don't get caught watchin the paint dry

it's no secret that i think that HOOSIERS is one of the best movies i've ever seen.  it's my favorite, for sure.  and it's on track to being colton's favorite too.  it is great for many reasons...but one of the things that i especially love is how the main character gives shooter...a man who is deemed worthless by the entire community, including his own son...a second chance.  shooter has been shamed enough by the people in his town that he believes it himself...which is evident in the scene when coach dale goes to his broken down house in the woods to ask him to assist him on the bench.  shooter, looking in complete shock says, "Me?????  You want me?????

after shooter's son (who plays basketball on coach dale's team) finds out that his dad is going to be the assistant coach...he tells coach dale,

"What you're doin with my dad...I'm not seein it.  I mean, he's a drunk.  He'll do somethin stupid."

and the coach calmly responds,

"When's the last time anyone gave your father a chance?"

The story goes on from there...but the chance that someone had the grace enough to take on shooter changed the course of his life.  presumably forever.  including building a relationship back with his son.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when coach dale gets thrown out of a game and shooter reluctantly has to take over as coach.  the boy's are all looking at him for leadership...which is so foreign to him that he seems to not know what to do...even though he is an expert in basketball and a fully capable coach.

shooter finally looks at his team and says,

"Alright boys, this is the last shot we got!  We're gonna run the picket fence at 'em!  Jimmy, you're solo right.  Everette, Merle should be open on the other side of the fence.  Now boy's...don't get caught watching the paint dry!!!"

all of this to say...i've loved picket fences ever since.

so...when my brother and chad started out on our fence this weekend...

what do you think the inspiration was?

these guys watched out the window as if they were a part of the cat in the hat story.

chase became mario and aiden was yoshi.  the boy can throw a realistic costume together in a matter of seconds.

sister tried to help.  she did an amazing job holding up the fence post that had already been bolted into the ground.

and then...the picket fence was born.

this was my contribution.  i got to use the drill and everything.

the kids and trout enjoyed a walk with their grandma sue.

and i lingered back in the front yard and allowed inspiration to take over in the form of clovers,

azaleas,

pretty little, white flowers,

and holly.  i did wonder why the holly was still out.  isn't that a holiday thing?

and this little lady?  well...she is doing a wonderful job being a mama, sitting on her 2 eggs.

i have to, somehow turn all of this...

into a kermit puppet.  and i have NO idea how to do it.  chase got it in his head that if we went and picked out the fabric at joann's that we could slap that baby together with no problem.

not so.

annslee picked me her very first flower.

and colt lost 2 teeth in 1 day.

that's some sort of family record.

****

tonight, chad and i are going to the rodeo to see miranda lambert.  she is my favorite.  i also have a date with the barrel racers.

tomorrow, his sister, brother-in-law, our two nieces and nephew arrive from iowa.  i feel a blow-by cleaning coming in the morning.  hopefully they won't mind a little dust.