All in a Day

Yesterday was a beautiful day here in our small little community. We spent all day playing outside and getting dirty!
We even ate Oreo's (notice the black teeth)! THEN...
We spent about 4 hours in the ER with our sweet K-man with the final diagnosis being a broken tibia in the left leg. The break is in the upper shaft (close to the knee joint), NOT in the growth plate and NOT displaced. There is nothing more heart wrenching then seeing your baby suffer! He was very strong and even had the famous "K-man smile" through a lot of the pain. We were not in the ER 30 minutes before our new church family overwhelmed us with their presence, prayers and kind words. This picture was taken following the the pain meds and the ride home in the back of the car. So tender. So precious.
We believe in a God of healing and God that fills our lives with blessing...We are still smiling following a long night of discomfort and sickness (from meds). Our blessings: a brother to read with, the K-man's contagious smile, a "good" break (could have been much much worse), a beautiful sunny day to picnic on our lounge chairs outside...



"good mail" delivery from our church family...
AND naps!

The-K-man is wearing a splint and is non-weight bearing. We have an appointment on Thursday morning with an orthopedic pedi surgeon in a well known children's hospital. Please keep our family in your prayers over the next few days.

Back in the saddle again...

Tonight was our first time to have people over at our house other then family and friends from Houston. I have always LOVED having people in our home, but over the last year I have really spent my energy and time focusing on me and my internal struggles resulting from our move.

I can honestly say...I am comfortable with who I have become over the last year. Yes, I feel I'm a bit different-and that's ok! It has really taken taken me a full year to sit back and regain my bearrings.

Well, tonight I feel great! It was a blast to see the boys running around with new friends~ We all ate too much and kept the kids up too late- FUN! It feels wonderful to have our home open again to others!

Do you enjoy having people in your home?

Do you wish we would open our homes to each other more often?

BBBC- To Kill a Mocking BIrd

This month the BBBC read, " To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee".

Ok, my impressions...I have only read this great book one other time. Yes, high school! Let me just say...I didn't remember one thing from reading it in high school!! However, I will not forget this book now that I have immersed myself into the characters.

I enjoyed the dynamics of the Finch family. Mr. Atticus Finch was living a difficult life with raising his children without the love of his life and holding the weight of the town on his shoulders (not to mention the life of another!). Jem the older brother that was growing up swaying between adulthood and childhood. Scout who was being exposed to the "real world" around her while trying to maintain the strength of who she was (and who she would become.)

My interpretation of Boo Ratley was...well, sometimes I still find myself wondering about his character. He was on the outside (really inside-) always participating in the life of the Finch family in some way. Going through life quietly observing and participation when need be. Everybody wants to be a part of something... I was so torn up about the story of his past life- don't we all need forgiveness. I felt that forgiveness was somewhat received in a way when Scout and Boo finally met and the forever connection was made.

The quotes were endless!!! However, I could not bring myself to mark in my book. Unlike my cookbooks, I have this sense of books being an art piece and writing would just damage the piece! I need to grab a pen a paper next time... However, Holly had some outstanding quotes from the book that she remembered!

Overall this book is now on my favorite book list! The characters and the moral struggles that the author vividly describes allowed me to visit another time and place, struggling with my own inner dilemmas. Have times really changed? Do we allow one person to be the "stand strong moral person" while we quietly sit back and watch? Do we allow ourselves to "see" those behind "closed doors" that just want to be a part of something? Do we help those around us feel the forgiveness they deserve?

Good Read Holly -thanks! Join in next time!! Check it out at Holly's Blog .

5 hours!

What would I do with 5 hours at the house all alone????

• I would open all the windows letting the spring smells and breezes in
• I would crank up Mr. Frank Sinatra
• I would clean the house as fast and vigorous as my little mop would carry me
• I would shower (AND shave!)
• I would fix me a perfect sandwich with all the fix'ns (including CHIPS!)
• I would light my candles all over the house
• I would eat my sandwich AND homemade strawberry pie while reading a GREAT book I haven't had the chance to finish yet- "Sarah's Quilt"
• I would take a deep breath and be thankful for the 5 hours to myself!

Oh..and take 10 seconds to tell someone what a wonderful five hours I had (that's you)-Ha!

SPT- Going Geen

Ok, I know I'm a day late, but I don't think Lelly will mind, right? Basically this SPT for this week has to do with what we are doing for our earth... (Earth Day was yesterday, April 22nd).

What got our family thinking green was the concept that we have been teaching both our boys since they were born~ "God made the world and everything in it". Hmmm... If God made the world and we love God, how should we live our lives to be pleasing to him? Hmmm...Take care of the blessing He has created around us! This thought can continue going in many areas BUT TODAY let's stick with being green~


This is our third season to have our own garden with 8 rows of wonderful organic-ish veggies being grown without using polluting chemicals. "Real" veggies are soo much better!
We continue to visit our farmers market for fruits, veggies, and flowers instead of always buying from grocery stores where their items are often massed produced using all kids of "stuff" to make them bigger and better!
We have started using these wonderful reuseable bags from Reusable Bags . Now if you are a sceptic on the capacity of these bags- in these two bags I was able to have: 6 lb of ground beef, 3 (4lb) roasts, 3 loaves of bread, 3 BIG containers of Gatorade and some other little things! I am always impressed with these bags!
We try to use our regular dishes instead of the "use one time and toss" products-Easy but every thing helps!
We store our leftovers in glass containers...it is overall better for YOU (plastic products start to give off yucky stuff over time and you don't want to use them in the microwave)!

We also make an effort to eat our left overs (which always look better in glass containers!). Energy is being spent to make these foods. Also, farmers are having to use "stuff" to make foods bigger and better because there are so many more people in this world to feed, while there are still only a very small percentage of farmers- just think about it and eat your left overs!
Finally we recycle! Anyone can do this!!!
Cheese!

God created this world!

What are you doing to let Him know you love him and are aware of the beautiful blessings around you!

Strawberry Season!

Saturday we loaded up and visited Fall Creek Farm and picked these juicy red things!!!
The K-Man is a pro at picking veggies and fruit because of his experience helping with the planting and harvesting of TWO gardens (spring and fall of 2007) He is going to be a great gardener getting to start so early!
Oh- back to strawberry picking!

The K-Man whooped and yelled constantly, "Here is another big red one!" His goal was to find "HUGE" ones~and he did!

Little Bit had fun too...However he wanted to taste them to make sure they were really as good as he has heard-Ha! Eat up little man!
No Little Bit! I know it looks good, but we don't need to eat them all now!!
The K-man's sweet hands full of sweet strawberries.
Little Bit's sweet hand holding another sweet strawberry!
We had so much fun picking...
We picked about 8 lbs!!! The K-man started requesting a strawberry pie and telling me just how to make it before we even loaded back in the car! I guess a strawberry pie is in our future...along with Freezer Jam...salads...and other yummy desserts~I mean really, we have EIGHT POUNDS!!!


Do you have any good strawberry recipes???

I did some really neat things with some of these pictures with my photo shop, but blogger wouldn't upload them...any suggestions?

"On the road again..."

I haven't really decided if I'm ready to be on the road again, BUT my backside has determined that IT IS TIME! The weather has been beautiful and I have felt kind of sluggish lately...sounds like a combination that screams- GET MOVING! So...I'm moving!

What determines when you get moving? Are you moving?