A lot of running around!

Ouch! The cat kept jumping up on Greg's computer and when I knocked her off she scratched my neck.



Anyway, I haven't been blogging because my computer died again! I had to send it back to the company to get it fixed AGAIN! This is the second time in a year. I should be getting it back on Monday! Oh please oh please let it really be fixed this time.



I've posted some pictures on Facebook of our many adventures this month.



We went to the pumpkin patch with co/op and Girl Scouts on Monday. Tuesday there were terrible storms here. I am SO glad it was not Wednesday or Thursday, as I had lots planned those days. Wednesday, the kids and I travelled to Alabama to pick up 66 (dead) chickens. It wasn't very adventurous. The process was interesting to see. When we pulled in the driveway, chickens just leisurely crossed the road. I didn't think it looked gross or anything, but Aussie prefered not to look at the chickens hanging to be packaged. They just looked like the whole chickens you would get in the grocery store.



Thursday was a wonderfully busy day! We travelled to Chattanooga. We first went to an I-MAX movie on surfing. Then we went to see a replica of the Nina and the Pinta. We ate at the Mellow Mushroom. We did those three things with our co-op. Then everyone split and most went home. My kids played a bit in the fountains outside the Aquarium. Then we got on the bus and went up the street to see the Chattanooga Choo Choo. Then we left and made it in time to see the sunset at Sewanee. I let the kids play on the playground a bit and then we started home. Out of all those very fun things that we did, Aussie said his favorite part was riding the bus.

The kids are off to the library with Daddy. And I have a few moments by myself. I wish I had the energy to run around and get some things done today. But I'm tired. I went to bed at 3:30AM. Why in the world did I do that? Well I did something really dumb last night. Somehow I loaded some unwanted program onto Greg's work computer. So without waking him up I had to try and figure out how to get it off. After I finally "thought" I got it off, I just fooled around on the computer for another hour and a half to make sure nothing popped up. When I was convinced I had it off, I wrote Greg a letter and told him what I did. He told me HE deleted it this morning. So I guess I didn't get it off in the first place. Then I woke up too early freezing. That's when I took off my CPAP mask and well I don't get any sleep when my mask is off.

Sorry I'm rambling. I'll sign off for now and hopefully will be back to blogging next week. If your friends with me check out my pictures on Facebook!

American Girl Doll

I'm really sleepy tonight, but I can't go to bed without sharing my exciting news.

Today, at church I was carrying Sarah (Ashley's doll). My friend Megan asked me if it was an American Girl doll. I told her it was a knock-off and that Ashley has started being conscience of that fact and really wanted a real one. What came out of her mouth next surprised me. She said, "I'm not going to have any girls and I have a Samantha doll and a bunch of her clothes just sitting in my garage and you can have it." I asked her how much she wanted for it. And she said, "How about I just give it to you."

Samantha happens to be THE doll Ashley wanted.

Samantha is no longer being made.Megan was just as excited to gift it to us as I was receiving it. She mentioned it was like the kid in Toy Story that passed on his favorite toys to the little girl down the street. I asked her if she wanted to give it to Ashley, but she just said she would be happy seeing pictures of Ashley opening it on Christmas morning.

This doll is in EXCELLENT condition. I asked her if she ever played with it. She even had the box the doll came in.

Here are some pictures of the clothes:

All the clothes came in a little blue suitcase. And had this little doll tea set in it.She also gave me this American Girl Brass bed.There were some of the original tags with the doll. Instructions on how to care for her hair with the hairbrush. I am in awe of her generosity!!!

Am I blessed or what?

So don't mention this to Ashley. She will be getting it for Christmas.

A beautiful Park

It is beautiful here. The leaves are beginning to change colors. It's beginning to get crisp. Today I took the kids to a nearby park that we have never been to before. But I can tell you we will certainly be back. It has a gorgeous 2 mile path around a lake. We went 1/2 mile around and then decided to turn around. I didn't have the right shoes on for a 2 mile walk and Aussie scraped his knee. So we decided to turn around and then play on the playground a bit. The deer were out and we were able to get up pretty close.
They are such beautiful creatures.

The kids enjoyed walking on the rocks.

They played on the playground for a little bit and then Ashley had to go to the bathroom. I needed to pick up a picture, so we left with promise that if we had time we would come back. By the way Wolf Camera/ Ritz Camera had a deal today for a "free" 11x14 picture today only. There is shipping charge or a in-store service charge so not quite free but it was only $3.

When we came back there was a couple on the playground. I don't know if you can tell what the kids are doing below, but they are speaking into this think which is below the playground and the other is up on deck where the couple was standing. Then I hear them talking to the couple. Mind you the couple cannot see them, they can only hear them. But I start hearing them talking to the couple. Things like "I hope you are having a good time up there." I peeked up there and the couple starts giggling. Then the kids started singing. 2 people in a tree k.i.s.s.i.n.g... I told them they needed to leave them alone, but I think the couple was getting a kick out of it.

I definitely need to take Gramma/Grampa and Nana/ Papa to this park the next time you come to visit.

School pictures and such

Last Wednesday we took pictures in class. I'm not sure if I didn't have time to edit more of them or if I only chose these two to share. Too many days in between for me to remember.
Today the kids had their school pictures taken. They are almost always good. So this time I decided not to get their picture taken together there. Why in the world would I not if they are almost always good? Because even with a nice discount that he gives our co-op it is still quite expensive and I didn't want that temptation. So I only got individual shots to go into the yearbook. But I did take a few pictures at home.

Silly Mason!

I just like this picture below:

She may look pretty here, but she sure didn't want to cooperate today.

I LOVE this picture of Aussie! (below)

Finally a genuine smile from goofball Mason.

Tonight we didn't have photography class. That church was having a movie night so all of the classes were cancelled. I'm still wondering when it will sink in what settings to use when.

This weekend I expect to get a lot of good pictures.

Best of Nashville

Now THIS is something to write home about!

Greg's play Twilight of the Gods was voted as the BEST new play of the year in the Nashville Scene. You can read the whole article here.

I am Very Very Proud indeed!!!!

Osage-Oranges

Everything you wanted to know and didn't want to know about these curiously little bumpy things:
(Straight from Wikipedia)
Osage-orange, Horse-apple, Bois D'Arc or Bodark (Maclura pomifera) is a small deciduous tree or large shrub, typically growing to 26-49 ft tall. The fruit, a multiple fruit, is roughly spherical, but bumpy and is filled with a sticky white latex sap. (blah...blah...blah you can read more if you wish here.) But interestingly it shows promise of being a mosquito repellent with similar activity to DEET.

So what does this have to do with anything?

Today, I was dropping off some money to a friend for an upcoming field trip. I wasn't planning on staying. I was just planning to drop it off and come right back home. When we got there, she and her kids were heading out the door to pick up these strange fruits that fall to the ground and cause problems if you should need to mow. They do this once a year. And since their neighbor mows their lawn by the mailbox. They pick up these osage-oranges in their yard too.

OH how I wish I had my camera with me.

The kids wanted to help and they didn't mind the company. So we helped pick these up. They live in the country with a LONG pebble driveway and it is beautiful there. We sure were not dressed for the occassion. Crocs do not feel very well on lots of little rocks.

Along the way the kids stopped by the creek, after Mason spotted a heron. They played there for several minutes trying to skip rocks. (But I'm not sure you can skip rocks that are as big as a medium sized pet.)

Then they went about picking more osage-oranges, putting them into the big wagon and then throwing them into a creek area in which they are trying to use as a little landfill to keep it from overflowing.

My stomach started to hurt, so I set back to get the car and I would pick up the kids on my way back. It didn't take us long to get down the hill. But it sure was hike back up it! (Especially when I wasn't feeling very well!)

But I learned a very valuable lesson:
What in the world was I thinking leaving the house without a camera!? I should have at least had my little one in my purse.

Brownies

Ashley officially bridged over into Brownies. And as a present, Miss Amy bought them all brownies.

Mommy's little Brownie Scout.

And ahem...Aussie's little Brownie Scout...
Yep he still calls her his girlfriend and she still considers him her boyfriend.

Pictures from my new camera.

My kids are climbing the walls-literally.
OK now for the fun stuff... These pictures are from my Wednesday night photoshoot.
My photography class met in front of the church in which we meet and took pictures outside a little cafe across the street.

I love how only the flowers are lit inside the cafe and you can see the reflection of the church. The teacher flashed a light only on the flowers to created that effect.

And these are the very first pictures I took with my camera. I love it!

It has a great zoom lens and is very fast, so when my difficult child wishes to be difficult I can catch that smile in spite of his difficultness! (But to give him the benefit of the doubt he has been MUCH better lately at letting me take pictures.)

Stunning!