Tonight You Belong to Me

Too Cute...



This little girl couldn't sleep because of fireworks so her Dad propped her in front of a camera and began singing with her to get her mind off of the noise. What a treasure!

Enjoy!

Weekly Wrap Up - Sept 15

Life is full. Busy. For all of us, I realize, but blogging is not my life.

However, I love to be able to share what's going on in our lives especially with far-away family and friends. So even if I don't entertain you with daily posts, I am going to try to give weekly updates. I know that would mean a lot to those I care about most.

It's also a great way to record what's going on so weeks don't blur into months...into years. I used to try to capture the day with a picture, but that was too much pressure. I found myself taking pics of stuff I didn't care about just so I could mark the task off my to-do list and then actually missing opportunities for pictures I would want to take just because I was sick of using the camera. Weird.

So, my weekly updates will sometimes include pictures, but only if I really wanted to snap them. :)

Last week was full of work for my part-time job. That kept me at my computer A LOT, but the girls were both sick with head colds so they were vegging in front of electronics or the tv.

Mark has been traveling several weeks each month and this is the first trip we've experienced without Rhett at home (he's away at college.) It's been quiet. Very quiet.  Mark walks through the house a lot and Rhett talks a lot so having the two guys gone has been quite peaceful. Sorry, guys.  I don't like to talk on the phone, especially in the evening. I've used up my words by then and just want to relax, but without having an adult in the house, I find that I'm more willing to talk about the mundane with Mark on the phone. That's been a pleasant surprise for both of us.

I can't say that our house looks as tidy as usual. Oh, speaking of tidy...

Last Sunday at church I walked through the 4th & 5th Grade area to pick up supplies (I work in our children's dept.) and saw some forms titled "About Me" lying on a common area table. At the top of the  pile was Tara's form. I decide to peek at what she wrote about herself and her family and friends. It was mostly cute.

Here's the jist of what she said about her family:

My sister likes art.
My brother likes to read fantasy books.
My big sister likes to knit.
My Dad likes being outside.

Then what do you think she wrote about Mom? She likes to quilt? She likes to organize? She likes to read? Anything that might seem like a pleasure? Not really.

She wrote,

My Mom likes to have a clean house when company comes over.

Wow.

It's true, but I sure enjoyed giving her a hard time about it. Tara said it's the first thing that popped into her head.

Now I'm wondering if Dad likes being outside because Mom likes a clean house when company comes over? :)

Let's just say, we haven't had company over and it shows.

Back to the weekly update...

Because the girls were sick we, together, spent a lot of time in front of the tv. Fevers were raging, tissue piles were growing, snacks were plowed through. It was one of those weeks. We came across a new show that we really enjoyed, Rachel vs. Guy: Kids Cook-Off. What a hoot those kids were! And the food - amazing!

We love to cook and eat around here so my girls were truly inspired. So much so that earlier THIS week, Katie made homemade taquitos for dinner one night. They were de-lish! We were groaning and moaning the whole time we ate them. Definitely a new recipe for our house.

Whoops, I'm getting into this week!

Because we had so much time on our hands I was able to finish up a quilt I made for a co-worker who had her first little girl.  I LOVE this quilt! I love the Momma, too. I know she will cherish it for years to come.

That's our week. Boring, yet productive and entertaining.

Weekly Wrap Up

For our family and friends, here's our week, all wrapped up.

On Monday we said good-bye to our buddies -

 Bella

and Bentley

It's hard to even write about it without choking up. Despite our hearts breaking we knew it was the right decision for us to send our two horses off to another family. They went together and we've heard they are doing well. We plan to go visit them in a couple of weeks and check on them, but for several reasons we had to let them go.  The girls are barely keeping it together for these pictures; we did a LOT of crying on Labor Day. The field is lonely, but we knew it was the right thing to do.

Tuesday was the first day back to school. So far, so good. We didn't quite get a full day in on Friday so we finished up on Saturday morning. We've accomplished all we set out to do this week.

Wednesday I finished a quilting project.

These are appliqued coasters that I made for a swap.

When I want to try a new quilting skill I sign up to swap the finished project with someone. I need a little incentive and a deadline. I had a lot of fun with these and learned a few new tricks, as well.

These are the coasters I received from my swap partner.
Love the orange & blue!

Thursday was CoOp.

This was taken for our CoOp directory - a lonely little picture without Rhett.

(Thought some of you might want to see my haircut - went short in February!)

Friday our small group Bible study resumed. It was a wonderful night reflecting on the Word, prayer, eating & fellowship. So satisfying.

Saturday I tried tying up loose ends and did some laundry so those who are traveling  next week have something to wear. 

A month of joy & sadness

I'm glad summer is wrapping up. In some ways it's been peaceful; in other ways, it's been difficult.

Mark has traveled a lot and the farm work has fallen on the rest of us. We've faced illnesses, injuries and financial setbacks, but in all, we've made it through and I'm looking forward to stepping out of summer-mode and back into school year-mode. Anyone else?

This month I said good-bye to my second child, Rhett, (my only boy) as he went off to college. He's my buddy so it's been an adjustment around here. It's been a little quiet. We don't seem to be going through the food quite as quickly either.

Rhett has enjoyed the first two weeks of university and is getting along well with his two roommates.

My Colorado daughter, Ashley, and son-in-law, TJ came east for a friend's wedding and spent several days with us.

Oh, that Denver beard!

We spent hours talking, eating and playing boardgames - three of our favorite things. 

Our latest addiction...

(such a fun & easy game!)

We've been playing another game around here.

It's called "You might be a Redneck if..."

you can shoot a rifle at 10 years old...

you can shoot a rifle in a skirt...

you're the youngest, but have the best aim with a Glock...

you put a shirt over your head to keep the bugs off so you can take aim.

Yep, Rednecks!

This is some kind of country livin'.

Going-away Sing-a-long

First, I wish I had a picture to share with you. I almost didn't write the post because I didn't capture it in a photo, but I'm guessing you can use your imagination and envision the scene at our home last night.

My son, Rhett, has worked 2 jobs this past year in preparation for college. One of the places of employment is a local music shop where he teaches piano.  There are a few believers who work at the music store and they have become fast friends.  Rhett decided to invite those young adults over for a Mexican dinner, Martens' smores and a jam session before he leaves for college in 2 weeks.

Ten of us started off with green chili enchiladas, rice, chips & salsa and watermelon. Squeezed around the dining room table we had our family, Ryan & Chelsea (an engaged couple) who shared their romantic courtship story with us, and the Gold Sisters: Tori, Jocie, and Shelby - three very sweet and talented young women.  (I couldn't get over the strong resemblance between Tori and "Mary" the oldest sister on Downton Abbey. Two beautiful girls!)

After dinner we moved out to the fire pit to eat smores the Martens' way - forget the graham crackers, bring on the chocolate chip cookies!

Here's Tara eating the Martens' smores a couple of years ago - roasted marshmallow and chocolate smooshed between two homemade chocolate chip cookies. Trust me, you'll never use graham crackers again!

After our gooey dessert we moved to our "music room" (aka - office or place that houses the piano).  Ryan and Rhett took turns on the piano, Tara and Rhett played the bongo drums, Tori played the mandolin, Jocie, the guitar and Shelby, the fiddle. Mark, Chelsea and I sang along with everyone else. We all sat in a large circle singing whatever came to mind - love songs for the engaged couple, hymns, and worship songs.  The Gold sisters also sang some of their own music.  You can see their beautiful faces and hear their wonderful music here. 

I wish life were slow enough to have evenings like this every week! It was so fun and relaxing.

This morning I'm still fondly remembering the stories and music; time well-spent.  Wish you could have joined us too!

Blessings,

.

On the Mend

Thanks, Gail, for that gentle reminder to give an update on Biscuit...

Thursday when I awoke Biscuit was breathing shallowly and shaking with every breath. She couldn't move without crying in pain.  We took her into the Vet again (by stretcher this time) and she came out with steroids for inflammation, morphine-type pain meds and a camel (a bag's worth of saline given under the skin on her back for hydration.)  She was in bad shape.

She slept peacefully the rest of the day, but did not move from our towel covered couch.  Rhett and I carried her out at bedtime and she went to the bathroom, but we carried her back to the couch to rest for the night.

On Friday morning my puppy-girl turned the corner. She was lifting her head and initiated going out to the bathroom, eating and drinking. She still stumbled and shook when walking, but the pain meds and steroids helped her manage until the antibiotics could start attacking the infection.

Today she sat in her fave spot looking out the window and even went outside on the deck to watch Dad mow. A little bit of her personality is back! She's on the mend, thank goodness.

Thanks so much for your prayers, and Gail, especially, thanks for your concern and follow-up!

Blessings,

Waiting to see...

Biscuit woke this morning not being able to walk very well. I took her to the Vet ER today and found out she has full-blown lymes disease. Her platelet levels are incompatible with life and he said if I had waited a day she would have been dead. She's on meds and we're hoping they work quickly. We've had a lot of drama this month (3 Urgent Care visits for our family) and I'm not sure if I can lose my 2 year old dog, as well. If you would say a prayer I'd appreciate it.

Event-full

July has been event - full!  Much of the month so far has been spent in Urgent Care (3 times in 12 days!)  I'm hopeful we're all on the mend now and that the rest of the month will be quiet, but who knows.  Here's an overview of the first part of July - the good, bad and ugly.

The afternoon of July 1st Tara mentioned she wanted to start using deodorant. At the store we took the lids off of maybe 15 different ones so she could smell them and by the time I got to the car I was itching. By the time I got to dinner the hives covered my arms. By the time dinner was done they were down my torso. By Tuesday morning I was covered head to foot and went to Urgent Care. Three shots and 3 prescriptions later I was down and out until Friday, the first day of "no rash."  I now need to see an allergist. 

Our guess - an essential oil. 

To keep my mind off of the itching I threw myself into quilting a patriotic table runner for the holiday. ;)

My Dad brought ribs and corn over for dinner on the 4th of July and I made a red/white/blue jello poke cake. After we ate the gang went to the local park and watched the fireworks while I stayed home to rest.

Mark used his new chainsaw to take down a dead tree in the front yard.

Summer fun - the girls gave themselves avocado face masks.

Back to Urgent Care on the 11th. Bella, our horse, stumbled and stepped on my sandaled foot. The pain was intense and I thought it was broken. Diagnosis: severe contusion (she crushed the soft tissue only - no broken bones.) I'm in a boot for a few days. The foot is now black and blue, but the feeling has returned to my toes. 

Back to wearing boots when I work with the horse. Duh!

Katie ended up in Urgent Care on the 12th with a rash. She has a bacterial skin infection. We think it happened when she took a fall on Wednesday. Poor thing. It's a patch on her hip and the meds seem to be working. We're doing a lot of relaxing around here this weekend.

My husband has been traveling a lot. This week while he was away he sent me a gift in the mail - 6 jars of my favorite jelly, which I can't buy in any stores around here. (Smuckers Mixed Fruit)

What a sweet gift!

I have an outdoor girlfriend who gifts me with beautiful flowers/bushes for my yard. Here are some gorgeous lilies in bloom!

Bits of This & That

I've been in a writing slump. I've been enjoying the living part of life, but not really the retelling part. My poor blog has suffered neglect, but I haven't lost sleep over it. Through the years I've come to realize that my blogging ebbs and flows and I'm ok with that.  

I tend not to be a chatty person. Ok, sometimes you can't shut me up and I do enjoy an audience, but I tend to dislike small talk. If we sit down together I want to talk about something substantial, not just hear about what someone had for lunch, unless, of course, your lunch was note-worthy.

I'm rambling. 

Anyway, I read this post and commented about the Lord's provision in my son's life.  After I did that I thought to myself, "Wow, I should share more of those small tidbits of daily life. I enjoy when others do; it helps me get to know them. Why does everything have to be substantial?" 

I do realize my last post on taco-flavored ice cream was not substantial. :)

So here's the comment I shared. Maybe it will encourage you to recognize the small ways the Lord has blessed you recently.

A couple of days ago someone in the drive-thru at McD’s in front of my son paid for his meal. He thanked the Lord for a free lunch since he’s trying to save all he can for college in the fall. Then he went to work (a used bookstore) and a woman was interested in a Christian book entitled, Dinner with a Perfect Stranger. It’s one of my son’s favorite books and has a strong gospel message. He encouraged the lady to get the book, but she hesitated because of money. He said he really wanted her to have it and he bought it for her. He wanted to pass on the kindness and plant a seed. He came home and shared, “Well, I didn’t have to buy my lunch, but I spent my lunch money to share the gospel.” Sounds like money well-spent.

That was this, now on to that...

We went to see Monster's University as a family this morning. I loved Monster's Inc. and I loved Monster's U. just as much. Missed those guys, Sully & Mike.  It was entertaining to watch my son who is off to Uni in August take in all the stereotypical people/antics of the first week of college.  He said it made him nervous. Ha!

I'd also like to say that it sure is fun eating movie theater popcorn at 11am. Feels like you're getting away with something!  (yep, not substantial.)

One more bit...

I've spent the afternoon on Etsy. I would love to sell some quilts and other handmade items, but Etsy is a little intimidating. 

Basically, anything new to me is intimidating. 

I wanted to see what was selling out there to inform my creative choices. It's a little overwhelming, but I would still like to give it a try, hopefully, in the next few months. We'll see.

Summer - where you get to slow down enough to enjoy some bits of this & that!

Hope you're enjoying them too.

Tacotastic!

Today the girls had a writing assignment that asked them to come up with a new ice cream flavor that makes them think about their favorite foods.  This is what Tara wrote:

What would you call your flavor?

Tacotastic!

What would it look like?

It would be purple. (her fave color)

What would it taste like?

It would taste crunchy, cheesy, and beefy. Then, at the end, there would be a burst of hot sauce.

Write a slogan for it.

Are you sick of vanilla, chocolate and all those other plain flavors? Then try tacotastic! It tastes like an actual taco and you can even put taco toppings on it with our new tacotastic topping machine. Just call 1-800 - ***.****. Just call 1 - 800 - ***.****.