Burnin' it baby.

Yesterday while my husband and two oldest kids were gone doing this...

The little girls and I were outside doing this...

It was the perfect day with lots of sunshine and minimal wind.
For the last few weeks I have been seeing spots of bright green trying to make its way past the dead brown leaves of last years overgrown plants.
So with gloved hands, we pulled away all the old dead stuff. I also pruned down roses. As we worked we made quite a pile of the old dead stuff. You know what else we added to the pile? Lots of these...

Tumbleweeds!
Oh how I love them.
My favorite is when I'm driving on a windy day in my big old Suburban.
I see it out of the corner of my eye, and it's a BIG one. YES! I hit it with my car...
or actually I guess it hits me.
Or sometimes the game is to dodge them. That's awesome too.
So these babies pile up here and there during the winter months. They blow in and get lodged in the rosebushes or against the fence.
Be careful, they are prickly!!

Trev and the kids returned around dinner time. Luckily they picked up some Mexican and we all scarfed it down. We then headed outside to dance around this...And with great satisfaction, we watched our beloved pile burn.

Our bodies weary, backs achy, it was time to turn in. But not before a few of us took a little dip in this...

A perfect day you say?
OH YEAH.
I'm ready for more.

Good things.

What am I still doing up?
My eyes are drooping, but my head is full of good things.
And good things are usually worth sharing, right?
I really enjoyed hitting with Joanna today. Her smile and cheer are contagious.
My hottie works hard.
I took the girls in for fillings, and watched as he hustled from room to room brightly greeting each patient, and treating them all as if they were his only one.
I'm really tickled that I ' M H I S O N L Y O N E !
Watching him work made me want to rush home and make him a fabulous dinner,
and spoil him with attention & love.
Elece is so fun, I call her a firecracker. I can't wait to see if she goes through with our awesome tennis shirt plans...
I got to pet a 10-day old foal today. He was spunky & adorable...and all legs.
I awoke to melodic birdsong. I heard it outside my window.
Thank you birdies. I've missed you.
My friend Casey is a sweetheart. I'm so glad I met her.
She calls me Shell, and for some reason that means something to me.
I have a soft, warm bed with a sweet warm man in it just waiting for me.
I'm one happy girl.
Sleep sweet!

Mary Poppins tells funny jokes?

Since interviewing my 5 year old was so much fun, I decided to see what was in the heads of my other monkeys. I enjoyed seeing them think about these things, and hearing what came out of their mouths...and just so you know, I am the worst joke teller EVER!!!

M.A. - Age 14 (almost)


M.B. - Age 12


M.C. - Age 9

Me - What is something I always say to you?
M.A. - I love you and thank you.
M.B. - I love you and look how tall you've grown!
M.C. - I am like an angel.

Me - What makes me happy?
M.A. - Getting new, nice stuff.
M.B. - Spending time with family, and cooking.
M.C. - When we all do stuff together as a family.

Me - What makes me sad?
M.A. - When I say something mean that hurts your feelings.
M.B. - Don't know. Are you ever sad?
M.C. - When you can't go play tennis? I can't think of it, or maybe you just aren't very sad.

Me - How do I make you laugh?
M.A. - By telling funny jokes and stuff.
M.B. - A lot of ways.
M. C. - When you say funny jokes and things.

Me - What was I like as a child?
M.A. - Tomboyish.
M.B. - Happy.
M.C. - You and daddy say that you were a lot like me.

Me - How old am I?
M.A. - 37.
M.B. - 36.
M.C. - 36.

Me - How tall am I?
M.A. - 5 feet 2 1/2 inches.
M.B. - 5 feet 3 inches.
M.C. - ummm, not as tall as M.A. I don't know. I will guess about 4 foot 3?

Me - What is my favorite thing to do?
M.A. - Play tennis.
M.B. - Play tennis.
M.C. - Play tennis.

Me - What do I do when you're not around?
M.A. - Um, I don't know... you clean the house? Or go shopping?
M.B. - You do all the things you don't have time to do when we are around, like play piano.
M.C. - Um...You clean up the house?

Me - If I become famous, what will it be for?
M.A. - A beauty queen or a famous tennis player.
M.B. - Tennis.
M.C. - Tennis or for being the best mom.

Me - What am I really good at?
M.A. - Cooking.
M.B. - Tennis. Me - Anything else? M.B. - Cleaning, decorating our house & designing.
M.C. - Tennis. Me - Besides tennis. M.C. - Helping all us kids out with everything.

Me - What am I not very good at?
M.A. - Hmm, drawing.
M.B. - Handyman stuff, like woodworking and fixing the cars.
M.C. - Oh gosh, um...that's a toughie...juggling?

Me - What do I do for a job?
M.A. - Be a mom.
M.B. - Watch over the kids and house.
M.C. - You don't have a job. I don't understand this question. You help our family?

Me - What is my favorite food?
M.A. - Oh gee, um... apple pie.
M.B. - Mexican food.
M.C. - strawberries.

Me - What makes you proud of me?
M.A. - You compliment me on my drawings and you're nice.
M.B. - Your love for us, and how you spoil us.
M.C. - When you play with me.

Me - . If I were a cartoon character, who would I be?
M.A. - Can this be manga related? Hmm...Princess Midna from Legend of Zelda. She's pretty.
M.B. - Mary Poppins?
M.C..- I can't think of a cartoon character, but you remind me of Debra on Everybody Loves Raymond.

Me - What do you and I do together?
M.A. - We play tennis together.
M.B. - We play tennis together, and we talk a lot.
M.C. - We plant stuff in the garden together.

Me - How are you and I the same?
M.A. - The way we sound on the phone.
M.B. - We both have guitars and like guitars.
M.C. - We both like to do sports and to play and to be active.

Me - How are you and I different?
M.A. - We both view clothes and styles differently.
M.B. - I like building stuff, not sure that you do.
M.C. - You are 36 and I'm almost 9.

Me - How do you know I love you?
M.A. - Because you tell me that you love me, and get me things that show me you love me.
M.B. - I just know. Me - More specific? M.B. - Nope, I just know.
M.C. - Because you tell me that you love me, and you always help me with everything I need.

Me - What do I like most about your daddy?
M.A. - You think he's sexy! (Can I say that?)
M.B. - He is funny.
M.C. - His good looks.

Me - Where is my favorite place to go?
M.A. - Hawaii or the Virgin Islands.
M.B. - The beach like Hawaii.
M.C. - You like to go play tennis, and you like to go out to eat.

No ice cream for breakfast!!!

I interviewed Monkey D today. She is 5 years old. It was fun to hear her answers. I did not expect quite a few of these, and they made for a good laugh.


Me - What is something I always says to you?
M.D. - I can't have ice cream in the morning.
(This is true, and she asks me way too often at breakfast time!)

Me - What makes me happy?
M.D. - When I make valentines for you.

Me - What makes me sad?
M. D. - You are sad when I am sad.
(This is true also!)

Me - How do I make you laugh?
M. D. - ummm, can we skip this question? I can't think of it.

Me - What was I like as a child?
M.D. - I think you were sweet and liked to play.

Me - How old am I?
M.D. - 15.

Me - How tall am I?
M.D. - Um...15 inches.
(As she answered this she looked from my toes to my head, counting to herself)

Me - What is my favorite thing to do?
M.D. - You play tennis.

Me - What do I do when you're not around?
M.D. - Laundry and stuff.

Me - If I become famous, what will it be for?
M.D. - Playing tennis on t.v.

Me - What am I really good at?
M.D. - Helping me with stuff and picking out Halloween costumes.

Me - What am I not very good at?
M.D. - You are always good at things.
Me - Can you think of something I am NOT good at?...
M.D. - But you are good at everything!
(I could tell she did NOT want to answer this one. I think she did not want to hurt my feelings.)

Me - What do I do for a job?
M.D. - A mom and a tennis player.
(Hmm, about now I'm thinking I should lay off the tennis a bit).

Me - What is my favorite food?
M.D. - I think pepperoni pizza, is that right?
(Not even close, but cute.)

Me - What makes you proud of me?
M.D. - I'm so proud when you give me candy.
(Hmmm, I wasn't expecting this one.)

Me - . If I were a cartoon character, who would I be?
M.D.- Spongebob.

Me - What do you and I do together?
M.D. - Go shopping.
(GROCERY shopping.)

Me - How are you and I the same?
M.D. - We both have blue eyes.

Me - How are you and I different?
M.D. - I like orange and you like pink.

Me - How do you know I love you?
M.D. - Because you are so sweet to me.

Me - What do I like most about your daddy?
M.D. - When he helps you, and you are proud he is a dentist.

Me - Where is my favorite place to go?
M.D. - Um, Chinese food.
(Completely out of the blue - we RARELY go to Chinese.)

Who knew?

My life is not busy enough.
I have so much time, I decided we needed to add another animal to the mix.
A puppy!
A puppy that needs attention, time and training.
So, here she is in all her curly cuteness.
Meet Pepper.
She is an adorable mini schnauzer. She was the runt of the litter in need of a loving home.
I guess that home would be ours!
And we welcome her with enthusiasm. We are all pretty smitten by her. I particularly am charmed by her willingness to house train so well so far.
Cotton seems taken as well. He has been found sleeping right next to her crate.
So welcome to the family Pepper! We look forward to many walks with you, lots of tug-of-wars, some sweet snuggles, and all the other things a puppy can bring to life.
So I'm a dog person! Who knew?