Mosquitoes, Alligators, and Rocks

 The after effects of the flooding: A lot of standing water everywhere, which in theory is fine until the mosquitoes get to it and multiply by the billions.  If you're in the wrong spot at the wrong time you can be eaten alive.  I know from experience.  

Oh, and there are Alligators showing up all over in our neighborhood.  There was one found in our community pond where Audrey likes to feed the ducks, and another just down the road taking it's time crossing the street.  I gets really exciting around here folks!

Audrey loves to take walks. She likes collecting leaves, sticks, and rocks to put in her treasure box.  We're always out for a while because she has to stop and look at everything.  She sees beauty everywhere she goes.  She has taught me to be more grateful for the little things, including the rocks, which can be rare in this part of the country.  Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.  

Earthworms

 We've been reading and learning about Earthworms lately.  She's on a quest to save every single one that finds itself on the burning sidewalk.  A couple of days ago we found one that was barely moving.  We poured water over it.  She was so hopeful, but he or she ended out dead.  Apparently worms are both male and female.  Any two worms can reproduce.  Strange but true.  Today we found one that was alive and she couldn't help but spend a little time with him before she relocated him under the tree.  

She kept telling me how much he liked her.  She had to stretch him out a little to see how long he was.  Then with the most serious face she could muster she told me how we had to protect him from the birds.  She didn't want him to be lunch.  She put her little finger over her mouth and said, "Shhh Mom! Don't let the birds find out where I put him."  "We have to keep him safe."  

She gently put him underneath our pine tree and watched over him until he disappeared into the ground.  

Today I was so grateful to be outside.  It has been raining for what seems like weeks.  At one point the water on the sidewalk was up to my ankles.  Luckily we were blessed that our home wasn't among the thousands that flooded.  

When the sun came back out it was like welcoming back an old friend.  I missed it and so did Audrey.

After all, what's a summer without the sun and a lot of pool days?

A New Baby

I'm so happy for this little girl's family.  There is nothing like welcoming a new baby into the family.  It's hard because the lack of sleep but so beautiful.  I remember just sitting there and staring at my little girl thinking that I was so lucky to be her Mom.  

I was excited to take some pictures of this little girl because it was my first time meeting her.  Audrey talked about it for days and begged me to go over.  When she finally got to hold her I think she was a little nervous, but after Aunt Jenny left she couldn't stop talking about it and asked if we could have a baby just like her.  Here's hoping girl!

As I was taking pictures I had to laugh when I saw Mary pull some familiar faces.  She looks so much like her big sisters.  Speaking from experience, I think she's one lucky girl to have two big sisters to teach her all she needs to know about being a princess and a brother to teach her how to be brave and to be there to protect her even when she doesn't want to be.  

Welcome to the family little one!

Couch Project

I thought I knew what I was getting myself into, until I remembered that the last time I did this Lisa was in charge and Mom did all the sewing. The couch needed a change.  The cushions were thread bare and I was sick of looking at the fabric  I kept saying that I was going to reupholster it, but in the back of my mind I knew better.  So one day I just ordered the fabric and like all things in my life I set out to prove myself wrong.  

It was painful.  So many things went wrong before they went right. It took a week and a half but I did it!  Obviously I had a little help from Paul.  I needed someone to staple while I pulled, but the rest of it was done purely by me....with a lot of help from the man upstairs! 

I had to start the couch project because Paul was making this beautiful TV stand(pictured below) and I didn't want my couch to distract from it's beauty.  Speaking of the TV stand, there's something about the smell of cutting wood that reminds me of my Dad and his garage.  I just sat in the garage and watched Paul work, loving the smell of saw dust.  I felt like I was a kid again watching my Dad work on our house. I made me miss my family...just a little bit.  

This weeks project done...check!  I already have a new project in mind for next week.     

I'm am so lucky

How did I get so lucky?  My life is too good with these two.  Life is hard, it always will be.  We all have things that we are going through.  My struggle right now...I have hope.  For the first time in a long time I have hope and that scares me to death.  I don't want it to disappear or get broken.  It's been broken so many times.  So, everyday I make the choice to keep it and to take one more step forward, which can be hard all on it's own.  

At the end of the day it's these two that keep me in awe of the many blessings that I have been given.  Yesterday as I was driving around, it was green and beautiful, Paul was holding my hand, and Audrey was singing sweetly in the back seat.  My heart was filled with so much joy and it was as if Heavenly Father was whispering in my ear I did this all for YOU!

His vision for my life was always better than my own.  

I am so lucky!

Library Day

 My little girl has always been a book worm.  Give her a stack of books and she'll sit there quietly for at least an hour just looking at the pages imagining what the book is about.  Then she'll always as for me to read and once I start she never wants me to stop.  It's a good thing that I love to read just as much as she does.  

My most favorite right now is the series of "Elephant and Piggie" by Mo Williams.  I love that they're just as entertaining for me as they are for her.  I also love doing the voices for Piggie and Elephant too. Someday they will all be on my bookshelf.  

My sister and I talked about only buying the best of the best for our home library.  I'm curious what your favorites are?