Memorial Day Weekend, 2009

Believe it or not...uploading 321 photos to edit, tell about and share is a bit overwhelming.

This Memorial Day weekend we had a sad happy day with my family (mom's side). We gathered to bury my Grandma Short(cake's) ashes. It's been a few months that she's been gone now, it was peaceful for me to know that this was now concluded....however her spirit has long been singing in heaven. It was a treasure though to gather again with family, her three sisters and remember her again, to sing songs she loved and visit Grandpa's gravesite too. My Mom and Grandma's sisters
Afterward we had a fabulous picnic at a huge park, it was a treat to be all together. These are some of my cousins. They are all grown up and so fun..each of them.


30 some family members and LOTS of little boys. My neice (my double cousin's daughter) camped out with us that night and the boys were thrilled to play games and sit around the campfire with Lauren. She and her sister Sianna have long been special-favorite cousins to the boys. They have gotten lots of playtime together over the last three years.
Lauren, Nate and Eli feast on cherries.

It was a very fun, action packed weekend. Sunday we went to spend a few hours with my other Grandparents who are living on their own still, in spite of my grandpa's blindness, diabetes, and grandma's pain that keeps her from doing to much walking...and no driving. They are stubborn in their late years...don't want to move. Not that I can blame them. When you move into a retirement center you don't move back out. But it would be so lovely for my family if they would move somewhere that their lives and care could be simpler. I'm sure this is just around the bend for them, but I'm glad to still have them around and enjoyed my afternoon of 'show and tell' with them. They have so many things to show me. :)

I ran out of camera battery for most of the weekend and was too content and busy to do anything about it. We stayed three nights in Roseburg and it was quiet and we loved the convience of the trailer...enabling us to stay there for cheap and eat at 'home.'

Home Sweet Home

We're back from our little adventures visiting family in Roseburg and poking around in tidepools at the coast. Our first official "working/schooling" holiday.

I can't wait to show you most of my 286 photos and tell you all about it. Just reading friends' blogs I found three other things to blog about too....

Missing you, bloggie friends. But man, it's great to be offline for a bit!

Soon...

From another Mom

Barb's site is a favorite blog for me for art inspiration. Art is not the easiest thing I teach, and I can use the inspiration.

These are some thoughts she recorded on how not to be overwhelmed with homeschool.


Homeschooling without being Overwhelmed.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
No Comparisons

A Thousand Words

Boys found a frog on the patio.

No, I don't mind holding frogs. I like them.

This photo encompasses the sheer-awesomeness of our Sunday-Funday.

A little Slip...

A little Zip (thanks to an awesomly-innovative dad)

Tiger cubs made rockets to blast off.

They went amazingly high, it was so fun for the boys.

Eli was a little timid.

Nate has been perching from the eves in the treehouse.

Breakfast in bed anyone? I got it three times this week!

Nate watches that ball and runs fast for it.

Joey gives us a thumbs up. They're both loving the ball game.

Didn't I tell you Nate took a photo of his own freckles?!? So cute!

AND Joey surprised me by unloading the dryer and carefully folding all the clothes for me. Just tell me, how cool is that? A mother's dream...

A sweet, smiley face;

My dad bought ladybugs to let loose in the garden. The boys had a great time with their nephew last weekend. (Right now I'm just lovin' the belly & button.)

Joaquin is a real peach, still. A talking and talking peach.

Eli's art (self portrait)

Joey's spring picture

Nate; self portrait.

Do you see some resemblance?

A nice squiddy little picture Eli made for me. They have faces!!

And finally, Eli with his painted birdhouse. If only we can find tiny bumble-birds...

Poetry by Joey

Snacks, snacks, I love snacks.
Because you can bring them in back packs.
Snacks are yummy,
snacks are for my tummy.
Snacks are great,
like the snack I ate.

I love this face...

This week's theme is close up. This is my sweet Nate, close up. He acutally took a picture of his own freckles this week. How wonderful is that. Because, I love faces...and I love freckles.

Add your own favorite close up at I love Faces Bloggy. :)

May Monday

Thanks to the Happy Homemaker, Saundra for an opportunity to think forward this week...





On my bedside table:

• intensely reading Sacred Echos (so I can give it back to my Auntie this weekend)
• the Bible
• I have a few books waiting for the trip next week
  

On my TV
Survivor Finale last night. Pleased with the results. JT was a good guy.

On the menu for tonight:
Cheeseburgers on the barbie, fruit salad. :)


On my To Do List

My self assigned task this week: deep clean the bathrooms (we're talking about every nook and shelf and drawer folks. BUT we are getting ready for blast off on Friday so I might just be packing. Other than that...

1. phone call
2. send two packages
3. send in CC registration
4. re pot a plant
5. hyper water my new babies (plants)
6. oh..so much more but I don't want to bore you or me

New Recipe I tried last week:
Oh, you always things I'm so innovative. Nothing new. But I made a roasted chicken, hubby's favorite.

In the craft basket:
crafting busy boys, still a blanket, is gardening crafty? well, I'm there.


Looking forward to:
the coast
a day with all the Short family in Roseburg
schools' end (5 weeks)
more fun dates with my husband
the rest of my life and mostly, eternity
what God has to say about a certain few things.



Homemaking Tip for this week:
vinegar on a sunburn takes out the sting. I burned ONE arm at the cub scouts' rocket launching on Saturday. Cute.


Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
I thought this one was interesting...maybe good reading incentive for those bigger kids.

Favorite photo from last week:

Lesson learned the past few days:

I am too old to do a death drop.

Do you remember what a death drop is? Go back to say 5th, 6th grade.... when you played on the bars. That trick the cool girls could do....sit on the bar, without holding on fall backward and flip around to land on your feet.

I've been trying it about every year since- just to prove to myself I could still do it.

I cannot do it anymore. I have the bruises to show for it. I'm glad to say that I just landed on my knees, that is the worst of my injuries. I'm not sure that it didn't happen because the bar was sliding around in it's sockets...

You know, I'm certain it was the bars' fault. But I'm NOT going to try again to prove it. At any rate, I'm 34 now. I've graduated to watching my boys do such daring things.

On my Prayer List:

provision for a friend
a husband for another
comfort for a cousin
a baby for two friends
wisdom for my sweetie and i

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

Live happily with the (man) you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you in this world. The (man) God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil. Ecc. 9:9 (edited by me)

Broken Heart

Last night we had a sad, sad Joey. He was just completely broken-hearted (and overtired.) His dad and I took turns comforting him, trying to speak some crazy adult advice to a 7 year old who thought his world had ended.

What to say?

His dad encouraged him that over time and forgiveness, he would feel better.

Joey responded: "But dad, as the saying goes "Some broken hearts just can't be mended."

How very sad. I hope he's feeling better when he gets up this morning.

Prankster

Today Eli walked down the hall into the kitchen with his arms out in distress

Eli: Mom! I lost my toy airplane!
Mom: You did? Where did you leave it
Eli: (points at mom) Gotcha!! (laughing)

He, this little three year old boy was pulling my leg! AND I fell for it. That tells you two things: 1. I was not expecting to be tricked by this three year old 2. He's a good little actor

I hope, hope, hope this is not a sign of things to come!

Faces

This weeks' theme is Laughter. Sadly, I had to go back to August 2008 to get the right photo. I know what I'll be doing this week...

delighted climb

Come and join in the fun of adding sweet little faces to your blog with Ree.

**Don't forget to scroll down and join the entry for a giveaway...

Cow-contented: a giveaway

32 Cows
2 Horses
2 grass munching Deer


This is what I saw on my run today. I'll tell the truth. I don't always love the dusty, brown terrain of the High Desert. But without thinking of it, when I'm running, I've begun to love & notice the details. I've enjoyed the colorful lichen that grows on the rocks, the big open skies that point to the ever present snow capped mountains. One of my favorite things are the farms, pastures filled with cows or horses, llamas.

Interestingly enough, it took me getting outside the house and the car to notice the things I could treasure and enjoy.

Slowing down.

Luke 12:24 (The Message)

Steep Yourself in God-Reality

^22-24He continued this subject with his disciples. "Don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more.

Today as I ran up Cinder Butte I spotted two deer munching on the green grass the plentiful spring rain has grown. It was delightful. Juneau loves the cows, they're young yet, and are as curious about him as he is about them. I love farmlife.

While I look forward to living somewhere with a million restaurant and park choices, I'll keep looking for and enjoying the details of beauty right here in the Juniper covered High Desert.

A Giveaway~

Speaking of Contentment...I'm wanting to share this book I've been reading and going through with one of you. To enter, tell me a story of how you're choosing contentment. I will pick a winner a week from today, Tuesday. So...leave your blurp of contentment in the comment box, and don't be surprised if I share your story on my blog! I think these are encouraging to others.

Buy the way~ this struggle for contentment isn't one of my most challenging. I'm just not ready to dig deeper and post it on the blog.

All you want to know about My Monday

Thanks to the Happy Homemaker, Saundra for an opportunity to think forward this week...





On my bedside table:

• ooo, I have a couple of new book I haven't even picked up
• trying to finish "Sacred Echo" so I can give it back to my Auntie when I see her in a couple of weeks
• Bible and Journal and a few printed out E books I'm whittling through.
  
• Not much reading time these sunny days. :)
  

On my TV
Last night we watched "Night at the Museum" with the boys. Fun family movies. I was impressed with the civil (divorced couple) and respectful relationships in the storyline.


On the menu for tonight:
Salmon, rice and artichokes


On my To Do List:
My self assigned project for the week is to plan the garden and start seedlings. I'm trying to figure out how to enclose the bottom of the tree house in sweet peas and flowers. :)
vacuum, tball pics, t ball practices, clean the house up after company, oh..I know there is more...

New Recipe I tried last week:
one night (Ralph was gone) I had a giant bowl of broccoli with Parmesan and bacon crumbles. Mmmm & I LOVE eating my spaghetti sauce over a bed of sauteed zuchinni. Mmmm, going to have leftovers for lunch!

In the craft basket:
Blankets are progressing, still. Yard work is crafty, right?


Looking forward to:
Summer!
Coos Bay and Newport trip
Maybe attending a Classical Conversations Practicum in June
Seeing a friend I haven't seen in awhile
Dating my husband



Homemaking Tip for this week:
The un-done housework won't bug you if you're outside. :) Oh! and I'm going to try planting seedlings in paper/cardboard egg cartons...then when it's time to plan maybe I'll just cut off the bottom and plant them inside. I'll let you know how it works.


Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other):
That requires too much thought right now.

Favorite photo from last week:

Boys got the camera. I don't have any other good ones right now. :)

Lesson learned the past few days:

Don't try to follow anyone else. Everyone should be going at their own pace...follow God. He knows where your path goes, and what your pace should be.

On my Prayer List:

some friends who are craving babies
a cousin who lost a friend
A friend who had an MRI
a mom who is in pain
a man who needs to find God in his pain
another man who is seeking direction
wisdom...as a mom

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

As for God, his way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. 2 Samuel 22:31

Wish I had a photo....

Happy Mother's Day, friends

This morning I was greeted with breakfast in bed, by Nate.

It was a wonderful little paper plate with a pear, and orange and a big huge long carrot.

I loved the kisses best. I am rich.

My favorite things about Mother's Day:

Eli says..

Yesterday Ralph was giving the boys a good reminder; "Thank your mom for all her love and hard work tomorrow, it's Mother's Day."

Eli's response: "But I don't want to because I get in trouble by mom."

Hmpf. I am not deterred, I reminded this little boy that God gave me the job of teaching him the way he should go. So I'm doing my job, therefore, I am a good mom.

Un-bloggy

I've been cooling down after the conference we had last weekend at church. I was in on the planning, leading worship and did a little teaching and I'm W-I-P-E-D. The conference was fantastic, by the way. I have still been peeking in on all your blogs, but I'm just not writing again yet. And I've also been spending extra time with the boys this week, time well spent. Tonight they're watching Curious George so I took a minute to read and write.

BUT, I'm sure you all know I'll be back...in full force, soon! But this week I'm working on;

• the overdue birthday blanket
  
• preparing the house for my sister and her family for the weekend
• lots and lots of reading with the boys
• starting on a new blanket requested by Eli :) He picked the colors
  
• investigating homeschool teaching tools
  
• schooling my little sweetie-students
  
• creatively trying to get in a little excersize
• some extra sleep
• getting deb (a fifth time new baby mama) all set up on Delectable Dinners and swooning over sweet little Cameron
• sweeping up after the crazy shedding-dog (who has now been banned from the house
• graciously accepting my unanimously(three little boys) nominated role of Princess Leah and maintaining The Force (after confirming that I do not have to wear the brass bikini)
  

But, friends..I'll be Bock!

*I don't think Princess Leah ever said that...I don't know if she was famous for anything but the bikini and the hair. I'm not doing either, so don't look for that post.

We're done with these...

It's that simple.

You want any of this? The more, the better.

Call, email...whatever. We're done with them and I'll be happy to give them to you!

First come...

• costumes ( the black gorilla is the cutest in the universe)
• toys
• drawer caddy needs a little tightening but works well
  

It's that simple.