Happy faces & Dirty feet

                                                            This picture makes me smile.

Callie was told she could get as dirty as she wanted!  She had grand fun doing so!!!

The muddy water was dripping off the hem of her denim skirt!!!

8/17/2010

~Storms, Sales & Supper~

Decided it was time to have my first ever garage sale at this house.  There was rain in the forecast, but I pushed ahead, praying all the while, that it wouldn't rain.  The dark clouds were ominous as my brother-in-law, Richard & my father-in-law helped me set up that morning.  I was having faith that it would NOT rain.  My dear BIL told me something to the tune of that's what the people were saying back in Noah's day before the world was flooded!!!!  Needless to say, I was quite discouraged when it poured BUCKETS, but I thought it was neat that God sent my biggest customer during the storm.  He does answer prayers, just not in the way we expected Him to! :)

There is something disturbing about seeing all the junk piled in front of ones' home for all to see and go through.  All in all it was a good sale.  Over $100 dollars of stuff that was just filling up the already full house!! :)  I hauled the leftovers to the salvation army.

Callie rode her bike around in between customers.

After the day-long garage sale, we had a fish fry.  Duane & Richard had been fishing the previous day.  Richard breaded and fried up a mess of perch for us.  He is the best fish fryer around!!!  It was super-yummy!!!!  We also had fresh-picked-from-our-garden corn on the cob and homemade french fries! 

Our cousin, An'drea relaxing with the kids outside.

Folks, the last few weeks, my house has been REAL!!!!  I've been soooo busy trying to keep up landry, teaching lessons, doing Callie's homeschool, cooking food for everyone, getting garage sale stuff ready, and helping my SIL sew, that the housework has PILED up.  Please excuse all clutter/junk/etc.....in the background of my pictures!!!! :)

The fish-fryer takin' a break!!

~Celebrating Christmas~

At the end of August, I planned a spontaneous Christmas celebration with Duane's sister & her husband.  They were leaving to be missionaries in the Philippines and we wouldn't see them during the holidays.  We made 4 big homemade pizzas and Christmas cutout sugar cookies.  It was the least stressful holiday celebration I've ever been a part of.  :)  Not to mention it was way more fun to bake Christmas cookies in August!!!  Here is Callie with the cookies and wearing last years' Christmas day ooga booga outfit.

Each of the kids waiting patiently for their Christmas gift.

Callie just LOVES her ponies.  I can't believe how much she looks like me in this picture!!!  I didn't notice it until uploading these pictures this morning!!!

Simon LOVED his whoopie cushion!!!!  I say LOVED(past tense), because it was soooooo well-loved and sooooo well-used it just couldn't handle all the repeated use and was jumped on(to make yet another explosive, hilarious sound) one too many times and simply split its' side!  They even put it outside my music studio door and made sounds while I was teaching!!!!!!!!!  It was tons of fun.  Another one will have to be purchased in the future.

Seth & Samuel both love playing/setting up Army bases.  More things for them to add to their collections.  Seth is excited, just acted silly, by NOT smiling. :)

Yet another strange face from Seth......

Aunt Sarah, read the kids their bedtime story that night. 

~Partners In Crime~

Just want to reassure all 6 of my faithful blog readers, that YES, I'm still alive!  It's been a crazy, busy, fun-filled, memory-making last several weeks.  I'm now able take a little breather and update.  I have lots of things to share, but first, this is what I caught 2 little kids doing this morning.  On the living room wall!!!  I started to get all stressed out about them pound a HUMONGOUS nail in the wall and then realized it was just a THUMBTACK!  Don't think that will do much damage, so I'm letting them be creative.  :)

Samuel pounds the second thumbtack in to secure the stack of papers!

Flipping through their papers.  Please excuse the little girl with a very bad case of bedhead hair and still wearing her nightgown and 11AM!!!  Shame on her mommy!!!! :)

Now to get on with start my day.....