Grandpa would be 92 today

   As much as I'm in awe of the fact Grandpa would be 92 today...it's hard to say "would have been". I could say he was the finest man walking this earth but I was blessed with two grandpas of that nature. I could say he was the best grandparent a kiddo could have...but I was blessed with two sets of them.
  Today I have been missing my grandparents a lot. Maybe it's school starting and seeing my own kiddo taking those first steps, maybe it's me being emotional...whatever it is I just miss them a lot today. I'm one of those people that hold onto memories and photos more than I hold onto objects..and today when I felt the tears building up..I thought what a blessed woman I am.
  Some kids come into this world rich, some dirt poor. Me...I came into this world smack dab in the middle...poor enough to know what hand me downs, hauling water, and hash was...but rich enough to always have a roof over my head and some just plain awesome people in my life.
  I could fill a book with memories of growing up. Canning jars turned into lightening bug keepers as my Granny and Grandpa sat on the porch enjoying the evening. Hay fields that became secret mazes as long as you wasn't caught in them ;) Sunday dinners with family, the newspaper and laughs. Sweet tea on the porch after running our legs off after cattle.Dirt pies, corn bin surfing, many a trip taken on our "huge boat" also known as Grandpa R's hay wagon. Grandma R loading us kids up and her painting supplies and heading to the woods for the day. Metal wash tubs for summer baths, kerosene lamp puppet shows when heavy snow knocked the lights out. Butchering, gardening, canning. I could write a recipe book out of the meals my grandmas, Mom and aunts made. Family gathered in rooms so small people would wonder how we all fit. Holidays full of love, laughter, food, family and a gift. Our gifts back then sure wasn't the stuff you see now and we didn't get stockings full of stuff but we did always get an orange (and I continue this with Kaya today...she loves it).
  I have had people in my husband's family tell me it would be wonderful to be born into such a life...and I can't humble myself and say "Oh well now"...because it was and it is. They say it must be amazing to be born into such love...and that is an understatement. I cannot think of one time that my heart hasn't lifted when I am with my family. Even in moments of heartbreak...we pull together and we come out of it stronger.
  Some of us have strayed off the path, some of us I know my grandparents would not be proud of. They would love that person but they would scold them and try to show them the right way. But I know that they love every single one of us for ourselves and watch over us daily. It's hard to have great aunt and great uncles and uncles added to the list of those that have passed but I'm thankful for the knowledge, the morals, the life they have shown us.
  Today Grandpa W is in heaven having a great party. Granny didn't like to bake sweets..lol..so Grandma R is probably making his lemon meringue pie. Grandpa R is giving Granny a hard time and she's telling him to behave before he gets it. Grandpa W has on his bib overalls with his blue hanky hanging out the back. Granny R is laughing with her face covered with her apron like she did when we were kids. Grandpa R has his farm hat and his twist of chew in ;) And they are happy, healthy and watching over all of us.

What I am....

Wrote this awhile back. Definitely how I feel about my upbringing, myself and our life. I'm thankful every day for the lessons I learned, the family I grew up with and share life with still, for my grandparents, for parents that loved me...and for a way of life that some may not always understand. I've always teased rural upbringing is different and the older I get the more I see it is. Our girl knows where her food comes from, grows it in the garden and knows family means a safe place to take your shoes off,have a meal and have a laugh. I'm thankful for family that keeps her in the fold, that loves her and the knowledge that is being passed to her :)

Some people like to talk about the royal linage back in their bloodlines or financial tycoons in the family...for me I can honestly say there is very little of that. But what I come from is dirty workboots and sweaty farm hats, lightening bugs on a warm summer night, glasses of sweet tea and tables of food, cousins laughing and enough memories to fill a book. There's not too much make up and rouge but lots of elbow grease, creativity and the ability to make a feast from little,and turn a field into profit.I come from canning jars, knowing your eggs came from the hen house and what signs to run for your garden. I came from grandparents that meant/still mean the world to us kiddos, from aunts and uncles that were second parents, from cousins that we may pick on each other but let someone else mess with one of us and the whooping starts LOL From men that talk rough but can bandage a boo boo on a kid's knee. From women that knew exactly how to be strong women and good Moms. I come from hand me down clothes and the joy of new school shoes mixed with "UGH WE GOTTA WEAR SHOES??" because we've ran barefoot all summer. You won't find too many CEOs or names that appear in the Times but you'll find the people that make my world go 'round, a group of nutballs far richer than any millionaire. You may not find mansions but you'll find more love than you could ever imagine and anyone at the house is given a plate and a seat. I come from home remedies and back wood cures, almanacs, nature telling you the weather and the fact that you should be thankful to have the luxuries of cable/running water and air conditioning. I came from the belief that you can do whatever you want to do if you work hard but remember where your roots are planted. I've always told Kaya to be proud of what she's made of and where she comes from. I sure am.
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Our first full week of Kindergarten

    Seems like the weekend flew super fast and before we knew it ...Monday had arrived. Monday, the first full day of kindergarten. Kaya quickly informed us she would NOT be getting a ride from us, not even on the first day because "I ain't no little ole baby".
  Her days pretty much went like this:
1.Kaya bounds out of bed happy and excited.
2. Hair is braided up ("not too tight. Not too loose. Make sure my hair ties match my outfit Mamma")
3.We are doing hangers...she picks out five outfits on Sunday night and puts them on hangers. She hangs what outfit she will wear on the door knob the night before. So she gets dressed
4.Shoes and socks are the biggest obstacle so she likes to push them till last. She HATES socks. Hates them. Seams, material, length...hates them.
5.Breakfast is had
6. Teeth brushed
  And she's ready to go. She usually is ready in time to chill a bit before walking to the bus stop (So thankful that we can walk her to the neighbors drive for the bus pickup ..our drive comes out on the side of a hill and is just too scary for her to try and use for a bus stop!!)
   How did the first week go?Actually great for all 3 of us. She had two days she got her clip moved down one color because she was talking to a friend during quiet time and because she was counting blocks with her hands (picture a bear walking on all fours lol). A quick reminder that the teacher is boss from us as well as the reminder that if she gets moved down in color 3 times she loses a toy of OUR choice for a week....and everything was smooth sailing on the talking front ;)
  We did pretty awesome too. It was hard. Very hard. Super hard. Did I mention it was hard?? 9 hours give or take without my shadow, my sidekick, my partner in crime. A quiet house. Just odd. I can say this first week I haven't strayed too far from home. Yes the school has my cell number but the newbie kindergarten parent in me fears not hearing it if I'm out or being in a non signal zone (happens a lot around here) and her needing me. Guess that is what it really all boils down to huh? Her needing me. My fear of her being hurt, scared or just needing me and I'd miss the call. Thankfully we never had that issue this week. And she found the right bus every day (they do have teachers to help ;) )
   I know this is our first week of MANY new adventures. Just one of the many times her wings will spread, her confidence grow. Just one of many that our hearts will skip a beat in excitement mixed with our own worry and fear. And just one of many times that she will simply ROCK IT OUT!!!
  Very proud of her. She's doing great, super excited and looking forward to her school year and even her long (35 to 40 minutes!!) bus ride. So here is to a school year of fun and learning!
**** Hanger system works awesome but I have found to just let her pick the socks that morning. Our house has constant sock issues lol so it's just easier if she picks them right then.
****I'm using the tips I've got from other Moms for her hair. I mix tea tree oil straight into her shampoo, shake well and use. Tea tree oil smells strong in the shampoo but doesn't once her hair is dry.And it deters lice. I also keep it in a mister bottle because with curly hair unless it's super hot out and she's sweaty...you can't wash it every night or it dries the curls out. So we use the mister bottle on those days.  I am also spraying her hair everyday with hairspray. Tames the frizzies and flyaways and once again..lice hate hairspray. The smell and they can't cling to the hair. Call me paranoid if you want but with her curly thick hair..I do NOT want to battle lice. Granny always said it's not a sin to get it but it's a sin to keep them. I am going to try my best to NOT have to battle them
**** Love too how backpack matches her lunchbox (super cool she says). Hate how the sticker part of her lunchbox came loose the first day. A little duct tape secretly stuck on the back of the sticker worked miracles and you can't tell. She has a back up lunchbox but dang it we just bought this one LOL so glad that tip worked well.

New Compost Box

      We decided to use some of our free time  (and lets be honest Steve was bored out of his gourd waiting on a computer part to ship lol) and decided to tackle the compost box plans we had. Our old one works awesome but is so low it's very hard to get dirt out of it. Plus it's old and the wood was rottening....it had once been a rabbit hutch and Steve made it into a box.
  Sooo we gathered up supplies and made our new. Best feature of this box is it cost nothing. We had the meal worm boxes with wire bottoms in the garage. We had the two large pallet boxes in the side yard in Steve's "yard gold" as he lovingly calls it. Chicken wire we always have. So it cost nothing. :)
  Steve made a pattern using the boxes so we'd have a sifter level in the top box. This will hold the big items till they break down and fall into the bottom box as dirt or smaller particles. The bottom box has a scoop hole in the front so dirt can easily be taken out. A bonus is he made the box higher so the neighborhood dog won't nose through it lol and it's also a more manageable height.
  When he built it he put it on the side of the house where our garden beds are so I don't have to haul dirt as far. It gets tons of sun and it blends in really well with the honeysuckle etc. He also left the pallet board on the side to hold shovels, rakes etc. I can also frame a piece of lattice on it and grow vining plants which I'm thinking about doing. It would make it blend in even more!! Add in too that he put it by a window so in our lovely super wet springs or cold snowy winters we don't have to tredge outside simply open the window (It's a plus that our compost rarely "stinks"...) We can walk around or use the window :)
  Pretty proud of him. Especially since he was feeling rough this morning but got the project done :)

First day of school...kindergarten orientation

   Each class today met at a certain time, for one hour, to meet their classmates and us parents to meet the teacher and get her outline for the year. I was probably more nervous than Kaya. I come from a small school district and to be honest I was just nervous period lol
  The teacher was instantly nice and I didn't get that odd vibe off of her. She outlined her class and I like her way of thinking. She says a student shouldn't lose recess to punish bad behavior when most times it's extra energy that causes the problem to begin with. Instead they lose fun things they want to do in the classroom, may have to walk laps at recess those sorta things. She also said that every student is just themselves and the focus needs to be on positive and that students needs. All around I liked her. She will be gone the first week due to it's her last week of maternity leave (she just had her 5th baby). She has a teacher assistant that I liked as well. They both came off as kid first and realistic which is how it needs to be with kindergarten kids in my opinion.
  We had everything on her supply list but they asked for us to bring in a regular size towel for rest time. Easy thing to do.
  So orientation went well, Kaya was sad to leave lol and we found out that there are at least 2 in the class that Steve or I one know the kid's parents. So that was nice.
  Now one weekend till the big day. I feel excited, proud, antsy...and I did not tear up today LOL

Open house for school

     For one hour this evening was meet and greet the teacher, see your classroom and the school. To say Kaya loved it was an understatement. She was busting at the seams when I got home to get there.
   We went straight back to her class ( I didn't tear up at the tiny little coat hooks). Her teacher met us at the door, dropped her supplies into the right tote (compared to some our list was small). Viewed the classroom (I didn't cry over the tiny little chairs and tables). Saw a few of her classmates and read their names aloud on the chalkboard.
   Then we ventured out into the hallway to find the gym and listen to her tell us what they do there. Then we saw the library, the music room, the cafeteria and the computer room. (I didn't tear up over the tiny water fountains, tiny sinks).
  We purchased a school tshirt and Kaya was in heaven.
  So we took our first strides towards her first big day. I liked the school (Steve went there for awhile and he liked it as a kid), the layout and the staff. We had did a mini tour on registration day but most rooms were closed so this time we could see in them, see the teachers etc.
  And I didn't tear up ;)

Kids mimic what they see more than what they are told....

 We all want our children to be thankful, gracious, kind, well mannered, humble...the list continues on...little creatures. We often speak of these lessons over and over to our kids. But how many times ourselves do we practice what we preach?
  I was humbled this afternoon when we took Kaya down to my Dad's. Dad lives on the small family farm where I grew up as well. Kaya absolutely loves it down there. Running with her Pappaw's dog, hunting frogs, checking the garden and playing with her chickens. We raise chickens at my Dad's and it's her fave thing to gather eggs and feed them. She especially likes that she now has a baby chick she has named Luna :)
  Anyways...we pulled up in the drive and the house was locked tight, no note nothing. So we decided to wait around and see if Dad showed up. He often helps neighbors out so we usually give him a bit if we arrive and he's not home. We busied ourselves feeding the chickens, checking the garden. I noticed his water jugs for the chickens and garden were empty. Dad puts buckets out to gather rain water from his gutters for the chickens and garden. We had some massive rainstorms that morning and his buckets were to the brim. The sky was dark and another round of rain was predicted. So Kaya and I grabbed up the empty jugs and proceeded to fill them from the buckets. My logic was if we filled them up and another rain storm came before Dad got home...he'd not lose water to an overflow and be ahead of the game. Kaya sat on the porch step watching me. Then she said something that not only humbled me but also made me think.
   "Mamma you do nice stuff for Pappaw without ever being asked. You knew he'd want that water for the chickens and the garden and you just did it. That is just really nice and kind". She grabbed a filled jug and sat it on the porch.
   After we got home I got to thinking about what she said. Here we all as parents worry so much how your children will turn out when in reality WE mold them and how WE do things is what they will learn. I've never told Kaya to gather the water or that we should just do it when we see it needs done. I just do it and she helps. My 6 yr old reminded me how important empathy for others is and how far kindness goes. She not only heard us say at some point "Be kind and treat others how you want to be treated" and "Sometimes we just do for those that need it" ...she has also seen us put that in action. That made me feel like a proud parent.
   I'm not bragging on us, I'm not patting myself on the back. Just glad that our kiddo saw our words in action, We cannot teach our kids to be kind, thankful and grateful for what they have if we constantly want more, never turn our hand for others or show thanks.