dream BIG

okay...first i'd like to admit that i have only completed a small portion of this morning's chores.  and it's already 9:30.  that means half of the sesame street power hour is over; i still have bathroom counters to wipe down; trout and george bailey to brush; the beds to make; and the swing chore...wiping all cabinets and furniture down.  i got the kitchen scrubbed from top to bottom and all of the appliances and cabinets cleaned...but that's about it.  that took all morning.  i did veer off on some tangents (i'm not supposed to let myself do that while cleaning) and easterize a bit.  i'm sorta, "if you give a mouse a cookie-ish."  like...if i'm cleaning the kitchen...it's entirely possible that reorganizing the pencils and scissors will seem like a necessity in between loading the dishwasher and wiping the counters.  and...i've been known to somehow feel that cleaning out the hall closet logically fits in there somewhere, as well...all because i had to hang up a kid's jacket that had been slung over a kitchen bar stool.  or...completely re-vamping the shoe bins...all because aiden left her flip flops at the door.  see how that works??  i'm trying to be better at staying focused and on the task at hand so that i can actually, properly complete something.

BUT...look at this little bit of easter heaven:

and since i was cleaning the kitchen...i obbbbbbbbviously needed to go through the kid's school work that was back-logged and in serious need of filing.  i love these little gems.

"when i am 100 years old! i  will have ganchiledrin. i thecke that i will eckcsrcis.  my musls will hage down. -aiden (age 6)

"my mom taks crar (care) of peple.

my dad dus krosfit.

and i am going to be a cooker." - aiden (age 6)

"My New Year's Resolution to Lrn How to Cook with my Mom.  So I can get bettr at it.  and to Get Bettr ar Puslls (puzzles)." - aiden (age 6)

annslee found a way to entertain herself with her new umbrella.  so much for these being in their easter basket.

those sweet bunny eggs came from cracker barrel.  that place is a gift to me straight from the Lord, himself.  i love it there.  in the winter...you can always find a crackling fire in the fireplace and in the spring...the entire gift shop looks like it's breeding bunnies and chicks.  i love it.

****

it's no secret that i adore the changing of the seasons.  in texas...people always say that we don't get to experience all of them. but i disagree.  i'll admit that i miss things like the first snow fall, and getting to do things like sledding and wearing cute knitted mittens...but i love to celebrate when each season rolls in.  no matter how quietly.

fall to winter is a bit challenging...so we use christmas for that less obvious switch.  and summer is easy...because school lets out, which is ALWAYS exciting.  and my two favorites...fall and spring are the most tangible.  the cold and dreary all of a sudden part for the sun to show off it's magical power over the flowers and everything green.  my children will know of God's lovely and thoughtful details that He used when creating our world.  details like seasons.  they will know them because i will always go a little nuts with all the celebratory craziness.  like...do we really need more stuffed lambs???  i think so.

****

on to the rodeo.

as you know...the real treat was that chad and i got to go watch the rodeo and see miranda lambert by ourselves this year. 

my absolute favorite part, other than miranda (of course-however running a very close second) was the barrel racers.  i found out this year that there was a barrel racer competing that was a grandmother!!  this was great news.  this means that i still have a realistic shot.  i'm prepared to make this happen.  chad rolls his eyes.  but he just better watch out.  i'm not joking about this.  my first goal is finding a place to store my horse.  my second order of business is getting a barrel racing horse.  you may remember that i rode one in colorado, named paint, who is retired...and i've had my eye on him ever since.  then...i just have to find a coach.  how hard can that be?  and i'm not sure...but i may have to purchase some barrels.  i tell the kids to dream big.  and when are you supposed to stop doing that?  i say, NEVER.  the other night, my dad asked me if i had set up the barrels in the backyard yet.  i'm pretty sure he was making fun of me.

carnivals are phenomenons that i love the idea of...but don't really feel completely comfortable with.  like...the lights and squeals of laughter are very enticing...

but those rickety rides that are put up and torn down and put up again by who knows who?  no thanks.

and the meat on a stick?  um...no again.

i did go out of my comfort zone and shared corn in a cup with chad...and even put some seasoning salt that had been out WHO KNOWS HOW LONG on it.  you can see the worry on my face here...

then...we went again for the championship day and brad paisley.  i was waaaay more excited about seeing the championships than i was about brad paisley...and so was aiden

it was st. patrick's day...so i had to incorporate green into her western wear.

these two cowgirls are completely inseparable.

we piddled around the livestock show while we were waiting for the rodeo to start.

and to make a long story short...something that is totally uncharacteristic of me...but necessary so as to not re-hash the emotional trauma that the whole thing caused:

we checked our watches and waltzed on over to the stadium in plenty of time to see the entire stadium remove their hats and rise to sing the national anthem.  when we walked up to the stadium, i wondered where all the people were.  when we walked into the arena...i saw that they were all in their seats, where they had been for the last 3 hours.  APPARENTLY...the rodeo starts EARLY on the weekends.  a fact that had totally slipped right by us.

DAMN!!!! (sorry, mom.  she totally doesn't like it when i say "damn")

we missed the entire rodeo.

on the up side...we did get there about 5 minutes before brad paisley started playing...which made up for things a little.

baby girl went to sleep smack dab in the middle of the 2nd song.

poor darlin.  she had missed her barrel racers.

what else was she there for???

she sorta takes after her mama, that way.

****

tonight...i play in my first competitive soccer game in 24 years.  i'm pretty on fire about this turn of events.  i'm all pullin' out my old gear.......squeezin into the old cleats and the kid sized shin guards........the old uniform........with

FANNING

displayed proudly across the back.

just kidding.  i'm really pretty scared.  UK called and asked me what time it started.  i said, "6.50."  then he asked me when i'd be through.  i said, "7.02........or whenever they roll me off the field on a stretcher."

one can only take a wild guess at how this is gonna go.

dream BIG though.  right?



goodnight, y'all

it's that mixture of sadness and happiness that keeps me on my toes.  if you didn't have sadness...you wouldn't truly know happiness.  except if you think about how God intended it to be...before the fall of man...i'm sure we were all supposed to be laughing and joyful and stuff all the time, and it sure wouldn't have taken a baby bird falling from a nest to make you realize how great eating supper outside can be.  but...the whole need for sadness to appreciate happiness makes sense in my limited, imperfect, earthly world.

unfortunately, sad became gross in a matter of seconds when we saw that our dead dove had been half eaten by some disgusting animal and the carcass was displayed proudly in our yard.

i was over it.

aiden struggled and needed some lovin'...but i was the strong one this time.  that's right.  no uncontrollable tears here.  i explained the circle of life.  i maaaay have even sang the song.  actually...i really didn't.  i swear.

i skipped out on bible study tonight and had my parents stay for dinner after they brought annslee home instead.  i love impromptu celebrations.  i don't know what we were celebrating...but i'm sure it was something.

maybe it was the change of the season.  maybe it was the warm breeze.  maybe it was the spaghetti.  maybe it was the old, new patio or the brand new umbrella.  or maybe it was just each other.

it could have been hop scotch.  i had completely forgotten about this gem of a game.  i can't believe i had let so much time go by without bringin' this one out.  luckily, my mama had her head screwed on straight and realized that if there was gonna be side walk chalk...then, by golly...there was gonna be hop scotch.

this was the puddin cup's first go at hoppin' scotch.

it wouldn't be our driveway if the little, big man wasn't shootin' some serious hoops.  he's found his niche', this one.  the one thing...that makes you so happy that you want to do it all the time and if you're not doing it...your dreaming about doing it.  mine was gymnastics.  mama said that she talked to my feet more than she talked to my face.  i was on my hands constantly.  every kitchen tile pattern became a beam; every open space a tumbling mat; and if i was lucky enough to get my hands on a swing set bar...you could bet a glide kip was comin'.  and just forget about the flips that i did off my bed.  i don't know how i didn't break a bone.

well...it's about time that this one find his thing.

we purchased our "old school" lawn chairs from walmart last night after soccer practice.  none of this fold-up-fit-into-a-bag chair for us.  no sirree.  we needed the real deal.  and the girls are nothin' but thrilled with the deal.

aiden found her easter basket present today.  i thought i had it properly rolled up in my pilate's mat in the car...but obviously i was mistaken.  because when i walked out of the gate after dinner tonight...she was proudly displaying it above her head as if she was mary poppins.  what are you gonna do?  it's not like i could tell her that the easter bunny had sent me a text, telling me to go ahead and pick it on up for him.

i simply love these pictures.  just look at that little arm taking hold of her big sister's chair...making sure she stayed close.

i knew i should have bought two.  she stole it the second the sweet pea wasn't lookin'.

she wanted the guitar.

but johnny cash was in the middle of a song...and it wasn't happening.

what concert is complete without bubbles?  i think people should think long and hard about adding bubbles to their shows.  i'd pay more.  who doesn't love bubbles?

except this guy.  he hates them.  he says they're "sticky."  i said...what's not to love???  it's soap.  who doesn't like soap???

we may have a new, little johnny cash fan.  she did some of her very own clappin'.

i need to go tuck in a little girl.  she has finished her home-reader and is in need of prayers, kisses, and a lullaby.  i think that's a perfect way to end a perfect evening.



we all need friends, afterall

welp...as if the universe just haaaaaaaad to swoop in and crap poop all over my daisys...

last night, after our dinner outdoors, we strolled down the driveway to pay a visit to our across-the-street-neighbors and i stopped to check on my morning doves.

right away i noticed that mama dove wasn't perched in her usual place...the place where i've grown so accustomed to paying her a visit...and worse, the nest looked disturbed.  even though i told myself that she could be off gathering food for her babies-(after all, i had watched her do so many times)-i immediately felt that something was wrong.  looking closer, i didn't see the soft downy feathers of the babies.  without pause, i climbed the tree to look in the nest.  they were all gone.

with one eye shut, like a child trying hard not to see something upsetting or scary, i peeked around on the ground under the tree.

and there he was.  the baby morning dove.  eyes closed.  still breast.

i don't know where the other baby is.  and i can't imagine where my mama friend is mourning.  i do wish i could comfort her though.  i would tell her, as i did ever other visit,

"you are such a good mama.  you are doing such a good job."

****

in other news...we have had weather straight out of a southern living magazine photo shoot for the last 7 days.  we took full advantage this weekend and spent the majority of it outside.

i decided to pull the old patio table and chairs out of it's resting place in the garage and give them a coat of spray paint and new chair pads.

never underestimate the power of a hose being able to convince children that helping can be fun.  they totally helped me wash without complaining.

sister was willing to wash anything.

it truly needed a good scrubbin'.  and she took her job very seriously too.

we had to do some moving around.  we really want to extend our patio, but that seems pretty labory.

the cat was pretty tired from all his watching out the window.

now that i feel totally experienced with a can of spray paint...every brass fixture in our home better watch out.  i had no idea how easily and quickly a can of spray paint can transform something.  i'm seein' black door knobs in our future.

we have been enjoying our old, new table in lots of ways, already.

i tried to talk her into changing our go fish game to texas hold em...

but she just sorta looked at me funny.

and sister totally helped me "go fish" when necessary.

when i saw her in the middle of this painting...the song,

"you are my sunshine..."

started playing in my mind.

i absolutely love this next picture.  sister's arms reaching up...all "gimme" like.

try as she might...she just can't get those bubbles blowin' like her sister.

dinners have a new feel these days.  more relaxed.  more conversation.  happier.  better.

these kinda suppers are the perfect catalyst for allowing the activity of the satisfying spring days to wash over you...giving way to the moon and stars making their appearance, perfectly choreographed with yawns and resting heads.

according to pinterest...i needed a cleaning calendar.  now...if you know me at all...you will know that this is right up my ally.

cleaning........check.

organization........check.

displayed with twine........check, check.

i took the example on pinterest and tweaked it to work for me.

and...i must admit...it's working well.

i've always been a "take 2 days and clean the whole house" kinda girl...but with 4 kids and the increasing laundry loads, messes, activity and clutter...it was a job that was never quite finished before we'd have to start all over again.

well...

here's to a beautiful spring day.  it's gonna be hard taking the puddin cup outside this morning after the sesame street power hour.  i know my old mama friend is not gonna be there today.  i wonder if she will miss me as much as i will miss her?  i like to think so.

we all need friends......

right?