SWIMMING!

Last week was the first week of our two week swimming lessons session. So, at this point we are now half way through.

Kids have loved it! And, they have done really well so far too! I love the pool where I take them because the kids pretty much end up with a one to three ratio of students to one swim coach, sometimes two. They do charge a little more here? But, the kids are basically getting a private lesson each day.

Lil'Gal had been looking forward to seeing her "sweet heart" of a coach from last year. Unfortunately, last year's coaches who had all graduated high school, were now off at college. Lil'Gal was quite let down when they were assigning coaches and there was no "Coach Stephen."

She had herself a crush on Coach Stephen. (I might add he was quite tan and handsome for a fresh high school graduate teaching swim lessons...Lil'Gal's got good taste ;-D)

Anyhow, Lil'Gal has finally learned to put her face down in the water and she so wanted to show "Coach Stephen" how far she had come. After all, last year? It wasn't until the last two days of swim lessons that she actually put her face underwater. And, that was ONLY for Coach Stephen.

Typically, she held him tightly around his neck, smiling all the while and he might once in awhile have gotten her to float, stroke, etc. But, never under water.

When the head coach, "Coach Bryant" called out her name she looked at me concerned. Then, I pointed him out to her. She gave him a once over.....a twice over, looked back at me and smiled. Apparently? He'll do.

(Can you blame her???)

He got her to do this.....



and this!

(She jumped in and actually submerged her head.)

and this!

Swimming and doing kicks and strokes with her face "submerged under the water!" YAY!!! Coach Bryant!!!!!
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Farmer Jr. also had a nice instructor. She is what the southern guys around here would call, "A Tall Drink of Water!" LOL!

There were three boys in Farmer Jr.'s class...One more mild than mine, mine, and the third quite rambunctious and [almost overly] friendly. This was fine until the boy kept playing shark under water. Yes, he could swim already and even under water. And, he kept grabbing at my son's legs and trying to tickle him from underwater. Farmer Jr. expressed concern that seemed to fall on deaf ears.

The boy's mom was all chatty-chatty and not paying attention that:

1) this was the WRONG class for her son as he could already actually "swim" [which I later, kindly pointed out when the pool manager came out as I wanted the little wild, disruptive rug-rat to quit interupting the teacher and keep his hands to himself didn't want his mom wasting her money,]

2) he'd have something more interesting to do and learn as he had surpassed this swim level, and,

3) she was obviously oblivious to his annoying behavior that was disrupting the other two students in the class. [Hey, we two other Mom's paid good money too. Not fair for your child to distract them and the teacher the whole time.]

The next day said Mom commented [was serious?] that the boys needed to listen during swim lessons but that they could do a play date "after swim lessons." [GASP!] This was after I kindly mentioned to the boy [who was currently trying to play shark on land...] that Farmer Jr. told him he didn't like or want to be tickled or be grabbed in the water.

I guess she figure out that an after swim "play date" wasn't actually an option as I didn't acknowledge the comment. Not even a smirk. [She doesn't know what plans I have after swimming. Sheeze lady.]

I mean, seriously? I don't even know you. You are a stranger. I don't just let my kids play with anyone. "I" don't just "play" with anyone. I gotta' figure out who you are and what kind of influence your child might be. And, at this point I find him to be kind but ill-mannered and [a little annoying, am I bad? ]

So, look who's floating!



Hey, is that swimming? Okay, maybe dog paddling or treading water but his head is above sea level so that is all swell.



Goofin' off a little! What fun at the pool! Yea, so once they moved the other boy up? Jr. and mild boy learned a whole lot more. The teacher seemed quite relieved too ;-) [You're welcome, Coach Sofie!]

So all is well and we are on our way to next week! I took some great pics of the kids on the combine and the combine cutting grain, dumpin' on the buggy, etc. So, maybe tomorrow I'll throw those in too!

Happy Saturday Y'all!!!!

SWIMMING!

Happy Summerin'!

Howdy Bloggies! Just poppin' in to drop a "How's it summerin'?" I'll be back later with THE SWIM LESSON and some other ramble blogging. Today, I'm off for some errands before we pick up Sweet D and get some grub lunch and then we have the kids "Scrapbook Class!" Yea, I tried this last time with two kiddos by myself? Chaos. So, this time I enlisted some help. Anyhoo, the kids are pumped. Also another contest requiring a Pet Layout. So, Lil'Gal and I spent a whole afternoon working on our entries. That took up all of what would have been my bloggie time. UH-OH! Lil'Gals glasses broke last night (serves me right for bein' cheap). Third time on this pair in the last couple of months. They already replaced the frames once under "warranty." Don't see myself getting so lucky again. So, now I'm off to spend a half tanks worth of grocery money fuel running all these extra places. Next post I'll tell ya' about Lil Gal's and my crush on her swim instructor. LOL!!!! She'll crack you up! Chattie with y'all later! Happy Saturday!

Happy Summerin'!

WWC, Front; Back...and Bleepin' Blogger!!!

Happy Summery Tuesday! WWC day, sponsored by her's truly, tink! This week's words were Front and Back! At first thought, I was ready to run with it from day one last Tuesday.

Then? I found it Sunday and I didn't have much....But, life and mother earth are grand so I reviewed what I had taken, in addition to my "experiment" and I don't feel so half asset about it.

After the pics I'll get into a gripe about Bleepin' Blogger... [It's free, so can't curse it too much though as I'm all addicted...and it's a free habit.]

Here we go on WWC (I have a lot):



Here is the sunset the other evening.



Yea, so I thought I was all creative and stuff with this great idea? Popped in to my BB's blog and she had done the SAME THING! (I think my sunglasses give a better glow though....and she captured her son where as I got the sun....get it?)

Those above are pictures from the back of my sunglasses.

Anyhow, I realized that I'd take all these great, fantastically, beautiful pictures of sunsets and when I viewed them on my camera they just didn't have the same definition. Apparently, life looks better through Maui Jems!

Check this one out...pretty, right? Here's what it really looked like to the lense of my camera and also unzoomed:

This is a picture from the front of my sunglasses.

So after all of this playing around I told myself, "Myself? That's IT! We are calling our friend's photo professional hubby [he has a photography bus.] and askin' if he can spare about 60 minutes to teach us Apperature and Shutter Speed stuff."

Myself agreed. I even called a couple of friends to join me. Photo Guy said sure! Yippeee!!!

Holy COW Batman!!! That's RAIN!!!!! Whoo-hooo cuz that cotton over there is pretty thirsty! This is the FRONT of the shower.

Wait? Where you goin? [The side of the shower...]

NOOOOO! Come this way! [Obviously, I couldn't get a pic of the BACK of the shower as it didn't cross over us. But, I did get these pics of the side of the shower as it went on it's merry shower way! Phewp!

FRONT of my mailbox, Hey? Maybe GW sent me something nice today!

BLEEP NO! Oh, the BACK of the mailbox.....checkless. Hmpf!


New rain gauge that adorns the new mailbox. Yep...still empty. Confirms the NO rain thing....

So, as I came back dissappointed that there wasn't any Government goody in the mail for me and the rain completely skipped us? I decided one of these might make me feel better...



Beer FRONT....Beer side........Beer BACK, Bottom's UP!!!! Ahhhhhh. Yeah, I feel better. Funny thing is? It took me forever to get the first pic (kinda' hard when the bottle keeps poppin itself into your mouth), but the other two were a random click and hit on the first take! LOL!

Anyhooooo. That's my FRONT and BACK for the WWC. On to the Blogger gripe.
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So, the other post or two ago I made a comment about not gettin' comments. Come to find out? It isn't my imagination. It's getting weirder and wierder. I know, Blogger has eaten my comments to others multiple times....but, now Blogger has BANNED comments to my Krispe Kreme post.

Who knew Blogger liked Krispe Kreme?

I reposted and it offered comments again. But, later? Upon my return? Blogger wouldn't cooperate. So, if you want to comment...and that particular post doesn't allow it? Please comment to me elsewhere [alternate post] and I'll still get it.

Cuz' Farmer*swife needs me some comments!

Happy Tuesday!!!

WWC, Front; Back...and Bleepin' Blogger!!!

CURSE you KRISPE KREME!!! Diet Monday?

Yeah, this post was originally in my mind all about the speed and antphetamines sugar rush Krispe Kreme curses us with. Oh, I know I don't have to eat it, but if I don't once in a lifetime or at least one a year to compete with the other kids parents who seem unconcerned with what crap/toxins they expose their children to indulge my children every once in awhile, they will sneak every morsel of sugar injected corruption into their young, growing bodies boycott me and possible have me impeached. So. No breakfast allowed this mornin' cuz' Farmer Junior (yeah, my newbie nick-name for my son) had to go see Dr. D. for sealants on his fully developed molars. As I am considerate (and my kids love to eat), I scheduled for the earliest appointment available. Kind to my kids, but still -- breakfast is their "coffee." So, I state that we will "go eat somewhere special" after the appointment. After the appointment the children were driving me bonkers, screaming and yelling behind me in the SUV about where we would go discussing their difference of opinions in power meal choices...and then the Lil'Gal remembers that I had promised we would "make doughnuts" one day this week. Now, I have been procrastinating this because it is a simple task to make home-made doughnuts....but, the children now love to participate meaning it takes twice as long and my kitchen ends up dusted with flour and powdered sugar. Then, it hits me, KRISPE KREME!!!! "Hey kids? Y'all wanna' go for a doughnut?" "YEAAAAAHHHHH, YES!! Mama so totally ROCKS!!!! Do the happy dance Mama!" Yes, at this point? I am the best Mama in the whole land/universe/galaxy. So, we pull into Krispe Kreme and ya' can smell the doughnuts upon exiting the vehicle. The children are elated and following their nostrils to this "magical machine." They gander and gawk at the process behind the glass. Apparently, it is much more commercialized intriguing now, than the ol' cast iron skillet fashion we do at home. So, finally, I approach the "doughnut window" with multiple of sugary, gooey, iced, flavored, sprinkled, fantastically, deliciously, entoxicating, edible inner-tubes. I advise the children, they can pick...not one? But, TWO of these delacacies. "Twooooooooo?" They revel in my generousity. [Personally, I know these babies are so rich that with O.J. or Milk, my kids will only partake of one...saving the other]. But, still? I'm a HERO! So, we are now sitting at the warming morning sunlit bar with swivel stools (a big plus for kiddos) and enjoying our doughnuts and breakfast beverage of our choice. As assumed, the kids have their fill of the rich sugary indulgance and agree to save the other for home. And, happily...off to our other two errands we go. ---------------------------------------- Somewhere...along the five minute drive to our next stop....the meth/pure unprocessed sugar cane doughnuts kick in. In the rearview mirror I can see my children's eyes changing before me. It becomes very scary....their pupils grow small, tight, dark and slanted....like a wherewolf and a wild panther. Their laughter is no longer happy and giddy but evil....and they are waiting, clawing at the passenger windows, to be freeeeeeeee. So, the Hobby store? The Post Office (where we saw Hillary Clinton, by the way) have posted my children's pictures upon their walls as "wanted" and "banned." "No Shirt? Fine. No Shoes? Fine. Wherewolf and Wild Panther -- and the Woman who brought them? BANNED!!!" Yes...there were those who could feel my fear and agitation. Those that had apparently, "Krispy Kremed" once before. But, never, ever, EVER again...shall I Krispy Kreme my children again -- without a lock down and detox. On that note. I popped in to "Fairy Flutters" bloggie and she had this cute little "Manic Monday" vloggie video she had come across and shared with us. So, I told her I was "Blog-lifting it" to share over here. If you are curious, I'll pimp out her blog. But, first I wanna' make sure she is okay with that. Happy Monday, Happy Diet if it applies...and, please? Beware of Krispe Kreme! --------------------------------- Editors Note: Fairy Flutters said I could totally "Pimp" her out. So, head on over! (FYI, this isn't her in the vloggie...but, she does vloggies of her own and her Lil'Gal Angels!)

CURSE you KRISPE KREME!!! Diet Monday?

WHO ATE MY COMMENTS?

Hi Bloggies! I wanna' say thanks for all the fantabulously wonderful, whitty, and hilarious comments y'all have been leaving me on all my great bloggie posts lately. I mean, Shark Attacks and Trap Doors? Who knew y'all would all eat that up so quickly! I know, MORE! MORE! MORE! Please, farmer*swife!! We want MORE!!! So, I do have some enrapturing pictures of the sun setting yesterday evening. But, I noticed that the view from behind my sunglasses was way pur-dy-ier more encaptivatingly colorful than without them and than what my camera was capturing. So? I got this really great little idea and I expanded on it with my photastic wisdom. I really wanna' save it and think I will for my WWC on Tuesday....barring I can wait that long. I bet your really wondering what I came up with. A system of experimenting is all I shall leave you with. Anyhow, thanks again for the MASSIVE amount of comments. I will say, though? Blogger has apparently been eating them because I've only actually recieved one or two here and there. I wouldn't want all my bloggie pals to think that I don't appreciate their time and effort to comment and share the love of my stories and obsessions, quirks, and other crap I unconsciously type idealisms. So, please be sure to add your comments a couple of times or as many times as you want so I can get all giddy when I see a double digit in my comment line and so my head and ego can explode with appreciation to be sure I get them so I may respond with my dear appreciation! I'll be back with those pics! Bloggie's Rock! Happy Sunday!

WHO ATE MY COMMENTS?

Childhood Flashbacks: The Shark Encounter

knight over at her place had a post about her trip, her great tan (yes there's a photo if you are curious) ;-D, and sharks! Yipes! Sharks! Apparently, there was this big shark tank that had glass tube slides through the middle so you could slide through and zoom past finned predators at a dizzyly high speed view the sharks "as if within their world." Anyhow...she reminded me of time I was fishing with my uncle. We were wade fishing in the surf and past the second sand bar (I think the tide was out but coming in). Anyhow, he would gripe at me for "bein' all girly" when seaweed would brush my legs, or I'd step on a mullet or something. This particular time I was determined I wouldn't be a be a "squeelie Gal." That day the ocean was a big wad of dead seaweed that had washed in from way off shore somewhere. So, I feel this brush of seaweed but I'm watching my pole cuz' somethings kinda' messing with my bait. [We were using cut mullet and cut sand trout -- we had caught with the mullet, and some bait fish we caught with the cast net...] My uncle was about 15 yards away. About a minute and a half or two later, my uncle yells out to me. "Hey? You Okay over there?" Me, "Yeah...why?" Him, "No biggie." We get back to shore and then he tells me. "Well, I didn't want to startle you but...I saw that shark brush up against you. I was afraid you'd panick and he'd bite you." [!?!?Are you Bleepin' explicative, explicative, explicative, Bleepin' kidding ME?] Obviously, I didn't say that...but I came pretty damn close. My next encounter was with a sting-ray. I know. As if the shark incident wasn't enough. But, my uncle said the shark was just a couple feet long and he was rubbing against me to "check me out?" I guess, like a dog sniffs around. They feel like sand paper, by the way, when they do that. So, anyhow. We are out fishing like bleepin' stupid idiots in the surf again. Mullets are jumping out of the waves and from time to time you step on one on your way out into the surf. So, the tide is coming in and it's getting dark and I'm at my last cast (you always think that one last cast will catch ya' a big one). So, a mullet keeps bumpin' at the back of my heal. Finally, I jump up and then my foot lands -- on the side of the fin of a sting ray. Mind you, the tide has been coming in and I'm in almost above waste deep water. And, I slide off the side of this guy's fin! You can guess that I panicked, BIG TIME. So, as I see the triangle silhouette of this beast gliding in the water away from me, I freak out and I freeze. My uncle is at the shore and it's getting dark as the sun is finally setting below the horizon. My uncle is waving to me for me to come in. But, I'm crying and freaking out. I can't move. I keep picking up my legs but they won't take me anywhere and I'm seeing sting rays swimming all around me. [They weren't, my mind was just playing freakin' tricks on me in my panick.] Eventually, crying, I finally made it back to shore. So, at that moment...I quit wade fishing in the surf. I did my fishin' from the shore at high tide. In fact, from that moment...I quit entering the surf entirely. "God didn't give me gills," I always say. But, still being the trusting person I was about the "wet and wild" at that time...I did continue wade fishing in the back bays and lagunas with my uncle...until....to be continued.

Childhood Flashbacks: The Shark Encounter

The Little Things...

Last night my daughter got upset with me (she's very emotional, like a teenager, I sware). She said, "Well, I can't wait until I get to be a GROWNUP!" My son who was exiting to retreive something ran back in and shouted to her with concern, "OH NO! Cuz' kids get to have WAY more FUN! We get to play, and drive stuff, and ride stuff!" I agreed with him, though, feeling somewhat slighted that he apparently sees adult life as not quite as fun.... ;-D My daughter has also given me the, "Well! Then, I'm not your daughter!" and then stomps off to her room with a "Humpf!" and a crossing of the arms. Usually, when she is upset about not getting her way. Pretty smart that she comes up with such a threat. I typically smirk to myself, though...knowing she'll be back in a few minutes to hug my neck dearly and smother my cheek with kisses and tell me how much she loves me and what a great Mommy I am. That's when I take the opportunity to remind her that I love her and I have to make the decisions that are best for her. I always remind my kids that they are blessings from God and that he entrusted me to raise them to be healthy, well rounded people. The other day, we were making our little walk to the mailbox and thus visiting and passing our little killdeer family's nest. As we walked slowly back on the opposite of the drive, Mrs. Killdeer stayed on her nest. She has come to recognize us well enough, that even though she gives us a distress peep -- she feels comfortable enough to stay upon the eggs. My son (six years old, remember) says to me, "That's because she knows we aren't trying to 'antagonize her'." To which I responded, "Wow! Really great use of that word!" SON: "I know. I'm getting smarter. My friend says I'm really smart because I know A LOT about combines." Which reminds me of last summer during swim lessons. My son was "educating" his swim coach about farming and the fact that all the rain we had been receiving was making it impossible to get the grain out. Son says to coach, "We gotta' get that grain out or we'll loose money!" The coach (a handsome teenage high school graduate) replies, "Yeah, you need money to buy Christmas presents." My five year old continues to explain the "economics" of farming. At five years old! The coach found this so facinatingly funny that he shared the conversation with the coach in the next pool lane. It was so cute and I was so proud that I actually teared up under my sunglasses. I guess it's one of those 'you had to be there' moments. So, I guess it's so often about the little things. I have to remind myself to take time to see, hear, live the little things...so that when my Glass is teetered? I realize that it's full enough, that I can spare a drop or two. Happy Friday! Happy Life! Happy Little Things!

The Little Things...

Childhood Flashbacks: The Escape Route

When I was...hmmmmm...four-ish, possibly going on five? I remember we lived in this house. (Of course we lived in a house, but this was a particular house). I remember, there was a trap door and it was under my bed. Now why my Mom put me in there is to this day a mystery....I guess, I've never thought to ask her because I've never had the thought at the same time I'm conversing with her. Anyhow. The cool thing was, I'd always plan how I'd drop off the side of the bed, roll under it and escape from the bad guys via the trap door. Of course, it lead down directly to the dirt below the house and you had to crawl through the dirt, insect, snake?, ridden path to where it exited at the side of the house. But, from the outside....no one would ever know it was there. Pretty cool, huh? Yeah, unless for some reason you were scared and the escape door suddenly became a possibility of bad guys and monsters to enter through...and unfortunately, but obviously, through the same door in which was your hidden escape route. Anyhow. I remember, practicing my drill daily. I also remember there were grape vines in like four long rows. I'd go pick the grapes (usually, eating them before they were ready, still bitter -- but you know kids. We have to find it out for ourselves). I also remember that was where I first discovered those little pincher bugs that make an inverted funnel into the sand. So that ants will fall in and as they trickle dirt in their effort to escape the bug's neck shoots out with it's fanged head and then he EATS the ant. I used to play with the little critter and trickle sand down. Sometimes I'd throw an ant there and watch and wait. (Hey, those ants were always biting me so I thought the "good bug" deserved a little help. I'm not a meanie person and I wasn't a meanie kid). We had a german shepard and she was pregnant and got hit by a car. She delivered 12 puppies (all still born, except for one little guy who was sick and weak but survived.) My mom apparently, had to assist our poor dog with birthing the still borns as they would get stuck since they were...without life. Our dog's hind leg had been split and stitched and she couldn't really walk on it or use it very well at that time either. Lastly, I remember there was like a little alley way at the very back of the yard of this house. Across the alley way were two little girls who lived there and played all the great fun games. I used to climb up on the fence and watch them. They'd often come over and climb up on their side and we'd talk. We didn't have a lot (any) money back then. The girls parents were so nice. They invited me to one of their birthday parties (kinda' last minute but being nice parents and probably feeling somewhat sorry for, lil'ol, fence climbing me.) Mom said I could go. Only, I didn't have a gift. So I gave them/her a few of my favorite Dr. Suess books...but, I remember...Mom sent them with me in a bread bag so I wouldn't drop them. Apparently? We didn't have any wrapping paper. [Now days? I cover kids birthday gifts with banner paper, or paper sacks, and let my kids color and decorate the wrapper themselves. Economical, the kids really enjoy it, it's more personal...and secretly, I always remember this event in my life.] F.Y.I.? The Mom was so nice and wrapped the gift of books and let me give them to my "across the fence" friend. The party was a blast. We played cheerleaders way into the dark of sunset. "Fire Cracker! Fire Cracker!! Shish! Boom! Bah! One, for the MONEY...Two, for the SHOW....Three to get READY! And, four to GO!!! Yeah!!!" And we did all those made up little jumps young children do. Funny, sometimes I wake up in the morning and I can't for the life of me remember what I had for dinner...until I make it to the kitchen cuz' I am extremely curious. Yet, I can remember every little daily events of my childhood. Oh, that reminds me. That was also the first place I ever played dominoes. I played with the grown-ups and they were very impressed because I totally got it, played well, and new how to count by fives at that age. Shortly after that, I learned to play chess... Happy Thursday, and I hope you have Happy Childhood Flashbacks!

Childhood Flashbacks: The Escape Route

WWC: belated, Chaos and Mystery

kcinnova kinda' guilted got me motivated to participate in WWC again, ;-)

She reminded me, that with kiddos there is always some chaos....and, the mystery that comes along with it in trying to figure it out. So, here's what I got in a clippity clop:



Here's Blue. He's our 150 lb (give or take) weimer. He's eating a stick. He likes to eat sticks. (Yes, I know it is actually a block of wood; he also eats large mesquite logs....he's a big dog). I will say that you'd think it be a little chaotic when the stick exited his body.... :-x



This is "Dulce." Her full name is "Cafe Dulce" because she's the color of (light) brown sugar. It's a mystery where she came from. She's a stray that popped in out of the field about a year and a half ago. She really wanted to be our dog. Somehow, she managed to find her way into our back yard; she pretended she belonged there.

Even DH finally fell for her. We were calling her "Precious" but DH wasn't crazy about that name. Thus "Dulce." It fits her better too. Around her neck she has a permanent scar from either a flea collar too tight or being tied up with a rope. Her life back then was probably very chaotic. Some people. Anyhow, she is the most loveable, gleefully, happy dog! And, she absolutely loves us.

Here is a mystery. "What's this?"



A wasted banana....grrrrrr, these things cost money and they aren't so cheap anymore.

Aaaaauagghghgg! Spilt milk!!!!! That mine as well be gasoline wasted on my [granite] counter top!!! I mean, it left me tempted to lick it up (not really....that'd be gross. But, that's probably 50 cents there.)

Oh, no! Look! More spilt on the floor! At least my smart little man new to clean it up (without being told).



So, there's my WWC for the week. Only two days late. This post is dated last night, but blogger was having a lot of trouble up loading my images so I blew it off and went to bed. Good thing. It took forever this morning too!

We are off to go swimming!!! The kids are ecstatic! It will be swim-differously, Water-tastic!!

Happy Thursday!

WWC: belated, Chaos and Mystery

Childhood Flashbacks: "Spider Man"

So, I awoke this morning in a fantastic mood! Totally charged and encharged! [That Mantra thing really works; maybe I'll share the one I wrote about myself last night...but not today.]

Anyhow, along with this tune, "The HILLS are ALIVE with the sound of MUSIC..." Spiderman also crossed my mind. I don't know why. I just woke up. I'm getting dressed and primping. I'm making pigs in a blanket. Making Orange Juice. So, whose Spidey? It took me back to the time of black & white T.V.s.

Remember those? Sheeze, kids now days don't have a clue what we had to suffer in the 70s. LOL! Generally, they freak when they see a phone with a cord. "Is that an antique? What was the cord for? You know, you can't get very far with one of those... How do you TEXT?!" LOL!

Anyhoo. My mind scrolled through some of my favorite shows back as a kid. "Greatest American Hero," "Hardy Boys," "Simon & Simon," "Magnum P.I. (steamin' hot by the way, still is)," "Hawaii 5-O (Book-im' Danno!)," "Wonder-Woman." Yea, times were great back then.

Anyhow. I remember this one time, a Saturday morning. I was up early, as most young kids are. I guess I was between five and seven. Anyhow. We had this little Black and White T.V. What were those back then, nine inch screens? It was perfect for playing Atari on. I could play "Pac-Man" all night long and have more men saved up than I could ever play through.

Oops, again I digress. So, Spider Man comes on. And, it announces in narration and words in the title, "In Color." So, spider man went color but I have a black & white T.V. I sware to you....I promise on all I can offer to promise on....the show was in color.

Now, I realize this is absolutely impossible. Now, that I am an adult? I understand the whole bulb thingie they used to use back then. I realize this T.V. was not capable of color and did not have a color bulb.

So, I watch the show. And, then something else comes on -- in, Black & White. What happend to the color? I ask myself? Spider Man was in color. Mom wakes up. I share with her this extraordinary cool thing I have just experienced. She thinks I have an active imagination.

She passes me off with, "Enough Rochelle, (my middle name, used for those instances and those when I was apparently in trouble) the T.V. DID NOT SHOW SPIDER MAN IN COLOR!" End of story.

Well, to this very day. Knowing all that I know. And, having lived and learned....I still hold to the fact that "Spider Man IN COLOR" was indeed in color that particular Saturday morning.

A little reminder that there is always someone bigger looking out for me. That day, he blessed me with color.

You can probably also here, the "NEE-neee NEEE-neeee NEE-neee NEEEE-neee" of the Twi-light Zone going off in you head.

Eerie? Hmmmm.

Happy Tuesday, "IN COLOR!"

Childhood Flashbacks: "Spider Man"

RAMBLE-BAMBLE....

Yeah, I drafted a long bloggie post last night. But, I knew that the emotion behind it probably left it needing a re-read before posting it. I was right. It was a great post. But, maybe too heavy. I saved it for my journal.

Anyhow, obviously, I've been a little shaken. Life does that to us sometimes. It hurts really bad when you try to offer and open hand full of concern, compassion, and support -- only to have your fingers snapped off. I don't have to be a nice person. Sometimes I hate being a nice person. It's so much easier to be a Bitch.

I feel.....snake bitten. And, the toxins are taking their sweet time as they are slowly expelling from my mind and heart. Sheeze, it's a long process though.

But, I hear that song in my head, "I will Survive!" I know I will. I know that I am a good person, a good friend, understanding, reasonable, and rational.

I am a wonderful Mother. I am a good, loving wife. I am fair. I respect and trust my feelings, my instincts, and I stand unwavered as I trust the choices and decisions I make. I AM SURE OF MYSELF. And, that is a wonderful place to be.
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THAT SAID.....

Thanks to the few of y'all that posted me a place to find a laugh. A little chuckle and giggle did me good. I still want that snorting, crying, pee-in' on myself laugh. Man, those are a high? Right?
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SO,

the Tinkerbell party I did for my friend's daughter (and my daughter's friend) went really well! I think everyone was pleased. The only thing that might have improved it, is if we all weren't sweltering in 100+ heat index, mugginess. It was HOT! But, hey. That's summer in South Texas! Oooh, and I made me some $$$monies too! Whoo-hoo!

I was giddy with how well the cake turned out. I left the pic full size if you wanna' better peek.



And, Father's day was a great day too! Oh, shout out to all the Daddy's out there! Y'all rock! We had the family over here for a Father's day dinner and we grilled talapia and flounder and had lots of great sides.

Summer is great, all in all. The kids and I have enjoyed leisure mornings. Sleeping till we wake up. Of course, I woke up at 4:00 a.m. Made the rounds. Played musical beds and drifted in and out of dozing sleep. But, we all layed in till almost 8:00 a.m.

I've made time for myself to read more than a magazine. The kids and I read. We make trips to the library. We are scrapbooking. I'm going to watch soaps and fold my laundry. I'm going to enjoy my life and my kids today. I'm locking the gate to my Castle and locking out the rest of the world.

Today is our day. Happy Monday!

RAMBLE-BAMBLE....

Life is too serious; I need a laugh...

So, summer has been nice. This morning? I especially enjoyed getting to lay in bed and just snuggle under my heavy quilt blanket. DH and son went on the crop tour. This is where all the farmers pile into several pick-up trucks and drive around (with a crop guide) to check out and observe the various "test plots" of varieties of seed planted and how these varieties are performing under this years weather conditions, various soils, etc. I'm sure my little T-man will be going as well (that's my nephew. He and Mason know the ins and outs of farming at their ages of 6 and 8). This will be a blast for them. Afterward, everyone is provided with lunch. So, back to the snuggling. Ever have a good day gone bad? That leaves you shaken and your mind plundering and rumbling like a dark cloud before a rain storm? Yea, I went to bed like that. I woke up like that, so I snuggled it all away for awhile to hide from my brain and my thoughts. A lot has been weighing on me (I know, I hide it well). Anyhow, "Little Gal" slept in. She's been doing that a lot lately. That's a big FAB-TAB-U-LOUS! Thank goodness for bloggie world. But, I haven't yet found that LOL, tear jerking funny that I need to unweigh my chest. I really need that today. I read Cynical Bastard, and he shared a fantastic dish to dine on...but, alas, no gut busting laugh. I'll pop in on Cinder-Single. She always leaves me Happy and Giddy with her joyful personality! I think tink is on a similar page as me except she not feeling so "4th of July-ish." I'm upset with the world, she's just upset with our country. I've popped in on a few others, but it is time to get on with my day (it is a work day, afterall, even though my job is my life). Anyhow. I'm exiting this post to decorate the birthday cake I am making for Lil'Gal's friend's birthday party tomorrow. This is the one that my friend is paying me to "doll/tinkerbell" it all up as she teaches full time and doesn't have time to be so crafty. Decorating the cake will definately uplift my spirits. Being Mrs. Cleaver/Martha Stewart-ish always calms me. Then, I get to scrap a Father's Day card and a pretty Thank You card. Then? I get to fold the laundry and the towels. Folding towels calms my spirit. When I finish my edible master piece I'll pop a picture in for y'all [too oohh, and ahhh, and inflate my ego...please inflate my ego :-) ] I'll also share the fairy tu-tu skirts I stiched on my sewing machine. In the meantime? Should you give me a read today? Please link me up to something really, REALLY, funny! Some vulgarity is allowed (not in my comments but in the link, LOL). I wanna' laugh out loud so hard that I cry and I snort! I wanna' fall off my computer stool, climb up, read it again and pee myself from laughing so hard. Yea, that is DEFINATELY what I need today. Happy Friday and have a "Snortfull-Pee your Pants" kinda' day!

Life is too serious; I need a laugh...

SAY CHEESE!

Aren't they cute?! You can click the pic for a full size zoom. My FAV/FAB FIL gave each of the grandkids a cow. And, the calves from the cows will be sold and the money will go into savings for "college funds" and stuff. Cool, right?

Anyhow, the named four cows would not cooperate completely. Meaning, they wouldn't all pose together for a picture. Frustrated my FIL a little, LOL! But, he did get some pics of two together here and two together there.

If I had to do the whole education thing and that part/time of life all over again (FYI? I would never, ever, ever, EVER, do my life over again....my childhood is not to be repeated. Unless, I could live the childhood my kiddos have.) I would go into raising and breeding cattle. I LOVE COWS. I HEART COWS.

Interesting Fact: Did you know that there are people trained to palpate a cow to see if she has become pregnant from breeding with a bull? The guy/person wears this arm length condom type glove and he "inserts his hand and arm all the way up to the shoulder" into the, um, appropriate orafice and "feels around" for the "pregnancy sack" or growing baby calf inside [I'm not sure how long they wait for gestation before doing this.]

If she's not pregnant, then she gets left with the Bull again for impregnation.

Guys, ya'll will like this part: Lucky Bull, he gets ALLLLLL the ladies. He just saunters around and mounts whomever he feels like....that's his JOB. His one and only job. And, I don't know how many of you have seen a bull's....um.....appendage, but I'm talking 24 inches? EASY. Very possibly longer. [Hey, I've seen them but never close enough to actually pull out the tape measure.] If you are a guy? That's gotta' get ya' thinking.....

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Yeah, so today is a three post bloggie day. I know, I know, y'all are wondering how I possibly was able to find the time for three separate posts with all the other projects I'm working on?

Okay, so you didn't know about all the other projects, but just the same, right? Well, I took the time I saved today on driving the kids to and from school. That adds up to about 30-40 minutes round trip times two trips a day (including loading, unloading, etc.)

Whala! Bloggie time!

So, be sure to check out my other two post for the day (below). And, please. Kindly? If you aren't bored to tears? Comment! I love me some comments!!!! Lots, and lots of comments. It feeds my ego.

Happy Monday, again. And, I Heart me some comments!

SAY CHEESE!

Stories from My Childhood Flashbacks: The Mouse

I was remembering today while cleaning mirrors in our master bath, about the time when I was a little girl and I caught a mouse in the house...to keep as a pet, I thought. I was getting ready for school and when I walked in the bathroom something darted out! Yipes! I jumped on top of the toilet seat to stand high, safe, and peer around for the darting critter. It was a cute, tiny, brown mouse. Now, at this age I had not yet discovered the foulness of germs and germ infested rodents. To me the little mouse was "Jerry" [from the infamous "Tom & Jerry"] I hopped down and grabbed a wash cloth. I hopped back atop the toilet seat and I waved the washcloth in a "toro" bull fighter type fashion. I dropped it on the mouse but he escaped it. I did this over, and over, and over and finally, I covered him with the wash cloth. I quickly jumped down, scooped up the wash cloth with Jerry captured inside. I ran to my room and dropped him in a little box with a lid. Then, I went to school. All day I thought about my little mouse at home. I couldn't wait to be friends. I'd feed him, I'd pet him....he might even want to sleep in my bed with me and my ten other stuffed animals. When I got home I ran straight to my room. I picked up the box and raised the lid to peek inside at my little "Jerry." Jerry popped his head out and tried to escape! I slammed the lid back shut but caught Jerry's head between the lid and the rim of the box. I took my finger to poke his head back inside the box and the little Fu@$er! BLEEP bit me!!!!! Not just a bite, he actually hung on! So I frantically started shaking my hand back and forth trying to get him to let go. Suddenly, I guess from the vigilent and forcefull action he flew across the room and hit the wall! I looked for him. No longer with this invision of a sweet, soft, furry little pet but with the fear of a monster that might hurt me with it's fangs. I couldn't find him. Guess he scurried, probably dizzily, back to his hole. So, I still like critters. But not rodents. And, I believe in Glue Boards. If you have a childhood critter story and want to bloggie about it. Be sure to comment here so I can go read all about it! Happy Monday!

Stories from My Childhood Flashbacks: The Mouse

MEME: I've been tagged!! ;-)

All about meme The rules: Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then go to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. let's the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer. 1. Why did you start your blog? December 2007. My BB (Bloggie Buddy, also the one who tagged me) got me started. She does a cute 365 pic blog. I was so taken with it and how simple it is that I became an obsessive Bloggie and have developed a love of reading several other fav. bloggies. 2. How did you come up with your blog name? I wanted "Farmer's Wife" or "A day in the Life of a FW," or something like that. I had several other really cute titles but they were all taken. Since, I see life as my Glass is Half Full and I quote that often -- I named my blog that. 3. Do your friends and family know about your blog, and what do they think? Most friends and some family know about it. They seem to enjoy it. It's the best when I capture a day in life and my friends read and get a good laugh! Everyone needs a good, gut busting laugh. 4. How do you write posts? A lot of times? The post is already written in my head. It's funny because as I walk through the day my mind "narrates" the days events. Often, that's what I end up posting. Kids are an easy write. And, often, I just hop on and ramble when I have a bunch of mumble-bumble bouncing around in my head. 5. Have you ever had a troll or had to delete unkind comments? No. I'm not completely open. I AM open to blogger accounts because I like reading other bloggers and them being able to read me and comment. So far, I've had a great reader/commentorship. Thanks Y'all! 6. Do you check your stats or care how many people read your blog? Nope, how do I do that?? I'd like to know! No Tag Backs! Happy Monday!!!

MEME: I've been tagged!! ;-)

CRITTERS

Y'all know we love capturing critters on camera. The Killdeers around here are nesting. These birds are so incredible. They are actually a shore bird (plover), but they come inland further and they like to nest on the ground, in gravel, and usually near people and pastures.

So, we have the "perfect" Killdeer nesting environment. These birds are pretty with white rings around their necks. The neat thing is that Mama and Daddy work as a team when preditors near their nest.

I've been following this one Mama each day when I walk the drive to check the mail. She'd always pop up out of literally no where. She'd "lead me" (I was going that way anyhow) down the drive toward the mailbox. Then, once I had distanced myself from the area of her nest she'd fly away and circle back to it.

I'd been looking for days. Around the area I'd first see her pop up and also "opposite" of the direction she kept chirping and trying to lead me.

Lookie what my son found!



I know what you're thinking, "A pile of gravel...whoop-de-doo..." But, take a closer gander....



[click to view the pics full size and full pixel] In the middle of this pile of gravel and asphalt is a nest made up of white and black rocks. More white than black. Wanna' know why? So the eggs will camouflage into the ground. There are four eggs, creamy white with black speckles all over as if someone drizzled them with tar.

Here's the Mama. Daddy was circling over head shrilling his cry to get our attention. Mama runs a few feet then falls to the ground and splays out her tail and wing(s) as if she is wounded. She also continues to "MEEEEP" loudly and continuously to be sure you can't ignore her. See? This way a predator will follow the Killdeer away from the next. Then, she simply flies off and sneakily swoops in from behind....unseen, and back atop her eggs.


Too cool, right?! We have another couple who live in the back. Haven't found that nest yet.

Killdeer Facts: They always lay four eggs. Even though the eggs are layed at different times the eggs all hatch together. Because they don't begin incubating until the Mama sits on them to hatch them. They are Precocial which means that they exit the egg able to run immediately. Eggs usually hatch in 24 to 28 days.

I'm guessing I've been following our little "Plover" for about a couple of weeks. So, within another two weeks we should have pictures of baby Killdeers. Maybe I can catch one and get a close up picture (they often freeze and fall to the ground to camouflage themselves and then you can pick them up).

You know I have to throw in a couple of these when I capture them:

Sunrise the other morning....



Sunset last night....absolutely gorgeous. (I took these yesterday evening about 8:pm while we sat watching Mama Killdeer on her nest).

Happy Sunday!

CRITTERS

Stories from my Childhood Flashbacks

So, awhile back [before everything got so hectic around here] I read a post at Cynical Bastard's place and then Knight did something similar. Or, maybe it was the other way around... Anyhow, I wanna' start a little "post project" now and then titled, "Childhood Flashbacks." We all have them. Good ones and bad ones. And, it is funny and entriguing to read those of others as they always take me back to my own [either, yeah...I remember times like that; or, Gosh, if I only could have been so lucky.] So, my first of what I hope will be many [funny] stories from my Childhood Flashbacks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GREEN PEAS I guess I was about three years old. I was always a good child, and ate what was provided as often meals were limited in selection due to budget. Mom tells me stories about how I was ill tempered at times, etc., etc. I think her memory is warped or she is channeling memories of her own childhood and feeding them into the film stream of my life -- Because, I was a very well behaved child, and mature for my age. Anyhoo. Green Peas. I've always eaten every vegetable ever served to me [except Egg Plant, which Mom never served but I tried as and adult and it's basically like eating mold.] So, she served me up dinner and the vegetable was green peas. I don't know if she didn't cook them all the way, or what? But, the hulls were very tough and when chewed they gagged me. After probably half an hour or more of me toying with eating these nasty, gaggy peas..... MOM: "You are going to sit there until you eat all your green peas young lady. There are children starving in Africa!!!" [oh, you got that one too? I always wondered why we didn't send the nasty crap less than tasty food to Africa, then?] ME: I sat there and I squeezed the pea out of each hull, one by one. The pea itself was actually quite tasty. When finished I called my mom. ME: "Mommy, I finished my peas!" MOM: "Rochelle..." (she called me by my middle name when I was "in trouble" mode) "Don't lie to me! There is a whole plate of peas sitting right in front of you!" ME: "No Mommy, I ate the peas." MOM: "Go to your room RIGHT NOW, and wait for me." ME: She whipped the tar out of me. For lying to her. She then returned to my plate, picked up the fork and took a big'ol bite of Pea "HULLS." She felt BAAAAAAD. MOM: "Baby? I am soooooo sorry. I didn't realize you ate the peas OUT of the Hull." ME: [In my head] "Tell that to my @$$." Or whatever term I thought at three years old. That incident has been a life lesson to always double check my kids answers and give them the benefit of the doubt first, for complete explanation....rather than make an adult assumption. And, I actually love green peas. Peas and carrots are a great late night snack to me. But, whenever I eat them, purchase them, read the word -- I always remember this incident. So, there's my Childhood Flashback for the day. If you wanna' play, then post one and let us know in my comments so we can read all of y'alls as well! Happy Thursday!

Stories from my Childhood Flashbacks

Home and Healthy...??

Thanks ya'll so much for the concern and supportive words. Please accept my apologies to those who would have prefered I called y'all personally...you totally are worth the call.

But, we all know when crisis comes, sometimes it's hard to make the call...cuz' (if we are lucky to have people who love us) it's not just one call.

That's why I bloggied. And, I'm so glad I did. I was able to catch most of y'all up and those who I didn't were probably caught up by those who were.

So, we are home. I am ex-haus-ted. I thought I slept, randomly. But, my eyes have been itching and crossing and leaving me with that dizzy feeling for about 36 hours now.

[I know, "What the He!! am I doing blogging at 9:30 at night?!? I'm dedicated and I want to let everyone know we are home.]

So. We don't know what caused it. DH is perturbed/disturbed that our son was cut on (three mini-incisions), the appendix appeared to be "un-inflamed," and we/the doctors still don't know what caused all this. Mind you, his major concern is that he feels like our son was "cut open" for no reason. I think he carries some guilt about that. My take on it?

My son feels better. Had it been his appendix (and ALL symptoms pointed directly in that way)?? He'd still be in hospitalization for a week...months? If the thing had ruptured and spewed it's vile toxins all over my son's abdominal cavity, he could even NOT be.

My son was in pain. Writhing, Agonizing, vigorous PAIN. He actually cried out to me multiple times, "Mama?! I think I'm dying!!!"

Once he recovered from the surgery and the fever broke and he started feeling better from the pain medication (morphine) and the anti-imflammatory meds (Toradol)...he told me, "Mama, Thank You for bringing me to the doctor...and Thank You for bringing me to the Hospital." He snuggled with me in his bed that night and smiled that silly, loving way he does. We watched a movie till he was ready to fall asleep. I stayed up two hours later than necessary, just to be sure...you know.

He did run a low grade fever at 4:00 a.m. I called the nurse. (Mommies always know first). He was walking and pee-ing and playing all basically without assistance today. Whoo-hooo!

They don't know what happened or why. They are running the toxicollogy on the appendix. They ran a sonogram (I was there, questioning and encouraging them to "check that" and "check that" and so forth.) DH is very...um, unhappy? with this diagnosis. It was costly. It is frustrating that we have NO conclusive answer.

Possibly, they think? A virus. Could be an inflammation or infection of the gastro-intestinal region. Blood cell counts show some of this...but, medicine is a science, afterall.

What I know is. My son is home. He is happy and silly and joking and frustrating his sister. He is snuggly, honry, and, did I say Happy? He feels really good and is really agile, incisions and all....

Life vs. Death? Life, illness, random discomfort vs. the possibility of Death?

Life, comfort, relief, happiness....worth every penny.

Maybe Mason didn't need the Appy out. But, considering the symptoms, his pain, the odds, the education of the surgeons involved. I wouldn't take a single cent back. Who puts a cost or a dollar limit on the chance of loosing a loved one, a child. I'd give my own life for mine.

And, on that note. Little Gal is feeling fine. Though, she is very happy we are ALL home. And, she has requested a few times that I, "check her forhead cuz' she might feel warm.." [smiley-wink]. So, with the bad...comes the good.

Happy Tuesday and sweet sleepy dreams.....

Home and Healthy...??

With the good....comes the bad.

Hi Y'all. Stole a few minutes to drop an update to save me muchos telephone calls. That last post didn't show up until...well, I don't really know as my internet went down on me. In the meantime, my little Graduate has been hospitalized, had his appendix removed, and they still don't know the full out cause of his complete discomfort. PHEWP!!! On top of "Old Smokey?" Little Gal's runnin' a little "unknown" fever as well. She visited the MD this a.m. (after he made the hospital rounds and checked on my Graduate). MD says, maybe an ear ache....What? How? I'll do whatever you say, Doc. So, I just changed shifts with DH so I could drop in the casa, visit with Lil'Gal (she's feeling neglected), grab a shower and some stuff before heading back to the Hospital. I'll drop more info next time I'm around the home. Looks like my Graduate will be in the hospital another two nights or so. They are running some tests, pathology, etc., etc., to figure out the culprit of this ill, vain, morbidly, suckie BLEEEEPin' BLEEP of a pain. You can bet if I sleep/dream tonight? I'll be kicking the Devil's suckie @$$! Happy Monday and Happy Healthy!

With the good....comes the bad.