Domino and Wilobee

Sunny days at the horse ranch~

Miss Elizabeth and Wilobee~

Miss Lydia and Domino~ Mr. Elisha and Mr. Jacob wishfully thinking~ :)

Smile!

roof part one

Did ya ever wonder that maybe you just were meant to be somewhere else? It goes something like this-- if you have a perfect, beautiful weekend to finally work, you end up in a ball on the living room floor with a bowl to throw-up in. If it's not snowing, the monsoon rains come. If it's not raining, it's the windiest weekend on record. You get someone lined up to do work for you and they have to cancel because their mom is sick... need I go on?

Surely things can't be as difficult to get done as they seem, right? I'm not complaining here, just letting anyone who cares into a little glimpse of our remodeling events.

We're not even building a 'new' home- but I can now understand why they say new construction can be one of the most stressful in someone's life. Our saga continues...

This is a roof--- not just any roof, but our ugly roof. Our ugly roof that's just slightly over the legal limit for asbestos. If you know anything about that, you know that it can be quite difficult, not to mention extremely costly to get rid of. After 2 years of trying to find someone with accountability, who would also tackle the removal job legally and with a reasonable price, off it came!

Extra special thanks to Norris Environmental Inc. for a SUPER JOB! FINALLY a company with character and accountability!

Doesn't that look much better on the ground? Elisha just whittling away as he watched -- until he got 'shoo-ed' out due to safety issues :) And here we have a clean roof. With a pretty blue tarp. Kind of matches the Lowes paper, doesn't it? I still think Lowes should pay us some kind of advertising commision. Yes-- the weather is beautiful. And VERY windy. Tarps aren't quite made for wind-- need I say more?

But never fear-- new shingles will be pounded on next week. No sweat. That's if we get the shingles that were supposed to be here yesterday. They do say they are ready for pick-up and the roofers will do just that on their way here-- but I think we've all learned to believe it when we see it :) Had to throw this one in--- What's Elizabeth been doing? Making PapPap really happy with a colorful driveway-- he just LOVES sidewalk chalk :)

Oh-- and what were today's adventures? More demo with dormers coming off. And falling into windows. Mark said it was either him or the window-- so he chose the window. Good choice.

And yet more construction-- some day it will all be finished-- right?? :) I'm thankful for my hard working men around here! I couldn't have it any better! What is this up in the trees? The deck off of the upstairs bedroom. And Mark's back-side :)

OK-- just one more picture for anyone following our twitter updates-- when I say I'm soaking in the sun by my red-neck yacht-club-- 'mud hole'--- I'm being quite literal! :)

Until the new roof appears... enjoy that GORGEOUS weather!

girls' dreams come true

On a snowy spring day a few weeks ago, the girls started on their dream adventures of horsemanship lessons.

In the middle of nowhere on over 4,000 acres with 100 plus horses, peace and serenity abounds.

Lydia met 'her' horse. Domino, and Elizabeth met 'her' horse Willobee. Quite fitting :)

What horse farm is complete without a few peacocks hanging around?

Let's not forget the farm cats.

Jacob loved every minute.

Let's just hope the rain clears out so lessons can resume this week...

Easter picts finally

As promised-- Easter Day festivities are here :)

Ready, set, RUN!!

60 plus Easter eggs made for a fun way to use up some time :) Thanks Grandma and cousin Monica!

Lots of goodies to go around~

Adventures in kite flying~

And smiles from all-- the children FINALLY figured out that if they just smile the first time, Mom leaves them alone MUCH sooner :)

A New Week-Long Holiday

Just some random thoughts-- and yes, our family is as guilty as the next in this area--

that beastly screen sitting in the living room, pulling us in and sucking our brain cells away--

(LOST doesn't really pertain to this does it??) :)

Having trouble finding quality time to spend with your family? Here's an interesting aricle reprinted from Janice Campbell of Everyday-Education.com.

TV Turnoff Week: Fast, Cheap, & Easy Life Enhancement!

Why not live a little this week? The Center for Screen Time Awareness is once again sponsoring the ever-timely TV Turnoff Week. Pointing out that “television cuts into family time, harms our children’s ability to read and succeed in school, and contributes to unhealthy lifestyles and obesity” (though otherwise, it’s not so bad?!), the Center suggests that during the week of April 20-26, families keep the television OFF.

They suggest that “Turning off the television gives us a chance to think, read, create, and do. To connect with our families and engage in our communities. To turn off TV and turn on life.” We always learn more when we choose to do and be, rather than sit and stare. If your family usually watches a ball game, try playing a game outside. If you enjoy cooking shows, try cooking instead! If your children like to watch cartoon, introduce them to the comics, and try drawing a few. Do and be, don’t sit and stare! The key is to live, rather than watching someone else pretend to live.

If the statistic stating that “forty percent of Americans frequently or always watch television during dinner” is true, and that includes families with children, think of the wasted opportunity for fellowship, shared conversations, and relationship building! Among the recommended activities for the week is a family dinner, an activity I recommend having as often as possible. You’ll find, as your children grow older, that it becomes increasingly difficult to find evenings to gather everyone around the table. It’s always worth the effort, though, because it can be a time of bonding and sharing. One of our table rules has always been that nothing negative, including anything disciplinary when the boys were young, ever takes place around the family table– only pleasant conversation and polite discussion of news and ideas. This way, the family table is a place of happy memories for each of us.

In addition to turning off the television, the Center suggests that spending an evening without any screen-time of any kind would be a good idea. I know that our family finds it easy to get busy on our respective computers, and in so doing, we miss the chance to be together. I think I’ll propose a game one evening this week– perhaps a round of Pick Two, or an all-out Scattergories brawl. Though it’s hard to beat Scrabble for all-around fun! In closing, I’ll remind you of Roald’s Dahl’s wonderful poem/song, “Television.” You may read the whole thing on the Minstrel’s site, or in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Here’s an excerpt to whet your appetite:

“The most important thing we’ve learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set
–Or better still, just don’t install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we’ve been,
We’ve watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone’s place we sawA dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they’re hypnotised by it,
Until they’re absolutely drunkWith all that shocking ghastly junk…”
Read more of the poem…
Janice Campbell homeschooled her four sons from preschool into college. She is the author of Transcripts Made Easy, Get a Jump Start on College, and Evaluate Writing the Easy Way, as well as the Excellence in Literature curriculum for grades 8-12. Be sure to visit her website, http://www.everyday-education.com/home/index.shtml, to get a free writing evaluation rubric and sign up for her free, twice-monthly e-zine.

soon!

I promise-- more pictures and updates coming SOON!!! The excuse this time-- an end-of-year office reorganizing and updated computer-- yay!! Until then-- wishing you a Happy Easter!

introducing...

...the house of LOWE'S. Our neighbors love it-- LOL!

Anything is better than this... Little by little-- dodging rainstorm and snowstorm... it's coming slowly but surely :)