Sunday, June 28, 2009

June 28, 2009

After the garage sale this weekend, I'm feeling completely drained and exhausted; the house is TRASHED beyond recognition; and my obsessive compulsiveness is wanting to tackle it all and get it back in order pronto! However, I know myself well enough to know, that when I try to do it all, I get a serious case of burnout, it takes me a while to get back in the swing of things, and it just gets further out of hand.



So after church today, I started off small. Laundry and dishes seemed to be the thing that needed the most attention. I ended up doing three dishwasher loads of dishes, cleaning out four drawers in the kitchen (where those detestable rodents had visited), and 5 loads of laundry. I also put all of Eli's clothes away in their respective locations, and started on Bayleigh's clothes. (*I just love my clear plastic totes and they fit in the kid's new closets perfectly!)

Tomorrow I plan on putting up the rest of Bayleigh's clothes and then heading out to the garage to bag up a bunch of clothes for the Women's Shelter. We're still planning on keeping the best stuff for next Friday's garage sale, so hopefully I can get through the rest of my clothes before then. I'm definitely in simplifying mode.

June 27, 2009

I don't know where my mom picked up this little pair of cowboy boots . . . but they sure got a lot of action today!


This was the last day of the garage sale and we ended up making several trips in and out, because it was just too hot to sit in the garage all day. Every time we made a trip outside, Eli would slide this pair of boots on and come outside with me. It was SO cute! I wish I could have captured a picture of him running around in them.

And of all the things I'd put in the sale, that belonged to Eli . . . the thing he had difficulty letting go of was his toddler bed. He didn't mind giving up the toys at all, but I felt a little twinge when he stuck his bottom lip out and said he wanted his little boy bed back. It just tore my heart out. Maybe this pair of boots will take his mind off of his old bed . . .

Saturday, June 27, 2009

June 26, 2009

Warning: If you're a mouse lover, don't scroll any further!

This past week, while preparing for the garage sale, I found the evidence of a mouse (or mice), breaking through the small space around where our kitchen pipe comes into the house. I've filled this gap around the pipe with steel wool, but apparently these little rodents have eaten a hole through it, allowing them to break in to my lower kitchen cabinets. And I don't know about anyone else . . . but I truly detest these little rodents breaking into my home, gnawing holes in my muffin mixes and relieving themselves in my silverware drawer.

I don't really like the idea of using poison, because of my small children, and the fact that the mice can die just about anywhere, leaving a nice odor for you to track down . . . so I've been using the tried and true . . .



So far I've caught three of the pesky little things. I'm hoping in the following days that I can get my kitchen back in order and rid myself completely of these little bothersome creatures. Geez . . . there's always SOMETHING!

June 25, 2009

After hap-hazardly getting things set up for the



this weekend, I finally braved the crowds and opened the doors. Several friends and neighbors contributed to the cause, and two whole bays of the garage were jam packed with stuff . . .



I can't believe how many TOYS and CLOTHES the kids have accumulated over their short lives . . .



and as crazy as it sounds, I'm planning on opening this thing up again next Friday, because I still have totes in the house that need to be brought out and priced!


It's amazing how much money you can make, at a quarter an item, and the way I look at it, it's a GARAGE SALE! If you want to get rid of it, price it to sell! So we'll see how the next few days go . . . if I can stand the heat and humidity for that long.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

June 24, 2009

Today was a busy, busy day! Getting up early to price garage sale stuff and then catching Bayleigh's chickens for her first ever 4-H Exhibition, in the neighboring county. It's just plumb crazy around here!

I do believe this 4-H thing is going to be a fun activity for everyone involved, though. It's amazing how these kids just gravitate to each other and become instant friends. You'd have thought they had known each other their whole lives . . .




Of course, kids in this age group tend to be a little rambuctious, and ornery . . .




but they were pretty well behaved, overall. We learned quite a bit about poultry today, and how they were judged. Very cool. I had NO idea that showing poultry was such a big thing . . .



and we couldn't have been more surprised, when Bayleigh's Buff Cochin Bantam pullet won Grand Champion and Best of Show!


She also received 5 blue ribbons for her mixture of chicks. We were so very proud of our little girl and she's done such a good job taking care of them! I don't even have to tell her to go and feed them each morning. She automatically gets up, puts her clothes on and goes out to let them out of their roost and feeds them.

I believe this will be the first of many shows and I think she's off to a wonderful start!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

June 23, 2009

We had a trip to the dentist for both kids today. It was Eli's first trip. He was thoroughly enamoured of the "chair" and all those cool "tools" . . .



and thankfully both kids came away cavity free.




Have I ever mentioned that my oldest has used the "facilities" in every location in a tri-county area? What is it with kids and bathrooms, anyhow?! Of course I have to hold all the goods, so she can go potty . . . even balloons aren't an exception.



After we finished up at the dentist's office, we headed to Pier One, and I used my gift certificate from Christmas toward a new rug for the dining room. Then it was on to the Oriental restaurant next door . . . I thought the reflection off the table was kind of cool, so I snapped a few pictures. The waitress probably thought I was some nut . . . but I'm glad I stepped out of my zone and took them. It made for a pretty unique looking photo.



Bayleigh was getting pretty tired by the time we finished eating, and I was pretty pooped myself! But we headed on to Bass Pro, picked up my hubby's desk from the furniture warehouse, then made our way North to Dairy Queen, with a quick finish at Wal-Mart.

When I got home, my mom, Colette and I moved all the garage sale stuff out to the garage for pricing, while Dave took the kids to the creek . . . I've never SEEN so much STUFF in my LIFE! Hope I can get rid of some of it this weekend.

Monday, June 22, 2009

June 22, 2009

As crazy as Monday's are around here, I'm truly surprised that I even noticed all these old cars driving down our rural back road . . .



After the first dozen or so went through, I decided to take the kids outside to watch them go by . . .



I like the fact that I saw some women driving these beautiful old cars, too . . .




and the majority of the drivers and passengers were VERY friendly and honked and waved at us. The fellows below even tossed out a postcard, which stated that their car was a 1932 Ford Dirt Track Racer, and the owners/drivers were Howard and Douglas Sharp from Fairport, N.Y.



As I watched all these beautiful old cars go by, I wondered what ever happened to grace and style in the vehicle industry. As you can see from the photo below . . . that old car has such wonderful detail, compared to the plain, suppository style mini van, impatiently waiting to blow it's doors off . . .



I truly admire these guys. I looked up the website www.greatrace.com/ and it showed there wasn't a race listed for 2009, however, that's apparently what was going on here today. These guys were driving in sweltering heat, in these old cars, and each and every one of them looked like they were having the time of their lives! Just another reason to slow down and enjoy the ride!

June 21, 2009

This was a surprising Father's Day! I woke up as usual and when I came into the living room/office I found a desk full of goodies and a sweet card from my hubby. He'd gotten an ice cream maker for the kids, and several hanging plant holders for me. I think he knows that I've been struggling with the single parenting thing, while he's been working and doing his studies. And I can't deny that I've been under a little pressure to make sure I get the kids where they need to be, when they need to be there, along with keeping up on the housework and the various other activities going on right now . . .



but I realize he's feeling a little pressured, too. He's missing out on all the fun stuff the kids are learning to do, and I KNOW he'd much rather be with us, than spending so much time studying and doing clinicals.




One more year! He'll finish up his schooling about the same time Bayleigh gets out of first grade. I know it's been a long haul for him, but he truly does love his work. The studying . . . not so much.


We made breakfast in bed for him this morning. Pancakes, with butter and syrup and a glass of milk. Eli carried the card, Bayleigh carried two tiger lilies, and I brought up the rear with the food. I think he was pleasantly surprised. At least he got to enjoy a few moments of his special day before heading off to work. Hang in there honey. It will all be over with soon! I'm so very blessed and proud to be your wife.

** The top two photos are of my oldest riding her bike to grandma's house for the very first time. The last photo is of her catching a baby frog. It was teeny tiny! **

June 20, 2009

Getting ready for a garage sale is HARD work. Not to mention messy! My obsessive compulsive disorder is "ticking" again. The only thing that's keeping me going is thinking of all this STUFF we'll be getting rid of! And I really don't care if we make that much money, although that would be a nice perk to all this hard work . . . the thing I'm looking forward to, is when it's all over and done with, there will be a lady coming out to load everything up for donation. In a week all this stuff will be G.O.N.E. gone! I'm hoping that ditching all this stuff will help simplify my life . . .



Bayleigh even simplified her life by letting go of her "Disney Princess" Polly Pockets, since she got new Glitz and Glam Polly Pockets pets for her birthday. I'm proud of her for not having a fit, when I asked her if she'd like to pass her Princesses along to some other little girl to play with. She's played with those "pets" non-stop and she even fell asleep playing with them today.



That lets me know that the money spent was well worth the cost. I love watching her enjoy using her imagination.

June 19, 2009

I do believe that we got what we wished for . . .


Polly Pockets Glitz and Glam Pets! Just more stuff to lose and vacuum up . . .
Hopefully she'll learn to keep it picked up and contained to her room. Maybe moms should get a wish on their kid's birthdays, too . . . What do you think?

Sunday, June 21, 2009

June 18, 2009

Ahhhh . . . the last T-ball game of the year! I don't think it has really sunk in, that this was the last game of the season, but I know we have more than enough activities planned for the rest of the summer, that she won't even have time to miss it!



I had baked cake(s) for Bayleigh's birthday yesterday, and she was so looking forward to helping me decorate them . . .



Funfetti cake with some weird kind of confetti icing, hot pink sprinkles, and Tinkerbell/Birthday decorations all around. Our bunny rabbit cake was tres chic . . .



I hope you got what you wished for little girl, and I think it was kind of neat being able to celebrate your sixth birthday . . . TWICE!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

June 17, 2009

Happy Birthday Baby Girl! Technically you weren't born until 9:49 p.m. on this date back in 2003, so I'm capturing a few of the last 5 year old pictures I can take of you, before you officially turn six tonight!



Sleeping late . . .



Playing with our little science type contraption . . .




Trying on your new bicycle helmet . . . (I'm hoping to teach you to ride a bike this summer.)




Playing mini golf with your friend Ella . . .



And eating at El Jimador for a late supper. I can't believe you're six years old! It seems like only yesterday, that we were bringing you home from the hospital. You're truly a blessing to me and I'm so, so proud to be your mommy!

I love you sweetie and I hope you had a fun and memorable birthday!

June 16, 2009

Last night we had an AWFUL storm. Around 9:00 p.m. the lightning and thunder started . . . and it lasted throughout the night. It was like daylight, all night long. About 5:30 the straight-line winds came through plastering our house with leaves . . .



and uprooting more trees. We've lost two trees this week, and the tops have been broken out of five others. It looks like some landscaping is going to be in order in the next few years . . .




I'm glad that these beautiful wildflowers survived the beating. (We also had quarter size hail that beat our garden to a pulp!)



I just felt bad for the outside dogs. Dave had built new pens for them yesterday and got them moved in, but hadn't moved their dog houses in yet. So Ike (my old huskey) and Jewels got a nice bath last night. Ike is very old and has arthritis in his hips/back, so I worried about him all night. I've just started giving him Glucosamine and Aspirin this past week and seeing the difference in him is unbelievable! It's like having a puppy again! A VERY large puppy . . .


Bayleigh had another T-Ball game tonight, and driving to the game we saw lots of trees uprooted and damaged. It's amazing what havoc the wind can wreak in such a short period of time.

I'm glad no one was hurt, and there was minimal damage to the residences in the area. I'm sure we're in for some more interesting weather this week, so you can bet we'll be better prepared for the next round!

June 15, 2009

I finally got a picture of momma birdie . . . she's an elusive little rascal. To get this shot, I had to switch to my zoom lens; sneak out the back door and around the deck; and ease my way toward the nest . . .



she's sitting on her second batch of babies right now, and I'm wondering how many she will have this time around . . .



My yucca plant is in full bloom right now, too. It seems to be running a little late this year, but I could be mistaken . . .




This Tiger Lily ended up as a gift to grandma. Eli picked it right after I took pictures of it . . .




Dave, Eli and I went birthday shopping for Bayleigh, while grandma watched Bayleigh. It looks like she ended up having Kasey, too. (IMAGINE THAT!) My little girl has nothing at all against getting dirty, either . . . as you can tell from the dirt stained knees and grubby elbows.



On the way back home with the kids, I couldn't resist getting a picture of the reflection in the mud puddle . . . those clouds were just marvelous!

Friday, June 19, 2009

June 14, 2009

After church, I ended up doing a lot of piddling around the house. I usually just rest and enjoy the kids, but they seemed occupied with their own little things, so I was at a loss with what to do with myself. I ended up doing several loads of laundry and for supper, I made this weird oriental style meatloaf. It was really yummy, but don't ask me for the recipe! It was one of those "a little of this" and "a little of that" kinda things . . .



Bayleigh was occupied with getting all of her little pony's hair brushed out (which took several hours), and when she was done she wanted me to come in and see how beautiful they looked.

** On a side note, I found that cute little sewing chair at a yard sale this past Thursday. Twenty dollars sure beats the $150 that the furniture store had marked on the chair that went with Bayleigh's bed/desk ensemble! Not to mention, this little chair has some pretty neat storage under the seat, and it's solid as a ROCK. **




Bayleigh also helped me make "homemade" popsicles this afternoon. It was a nice, cool rewarding treat after supper . . .




And it was lemonade flavored . . . my little guys favorite!



We're still trying to hold off on turning on the A/C, but the forecast isn't looking good! I think the hot weather is here to stay!

June 13, 2009

Today I didn't really feel all that energetic . . . but with our garage sale coming up in a few weeks, I thought I'd better get on the ball and do some sorting and purging. So I brought all the kids clothes downstairs and sorted. I was VERY ruthless in my choices of what to keep and what to get rid of, and I'm happy to say that I almost completely finished going through Eli's clothing and I now know what we've got and what we may need in the near future.



I also brought down a bag of the kids' stuffed toys, that I'd put away for safe keeping. They both had a blast burying each other in them . . .


Next week, I'm hoping to dig into Bayleigh's clothes . . . we'll see what I can get done!