dandelions

Jackson picked me some flowers and then brought them to me, water, vase and all :)

Liam @ the park yesterday

(see last week for the mud puddle pictures)

Big Mud Puddles and Sunny Yellow Dandelions

~Author Unknown~

When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my yard. My kids see flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff you can wish on.

When I look at an old drunk and he smiles at me, I see a smelly, dirty person who probably wants money and I look away.

My kids see someone smiling at them and they smile back.

When I hear music I love, I know I can't carry a tune and don't have much rhythm so I sit self-consciously and listen.

My kids feel the beat and move to it. They sing out the words. If they don't know them, they make up their own.

When I feel wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk.

My kids close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall to the ground laughing.

When I pray, I say thee and thou and grant me this, give me that.

My kids say, "Hi God! Thanks for my toys and my friends. Please keep the bad dreams away tonight. Sorry, I don't want to go to Heaven yet. I would miss my Mommy and Daddy."

When I see a mud puddle I step around it. I see muddy shoes and dirty carpets.

My kids sit in it. They see dams to build, rivers to cross, and worms to play with.

I wonder if we are given kids to teach or to learn from? No wonder God loves the little children! Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.

I wish you Big Mud Puddles and Sunny Yellow Dandelions!!!

Hanging Baskets

A teenage granddaughter comes downstairs for her date with a very shear blouse on and no bra. Her grandmother just pitched a fit, telling her not to go out like that! The teenager tells her "Loosen up Grams. These are modern times. You gotta let your rose buds show!" and out she goes. The next day the teenager comes downstairs and the grandmother is sitting there with no top on. The teenager wants to die. She explains to her grandmother that she has friends coming over and that it is just not appropriate.... The grandmother says. "Loosen up, Sweetie. If you can show off your rosebuds, then I can display my hanging baskets." Happy Gardening!!! (sorry, I couldn't resist!!!)

What do Angel Tiger Eye Violas, Strawberry Super Parfait Dianthus, Strawberry Daddy Petunias, Giant White Bacopa and Wojo's Gem have in common? Yeppers - they were all united together in my hanging baskets! I decided that since I don't have lush lawn, lovely landscape, lilacs or lilies this year, I'm gonna hang some baskets between the pillars of my wrap-around porch... the flower kind of course! About a week ago, Jackson helped me plant and they unfortunately have yet to be hung! With the weather still dropping to freezing and frost warnings, they have been demoted to the garage on a few occasions... I was excited to have enough plants left over to fill three other pots as well!

Daisy Days...

My hubby brought these beautiful gerbera daisies home for me April 25th - a very nice surprise :) They're my fave - I love the bright festive colours!

So we are busy just doing the same old... waiting for the house to be finished, trying to get settled, still unpacking and so forth. Our rock work is now done which you can view HERE and I've also posted my latest travel pictures which you can view HERE (I also uploaded more Mexico ones too). Jackson & Liam have both started soccer. I'm apparently the assistant coach for Jackson's team - I sent Miles in my place the first time and I was relieved to find out, last night, that my duties are pretty minimal! The coach takes care of pretty much everything & my job was to keep track of the kids coming on and off the field, making sure everyone has equal time! Liam's first game is tonight - he just plays once a week and it's a practice/game all in one with the main goal being to get them running in the right direction! If they stop to look for ladybugs... so be it! I quite enjoy soccer and played once in awhile with some Brazilian/church friends YEARS ago but once the kids are bit older & I lose a few pounds, I might actually look into a ladies fun league or something!? It's a goal anyways...

We've also booked our first campsite for this summer - going back to one that we went to last year with a bunch of friends. The boys and I will for sure go to a week of family camp again, maybe two and hopefully we can squeeze in a couple weekend camping trips too! SUMMER! Somewhere in there we need to fence our yard as well... not sure if grass will happen this year but we for sure need a fence and the deck! Mmmm... BBQ's :) Our winters here are so long that we make the most of summer!!! We also have a wedding to go to, some friends stopping in... anyone else wanna head our way!?