Monday
Monday mornings mean; lots and lots of cleaning and organizing and planning, usually. I don't know about you, but after the weekend (and particularly Sunday) there's a bit of recovery that needs to be made around the house.
But this Monday morning was made infinitely better by a lot of ripe mulberries found when I was out watering the plants. It's so gratifying to plant something, and be able to eat it's yummy goodness within the week. And it's so gratifying to see the kids walk by the new mulberry trees and grab a sweet little fresh-grown snack.
Friday
Thursday
I survived irrigation.
Here's how it went down. The neighbors had used all the water they wanted to use when there was still 20 minutes of their time left, and sent the water on through to me early. This is nice, on the one hand, because water is good for plants, right? But, on the other hand, our yard can only hold so much water. When this same thing happened last week, we ended up with a stream of water running down the road because it had overflowed our yard. And that is bad. So, when they sent the water my way, I was worried because I had 1 hour plus and extra 20 minutes of water coming my way, with no real experience in how to manage it, and knowing that if it overflowed again we could risk losing our water rights.
What's a girl to do, I ask you?
But, I was a champ. I did it. I managed the water, slowing flow here, redirecting it there, stopping and starting it through that area. (The reason our yard takes more than the average attention during irrigation is because it is woefully un-level. We can't bear to dig up a yard of beautiful grass just yet, so that's a project that will be waiting until fall.) And it didn't overflow.
But, whoo boy, it did wear me out.
Here's the crazy thing that happened, because there is ALWAYS a crazy thing that happens, right?
The neighbor's granddaughter wanted to come into our yard to play in the water and mud with our kids. Great! But, as she came through the fence, she let one of their 4 dogs into the yard. No biggee! Except no adult saw it happen, including me. The dog bounded into our yard, through the very muddy and wet grape area, straight across the driveway and right into our back door! Not good! There are muddy doggie footprints everywhere. Everywhere.
Eventually, the kids herded her out of the house and back into her own yard.
So, irrigation mastered. I just hope I don't have to end up doing a mid-nighter all alone anytime soon!
Here's how it went down. The neighbors had used all the water they wanted to use when there was still 20 minutes of their time left, and sent the water on through to me early. This is nice, on the one hand, because water is good for plants, right? But, on the other hand, our yard can only hold so much water. When this same thing happened last week, we ended up with a stream of water running down the road because it had overflowed our yard. And that is bad. So, when they sent the water my way, I was worried because I had 1 hour plus and extra 20 minutes of water coming my way, with no real experience in how to manage it, and knowing that if it overflowed again we could risk losing our water rights.
What's a girl to do, I ask you?
But, I was a champ. I did it. I managed the water, slowing flow here, redirecting it there, stopping and starting it through that area. (The reason our yard takes more than the average attention during irrigation is because it is woefully un-level. We can't bear to dig up a yard of beautiful grass just yet, so that's a project that will be waiting until fall.) And it didn't overflow.
But, whoo boy, it did wear me out.
Here's the crazy thing that happened, because there is ALWAYS a crazy thing that happens, right?
The neighbor's granddaughter wanted to come into our yard to play in the water and mud with our kids. Great! But, as she came through the fence, she let one of their 4 dogs into the yard. No biggee! Except no adult saw it happen, including me. The dog bounded into our yard, through the very muddy and wet grape area, straight across the driveway and right into our back door! Not good! There are muddy doggie footprints everywhere. Everywhere.
Eventually, the kids herded her out of the house and back into her own yard.
So, irrigation mastered. I just hope I don't have to end up doing a mid-nighter all alone anytime soon!
Wednesday
Just as Tyler was walking out of the door yesterday for a 3 day work camping trip thing, I got our call with this weeks' irrigation time. Today at 12:30 pm.
Here's the thing - Tyler is the big boss man when it comes to irrigation. He knows how it works, he's the one out there directing and re-directing the water. Mostly I just stand there and say supportive stuff, and watch the kids get covered in mud and grass. And look cute. But I hardly need mention that.
And now Tyler is gone for our irrigation time, and if we had found out just 15 minutes earlier he could have a least walked me through it. But, no. I'm on my own. But I'll get by with a little help from our neighbors, right?
Wish me luck.
Here's the thing - Tyler is the big boss man when it comes to irrigation. He knows how it works, he's the one out there directing and re-directing the water. Mostly I just stand there and say supportive stuff, and watch the kids get covered in mud and grass. And look cute. But I hardly need mention that.
And now Tyler is gone for our irrigation time, and if we had found out just 15 minutes earlier he could have a least walked me through it. But, no. I'm on my own. But I'll get by with a little help from our neighbors, right?
Wish me luck.
Monday
Yesterday afternoon, after a long mid-day at church, our family unwound out on the back lawn. After we stuffed our hungry faces with whatever quick fix we could find, and changed into more comfortable clothes, Mademoiselle declared it was "Family Game Time". So we spread out blankets on the lush, green grass under the shade of an apple tree. Tyler and Mademoiselle and S.A.M. played a fun caterpillar game we got for Christmas from a very smart aunt and uncle (who know us so well). I lay down, half in the shade and half out, the sun on my legs, and the breeze cooling me down. Benefactor used all of us as trampolines and jungle-gyms, and then cuddled in next to me. He found a good "hiding 'pot" with my arm as a headrest and the blanket wrapped up around him. He'd peek out at me adoringly and playfully, then retreat to his hideaway, then peek out again and add a gentle pat on my cheek.
It was nothing short of blissful.
It was nothing short of blissful.
Friday
I stayed in the shower an extra few minutes this morning, relishing the peace and quiet and solitude. And then the boys came running down the hall and pounded at the door. Peace and quiet and solitude were gone in a quick second. And I noticed I was smiling, not resentful or disappointed. That's the magic of motherhood to me - I can't help but love these adorable little ones. Some moments I forget what a blessing they are to me, but then the most unexpected moments remind me that I'd never want to live a second without them.
I always wanted to be a mother. I looked forward to it, sometimes very impatiently. The reality of motherhood isn't a shock to me, but it's so much more in every possible way than I imagined it would be.
More joyful,
more intense,
more difficult,
more constant,
more rewarding,
more challenging,
more overwhelming,
more consuming,
more lovely,
more everything.
"Mothers who know desire to bear children. Whereas in many cultures in the world children are “becoming less valued,” in the culture of the gospel we still believe in having children. Prophets, seers, and revelators who were sustained at this conference have declared that “God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force.” President Ezra Taft Benson taught that young couples should not postpone having children and that “in the eternal perspective, children—not possessions, not position, not prestige—are our greatest jewels.”
Faithful daughters of God desire children. In the scriptures we read of Eve (see Moses 4:26), Sarah (see Genesis 17:16), Rebekah (see Genesis 24:60), and Mary (see 1 Nephi 11:13–20), who were foreordained to be mothers before children were born to them. Some women are not given the responsibility of bearing children in mortality, but just as Hannah of the Old Testament prayed fervently for her child (see 1 Samuel 1:11), the value women place on motherhood in this life and the attributes of motherhood they attain here will rise with them in the Resurrection (see D&C 130:18). Women who desire and work toward that blessing in this life are promised they will receive it for all eternity, and eternity is much, much longer than mortality. There is eternal influence and power in motherhood. "
-Julie B. Beck
Mothers Who Know
I always wanted to be a mother. I looked forward to it, sometimes very impatiently. The reality of motherhood isn't a shock to me, but it's so much more in every possible way than I imagined it would be.
More joyful,
more intense,
more difficult,
more constant,
more rewarding,
more challenging,
more overwhelming,
more consuming,
more lovely,
more everything.
"Mothers who know desire to bear children. Whereas in many cultures in the world children are “becoming less valued,” in the culture of the gospel we still believe in having children. Prophets, seers, and revelators who were sustained at this conference have declared that “God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force.” President Ezra Taft Benson taught that young couples should not postpone having children and that “in the eternal perspective, children—not possessions, not position, not prestige—are our greatest jewels.”
Faithful daughters of God desire children. In the scriptures we read of Eve (see Moses 4:26), Sarah (see Genesis 17:16), Rebekah (see Genesis 24:60), and Mary (see 1 Nephi 11:13–20), who were foreordained to be mothers before children were born to them. Some women are not given the responsibility of bearing children in mortality, but just as Hannah of the Old Testament prayed fervently for her child (see 1 Samuel 1:11), the value women place on motherhood in this life and the attributes of motherhood they attain here will rise with them in the Resurrection (see D&C 130:18). Women who desire and work toward that blessing in this life are promised they will receive it for all eternity, and eternity is much, much longer than mortality. There is eternal influence and power in motherhood. "
-Julie B. Beck
Mothers Who Know
Wednesday
1) I call Mademoiselle "My Darlin'". And every once in awhile I start singing "Oh My Darlin'", and I get about that far, and she starts crying. Once, years ago, I sang more of the song, and she thought it was the saddest thing ever, and now she just can't handle it. And sometimes, for a splist second, I forget.
2) One of these days we will go down to Tucson for a visit and come back and the kids will NOT get sick.
3) Speaking of songs, I keep singing "And the green grass grows all around, all around, and the green grass grows all around" because it does. And I've never lived like this before. And I love it.
4) This morning Mademoiselle and I made The Worlds' Most Disgusting Smoothie Ever. It had an entire fresh pineapple in it. What a waste. I actually poured it down the sink instead of choking it down. That's a first.
5) The apples are growing. The cherries are not. The garden is almost all planted. Just thought you should know.
Bonus #6) Tyler came back from a day-long fishing trip with lots of fish tales and some dirty clothes. I washed them, and they stank. Tyler and I were confused. I left them over the weekend while we were gone. We came home and they stank worse. I opened the washer to run them through again, and it stank. I looked through the ins and outs of the washer and found crawdad shells. I took them to Tyler. He laughed and confessed he had forgotten 2 crawdads were in his pockets. But I love that when I went through his pockets more thoroughly (gotta love cargos with lots of hidden pockets) I found rope, fish hooks, rocks, pine needles and more. So much like an adventurous little boy hoarding his treasures.
2) One of these days we will go down to Tucson for a visit and come back and the kids will NOT get sick.
3) Speaking of songs, I keep singing "And the green grass grows all around, all around, and the green grass grows all around" because it does. And I've never lived like this before. And I love it.
4) This morning Mademoiselle and I made The Worlds' Most Disgusting Smoothie Ever. It had an entire fresh pineapple in it. What a waste. I actually poured it down the sink instead of choking it down. That's a first.
5) The apples are growing. The cherries are not. The garden is almost all planted. Just thought you should know.
Bonus #6) Tyler came back from a day-long fishing trip with lots of fish tales and some dirty clothes. I washed them, and they stank. Tyler and I were confused. I left them over the weekend while we were gone. We came home and they stank worse. I opened the washer to run them through again, and it stank. I looked through the ins and outs of the washer and found crawdad shells. I took them to Tyler. He laughed and confessed he had forgotten 2 crawdads were in his pockets. But I love that when I went through his pockets more thoroughly (gotta love cargos with lots of hidden pockets) I found rope, fish hooks, rocks, pine needles and more. So much like an adventurous little boy hoarding his treasures.
Friday
Today is a tumultuous day.
The wind is tossing our fruit trees to and fro. It's blustery and intense, and then still for a moment or two, and then blustery and intense again. It's on again, off again cloudy. The sun shines beautifully through the leaves and branches, and then is covered by a blanket of dark forboding clouds.
My moods today are about as tumultuous as the weather. One minute lonely and sad, the next a little playful and silly, and then dark and down.
Everybody has a day like this every once in awhile, but today it's my turn.
The wind is tossing our fruit trees to and fro. It's blustery and intense, and then still for a moment or two, and then blustery and intense again. It's on again, off again cloudy. The sun shines beautifully through the leaves and branches, and then is covered by a blanket of dark forboding clouds.
My moods today are about as tumultuous as the weather. One minute lonely and sad, the next a little playful and silly, and then dark and down.
Everybody has a day like this every once in awhile, but today it's my turn.
Let me tell you a little about Benefactor, for memory's sake. It's always hard for me to think, when a new baby is just around the corner, that the littlest one in the house is about to look like a giant. Because as soon as I have this new tiny little guy in my arm, Benefactor will all of a sudden look all grown up.
Benefactor is the first awake in our house. Always. I hear his little footsteps running to my bedside. He says "Good morning, mom!" and "Get up, mom!" and "No feeping, mom!" and pulls my blanket off of me. Sometimes this lasts awhile. Then he finally says, "I EAT, mom! Took an EGG, mom!" and after a few rounds of that, I oblige him. (I'm not a morning person and he is.)
Then he eats his breakfast. Then the rest of the family wakes up one by one. And he eats breakfast with each one of them, too. I think this is something that's genetic, because I'm told I used to to the same thing as a toddler.
When he's done, he gets down from his seat at the table and asks for a banana. Sometimes I let him have one.
He spends most of his time trying to keep up with "the guys", which is what he lovingly calls his older siblings. If he gets bored or left out or tired, he brings me a book or two. He's always loved reading. And if I'm too busy (for shame) to read to him, he's happy to find a spot on his own and read to himself for quite some time.
When he's tired, he loves the cuddles. And I can always tell if he's nap-tired by asking him if he wants his fishy blanket. Tyler made it for him, and he doesn't like to sleep without it. So I ask him if he wants his fishy blanket, or sometimes I ask if he's ready to sleep, and he says, "Yesss!" so happily. Then we cuddle, and often we read, and then he naps. But, if I ask him if he wants a nap, he says, "Yesss!" and then takes of his clothes and runs to the bathtub and will not be contented with anything other than a bath.
When he wakes up from naps he makes sure he says "Hi!" or "Dood morning!" and waves to every single one of us before he runs off after Mademoiselle and S.A.M. again
He wants to know everyones' name. We see someone at church. "Der name, mom?" Someone stops by. "Der name, mom?" He wakes us up in the morning. "Your name, mom?"
He loves to scare us. He growls and roars and shows us his claws and fangs and laughs hysterically when we scream. If we do it back, he gets really scared. He always jumps, even if he sees it coming. If daddy is doing the scaring, he smiles and laughs, kind of nervously. If S.A.M. is doing the scaring, he cries and runs to me and needs a kiss, and sometimes a hug.
He always wants to go somewhere. Anywhere. Every day when Tyler leaves he cries and says he wants to "do home, too, mom!" and when I tell him he is home he looks at me like he's sorry I'm so confused.
He loves lions and horses and puppies and horses and "tows" and horses and fish and horses and elephants. He loves the bugs that his brother and sister catch, but he's not quick to touch them, too. Every once in awhile he gets up the nerve, but then he pulls back his hand quickly and rubs it clean on his shirt. Every day he wants to go fishing, and when we go fishing he has his own little pole with a bobber on the line that he slaps and slaps on the water and scares the fish away.
He likes to wear another t-shirt tucked in the back of his t-shirt like a cape. He calls this "petepuh", who we figured out is some silly mixture of Peter Pan and Spiderman. His sweet aunt saw this and made him a quick cape out of left over material, but Benefactor wouldn't have any of it.
He has a few shirts with his very favorite animals on them, and he won't wear them. Everyday he wants his "rainbow" that has colored stripes on it, his "B" that has an appliqued letter B on it (from aunt Martie 2 years ago) or his "chuch" shirts, which are any button up shirts that he might wear to church.
He's the first to remember prayers or blessings if the rest of us forget, and he's the first to cut them short with a loud "Amen" if any of us ramble a bit. He's quick to smile, quick to laugh, quick to forgive, quick to learn, and quick to apologize.
When he goes to bed at night, or when he wakes up in the night, he says "Ephadent. Pwhhhhhh. Ephadent. Pwhhhhhh." over and over to get me to sing "One Elephant Went Out to Play". And then he turns over and goes to sleep.
Benefactor is the first awake in our house. Always. I hear his little footsteps running to my bedside. He says "Good morning, mom!" and "Get up, mom!" and "No feeping, mom!" and pulls my blanket off of me. Sometimes this lasts awhile. Then he finally says, "I EAT, mom! Took an EGG, mom!" and after a few rounds of that, I oblige him. (I'm not a morning person and he is.)
Then he eats his breakfast. Then the rest of the family wakes up one by one. And he eats breakfast with each one of them, too. I think this is something that's genetic, because I'm told I used to to the same thing as a toddler.
When he's done, he gets down from his seat at the table and asks for a banana. Sometimes I let him have one.
He spends most of his time trying to keep up with "the guys", which is what he lovingly calls his older siblings. If he gets bored or left out or tired, he brings me a book or two. He's always loved reading. And if I'm too busy (for shame) to read to him, he's happy to find a spot on his own and read to himself for quite some time.
When he's tired, he loves the cuddles. And I can always tell if he's nap-tired by asking him if he wants his fishy blanket. Tyler made it for him, and he doesn't like to sleep without it. So I ask him if he wants his fishy blanket, or sometimes I ask if he's ready to sleep, and he says, "Yesss!" so happily. Then we cuddle, and often we read, and then he naps. But, if I ask him if he wants a nap, he says, "Yesss!" and then takes of his clothes and runs to the bathtub and will not be contented with anything other than a bath.
When he wakes up from naps he makes sure he says "Hi!" or "Dood morning!" and waves to every single one of us before he runs off after Mademoiselle and S.A.M. again
He wants to know everyones' name. We see someone at church. "Der name, mom?" Someone stops by. "Der name, mom?" He wakes us up in the morning. "Your name, mom?"
He loves to scare us. He growls and roars and shows us his claws and fangs and laughs hysterically when we scream. If we do it back, he gets really scared. He always jumps, even if he sees it coming. If daddy is doing the scaring, he smiles and laughs, kind of nervously. If S.A.M. is doing the scaring, he cries and runs to me and needs a kiss, and sometimes a hug.
He always wants to go somewhere. Anywhere. Every day when Tyler leaves he cries and says he wants to "do home, too, mom!" and when I tell him he is home he looks at me like he's sorry I'm so confused.
He loves lions and horses and puppies and horses and "tows" and horses and fish and horses and elephants. He loves the bugs that his brother and sister catch, but he's not quick to touch them, too. Every once in awhile he gets up the nerve, but then he pulls back his hand quickly and rubs it clean on his shirt. Every day he wants to go fishing, and when we go fishing he has his own little pole with a bobber on the line that he slaps and slaps on the water and scares the fish away.
He likes to wear another t-shirt tucked in the back of his t-shirt like a cape. He calls this "petepuh", who we figured out is some silly mixture of Peter Pan and Spiderman. His sweet aunt saw this and made him a quick cape out of left over material, but Benefactor wouldn't have any of it.
He has a few shirts with his very favorite animals on them, and he won't wear them. Everyday he wants his "rainbow" that has colored stripes on it, his "B" that has an appliqued letter B on it (from aunt Martie 2 years ago) or his "chuch" shirts, which are any button up shirts that he might wear to church.
He's the first to remember prayers or blessings if the rest of us forget, and he's the first to cut them short with a loud "Amen" if any of us ramble a bit. He's quick to smile, quick to laugh, quick to forgive, quick to learn, and quick to apologize.
When he goes to bed at night, or when he wakes up in the night, he says "Ephadent. Pwhhhhhh. Ephadent. Pwhhhhhh." over and over to get me to sing "One Elephant Went Out to Play". And then he turns over and goes to sleep.
Thursday
When you're married to someone who is into wildlife (of all shapes and sizes), you might end up having conversations like this.
Him : "It's really cool the way nightcrawlers mate."
Me : "Oh, yeah?"
He describes and demonstrates using his two pointer fingers.
Him : "...so they stick parts of their bodies out of the ground like this and then they're joined together like this, and sometimes one of them is sticking up like this."
Me : "Mmmm. Neat."
Him: "But the best part is you can get two in one grab."
Me: "Nice. Get them while they're distracted. Good strategy."
THE END
Him : "It's really cool the way nightcrawlers mate."
Me : "Oh, yeah?"
He describes and demonstrates using his two pointer fingers.
Him : "...so they stick parts of their bodies out of the ground like this and then they're joined together like this, and sometimes one of them is sticking up like this."
Me : "Mmmm. Neat."
Him: "But the best part is you can get two in one grab."
Me: "Nice. Get them while they're distracted. Good strategy."
THE END
Wednesday
S.A.M.one got in a lot of trouble today. That certain S.A.M.one lost his privelege to be outside. This is about as big a punishment for me as for him, I mean, S.A.M.one. Trust me.
So tonight, after a long afternoon inside, when he stood at the front door trying to get some of the kids to come inside to his clean room instead of play in the yard, my heart strings started to feel a tug. His friend asked why he had to stay inside, and why he was in trouble, and he totally owned up to being naughty.
Then the kids outside started playing tag, and S.A.M.one had to get in on the action as best he could. He ran from the front door to the back door and back and forth and back and forth and back and forth. My heart strings just about snapped. He was so insanely pathetic and cute and uncomplaining that I almost sent him to play outside again. Almost.
Hopefully S.A.M.one remembers to not be naughty tomorrow.
So tonight, after a long afternoon inside, when he stood at the front door trying to get some of the kids to come inside to his clean room instead of play in the yard, my heart strings started to feel a tug. His friend asked why he had to stay inside, and why he was in trouble, and he totally owned up to being naughty.
Then the kids outside started playing tag, and S.A.M.one had to get in on the action as best he could. He ran from the front door to the back door and back and forth and back and forth and back and forth. My heart strings just about snapped. He was so insanely pathetic and cute and uncomplaining that I almost sent him to play outside again. Almost.
Hopefully S.A.M.one remembers to not be naughty tomorrow.
I can't help but feel really grateful.
I have pretty much everything I ever wanted. I love my husband (who is employed, another big plus) and wonderful children. I love our home (we just made our first mortgage payment ever. It's official; we're grown ups.) and our yard. I love our trees and our grass and our porch swing. I love that neighbors stop by just about every day, sometimes to chat about irrigation, sometimes to bring us an extra squash or loaf of bread, sometimes to play. I love our lifestyle; calm, relaxed, moment-seizing, centered on the gospel and an appreciation of the beauty of this world that was created on our behalf. I love that we are healthy and strong and able. I love that we have extended family to share our joys and sorrows with.
And then I can't help but feel really ungrateful.
With everything I ever wanted all around me, I still find ways to get grumpy, lose patience, worry about little things, and be selfish. How is that even possible?
And then I can't help but feel really grateful because I have these blessings in my life despite my ingratitude.
Kind of makes me dizzy.
I have pretty much everything I ever wanted. I love my husband (who is employed, another big plus) and wonderful children. I love our home (we just made our first mortgage payment ever. It's official; we're grown ups.) and our yard. I love our trees and our grass and our porch swing. I love that neighbors stop by just about every day, sometimes to chat about irrigation, sometimes to bring us an extra squash or loaf of bread, sometimes to play. I love our lifestyle; calm, relaxed, moment-seizing, centered on the gospel and an appreciation of the beauty of this world that was created on our behalf. I love that we are healthy and strong and able. I love that we have extended family to share our joys and sorrows with.
And then I can't help but feel really ungrateful.
With everything I ever wanted all around me, I still find ways to get grumpy, lose patience, worry about little things, and be selfish. How is that even possible?
And then I can't help but feel really grateful because I have these blessings in my life despite my ingratitude.
Kind of makes me dizzy.
Tuesday
The sun is going down. The kids spent most of the day in swimsuits catching a little bit of sun and splashing a little bit in the sprinkler. They snacked on ice-cream here and popcorn there. Now they are fed and running in the grass catching bugs until it's time for bed. And I get to sit here listening to my own husband play the guitar.
Doesn't get much better than this.
Doesn't get much better than this.
We've got a little territorial dispute happening in our yard today.
First S.A.M. came inside and told me that birds were chasing him. Honestly, I thought he was making it up. So, I headed outside with him to take outgoing mail to the mailbox, and sure enough, there were a few birds heckling me and flying around me.
After a little investigation, (moms are good at that, right?), I found out that Mademoiselle and our neighbor had "looked" at these birds' nest yesterday.
And started a war.
So now Benefactor needs to be around taller people in the yard because they are not at all hesitant to chase him. And when we are outside it's accompanied by a constant chattering, and an occassional dive-bombing. And I'm pretty sure they recruited some allies, because there are quite a few of them in trees around the yard.
Wanna see what we're up against? I'm pretty sure they are Brewer's Blackbirds. (by the way, the site that links to is pretty fun and useful.)
Edited to call attention to some more friend and family blogs that are listed under "little links of love". Check them out. If I don't have you listed over there, please let me know, and I'll hop to it!
First S.A.M. came inside and told me that birds were chasing him. Honestly, I thought he was making it up. So, I headed outside with him to take outgoing mail to the mailbox, and sure enough, there were a few birds heckling me and flying around me.
After a little investigation, (moms are good at that, right?), I found out that Mademoiselle and our neighbor had "looked" at these birds' nest yesterday.
And started a war.
So now Benefactor needs to be around taller people in the yard because they are not at all hesitant to chase him. And when we are outside it's accompanied by a constant chattering, and an occassional dive-bombing. And I'm pretty sure they recruited some allies, because there are quite a few of them in trees around the yard.
Wanna see what we're up against? I'm pretty sure they are Brewer's Blackbirds. (by the way, the site that links to is pretty fun and useful.)
Edited to call attention to some more friend and family blogs that are listed under "little links of love". Check them out. If I don't have you listed over there, please let me know, and I'll hop to it!
Monday
What should I tell you about today?
About washing the sheets and taking them toasty warm out of the dryer? Catching Benefactor outside the fence wanting to cross the street to visit a horse? About the mountain of dishes that built up over the weekend that are almost all done? The kids playing chef outside with a butter knife and some green onions/grass? About our one night camping trip in a most idyllic spot? About how we used our pellet stove to heat up the house yesterday, and it was the last day of May? About finally buying a lawn-mower last Wednesday, and using it, only to have a very shaggy yard less than a week later? That the only thing more fun that watching your kids burn off after-church energy by chasing each others in circles and giggling like mad is probably being one of the kids, running in circles, and giggling like mad?
You tell me. I really can't decide.
About washing the sheets and taking them toasty warm out of the dryer? Catching Benefactor outside the fence wanting to cross the street to visit a horse? About the mountain of dishes that built up over the weekend that are almost all done? The kids playing chef outside with a butter knife and some green onions/grass? About our one night camping trip in a most idyllic spot? About how we used our pellet stove to heat up the house yesterday, and it was the last day of May? About finally buying a lawn-mower last Wednesday, and using it, only to have a very shaggy yard less than a week later? That the only thing more fun that watching your kids burn off after-church energy by chasing each others in circles and giggling like mad is probably being one of the kids, running in circles, and giggling like mad?
You tell me. I really can't decide.
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