Basketball

The next to the last game is this weekend I think. Johnathan has really had fun this year. Check out Clark Kent in the background. Superman you've let yourself go.

Busy Weekend - Fun Weekend

The kiddos finally got to try out their new saddles. Meganne and Braden are starting to learn and Johnathan pretty much has it down since he rode most of the trails by himself last summer and fall. Hopefully we'll have the other two riding soon. I'm not pushing Braden and Meganne I have to remind them all the time that their brother didn't start riding by himself until last summer. After years of wanting them to be able to ride now I'm nervous that they might actually be old enough to do it. Mom-worry sets in but I have to let them go right? I have to let them learn. No one told me what a struggle being a mom would be. I want them to fly but on the other hand I'm afraid to let them try. I want them to be confident but I'm afraid they'll get hurt during the learning process. UGH! Mom-worry...it's a disease I tell ya. I'll let the photos pretty much speak for themselves.

She loves the Saddle Club...it's her very favorite show...not reallly a surprise is it. Oh and we rescued this horse. A friend found him for us. He found Magic a couple of years ago and he is the most broke horse ever especially being as young as he is. This horse "Lance" (Meganne calls him Sir Lancealot) was on his way to auction when we found him. While he's older he is going to be great for the kids. The best part he was free. He'll earn his keep if he keeps my kids safe on the trail. Although he's not much to look at, Meg just loves him. There is nothing she'd rather do then go to the barn with an apple or carrot for her buddy.

This little guy can hardly wait for his turn

Sticking out his tongue must help his riding skills. LOL!

I'm only allowed to post this photo of Derek. This is a rare sight. Even more rare is the photo of him in the saddle which I'm not allowed to post. He's changed his horsepower in for a car these days.

This one thinks he's a pro now and not too crazy about the pink saddle. I seriously think he's lives in these pants. But he's rough on cloths and that is an understatement. I had no idea that Carhart made pants like this for kids but they are definitely durable and worth every penny. I'm bummed he's growing out of them so fast but at least there are no holes in the knees and I'll just save them for his brother.

Saturday - Play with Photoshop.

This is the before...

Playing around with my post processing...this is the after.

Saturday afternoon is pretty much the only time I get to play with photos these days. I know I over did it a bit but I like how this turned out.

Breakfast with Peter Cotton Tail

It's hard to believe that Easter is next weekend especially since yesterday I had to drag by butt out of bed to have breakfast with the egg hiding guy. But the kids throughly enjoyed their cafeteria style breakfast pizza and I was very grateful for the strong coffee...I was not into the breakfast pizza at all. Laurel went with and I think was perhaps a little overwhelmed by the people and kiddos. Just wait until she has kids and they start school. She has no idea and I can't wait. Glad I took my camera. Meganne is a social butterfly while Johnathan runs from the girls but is so over the top ornery with them. I wonder how long it will be until he turns around and starts chasing THEM instead. It won't be long and no one will pose with the Easter Bunny except for me. Hmmmm I wonder where that photo of my sister and I are posing with the Easter Bunny in high school just might have to blackmail her with that. LOL!

Spring is really almost here.

These lovelies are starting to bud in my yard. That means that wild mushrooms are right around the corner. As soon as the lilacs bloom we'll be out in the woods searching for this seasonal delicacy. I can hardly wait. With spring comes mower season and we are out of our minds crazy busy right now. My DH sends me in every possible direction all at the same time. Really, our early morning conversation usually starts off with "this is what I've got going on today and I need you to do:"

1. Go to the bank

2. Pay that bill

3. Find that invoice

4. Do you remember that guy that bought that mower? Remember that guy two years ago? You remember who I'm talking about right? UGH!!!

While he is telling me what I need to do I'm usually thinking about...

1. the laundry that needs done

2. Which kid has what practice after school

3. What I'll be making for dinner.

4. Can I consolidate any of those practices with a possible trip to the bank????

5. Perhaps I really should go buy toilet paper and milk TODAY!

6. NO, I DO NOT REMEMBER THAT GUY!!!????!!!! Are you trying to make me crazy?

Are your days like this? Does time seem to accelerate to breakneck speed during a specific time of year for you too? Does it sneak up on you like it does here? Seems we're in the throes of winter and plowing snow and then suddenly people are dropping of mowers by the minute and the phone is ringin' off the hook. Man! I love spring! It's beautiful and busy, it smells so good just to walk outside but really stinks that it will fly right by and before I know it summer will be here.

Lesson Learned

I nearly lost every single photo I've taken for the past two years and it really was my own dumb fault. The mother board and power source of my went out of my computer and after nearly $400.00 paying for the extended super warranty for Dell (the warranty was 3 months out) they found my hard drive also had a glitch. Ugh! So I had to pay for the software warranty to the tune of $247.00 and some change. I could have bought a new camera body I've been eyeing for that! Dell really knows how to get you when you are down. I've determined that I would have paid any price, walked through hell and back for those engagement photos of my daughter and my kiddos on vacation etc. I cried...and cursed and then cried some more. Then put on my big girl panties and called my computer guy. Who saved the day!!! I probably should have just called him in the first place. He would have fixed my computer and Mr. Fix It (who doesn't fix computers by the way) would have only had to sharpen his chain saw chains for the next couple of years. But noooo, I had to call Dell and they had to rake me over the coals in extended warranty prices. But I'm thankful to have my photos back and copied to the external hard-drive that I'm now using religiously and should have been using every day for the past two years. STUPID!!! I know! I have an external hard-drive and never use it. I only think about using it to back up my files. You would think that after my last computer got struck by lightening that I would be very careful. You'd think that right? Nope not me...what were the chances of it happening again. Some sort of power glitch the tech guy said. A freak thing my computer guy said. Yes of course it's going to happen again and it's going to happen to me. The good thing is that if my computer pukes again before 2011 everything is covered! It damn well better be! The bad thing is my computer will die one day later. That's my luck.

Valentine's Day Revisited

What a weekend. The kids have had a 4 day weekend this week. Their Valentine's party at school was on Thursday. Early in the week I couldn't figure out why they were having the parties on Thursday. It just didn't make sense until Wednesday when they brought home the reminder paper that Friday was a teacher in-service day. So we packed everyone up on Friday and went out to breakfast at our favorite amish restaurant and then on to the horse and tack sale they have every friday in Amish country. I try not to go and see the horses that are being auctioned. Mr. Fix It overheard a conversation with one of the auctioneers saying that there were a lot of horses that just kept getting dropped off each week. They have no idea who the owners are...I guess just people who can no longer take care of their animals. Actually it happens a little this time each year when people start running out of hay and can't feed the horses. It's sad the condition that some of these horses come to this place in. So that is why I try and concentrate on the tack they are selling. We actually got 2 kids saddles dirt cheap and now the only thing we need are helmets for Meganne and Braden and we will be ready to hit the trails as soon as it warms up just a wee bit. This will be the first year in 10 years that we can all ride together or I'll stay back and read a book. I've stayed back with the kids for all those years and who knew that the kiddos would actually grow up and want to ride. But they have and now it's my turn to just enjoy the camping on my own if I choose or if I'm so inclined...I'll ride too.

Back to Valentines Day, I baked cupcakes for DS's class and packed up enough conversation hearts for both classes to play conversation heart chopsticks (who can pick up the most conversation hearts in 30 seconds) loads of fun and the kids just love this game. Mine have become pros and Johnathan gave his prize to the second place winner. He's a good boy...when he wants to be. There was just myself and another mom in his class. Meganne's class had eight moms volunteer so I just dropped off the game and headed to Johnathan's room (Braden in tow). Braden was completely overwhelmed by the big kids because they kept telling him he looked EXACTLY like his brother. He was actually very mad about it all weekend long. Here are the cupcakes I baked. Suddenly, I've become very good at baking cupcakes...I've never been interested in baking but I love baking cupcakes (probably because they are easy). The heart toothpicks were so easy too. Just two Martha Stewart heart punched shapes glued back to back on a toothpick. Johnathan made a really cute picture frame during his party and they both got way too much candy. We're still recovering from the sugar coma. Johnathan was definitely hyped up after the party...can you tell from the photos above. Tomorrow they go back to school ~ YEAH!!!~ Actual Valentine's daywas very relaxed here at the Boyd house. Mr. Fix It and I wished each other a Happy Valentine's Day early in the morning and then got busy with our day. Meganne made us both Valentines, and the boys gave me a foot massage without my asking later in the evening. I was surprised by a phone call from Derek who was running all around the county with some of the guys from the Delphian choir. He said "mom, hold on a minute". They sang "Let me call you sweet heart" to me from the car. Singing valentine's are one of the choirs biggest fund raisers each year. They had just stopped at my mom's house to sing to her (all on his own with no prompting from me...gosh I love when my kids are good all on their own) and then the boys sang to me over the phone. They were on their way to a Valentine's wedding to sing. How cool was that???

Seeing Green Today

I'm glad I sweated and slaved in a 200 degree kitchen canning these babies in September. Right now I've got two jars of beans sitting on the counter of my kitchen just waiting to be turned into green bean casserole for dinner tonight. I swear if you want your kids to eat green beans then you've got to have them plant the seeds, water and weed them on hot summer days and then pick them until their tiny little fingers are raw, and sit and snap them for hours....then and only then will your children appreciate and love green beans. Ugh! What a job but oh so yummy! Oh and I'm a little ahead of the game since Valentines day is this week LOL! But I made this St. Patrick's Day card awhile ago and thought it was time to post. The plastic shamrock was from some cupcakes I bought last year :)