Maggie & I watch the CMA Awards.

First thing out of Maggie's mouth upon seeing Carrie Underwood: "Oh, Momma!" Sucks in her breath, "She's so beautiful! She looks so shiny and sparkly. Can I have a dress like that please?" After the commercial break, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood come back on stage. Maggie's comment, "Hey, she changed from her sparkly dress. Wonder if she changed her shoes? Momma, him changed too." Darius Rucker performing: "Momma, what is this song? Me: "It's 'Alright'" Maggie sings, "Alright, Alright" Says: "Oh, like in the car "Alright"?" Maggie during Miranda Lambert's performance: "Momma, hims hair is crazy!" (Guitarist had spiked mohawk). "Her hair is not crazy, thank goodness."

During George Strait's performance: "Wow! He's a real cowboy!"

Time goes by so . . .not slowly!

I cannot believe how long it has been since I last posted. I'm not really sure where the time has gone! We've started Christmas shopping already and I'm making my plans to decorate for the season. And as many of you know, since November 1, we've been listening to Christmas music around here. What else have we been up to? Not much, but here's a little re-cap.

Halloween has come and gone. I managed to pull off Maggie's costume after some procrastination regarding the costume materials. This was the inspiration for the costume. It sold on ebay for $140!

I lucked out in that I found a supplier to purchase 175 yards of tulle in 3, 6, and 9 inch widths in various colors. I negated that luck by waiting too long to find the fabric and paying double for expedited shipping. In hindsight, I probably would have gotten all of the materials to complete her costume in plenty of time, but I was afraid it wouldn't come, so I paid for the shipping. So, I paid less than I would have had I purchased the costume from one of the crafters on etsy.com

or ebay, but I spent more than I should have. However, the costume was an award winner. We participated in the local Saxonburg Halloween VFD parade and Maggie won 2nd place for best costume in her age division. Here's a picture of the kids following the parade. It had been a pretty decent day - we had Will's birthday party and we decided to go to the parade last minute. I hadn't realized how fast the weather had gotten cold, and by the time we got to the parade, it had started to sprinkle. We sat in the car until the parade stared and then braved the mist and walked the parade route. It quickly quit raining, but it was cold. Once octopus would not walk, so he got to ride in the stroller. We had some trouble with the octopus costumes because the arms were so heavy they pulled the sweatshirts and made them stretch and pucker. The boys were happy with them though, so that is all that matters.

Here's Maggie in her full costume at the Clearview Mall trick or treat event. She got many a compliment from the shop keepers. Walker was at a birthday party that night at Chuck E Cheeses, so the little two had a lot of fun trick or treating. Will was pretty amazed that all he had to do was walk up to someone, say "tic tea" and they would put candy in his bucket. Woo-hoo! Will would not stand still for a Mall picture because he was too intent on getting candy out of his bucket.

Maggie is already thinking about next year's costume. She wants to be a lady bug or a bumble bee. I think I can handle that. Walker, a little jealous over Maggie's parade win, asked if he could wear Maggie's peacock costume next year. I love that he is still innocent enough to not understand that wearing that costume would cause him to be teased.

It's such a fine line, isn't it, treading that area between wanting your child to be able to do or be anything he/she wants and not allowing them to do it because you know it will cause them to be teased or tortured. It saddens me that we live in a society that kids just can't be what they want to be because they will be teased about their choices by other kids. Walker doesn't understand that Maggie's peacock is a "girl" costume. He just wants to have a costume that will win him a prize. It is for reasons such as this that I understand why people home school. I just pray that I am doing my job right and that he will be able to withstand the pressures of society and will live true to himself. It's going to be a rough road. He's already picking up some unflattering language at school that we have to address. We're doing our best to explain to him why we feel what he is saying is wrong, but I know how hard it is to resist repeating what most of his friends are saying. At least for now, he's slipping up in front of us and we can reprimand him and talk about why we don't want him to say that. I know when he gets older, he'll have the awareness to watch what he says around us. It's such a struggle being a parent. I have so many moments daily that I wonder if I'm using those "teaching" moments wisely, taking each opportunity to teach my children the values Erik and I want them to have.

Will we succeed? I'm not sure. I feel that Erik and I are strong parents and our children are clear about what we expect of our family. For now, I just try to review each day and remember the funny and silly things the kids say and do.

Some of the most memorable of late:

Walker participates in the "Book It" reading program at his school. In October, he was challenged to read eight books and record the title and author of each book and turn in a form to his teacher. After he did, he received a coupon for a free personal pan pizza. Maggie, jealous that Walker got to earn his own pizza asked me, "Momma, when am I going to get a poo-con to get a free pizza?"

Willie James is really talking up a storm now and loves to sing. His favorite song to sing right now is "Happy Birthday" and he sings it to his favorite girl, Ella. Here's also in love with football and loves to watch it on TV. He asks to wear his "Stee" (Steeler) shirt and just tonight was enthralled with the game.

Life in futility . . .

Being a stay at home mom is very rewarding. I wouldn't change anything about my choice, however, after five and a half years of this profession, I have realized that it is basically an exercise in futility - at least for me. In case you are not familiar with the definition of futile, I've looked it up.

Main Entry: fu·tile Function: adjectiveEtymology: Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin futilis brittle, pointless, probably from fu- (akin tofundere to pour) — more atfoundDate: circa 1555

1 : serving no useful purpose : completely ineffective 2 : occupied with trifles :frivolous

synonyms futile, vain, fruitless mean producing no result. futile may connote completeness of failure or unwisdom of undertakingfutile that surrender was the only choice left>. vain usually implies failure to achieve a desired result vainattempt to get the car started>.fruitless comes close to vain but often suggests long and arduous effort or severe disappointment <fruitlessefforts to obtain a lasting peace>.

Today is one of those days that everywhere I look, I see projects that need completed, basic chores that need done, and I really feel no inclination to do any of it. All I see is long and arduous effort ending in severe disappointment!

Let's just start with the kitchen. I won't even go into the dishes that need cleaned up and put into the dishwasher. Today I'll just talk about the futility of sweeping the floor. Erik was in charge of supper last night because I went to Bible Study and he kept the kids busy playing outside in leaves until late. Erik never says anything when I want to go do something for myself, so I really shouldn't complain that he doesn't clean up to my specifications, but sometimes, because of the futility of cleaning, I do get a little frustrated when he leaves messes for me to take care of - like this. He didn't sweep the floor under the island after the kids ate.

Crumbs and a hunk of cheese are still lying there. I really can't fault him, because I really do understand how futile it is to sweep. There will just be another mess there in another 2 hours

when it is snack time.

On a positive note, this just reconfirms my gladness at putting in the hardwood instead of a different surface. This flooring is so forgiving, hides most messes, and unless there is a glob of mud on the floor, hides my dirty floors well. It's a little gross, but what can I say, farm life makes cleaning futile. I no sooner get the floor clean than someone walks through with their boots on. I do believe that some of this futility will be alleviated when Christmas comes. I have dropped several not so subtle hints that I want the Shark Pocket Steam Mop. I hope Santa remembers that I want it so desperately!

On to the laundry. This is my laundry/mud room.

When we remodeled the house, it was a large pantry. At the time I thought, "Whatever would I need with such a large pantry?" So we gutted it, moved the door around and the pantry became the much needed laundry and mud room. At the time, with just Erik and me, I thought the room was so big. Five years later it is waaaayyy too small for our family of five. There isn't enough room for our muddy boots, dirty clothes, coveralls and coats, etc. I hate going into that room and not just because of the mounds of laundry that are there waiting for me on an hourly

basis. It is a constant reminder of how futile cleanliness on a farm is.

This is a picture of my dream laundry room. I dream of a laundry where I have TONS of room. My idea is that the laundry room will be the main closet for the entire house. When our kids get older, instead of me folding clothes and putting them away for them, they will be instructed to come to the laundry room to get their clothes - if they do not - oh well - the clothes will be hanging from the racks or be folded into neatly designated drawers for each person of the house. Can't find your shirt - check the laundry room.

Isn't this laundry room just lovely? This room is courtesy of Hampton Design and I have provided a link to the website here. Great job! It is just beautiful. And if anyone would like to offer to help me achieve this laundry room by building an addition onto my house, I will happily accept. : )

http://www.hamptondesign.com/built_ins5.html

How beautiful is the white farmhouse sink? I don't even have a plastic washtub in my laundry room right now. I know I shouldn't complain because I could have a room this large if I chose to move my laundry to the root cellar (basement) where it is dark,dank, and drippy! I know it is a luxury to have my laundry off the kitchen where I have easy access to it all the time, but I would love to just have a little more space! I can't even imagine what things are going to get like once the kids get older and their clothes are bigger!

Can you imagine having three whatever those are??? I'd settle for a dryer that dries faster!

Let's not even get into the futility of folding clothes, putting them away and the daily struggle that is!

Our next area of futility for me is toys. I don't know how we have accumulated so much, how it seems to multiply in the toy bins, or why my children can clean up any other place they are, but at home. I guess it could be worse - they could actually NOT play with any of their toys. But they do - all the time. They just don't put anything away in the right place, which leads to bigger and bigger messes. I have tried countless times to sort though the toys, arranged them in the appropriate bins, took pictures of the toys that belong in those bins and attached them so the kids could easily identify what goes where but they still just throw stuff into bins at random when I say clean up. Thus causing them to not know where particular items are which leads them to dump EVERY bin in the area out until they find what they were looking for.

I guess if I try to look at things in a positive light, I could interpret the scattered toys as an inexpensive home security system. This batch of toys was dumped out right on the mat at the front door. Not that anyone uses our front door -we don't have any steps or a porch leading up to our front door, so it is basically a door to nowhere. But in case someone did try to come in our front door, there is this nice mound of toys for them to have to get past.

Fortunately, this mound of toys is also smack dab at the bottom of the stairs too - so it is a double whammy of deterring burglars and damaging Momma's bare feet. Nothing like a plastic farm animal to wake you up in the morning!

Well, I suppose my rant on the futility of chores around this place has been futile. In the time it took to post this, I probably could have had all of it cleaned up. I just needed to vent a bit.

And as my dear neighbor, Donna, tells me, the children will be grown up before I know it and I will miss the days of seeing these toys, mounds of laundry and crumbs on the floor.

I'm sure I will, but right now dreaming of the future is just futile.

Surprises

Nick at Nite is terrific for women with new babies that get up in the middle of the night to nurse. It kept me entertained for months after I had all of my babies. All of my babies were unusual nursers in that they early on got onto a schedule of eating every 4 to 6 hours but when it was time to eat, they nursed for at least an hour. Which left me incapacitated for that time. For those midnight feedings, I was always afraid to lay in bed with the newborn, so I would get up and go downstairs to nurse and if I didn't watch TV, I'd fall asleep myself. I was afraid of dropping the baby if I fell asleep, so I had to keep myself up.

Anyway, I would watch Nick at Nite. A popular and repeatedly running show was Roseanne. On one episode, the older daughters told their younger brother that he was an "accident" and that his parents hadn't really wanted him to be born. The conversation goes like this:

D.J.: Was I an accident?
Roseanne: No, D.J., you were a surprise.
D.J.: Oh. What's the difference?
Roseanne: Well, an accident is something that you wouldn't do over again if you had the chance. A surprise is something you didn't even know you wanted until you got it.

Our surprise was Willie James who turned 2 years old yesterday. When I first found out I was pregnant with Will, I was so scared. Maggie had just turned a year and I was so worried about how I was going to handle a 19 month old and an infant, was I ruining Maggie's life by bringing another baby into the house so soon? What were our families going to say? I was excited about the pregancy, what a blessign, but having told some folks already and gotten mixed reactions, I felt the pregnancy was something I was keeping to myself for a while longer. I was probably about four months along when I went to book club one night knowing I was going to announce my pregnancy. We hadn't been together for a while and we were all catching up on what was new in each other's lives and finally it was my turn - I said, with some hesitation, "Well, I'm going to have another baby!"

My dear friend, Michelle, jumped out of her chair, squealing with delight, giving me the hugest hug ever, and gushed all over me. Everyone else expressed their happiness for me as well, and all was good. Michelle's reaction to my announcement lifted the pressures and fears I was feeling instantly. I will never be able to thank her enough for that reaction. It was exactly what I needed, and I know that God planned for me to be there to witness that to reinforce to me that everything was GOOD and exactly as He had planned. I will never be able to thank Michelle enough for her reaction. It reinforced to me that my pregnancy was a very good thing and that we had been triply blessed.

I think about that a lot when I think of Willie James. He turned two years old yesterday and he is such an amazing blessing in our lives. I had worried so much about how Maggie would deal with a sibling so close in age to her - and it has never been an issue. Sure, once in a while we have instances of sibling rivalry, but so do Maggie & Walker and Walker and Will - it doesn't seem to have much to do with age.

In a phone conversation once with my sister, Erin, she said something along the lines of that she thought it was wonderful that my children were so close in age because sometimes she felt the age differences between us (about 3 years between each sister) was too great and there were times that she wished we were all closer in age. I don't think Erin will ever know how much that conversation meant to me either. And the times when the kids are tearing me in a million different directions, each one needing something from me, I think to that conversation and try to think to the future and how nice it will be for them to be experiencing life together.

But for the today, I celebrate the life of my littlest man. My candy loving, rough necking, bull headed boy.

Happy Birthday, my littlest love. May your life be filled with as many happy "surprises" as you have provided for me!

I'm an avid reader

Recently on a trip to my hometown, my sister, Katie, was recalling a story that she had told her mother in law that highlighted one of our many differences as sisters.

To provide some background on our reading differences, I have always been an avid reader, my sister, Katie, not so much. Katie has deep rooted resentful memories of our mother encouraging her to read more, often wording her request in the worst way possible, "Why don't you read more like Jennie?" Katie is a relatively even-keeled person. It really takes a lot to get her upset, but for some reason, the comparison of our reading preferences is pretty much the one thing that she hated.

So Katie told this story about how when we were young, to do any "real" clothes shopping, we

had to travel to Dubois, a town about 30 miles away from our little hometown. If we were

"good girls," meaning, if we stayed close to our mom, allowed her to do the shopping she needed to do, and we didn't fight constantly we would be allowed one of two rewards. One was a trip to the Valley Dairy to get an ice cream cone - the other was a trip to Walden's Books to choose a book.

Both were of equal excitement to me. Not Katie. She would just rather have the ice cream. From start to finish, she would inject

subliminal messages into the conversation so we would be thinking about the Valley Dairy by the time the shopping trip was over.

"I'm so hungry for ice cream."

"Yum, won't a scoop of Chocolate Marshmallow taste so good when we are done?"

By the end of the trip, we truly did believe that ice cream was the better choice. Except every so often I would remember that having a good book would last a little longer than the ice cream. I would divert her attempts by asking if I could go to the bookstore by myself before my mom had finished shopping. I would say, "You can come get me at the bookstore when you're all

done." This would ensure my mom and sisters would have to be at the bookstore where my mom would then say, "Did you find something you want? Well, let's see if the other girls can find a book too."

Mission accomplished!

So, we would get our books - most likely mine was a

Nancy Drew that I didn't already have or a Sweet Valley High.

I loved those books.

The funny part of the whole reward was that I was such an avid reader that I often started to read the book in the car on

the way home and would get halfway through the book by the time we got home. I would quickly complete the book within a day and then I would complain that I didn't have anything to read again. My mother would say we had just been to the bookstore and then would yell at me saying, "You read your books too fast! If you keep reading that fast, I'm not buying you any more books!" Katie relayed that portion of the story to her mother in law, and we all found great humor in the fact that my mother was basically saying I was such a good reader, she was going to take books away from me to punish me.

I tell you that story to highlight that I continue to be an avid reader. I've rediscovered my passion that is the Library and I've been borrowing books like mad. This satisfies my need to read and my need to be frugal. In my attempts to keep up my habit and still save money, I found a program through Bethany House Publishing. Basically, you sign up through www.bethanyhouse.com/bookreviewers and as long as you are willing to read the books in a timely manner, and offer reviews on retail websites, you can participate in the program. Due to shipping reasons, the program is limited to North American residents only.

Here is what the email sent to me said:

Hi! Welcome to the latest Bethany House Book Reviewers Update. In this list, we've got our lineup of Fall contemporary fiction for review. Aside from another powerful emotional drama from Kathryn Cushman (attention Karen Kingsbury readers -- you really should be reading Cushman), we have second novels from a couple of our newer authors -- Christa Parrish and Jackina Stark. Also, if you missed it the first time around, Dale Cramer's Christy Award-winning Levi's Will is back in print with a new cover.

As usual, to request a review copy, just click the link under each book's description and we'll have a copy sent out to you. Post a review on your website and on a retailer's site (Amazon, ChristianBook.com, etc.), and email me at jim.hart@bethanyhouse.com to let us know about it! Thanks, and I hope you enjoy the new releases!

Note: We can only send books to reviewers the US and Canada. Requests will be accepted through October 5. Also - Help spread the word about this program! If you know anyone who would be interested in signing up to receive review copies of our books, direct them to www.bethanyhouse.com/bookreviewers!

I signed up and got my first "assignment" a few weeks ago. Then last Friday, four books came for me in the mail!

The first book I read was:

Watch Over Me by Christa Parrish

Her Rescue Might Be the Miracle They Needed

Deputy Benjamin Patil is the one to find the infant girl--hours old, abandoned in a field. When the mother can't be located, Ben and his wife, Abbi, seem like the perfect couple to serve as foster parents. But the baby's arrival opens old wounds for Abbi and shines a harsh light on how much Ben has changed since a devastating tour in Iraq. As their marriage teeters on the brink, they now must choose to either reclaim what they once had or lose each other forever.

While I found this book engaging, the main story of Abbi and Ben Patil didn't seem to captivate me as much as the sub- story of Matthew, an 18 year old high school senior who is befriended by the Patil's. Matthew lives with his Aunt and cousins, having been basically abandoned by his mother. He not only shoulders much of the responsibility in his Aunt's home, but he also is faced with the fact

that he has a genetic disorder that has rendered him deaf and with kidney failure. His Aunt tries to do her best, but she has fallen into the societal traps of low income families. She allows her older daughters and her nephew to be the childcare providers for her two youngest daughters. Her relationships with men are easy and fast and have a great impact on the children living in the house. Matthew lives with the knowledge that the only thing keeping him at his Aunt's house is the $500 a month she receives to provide for his care. Despite the worst imaginable childhood, Matthew manages to look at each day with hope and faith and trust in the Lord. His noble attempts at keeping his "family" together while struggling with "doing the right thing" I felt were the best aspects of the book. But then, perhaps, due to my former career history, I am a sucker for a kid that in the face of adversity manages to rise above it all and be the better person.

The second book I read was:

Things Worth Remembering by Jackina Stark

An Emotionally Gripping Story of Broken Relationships Restored

Kendy Laswell and her daughter, Maisey, used to do everything together--until one fateful summer when Maisey witnessed something she shouldn't have, and their relationship fractured. Now, Maisey is back home to get married and Kendy realizes this is her last chance to reconnect with her daughter. Will Kendy and Maisey be able to reclaim the bond they once shared?

I found this book extremely engaging and had to force myself to put it down at night in order to go to sleep. I do believe I would have read the entire book at once if I didn't have responsibilities to face in the morning. As a daughter and a mother, I found this book tearing at my heartstrings throughout. The title of this book is genius as it truly describes the main theme of the story. Unfortunately, as is highlighted by the stories within the book, while there can be countless good memories one experiences in life, it seems that it takes just one very bad memory to overtake the good, eating one up and causing one to lose sight of all the good things worth remembering. I was reminded time and again how one's perception of a situation is not the entire story and that each person involved in an experience has a different reality of that experience. The story highlights the importance of open communication and honesty but most of all, it is about forgiveness. Forgiving oneself, forgiving others, and most importantly, the forgiveness of our Father. Things Worth Remembering has given me a lot to think about in terms of my relationship with my own mother and how I want to proceed with my relationship with my daughter.

I have two more books to finish and then I'll post those reviews too! I encourage you all to become bethanyhouse reviewers! It is a lot of fun!

Things are changing

Walking home from the bus stop last week, I noticed that leaves are starting to change color.  This red was vivid against the green of the leaves.  As much as I don't want to admit it, Summer is over and it is time for Fall to creep in and color our world in preparation for the Winter months.  I cherish Fall because I know that it is our last hurrah of any color before the bland gray and brown, mud covered world we will experience for a good 4 or 5 months.  I've heard various predictions about the winter - as usual, I'm hoping for a steady stream of snow - about one inch daily to keep my husband busy and our business steady.

Other things around the farm are changing too.  Animals are coming and they are going.  We've experienced a tremendous sale season this year.  All of our goat kids born on the farm this year have been sold.  We've even found some regular customers looking for farm fresh meats - chickens, ducks, goats, etc.  Erik has been keeping busy attending various auctions at night trying to keep up our supply!  Here is one of our old mama hens. She's got a slew of eggs under her that she is protecting.  A few months ago, another hen hatched out 5 eggs and she kept them safe and we recently sold them to a new family who will raise them and eat their eggs!  That's cool!  She is fiercely protecting her eggs from the new Silkie chickens Erik bought at the auction last week.  These silkies are very soft and fluffy.  They are Maggies birds.
Another change here on the farm is the addition of "Sniffy."  That is his unofficial name.  Sniffy is a 10 month old Alpaca that Erik got "for a steal" at the auction.  We're not sure if he is going to become a permanent part of our farm, but he is definitely something new.  Rest assured, if he stays, I'm changing his name.  Oh- and he got his name because by nature, Alpacas are curious and sniff at anything that comes across their path.  Everytime Walker goes into the barn with him, Sniffy puts his nose in his face and sniffs away.  If he was a girl, I think Gertrude would be a front runner for the new name, but for now, I'll have to think about a good boy name.  Our general rule is that we only name animals names we wouldn't name our kids.  
Here's another shot of Maggie's silkie chickens.  The white ones are really pretty. 
This poor Mama goat is depressed.  Her baby was one of the last to be sold and ever since, she has not been eating well and she spends her day roaming the pasture, bleating for her baby to come to her.  She is the wildest and meanest goat we have, but she sure is a good mama!  Her unofficial name is "Crazy Mexican" because she is a mexican/spanish cross breed.  
Erik picked up these unusual ducks at auction last week.  Unfortunately, they have already departed the premises - they are probably now tucked away in some lucky families freezer.  I know many people will find that unappealing - but that is our business.  The majority of the animals on our farm are here for a specific purpose.  Either they are to breed, to eat, or to sell for someone else to do one of those things.  We don't oppose having barnyard animals as pets - they just don't seem to work out as pets at our house.  Probably because we have so many dogs and cats already.  
Here is a picture of our number one crop here at Goodness Grows Farm . . .  Poison Ivy.  We have poison ivy everywhere!  To say it is prolific is an understatement.  I only wish we could somehow turn this noxious plant into a profitable crop.  I believe that the US military has underestimated the potential of this plant as a biohazard.  Erik is severely allergic to the stuff - basically if he looks at it he breaks out in oozing sores.  He recently had a horrible reaction to it.  I don't feel too sorry for him though because for the most part, he avoids it.  The #1 way he gets poison ivy is by handling the goats (who, if you've read this blog before, LOVE poison ivy and eat it like candy) or by playing with the dogs.  Two Sundays ago, he was playing with the dogs, batting at them and rolling with them in the grass.  Monday he woke up with huge welts and they swiftly turned into extremely annoying and itchy sores.  My reasoning for this plant being underestimated is that not only does the allergy affect an individual, but it also affects anyone sharing sleeping quarters with this individual.  All night long, I hear Erik scratching.  We've had the air conditioning on in our room for over a week now because we have to keep it so cold in our room so Erik doesn't get overheated and itchy.  Not that I mind the air - it's just funny that we are running the air conditioning more now than we did all summer.
Here's our barn.  Can you tell we keep the doors slid open to the right and the left most of the time?  My goal is to someday paint it a deep, traditional barn red.  I'm just afraid of how much paint it will require.
Here's Willie James - he climbed into the dog kennel with Hank/Roscoe.  He looks up to something.
Basically Will's philosophy is that if he bothers Hank enough, Hank will become his BFF.  I believe Hank perceives this treatment as torture.
Finally - the changes that matter the most . . .  our outdoor living space.  We finally got our fire pit area set up.  Erik used this stone that he salvaged from a wall in Fox Chapel that was built over 150 years ago but was falling down.  The owners wanted a new "modern" retaining wall, so he hauled all the rock here in anticipation of what we could do with it.  We decided to use it as our fire ring because the wall had been mortared with cement at some point and we could not break off all the mortar.  Erik is especially proud of his "stick rests."  He's placed four rocks on top of the ring so that when we have a campfire, we can rest our sticks on those rocks and use them to turn the sticks without the stick touching the actual burning logs.  I have to admit it works really well.  That man o mine has some smart ideas!

Erik also leveled out the back and side of our house to create two levels of living space.  The bottom level is our dining area - we'll have tables to one side and the fire pit at the other.  On the top level, just above this beautiful stone retaining wall, is another flat area that leads to our hot tub deck.  We plan on putting sod down on this flat part and using it for our lounge chairs that we purchased three years ago on clearance at Sams club.  They are your typical community pool lounges - perfect for our lifestyle here at the farm.  Someday when we don't have so much mud, dirt and manure, we'll have "nice" things.  The wooded furniture at the fire pit, I bought at an estate auction two years ago.  We've had it stored for these past two years because we didn't have a place to put them so Erik didn't have to mow around them.  Now we do.  I have a whopping $30 invested in those pieces so far.  They cost me $15 (and it may have been less than that) and I had to spend another $15 on chains and S hooks for the gliders.  Next year, I'll restain all of the furniture and strip and stain the wooden picnic tables we have.  But that's a project for next summer!
Saturday, we managed to get the hot tub deck framed out with the help from our neighbor, Keith.  He graciously came up to help bang that out for us so we could get that job done.  It is surprising to me that Erik can tear apart and put back together, or build, he is so hesitant to start a construction project involving framing.  Once something is framed, he can do anything, but the framing just isn't his thing.  

This is Maggie after I told her I thought her she stepped in manure because I thought her boots smelled.  I believe this expression is, "What you talkin' 'bout, Momma?"
In an effort to prove me wrong, she displays the bottoms of her boots.  I do believe that is a little bit of an "I told you so" tongue she is sticking out at me!  
Will and Walker had a great deal of fun helping us get the decking on the frame.  We used an air gun to blow in the nails, but the boys were in charge of hammering in any nails that didn't go in the whole way.  Which to them was all of the nails.  Will, at this point, has stolen his sisters hat.  He doesn't care what color it is.  It's just a hat to him and one he absolutely had to wear to torture his sister.  Will is into torturing his sister.  A lot.  And there's not much I can do to help her because I don't even know that what he is doing is torture until she starts whining and screaming.  

Will looks out the window . . .

Maggie:  "Momma!  Will is looking out the window and I don't want him to." 

Me:  "Maggie, you don't own the outside and Will is allowed to look outside if he wants to."

Maggie: "Well, I don't want him to.  He's not awowed!"

Me:  "Ok, Maggie.  Whatever you say."
Hello.  My name is Will and I am a weapon of mass destruction and extreme torture.  

Be afraid.  Be very afraid.
This is my favorite picture of the weekend.  All three children wanted to help Erik hold boards while he was cutting them so this is the compromise.
My farm girl.  She is such a princess but she will do whatever is necessary on the farm.  She doesn't mind getting her hands dirty as long as she can still get her fingernails painted.
A celebration with popsicles after we finish nailing down all of the decking.
The hot-tub that all of this outdoor living space was created for!  It will still be a while before it is up and running but we can't wait for it.  It will be such a great treat in the winter time.
It was a hard day so the kids had to take a break after all that hard work.   

Lunch on the patio.

What could be better?
Well, maybe having the hot tub running.  Someday . . .

Someday!

Happy Birthday, Katie!

Today is my sister Katie's birthday.  

Kate and I have had our ups and downs over our lives as sisters, but it has made us stronger as individuals and has made us better sisters.

This picture is circa 1992 maybe?  It was probably one of the last times we went to Florida together - just us four girls with our grandparents.   This is a cropped version of Katie with our Papa.  Those trips to Florida, although at the time were probably pretty tense and not as much fun as they could have been - I was a tad  bossy and very intent on getting the most out of our trip to Disney World so I may have over done it a little.   I remember the four of us lying on our bellies on the floor of the hotel room at the Grand Floridian and looking at the park maps, each of us saying what we wanted to see the most (and me vetoing a lot of it I'm sure) so we could have a game plan for our brief stay at the park. 

This picture was taken by the valet at the Grand Floridian - at the time they had a beautiful vintage carriage sitting out front so we climbed inside and had the valet take our picture.  This is one of my favorite pictures of all time.  My most cherished memories of my sisters is when we were with Grammie & Papa in Florida.  They would make special arrangements for us to stay on the Concierge floor at the Grand Floridian because one time, while at some sort of seminar, my Papa stayed there and at 4:00 daily at the Grand Floridian, they had tea time on the Concierge floor.  This meant a wide variety of English tea and scones, juices, milk and the dinner plate sized chocolate chip cookies.  My Papa, who always thought about us, knew we would be "tickled" to go to Disney World and have that experience.  And we were.  I don't know if the cookies really were that delicious or if their general size and the fact that our Papa specifically took us there to show us those cookies was what made them so good, but I remember out last tea time, we tried wrapping some cookies up in napkins to take home with us to show our mom, but, as they are apt to do, the cookies crumbled and they didn't last.  
So, my grandparents did a lot of stuff like that for us girls as we were growing up.  I think all of us girls have so many special memories of the kindness and generosity they showed us.  We have all been shaped so much by them.  

I was always the prim, proper, oldest, responsible grand daughter.  I was very close to my Grammie and would go to her with all of my sibling woes.  And boy did my outgoing, spontaneous, creative and humorous sister, Katie, give me a lot of woes.  Boy did we fight a lot as kids.  I know my mom seriously thought we would never end up being friends.  But, you know what?  I grew up, went to college at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, and three years later, Katie started her Freshman year at Pitt.  Our relationship changed a lot then.  I was always a caretaker, but this time it was different.  Instead of it being me and her against each other, it was me and her against the city.  Two small town girls braving life in what we considered to be a pretty big place.  Pitt is way bigger than Duquesne, and I developed a protective relationship with Katie.  I helped her find her way a little around campus, got her and her friend from home drunk a little bit at my apartment (on wine coolers - we were hard asses!) and I even helped her with an English term paper.  What started out as a little bit of help turned into me rewriting her whole paper.  Which, I proudly will add, earned her an A on the paper - I think the comments by the instructor were something along the lines of "excellent edit - A!"  After that semester, Katie transferred to a different University and took up Interior Design.  She truly found her calling in this profession.  She now has her own design business and has even done a television spot for the local news redesigning a room on a budget!
Kate's not going to be happy about these pictures, but they are the only ones I have of her on hand.  Katie and I have a relationship that I guess you could relate to the flow of the tide.  We ebb and flow - sometimes we are super close, sometimes we are close at heart but for one reason or another we drift in our day to day contact.  There's so much I admire about Kate, but I'm not sure if I ever come right out and tell her.  Our conversations usually drift towards how our children are doing, our other sisters, extended family and life in general.  Plus, we're not really the kind of family that says outright the things we admire and love most about each other.  We'd rather throw out a sarcastic barb to try to make people laugh.  
Sometimes it is hard for me to understand Katie.  She is definitely way opposite of my personality.  She is a people pleaser - very much like my mom - and even though at first glance you would think I am a people pleaser, it turns out that I very much get my way when I want it.  I have just learned what battles are worth fighting and which ones I can afford to let go.  There are times I very much wish I was more apt to please.  Sometimes I worry that Katie is such a pleaser that it almost becomes a flaw.  I get upset for her because I think that she needs to stick up for herself - I think that she gets taken advantage of - but that is just Katie's way.  Katie also has such a gentle way with her children.  I admire that so much in her.  Not that I'm not gentle and loving, she just has a different way about her.  My kids adore their "Aunt Didi" and never pass up an opportunity to sit on her lap or steal a cuddle from her.  I guess it has to do with the fact that she is the most forgiving person I know.  She's definitely a "turn the other cheek" kind of gal.  I am the "woman scorned" kind of gal.  She's forgive and forget, I'm forgive but I never forget.  
Katie has and always will be the life of the party.  She's so funny - always has been and always will be.  She can make me laugh like no one I know.  There have been many of times that I have spit out food or drink because of something she said because it was either spit or choke.  Katie was the kid, that when we were little, would try anything.  My Uncle's would offer her a dollar to try a hot pepper, or eat raw onion, or something else gross.  And she would do it and collect the dollar.  I always sat on the sidelines, wishing I was brave enough to do things like that, but knew deep down that I never could.  Katie is famous for the impressions she did as a child.  Her most famous is probably the Incredible Hulk.  My Uncles would always ask her to do the Hulk. She was always so witty also - still is.  A memory from childhood that I recall clearly is one time at my Grammie's house, my Uncle David came in and said to Katie, "how about a hug for your favorite Uncle?" and she dead panned, "I would, but Uncle Mike isn't here!"  If I was to be honest, I would say that I have always felt a competitive jealousy with Katie - mostly because she is so well liked.  There's something about Katie that everyone likes.  She's sweeter than me, kinder than me, more open than me.  I know sisters aren't supposed to be jealous of each other - and I can guarantee you that Katie has probably never felt that way about me.  And when we were younger, I suppose out of adolescent retaliation, I did not treat Katie the way I should have, and for that I'm deeply sorry.  At the time, the three years difference in our ages just seemed too much to overcome.  I deeply regret not being better friends in our childhood and adolescent years.  
This is the most recent picture I have of Katie.  This was at the birthday party she planned for our girls.  No one else I know can come up with a theme and pull of the decorations and activities so well.  She is a gifted decorator and party planner!  She planned a little cupcake party for her little cupcake, Olivia.  

Kate had to do the bravest thing ever this August.  She had to send her firstborn, Christopher, to full day Kindergarten.  I honestly don't know how she did it!  Walker is only going half a day and it tears me apart.  

My salute today is to my sister, Katie.  It is because of her (and our younger two sisters) that I desire to give Maggie a sister.  I'm not sure if that will happen, but I cannot imagine going through my life without the beautiful relationships I have with my sisters.  I feel true sad for people without sisters!  Yes, we have our ups and downs and ins and outs, but through thick and thin, we are blood and we are there for each other.  We don't always see eye to eye, but we have learned to agree to disagree.  We shake things off now, that would have strained our friendships in the past.  We have found a new respect and love for each other based on our family history and who we've become as independent women.  And we love each other deeply.

I found this quote a while back, when my sisters and I were dealing with some issues within our family.  It really struck a chord in me because it was so true. 

To the outside world we all grow old.  But not to brothers and sisters.  We know each other as we always were.  We know each other's hearts.  We share private family jokes.  We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys.  We live outside the touch of time.  ~Clara Ortega 

It's funny, because I see myself getting older, but when I look at my sisters, I still see those little girls I bossed around as we played "Little House on the Prairie." The laughter and love that we shared and the promise of the memories we have yet to make.

Love to you, Katie, on your birthday.  I hope it was everything you wished for!