Missing Jay

They that love beyond the world

Cannot be separated by it.

Death is but crossing the world

as friends do the seas.

They live in one another still

.

Happy Birthday little cowboys

My little cowboys are 5 years old today. How did they go from this

to this.

And from this

to this?

They used to be so sweet. Now look at them. Does this look sweet to you?

They had a birthday party last Wednesday.Great Grandpa and Grandma came up for it. They made little birdhouse kits for all the kids to make. They each had their own hammer and tape measure and carpenders aprons. Each birdhouse was precut, pre drilled and ready to assemble. They did a good job. There was lots of hammering going on. I can't believe that they are already 5 years old and getting ready for kindergarden. Oh, that poor teacher. They are double trouble. I love them to the moon and back again. Happy Birthday!!!

Things I know

There are things I know and things I don't know. Like... we just butchered a beef and they sent me cow tongue when I picked up the meat at the butcher shop. I don't know why people eat cow tongue. I don't know why weeds grow without water and fertilizer but flowers and grass need constant feeding and watering. I don't know why July and August have the same amount of days as November and December but July and August go by at lightning speed and November and December go slower than cold molasses. I don't know why boys can't hear you when you ask them to clean their room but if you call them for dinner they are there in an instant.



Things I do know are... that all flowers are pretty, and that all chocolate taste good. I do know that anything over 100 degrees is too hot. I also know that if you miss the first step out of the dump truck it is a long way to the ground. And the ground is hard and rocks hurt.



I do know that if you stand near a fire you will feel it's heat. And if you are in the company of family or friends that you can draw strength from them just by being near them. I am so blessed to have family and friends that are hear with me. There is just something about being with family that makes you feel good. They love you unconditionally. They listen to you, laugh with you, cry with you and would do anything for you. They help you make pickles and celebrate birthdays. They tell you how good you cook even when you make hamburger helper. They would drop whatever they are doing if I needed a hand.



Right now, I know that August is almost over and November will be here before I know it. I am starting to feel the panic of harvest time. So many Christmas trees to market and harvest. But I know we can do it. Breathe in, breathe out.



I do know that it is Sunday and the kids will be here for dinner. I better go get things cooking. I do know that they would love me just the same if I made them hot dogs and twinkies, but I have a better idea. I think I will make them cow tongue and prune cake. Hope you have an awesome Sunday.

I know it's about time!

I have been super busy and a little distracted lately. It's not that I don't think about you all, it's just been busy. I can't believe that summer is almost over. Why does the rainy, winter months go so slow?

I remember when my kids were little and it was time to go school shopping. I used to take all four of them on the same day and try to get it done. That was a disaster. Finially, I figured it out. If I would take them one at a time and spend a day with them by themselves, it was so much more enjoyable. It would be "our" special day. We would have lunch at a special place and take our time. I thought it was fun to pick out a couple new outfits and shoes, a back pack and glue sticks and what ever else was on the list. The girls were fun. We got cool stuff. Then there was Casey. He really likes shoes. He really likes clothes, too. But Taylor, he hates to shop. It wasn't fun to shop with him or for him until I figured it out. He likes one kind of jeans. So if you know the size just get two or three and be done with that. Don't even try to dress him cute or stylish. Taylor has his own style and nobody is gonna change that. He still has lots of things in his closet with the tags still on because it just isn't him. Buy him two or three shirts and a hooded sweatshirt, a pair of romeo's and you are done. His backpack from the last few years is just fine. Boring!!! But that is just my Taylor and that is fine with me. But guess what??? Connor and Caleb are starting kindergarden this year so I was all excited to go shopping for school stuff. That is, until Stacy told me they don't need anything, Mom. They have too much stuff, Mom. No, Mom, they don't even need shoes. Well, we went shopping anyway. She let me get socks and underwear. We got super cool underwear, the under armour kind. And we got cool socks, too. And cool belts. But the thing that they thought was the coolest was....... little trial size deodorants!!! Isn't that funny? We had to get Kenzi some hello kitty panties and her own belt with rhinestones. OK, I'm done for now but just wait..... it will be Christmas soon and I am going shopping.