Do You Fudge Some Days?

What I mean by fudge is; letting go and sitting back in quiet awe.  Or allowing things to slip by like dusting, sweeping and mopping; when your floors look like hell.  I just think we all are guilty of getting caught up in the minutiae of life.  Some days, I have to leave television off or just have it on for white noise in the background. 


Other days, the boys are all nice and kind to each other and I just scan them with suspicious eyes; wondering if they built a nuclear warhead when I turned my back.  Normally, they are  two sore-tailed cats who need to retreat to their respective marked terriority of 'MINE.' On these days, if they are happy to be brothers we sometimes cut school work in half. Sssssh, don't tell them the key to getting time off. :O)

Today was one of those days, we ran some eggs over to  neighbor Mrs. Maguglin.  Got home in time to be blessed with a visit from Mrs. Lily.  My boys just adore her and Zephyr especially tries to keep her occupied with her stories of his Lego battle warriors.  We hope you enjoy the onions, mustard greens, and squash we sent home with you.  Thanks Mrs. Lily for coming over, no worries we will pick up in the morning where the boys left off in their school work.

A thing I miss though since lasik, has been jumping on my Husky and mowing the grass.  With my eyes being so sensitive to bright light and irritants; I can only look out my window with a longing of horsepower.  HEE HEE it is so hard to give over the keys to hubby on the weekends.

As these days of summer are bearing down on us; please take some time to fudge days of work now and again.  I am sure our Creator doesn't mind a slower pace.

Just a Happy Life, Who Needs More?

I am amazed at the strength, love, and joy I receive from just being with my men.  This week, Zephyr graduated from Kindergarten and has started his first grade school year. We did not have a formal ceremony since, I could not find the correct church in Beeville.  So instead, we picked up Zephyr's favorite --- cup cakes in his birth theme of Halloween. 

My husband has been taking care of all the outdoor chores this passed week.  My surgery was awesome and I can see at 20/20 for each eye.  Though I am taking extra care while my eyes are healing from lasik.  Hubby has been taking up all my outdoor chores; he did not want me to get anything in my eyes since, he had an infection after his lasik.  Let me tellyou; this man is always working even when he is at home.  He is a Mr. Fixit.  I just love him to pieces; the almost 15 years we have been together has flown.  He is my best friend. 

 Our Ladies Bug beetles are almost fully formed.  Strange critters these little wonders of nature.

 Today, we took the boys to the Lexington Musuem.  Both boys love anything and everything to do with the military.  So it was a treat for them to touch or sit inside exhibits.  We are hoping to foster their desire to learn in any method we can find.  For the next two years, we will be taking them back to the Lexington, Texas State Aquarium, and Zoo often.  I could tell each of them were quite happy to be here with us.  I love to walk behind them and watch from a distance. 

Little Brig Bird

Six men bunked inside an area the size of a modern closet.  

 They walked the plank.

They touched history. 

 They climbed and explored a new world.

 One of the eight book cases my hubby has built. 

This one is the latest, and hold 1 yr of curriculum for both boys. I am loving Sonlight especially the Instructor Guide, Read A-longs, and history materials.  Below is the pencil grip suggested by Jana that is working out well for both boys to learn a proper handwriting grip.

This weekend, when you are out enjoying the summer or grilling.  Take time out to remember all those who made our lives possible this Memorial Day.  The men and women of our Armed Forces, family members, civilians, and contractors; who support their mission. 

If not I leave you with this. God Bless

Can You See Me Now? Lasik Day, Garden Bounty

My Bush Baby look for last exam.

Let me begin by saying; I am a very blessed woman. Thanks to my hubby for driving me to have my lasik done. While I am currently doing this entry through protective shields and dark terminator glasses; I am happy. We arrived early and sat down with the boys to do some school work in the waiting room.

I snapped this one of myself right before I went into the surgurical suite.  Good Grief, I am middle aged; look at that double chin plus numbing eye drops doesn't help the ensemble either. LOL

What my hubby, boys, and other patients were able see in the lobby.  What I was able to see was blur and orange shiny lights.  I also got the pleasure of feeling the pressure as the doctor put some type of retractor into my eye socket.... YUM YUM are you sick yet? 

About this time, the laser started to do its job and I was treated to the smell smiliar to burning hair, the sound of a tazer being fired, and just some tugging as the flap was made. 

 Then the process was over in less than 20 seconds on my right eye; which was corrected for distance vision. So next my left, which was corrected for near sighted vision: 17 seconds. 

Then after I was done, I was led into a waiting area for a final check.  The girl Megan that went after me was super scared and I just talked to her so she could calm down some.  I felt bad for her because she was so nervous.  Strange how I was not nervous nor scared.  I followed the doctor's instructions while sitting in the chair.  Less than 30 mins; I was out the door and in the back seat with my Cubby Bear.

 About this time, the only real discomfort began.  My left eye started burning like I had been poked with a hot stick but, I kept putting drops in to keep my eyes moist; only a few sharp pains but nothing to freak out my boys or let my hubby know about. 

I just feel so damnably sexy here----SIT BACK AND KISSED MY SELF!  

Cubby Bear wore his shades to match both his parents and rubbed my hand out of sympathy.  At this point he must have seen my eyes tearing.  I just love my little man.

Fresh turnips and two types of squash.  Can't believe how big our veggies are turning out.  

Now 7 hours after surgery, I am resting with my protective shields and dark glasses still.  Drops every so often for irritation and of course antibiotic drops as well.  Tomorrow, I have a follow up exam to check my healing process.  Let me tell you, I can SEE.  Strange but I can see leaves on the trees, roadsigns and such even through all my safety gear.  Can't wait to see what my new 'eyes' encounter tomorrow.

Will keep ya'll posted and please forgive any misspellings.

So Much Green, Just Beautiful

After our rainfall, I got the pleasure of mowing and not complaining at all! 

 Except for all the weeds after the rain; lots of work to do yet.

 Hubby tilling so, we can lay in cukes, cantalope, more corn.

Bless you -- my little slobberpus. 

The green onions hubby pulled and I later cleaned, cut, and oven dried for later use. My house smelled like onions for a day.  Simple instructions, clean them well, cut them thin, lay on paper towels on a cookie sheet, put in oven 125-50 F (8 hours for 1 lb of cuttings), stir occassionaly, and check as more often as the moisture leaves.   

You can also dry foods by pressing between two screen doors on towel layers, put up on blocks in your yard if you live in hot place without humidity.  Solar dry is fine but, watch for bugs, ants, and mildew. I can't use this method because our humidity is so high most of the time === so much for the desert eh?

I wonder if squash leaves can be consumed.  Must do some research since, we have such large leaves.  What do ya'll think?  I know you can use the flowers in almost anything from soups, breads, stuffed, and friend.  HUMMMMMS here.......

Momentous Thunderstorm Complete With Rain

I know all of ya'll have been following the floods in the Mississippi valley area.  I just can not imagine scope of  devastation of all that water.  Seems Mother Nature delivered not only record amounts of snow this passed winter and spring but as it melted; has joined with all the rain in the region.  All that water has to go somewhere; especially down hill/river.

http://www.nab.usace.army.mil/Business/Contracting/COEoffices.htm

Here in my part of South Texas; we had not received any rain since the 14th of March.  This has caused our area to be in a drought situation and under a burn ban since mid Febuary. No joke, we have cracks in our property from lack of water.  This passed Thursday, we had answered prayers in the form of a lovely mid-morning of rain.  Let me tell you, it was such music to our ears -- we turned off all the lights and television to hear the sound being drummed on our metal roof.

One and one-half inches of beautiful life sustaining rain!  

Here is our latest observation of the natural world.  Lady Bug land, I had no idea their larva stage had them looking like alien alligators.  Soon, they will crawl to the top of the habitat and begin their pupa stage.

This weekend, Sid came down so he and his father could replace the leaking radiator in his car. Let me tell ya, those two men were cut from the same cloth.  It has been a blessing for my hubby to have some male bonding time this weekend. 

Well I have some grass to mow, thankfully.  I plan on visiting all I have been following this week since, I now have time to breathe and slow down. 

With the new school year starting on this Monday, I am excited to get our new curriculum under way so Saenz, Zephyr and I will stay busy this summer. 

What are ya'll going to do? Any summer vacation (holiday) plans?  My holiday plans are to have lasik eye surgery this Friday.  I am so excited at the prospect of not wearing glasses; I am fit to be tied. 

OH SPECIAL NOTE: Next Saturday, our Cubby Bear will be awarded his Kindergarten diploma.  We are so excited for him and his accomplishments. YEAH ZEPHYR!