Gardening

Our garden has produced some things, but not very many. I think the neighbors' dogs or the animals in the woods next to us are getting some of the vegetables for themselves. One day we'll have almost ripe cherry tomatoes and the next day they will be completely gone.
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Here's our haul from yesterday. Yes, the squash looks beat up and the green bean and cuke kind of limp. Since this was all we got from the garden yesterday, with little hope of more today, I let Luci wash these items outside with her dirty sponge. When she started using the squash as a hammer to work on her scooter, I didn't stop her. That lonely squash wouldn't be much for dinner, anyways. The cucumber was actually ok--but where are the many little cukes so I can make pickles?? The cucumber plant is enormous but very few cucumbers are actually coming to maturity (or else it's those critters again). Today I sent the kids out with Luci's Easter basket/bucket to pick anything that was ripe. Notice the redhead complaining about the 17 year old not helping...

..and notice which child is working! The one who won't eat any of the produce...not even the green beans!

"I can't find anything, mom." Did you look? At least he showed up to pretend to help. He's got Luci's Easter basket ready, just in case he finds something.

Sunflower about to bloom!

Baby cantaloupe.

This garden has confirmed for me that I do like watching things grow. It is fascinating. It also confirmed that I don't like vegetables any more than I did when my parents had a garden that was 5 times as big in the backyard in Boise. Next year, we need to make the garden much bigger because things here are just too close to each other. Need to do something about the soil, too, but not sure what. It is all hard as a rock, even after rain. Impossible to hoe. The hoe won't even dent the soil. And it's full of rocks! I mean, full! Oh--and speaking of soil, we need to have some added that is truly clean--this soil was all from our yard, and the grass is growing through everything. Just impossible to keep out. That Bermuda grass gets everywhere!

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Another thing this has confirmed to me: the produce aisle at the supermarket is a wonderful place.

New Stuff

Here's our new stuff! I love it. We have a small living room, so we now have a love seat and matching recliner. Matching!! We also got a side table, which Luci has already put to use.

And it's leather...total luxury. This stuff will last us a long, long time. Our last couch was in great shape still, at 7 years. The Nances have it now, and I hope they get lots of use out of it, too.

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Something fun:

Luci just drew this picture of "Daddy." It's a profile--you can see both eyes, with his glasses. I totally love this picture.

Princesses and Other Stuff

Three pretty Princesses. The Nance girls with Luci.
Luci all ready for school. She thinks she is going to ride a bus to Kindergarten this year, even though we HOMESCHOOL and she starts Kindergarten officially NEXT year. I may have to paint our van yellow and drive her around every morning. Oh, yeah, Luci dressed herself. I think she did a pretty good job of matching things.

We are getting some new furniture for our living room, and trading out the Tabriz for a rug John got in Kabul on his 2004 trip.
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Heard Lately--

Bryan: Why is it called an Autograph when you have to do it manually?

Corn....

Week 1 Week 4
Week 6

Are you ready for this?

Ta-Dah!

Week 7

Thank Goodness for Good Neighbors!

Bryan was mowing the yard today. He came in and told me the mower was stuck--on the steep hill at the side of the house. Thank goodness the big weeds are still there, otherwise I think the mower (and Bryan) would have kept on going and gotten hurt. John will have a COW when he sees these photos!


Colby came over with Clay (son) and Bama (dog) and pulled the mower out. YAY, Neighbor!


This was worth posting--Luci up close and personal with a BIG DOG and liking it, even though her body language says otherwise, she really was enjoying being brave.

JT is home!

JT had a good time at camp. He got a "Spirit of Christian Camping" award. Dad and I are proud of you, JT!
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The brochure told parents to pick up kids between 10 and noon. I got there right at 10 and JT and Tyler were the only campers left! Tyler's mom got there a few minutes after I did. Thank goodness I wasn't the absolutely last parent there. Thanks for keeping me from having that distinction, Amanda! (but sorry you got that title!)
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Luci was more than ready to get JT. The whole trip down there, she kept saying, "I love JT. JT is my best brother." (No, Bryan was not in the car!) Such a happy girl!
I love the smiles in this photo.

JT even gave me a hug, but there's no picture of that. He was glad to see me, too, which was really nice. He said he was ready to come home on Wednesday. I'm so glad he finished camp. Thought you might like to know that I did NOT make a wrong turn on the way home. That trip yesterday was only 2.5 hours, not 3.5 hours like the return trip on Sunday.

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Later Friday we had a military family support group at our YMCA. I'm really thankful that they started this up last winter because this YMCA group is the only support group we've had for all of John's trips. The nature of his trips, being plucked from his group and attached to other units (the last 3 being the Corps of Engineers), there never was a near-by group for our family to associate with. Support groups are incredibly important and we've missed out every time. It is different when you have a whole group of families with one mission in common. Shoals YMCA, I am grateful for your help!

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Here is Luci after the meeting, finishing up her drink as the mamas talked outside on the porch.

This Week

On Tuesday, John's folks were visiting family Cullman (1 1/2 hours from us). I took Bryan and Luci down there, and we had a nice visit. Here are Uncle Joe, Aunt Patty, Olen, Jeannie and Aunt Violet (Joe's wife). Joe, Patty and Olen are siblings.

After lunch, we went to Joe and Violet's house. Uncle Joe took Bryan and Luci out on the Mule. Luci had a good time, which surprised me, since she won't even ride on a carousel. I love that haircut on Luci!

Also this week: Luci is trying her hand at doing make-overs on her dolls. Which includes haircuts, until I caught her. Somewhere in our house is a Cinderella Barbie doll with very short hair.

Corn....

Week 6! I thought there was not much change from last week... until I saw last week's picture in comparison!

And only 6 weeks ago...

For those of you who went to Ivydale...

and you know who you are! This is JT's camp. Wow, it is really different from the camp I used to go to! No four-holers here. If you have ever been to Ivydale, you'll know what a four-holer is.
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The sand volleyball court. Sand volleyball?! No sky-hooks on this court. The boys' cabins are in the background.

JT has a real bunk bed to sleep in, with a mattress! Mom, notice the bucket next to the bed? It has all his bathroom stuff in it, plus bug spray and sunscreen. That was a good idea, thanks for making sure I took my stuff to camp in a bucket. But notice that JT's is an ice cream bucket!
Where worship will take place. A real building! I don't think this building is air-conditioned, but it sure feels cool. One drawback--JT won't be able to sing and watch deer in the meadow in the morning, like I did at Ivydale. A good memory.
And padded seats?! What's THAT?!! Spoiled kids.
And the floor in the cabin? It's vinyl. Did I mention that these kids are spoiled?
The boys' cabins.
Mess hall. Very nicely air-conditioned, to the point of cold. You could sit outside if you want to, but why, when there's cool air in here?
Did I mention the air-conditioning? This funny boy is JT's friend, Tyler. This unit is right next to JT's bunk. Since JT's hot-natured, like me, he was a very happy camper to find that his bunk is so close!
There is a swimming pool also, but I didn't get to see that. They also have a crafts pavilion that is like a great big gazebo. So nice. The main difference, air-conditioning and padded pews aside, is the heat and humidity here. At Ivydale, you'd need to wear a ski jacket on some mornings because it can get so cool. But here, no way! Tyler gave JT a late birthday present--one of those squirt bottles that have a fan attached so they can keep cool in class and at the ball field. JT, have a great time!

Taking JT to Camp

JT was so excited today, to go to camp with his best bud Tyler. It's the first time both have been "on their own" without any family members with them. They are up to the challenge! I was thinking today that next summer perhaps I could volunteer to help out there and then Luci could sleep in a cabin with me, and Bryan and JT could both be campers. Until I tried to get Luci cleaned up (she had gotten into the sand-volleyball pit) and nearly passed out in the heat and humidity before I got into my nicely air-conditioned vehicle. I don't think I'd be a good choice for camp parent.
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It was a 2-and-a-half-hour trip to camp today. Very easy directions. Until I started home. I got gas in Jasper for $2.19!! But that was my mistake, because I turned right at the gas station and shouldn't have. I ended up in Birmingham, which is the opposite way from where I need to be, in a rain storm, in a not-favored part of town. With a detour because the on-ramp to the interstate was closed for repairs!
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So that little mistake cost me an hour of driving! Good thing that gas was 19 cents cheaper than it is at home.
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Here are JT, Tyler, Luci and Hannah at camp.

JT getting a big hug from Luci. He wouldn't let me hug him, so I had Luci give him a good one. I did give instructions to the camper: Please change your underwear every day and take at least one shower sometime between now and when I pick you up on Friday.
JT will find little notes from Luci and me if he changes his socks every day.

Just for fun--an Evian commercial

This is to make up for the hanky-fest of the previous post.

Luci's Heart

Luci told me this tonight...

When Daddy's not here, my heart is breaking...when Daddy is home, it's all together again.

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Don't tell Daddy, it will make him cry.

June 15, 2008

Happy Birthday, Bryan!

Bryan today (Well, really last night. He's never up this early!):

Bryan turns 17 today. He is such a nice young man. Bryan works hard so he can play. He will do almost any job needed without too much complaining and do it well. Bryan wants to be the next Steven Spielburg or George Lucas, and he just may get there--his short films are getting better. Bryan, Dad and I are very proud of who you are turning out to be!
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Bryan in June 2002-- 11 and 11/12, during John's first deployment.

Happy Birthday, JT!

JT today, at age 13!!

JT is a great kid. He was the happiest baby, full of smiles and now his job is making us laugh. He keeps me hopping, too. He's a thinker and comes up with some great puns. JT loves the outdoors. Luci pesters JT more than anyone else, but his love for her is fierce. JT, I love you!

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JT at age 5 11/12, when John was on his first deployment: June 2002.

Corn, Week 5. And Corny!!

Trying this from a different perspective--right between the cornstalks. Week 5 here: Week 4. Wow, what a difference!

Our first squash. Doggone it! We were out of butter yesterday when these were picked, so we'll have them tonight after a Piggly Wiggly run. Luci says she will eat them. We shall see.

Here's the "corny" part. One 4 year old + One happy meal box = Silly!

Stars and Stripes Forever--the MUPPETS version

I couldn't resist. The only thing wrong with this is that Fozzy Bear isn't in it.

Facebook....

Facebook--the social networking site--has finally sucked me in. Took a while, but now that I'm there, it is pretty interesting. I love getting to know my friends better: relatives, church folks, Families with Children from China, and homeschool moms.
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There are tons of quizzes. They are almost all silly. Some are icky. Most are kinda fun.
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Today I spent some time letting Luci give me the answers to the questions. We took several Disney quizzes (she is Demi Lovato, Cinderella, and Prince Phillip would be her Prince). One of the quizzes was "Which Disney Prince best suits you?" (That was the one that gave Luci the answer of "Prince Phillip.")
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One of the questions:

In a man, you seek...someone who appreciates my
talents and would do anything for me.

her response:

Not that one! I'm a big girl, I can do it
myself.

I love that answer! She takes after her mama.

Happy Independence Day!

also--thank you for your prayers for my mother--she is in rehab after her hip operation and doing great!

and John made it to his duty station safely. He called home at 7:20 a.m. :)

Luci-Speak

Tow Truck: a truck that carries toads
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Naps: that's what Mommy needs, but she tries to make me take one.

CrossPoint Fellowship

We had a big devotional/hamburger cook-out/sprinkler party Wednesday night with our church. Lots of fun! (Feingold families--Bryan grabbed that Vault drink and started guzzling before I could catch him. Everything else there seemed to be Feingold safe, except for the cookies that were served.)

Luci and very good friend Cole.

There were about 100 kids playing on this soccer field--TONS of fun! Luci and Cole in the foreground.

JT and Bryan with two young ladies....the boys have no idea that I "caught" them talking to females.

Luci...in her Army Kid hat. I tried to get another shot of her without that spot of light on her face, but every other photo came out blurry.

It was so fun! The breeze Wednesday night made it feel cold to this drippy princess.