Need tools!

I couldn't resist posting this woman cartoon. I have often said it would be nice if mothers grew arms with each children to help with the multitasking. Often times I am a couple hands to short. I must confess the other day I expressed my frustration to Trevor, (telling him not to take it personal, I just needed to vent. I realize his job is overwhelming too.)I find it difficult to do my job a few arms short, let alone a few tools short. How can I mow the lawn without a lawn mower, till the garden without a tiller, weedwack without a weedwacker, water the garden, newly planted trees and flowers without a hose; Prune my fruit trees without a tree pruner; water my lawn without the irriagtion water turned on!?! It makes it very difficult to take care of things around here with out the means to do it. Our riding lawn mower has been in the shop for the last month. Our tiller broke down and gave out, our hose has busted so many holes that it has no pressure out of the opening so that I can water, plus it can't reach to the other side of the yard to water my fruit trees and grapes. I had a dear neighbor lady (70 years old) come over and ask if we had been sick while trudging through our knee high grass. "No, we haven't been sick." I reply "I have noticed your lawn could use a mowing and would you be okay if I mowed it for you?" "You are not going to mow my lawn, I should be mowing your lawn if I had the mower to do it" I answered. But she refused after I explained the white trash look and brought over her riding lawn mower and I insisted she let me borrow it instead of her doing it and then she ran home to grab her push mower. Our grass is high again and a neighbor asked how much we were charging for hay? I told him just to bring his horses on over and we could hook each other up! Why does everything seem to break at the same time?

Love sac?-Come on!

Okay, I am an owner of a love sac-I didn't say a proud owner cause I am not. It is one of those things that we will look back on in 20 years and laugh at having ever had one. It was given to my husband cause it's a guy thing. But let's face it-They're ugly, practically useless, big and in the way. As I remodeled my family room and it no longer fits in there I have tried to convince my husband to let it go. But to no avail. He just wont part with it even though I know deep down he knows I am right. So what is with the attachment? Really? It is now out of my newly remodeled/decorated family room and placed into our hallway. Just sitting there like an ancient dinosaur dropping. And the only way to get around it is to climb it. So as I climb it images of Julie Andrews come to my mind and I hear "climb every Mountain" in the distance. Really, Trevor-let it go...

Great credo!

I had to borrow this from a friend's blog (thanks Sarah) It fits perfectly with how I feel and what I believe in and what I want to pass on to my children.


“I don’t want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.

I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk’s lawn. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor’s children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone’s garden. I want to be there with children’s sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.

I want the Lord to know I was really here and that

I really lived.”
- Marjorie Peay Hinckley

Alexis and her trip!

Alexis had the time of her life on this fantastic opportunity. She truly has come back changed. Out of the 2000 pictures taken, it was hard to choose and I have more I would like to post but I need to get them from my inlaws. Some of the highlights of the trip were:
1.)everything was different, beautiful, fragrant with flowers and HOT and HUMID.
2.)Everywhere she went she was stared at and talked about because of her hair, skin and eye color. Even the monkey had to jump on her lap and touch her hair and look her over!
3.) She got to see some neat historical sights in Cambodia and Thailand and even try out her french skills with some french people.
4.) They were picked up by a limo and driven to a fancy hotel-top notch. Alexis got a video of the room and gardens. She felt like a celebrity.
5.)She overcame her fear of swimming through the mentoring of her dear Grandpa.
6.) She got to play, ride, sit on and feed the elephants. Her favorite was the baby elephant. So cute.
7.)She enjoyed seeing the ocean for the first time on Phuket beach. I will have to include some great pictures the in-laws have when I get them.
8.)she did some service on that floating city full of poverty. She took school supplies to the orphanage and children there. My in-laws have great shots of her distributing those things.
9.) She got to see a piece of the world and therefor has come back changed-mature-grateful.
10.) Most of the little kids went around without bottoms. They didn't have diapers and this took getting used to.
11.) She got to see the hill tribes people and long neck Karrens-a fading people. There are three myths why they wear the rings
a.) to protect the women from tigers that would grab them by the neck while the men were hunting.
b.)To protect them from invading tribes that would steal the women.
c.) their men think it is attractive.
But perhaps they keep it because it is a way of living; drawing in tourists.
12.)she has a greater education. And maybe has been spoiled. She has tasted the wonder of travel and loves it. Her grandparents said she was 99% perfect on that tough trip of traveling, time change, long flights (24 hours) and different food.
Way to go Alexis. We missed you while you were gone, but are so grateful for this experience and the better person it has sparked within you. We are so thankful for grandparents with the means and desire to bless you with this.