small victories

the lead singer and i took the oldest world changer to his first youth group tonight.  They had the incoming 7th graders sit on a couch in front and treated them to kool-aid and brownies. interestingly enough.. they also had about 15 lit tea lights on the same table in front of that couch.

catch that?

15 LIT candles.

open flames..

right in from of about 6 boys. 

(who tried to extinguish them by placing styrofoam cups over them..)

 i sat on my "mommy mouth" and just let it go.... 

yeah for small victories.

Changing the World.... slowly.

it's 7:41 and my world changers are still sleeping. 

must be the first day of summer.

so i thought i'd share with you today about the plans i have for them...  

world changers daily stuff...

1. weed their "plot" of the garden

2. spend 30 minutes or more reading whatever they want

3. their pick up the floor before we go to bed chore.

4. we will work diligently on the ever present dish issue. 

5. swim... lots.

World Changers once a week stuff....

1. wash, dry, put away laundry (they each get a day)

2. mow the lawn.

3. spend LOTS of time on their summer projects.

oldest wants to "make something that goes at least 25 miles and hour,

 has 4 wheels,and a key."  

middle wants to sew her quilt

baby wants to learn to swim.. um.. ok! 

4. do one major clean chore- like wash the kitchen floor..etc..

if only half of this gets done.. i will still be a happy mommy. summer just doesn't last long enough.

Temper Tantrums

Today in the land of the oldest world changer.. bringing the dog to school was top priority. so much so that he forgot his lunch on the counter.. which means. i get to drive another 15 minutes there and back again to deliver it. which makes me soooo happy.  sure wish i had some coffee..

oh but since that machine exploded yesterday i don't get to have any of that..

i'm thinkin a trip to the fabric store is in order...

am i happy you ask?

happy.

i use it all the time.

but it's not just how i'm feeling

it's more of a state of mind

most of the time i choose to be happy.

i choose to be happy when my kids don't do a darn thing around the house.

i choose to be happy when i can't find a place in my heart for those silly cats.

i choose to be happy when i really don't like anyone i'm living with.

happy is a choice.

a daily.. moment by moment choice.

that i choose to make.

because i could so be crabby.. but who wants to be like 90% of the world?  

i have always been different.

so i am happy. yes. thanks for asking. 

and i know you have it in you too.. i just know it.

the last day of quiet..

this is the last day i'm getting alone before the world changer's day job is over.  i will miss the empty house and the quiet. however, i'm so excited to start spending the afternoons at the pool, and late night spur of the moment campfires and late night company under the lights in the backyard.

summer lasts WAY to short here in the corn fields. so we are going to make it the best summer ever and here's how.

1. we will entertain the gau's from the great land of OR 

2. chickens.. if they aren't all eaten by the resident felines.

3. headed to Kansas for some loooooong over due hellos.

4. camp at the neighbors.

5. dance in the neighbors shed 

6. swim at the neighbors.

7. do one art project under the stars a month 

8. summer reading at the library

9. help my middle to sew a quilt

10. repair a dresser that needs it

11. surprise trip from my hubby for our anniversary.

ohhh sweet summer.. please go slow. 

ode to the wind..

you make me crabby.

not only because i can't do anything when your around. 

like garden, watch my chickens, or even walk.

but because i can't hear anything either

it's like you are screaming in my ears constantly

yelling yelling yelling. 

i don't have many hates in my life.

but i do hate you wind.

go away.

crusin.

have you ever been on a cruise ship?

before you go you have to buy the right clothes due to the change in climate your hoping to experience. you dream of the all night pizza buffet and the burgers at 4 in the afternoon, the drink of the day special in that funny cup, and of course the fact that every minute there are tons of people paid to make your life on the boat.. a dream. easy sailing. nothing ever is wrong that they can't fix. perfectly choreographed all for your comfort. then when you get on the boat. the place is magically lit up with colors and scents.. excitement builds as it reaches deep down in your being and makes you sigh and say.. "this is the life." and you forget all the problems and issues back home, and somewhere during your stay on the ship you relax and unwind. then you leave the ship... great memories, but you life doesn't change.

have you ever been to a church that looks and feels like a cruise ship? and you wonder if your the only one who notices?

Top Ten Thoughts on Tuesday

1. hairstylist's that let me read while i get a color and cut are hard to find. most have a need to gab gab gab. i'm glad your not one of them. 

2. do you call a book about child abuse "good?" and recommend it to patrons?

3. my middle world changer changes clothes every 10 minutes from the time she comes home on the bus till she closes her eyes for the night.

4. movie watching should be reserved for weekends or when your family is in bed.

5. rain while the sun is shining is like real whipped cream on strawberry shortcake.

6. if i volunteer for something please make it a "win" for me by telling me what the heck is going on.

7. if you lead something and a person offers to help.. do you BEST work to try to keep that person. it's more difficult to recruit and train newbies than keep the willing and able. 

8. i see weeds in my garden and chickens in the coop.. and that makes me happy.

9. finishing something that you dragged your feet finishing has a bittersweet taste.

10. if church is something you go to.. you are really not "getting it"... and that bugs me.

todays treasures

four of my happiest moments of the day.

1. when i found a useful funnel for canning the harvest for 25 cents.

2. when this little guy with a yellow bird said.. "buy me." 

     3. mailboxes still bring smiles when a sister-in-law is as great as mine.

4. when my cell phone called a friend when i was in the bathroom. 

(flussssh...... actually that still makes me giggle.)

it's for good this time!

after all the drama of yesterday. my tony felt sorry for me. and we finished the coop.

so the chickens are officially out of the garage.. and life can continue as normal.

until the next one act play here at happy day farm.

there and back again.

i HAD them out.. they tasted a tad bit of freedom. 

all safe inside their 6 ft tall fence and all.

then the cat jumped over and in.

and i went a hollering outside in my socks. 

grabbed that cat off the fence post. had a fleeting thought of wringing it's neck, but dropped kicked him into the next county instead. (i DO have a heart.)

fixed that "hole"

decided i'd better wear shoes.

no sooner had i gotten in the house

then another cat jumped in..

good thing i put on  my pink crocs.

hollering i go... the cat jumps IN the pen...

so i scale the 6ft cow fence.

(wait... pleeeeease don't miss that.

that's a 6ft cow fence i scaled in pink crocs.)

i chase the cat around and then watch as that cat

hopped skipped and jumped it's way to freedom.. over the fence.

grabbed the cat carrier. shoved the chickens all in, and transported safely back to the cow tank.

i think i'll try later.. when i have a gun.