of course!

What do you do when that Stripper career doesn't work out?? You sell all your clothes and shoes!
If you think you need this for your coffee table check out Etsy.

With family like this......

Aunt Dawn came to visit this weekend. She didn't arrive until after 9pm on Friday night. In true sisterly fashion when I asked her how her trip was and how she liked our VERY bumpy road she said, "It was great till something red ran out in front of me about a mile back." Thanks Dawn...I needed that vision. What is wrong with people!? Anyway....we had a good visit. Saturday we just laid around and the kids played outside. Dawn marveled at the lack of dirty clothes I should have because my children ran around outside in their underwear and robes all day long. You would THINK I didn't have any laundry but that is never the case.

Sunday we drove to a local state park so everyone could fish....... everyone but me of course. I'm working on the February Lady Sweater. The Alohaknitter has assured me this is a very easy sweater and I should have no problems knitting it. Hopefully I'll get to wear it by February.
Sissy baited her own hook like a pro!

The Hunter didn't have any fish to cook but we were able to roast some hot dogs and have a small picnic.

It's good to have visitors....now that we are closer to family it's nice to have people drop in for the weekend. :)

Lending a Helping Hand

Hey watcha doing? Can I try? Sure! Let me help you up. Man you're heavy! Let's do this another way.Here....I'll get on the ground and you get on my back. This is a GREAT idea!!Yes we did it!!

We Survived!

We all survived the first week of school around here. Sissy has been riding the bus all week and has done really well. This is her first time riding and I have to say I was a little nervous about turning her over to total strangers but it all went well.

We almost missed the bus on Wednesday but we are now in the groove and everything is going well. I'm used to getting myself ready, the kids, checking my email, doing some laundry, getting my gym stuff ready and then us all walking out the door, for the morning, at the same time. It took me a day or two to figure out that it's all about Sissy right now. I just have to concentrate on getting her out the door on time and then I can get all the other stuff done.

I hope your first week of school went just as well!

Summer Vacation is Officially Over

Today is the last official day of summer vacation for us. The kids tried to pack as much in as they could. We had two large storm fronts move through today. It is so fascinating here to watch them move across the flat land. I really dislike storms so I'm watching them more for cloud rotation than anything. The kids liked all the puddles and mud the storms created.

Then they made forts in the living room to watch movies. Bubby helped me make Blackberry Dumplings and then Sissy ate almost the ENTIRE pot!

Sissy starts first grade tomorrow. It's now 8:30pm and she is in bed. For the first time she is riding the bus. It will be here at 7:25am and since that is a good TWO hours before she usually gets up she wanted to know if we could call the bus driver and ask him to come a little later. I told her I would see what I could do.

So, now the backpack is packed.....and her clothes are laid out.

We are ready. She says she is a more nervous than excited....I think I would have to agree with her. I have full confidence in her that she will be just fine.

Summer Popsicles

The kids are enjoying the last of the summer evenings with Popsicles. School starts next week and I am sure it will be an adjustment. They are used to sleeping late and have issues getting up to get to the gym with me at 8:30am.

I noticed on Tuesday I posted 'Monday Happenings'...that's about how my week has gone. I have no clue what day it is out here anymore. I'm till trying to dig my office/crop room out. I had to combine both rooms into one and I do not have shelving yet so everything is just sitting around very unorganized. I have cards to make for a friend and I have got to get it together and find my supplies.

Ventured out to Town today for Sissy's eye exam. My bill was $133...apparently our vision insurance does not cover eye glasses, exams or lenses...go figure! Not sure what I'm paying my insurance bill for cause every time I have a claim it's not covered. I shouldn't complain though....the kids only cost me $15 a piece!

I've heard next week in double coupon week at Kmart. I have discovered there are 9 Kmarts within a 50 mile radios of me. Wonder if it's still a savings if I drive to ALL of them? ha!

This is a very random post but my week has been very random. I start to hang a picture, can't find the hammer, look for hammer, Bubby is in the bathroom, take care of him, check email, Sissy needs a drink, Bubby is then hungry, I should probably get a Coke (replenished my Mexican Coke stash!), remember that I'm looking for hammer when I see it on porch, kids want their swimsuits on, phone rings, kids want Popsicles, check Facebook, look at office and think 'I really should get this all put where it goes', kids fighting, Bubby wants his towel he is cold and done swimming, find his clothes, clean up kitchen floor....and it just goes on and on and on....isn't life glamorous?? When does school start??

Monday Happings

New furniture arrived....woohoo!! Look at the kids. They are looking in the back of the truck as if to say, "ya got anything in that big truck but a dumb ol' couch??'

It fills up the room so much you can't tell the carpet is SO green, right? At least I don't notice the carpet anymore I only notice the beautiful couch and the fact I do not have to sit on the floor anymore!

• The cookies were made for the delivery men. They drove so far that I felt sorry for them and decided they needed cookies.
• The yard has been mowed.
• The salsa has been made...I know...MORE salsa. I now have 52 pints of salsa. Hope that is enough for this winter.
• The office is slowly getting put together.
• Supper is in the crock-pot. We are having beef from a friend's field, corn from the neighbor, apply butter from a friends tree and greenbeans from my dad's garden. Living off the land....sorta.

Completely Supervised....

.....by his father. He's wearing safety orange. His father is right off to the side supervising. His mother has the camera (of course).

It's completely safe to play with a machete...sure it is!

Kitchen Addition

I had to go OVER A WEEK without a dishwasher. Going without the Internet was bad but I will have to admit that going without a dishwasher was HORRIBLE!!
When the truck pulled up Bubby ran out there and sat right down to watch them work. He's going to be a great government worker someday!Aunt Nancy was here and insisted they leave the box for the kids to play in. We really don't have any toys so this was a good idea on her part. Hello dear friend! I have so missed you! I have a really huge kitchen but it's an old country farm kitchen....from back in the day when men ruled the world and they thought women only needed a sink, stove and fridge to fix them their vittles. So...not much counter space. But with the addition of the dishwasher I pretty much doubled my counter space! I will have to admit that this is the best dishwasher I have EVER had. I don't know if it's the washer or the water but my dishes have never been so clean. This would make the 6th dishwasher we have had in the last 11 years and it's awesome!

Kid at Heart

I love it when guests come and play with my children. This is my Aunt Nancy and yes she is riding a child-sized bike. I tried to tell her there were some larger ones in the garage but she would have nothing to do with it. That's why we love her...she is a child at heart. Don't ever change!

Random Tuesday Thoughts

• Why did I take the time to mop the kitchen floor? It looks exactly the same...no cleaner. See if I ever do THAT again.
• Kitchen curtains....come out, come out, wherever you are!
• If you were a hammer and nails where would you be? In the garage in a box marked tools? No! I wouldn't either if I was a hammer and nails.
• You would THINK a college educated woman could figure out how to check the voicemail on her new phone.
• Who needs a couch?! Since I can't find one I like I think we'll just sit in lawn chairs for the rest of our lives.
• We are getting free HBO...why aren't there any good movies on? Probably a good thing since I don't really have time to watch them.
• Batteries...hmmm...wonder where they are.

The view to the east.

Happings

This is how my weekend went....I made a double batch of Zucchini bread. We tasted it and I could tell SOMETHING was missing but I couldn't figure it out. I soon realized it was the oil. I was on the phone (big shocker there) and I forgot the 2 cups of oil. It tastes OK and we are still eating it but it's a little dry. I'm hoping this means it's healthier for me....right? But cause it's dry I am slathering it with butter and cream cheese...defeats the healthiness of it I know.
Tried to go and buy peaches and got a nail in my tire...already told you about that. Finally got the peaches canned though. Before I could do any canning I had to find all my empty jars. I didn't have the movers unpack the jar boxes because I didn't know where I wanted them yet. I wish I had just had them go ahead and unpack them and put them on the floor cause it took forever!! But on the bright side....aren't the peaches pretty?? I don't think I've ever seen any so pretty. Sunday I decided to tackle the greenbeans my dad had brought me. We don't have a garden this year because we just moved. But before I could do green beans I had to find the pressure canner. Couldn't find the pressure canner. THREE hours later I still couldn't find the pressure canner. I unpacked all kinds of boxes marked 'garage' and still couldn't find it. I had already unpacked all the 'dish' boxes..where could it be!!? Finally found it sitting inside a square box-like table I have. Started the greenbeans and realized the little pressure topper thingy was missing! I can't can without that. I had remembered seeing it in a jar and thinking 'I need to put this somewhere where I can find it when I can'. Yeah...15 minutes later I finally found it sitting with my spices cause I just KNEW I would be able to find it there. Finally....greenbeans done...This morning I wanted to start hanging some shelves. Couldn't find the drill. Found the drill. Need the level. 20 minutes later find level in garage. Kids hungry. Feed kids. Pick up drill and battery is dead. Look for battery charger. Can't find battery charger. Look for phone. Found phone. Call The Hunter and ask where charger is. It's on the vanity in his bathroom. Of course it is!! Why didn't I think of that? Battery recharged. Kids want more food. Feed kids. FINALLY get shelf put up. ONE shelf! I'm exhausted....now blogging and checking Facebook.

New Blog Header

Check out my new blog header. I love it!! It's a beautiful, whimsical print from Suzzerpuss. I stumbled upon her blog earlier this year and I thought her prints were just too cute.

When I first saw Suzzerpuss' blog title I immediately thought of my sister. I had her change the name on the canvas and a birthday present was born!

This drawing was meant for my friend Meagan...even before I had her name put on it. She makes topsy-turvy cakes like this all the time (on purpose) and I thought this was perfect. Check her out! If you have a drawing in mind she will work with you until it's perfect. She's great!

$5.00 Magazine Subscriptions

Amazon is offering more $5 magazine subscriptions. Last month I bought Real Simple for only $5!!
1 Year subscription for only $5 (discount taken at register).