Mmmmmm! Guacamole! I went to Houston today to take my nephew to the doctor. My brother, nephew, daughter and son went with me. We also stopped at a mexican restaurant (Pappasitos) for lunch. I ordered off the menu and also requested an order of guacamole. Boy was I surprised when a guy and his table came along side our table and made the guacamole as we watched. I mean, the whole thing from scooping out the avacados to adding in the ingredients and mixing. Very cool indeed! It was very good!!!! The whole time I was wondering how much this appetizer was gonna cost me though. It was expensive, to say the least, but...worth it!

This is my brother munching down on chips!

I'm sad. My goose is gone! Yes, I have a goose, or used to, anyway. We've had this goose for many years (6 or 7 at least!) It was a great watchgoose!!!! Much better than our dogs but wasn't very cuddly, to say the least. This morning, when I went out to feed him, he was gone and there were a few feathers around his foodbowl. Apparently, in the night, something got in his fence (in a fenced yard behind our home) and dragged him out. It was a quick death, there weren't many feathers. Either that, or it flew away while being attacked and is still flying........ We found no body.

It just wasn't a good day for our pets yesterday. Sniff, sniff!!! Not only did this happen last night, but yesterday afternoon, we took our older dog into the veterinarian because she was lathargic and didn't look good. She was about 12 years old and we gave her to my mother-in-law about 12 years ago. We've seen her once or twice a week for that amount of time and she's lived with us for a little less than a year now (after MIL was too ill to care for her.) Unfortunately, It seems she may be going into kidney failure. She is still there at the clinic, under observation with intravenous fluids and antibiotics. Our fingers are crossed.

Edited to add: Our dog's condition deteriated today and this afternoon, we said goodbye for the last time.

Morning Thunderstorms are So Cool!!It's so nice to sleep with the sound of rain! Even a little thunder and lightening makes the sleep much deeper... This morning, there was a thunderstorm and lots of rain (it's still raining!) I didn't hear this on the news a couple days ago, so it must have originated within the last day or so. It was a nice surprise. I was involved in a really nice dream and the weather just infiltrated, making it a great dream. After waking, I just continued to listen to the thunder and rain in the darkened room. Fortunately, I didn't have anything planned this morning outside! It's a good excuse to clean inside today though, so I better start.....in a little while!

Summer schedule! I love not having to get up in the mornings! I don't have to get up early to bring anybody to school, work, or appointments! I can just sleep as late as I want or can (which is usually around 8am....but an hour later than normal!) It's summer! And I have waited for these couple of months all year long! Now that it's here, I'm stagnant. I'm enjoying not having to do anything so I'm not doing much. Kinda sad, huh? I'm going to make a summer goal list and check off each one as I do something. That way, I won't look up, and it be all over!!

Mmmmm...popcorn! I hadn't been to the movies in ages. I have recently just rented movies and stayed home to watch them. I miss the aroma of popcorn in a theatre. As I type, popcorn is popping inside the microwave and I'm getting ready to watch a movie. Yes, this one would be considered boring by my teen. It's a foreign one with subtitles, but it's Monsoon Wedding and I'll be watching it again for the second time (the first time was years ago so I'm looking forward to it.) If I had raisinets, I'd be in heaven!!!

Back from a mini-vacation from my sister-in-law's home. It's always nice to go there and relax. I usually gain at least five pounds while I'm there. She lives on the bay and I love smelling the salty air, feeling the wind blow on my face and listen to the multitude of birds flying around. She, and her hubby, are fantastic cooks/grillers and the food is fantastic! After a while though, I miss my comfortable chair, my familiar surroundings, and my latenight phonecalls.

My toddler's close-up!


My kids coming up the stairs.


Playing in the water after a heavy rain!


Smile!!

My Three Kids....



For a brief moment in time, they all smiled at once... No make-up, no cute shirts, no fighting, no silly smirks- I thought it turned out great. Unplanned and rough.

"Let's think." That's what my toddler now says when he wants to lay down with me and listen to me tell stories to him. He has been requesting to do this several times daily and we imagine that we're dinosaurs hiding in caves, lady bugs eating grass, large construction vehicle operators, passengers in airplanes....the adventures are endless. I really look forward to see his enjoyment and the fascination in his expression as we imagine these scenarios, and use our senses to make it more interesting. He now adds to the stories and it's precious to hear him become creative and imaginative.

State Capitals! Hm.... When I was in the fifth grade, I had to learn all the state capitals and the states. I didn't try very hard and when I made a 30 something on my test, I had to take my test home and get my parent's signature. The next day was another scheduled test, and on that time, spelling would be counted. Needless to say, after my disappointed mother signed my test, she studied with me all afternoon and evening. The next day, I made a 97 on my spelling/capital test. I have always remembered that feeling when I passed, after having tried that night, and it has helped me in building character.



So, when my nephew wanted something to do to make money, I had a suggestion. I'd give him 50 cents for each correct capital. A few months went by...when he asked again last week, I again suggested learning the capitals. This time, he took me up on it. After 5 days, he made a perfect score! Great job, Cody!

....The Presidents are next. :)

Our daylily garden is blooming! Lots of beds of plants are in our yard, including daylilies, wildflowers and many butterfly attracting plants.



My toddler knows how to pull weeds as well. He reaches down and yanks up certain weeds as if it were second nature. Now, if he'd stay in one place and continue so that he'd finish a whole bed, we'd be happy campers! But, he doesn't stay in one place long, and he and his tonka truck stroll around the yard looking for things to get into. Today's treasure was a toad, well cared for and held for half an hour, until he had to let it go.

Baby kittens!!! There are four little kittens under our house. The mother cat just showed up in the neighborhood some months ago and the house across the street feeds everything, including her. We have a cat, but he's fixed, and I know he didn't father them! They are so cute and tiny!!! Aaaawwwww, the soft, furry, precious feet and kitten ears!!!Being that they're under the house though, we feel obligated to find good homes for them. But, until then.....

Today, the little black one got a ride in the back of a tonka truck!! Another was carried gently for a half hour, and they look so cute attached to the shirt of my toddler!!

It's the little things that make my days so much better lately.

Blah...I am totally feeling blah. You know that feeling you get after a huge event or when a stressful situation finally ends, that's where I am right now. I just want to sit and watch tv (not think), avoid calls and do nothing. Blah. I know, totally not possible... This has been a rough month, and my stress is lessening.

I know, there are so many great things in my life for me to be thankful for...I know I am very blessed. But for today, I just want to mourne the past and tomorrow I will start moving forward again.

On the upside, my nephew came over today and nudged me to go walking. We all went walking and the exercise made me feel a little better. I need to do that more often.

Sleep like a rock? I think not! It took forever for me to go to sleep last night!I kept thinking about some serious situations and issues currently involving close people in my life so I wasn't able to turn it off like I normally would. Then, I awoke to the firing of a handgun. I rethink, was it five, then two shots? I saw a truck next door with it's lights on so I knew that if something really 'bad' happened, my neighbor would let me know. And, I wasn't going to go outside after hearing shots. Later, a thunderstorm came and lots of rain woke up my dog, who is deathly afraid of thunder. So, she whimpered for quite a while. For some reason, my toddler decided to wake up as well. My teenager was 'feeling lonely,' so she crawled in my room on the floor with her comforter (more noise.) The one thing I did not hear...was the alarm clock! Maybe, I should say, I ended up sleeping like a ...pebble!

My friend died today. Just a few short weeks ago, he found out he had cancer and now he's gone. This last week was hard for him and he was in a lot of pain; they had stopped treatment of any kind as his prognosis was not good. It was a good day to die...there were thundershowers and heavy rain in our area, but then the sun came out and the day brightened. I'll miss you, Jim.

My daughter is sixteen years old today!!! I remember clearly the day she was born, beautiful spring day, and the weather was beautiful. I had begun the morning by swinging my older daughter from the swing in the front yard. I proceeded to labor with her all day and helped it out by walking at the mall. I realized I was in full labor when I wasn't able to walk through the pain anymore and would stop and pretend I was windowshopping when a contraction came. I went home, called my doctor, and within two hours, she was here!!! She was a bundle of joy, and still is, on most days! Where does the time go? I wouldn't trade her for the world. Happy Birthday Sarah!!

Life is short. Don't waste your time and make every minute count! I have often heard those words and but don't think of them as often as I should. I have a friend who just barely made it though an anneurism surgery without any complications (whew!) only to find out during his follow-up visit and x-rays that he now has back cancer. It caught him and his wife by surprise and they're devestated. I'll be sending them positive thoughts and prayers, and remembering the value of life and it's precious moments to cherish througout the day. I think I'll visit my mother-in-law today. I'll spend those extra minutes I'd be watching tv just visiting and sharing my day with her, as she loves company.

My strongest memories of childhood. Someone asked that question earlier...and after pondering, I came up with theses:

My parents always bought me new kid tool each spring (rake, hoe and shovel.) I thought it was so cool that I could use mine in the garden just like my dad.

My mom used to call me her rare gem. It was a very special pet name. When I smell chanel number 5, I think of my mom.

Around Christmas one year, I pretended to be asleep on the floor when I was about nine. My father picked me up and brought me to bed. My dad must have been in his mid-sixties at that time but didn't say anything about it...he just picked me up and tucked me into bed.

Going to bakeries in new towns...my mom had a sweet tooth and loved real danish (like she used to have up north) so we'd alway go check them out.

Smelling food when I came home from school from my parent(s) cooking.

Playing with my older brother in the yard, making treehouses, making mudpies, and riding our bikes on the trails in neighboring vacant lots.

Getting to go shopping twice a year for schoolclothes and/or shoes (once before school, and once in the spring near Easter.)

Watching my dad get ready for work every morning. He was a painter (he was actually a painter superintendent but I didn't know that as a kid) and always wore white long sleeved shirts and white pants with his company's patch on the front pocket.

The smell of Seaport coffee brewing each morning.

In the evening, I'd help take off my dad's boots (lace-up type with paint marks.) He'd tell me how great it was that I did that (and other things like bring him a glass of ice water) and how, one day, he'd dance at my wedding. Being as I grew up Baptist (who don't believe in dancing,) as I walked alone with my dad up to the building of the church where I was married, I stopped and reminded him of his promise. We stood there, outside on the sidewalk, and danced before going in and walking down the aisle.

First sentence! My toddler completed his first real sentence today which consisted of four words. Most of his words are incomprehendible but there are a few that I can translate to figure out what he wants. Today, he said, "Ba'ho cu tees down" which translate to: Backhoe cuts trees down. You can tell that backhoes are some of his favorite things...I'm so proud! :)

What a beautiful day!! Today, we made a vegetable garden. It took twice as long as it would have normally taken to make it, but my toddler helped a whole lot! I think we will have a lot more corn than we will ever need since 'just one or two' to my toddler means as much as he can grab before I take it all away. So, we'll eventually have red potatoes, green beans, green peppers, cherry tomatoes, corn and mustard greens. We're not expecting much more cold weather so hopefully, in a few months, we'll be eating fresh veggies. It feels good to create something and watch it develop to it's full potential.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Growing up, my father used to always buy us a candy filled valentine! It was something I looked forward to every year! Those red valentine shaped boxes with different kinds of chocolate inside, mmmmmm! I loved to take just gobble each one up, or if I didn't like it so much, I'd just take a bite out of it and then put it back. Passing out valentines in class was my second favorite thing to do as well as receiving them. It was so much fun making little valentine holders to put them in when the time came to pass them out. It's such a great holiday filled with my childhood memories.

For this year, my hubby will pick me some beautiful narcissus out of the yard and put them in a vase for me in the morning as well as make me some oatmeal. It always tastes better when he makes it. That's all I requested. I've written a long card and hid it near where he makes his coffee in the morning to surprise him.

It's gonna be a great day!