Waking Up To Hot Crocked Chicken..

So.. things get busy. You're movin', you're groovin'. You've got dinner on the table, and another dinner in the crockpot for TOMORROW even. (Why? Cause you've got thawed chicken you've been meaning to cook for 5 days, you can't RE-freeze, and if you don't use it NOW, it's rotten.. and there goes 4 chicken breasts of the 60 you bought at the case sale.. DOWN the drain. We cannot be wasting perfectly good chicken in such times as these, now can we?) And then you're cleaning up dinner.. you're doin' dishes.. you're giving baths, homework advice, and tuck-ins.. and NEXT thing you know-- it's 7 a.m., and the house smells VERY strongly of crock-potted chicken. So if the now 12 hours it's been going isn't enough.. you get busy. You're rushin' kids to school, ya gotta fit in that work-out.. you really gotta SHOWER after that work-out (ESPECIALLY if you've worn that work-out get-up 2 days in a row like you KNOW you have..) gotta meet that friend for a birthday lunch, and you GOTTA read Sophie her new books from the book fair. Suddenly, it's 2:00. You MUST pick up your oldest from school, and you MUST get on-line and be sucked into the blog/facebook/snowboarding jacket websites for at LEAST a good hour.. before you realize you can't even SMELL the chicken anymore. You have become one with the overpowering stinch of it. And now.. NOW, 24 hours later, it is dinnertime. And there the chicken sits. Dark. Shriveled. "Well-done". And you serve it up. Because it's your chicken. And you cooked it.. and it will not go to waste.

Just Your Average Sunday Afternoon..

Some people rest. Some read. Perhaps a few go on nature walks.. or pray alot.
Us? We decided it was a great afternoon to demolish our famously hideous, at LEAST 40year old, tater cellar. Wasn't long before the hammers were pounding.. rusty nails we're flying.. and there were even neighbors gathered round to join in the festivities. Due to highly uncooperative participants-- I failed to get a shot that truly shares the excitement and energy of pure destruction.. but WAS able to capture just HOW nasty of a structure.. how truly offensive to the naked eye.. this particular tater cellar, is. Make that, WAS.

Let me know what kind of awful visions of slum-like poverty it stirs up for you personally. The back side's even nicer.

Jesse dared to take on the surely haunted innards.

Brynne and Bryan.. crutches and all.. just couldn't resist joining the party.
(Don't let the sitting fool you.. Brynne took out a whole wall single-handedly before the day was done. Who said bunion surgery has to slow a girl down??)
And ooh! Look! There's our other 'fancy' shed behind them! Jealous?

Off to shed heaven.

All in all-- a good time had by all. Only 97 more home improvement projects to go..

Laughter Really Is The Best Medicine

Wanted to post this picture of my very halarious.. and here, quite tickled, brother-in-law. This was taken back in St. Louis, near the end of our emotionally exhausting week. Jasens Dads funeral had been the night before, and after the cemetary the next morning, with heavy hearts we had returned to the church for a lunch that had been prepared for the family. Sitting together we began to talk, and laugh.. really hard. Just the thing I bet Grandpa would of loved to see-- and hopefully did. Thank goodness for family. Warm, loving, cozy, funny.. family.

Being Little Is Exhausting

Tonight after a full-blown fling herself on the floor tantrum (all because she didn't get a Subway sandwich like Dad had.. apparently she prefers a foot-long.)Sophie finally settled down. About 10 minutes later she took me by the hand and said.."Can you come lay down with me? I'm tired from all that screaming."

It just never gets old..

So Snow White, a hippie, and a pirate, walk into bar...
(Actually.. they just walked into a school carnival, a donut party, and a whole lotta streets to trick-or-treat.) By the way.. I do have another child-- he just recently hit his 'too cool for costumes' year.

Kay.. this one made me laugh unusually hard..

Why do I insist on dressing up? (I must have skipped the 'too cool for costumes' year.) I just can't help myself..

Oh. This would be Jasens latest contribution to "holiday traditions". It just ain't Halloween without a little lighter fluid.

One More Angel's Watching Over Us

Last night, Jasens sweet Dad, suffered a sudden heart-attack, and has passed away.
We are so very sad. Please keep Jasen in your prayers this week.

How I will remember my darling father-in-law..

He was a project away from being done..
and football on t.v.--
he was a rancher in his heart of hearts..
but a business man, to raise a family.
He liked to stay up watching movies,
with his sons there all night long.
He'd joke,"Sounds like a personal problem"
if ya told him what was wrong.
But he was tender.. he was loyal.
Unwavering in times of fear.
And his arms were a favorite place,
for all his grandkids gathered near.
He loved steak made outside on the grill,
and "chocolate bagels" for dessert..
and when his loved ones suffered,
was the only time, you knew he hurt.
He was loving. He was gentle.
He was honest. He was fair.
He was making patato salad..
and glad to have you there.
Dennis. Husband. Brother. Son.
Dad. Poppy,and Grandpa.
In every part he played..
it was a great man that we saw.
And that is why we'll miss him.
In his jeans and white tennis shoes.
He was someone we love with all our hearts..
and that it breaks our hearts, to lose.

Have You Seen My Stuff??

The following items are constantly missing from my home.. or at least very VERY hard for me to find. I am convinced someone is rearranging my things to mess with my head.
1. Pencils with eraser still left.
2. Sophies OTHER "good" ruffle sock.
3. The new special spot I put my ipod at so I wouldn't forget where it was.
4. My single token spool of thread, with my single token needle stuck in it.
5. The checkbook.
6. The dog leash that retracts.
7. Jesse's lunch card, every morning, at 7:15.
8. A ponytail holder when I'm doing housework and my hair is making me HOT.
9. A safety pin when I'm late for church and my bra is showing.
10.The phone when it's ringing.