22. pink

Photo of the day for the month of May.

Day 22. Pink

I have a small confession. Last night the boys wanted to sleep with us and I always say there is always room in the bed. I love it when they want to be near us it is becoming a rare occasion with Damian. We have a queen sized bed so that we are forced to be next to each other no matter what. Mostly we can't stay mad at each other if we want to stay in the bed and so far we have only slept in separate rooms when the husband is out of town. Last night I realized how big both of my babies are. I would fall asleep and then wake up to hot, crowded, or just plain uncomfortable. I took my pillow out to the couch but I was to lazy to go to the other side of the house in the early morning hours to grab a blanket. So I would get cold, and go back to my bed and the cycle would begin all over. No room in the bed for mom. So it is safe to say that I got next to no sleep. It turns out I was not the only one who slept badly. The boys woke up cranky. Damian went back to bed and slept for another two hours. Me, well I have a lot to do so I have to skip the nap. Tonight is the last cub scout meeting and I need to make a dessert. I still have no idea what to make and the clock is ticking, ticking, and my eyes are so heavy. So when I went to take pictures of something pink I picked something really easy.

Here is the photos of the day:

With a house full of boys I had to go outside to find some pink.

This rose is called peppermint splash.

I hope that you take the time to smell some roses today and that your day is filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.

21. where you stand

Photo of the Day for the Month of May
Day 21 Where you stand.

All morning I have been thinking about taking a picture of my feet somewhere. Then something amazing happened my baby, sorry I mean my big boy, started swinging by himself.

This is where I am standing, on the sideline of my kids life.

I know that I am still coaching but some days it is getting real.

This boy is learning how to fly.

I will be left standing while both of them leave the nest.

I love being their mom. I love that they are best friends. That they love each other.

Today I am standing still hope that they will grow a little slower, but I know they won't. I know that even though I want to hold on to these little people I also want to let them grow into adult men. I also know that I am going to need God's help to guide them down the road. I am praying that they know I am doing the best I can and that they will turn out happy adjusted people.

I hope that you are having a swinging day filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.

20. something you can't live without

Photo of the day for the month of May.

Day 20 something you can't live with out

This is not my picture but I thought it was funny.

I decided that I can not live without a work toilet! No way, no how, not ever! I would rather explode then use an outhouse! Seriously those things stink to HELL, covered in hungry flys, and you never know what creepy thing is down there. Personally I am too afraid to look for fear of losing last weeks lunch. I remember some gross guy in the news last year or so that kept going in one of those port a potties so he can watch people do their business. My skin is crawling at the idea. What if there is a snake in that pile of stink, or a monster. I have see X-Files it could happen! Not just the out house that you have to hover over while trying not to touch anything with any part of your body or clothes while holding your breath. Have you ever had to pee behind a bush? Also not fun to have to keep watch, hover, and pray. So I can not live with out my toilet.

I hope you are haveing a wonderful day filled with love, and laughter. Be well my friends.

19. a favourite place

Photo of the Day for the month of May
Day 19 is a favorite place.


What is my favorite place? I don't know. Here is why I am from a small town in Oregon and every time we go back home that is my favorite place. I love visiting Carter Lake. The Oregon coast, the cascade mountain range, the pine trees (which I used to think were nothing more than weeds), the smell of juniper, the horizon everything about Oregon is home to me. When I lived in England there was this road lined with trees that my husband and I would go out of our way to drive down at least once a month. England is a beautiful rainy country that I loved being able to explore and live. Paris France is one of my all time favorite cities. I still dream of the mussels and chocolate that I ate in Brugges Belgium. Panama City Florida is green and lovely on a river, creek, or spring. The white sandy beaches, the palm trees dancing in the wind, and the ocean filled with life, hope, understanding. The Rocky Mountain National park is one of the most scenic places I have ever had the pleasure to see. While you are standing on top of a mountain it is easy to know that God made that place. I love my house here in Texas, and my backyard. The truth is all of these places are shared with my husband, and my children. I think that without them these places lose the magic. So today I am staying close to home.

I love this place. Sometimes the kids and I pile on this couch and watch a movie for nap time, at the end of the night my husband and I cuddle up and watch a show together. Sometimes we have a family movie night with popcorn and everyone here together.

My kids art work. I let them tape it up and display their creations here.

For whatever reason Damian has started a Dinosaur wall.

He is getting pretty good at drawing these dinos. I love that he put random facts below each of the dinosaurs. We can all learn together.

I hope you get to spend some time today in your favorite place today and that it is filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.

18. something you made

Photo of the Day for the month of may

Day 18 Something I made

Well this is fun I make lots of things and share it with you. My children, my food, my mistakes, my poems, crochet wait it has been awhile since I posted a crochet project that I made.

The mermaid purse. I used this as a welcome gift when my mother in law came to visit.

I put a handmade soap from my favorite soap maker Hanson Family farms, half pint of home made jam, a small jar of homemade vanilla, and something else I can not remember. Anyway the point is it held all of that stuff perfectly.

I am thinking of making another one for me or another lucky friend but in different colors.

I wanted to show you the handle because it is so awesome. But I haven't learned all the functions on my camera. Thanks to my dear friend Erin I now know that little plant setting is a micro setting for close up detail shots. Thanks for the tip friend!

I hope your day is filled with creativity, Love, and laughter. Be well my friends.

17. snack

Photo of the Day for the month of May

I can not believe we have made it this far. Today is the day of the snack. I had no clue what to take a picture of. After all I already did a whole post on Marshmallows. So I opened a trusty cookie cookbook and decided to make peanut butter cookies for an afternoon snack with a cold glass of milk of course. A close friend of mine has been raving about pickled eggs and telling me how much my boys would love this tasty snack. Cough, cough, I have my reservations but I went ahead and made a small jar of them to try out. If they are better then what I think they will be (personally I have always been kind of freaked out by the idea of pickled eggs. I mean really, eek. Which is funny because I love to put pickles and the pickle juice in egg salad. We will see.) I might be persuaded into making a bigger batch.

On to snack pictures kind of...

I love this scooper.

Makes my drop cookies all the same size

I used to make giant cookies but then there would be who got the biggest war.

Same sized cookies makes me happy

And you get a lot more out of a batch.

I have no shame at all really. Why do I need all of these pictures on here? I just like when I take a good picture of something and then it needs a home. So I hope you don't mind to much.

That is right I use my handy dandy coffee cup to squish.

Oh, right here are the pickled eggs with some homegrown jalapenos

Since my cookies are in the oven and they are basic peanut butter cookies these are almost snacks. It still counts right. Well I am off to help the kids with their daily school work and maybe get dressed.

I hope you have a sweet day filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.

16. what you're reading

Photo of the day for the month of May
Day 16 What you're reading.

Today's photo is of what you're reading. Believe it or not this one is the hardest for me. I am always reading at least one new cookbook as if it is a mystery or romance, I am constantly referencing The Well-Trained Mind to see what we need to be reading, I have religious books I look at when I have a minute, Poetry Books that are being opened at random, and then there are the books I am trying to follow through with before my classes start again. At our house reading is everything and everything is reading. So how am I to decide where to begin. So I decided my nightstand will have to do.

I think I really love how this picture turned out.

This is the first junk book (simply meaning for enjoyment only. We started calling these fun books junk when we couldn't get Damian to stop reading goosebumps. Like junk food once you start you can't stop. Oh man I should stop explaining.) I have read since I started college two years ago.

These are the books that I want to read more of. I have read the five love languages 3 times. It never hurts to remember that we each show love differently. The journey to God is about finding God in Christianity; Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox leader coming together in this book. Now for the record friends I believe that God shows us where we are meant to be. So I believe in Christianity but I know that all religion is a reflection of God's everlasting love. There is no wrong way to Love. Mostly I like to read about the Mysteries of faith from all perspectives.



I hope that you are reading a great book and you day is filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.

15. Love

Photo of the day for the Month of May.

Day 15 Love

Rob learned to play a song so he could teach James. I love this.

I love the piano.

This is my baby's first Piano recital.

I have always loved the piano. Now I get to enjoy it as my children continue to learn to play.

I hope your day is filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.

14. grass

Photo of the day for the month of may

Day 14. Grass

Well I have to admit that I never thought I would make it to day fourteen, but I am having fun trying to pick a subject. Today of course the grass is in my backyard.

I laid in the damp grass (as today was the only day this week with out rain) to take this picture.

This is the grass that my peppermint is at war with.

Personally I am on the side of the mint.

Even mowed over it smells wonderful.

I just hope the next owners love mint as much as I do.

I hope that you have a sweet smelling day filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.

13. mum

Photo of the day for the month of may
Day 13. Mum or mom or in my case a mother-in-law

Happy Mother's Day Friends!

That is because she braved I35 to come see us for the week. Lucky us.

This is my mother in law Sue. Hi Sue!

She is having fun playing with the boys and our animals. We enjoy having her come to visit.

I hope you are having a wonderful mother's day filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.

12. something that makes you happy

Photo a day for the month of May

Day 12. Something that makes me happy.

I am happiest when I am writing so today you get another poem. So sorry... not really. But I love you for reading it any way

The rain is mumbling
falling, calling
Silencing the world beyond me
The rain is screaming
claiming the unrelenting earth
flooding, destroying
The earth is drinking
laughing enjoying
the gentle water caressing
The Earth is crying
plants are drowning
dieing
Now the rain is tormenting
The earth is filling
the battle is raging
Outside my window sill
darkness hides the blowing storm
I listen beneath my blankets
with my loves warm breath
caressing my neck
Tonight we are the world
tonight we are one
Thanks to the calling rain


I hope you have a wonderful day filled with Love and Laughter. Be well my friends.

11. kitchen

Photo of the day for the Month of May

Day 11. Kitchen

Well he is in the kitchen.

 I made marshmallow today and my husband helped clean the sticky bowl in the kitchen. I am going to post the recipe because it turns out marshmallows are easy to make at home with five ingredients. I think my kids will be singing my praises.

I hope you try something sweet and sticky today and that it is filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.



10. a favorite word

Photo of the day for the month of may

Day 10 A favorite word.

Not surprising

My favorite word is love. I try to actively live my life in love. After all love is free and we all are worthy of love and happiness. When I cook, bake, crochet, sew, hug, kiss, clean (if a little grumpily), raise my children, maintain my marriage, I do all of this for love. Go out and love your self, and everyone around you. Smile, laugh, and love often. It is the greastest gift each of us was given and it is the one gift that gets better the more you give it away.

I hope your day is filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.

9. something you do everyday

Photo Challenge for the Month of May

Day 9 Something I do everyday.

Most days I crochet, or at least creat something. I am working on a hat.

Why yes that is a basket full of yarn.

I love to make things for people and right now I am in the middle of about 5 or more projects. I guess I really wanted to keep busy on my month off of school.

I hope your day is filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.

8. a smell you adore

Photo a day for the month of May

Day 8 A smell you adore.

This was hard for me because I love the smell of many, many things. So is it my morning coffee, hot chicken broth, hot bread, roses, peppermint,etc?

Fresh picked tomatoes.

Yes, I have a fruit bowl full of tomatoes from the farm.

The little cherry tomatoes are called pink ladies and are so sweet!

I hope you smell the smells that make you smile and that your day is filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.

7. someone that inspires you

Photo Challenge for the month of May

Day 7 Someone that inspires you

Of course you can guess the person who inspires me.

My husband who believes in me more than I do. Who encourages me to follow my dreams and to believe in myself. Who has been known to say, "whatever makes you happy" in response to my crazy ideas or plans. I love you Mr. Bartlett.

My first born son who is passionate and encourages me to be better. I love you Mr. Bartlett.

My baby, I mean youngest child. Is honest and super stubborn inspires me to be Proud of being me.I love you Mr. Bartlett.



It is funny when I call for mister Bartlett around these parts all three of these boys answer. It is one of my favorite things. As for inspirational people I have three of the best people to look to for a little big idea or encouragement. Love is really an amazing thing. I am blessed to have so much around me. I thank god for these blessings every day.

I hope that you are inspired by someone you love today and that your day is filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.

6. you

Photo of the day for the Month of May

Day 6

A picture of you or rather me because well it is easier for me to take a self portrait than to get a wonderful picture of you.

Today I went out and tried to take a good picture of myself with the self timer button. Here is what I got . . .

So this is me, No I am not that grumpy.

Hey what do you do with your feet? Not this.

Looking down, with no expression, straight legs.

I like this one even if I am blurry. Well maybe because I am slightly blurry and because I remembered to suck in my jelly roll.

So this is me. As you can see I am a work in progress. Today I put on a necklace and the matching earrings that my brother's  awesome girlfriend made for me. She can be found http://www.etsy.com/shop/IndieKulture?ref=seller_info. She upcycles old bike tires and tubes and turns them into tubular jewelry. She is very talented and is she a mom trying to do something good for the environment. She gave me the poppy flower set because I really like them. She also makes belts, cuffs, and bracelets. Go on check out her Etsy store, I will wait.

 

Oops. Your back already? Now you know about this little secret. I watched the first season of The Glee Project. I may have voted for this young man because his name is Damian, and because he is Irish, and because he always stuck up for his friends and because he can sing. Why am I still talking... I really like this song made famous by the late Great Sammy Davis Jr. and it applies. Just be you. I gotta be me. We are perfect just the way we are and will blossom into who we are supposed to be in due time.

I hope you have a wonderful day filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends

5. bird

Photo Challenge of the Day for the Month of May

Day 5 Bird

How about a poem after all it is a picture of who I am.


Before there was you
I was a bird
In a cage
Beating my wings wildly
scared, hurting
You came
showing me the way
You led me out
let me fly
away, away

When I returned
you were waiting
like a mountain
unmoving
Again I flew
away, away

On my final return
I knew you were the rock
to build a foundation on

The foundation to the
rest of our life

You are the foundation
of my heart
I am the wings
of yours

Together we will stand a
lifetime

A lifetime filled with
Love


As I have told you before I love to write good or bad. I hope that I will get better with time.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend filled with love and laughter. Be well Friends.

4. fun!

Photo of the day for the month of May. Day 4.

Fun!

My James loves Rolly pollys with a great passion.

What is more fun then a bucket of Rolly Pollys?

I love watching these boys play and discover.

It fills my heart with pure joy.



I hope you have a wonderful day filled with love and laughter. Be well my friends.