no internet

I may be MIA for a few days. My internet is down at home so I'm having to go to my parents to get online.

I know that I've said that I spend too much time on here...but I didn't realize how much I'm addicted to the 'net. Sigh....not getting my fix whenever I feel the need is not making me a happy girl. Grrrrr.

Papa Bear gets home Wednesday so I'm sure he will be able to fix it...he's my big strong hero.

Sad day

4 years ago today I became a member of a club that I do not want to be in. I didn't volunteer for it. I didn't ask to be voted in. I was given no choice. 4 years ago today I joined the other parents who have lost a child.

Aaron was just 19 when he drowned. My first born.

I understand that Aaron leaving earth so soon is part of God's plan. I'm not angry about, but I am sad. I rejoice knowing that he is in a far better place, but selfishly I want him to still be here with me. I miss him always, but certain days are just a bit more sad then others. Today would be one of those days.

Je t'aime dear Aaron.

Reorgannizing

I get on my own nerves sometimes. I become a not very happy homemaker, and I don't like it. Seems life gets so busy (I know, it's of my own making) that being a homemaker is something I just go through because I have to. When this happens, I definately DON'T have the heart of a homemaker, and my home shows it. Sure, the toilets clean, the laundry is done and the floors are swept, but none of the little extra touches are there. No pretty candles burning. Supper is something quick and thrown together. There just isn't a song in my heart and a smile on my face.

Once again, time to get my priorities straight. Seems I have to do this several times a year. Reading my friend Karyns blog today got me in the mood to do this. She is re-vamping her household notebook...something I need to do too. I even went so far as to name mine. Her name is Alice. I picked this name because on the show "Brady Bunch", Alice is the one who kept everything running smooth.

Over the next few days I will be going through Alice to reorganize and update her. Once I'm done, I'll take some pictures so you can all see her...she really is what keeps me running smoothly.

Once she is all done, I plan to follow her daily. This way I'll be back on schedule, which makes me a happy homemaker. I've got 3 new children starting in my daycare in 2 weeks and I would like to be back in the groove before they come.

We Live In The Land Of The Free, Because Of The Brave.

Monday Menu

Today is the time for my menu to share with you friends...but it isn't what you expect. I can tell you that I honestly don't know what I'm feeding my family. I say this knowing that each morning I am going to open the big chest freezer and pull something off the top...and that is going to be the base for our meal.

I have 3 large, 1 medium and 1 small freezer all full to exploding...it's time to start to empty them out. So...for the next few weeks it will be a suprise each and every day.

I guess I can only hope that somewhere in that big freezer lies a hug tub of ice cream that I can somehow figure out how to work into the main course of a meal. :)

Small Town Days

Thursday thru Saturday was the big Wyanet Festival. Now, for those of you friends who do not live in a small town, the concept of small town days may be lost on you. However, when you are raised up in a town of 1100 people, it's quite a big deal.

Thursday night kicks things off with the Little Miss, Little Mister and Queen contest. The Food Stand, rides and beer garden begin also.

Friday brings the Taco stand every other year...woohoo...love those tacos!

Saturday is the big day with the Memorial run in the morning, followed by the parade, and then all the fun at the park:

rides
kiddie tractor pull
kid and adult ice cream eating contest
adult big wheel race (yep, I was in it and came in second!)

Saturday night is the big dance night under the bandstand with big band music.

Of course, the Festival wouldn't be complete without the Fireman's pancake and sausage breakfast at the VFW on Sunday morning.

It's a great time that I look forward to every year. It's when class reunions happen. It's when friends come home to visit. It's big excitement when you live in small town USA.

Sesame Street

Oh, to live in such a place. Problems are small and easily fixed. There is always someone around to play with. Oscar is the only cranky person in the whole place.

Rash

I will spare you a picture, but I picked up a rash! I know it wasn't on my leg Sunday morning when I lotioned up before church, but it was there later in the day when the itching began. I was in the woods last week but I would have thought if I had walked in something, it would have shown up earlier. Papa Bear and I went out on a 2.5 hour ride on the motorcycle Sunday, but I wasn't in any weeds. Hmmmm....I just don't know when or where I got this.

Did I mention the itch factor here...this is sooo itchy! I've been keeping calmine lotion on it, but it just doesn't seem to be helping. I feel like a kid with the chicken pox!

Well friends, that was my whine for today. Now it's time to pull up my big girl panties and just deal with it!

Boy Scout camp 2009

I'm home from Boy Scout camp and it was a blast!! Have to do a quick little brag on the boys as they were the only Troop (out of about 200 people) to receive a perfect score on their daily inspection!!!

The weather turned out to be just about perfect. No humidity, no real heat and no rain until our camp was all packed up and we were heading to bed on Friday night.

Below are a few pictures from our week:

The boys made an oven out of a cardboard box using tin foil and wire hangers. Brownies were a wonderful treat for us during the week.





Home sweet home for me. The boys laughed at the way I add embelishments to my tent to make it more comfy...like the table, throw rugs, flowers and fence. But...I had a nice comfortable (well, as comfortable as you can be with spiders crawling on you) week.




Welcome to our kitchen and our dining room. We are a 'jambo' troop, which means we cook all our own meals. We were the only jambo troop there this week. All the other troops go up top to the dining hall for their meals...Tsk...that's not real camping! Might as well have the maid come in too!



Here's my guys!! The man on the left is grandpa to two of the boys. He stayed part of the week and then their uncle came down for the remainder of the time. I'm so thankful that even though we are a very small troop right now, there is the support there so that the boys can continue to enjoy things like this camp.




This would be me going up the rope side of the 40' tall climbing tower! After climbing, I actually went down the other side of it on the zip line!! WOW!!! That was so much fun!