Hidden Treasures

After my aunts death and sorting through her belongings with my Mother In Law, I made it my mission to go through my own storage room and do the same. My thought was, if I can get everything organized, my children won't have to bear the responsibility of deciding what to do with the stuff when I'm no longer around. 

The storage room, which was a bedroom, became the overflow room when the boys left. It's been years now and I don't even know, nor remember what I have in the bins and boxes. I figure it should be easy to sort through. If I haven't seen or missed what's been stored, then I don't need it.

My plan was to throw most of it away and donate the rest to Goodwill.

 Get in, get er done and get out.

Yeah, easier said than done.

As I opened bins the the memories came spilling out flooding the room. 

I was drowning in baby pictures, school pictures and prom pictures of the boys, their high school scrapbooks, elementary artwork, cards and projects and much, much more. 

This definitely was not as I anticipated. Instead of throwing away things I thought I didn't need, I found hidden treasures. 

Here's a picture of my oldest son when he was one.

 and here is a picture of one of his twins at the same age.

The boy is a chip of the ol block if I do say so myself.

So there you have it, I spent the entire afternoon in the storage room and the only thing I accomplished was uncovering buried treasures.

The next generation

It doesn't matter that the kids are old enough to walk to their friends house by themselves, she won't let them go alone. She also feels compelled to accompany them around the block when they want to go for a stroll.

 It's not that she minds them growing up, she just doesn't like them leaving her sight. She's always been protective and I don't think it's going to change, even in her advanced age.

Heck, she ditched us for the neighbors years ago because their kids were younger than ours. She must have known they needed her more. But...

It's the new baby.  

 Although she's a natural caretaker, I'm sure she's wondering

if she has the energy to start over again.

I'm sure she'll be fine, it's just a baby after all.

I don't know, can't say for sure but perhaps the real reason the neighbors

brought home a new puppy is they're afraid she'll ditch them for another family with younger kids.

 

The other neighbor.

With a new pup around, Missy might realize

the quiet empty nest is the life for her
 after all.
You know what they say, 'What goes around, comes around'.

College Boy

The College boy is home for Christmas break.

Wanting to please him I asked if there is anything

special he would like to eat while he's here.

His reply:

Leftovers

Looks like this mama better start cookin' 

Do you see what I see…….

Oh, excuse me, man I almost knocked you over. Wait, where are you going with those yummy looking cookies anyway? 

The lady I encountered was heading in the opposite direction I was going but with her plate of Christmas treats, I wanted to go with her instead.

Here, you can take one, she offered. 

 Really?  Are you sure? I know they were carefully counted as she was using them for a class she was teaching in church.

Sure, go ahead.

I wasn't going to argue. Of course I obliged but at the same time I felt I was doing something sneaky, like opening a Christmas present early. 

The only other person in the hall was a gal in a wheelchair who appeared to be interested in what was transpiring between me and the cookie lady.

After I took my treat, I smiled and looked at the wheel bound gal and whispered, 'you didn't see a thing', hoping she would keep my secret.

She smiled back and replied, 'I'm blind, I can't see.'

Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. Bad, joke, bad, bad joke.

She just kept smiling and patted my hand assuring me it was ok, no offense taken.

Just the same I felt horrible - but then again perhaps not that horrible.

 A remorseful person would have given her the cookie, but not me. Sure I kept apologizing, but….. it didn't stop me from eating the cookie as I continued down the hall.

Attempting a Christmas Picture

Take one

Take five

Take 10

Taking a break

Taking off

Taking a drink

Take time to enjoy the Christmas Season

'A lotta horse'

"He's gonna be a lotta horse when he starts feeling good." said our friend and breeder of Tennessee Walkers as he looked over the husbands horse. 

Four years ago we bought our horses, both Tennessee Walkers or so the seller claimed when we purchased Bailey. He was a 6 year old, gangly horse with a big head. I personally didn't think much of his looks, but the husband saw something different in him. 

We were excited to show them to our friend, a man who is an expert in the breeding and showing aspect of the business.  

As we introduced him to our horses, he looked right past the husbands horse and went straight for my beauty. He was impressed with her breeding and bloodline and even had a picture of one of her ancestors hanging on his wall.

 None of this means anything to me as I'm not in the breeding business, I fell in love with her because she's not only beautiful but has a bit of my personality. We are a perfect match.

As for the husbands horse, our friend finally gave him some attention and while he was examining him he kept repeating, "He's gonna be a lot of horse when he feels better."

It's true the horse was a bit underfed due to his place in the herd's pecking order. Apparently he was low man on the totem pole when it came to the food chain.

It's been four years now and the husbands horse has filled out and if I'm not mistaken, I believe he has even grown. As far as 'a lotta horse,' he is just that.

Bailey has a most curious personality which makes him too smart for his own good. He has a dinner dance that puts Snoopy to shame. He'll toss his head, buck and hop and bang on the gate when he feels you are taking too long with his meal.

He has figured out how to open the gates so we have to latch a safety chain to secure them.

You can't leave anything within his reach or he will pick it up and toss it around.

He follows me as I'm cleaning the lot scooping poop. Given the opportunity, he'll take the rake or tip the wheelbarrow.

He's a horse that needs a job, if he is not doing something constructive, then you'll most likely find him being destructive in a playful sort of way.

He's fun to watch and quite entertaining, he's silly, obnoxious, sensitive and stunning to look at.

I can see now where the term 'horsing around' comes from. It originated from horses like Bailey who are in fact, 'a lotta horse.'

No excuses

Wipe off the dust and clear the cob webs,

If I don't post soon

The Mother-In-Law will have my head.

The stories began with a little Beagle of mine,

When I started blogging in March of 09.

He made us laugh with his silly antics,

maybe a bit crazy but mostly frantic.

It wasn't long before the stories grew.

Not just about Archie, but everyone I knew.

The Mother-In-Law was hooked, 

she is my biggest fan.

I can't stop writing,

She won't understand.

I'm thankful for her encouragement,

as time gets away.

I must do my journaling, 

Or forget what to say.

The latest to report,

the boys turned one.

The little rascals don't walk,

quite contrary, they run!

I promise I'll continue,

a blogger I am.

But if you don't find me here,

look on Instagram.

Dress Up

It's the time of year where costumes come out and kids get ready for Halloween. Batman, Spiderman, Snow White and every other kind of Princess and super hero will swarm the neighborhoods collecting treats which, goes without saying, will keep them on a sugar high for weeks to come.

Our Preschool also partakes in the Halloween festivities. 
If you were to visit our classroom you would see spiders, pumpkins and sweet candy decorating the walls.

You would also see us dancing and singing to Halloween songs.
My all time favorite is: Witches Brew by Hap Palmer

 Besides the songs and artwork, the kids also enjoy dressing up in the costumes we have available.

You see, real girls aren't afraid to wear football uniforms and play construction worker…..provided she has her handbag that is...

We also have another little girl who comes dressed up everyday with matching shoes no matter the outfit.

I believe her mother is creating a shoe…...monster.

Brotherly Love

Not being a twin myself I can't even begin to imagine the kind of bond they must share.

Nine months of uninterrupted togetherness,

feeling the closeness, hearing each others heart beat

and knowing you are not alone.

Their bond was made before ever entering the world.

Now it's about,

Communicating,

Taking their punches

learning,

sharing,

exploring,

And working together.

They spent the first seven months sharing a crib but soon after they

outgrew the space, a second one was needed.

The other night one of the boys was having a rough time falling asleep.

Restless, crying and inconsolable, 

the desperate parents

decided to put his brother in
his crib.

His crying stopped

and it wasn't long before the two 

of them finished the night

  side by side just as it was in the beginning. 

Saying goodbye

My Aunt and loving caretaker of my Grandmother passed away just six weeks after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  Four years ago the widowed pair came from Alaska to live closer to family - They moved into a home which was not only suitable for their needs but became the hub for family gatherings.

Sunday dinners, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter  and birthdays were all celebrated around Granny and Jan's dining room table. 

 I'm thankful I took the opportunity to spend my lunch break with the girls as I worked only 6 minutes from where they lived. I would arrive about the time 'The Young and the Restless' was ending so the girls would fill me in on the happenings of the show between commercials and then we would finish our visit before I headed back to work.

So many memories were made in that house and while family was still there heirlooms were divided among us and things were given away leaving bare walls and empty rooms.

Grandma is going to be fine, she'll be living with my In-Laws running the show and making sure our family traditions continue. 

Despite arrangements, decisions and a busy time that comes with a funeral, chores on the farm still needed tending to. Luckily for me I had willing nieces and nephews stepping in to help out.

Goodbye Aunt Jan, 

 you'll forever be missed.

September 9, 1940 - September 29, 2013