Happy Memorial Day

My Dad

 Today we are reminded of the great sacrifices 

that the men and women of the Armed Services

make to defend our way of life.

Thank you for your service.

 Freedom isn't free..

Enjoy your day...

Summer is here!

A Walk Around My Yard

 Spring is finally peaking its head out here in Wisconsin. One of my favorite trees are the flowering crab trees. The pinks are so bright and beautiful. It is just too bad they don't last very long.

 I bought this grassy plant at a nearby nursery the other day. It is so fine with little ball-like things at the ends.

 Here's another shot of the flowering crab. Can you notice the lighter green leaves in there? A couple years ago we noticed some big green apples growing in there. Somehow an apple tree started growing right inside of the flowering crab tree. How does that even happen?

 There are frost warnings here for tonight so all my baskets of flowers had to spend the night in the garage. (The ones in the buckets have pointy bottoms so they don't stand on their own. They really are super cute baskets.)

Yep....I drive a VW beetle. I'm cool like that.

 Bleeding hearts are so calming to me. They remind me of my Grandmother.

 This little lilac is still trying to bloom. Maybe it just didn't bring it's parka.....brrrr.

I absolutely love the smell of lilacs. These white ones look so pure and serene.

 The garden is planted.

Hopefully the frost doesn't get the plants.....in June.

 I just loved how the sunset looked on this tree.

 Does anyone know what kind of bird this is? I've never seen one like it before.

And finally, the apple trees have blossoms for the first time!

Can you tell I am anxiously waiting for some warmer weather...

Soon, very soon.

Wordless Wednesday

The '57 Chevy That Keeps Going

 Jack got his first ride in our '57 Chevy pickup truck the other day. It seems this truck always brings a smile to the face of everyone who rides in it.

 It is the loudest truck I've ever heard, but I guess that's what makes it so "cool."

 And of course there are no such things as seat belts in the old girl. 

Don't go and call the police on us, we didn't drive out on the highway with him standing there. 

We kept in on the roads in our little village.

 .......tear.......

 Now I have to tell a little history about this truck. This is a picture of Tracy in the summer of 1986. We went to a local car show and this truck was there. Brian put her there and took her picture and said, "someday I'm going to own that truck."

 Well that dream came true and we now own that exact truck that he sat Tracy on so many years ago.

 It has been used in many photo sessions around here.

 I'm sure someday Jack will be driving this loud old truck and driving his mama crazy while he squeals out of the driveway while trying to make the longest black marks on the highway.

(not that anyone around here has EVER done such a thing)

Better move out of the way......here he comes.

Dandelion Bouquet

Dandelion Bouquet

A humble offering
That bruised bootie of yellow, scruffy weeds
Some bent, heads drooping,
Clasped in a chubby, dirt stained hand
Stretched out in hopeful expectation
Of a smile from her goddess
Waiting for a glowing message
From the center of her universe
That she is wonderful
That her gift has pleased.

So it rests in a place of honor
Enshrined amidst the kitchen clutter
Tenderly displayed in a jelly jar.

Together they enjoy the beauty, the thought and the gift.
The moment lasts beyond the wilting flowers
In the memory of the upraised face
So deserving of love
So happy to share
The sunshine of her dandelion day.

Wordless Wednesday

A Year Ago Today

 I really didn't have anything to blog about today so I went back into my file from May 2010. It's amazing how these little ones have changed in a year.

Felicity has really lost her baby looks from this picture to today. I can't believe she is almost three already.

And then little Jack-man. What a handsome little guy he was a year ago at only 2 1/2 months old.

What a personality he has turned out to have! 

I guess it must have been sunny that day.....they both had their shades on...

(...even though both pics were taken indoors. What's up with that?)

Pedis and Petting

 Saturday morning we loaded into the van and headed for a girls day out. Of course the first stop had to be pedicures for everyone. Here's Felicity enjoying her second pedi in the past two months. Can you say SPOILED? I can't believe how she sits so still through the whole thing.

 This was Kylee's first time and she loved it too.

 All done. Of course we have to do the "group feet" shot.

Now it would be nice if the weather would cooperate and we could actually wear sandals daily to show off our "pretties."

Next we went for lunch at a restaurant I had never been to before.  I will go back there again for sure.

 Then we stopped at a flower nursery and they had a mini animal petting area. The girls loved it! We had a hard time getting them to leave.

She wanted to hold this bunny sooooo bad but wasn't sure if she wanted to actually "touch" it. She kept her hands in her jacket sleeves while Mommy made sure the bunny didn't jump away.

What an awesome Mother's Day!

A Little History and a Repaired Heart

 For those of you that don't know my background, I grew up on a dairy farm here in Wisconsin. About 15 years ago my parents sold the farm and moved into the city. They were ready for a  more carefree life away from all the chores of the farm.

My husband and I now own 100 acres of that land. We built a small ranch house and now call this home. When each of our children got married we gave them 5 acres. They have also built homes on their little piece of the family land.

The tractor in these pictures was once my Dad's. It was one of his first tractors from soooo many years ago. When  they sold the farm he gave the tractor to us. Brian had it totally restored, tires and all.

A few weeks ago when my Dad and Mom were over Brian got the tractor out. He convinced my Dad to get on it and take it for a drive. He hasn't driven a tractor for many years but he sure didn't have any trouble remembering how to do it.

Whenever Dad comes out to visit he talks a lot about his farming days. Making hay, chasing cows, and driving tractors. Then he says he dreams about those things at night when he goes home. He is usually chasing cows in his sleep for a few days after a visit.

Now that you know a little history I can fill you in on the last few days around here and why I've been so absent in the blog world.  I am going to make a long story short.


Dad was having some dizzy spells in church on Sunday. As soon as service was done my Mom took him to the ER. After an ambulance ride to a bigger hospital, and a couple days of testing, he had surgery on his heart yesterday. Today he is doing much better and is going home tomorrow.

(that was a very condensed version of the past few days)

 He said now he's ready for another 100 years!

Thank you to everyone that has been praying for Dad and thanks be to God.