Donna's Painting

My friend Donna asked me to paint a picture that would go with the rug in her powder room. This is a picture of it while in progress, I somehow forgot to take a picture of the final result! (Duh) So, it has another flower at the very top left, sort of a side view showing more stem, and it added quite a bit to the composition. There are also some more flora in amongst the background. Maybe I can convince her to take a better picture of it for me so I can post it on my painting blog. I am happy to report that it is hung and looks great with the rug, and it is definitely the focal point, since it is quite large, 24 x 36, and pretty colorful. And it smells good, you know, like oil paint and varnish!

Winter Visability

I was talking to my dad the other day on the phone and he reminded me of a story from our days out at Jeffrey City.



He had an employee at the mill that bought a piece of property south of town. Since most of the weather came from that direction, Dad asked the man why he did such a thing. The man answered that he didn't think he would have any problems, he had a brand new 4 wheel drive!



Winter came, as it generally does, and with it snow and lots of wind. One day dad started to get worried, the man living south of town did not show up at work, did not call, nothing. He was just about to go looking for him when he came to clock in. Dad, asked him what the matter was, and did he have trouble getting out with his four wheel drive? Well, he replied sheepishly, no problem with the truck, I just had to find it first!



We used to get drifts over the tops of the houses. I remember one year our phone line went out. The kids walking to school tripped over the wire! I write these stories to remind myself to be happy with rain! It works!!



Thinking of all of you living through the big blizzard in the East and Midwest. And oh so thankful it is not me this time! :) Be safe.

Scientists find bizarre coconut-carrying octopus | KOMO News - Breaking News, Sports, Traffic and Weather - Seattle, Washington | Offbeat

Scientists find bizarre coconut-carrying octopus KOMO News - Breaking News, Sports, Traffic and Weather - Seattle, Washington Offbeat

School Pictures

These were taken the first day of school. Unfortunately V. doesn't love hers since it was taken at the end of the school day and her hair is not represented the way it was supposed to be. Ah, such is the story of school pictures. I like them!

I have enjoyed listening to this book on tape in the car while doing errands. It struck a cord with me because so many of the memories written about were things my mom talked about growing up in Minitare Nebraska. Her first 7 years before they moved to Wyo to get a new start. She had special needs as a child, I can't remember the condition but she needed to have citrus fruit, which was very expensive and hard to come by in the depression. I do believe she felt guilty about that. The other thing I have enjoyed about the book is the recipes that were shared. I have tried and loved both her biscuits and her applesauce cake. I decided to order a copy so I could give it to the kids if they ever become interested in the way some of the family was raised. Besides, the authors name is even Mildred!

Smile!

I heard today that one of the most important things to do in a job interview is to smile. Well, I would, if they would call me for an interview. How can they know how great my smile is from a resume? Smiling does always sell. And it makes us feel great!

New Blog

I have been busy trying to take pictures of all the artwork I have done over the years to create a portfolio. I need to have something online to show prospective employers etc. so I am "exposing" my art. Blush. I will be working on this in the next week or so, I don't have any "new" artwork posted yet but I soon will!

Link to blog: Looking Through Lainey's Eyes

The "Money Talks" game

Sibling conflicts are a part of life, but sometime they make me so very tired. So last week we did a trial run over the weekend of my new game. This week it is for real!

Theory: It takes 4 possitives to counteract a negative.

Rules:
1. Each player gets 5 dollars worth of quarters.
2. For each hurtful, derogitory, negative statement or forbidden word (stupid, ugly etc.) 4 quarters goes in my jar. Thanks!
3. For each kind deed, or genuine, specific compliment, or feel better phrase, you get to take One quarter out of my jar. Thanks for the peacemaking efforts!
4. The one with the most money left after the day wins and gets another 5 dollars! Win Win Win! In the event of a tie, and you are still "positive" in your quarter bank then banker will double your money.
5. If you go over your 5 dollar limit, (overdrawn) you will be using your own money and each dollar represents a chore to be done as assigned by banker. Good luck and have a great weekend! I know I will.

The Mad Scientist

It's gonna blow!

Yikes!

Rut row!

Momma's not gonna like this.....

I can only say...Wow!

Darren Maurer is an artist of outstanding ability. I have been a big fan of his for several years, bought the jar of jam painting from him (which brings me joy every single day!) and now he has made me cry. Fortunately they are happy tears, as he has offered to give us this very special painting of my sweet family, aptly titled, "Bedtime Story". If you haven't visited his site, you should! Darren does great work, with sentimental themes, wonderful warm colors, and believe me, it is worth it to spend a little on great art work! Everyone who comes to our home comments on the painting. Thank you so much Darren for this special gift, it will be treasured.

On a particular Saturday....

While I was inside cleaning floors and making pumpkin bread the rest of the family and a little neighborhood kid were doing pen duty. The comments were pretty funny. Joe decided at the cocoa break time that his imaginary friend Diego would be helping out and Joe would take a break and go play. This was strongly discouraged by his supervisors. Much ado ensued about Joe doing his share, not letting the poor goats sleep in poopy quarters, and other words of encouragement were shared.

And so he pitched in again, what a trooper! (A super duper pooper scooper trooper to be exact!)

Taking a little time out on the hood of white lightning. Gent did his part by filling up any corners with leaves....

but not all, oh no not all!

And these not so helpful helpers were having a wonderful time listening to country music, and four stepping on the driveway.

Sweet goats by Jove! He is so cute and fluffy!

Gentry and Fireball share some air. Fireball loves to sniff a persons breath. I am not sure why, fortunately his breath is usually not too bad; sweet hay smelling. Of course there are a few regurgitation moments in his 4 stomach digestion you don't want any part of. Pee-yew!

Spidery Work

Photos compliments of Pops!

Happy Birthday Pops!

It was great to have Nanny and Pops here for Pops birthday, this time before convention started. Victoria made cupcakes, and Beth made rhubarb pie.

There was fortunately some needed (or not) help available.

Joes Sleepover

This was way back when....August, but worthy of a spot on the blog. The boys kept asking when they could have a sleepover together so we had one. It was pretty funny. Joe did great, Grant was up fussing over Joe several times in the night. He is not used to sharing his bed with a squirmy youngster. I think Grant ended up in his favorite sleeping spot once (under his bed) but then Joe woke up and G. wasn't there....it was humorous! They had a great time playing and reading together! It is fun for Grant to be the big boy, and fun for Joe to get to play with a big boy.

So much to catch up on!

I am so behind that I don't know where to start so will just list some of what has happened....boring for those reading so this is just to document it for myself.

Victoria flys back to NE. She did great, had an escort to help her connect in Denver and to meet up with Nanny and Pops. She was so nervous she could not eat (or sleep) but she did great! They arrived in Omaha and met up with more family for birthday parties and more.

While she was gone she picked, shucked, bagged, and labeled corn, picked and canned beans, helped with cleaning the Depot with Duane and Brenda's girls, made breakfast several times, washed cars and hopefully made herself generally useful. She was very impressed by how much work the other girls did- clean all the time! It was great, I think she has a more well rounded idea of what will be expected of her here in the future. Smile.

Fun stuff to balance the hard work (partial list). Shopping, swimming in Rene and Deltons pool, putting on a play, riding a ferry?, having a girls night out at Chances R., going to a play, going to the zoo, going to the Sound of Music in Leavenworth. She had an amazing time with the activities but most special to her were the amazing people! (Her words) She loves you guys! Thanks so much for opening up your hearts and homes to our darling girl. She was made better from the experience.

In the meantime, back at the ranch, Grant had some days of really missing his playmate, fight partner. G and I did go up to VR for a few special days together. He had some friends over, but almost everyone was out of town. Bummer for him.

Grant had a great time at preps (he pressure washed all the sidewalks) and then played hard too. He also enjoyed Katie and Michael's wedding, and the fun time with Liam that followed. He too has grown a lot in maturity this summer.
Then came conventions, and now we are looking school smack dab in the face. Both kids came down with colds this weekend, so they didn't make it to meeting. They only have one more day left!

70 Year old man falls 200 feet

Gentry met this man while he was hiking along Fish Lake road. He had gotten lost, and picked up the road to orient himself again. Not long after this he fell. He is in OK condition but Yikes! He told Gent that he started out with two other fellows but one had bad health and the other had a bad attitude. Too bad he was the one who took a bad fall. Read the Story.

Sweet Boy

This fine little feller is well known for giving big hugs. Don't you just want to hug him?

Sweet Girl

Today is this sweet little munchkins 1st B-day. We are looking forward to celebrating!

She always is so perfectly clean and fixed up cute...so I really like this little snapshot of her with a smudge or two. She was a perfect little camper.

20,000 Leagues Under the Pond

We have spent many a trip going up to VR and listening to "20,000 Leagues under the Sea" on tape. It has added much to the experience that Grant can use his remote control Submarine in Huckleberry Pond. It is very cool!

Attack!!

Boys (and girl) with sticks, are a possible mortal threat to the Nautilus.

Whistle Pigs

There has been so much going on I am sadly behind in blogging and quite overwhelmed so I will just update something trivial instead of the whole 9 yards. The NEWS: VR has a burrow of Whistle Pigs, or Hoary Marmots. Grant and I saw one of them come up to the trail to the Lookie Loo, great big leaves hanging out of its mouth. Once I became aware of them, I heard them calling back and forth to each other. How exciting! They are little fur balls about the size of a large house cat...in case you did not know...

and they live in burrows, are awake during the day, are vegetarians, hibernate during the winter months, and chirp to each other, and trill when danger is near. Thrilling!

Matchy Matchy!

Tim had to do a lot of prep work on the peeling paint but already it is looking better.

And now it is all matchy-matchy with the house.

And with my car for that matter! (Beth's sister Ginny says that I am the only person she knows who has matching accessories for our house.) Funny.

Huckleberry!

Gentry did not have a successful putting-in-culvert session for our VR neighbor (the man did not have what was needed to complete the job), so he picked huckleberries to relieve stress, or more probably because he just wanted to. The pie crust looks very hopeful, not beautiful since it was made in a quick hurry but the texture looks like it might be what I have been hoping to achieve...maybe I will get this figured out? And the filling....it will be amazingly huckleberry!! Yum!!!

All I have been doing lately...

Remember this sweet little home? I have been showing and showing and showing this house, taking applications, calling references, and showing it again. I like this little house but I want this process to be over! I have had a slew of tatooed folks come through, 3-4 young working divorced women with a child, lots of calls from people who want to have dogs, (no), parents looking for thier children, or grandchildren...and on and on. Sigh. The ideal I keep looking for: A young couple, both working, who look at the big lawn with delight and ambition!

The whole bunch.

I love this picture! But then, I was having fun and even getting a couple smooches with my eyebrow flirting friend, then there is Luke, getting ready for pictures includes cleaning out the proboscis, Brian, is obviously taken with the view, Andrea and Micah have matching poses, Victoria is having sweet moments with Danny, Beth is getting ready, the back sides of the boys are a nice contrast, and Grant has matching pant legs in this picture.

Ryan and Jennifer: This would be a better looking picture if you were here too...we missed you!

Sister-in-law's

As it turned out we girls were not any more cooperative for the camera than the boys. These are the best of the bunch. Here we have Andrea epitomizing the words, "Mother of all boys!" She is tough!

And Beth is welcoming anyone else who would like to join?

They may be tougher, smarter, and younger- but I will always have the height advantage! HA! We sure had fun together.

Brothers

The beginning of the uncooperative modeling. Aren't we proud to know...who is that goof at the end?

I made them turn around...they are a clever bunch.

And oh so handsome!

Trying a little harder.

Pops, this is your fault! (Just trying to look respectable.)

Well, the lake and the mountains are beautiful and the boys...we still have work to do girls.