Long Dr. Appt's.... can make you CRAZY

Unless you bring your camera to have fun! :)

Sisterly Love

I caught the girls having a sisterly chat this a.m. before breakfast. :)

One Very Confused Chicken

We have had a lone chicken named Midnight for quite some time. She didn't have any other chicken friends for about a year. This is the same chicken who layed eggs by the back door for Mike after he threatened to eat her.

Well, since we got the other chickens, she wants nothing to do with them. She will stay with the goats, or come back to the porch. She keeps laying her eggs on the porch, and has become "broody", meaning she wants to sit on her eggs. But that would be useless since we have no rooster to be a daddy.

So, we keep getting her eggs and making her go back out to the yard. Well, today, she found a baby doll (rather bald egg headed doll) LOL and she has adopted its HEAD as her giant baby egg! She has been sitting by it or ON it all day! Tonight, we went out to check on her and she put her wing over the baby doll's head to protect it.


I just think she is the sweetest, most confused chicken ever! We need a rooster so she can fulfill her motherly duties! :)

Testing Testing Testing

We have started our ITBS testing this week. Oh the pain, the agony, the study positions!

Ladies, Start your engines!

Of course the barbies all in their new more decent outfits, courtesy of Anna's creativity, are very curious about Sarah's Test.

Anna looks thrilled!

Erika, is out where it is much cooler! The air is HEAVY, but no rain. We might get some later, it is sure humid!

Anna, is happy with her last test.
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We will finish testing this week. And then start our new year on Monday! All our books have arrived and we are excited about the new schedule!

We will start our summer the end of June through Mid August.

These girlies have worked HARD this year. What a bunch of troopers! (in pink) :)

The Sewing Machine

I have turned my sewing machine over to the girls to share. I will share with it too, if I ever get truly inspired.

Erika got busy first.... she instantly knew how to make a set of pillow cases for her room!

Now she needs a new quilt to match the new pillow cases.
Ummm, that material was for a skirt for ME! She is now on alert to ask before invading the material. :)


Anna, found a pair of old jeans and made herself this purse. I thought it was rather clever!


This is her waiting for her next turn....

Sarah, is working on stitching things and is taking things a little more slowly.

Here she is patiently waiting for her turn to practice. :)

I just thought of a great idea! Maybe I should have ERIKA make my skirt for me! :)
Happy Thought!

Mother Lois 1934-2010

With Heavy Hearts, once again, we are touched by the sting of death in our family.
It was not long ago, that Dad died. Mom has followed him and is now in the hands of the Lord.


(Ed, Lois, Chris and Mike) Mike is the one of the right with his dad dotingly looking at him. :) )



We are all saddened and abit shocked, as her health issues were more chronic in nature. But recently, they took a turn for the worse, and she is now forever etched in our memories.

I am so thankful for the invention of the camera. Without it, we would not be able to pour over the pictures and memories that photos leave for us to delight.

Each of these pictures of modern day, I can remember the incident and the words spoken.

Lois was a very sweet person. She was plagued by moments or seasons of illness that would cause us to feel so sad for her, but she worked hard to overcome.

I do know that she was amazing at remembering dates. The kids never had to wonder if gramma remembered their birthay or Christmas or Easter, or halloween or Thanksgiving or Valentines day or any other number of holidays inbetween. There was always a fun goodie bag of candy and erasers or stickers waiting for them in the mail box, and the inscription was always the same. Love and Prayers Gramma and Grampa.

She would always call and want to know the sizes of each child to make sure she purchased everything just so.

Mom had a fondness for little girls, and always seemed to just smile with them around. Of course, her FAVORITE little girl, was Carla, her only daughter. She just LOVED Carla to pieces, as all mothers do. She and Carla had a very special bond, and we are so thankful that Carla could be with her until the very end. Thank you Carla! We know that Mom would have wanted you right by her side.

Here are a few pictures of Mom over the years.

Happy Mother's Day To ALL

We started our morning with church. Somehow, the idea of promised donuts makes everybody get ready faster! We made it on time! Mike went to fetch two of our friends from the nursing home, and brought them to church today. They are so cute; boyfriend and girlfriend.....

After church, we headed to Christina's for a nice Mother's Day Lunch. It was delicious and everybody had a good time.

When we got home, Erika gave me a beautiful poem.

Happy Mother's day to every Mother.

FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME.

For all that you have given me,
I can return but love. For you
Bound up the wounds I did not see
And gave me hopes and passions new.

I can return but love for you,
Whose unmoved faith my heart did move,
And gave me hopes and passions new,
And loved me till I turned to love.

Whose unmoved faith did my heart move?
The mother of my heart, not blood,
Who loved me till I turned to love.
And I became the soul I would.

The mother of my heart, not blood,
Bound up the wounds I did not see.
And I became the soul I would
For all that you have given me.

She is such a sweet heart.

Anna, cleaned her room so wonderfully, that I was wondering who she was!
Sarah was sweet and kind all afternoon.

The grand girls returned home, and I found a sweet note from Katie, and then got a phone call from Lilly saying she was coming to visit again on Saturday. She also told me what she wanted for her birthday. :)

Then I heard from all the guys..... I love them so much.
I really enjoyed talking to each of them, and the visit from Tim and Em.

It was a wonderful day.

Thank you Family.
I love you!

Some Pictures of our Day

Lillian

I took Katie and Lillian to the Home School Book Fair today with the other girls.
They had a great time. While Sarah was participating in the Chess tournament, Katie, Anna and Erika were busy looking at books and listening to a conference speaker.


Lillian and I were sitting down resting, and I was trying to keep her entertained. It had been a LONG two days! She asked if she could draw something. So I found a piece of paper for her to draw on, and she started to try and draw leaves and flowers.


She said, "Ya-Ya, can you draw a Tulip for me?" I said, "Sure!" So I drew her a tulip.
She looked at my finished artwork and said, "Um, Ya-Ya, that is a weed." She then proceeded to show me how to draw a Tulip.

So, I humored her and tried again. This time she said, "Ya-Ya, that is a weed again! You really need more practice." LOL

She makes me laugh all the time. She was so serious and sweet, but really was wanting to let me know that MY version of a tulip is not the same as hers.

I told her I would try harder next time. :)

Happy Mother's Day

To Jodie, Becca and Ivy, and happy FUTURE Mother's Day to Em's!

You are all wonderful....

Sarah Played Chess Today

Before the competition

During the competition

After the competition


She did really well. :) She won two games and lost 3. She was in the 10 to 13 age range. It was hard having a competition will all sorts of noise going on around.
But she did great! She received an honorable mention. :)

The Homeschool Bookfair

Our Annual trek to Arlington Texas for the Home school book fair was today.
Tomorrow, Sarah will be entering a Chess Tournament. She is really excited.
Today she played for several hours and didn't lose one game! She did have a stalemate.
So, when we signed up for the Chess Tournament, we were asked "what is her ranking?"
LOL
I said, she is number one at home. :)

Stay Tuned! I'll have pics for tomorrow.

A New Hair Style

I've been wanting to get something done for a while! So, I braved it, went to a place in the down town area, and threw myself at the mercy of the hair dresser. I am such an ex hippie! Used to hair down to my waist, with no layers! But, I am rather old for that. I had it cut last year because of my arm not working, so here it is: My only request was I don't want to look 12 or 60. :)



The color is ala natural! I've earned this gray hair! :)

A Nice Surprise!

Aren't these beautiful!!!



I really do like flowers. :)


Thank you Chuck, Jodie, Katie and Lilly! :)

Our Sarah

Oh what a sweet heart of a girl. She is a bundle of energy and a picture of God's grace and mercy in our lives.

5 years ago you came into our lives and you haven't slowed down since. :)
I am always amazed at how easily you learn, how deep you think and how great your love is.

We love you so very much!
I want to dedicate this to all my children. :)

Saturday Fun

The girlies decided to have some sort of flower party which included a decorated banana which will be donated to the chickens for dinner.
Anna said that, even though Bob the cat was a boy, he would still have to dress up. Somehow I don't think he minded that much. :) He was too busy soaking in the sun to care that he was dressed in pink and flowers.

They decided for the party they would sprinkle flower petals all over the porch.
They made up a game of croquet with wiffle balls and a stick. :)


I think Anna made a hole in one.... not sure how to play made up croquet.


Then it was time for Tea.

Here is Sarah looking pretty. :)