Azebra

We recently broke down and got Kaylor the one thing she has begged for. Azebra...and that is said together, not as two words. Azebra the cat. The cat is the most patient and tolerable of all types of carrying methods. She prefers to sleep with Ashley, which doesn't go too well. As I write this she is climbing up my mother's day gift (a chair from Pier 1). Makes for a lot of entertainment each day.

My guel

Both kids, especially Kaylor, have a very deep attachment to Ashley's right hand man, Miguel (My guel).

And the feelings are mutual. There are many days that I have to force the kids to come in when he is around the yard.


These are pictures of the throne Miguel

made Kaylor so she could watch them finish the porch. This occured the two days that they were working on it. And yes, she wore the same outfit both days as she watched what they were doing.

Ashley is so blessed to have such great help and the kids are blessed to have another person to love them. And I am so blessed by the smile and way Miguel's eyes light up as the kids are running across the yard to him.

2010 Harvest has Begun

Harvest Has Begun!!The kids and I went out last night to help Ashley break in his new John Deere 9660 Combine on our dryland corn crop. A much smoother ride with more room. We all 4 fit in as nice as can with 2 toddlers jumping around.

The new combine has a full glass window behind cab and you can watch the holding tank fill. That was really neat.

Hudson is in there with his daddy. He may not need a sitter for the rest of harvest. He wakes up asking to drive the combine.

Kaylor looking out the window watching the action.

I still haven't learned to drive the grain cart or get my CDL, so I am safe to continue running the household, working 3 mornings a week while Kaylor is at preschool, overseeing the church nursery amd selling Pampered Chef. But if I had any free time, I know I would be practicing for my CDL. NOT!! :)

May everyone have a safe and blessed harvest season.

The GARDEN!!

Okay, I posted last on June 27th and promised a post on the Garden. Well, I haven't been back before now because of the Garden. That weed infested, goat-head and sandbur full, nothing but hard work piece of land has conquered me. I did good for first month. Kept it clean, watched the sweet seedling pop out of the dirt and begin to grow. Harvested first 50 yellow squash (that I really don't like), and shredded a number of zucinni. Then, the Garden took over. I gave up and always found something more fun that weeding it when outside. So I won't embaress myself with a picture of the Garden. Just know that I will not be tackling another one next year. Well.....maybe a small container garden.

Why are you sleeping!?!

Why are you sleeping? This what I hear from the bathroom as I am in my room and kids are bathing. I go in to find that Kaylor snuck a ziploc into the bathtub, has filled it with water and place our plastic Nemo in it. If you are a fan of the movie "Finding Nemo", you will want to call Kaylor "Darla". She was even shaking the bag with an upside down fish in it. She was only missing the braces and headgear. I love what thier minds remember and how they process.

So all you little fishes, watch out for my Darla.

This was also our 3rd bath of the day. A rather normal occurance during the summer and playing outside in the dirt/mud.

Next posting...THE GARDEN!!!

Sleep, Sleep and more Sleep

My kids will sleep just about anywhere. As shown in the pictures, when it's time IT'S TIME!

Hudson just couldn't make it to his bed.

Kaylor fell asleep waiting for her princess dress to dry. Please note she was fully clothed when she went in there to watch it dry.

Sleep is needed after a hard day working on the farm.

This is how I found Kaylor once it got quiet in her room. She had been in there talking about how jelly is bad for girls, only boys eat it. Note: I don't think she has had but 2 tbsp of jelly in her life.

And to have this many pictures of sleeping children is fasinating to me, because it is a fight everytime we try to go down for nap or bed. But when they do, I love to watch them. SWEET DREAMS!

Spring 2010

Kaylor at marmee and doodad's "swimming pool"
Yeah! Our favorite thing

at the park.

Well Spring has sprung! I know this because I haven't posted in so long.

We have been outside as much as possible. Our weather has been cooler than normal and we have LOVED it! However, how do my kids get a tan when we are in the same place and amount of time. I am Casper. UNFAIR!!!

Handsome Hudson is 2 now and Kaylor will turn 3 on Friday!
Another post sooner than the last!

Sunny California!!

Ashley and I made our trip to California the first week of March. I will admit it, it was nice to get away from the kids for a little while. While there, we attended a few banquets, went whale watching, ate, hit Disneyland, ate, shopped, ate and ate. We met up with Ashley's baby sister, Autumn and her husband Jason. I lost my camera, due to battery failure, and most of the pictures are on a disposable. We both made it back and noone was wounded. So I do know that we can make it 4 days with each other in a small room. Pioneer seed took such great care of us, that we are going to make it a yearly try to win the trip. Tampa, Florida next year.

Pioneer Woman

We lost power for two days last week and I embraced my Pioneer spirit. I learned to cook on the fireplace. Pictured are the turtles I made and ate pretty much by myself.(Boo!) I also made chicken tacos with refried beans for supper the night before. I attempted a large cookie, but burned the sugar out of it. I even boiled water to take sink baths and clean. Watch out Caroline Ingles, I am giving you a run for your money. HAHA! Two days was quite enough.

Hudson's 2nd

Okay, so it has been a long while since posting. I am going to try to make it up in the next few days.

Today, HUDSON TURNED TWO!

My little guy turned 2 on February 28th. The weather was yucky the week before and his party had to be cancelled due to impassable roads. So he got to have 2 parties. The pictures are from Papa and Grandma's house. I tried to make an ice cream cake and, well, it didn't. Tasted good but, UGLY. As you can see, he decided to eat with his shovel.

The 2nd party for his 2nd birthday was with our dear friends the Allen's. Pizza and fun with Hudson's friend Keldon. He got a great remote control tractor.

Hudson also got a bag of outdoor goodies from the Crosby's. We have been using them every day in the dirt pile. Good choices everyone.

So he is now arounf 27lbs. as tall as his sister and follows everything she does. He is 100% BOY. Dirty and destructive. Loves to sit in the corner quiet and read books. A true blessing to us.

WE LOVE YOU HUDSON BOY!

Anticipation

No pictures to post today. No that we haven't had lots of time INDOORS to take pictures. Hence the title of the post, I am so ready to not see snow on the ground. Unfairly, I will get to next week as we make our trip to California. Although, from looking at the weather in Anaheim, it isn't always Sunny California. Rain forecasted for most days we are there. But, at least there is no SNOW! And I loved snow before this past month. Now I can't wait for it to go.

I am also anticipating more details on the message that God has placed in my heart. The word "UNITY" has been with me for the last few days. I have begun looking up verses in the Word about it. When I have a better handle on it, I will give you details. But, at our Tuesday night group we prayed for each other and I received a big glimpse into what I am supposed to get from this Word. My unity has to start in my marriage. Biting of lip...We were not unified this morning going over financial issues. So as you can read, I needed the message.

Which I guess is why the good Lord enables Ashley to grow 309 bushel corn and win a trip for it. We will have 4 days, without kids, in an unknown city with each other. Unity will either come or we will kill each other. Ask and ye shall receive. I wanted to dig deeper, and the Lord handed me a shovel.

After the trip...(and I am confident if someone doesn't make it back, it won't be me)

Look at me!

The kids got cameras for Christmas, and I downloaded the pictures. There are some great ones. And, Kaylor is very gifted in taking pictures of herself.

They can add Disney characters to the pictures, as seen below. We ran the batteries out once already. But they patiently waited for me to get to town to buy more and fix the cameras. We are back in business.

What I really loved as I looked at the pictures taken, was the perception of the taker. The kids see things that I wouldn't. They love to take pictures of the dogs, their toys, or even the TV. Made me remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Many around me, myself included, are trying to accomplish the usual New Year's resolution of weight loss. I was talking with a friend recently and she said, I have lost 10 pounds and am still a size (bigger than she wants). I replied, the size doesn't matter, it is how healthy and toned you are. But, then I added, and that you feel good about where you are.

My question is...Who out there feels good about where they are body image wise? NOT ME!! I try to put it into my head that God thinks I am beautiful as I am. Easier said than believed. Then I look at the fact that my inside person is not as beautiful as I want her to be. I believe that if I get her looking like I want, then my outside appearence will follow. Whether that be, I lose weight, get healthy and toned or my perception is changed. Something to strive for.

Just remember, we sometimes have to look through the lens with another's eyes to see a different side of ourselves.

The Reason for the Season

Well 2010 (Two thousand and ten) is upon us. We had a nice Christmas. Very quiet. My sister's for Christmas morning and Papa and grandma came out for the evening. The kids favorite gifts were cameras. There are great pictures on them. Will get them on another post.


We put our Christmas decor up and Kaylor was so upset that Baby Jesus was gone. Grandma, who has over 200 nativity sets, has loaned one that the kids can play with. So Baby Jesus, Mary & the donkey will get to grace the stable(barn) all year at our house.
She makes Joseph stay outside with the wise men and the animals. But she loves to play with it. And I can't complain when that is what she wants. Hudson loves the camel and building the fence. Which I just had to do for him.
Kaylor even loves to dress up as Mary. She puts her blanket over her head like a shaw. We did a lot of explaining about Jesus birthday being on Christmas and not much about Santa. It was a fun season.

These two pictures of my back yard torn up are for the purpose of putting in a septic system. There was not one when we bought the place. Don't ask where it went. But it is now installed and planning a patio.

The kids helped daddy put the dirt back in with a kitchen spoon and kids rake. They enjoyed the piles of dirt. Mommy enjoyed knowing they weren't going to fall in the "hole."

Here is a shot of the two. Kaylor is slinking down. They are the same heigth and Hudson weighs about 3 pounds more.

KEEP YOUR RESOLUTIONS! HEEHEE!