Butterflies in the Mist

What's up with the butterflies this year? They are everywhere and so very lovely. They are still just swarming the butterfly bush and the creek-nice to see.

Drummer Boy and Buttercup came tonight, as did Bean and Bugg. Mommy and Baby are doing good, except for baby wanting to sleep all day and stay up all night. Hopefully, they'll get that turned around soon.

Bean said school is terrible, everyone there thinks it's terrible, cause you can't have any fun at all. Ahhh. I miss them.

We have lots of fun in fourth grade. I started teaching them to sign today. They just think it's hysterical when I sign what I'm saying. Then they want me to just sign, though they can't figure out any words, which produces more laughter. I've always wanted to really teach a class to sign, but so many other things crowd that out. Maybe since I have a small class, I'll actually be able to this year and by the end of the year, I won't have to talk.

Remember when Handy Man tilled in the middle of summer? That's the spot where we made the mud pond.

We'll, it's not muddy now.
We have the most prolific weeds known to man. Crazy weeds.

I'm hoping he can till again to put in a second round of mustard greens, lettuce and spinach.

Lettuce is so ridiculously expensive, I hope we can harvest another crop.

OH the Wonder, the Wonder of You

Our new grandboy arrived just before nine last night. Gwen was at the hospital about 2 hours and had things more the way she wanted them, naturally and with a midwife. Buttercup spent the night with us. I was a bit worried for her, as she's never stayed here overnight before. She laid right down at bedtime, and we didn't hear another peep until Pappy went to get her at almost nine this morning. She was quite smitten with the new baby and immediately wanted hold "her." She was very gentle and loving.

Look at all that hair.


Pappy's turn.

Now Aunt Rae-rae
He is beautiful and very sleepy, quite unlike his big sister(oh, she was beautiful, but not too sleepy). He never really opened his eyes when we were there, so I'll be anxious to see what he looks like awake. Is there anything more precious than a new baby.

Welcome Baby Benjamin!

A Sweet Meal

You know the first week back at school is kinda crazy. I always come home very late and completely exhausted. Handy Man was kind enough last evening to have dinner going when I got home- smoked sausage and cabbage. Apparently, he thought he'd use the trusty ol' Mrs. Dash for a bit of flavoring. In perusing the spice cabinet, he grabbed what he thought to be a familiar looking bottle and proceeded to douse the cabbage. It was candy sprinkles, not Mrs. Dash! He declared, "Well, it had one of those sprinkle tops like Mrs. Dash." I said, "Yes, as do most all the other bottles in the spice rack." I was glad he told me, cause I would've of worried that we were ingesting some multi-colored mold on the old cabbage. A little salt, pepper and seasoning and all was well with the meal I only needed to add a finishing touch to. Not everyone has such a colorful dinner I bet. Thanks honey. I so appreciate the effort.

Crazy School Days and Stuff

Today was the first day with students. My class is very small this year and if the first day is any indication, we're off on the right foot. I think this is going to be a little class of prayer warriors, as we are going to adopt three people going through cancer treatment. I'm hoping for a pretty laid back year. I'm not to used to those.

The rest of our county is in a tiz. After dropping students off at daycares, grandparents and sitters for years, they suddenly decided to stop. Most folks didn't discover that until this week. So not only does elementary get out an hour earlier, 2:20, they have no transportation to caretakers ( including my first grade grandboy). Buses are full with 75 students to a bus and hour long bus rides in the 100 degree heat. Our tax dollars at work.

Usually my return to the classroom marks the end of gardening days. Oh, we keep eating it as long as we can find something, but there is no time for caretaking. The garden goods this year have been unusually delicious. I have so enjoyed the bounty.

Over the weekend I made salsa. Mine with sweet peppers and Handy Man's with a habanero he grew in the "up" garden. Wonderful, that's all.

When I was finished, I took the scraps out to the girls. Mama Yellow Chick Awesome had the babies out. She started bringing them out of the coop when they were only about ten days old. About gave me a heart attack. Then at two weeks, she brought them out of the chicken yard. We've been so blessed in the 14 months we've been on this chickie girl journey. No evil has befallen any girls while ranging around the yard. Well, except for poor Jetta, who did not survive baby Arwen's, "Play with the Squeak Toys" game.

Yellow Chick Awesome is very protective. We are not allowed near those babies. Handy Man said that this afternoon during a pop-up storm, she puffed all up and gathered them under her. She's been fascinating to watch. I really prefer her parenting to me having to worry over them.

"Watcha eating Mama, can I have some, huh, can I?"

Ahh, then there's Pap's Girl, who better be glad she's his girl, as she hasn't laid eggs in a long time. She's in love with him.

Our baby boy BJ is due any minute. Please pray with me for his safe arrival.

Too Hot for Princesses

In addition to Wednesday's Playdate, I also keep the Gramerlings on Fridays. Buttercup usually comes early and leaves before nap time. Bean and Bugg arrive late morning and stay as long as possible, usually till near bed time. On our last Friday, Ol' Mother Hubbard was able to come and visit with Ol' Henry and Antebellie while the babies were napping at home with My Kate.

Usually, on Playdates, we don't get out the dress-up clothes because it is hot and messy and mostly outside play. My little princesses wanted to get on their appropriate attire for a day of pretending, so I let them. We headed outdoors and Bean and Ol' Henry went to the dry creek to destroy whatever enemy lurks in those parts.

Ol' Mother Hubbard and I were visiting on the porch when we heard some serious giggling coming from the side yard. She checked and then advised me to come and see what was so funny.

In the wash tub in all their finery. Well, they managed to leave off the boas and tiaras, but tutu was floating everywhere amongst bejeweled shoes and princess dolls. They found this quite hysterical. All princess accouterments survived the bath.

As the baby population grew, I knew that old dolphin swing wasn't going cut it. I wanted so much to buy an actual park/playground swing, where you can swing high, but they cost hundreds of dollars. So, we found the best deal for what we had to spend and hoped for the best. Most every Playdate began and ended on the swings.
What was interesting to watch was the way the medium little people started swinging the wee people of their own accord.


When 10th month baby Noah visited, Miss Linee, just two herself, wanted to swing him, and she did so carefully, talking sweetly to him the whole time.
Still, the great love is the blue dolphin swing. Handy Man replaced the ropes again and made the new ones the same length, but I guess the nylon stretched a bit. Bean was devastated that his feet touched the ground. I told him I would dig him out a spot. He is in no way ready to part with being swung in this swing, though he is quite capable of swinging himself on the other swing, or swinging someone else. I'm not ready either.

Happy Trails Playdate Friends

I woke up today in a foul mood. I probably should say, "got up," as I'd been awake off and on since 2 am with that lovely sleep inducing feeling of someone trying to drive an ice pick through your nose- a sinus headache. Handy Man left a note of caution about the anticipated 100 degree day that will feel like 110. Then medicating to remove the ice pick sort of gives me the shakes. Add that to this being my last day of summer that felt like it lasted 3 minutes, and the last Playdate, well, did I say, "foul" cause "foul" is what I meant.

Bean and Bugg arrived first and Bugg said, "Look, I have on my science dress!" "Are we going to blow those paint bubbles?" I was so very surprised that she remembered that science event from last summer. We had so many babies this year, and since I'm all about letting the wee ones get in the fray, I did not do paint bubbles. It's ugly when instead of blowing in the straw, they suck, and paint, though it's non-toxic, is best left out of baby lungs. I could see she wasn't going to give up the paint bubbles, being dressed in her science outfit and all, so blow paint bubbles we did.

Did you know when you blow the red paint bubbles with lots of good force, you get chicken pox?

Um, well, now you know.
I was trying to round up all the babes for our end of year picture when one little obstinate missy I'll refer to as Annie Oakley wasn't having it. She wanted her picture with a gun- here ya go Annie!
Antie SZQ found a castle pinata on sale. Due to the "puddlin' " weather we were having, Miss Glitzy tried to talk me into saving it for the Gingerbread House Party, but I could not be dissuaded. Look at that fierce warrior destroying the castle.
It appeared its wasn't too hot to eat candy. I did refill everything that held water and made them cool off when they were finished scavenging all the goods. Thanks Auntie SZQ!

So, here we are, the end. Excuse me while I find the tissues.

Name Change?

I'm thinking I should change Buttercup's name to Bluebonnet or Bluebelle, especially in her War Bonnet.
She has been such a delight this summer. She's been here often enough to be very comfortable with us. Now this baby doll she carries gets as much attention as the swing and the schickies. Whenever I sing to her in the swing, she claps her hands, then claps the babies hands-so cute. We change lots of diapers.
She is now very interested in Bugg and Bean and asks for them whenever they are out of sight. She is a big talker for not quite two.
This summer has felt like it was only five minutes long. I barely got into the swing of things and it's time to change swings. I worked in my classroom all of yesterday afternoon. This Wednesday is the last Playdate. I will miss these kids terribly .