Memorial Day Weekend

Saturday the 23rd

I decided I needed to reclaim my front porch after doing the deck the day before. I hauled everything off, swept up all the leaves so Noelle could dump them over the creek bank, then put everything back in place and made room for our bicycles so they were ready for use.

Kirk cleaned out the fire ring so we could have a fire later in the evening. Then he and Kyle raked, mowed, weed whacked, and cleaned up the chairs for on the front porch. While the guys were doing that, Noelle and I took a planter back to the dollar store to get a smaller one for the deck table.

Dinner was eaten on the deck and it felt so good to have our *outside* room all set up. After clean up, Kirk made a fire and we enjoyed cherry mountain pies with a dollop of vanilla frosting. Mmmm...

Sunday the 24th

We decided to stay home from church and really spend time with just the family. Kirk ran to the store so I could make us all a big breakfast. Waffles, sausage, and eggs eaten on the deck. Beautiful morning!

Tom and Jeannette (Kirk's parents) took us out to lunch for an early 50th birthday present for Kirk. Then we headed over to the cemetery to place flowers on graves and walk around. We saw Great Aunt Jane there and talked with her a while. The kids and I also noticed that the cemetery was loaded with wild strawberry blossoms and began being careful where we stepped ;)

On the way home we stopped at my mom's house for a visit. My mom showed me the bluebird babies in the nest box and then bluebird parents began dive bombing us. I grabbed my camera and attempted to get a picture of one of them in the willow tree.

We were told to come back at 7 pm for a fire/cookout. It was a really nice evening!


Noelle, Larissa, and another little girl ran all over looking for critters and just having a blast together.

As everyone was getting ready to head home,
my mom decided we should all come back together and do it all over again Monday evening.

Monday the 25th

I needed to do some paperwork for the kids' homeschool evaluations on Thursday so Kyle and I stayed home while Kirk and Noelle went for a drive to look at trucks. The two of them also ate a late breakfast at a restaurant. Ky and I are home bodies for the most part so this was fine with us.

The fire/cookout was earlier than the night before. The great thing about the whole weekend was the beautiful weather! It usually rains (it did a little at the cemetery on Sunday but that was it) most of the weekend.

Firsts of the Season

Nothing smells as good as clothes hung out on the line.
Our washer is broken and I had to go to the laundromat. I had a lot of laundry to dry but only had $1.25 left after washing it all. I used that to start the towels drying (nothing feels worse to me than a towel hung on the line soaked, only to dry like sandpaper). I brought everything home and most went on the line. Jeans and unmentionables went in our dryer at home.

The washers at the laundromat don't hold as much as mine so I don't like this option. Kirk went looking for a used washer and found one. It was $500 brand new, is three years old and they want $250 for it. We looked at new washers without fancy settings and they were $350 - $399. Still thinking which route to go.

It was very hot in the afternoon, about 85 degrees and Noelle decided to enjoy a cooling trek in the creek.
When its hot like that I do not like to turn the oven on or stand over a hot stove to cook dinner. We did a fend for yourself night and then had sherbet for dessert.

Tidbits of Life

The kids and I have been on a Doctor Who kick. Some of the episodes we were able to watch instantly on Netflix and others we had to get in the mail. I love the imagination and quirkiness of the show!

I also found a new website, Kids in Mind, to help us know more about movies we are considering watching. Although we are discontinuing Netflix at the end of April. Its time for more outdoor pursuits with the coming warmer weather.

We are also looking into buying another vehicle. The van is really nice but with all the gadgets, the insurance is too high. Ever since I saw one on a car lot last summer, I have really wanted a Ford Taurus X, so that is what we are looking for now. A Ford dealership is going to a Ford auction this week and will look for one for us.

I still haven't started my crazy quilt project but did check out Stitch Sampler from the library to help learn some new stitches. Noelle confiscated my one prom gown for dress up and now I don't have the cream satin material I needed. Hopefully yard sales will start back up soon and I'll find what I need there.

We're going to my Aunt Patty's house for Resurrection Sunday and it looks like the weather will be fairly decent. We have snow on the ground now but its supposed to be better by Sunday. I sure pray so!

Awana had crazy hat night Sunday and I'll leave you with what Noelle came up with.

Life's Delights

My mid-morning treat. Coffee and chocolate chip cookies! Oh, and its Friday, how much better can it get?

Let's see...



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Maybe living somewhere warm?

=D

Winter

We got a lot of snow yesterday and I think the guys are sick of shoveling but they do a good job.

Our First Snowfall

This is what we woke up to on the 29th. The kids had fun throwing snowballs and shoveling our's and the neighbor's sidewalks. It snowed most of the day and through the night. It was so pretty when I got up on the 30th, I had to take more pictures.

Its all melted for now though. That's okay, I really wasn't ready for winter weather, yet.

Today

Its raining. Glad I didn't have to go anywhere :)