My New Front Porch/Patio

Look at what we are doing!

Go Apple Farmer!

Crazy Brick Mobile Driver!

Lots of help!

Apple Farmer left the rest of the project to his wife. Here is where my little helper and I stopped! Just needing to finish up some of those edges!

Commentary From the Two Year Old

Her (pointing to her picture on my blog): Dats Gay-see (translation: I'm the Queen and don't forget it).

Me: What are you doing?

Her: Weaw-ing a coat. (Translation: Duuuh! What do you think I'm doing)?!?

Me: Hmmmm. Wearing a coat. Very interesting. It looks like you are not a happy little girl.

Her: Dats Hanky Gay-see (translation: I'm the cranky Queen! Not a little girl. I warned you not to forget it. Now you've really asked for it)!

A Cure?

Her Royal Highness had an appointment to see the doctor yesterday afternoon. I was really hoping that they might be able to tell me that they had discovered a cure for the terrible twos.

Unfortunately the only cure for being two is to have your third birthday. Wow! April is a long ways away right now.

However, there might be a glimmer of hope that nicer days are in the near future. She has an ear infection that won't go away. Might it be because she never runs a fever?!? If she would at least run a fever I would feel less like I'm medicating for personality and more like I'm medicating for discomfort and pain! This is ear infection number five in just eight months. We've tried chiropractic, antibiotics and home remedies. Yesterday the doctor said that the infection looks just like it did three and a half weeks ago when she started her last round of antibiotics. The doctor's office called this morning with her appointment to see the ENT Doctor in the City (OoooOoooh! Another trip to the City!) where she will be evaluated for tubes. Sigh... I am still hoping to avoid this route, however there aren't very many more choices available. The doctor won't give her anymore antibiotics - which I'm OK with - except that it feels a little bit like a door of opportunity has closed. Chiropractic and massaging pressure points to help with drainage appears not to have helped much. Is the only other available option to get that fluid off her ear is to have drainage tubes placed?

Thursday's Trip to the City

A trip to the City - Everyone together now - "OOooooOOOooooh!"

The car was loaded with a female foursome of varying ages! We learned that we had several things in common beyond our purpose taking our trip to the city - "OoooOOOOOooooh!"

We are all transplants from western states. We all enjoy the friendly people and the slower pace of life in Missouri. Since moving, none of us know which way is North or South (Nor East and West for that matter!) We think that what they call traffic here is hardly traffic at all. We think the green rolling hills are really pretty. We miss the mountains. Panera is so yummy! We enjoy getting to go to the City - "OoooooOoooh!" and then going back to our peaceful green hills homes. And we were all really excited about attending the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's performance in Kansas City that evening!

This is one of the numbers they performed (This clip is from a prior performance) and it was incredible to see in person!

It was a fabulous event!

Play Time!

My Kitchen Sink is clean and shiny - so I played Photographer (and lost track of time)! ;)

I opened my original image up in photoshop elements and experimented with some fun and new things! The results are comparable to a vintage photochrom postcard from the late 1800's.

Our Butterfly Adventure

(The Story Behind the Photograph)

On the day that this photo was taken, about this time two years ago, this lovely specimen had just emerged from her chrysalis. We found her when she was a hungry green caterpillar. We put her in a jar and she made a really neat chrisalys the very next day. About 2 weeks later the crew came shrieking into my room. They excitedly shared the news of her emergence and could hardly believe that this orange and black creature was once a fat green worm! She never minded being handled, and as soon as we had all had a turn to hold our sweet little Monarch, we took her out to our zinnia bed and let her be on her merry little way.

Laundry Day

First: Get the wash tub and fill it with water

Second: Put your dirty things that need washing into the wash tub that you have filled with water.

Third: Spin Cycle.

Fourth: Dry Cycle

Fifth: Dump the yucky ducky water.

Sixth: Fill 'er up again and start your next load

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And thus ended the 16th day of the 6th month...

And it came to pass that the woman of the household was encumberred with much preparation.

And it came to pass that a cry went out throughout the whole of the household and many were called and many were chosen to help cleanse the aftermath of the great destruction that followed the harvest of the day.

And it came to pass that there was much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, because the destruction that followed the harvest was much.

And it also came to pass that after the woman of the household used much persuasion unto the convincing of her household of the great and bountious blessings which awaited them following their service in her kitchen, that there was much girding up of loins and great and wonderful was the evening, even to the extent of great smiles as the work was completed and the Jelly Jars were counted. And in that day, there were 29 1/2 jelly jars and 4 jars of pie cherries sealed up and the rejoicing of the household was abundant and promises of ice cream were made.