One of K's special gifts

I absolutely love that my Mom had K a baby cradle made. My Mom's cousin is a woodworker and makes wooden toys for sale. He made K a beautiful handmade cradle that Steve can stain if he wants. The care he put into it is amazing and K LOVES it!! 

Peanut Butter Lasagna Recipe

Don't let the name scare you ;) it's actually called lasagna because it's layered. I will tell you it's rich and sure doesn't take big portions!!
1 pkg Nutter Butter cookies
peanut butter
tub of Cool Whip
Box of instant vanilla pudding
Reese cups, chopped up
 Layer Nutter Butter cookies on the bottom. Drizzle melted peanut butter over the top of them. Put a layer of instant vanilla pudding, then a layer of Cool Whip then a layer of chopped up Reese cups. Start layering again starting at the vanilla pudding and top with crunched Nutter Butters and drizzled melted peanut butter. 

Christmas Eve

   We have had a wonderful holiday time. We host Christmas eve and this year we decided to do something a little different. I work on Christmas eve until at least 3 (usually 4) and family starts rolling in at 5! I do alot of prepping the night before and the day of..is always interesting lol This year we did a Cajun pork loin. Steve prepped it the night before and it takes just a couple hours during the day of cooking. It always turns out great! We added potato salad, macaroni salad, homemade ham salad, veggies and other tasty sides to round out the meal. I did a peanut butter lasagna for dessert and it got huge thumbs up! A great meal was had, gifts were exchanged and there was tons of laughter....and even more love! Exactly how a holiday should be! I love my home everyday but I love it even more when it's filled with the kiddos laughter and tons of good conversation!

Teacher gifts

   Getting ready for K's upcoming Christmas party at school. We like to do unique things and just have fun with the gifts. This year K said she wished she could give Mrs. C a red apple that would never rot. We couldn't think of how that would be possible. Then, Steve had a brilliant idea. We'd use an apple gourd and create an "apple that won't rot". He did an excellent job drying it, sanding it and then painting it. It came out really well!!!

Mrs. C was impressed with the gift and loved that we had dried and saved her the seeds from inside it to plant. To round out the gift we made homemade turtle brownies, peanut butter fudge and no bakes. We put them in layers in a really neat plastic bowl with lid that had measurements on the side. We added in a jar of homemade cocoa. This year we made different flavors (we gave the teachers Red Velvet cocoa), did dipped spoons for stirring and created a couple of really nice gift bags :)

Two of my favorite ornaments

Every year I add to our Christmas tree ornaments courtesy of K's yearly ornament from us and her many hand made ones. They all are my faves of course. But two very old ones hold a special place in my heart. The simple little handsewn angle is one my Granny made many years ago and always sat atop her tree. Watching my little ones eyes light up when it goes up on top of the tree....makes my heart smile! The other is the simple piece of red rope right under the angle. It is a family tradition that has been passed down since my great grandma. When her children were grown and left home she split her garland in to three pieces. When they had their children (my Granny and her siblings) the tradition was continued. Then each of my Granny's kids got a piece.  I got mine when I married Steve and it has been on our tree every year. That little red piece of garland has been through the Depression, through moves and different states...and it ties us all together in traditions and love. We try hard to hold onto family traditions and pass them onto Kaya. We also have many traditions that is simply our little families. I hope as K grows and one day starts her own family she will do the many little things we do for the holidays and special moments. 

December has begun!

   December is finally here! Seems like the year has flew along and we went from hot sun to jack o'lanterns to turkey and now Christmas....all in a blink of an eye!
   The weather is odd this year. No snow, unseasonably warm and to be honest my brother in LA has colder temps some evening than we do!!
  Lots in store this month. We always do the first day of Hanukkah, we do lots of baking, story reading, donate to charities, do Angel Tree, Kaya's class projects and so on. 
  When we had Kaya we decided right off that holidays would not be about a huge gift list but more focused on giving, charity and family. Does she always have lots of items she loves? Yep. Does she ask Santa for that one gift she "has to have"? Yep. She's a normal child with wants and wishes but....we balance that out with donations to the local food pantry,shelter etc. 
   I'm also very thankful that her teacher is charity minded and this year they donated sewn blankets to the local women's shelter as well as gently used toys and clothes! The clothes and toys ideas were actually the kid's ideas and that made me very happy. They also donated to the local animal shelter.
   So many face the hustle and bustle of the season with a long to do list, a long gift list and mounting stress. They lose the feeling, the specialness of the season. You cannot divide yourself into a thousand different gatherings, a thousand different projects and still come out feeling complete. If that is your style and how you want to live life, feel free to but.....we don't.
   We bake cookies for the mail lady, we surprise the neighbors with treat tins,we give our dentist office (who treats us like family) a gift box of homemade goodies. We brainstorm and come up with a meaning teacher gift. We donate to a family in need. We read Christmas stories and we often sit in the glow of the tree lights and ...just....be.
  May the holiday season find you full of love, happiness and cheer. May you gain wisdom and gifts that do not have a price tag. May your heart expand and may your hand be uplifting to someone in need. Make memories together and soak in the season!

November...a month of blessings.

  Seems October flew by and November came racing along too. November is a fast paced month in general and you learn as a working Mom to separate work from home or it ruins your holiday FAST! I try very hard to remember when I leave work...work stays there and home becomes the important factor. Not always easily done, but I try :)
  I love how November tends to bring out the thankfulness in most folks. I wish more carried that attitude year long but I'm at least happy that they have one month at least that they find their blessings. I truly feel if you let your blessings outnumber your negatives, no matter how small those blessings are or even how insignificant they may be to others.....if they make you smile or your heart happy...count 'em!
  Myself, I have been blessings and things that humble me daily.
1. I am thankful to be a mother, a wife, a daughter, a best friend, a coworker, a friend and a family member. I am thankful for the many hats I wear in my life, even at times when it seems chaotic. This year I'm thankful to add college student to that list.
2. I am thankful to have my babygirl. She has educated me on life more than any book ever could! She humbles me daily to find the beauty in small things and to see the beauty in myself. She is smart, funny, beautiful, tender hearted, a rooter for the under dog, curious and unique. She's taught me to slow down and really enjoy life. To see the beauty in the rainstorm as well as the rainbow. She changed my world upside down in a beautiful, dizzy way 7 years ago and I couldn't be happier :)
3. I'm thankful for my husband. He's truly my rock, my shoulder and my cheerleader. He sees things in me I never have and he cheers me on even when I feel I'll fall flat on my face! He never blinked an eye when I said I wanted to start taking classes...simply said "Bout time. Get er done". He's handsome, he's funny, he's always up for an adventure but most importantly he takes the job of Daddy and husband seriously...and does it well.
4. I am thankful for my baby brother. He is my best friend, my confidant. He is loyal, always has my back and I always have his. We are more like twins, finishing each others thoughts and ideas. No matter whether it was the Middle East, on my couch or in California...our hearts are always intertwined. I could not have asked for a better man to be my girl's uncle. He is honest, fair and would give someone the shirt off his back if they needed it. I am thankful he's living his dream, marking off his bucket list and has found a woman that makes him smile!
5. I'm thankful for parents that truly love us. Who see my husband as their son. Who never failed to teach us charity, honesty and love when we were kids...and expects the same out of us today. Dad has had a rough road a time or two but has came out the better man. There is no woman finer than my Mamma...and I hope one day my girl looks at me like I do my Mom :)
6. I'm thankful for a home that is a home not a house. It may be small. It may not be fancy. But it is 100% filled with love from wall to wall, floor to ceiling. I'm thankful for shelter when many have none.
7. I'm thankful for the luxuries in life. For cable, for lights, for running water. for heat and cool. I'm thankful for food in my pantry, the ability to cook. Growing up for a bit on the farm we had no running water. I remember my Mom carrying water everyday from the well house. She never complained. Eventually lines were ran and we had water in the house. It was great but Mom's happiness whether the water came out of the faucet or the well house...spoke volumes. She was happy with what she had. I am much the same way. Many others out there would be thankful just to have a clean cup of water....and here I am with my cup running over!!
8. I am thankful for a job. It drives me nuts some days and I'm almost certain that some of my coworkers are nutty lol but..I am thankful to have a job. I am thankful for coworkers that are as nutty as me and see the funny things in life. And that we pull together like family in times of need.
9. I'm thankful for MS medicines, an excellent neuro and a team of drs that see my husband as a man not a chart. Yes, I pray for a cure daily but realistically without a diagnosis we would not know what to fight. Without meds where would we be? Without insurance we'd pay even more. It all comes together to make a plan for US to fight MS. I'm thankful to for a husband that even on bad days finds something good. That doesn't let his diagnosis rule him.
10. I'm thankful for my cousins and extended family. Without them I'd have very few memories and I'd sure not be who I am now! From jumping on hay bales, to making pirate ships out of farm trailers to just playing basketball in the dark with only the light from the workbarn on....it's all awesome memories. My family truly has spoiled my outlook on life.....I feel it should be led with lots of family, big meals, lots of laughter and love...and not everyone in the world sees it that way. But that's ok...I'll just head home and we all get it ;)
11. I'm thankful for the family I married into. For my husband and his Dad working on their relationship and being there for each other. For sister in laws I adore and brother in laws I love (even though I could wring one's neck most days lol). I married into a family that is not like mine but I do truly love them. We don't all see eye to eye and we live differently...but I do love them.
12. I'm thankful for my eyesight...without it I'd never see my husband's silly wink. I'm thankful for my hearing....without it I'd never hear "Love ya Mamma" or that silly giggle. I'm thankful for my sense of taste....without it I'd never truly taste some awesome food. For my sense of smell.....fresh mown hayfields, lilac in the spring, tomato plants in the summer....I cannot imagine life without smell.
13. On a lighter note...I'm thankful for toilet paper, toothpaste, good books, sweet tea, and all the thins in life that make it a bit easier and nicer.
  Never let your blessings go unnoticed...and never let life get so rushed you lose sight of the things you love. Say today what you need to say to those you love, for tomorrow isn't promised!

First Grade Fall Party

It's our first party that Steve couldn't attend (he's been fighting a cold all week, a fever and today just felt horrible. He didn't feel like going and sure didn't want to share germs). At first Kaya was very down in the mouth about Daddy not being there but letting her be my helper made her smile :)
  The other Mom did an excellent job on snacks (Halloween cookies) and the game (Toss the pumpkin) complete with every kid getting a prize. We did the craft (toilet paper pumpkins) which the kids LOVED as did the teacher. We also did the juice. We combined together to make nice treat bags so every kid got a bag.
  The party lasted an hour and was a blast. The kids were well behaved, had fun and the teacher told us we did a great job :)
  One boy told me "Where is Kaya's Daddy?" because he remembered us from last year ;) and Steve does an excellent job with the boys. I told him that I'm sure he'll attend the next one.
  The only complaint I've had with school parties is the lack of parents that get involved. If you can't attend the party that is understandable. We all do different jobs, have different things on our plate and I'm far from judgmental on anyone. But if you can't come to the party at least donate something. It doesn't have to be huge but it's huge to the kiddos. We are far from rich but we not only do the parties, we donate to them as well. One time last year we donated 40 cupcakes, 2 gals of juice, plates, cups and candy!! I try very hard to not get frustrated at other parents but..I wish more would think how fun those parties were when we were kids and try to make it that way for their kids too.
  All in all the party was fun, I really like the other mother that helped and the kids were great. Kaya was all smiles and I really appreciated the kind note from her teacher as well as her asking about Steve.
  Sure doesn't seem like it should be fall party time...but I love sharing every moment with my girl :) 

It's almost ...Halloween!!!

The Hacienda LOVES Halloween. Kaya's lunchbox has been Halloween for the last two weeks complete with pictures taped inside and spooky treats or sandwiches cut into Halloween shapes. We've had monster pancakes, pancakes cut out to look like pumpkins and witch hats. We've had mozzarella ghosts show up on our garlic toast ;) Hot dogs that became bloody fingers, spaghetti "worms", bat brownies....you get the picture. We've carved jack o lanterns, got a costume ready to go, set up a Halloween theme on the front porch complete with a 7 ft tall Frankenstein! We've made chocolate candy in Halloween shapes. We've basically been set for Halloween this month!!! We have always loved the holiday and that love is also present in Kaya. As well as Day of the Dead etc. 

Fall Break is here!!!

   Fall Break went from October 17th to October 25th. I took vacation as well and I can't lie....it was absolutely awesome and went too fast!!! We did something every single day. We had Pappaw up to spend the night, did cocoa, did the fire pit, cut wood, went to parks, went down home, had one day of lounging around the house, camped in the front yard one night (even though it was not for the whole night lol), mulched/mowed/did yard work for over 4 hours and prepped the garden area for winter, visited Steve's baby sister and her four kiddos (lots of laughing and fun that day!), visited with Kaya's great great aunt and Uncle, went to the lake, went to the falls...oh good grief we did tons of things. 
  Let's see we......

We went to the falls, spent the day hiking, climbed the fire tower, played at the playground, had lunch at our fave Mom n Pop diner,went to the overlook and had a great day!

We went to the lake, spent the day at the overlook at the lake, played on the playground there then Kaya got asked to go to the park with a dear family friend who was taking her grandkids...and she treated them all out for pizza. Miss Social didn't get home till after 6 then the kids hung out here playing on the trampoline and having fun!

We drove by a supposed Haunted House, stopped to take pictures and Kaya is "investigating" this whole thing LOL 

We took tons of gorgeous fall pictures!! Kaya did too!!

We hung out at Pappaw's for a day, jumped and ran across hay bales, and played with buddies

We spent the day at the park of Kaya's choice, took a drive and had a great time!                                                          

We had Pappaw up to spend the night, we got the firepit going, made a pot of hot chocolate, a pot of Mexican hot chocolate, made smores and enjoyed a great evening. 

We cut wood and Kaya was amazed at the awesome heart the wood made. Her Daddy and her Pappaw cut her several slabs of "heart shaped" wood :) 

Got my pantry started!

  I had to be off work for a school meeting so I decided to take a vacation day and just enjoy the day. Once the meeting was done I thought...ohhh we'll have a nice day lounging around and chilling out (something we rarely do). Steve of course had another idea and hated to waste the day. So what did we do??
   We pulled the cabinet and counter out of my utility room, moved it to the garage to make it into a workbench/storage, cleaned the floor, painted the wall behind the counter, added floor trimming, and moved the pantry rack Steve had started building in the garage into the utility room. We added the wire shelves (Steve used the ones from Lowe's, braced the back with a flat 4x4, and used the wire shelf upside down to give the front a "lip" to keep cans etc from sliding off. The board in the back slightly raises the shelf in one spot so my cans are slightly at an angle to keep them moving down. The bottom of the rack is built so I can fit a clothes basket under it for dirty clothes, my basket that I keep plastic bags etc in and still have space for a large plastic storage container of pet food. I also have room to store my big glass jars, my canning jars etc.
  The best thing is that Steve put my Great Grandma's corn slicer onto one section for decoration and then we put some cute things that mean lots to us (Mimi's spice rack, a candle from Granny's funeral etc etc).
  To say I love it is an understatement. I LOVE IT!!!!!
  And where I had stored my can goods in the kitchen is now where I put my mixing bowls and skillets/pots. Before they were shoved into the "hole from hell" that Steve so lovingly calls my cabinets that are near the fridge (and hard to get into).

Have extra tomatoes.....make salsa

We had some last minute tomatoes start turning from our garden. Then a buddy at work had bought waaayyy too many from the Amish and they got passed to us. I absolutely detest wasting anything. So my mind went instantly to salsa. In our house Kaya and I love salsa, Steve likes more of a restaurant style sauce...smoother. He loves the local Mexican restaurants salsa sooo I googled some recipes, altered it a bit and found one we all like. It's also excellent to cook with and warms in heat factor (as in spicy) the longer it sets.
  The recipe:
   28 oz can of diced tomatoes (with or without chilies) (or you can use 10-12 fresh tomatoes....just get water boiling, drop tomatoes in till skin starts to crack, put in cold water....then peel and dice the tomatoes)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsps pickled jalapeno rings, diced
10 cilantro leaves
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend till smooth. Chill before serving

  If you use ripe tomatoes (especially very ripe tomatoes) use less than the recipe calls for because the juicer it is, the more juice it will make! And you'll have more juice, less spices etc.
  I also use about 18 to 20 cilantro leaves because it really makes it taste like the restaurants and we LOVE cilantro. (I'll admit...I'm a cilantro addict. Just smelling it on my fingers...heavenly lol).
  I process mine up then put it into a plastic container with a lid (refrain from using a metal bowl...the acid of the tomatoes can damage your bowl and the salsa will take on a twang from the metal).
  I use it in rice, fajitas, you name it. It dips well but remember it is a thinner salsa so it won't be super thick. You can also use it in out of garden season time by buying canned diced tomatoes. 

Have I ever mentioned that I love October? It's one of my favorite months and has my favorite things:
 **warm firepits and hot cocoa
** changing leaves
**crisp air, apples, apple cider
**hay rides and pumpkins
**snuggles under the blankets
**Halloween

   We are all October nuts in this house :) 

Kaya has been doing photography :)

We've been letting Kaya use the camera since she's bigger...and I honestly think the girl has the eye for it!! Sometimes her pictures make you think, or they catch you in some off beat way or...they are just pretty. THAT is exactly what photography is suppose to do!!! I hope she continues to explore this fun hobby. Both Steve and I love photography and it's nice to see Kaya getting into it as well!

Our first canoe trip...and probably our last lol

   Our cousin had called and asked if we would like our Christmas gift early and for the gift to be a couple's gift. I of course told her that we didn't expect anything at all and whatever she wanted to do was fine. Welllll seems she got us, her and her boyfriend, and three other couples together to go...canoeing.
   Being a gung-ho type person I'm usually up for anything and will give it a go, especially if it's something new and we are all together. Steve was a little hesitant at first but said "Lets do it".
   Remind you that every other canoe place around has closed down due to extremely low water. "Ohhh this place wouldn't book us if it was too low"...cousin's reasoning number 1. Also keep in mind that it's nice and cool today. "We won't sweat as much"...cousin's reasoning number 2. Furthermore keep in mind that none of us except one couple had ever actually canoed more than once, if at all, that we traveled about an hour to get there, the booking place basically said "pick a life jacket and sign the papers saying we are not responsible, get your oars"...."It's gonna be fun!! We'll float along, chat, picnic on our snacks and just have fun"....cousin reasoning number 3. Do we see a pattern here :)
   We pick everything out, load up in the small bus and the guy takes us to the river. Oh did I mention that more than once we are told "There are at least six spots severely low that may require you to carry your canoe. This is a physical journey for sure"...yeah do you see where this is going? Lol We all had packed snacks and drinks, bagged anything that needed to be kept from the water, and basically the canoe crew holds your canoe, you sit in it, they push you off and bye bye for the next 7 miles. Yes. 7 miles. Four hours. Let me repeat that...7 miles, 4 hours.
   We are total nature nuts, liked the people that was on the trip so we are still staying positive at this point. It's a balmy 60 with NO SUN on the river at all (none would show up till almost the 6 mile marker) and the water is 32 degrees. We all take off and there's lots of laughter and fun.
   Now mind you, you cannot jerk quickly in a canoe, you cannot lean over in a canoe and you both have to not only paddle well together you also have to coordinate any moves to prevent tipping over (cousin reasoning number 4: Canoes don't tip easy. Don't worry about it. Need I tell you that is LIES!! LOL). We are going along well when we feel ourselves tipping...Steve tries to save us but...lets say it did not work. From neck to toe we are soaked. But we continue on....
   We end up paddling our arms off, hitting tons of spots so low that we literally dug bottom. We carried our canoe (All 5 of us was in the same situation so it wasn't just us), we fell in the water. You name it. On the one flat, nice spot our cousin is singing Cmas carols ,lol, while another guy is saying "Really...if this is peaceful and fun, I missed the memo" LOL (Cousin reasoning number 5: It will be peaceful and tranquil. We'll destress and relax). I don't think I need to elaborate on the fact that it was not peaceful and easy going lol
   We hit the 6 mile marker and you can hear everyone's desperation....Steve literally screamed 911 help me as we went under the "Screaming bridge". lol The guys were looking for signs of civilization, we couldn't stop for a drink or a snack because we had to paddle so hard to just keep going, fighting the low water and rocks. Finally....heaven's light shines and....
  The boat dock is finally there!! We all happily hit the dock, pull our canoes up and surprise...only 2 people have dry clothes because Cousin Number 6 reasoning was "You won't need extra clothes, we shouldn't get wet". Yet again not true lol So after the 2 that had dry clothes change we head towards home for a late lunch.
   One guy had to wear his socks only in because his shoes were soaked. Our hair was all sticking out, we looked tired, damp and I know the ladies at the food counter thought OMG lol till we explained about our trip. We were all frozen so a hot lunch warmed us up.
  Finally at home the guys confess that the constantly wet butts combined with the seats (the guys sat in the back to doing the harder work) made for literally chapped butts LOL.
  It was a new adventure, one I might try with more water (much more water!), we had a great time laughing, being together and it was a nice gift and idea. But Steve has suggested to our cousin next year just get us a pizza gift card HAHAHAHA
UPDATE: The next day we were all so sore it was insane. Poor Steve could barely move!! The cold water locked up his leg muscles and about killed his legs. But...at least we were gung ho and gave it a try!!

Ok...I realize...

  A busy summer makes for less time on the blog lol and I realized that when I got on here and realized it was June the last I posted.
  The summer went well. We debated and decided against putting up the big swimming pool this year only because the ladder isn't as sturdy as we'd like for Steve. Last summer he nearly fell off it, caught his foot and it could have been a serious issue since he was home with K. So we opted to just put the smaller pool up while we look for ladders etc and K loved it the same.
  The garden has grown like crazy. Tomatoes out our ears, beans, onions, peas, peppers and greens. We tried a new hot pepper this year, a Tabasco pepper, and it's still coming on. Thinking that it will be producing near fall time lol  
   We had some awesome family time, car trips and picture taking. Lots of laughter. Tons of time star gazing and moon watching. Listening to the animals in the night. Watching area farmers work on their fields and helping at our family places.
  My schooling has rolled right along. I've enjoyed the majority of my class work and I keep telling myself to keep trudging along...the light's at the end of the tunnel ;) 
  And now...summer is winding down. School shopping is on the agenda, book rentals loom ahead and the schedule gets a bit stricter.
  But what a wonderful summer it has been!!

a wonderful tomato!

Some wonderful summer nights star/moon gazing

Interesting discussion with my English Professor....

   I've started my second course and it's English...College writing. I was nervous going into the deal because I like to write but not so much public viewed writing. This blog was a huge step for me to do simply because I am a keep to myself person on things. But I have successfully done several essays and I like the class. The teacher is another thing. I respect her as my teacher but she seems to have a hard time with me being able to describe things in detail. We had to describe a place we had visited and I chose the Navajo reservation. I've been there many times and you've ever seen the sun sink down over the rez, smelled the frybread and sage in the air and seen the gorgeous art work and jewelry...well then you know the feeling it leaves. The teacher said she had a hard time believing what I wrote came from just my head. I explained to her that I indeed did and wrote her another shorter one on the falls in Spearfish. The picture that Steve took there hangs in our front room and I used it as my inspiration for my writing. Once again she wanted to know my internet source!! I politely explained that the source was my head and the picture in my front room.
  At first I was mad. I know my own self and even when I doubt my ability I have my brother J as a backup on my writing (which he proofread my first draft, told me to close my eyes and see the place not logically but emotionally and then gave my final draft a thumbs up). Then while down home yesterday I snapped this picture and I realized something: my teacher and I don't think alike. That is where the issue is coming from. She sees a brick walk way per say..I see the hard work that went into creating it and the art it holds.
   The picture I took yesterday perfectly sums this up. Most will see nice clouds and a few trees. To me I see a little bit of heaven set right down in BFE. I see the trees I played in as a child, the way the leaves bend up indicting rain is on the way. I see the huge clouds moving across the sky, casting shadows on the pastures. I smell that fresh air smell. I hear the cows in the distances mooing, the frogs croaking. I see what is in the picture! It's easy for me to describe in detail something I love when I relax because..I appreciate it. Growing up appreciating the land under your feet, the nature you live in changes how you write, photograph and see life. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but many never take the time to see the beauty...or the small things that make up a big picture. They instead choose to see the plain and focus on the busy.
  I have as of Thursday only three more weeks of class. I'm sticking by my guns, keeping my nose to the grindstone and I will accomplish the class. So far I have a 92% and I fully intend to do my very best. Who knows..maybe I'll even open the professors eyes to the beauty she is missing ;)

Pics from downhome

Lovely ole barn down home..

My Dad's neighbors cow and new calf...love this one...

Mamma and baby

Some black and whites I took ....

 I love black and white photos, sepia ones too. I love how the photo in black and white demands attention. You notice the bend in the tie of the dress not just that it's a "dress". It's actually my Mamma's wedding dress! I like the twisting vine picture because it showcases a rough thing..barb wire against a delicate...a vine climbing the fence. What better example of life? And the cornfield and barns in black and white....you can almost feel the wind and sun but black and white makes you use your senses not simply see it!!!

Kaya's 7 yr checkup

    Today has been a super busy day. Started the morning out with Kaya's 7 yr checkup. She is nearly 4 ft 4, weighs 87 lbs and got a complete clean bill of health. Our regular doctor was out of office so we saw a new to us one, and liked her! She commented that Kaya has muscles and you could tell she's an outdoor girl :) Kaya got good points on being an outside kid, less than 2 hrs a day of tv/ipad and for her habits. The dr was impressed she liked veggies and yogurt, fruit and milk. She also told us it was great Kaya is a water/milk drink with just an occasional pop or sweet tea. But we do have to lessen her milk consumption. The dr thinks that will help her want to eat meals at meal time better (Kaya was better during school but like her father and uncle..would rather pick around some days than just sit and eat a meal). Kaya could literally drain a cow if allowed LOL So we are going to switch to 1% to see if it helps out. Since she eats yogurt nearly daily the dr said she's doing well on calcium etc. Sooo other than feeling awkward in her paper gown..she did great LOL Hard to believe our girl is 7!!!!!
   We also had Steve's cleaning and dental check up today. After a set of xrays our dentist was amazed to find Steve has an abscess on an upper tooth. It's never gave him any pain or anything. With Steve having MS it creates an even more serious issue. Infection can increase MS symptoms etc. The dentist is going to review all the xrays, call Steve's neuro for questions and then after insurance estimates costs we'll take it from there. Infection is bad anytime but it worries me with Steve. Especially since he spiked a high fever for no reason this winter. It may have been linked.
   Also was thankful today for my Dad coming up and fixing our mower...payment was a bowl of homemade potato salad and a burger lol Steve had got most the pins out himself...but his hands just don't allow him to grasp like he use to. I couldn't do it all by myself. So Dad helped out. Very thankful for that. Plus Kaya enjoyed the day visiting with Pappaw :)

Father's Day

    Debated back and forth what to do for Father's Day. Kaya said it was Daddy's Day so he got to pick. After lots of discussion on the front porch Steve teasingly said we'd just have to go to Florida for the day. Kaya immediately said "If that is what Daddy wants, then that is what we will do". Finally got her to understand Steve was teasing and there is no way to go to Florida and back by 4:30 today!!!
    Instead we headed to our fave Mom and Pop diner for a late lunch. To be honest it was perfect. Kaya's mouth going a mile a minute, down home diner with good food, Steve's face smiling over his dang catfish sandwich and me happy with a side of cucumbers and vinegar (I do say though that regular ole vinegar is better than sweet vinegar any day!!). We enjoyed the day and it was just one of those "in the moment" times.
   Steve said he had an awesome Father's day and that is all that matters. We also of course wished my father a Happy Father's Day. We had him up the weekend before to celebrate.

Some pics of around here

    We love to travel but sometimes beauty is in your own little corner of the world.  Thankful for a husband that likes long car rides, photos and being together. For a kiddo that reminds us that the things we see everyday...hold such beauty.

Another baby shower lol

  Another baby shower! Steve's baby sis is expecting blessing number 4 and we celebrated on Saturday with a baby shower. My sis in law is a special lady that I love a lot..and we are super excited for the new baby coming! We provided a veggie tray, Mexican layer dip and summer pasta salad while Steve's other sisters did the cake, punch, ice cream etc. Had a good turnout and she got several nice things. With her other kids being 10, 7, and 6...she didn't have as much of her baby stuff. This will be number 10 for us in the niece/nephew dept and we love it.

RAIN

Rain, rain and rain. Our drainage ditches are running over and flowing hard! Very thankful for them though because I'd hate to see what our yard would look like without them!!!

Haven't said much but I've went back to college

       I've not said much about it on here but I have went to college. I can't say back to school I guess because I never started lol but I am now attending school online. I picked a college that had a solid online course work for a degree....one that the online degree meets certification just the same as a traditional degree. That was important to me because I didn't want a degree that was "fluff" compared to a traditional one. I just finished up my first class with a 97.46 (an A!!) and it slates that class at a 4.0! To say I'm excited is an understatement!
   Steve and Kaya have been a great encouragement as well as my online buddies, coworkers, family and friends.
   I juggle school after I get Kaya in bed in the evening and on weekends before the house is up and going since I get up early.
  When I attain this degree I'll have my associates in General Studies with an emphasis on philosophy/environment/law. I'm using that to get into the Political Science program with an emphasis on law/environment.
   My first big essay was on Deportation Laws and the USA. I nailed a 48 out of 50 and then a 50 out of 50 on my essay on Ecology vs Economy. I start College Writing this 6 weeks.
  I can say it's fast paced and keeps me thinking. I've had my stressful moments with APA format on essays. I've had 6 family get togethers in 3 weeks to juggle around school, full time work, full time Mom and wife as well as dealing with some rough MS days with Steve. We garden and do all that stuff. But...I'm proud of myself and my little family for truckin' along :)

The garden is growing ..growing...growing... :)

 The green beans twisting up their new lattice home. Steve did an awesome job making me new lattice runs!! :)

Our voodoo plant...working it's stinky magic lol

Seeing our first little green tomatoes...jewels in our eyes :)

7th bday party fun

 The heat or the weather always kills us on Kaya's bday. It either rains or is so hot you would melt. We normally do bdays at home but this year we rented an air-conditioned shelter house and when temps hit almost 90 and muggy...yep we were thankful we did!!  Kaya chose the theme Frozen this year and it came together wonderfully! She helped decorate her cake, make snowflake candy and we put out cookies, chips, pretzels, goodies for the kiddos, homemade punch (We went through NINE gallons of it!!), antipasto, summer pasta salad, Mexican layer dip and hotdogs. Sweet tea too of course. Family and friends all came in, Kaya got many nice things but said at the end "The best part was having my family all here!!" We consider that a successful party!!