comes to the college level or above. During the weekly Alabama/Auburn games we are likely to be found sound asleep on the couch, playing outside with the kids, or completely oblivious to what time the game actually begins or what channel it comes on, or like this last weekend, at the Bull Bash (bull riding rodeo type event) just down the road. Which by the way, was SUCH fun!! Anyway, we're just not that into football.

Unless, it's high school. These kids work so hard and pour their hearts into the game....every week, with little to no recognition. In our almost 13 years of marriage (and before) we haven't missed many games. In the beginning we went to watch his younger friends who still played, then to watch the kids from church play. I fell in love with these kids all over again when they'd exit the field house just after the game to see who'd come to watch them play. Kyle & I worked with the youth during this time and I always left sticky after sweaty football player hugs from our boys.

THAT is love people.

We don't work as closely with the youth these days, you know, since we are birthing our own personal youth group and all, but we do still love on them every chance we get.....and in this town, football is the language of love. (which is fine by me...too much gushy mushy love mess, and I get all kinds of uncomfortable.)

Our boys have started this season off with a bang! After so many heartbreaking seasons they are 2 & 0. The first time since 2001 this has happened, I asked the coach. Also after the first week's game, our team won Team of the Week from THE radio station of high school football (first time since '96..I looked on the station's website), and one of the players won Player of the Week from the same station. All of this excitement was celebrated with a massive pep rally last week on the football field with at LEAST half the town in attendance. (yes, I went...ahem..my kids were dying to go:) While all this in itself is a huge deal around here, as I was gushing and mushing Saturday about how great they were doing and how proud I was of them, the coach's reply to me was humbly simple, "I just want to give everyone something to be proud of."

Isn't that the kind of coach you want to have influencing your kids? Wow.

So! Tonight is a whole new ballgame. We play THE most dominant team in our area. They have dominated for as long as I can remember. Win or loose, our town is alive with hope and determination and our football teams are too, all of them! From the pee wee, to JV, to the varsity.....anyone have a movie camera? I feel a blockbuster coming on!

So, I'm off to charge my camera batteries and find Carter's official "game day jersey" (A big thank you to his big cousin Matthew for that!), but first I'll be starting my day off in the hot tub....I know I'll need it!

I'll leave you with some pics from the past couple of weeks events.....

Charging onto the field for the first game!

Team of the week!

Hayden T with an awesome interception during the JV game!!

My nephew Matthew charging the opponent in the 11-12 game!! (#98)

Can't wait until tonight!! Go Team!!!

Morning Visitors

Almost daily we have spotted this pair in the hay field beside our house, but I've never managed to get a picture of the baby until today, at least not one where you can actually tell what it is....spots and all! These are through a dirty upstairs window ( I was afraid to open it on the chance they might hear me and run away) Carter squeals with delight every time he sees them! The first place he goes when he wakes up is to the window to see if our morning visitors are making an appearance.

Public Service Announcement

Is your house always in need of a good cleaning? Do you have one or more children/husband/friend/pet/etc making a mess in your home? Do you mop every single day? (me either, but I totally could and still have a barely clean house) Well, if you answered yes, no, or maybe to any of these questions then have I got a deal for you!

I'm starting my very own cleaning service!

LOL! Yeah right!

No really, I found this SUPER DUPER relatively inexpensive cleaning machine! Let me start by saying I am a total Oreck fan. Let me also say that this love affair with all things Oreck started back when I had a real live job that deposited real live money into my bank account on a bi-weekly basis. Oh, and my husband had one too...(job, that is) lol. Anyway, all that to say that our budget no longer allows for trips to the Oreck store. I don't even buy their cleaner for my floor machine...I use a lovely mixture of vinegar & water (which by the way works perfectly and is SO cheap!)

However, during the last 3+ years in which I have been mostly pregnant, recovering from a C section, &/or toting a newborn, I have desired a more lightweight alternative to cleaning my floors (at least on a daily basis...the floor machine still comes out every other week or so, and the vaccum is still pretty much a daily thing).

I tried the Swiffer mop... blah.

I tried the plain old mop with the soapy wood cleaner. ..blah (and kinda stinky)

I tried the Shark Steam mop. Closer to what I wanted, but not my dream machine.

......and then, then the mail lady delivered the answer to my cleaning prayers. An Oreck mailer complete with a sale and a promise of a free product. I half heartedly flipped through the pages until I laid my tired eyes on THIS little tidbit of cleaning heaven.

AND it was on SALE for $149.99...AND I had a coupon for $20 off THAT!

Let me introduce you to the Oreck Steam-It. It's a steam mop and oh so much more!! I believe they call it the all purpose steamwand. It not only steams your hardwood, tile, vinyl, ect floors. It also steam cleans your rugs, carpets, upholstery, drapes, mattresses, pillows, countertops, sinks, toilets, stove,crown moldings, ceiling fans, and WINDOWS ......with water!!!!


I figured that by the time I did all that during my (hopefully) upcoming nesting phase, this little dream machine would pay for itself in cleaning supplies alone in no time flat!

I kid you not the first time I used it, I cleaned while wearing a very large, possibly even beaming, smile on my face.... I know, right?

Run, don't walk to your nearest Oreck store...don't order it online, you don't get the salesperson who will actually demo it and answer any questions you might have should you do that. (This from the queen of online shopping).

Now, I really must go. I must get my proposal sent in for Oreck's newest ad campaign. I have a couple of ideas for them, actually.

One: Fab pregnant lady wearing her Sunday best and stilettos with a 16 month old on her hip and a 3 yr old on her heels smiling while cleaning her already spotless house with the Oreck dream machine.

Two: Haggard pregnant lady sitting on the couch with her feet propped up while 3 yr old uses the Oreck dream machine and 16 month old totes the cord and refills the water.

Either way, I'm a shoo in!

Carter says......

"Mom, give me a lot of chicken, I need to grow so I can drive the combine."

"When I get big, I'm gonna drive that rocket.......and Daddy's gonna go with me" (while driving past the Space and Rocket Center Saturday)

"Lilah, I'm your big brother and that means I'm the boss...and I'm gonna keep you safe."


While his dad was lying exhausted on the couch, Carter stood on top of his knees and said, " I'M THE KING OF THE MOUNTAIN!!!!!"


"Mom, I am not going to sit in Santa's lap this year.....I might kick him and tell him I don't want his stupin (stupid) presents."



Carter to my baby bump, "Hi baby! It's your brother, Carter! I've got a question for you! Would you shut up?!"


Carter put his straw to his belly button and informed me he was giving the baby in his belly a drink. Then he proceeded to tell me that growing a baby "sure is hard work".


"Thank you God for sending the rain to water the cows, the corn and to wash Mom's car"


While laying on the couch watching TV with his dad, a ZQuiet (anti snore device) commercial came on, Carter says, "Dad, you should get one of those. Then you wouldn't wake us up with your real loud snoring."


Again to the baby bump, It's your brother, Carter, your name is going to be Roadgrader and when you come out I am going to spit on you!" Nice, Carter.


Each time his dad is leaving the house, Carter runs to the door and kisses him bye. Then he says (everytime) ....."Bye Daddy! I love you! Don't run over any trees, or old coyotes....and don't back into the pond."


"Mom, I don't want you to go to the hospital to let the Dr cut the baby out. (He vividly remembers being away from me for the majority of 2 days when I had Lilah) I'll just cut it out for you with Papa's knife."

*On a side note, we no longer watch the Discovery Health Channel, and mom sleeps with one eye open. :)*

**Carter is currently 3 years and 2 months old**

Got Plans?

So, what are you doing today? The C Fire Department is hosting a Carnival at East Brow Baptist Church on HWY 75 from 12-5 CST today! Please come out and support them!

There will be firetrucks.......

There will be food & drinks......

There will be pony rides.......




There will also be auctions where lots of great things will be auctioned off. Carnival-style games including but not limited to a Dunking Booth.......and much much more!



This little fireman will most certainly be making an appearance......

.....and so will his dad. Please come out and support the Fire Department today. They work so very hard for our community. Some of them have worked very hard to get this carnival together and I am praying for a huge turnout!

Hope to see you there!!

A Fun Saturday.....

....and some fun new toys!

My sister, Crystal, and brother in law, Chris, who live an hour and a half away, invited their nieces and nephews and their parents to spend Saturday with them. Their place is the perfect place to meet up since my brother, Heath, and sister in law, Aimee, live 2.5 hours from here but only 1 hour from my sister.

The only things hampering the fun was sister Dana and her family couldn't come, and Heath had to work.

The kids had a blast! Maggie & Lilah cracked me up all day long. They are the only girls in the bunch and I just know they are going to be bff's!

Also, Crystal sent me home with some new photography toys which I can not wait to play with! One of which requires a baby, and I just happen to know some one who will be producing one of those in a month or three....:)

...AND! I just got these new toys for the blog pics and am still tinkering with them but I am in love already! (Note: I am still tinkering, so some of the pics look a little wonky)

I hope everyone had a great weekend....but now it's Monday, and well, my house is to the point of getting on my nerves, so I. MUST. CLEAN.

Don't forget to pray for Stellan, I have been getting twitter updates from Mckmama through the night and he isn't doing well. I feel like I know them personally.

I have followed this family since MckMama was 23 weeks pregnant, which is exactly what I am right now. I held my breath at my appointment last Wednesday when Dr. H was doing the ultrasound exam of the heart and organs, and couldn't help but think about this family and this miracle baby as I lay there watching the screen. All was well and I am so thankful, but I also know the heartbreak that ultrasound machine can bring and have a serious love/hate relationship with it.

Have ya'll ever noticed I ramble?



Ugh!



You might start thinking EVERY post is a rambling dream post.......maybe you already did!

Also, if you haven't yet OD'd on pictures of cute kids, check out my first ever photo blog post HERE. I maxed out my flickr account in about a week so I decided to start showing pic previews here instead!

Friday Night Adventure.....

So we were on the boat. Matthew (11) was driving (it's okay though 'cause Aaron J was instructing him), and Rachel (9) kept singing "Row Row Row your Boat"....except the words were all wrong. It was a delightful mixture of Row your Boat & Johnny Be Good.

Anyway, Carter was loving his first kneeboarding experience and Lilah couldn't get enough of the tube. There must have been 15 or so people on the boat. Whose boat was it anyway? Glenn's maybe? Oh well, as long as there's gas, who cares, right? Kenny L was working the ski's.....which is incredible since he just had surgery on his foot. Maury just totally showed up the young guys...

On the way home we stopped at the BBQ place to eat. Carter pee'd in the floor many times.. Kyle kept getting on to him. I just kept laughing and laughing. Lilah thought it was a hoot. How did we get the boat to the BBQ place? Does anybody have a mop? Where's that Mtn Dew bottle? Lisa said that works well.

Oh look the rodeo is across the road this weekend.
Carter rode Lilah on the ponies.

How are we going to get the boat up the mountain?

When we got home, the snake was out. Good thing we drained it's poison, cause he's rubbing up against Carter's legs, kitten style.

Stupid snake.

Why does yahoo always make you sign in with your name + @yahoo.com. Don't they know you're @yahoo.com if you're signing in to @yahoo.com?

Stupid yahoo.

Hey look, there's the Imagination Movers!

"Jump up! Stand down! Turn around turn around turn around turn around! We're something something and we're having fun!"

Where is my camera?

Carter wants a trumbone. Did somebody tell Santa?

Who's knee is in my back?

What?

Is this for real?

Who's snoring?



Pregnancy dreams + Benadryl= one wild night.

Summer Days....

I'll apologize in advance for the weak contents of this post (as if you expect anything more here...lol) but VBS started this morning at church then we left there and headed for Dr Jeanie's office where both kids had a checkup. All is well, and we found out that Carter's beloved Dr Jeanie is expecting a baby herself (her first) and is due about a week before I am.

Carter did NOT take this news well.

He apparently believes that Dr Jeanie's sun rises and sets around a certain brown eyed little boy and refuses to believe that the other kids we see streaming in and out of the office could possibly be loved by her as much as he is. I'm not sure what he thinks she does between his visits.

He did not like the idea of a baby actually living at her house!

Anyway, It's been a really long day. It started somewhere in the neighborhood of 2AMish with morning sickness. I'm not complaining...just saying. I. AM. TIRED. I believe it will be an early night around here tonight.

I hope!

Oh, and before my Esther study peeps go thinking I am a total and complete slacker in the attendance department, Deb, who ranks super high on my awesomeness list, seriously hooked me up in the DVD department....BUT! I miss ya'll, so I hope to make it next week!

Either way, I know you all understand. After all, didn't someone with really fab hair once say, "It's Tough being a woman?"

Now I'll leave you with some examples of what could be helping with my "tiredness" factor....

He rigged this all by himself. The water hose balanced on my floor mat (I was cleaning out my vehicle)

...and then he cleaned his vehicle.

...Carter and Mom had to clean up Lilah's mess

Not again! Who keeps leaving the child locks off??
Probably the same one who handed her his drink to hold (and drink insane amounts of sugar and red dye!) while he worked on his waterhose/floormat masterpiece!

So.....

..... it's not that I don't like blogging anymore.

It's not even that I don't really have time to blog much lately.

It's not that I've been especially busy...

Or hosting (and getting ready for)a Memorial Day weekend/Non-Birthday/Charity cookout for Carter (& Lilah) and a host of his "super duper friends" (and ours).....

It's just......


Well, I'm just tired. In fact, these pictures of Lilah from after the cookout last night pretty much sum up my energy level lately......






(and just in case you're wondering, yes she is wearing Carter's old monster truck pj's. She only has about 2 pair of girly ones and they were both in the hamper. Who says girls can't love monster trucks, anyway?)

....so! Hope that explains my absence from this part of "The Farm" somewhat. I do go back to the Dr this Wednesday, so if you would please send up a prayer on our behalf. My level of nervousness always starts to climb in the days before Dr visits.


p.s.....Our Memorial Day/Non-Birthday/Charity cookout to benefit the Eric Crow Memorial Children's Christmas Fund at the church raised $325.00!! How fabulous is that??!! You guys are seriously awesome!! My kids didn't miss getting a ton of presents, in fact never even thought about it! Just enjoyed playing with their friends........and other kids WILL get presents for Christmas!

I'm totally thinking this is gonna be a tradition at our house!

Blue Suede Tractor?

Check out this article from today's Times Journal.
It happens to be about one of my favorite people and favorite 4 wheeler ridin' buddies. I can't tell you the number of things I've seen this guy work on, ....and fix. Even as a kid! If he didn't have the right parts, you can always count on him riggin' something up in a most entertaining fashion.

This also happens to include his fireworks displays and I can personally attest to the fact that Aaron, my car, and myself were very nearly almost blown up in a failed attempt at a massive fireworks display. This of course was based on my limited understanding of exactly WHAT he/we was about to attempt and exactly WHY the manufacturers packaging states that you NEVER place more than one "bomb thingy" into the "launcher thingy" at a time......and if you do put say, THREE bomb thingys into the launcher thingy, then you should most certainly put more gravels around the bottom than I did....otherwise, it WILL fall over, and it WILL shoot directly at you, and your gas filled vehicle.....on the GROUND.

I am so proud of Aaron! He graduated this past week and is beginning what I'm sure will be a very successful career. With all that said, I am very confident that Mr Presley's tractor was in most capable hands....and have no doubt that the project began with these famous words.

"Okay, now what we're gonna do is........"


"---- native Aaron Jolley recently saw the ghost of Elvis in a round-about way.

Jolley is a student at Northwest Mississippi Community College in Senatobia, Miss. and is part of the agricultural technology John Deere tech program.

Jolley and three other students in the program worked for about a month restoring a 1963-model John Deere tractor.

Jolley and the other students are part of a “special project” class and are required to work hands-on with broken equipment so they learn how to deal with a variety of problems that tractors can have.

They do one of the projects every year.

The tractor was used at Elvis Presley’s Circle G Ranch in DeSoto County and Graceland for many years.

The students and instructor, Shane Louwerens, worked on the project for nearly 400 hours.

Louwerens knew what was so special about the tractor but for security reasons couldn’t let the students in on the secret.

It wasn’t until the tractor was complete that the students found out how special it was.

Louwerens, himself, was surprised when he found out the tractor belonged to Elvis.

“I was contacted by corporate representatives from John Deere’s Atlanta brand and asked if I would be interested in preserving an old tractor with the help of students,” Louwerens said. “They came to tour the facility, make sure it was secure and made sure we had the ability to do the job to their specifications. I was baffled when they asked me not to replace any parts unless absolutely necessary, and any parts that were replaced had to be saved, bagged and returned to them.”

It was after Elvis Presley Enterprises approved Northwest for the project that Louwerens was told of the tractor’s special history.

“It was hard to keep it a secret from the guys after a while because they knew that something was up from the beginning,” Louwerens said. “They wanted to know why I was being so tedious and careful with everything.”

Louwerens said the process of restoring the tractor was meticulous.

“The students were required to keep daily journals of any work performed on the tractor and I took photographs of the entire process from the time it arrived on campus until the time it was completed,” Louwerens said.

According to Louwerens, only about 10 pieces of the tractor were replaced.

“Some dents and scratches were left on purpose in order to preserve the tractor’s historical and sentimental value,” Louwerens said.

Once complete, the tractor was moved to a prepared exhibit space on May 8 at the Elvis Presley Auto Museum in Graceland.

The students took a trip to Graceland where they were treated to a VIP tour of Elvis’ mansion and auto museum and were also treated to lunch with employees from the John Deere Corp. "

Run!! Here comes the beef!!

Top 100

"This list of 100 Christian family blogs will provide parenting tips, support and fellowship to those seeking support and friends from other followers of Jesus Christ."

Here is a LINK. This is a great way to make some new friends facing the same challenges you are, or maybe reconnect with some familiar old ones!

I didn't know this list was being compiled, but I'm excited to be included at number 54!

I look forward to checking out some of the other blogs on the list!

I Regretfully Inform You.....

That the Obama Chia has been banned, according to the latest press release from CNN.

SO!

You'll have to find something else for your Father's Day, Graduation, Mother's Day, and Birthday gifts if this was the gift you were planning on presenting to your loved ones this year.

I know my own dad will be devastated. I can only imagine the many uses he would have found for this festive little trinket.

Any Idea?

Update: Yes! He is "Witchin' a Well". His tools for the task? A couple of straightened out wire coat hangers! I've seen this done all my life....even tried it just to see what happens, and it totally works! I don't know if it's gravity or what but those wires totally cross when you walk over water in the ground.

Wonder who in the world came up with that? Bet ya it was a Redneck!

So, do you know what Kyle is trying to do here?

Anyone?

Any guesses?

I will tell you it is a task that has provided much entertainment in the past few days! (for me anyway, I'm not sure how amused he is )