Pics and More

I have gotten quite a few good pictures lately!!  (Big Smile)

Dogwood

Robin's nest

(Favorite spring picture so far this year!) 

The heron

Pumpkin picking flowers

Princess pretending that a tulip leaf is a camera

 Spring Beauties

Awesome moon pic

Trout Lily

Tulip

Our garage sale over the weekend was quite successful, especially the fact that there is less in my basement.  I like that . . . a lot!  The wind on Friday and the afternoon rain showers on Saturday created quite a few interesting moments, but we managed and even packed up early on Saturday.  Yay, more of a weekend for us!

Sunday morning I discovered that one of my orthotics for my plantar fasciitis had broken.  (Big Sigh)  I thought that maybe, just maybe I could get by with over the counter shoe inserts.  Yeah . . . that is not working too good.  Or as my husband would say "No Gooda."  Three days without them and I am icing my heels, taking ibuprofen, and thinking about crawling around the house instead of walking.  Guess I will have to break down and call the podiatrist.  The only problem is that the insurance company will not cover the orthotics so we are looking at some major expense.  I got the orthotics that just broke in 2009 and at that time we paid $450.  I still have the casts of my feet which hypothetically should reduce the price, but my shoe size has increased by 1 1/2- 2 sizes so I have a feeling that they will need to recast my feet.  Who know how much it will cost this time, but I am going to have to bite the bullet and make that phone call.  I just hope that it does not take a month to get into to see him.  I think in this case, the sooner the better.

Okay time for a kidism:   Pumpkin when referring to peaches: "It tastes like hippopotamus poop."  Mommy trying not to laugh: "How do you know what hippopotamus poop tastes like?"  Pumpkin:  "Well . . . I don't know!"  Mommy: "Eat your peaches."

Do you have any kidisms to share?

All Things New

It has been a while since I wrote about a book that I have read, so I figure that it is about time.

I checked out Lynn Austin's lastest book from the local library: All Things New. Actually it was ordered in from another library and put on hold at my local library.  Funny thing is that the library that the book was ordered from is the library that I attended the ground breaking for when I was in grade school, just one block from the elementary school that I attended.  Small world!

Anyway,  All Things New is a fabulous book and I did not want to put it down once I started reading it.  I did have to tear myself away for a few days when hubby got a bit out of joint about having my nose in a book for so long, but definitely a great read. 

The book is a historical fiction novel set in 1865 during the ending months of the Civil War in the state of Virginia.  There are three featured heroines encompassed within the pages.  Josephine Weatherly, age 22, is the main heroine.  The two secondary heroines are Eugenia Weatherly (matriarch of the Weatherly family) and Lizzie (one of the few remaining servants).  After the war concludes and slavery is abolished the Weatherly family tries to pick up the pieces of their once grand plantation and struggles with learning to adapt to a new world with new rules.  With the death of Jo's father and eldest brother during the war the burden of the estate falls to the shoulders of the remaining brother.  The war of course has affected him so that he is more concerned with trying to regain what is lost than rebuilding what remains.  So it is up to Jo, Mary, and their mother to forge ahead.  The old customs and rules of high society hold Eugenia and Mary back, but Jo is willing to change and adapt which is necessary to survive.

One segment of this book that still sticks out in my mind is that Josephine is angry with God and just believes that he does not hear her prayers.  At one point she walks out of the church during Sunday service, goes to the grave yard and sits at the foot of her father and brother's graves in despair.  I can relate to that.  I too have sat at the foot of my mom and grandpa's graves when I have been upset and wondered "why? what was the purpose?  why so close together?  why was mom so young?" As Josephine sits there a concerned friend joins her.  He suggests that she reads the Book of Job.  Job was also angry with God and Job suffered much heartache and pain.  The book of Job shows that it is okay to be angry, that God has not forsaken us.  He does listen to prayers, but he works in his own time and his own ways.  In the end all that was taken from Job was restored, not to the original specifications but even grander and more wonderful.

This book is about learning to change, hoping to change, and growing by change.  Once you have a suffered a great loss, a great trauma- you can never go back to the way things were.  You have to learn to adapt, to change, to become stronger, better, braver.  Even when it seems like the sun will never shine again, we must have hope and faith that God has a plan and that we will once again see the glorious sunshine.  

Once again, it is WELL past my bed time.  I have a full day of preparations tomorrow to get ready for a garage sale this weekend, so I must be off to bed to recharge my batteries.  I hope that everyone has a great rest of the week and a lovely weekend!

Side Effects . . . .

A side effect of spring is . . .
. . . that plants start pollinating heralding in allergy season.
. . . that I want to takes tons of pictures featuring spring wildflowers.
. . . that the weather can be so unpredictable.
. . . that you are suppose to spring clean.

A side effect of purchasing french bread is . . .
. . . that I want to devour the whole loaf slathered in butter.
. . . that my husband uses it to butter his corn on the cob.
. . . that a child will inevitably drop the bread butter side down onto the floor.

A side effect of having a computer is . . .
. . . that kids want to play PBS kids all the time.
. . . that daddy wants to listen to a particular song online over and over and over and over.
. . . that mommy does not get as many chores done.
. . . that they are obsolete as soon as you buy them.  

A side effect of having children is . . . 
. . . that you never know what they are going to do next.
. . . that you really appreciate what your parents did for you.
. . . that you choose to kiss owies.
. . . that no matter what, you will love them until the ends of the earth.

A side effect of working is . . .
. . . that you want to drink A LOT of chocolate cherry cokes.
. . . that you get to see the light bulb click on when someone gets what you are trying to say.
. . . that you learn to think on your feet and fast.
. . . that you wonder what it would be like to not have to work. 

A side effect of being human is . . .
. . . that you care about what happens to those you love.
. . . that you have faith in things you cannot see.
. . . that your feelings can and will be hurt through the journey of life.
. . . that you have the power within yourself to be whatever you dream.        

Can you think of any side effects?

Thoughts and Reflections

Life is busy . . . . 

As the days get warmer the kids want to spend more time outside.  They are really outdoor kids at heart.  If Pumpkin had his choice he would probably be outside from sunrise to dusk.   Princess has a pretty similar attitude.  They love to play with sticks, dig in the dirt, chase geese and ducks, and many other adventures.  

Pumpkin developed his first case of poison ivy over the weekend.  It appeared on his face, neck and right hand.  It is finally starting to become less apparent.  So far Princess still seems to have an immunity to the plant.

Work is extremely busy and will not slow down until August.  Oh, how I wish it was August already.  I know, we should not wish our life away.  There is so much to do and just not enough people and not enough hours to do want needs to be done.  I guess my problem is that I care and hold hope that good things happen to those who work hard.   Well what does little old part-time me know.  Maybe one day . . . . .

We have been seeing a few ants in the kitchen this spring but so far we have not experienced a few blown invasion.  Now with that being said, I might just have an influx of unwelcomed visitors within the next few weeks. Ha ha ha, such is life!

I need to get out and start taking some pictures of the beautiful wild flowers coming up.  I have seen spring beauties, bloodroot, and dutchman's breeches in bloom this week. I also saw leaves of trout lily, trillium and toothwort.  I have seen pictures from other that have seen hepatica.  I am really looking forward to when jack-in-the-pulpit come up.  Such an interesting plant!!!

I so need to reorganize the house.  I keep putting it on my to-do list, but then do not find the motivation, energy, and will power to get it done.  I know that it will be more manageable if I divide the house into sections and then go from there, but it is so daunting that I have yet to figure out where to start.

I have been doing quite a bit of reading lately.  Nothing really that stands out as notable and amazing.  One of these days, I'll try to write up some thoughts on some of the more noteworthy books.  I do need to get to the library some time soon. 

Earlier this week was t-shirt weather, but I am afraid that it is long sleeved weather once again.  Soon though the coats and long sleeves will be shed until fall.  What a glorious thought that is!

Well I need to see to the kiddos, since it is well past their bedtime.  Good night!