just because

 Cement truck pouring the footings for the garden tunnel

 This is why they make skirts with shorts attached.

 Learning R this week

This Day

Here's my grace, thanks, joy list for today... because some days you just have to start writing before other emotions take over!
- Not too much complaining about extra schoolwork
- Phase 1 of the tunnel passed county inpection
- Speedy cement truck
- Cement splatters washed out of pants and jacket
- I had just used the last check that I put into aforementioned jacket (that I put in the washer)
- The sharpie that was also in the same jacket pocket kept its lid on and therefore did not leak all over my load of lights
- I was wearing work overalls when I dumped the paint tray on my leg
- My mishaps cheered up the kids
- The pies are still edible
- It was a warm enough day to open the windows to let the smoke out
- Afternoon solitude
- No one cut from the glass that broke
- Proliferation of eggs
- Dishwasher worked today!
- Silly, puppy-like cat who runs and flops on his back, waiting for a tummy rub

Carrots are Cool

This afternoon I went out and, like a mole, dug headfirst into our carrot pit and pulled out a basketful of beautiful, long, crisp carrots... that we harvested in the Fall! Not only can they last for a super long time in moist cold dirt, and not only do they grow in weird, twisty shapes sometimes, but did you know that carrots absorb toxins? The good news with that is that they're uber healthy... or they can be. The bad news is that they also absorb toxins in the soil that they grow in! Yikes! There's one GREAT thing about growing your own food- you know exactly what's going into your food and therefore body. In our case, lots of compost and "pre-digested hay". :) Fun times. Time to eat up- it's almost time to plant a new patch! We're going to have a lip-smacking garden stand this Summer, so stop by sometime! :)

Me the Brave (oh, and the kids)

Sometimes the only thing to be done is to get out of the house. Even if one is afraid of heights, and especially of seeing their children on narrow paths on high places. BUT. For the first time, I actually took all five kids, by myself (is that an oxy moron? "All five kids" and "by myself"? Anyway...) on a hike up a little cinder hill- Old Cave's Crater. It's about a 2 1/2 mile hike when all's told, with a good bit of elevation change. Well, not only did we make it to the top and see the caves and see our itty bitty house way down below, but everyone actually had good attitudes! Berea was the tough one who generally set the pace and was heard saying several times, "Hikers never give up! They keep hiking!" I completely forgot my camera sometime while I was filling water bottles, but I did have my cell phone! Which Andy nicely left a microSD card in, which I coincidentally found a microSD card adapter buried in the desk a few days ago... So I could get my phone pictures onto the computer! Grace and Laura, I'll be sending you a few pictures of your kids soon. :)

 In front of an alligator juniper tree

 Taking turns sitting in the carved out tree trunk chair.

Favorite People

I had the amazing opportunity this weekend to go with my Mom to Yuba City and visit my Grandma, my last living grandparent. I was able to video some of her memories, including her testimony of how she and Grandpa came to faith. Grandma and Grandpa took care of me quite a bit when I was growing up, and Grandma still misses me not being able to pronounce my R's. That would be one thing that we disagree about. :) My favorite story (that I didn't record) was when she was talking about Grandpa's passing away, she was able to pray for him and sing to him.... (as a young couple they would go for drives and Grandpa would say to her, "Sing to me, Baby."). Shortly after she sang and prayed for him, he nodded his head twice and passed away. That's sweet sorrow. A few months later she had a dream about Grandpa in Heaven- he was young and happy, but still in a wheelchair- but doing wheelies in it and just having a good time. I just love this lady so much and can't wait for us all to be together in Heaven!