Millie was lost part 2

Now we are worried that she might have been hit by a car when she was "on the run". She is limping around. I am worried. We are going to watch her tonight and take her to the animal hospital if it doesn't get better.

Please think good thoughts for Millie....

Millie was lost for a second.

Blogging for anxiety reduction...

I went outside to get Millie off of her leash and she wasn't there. I thought at first that Jay must have taken her to the store with him. Then I found the clip from her leash. I called and called and nothing.

I'm still shaking- and I'm not kidding. The thought of her going missing is really awful to me.

Then I opened the window in Tara's room and from the corner of my eye, way down the street I see a flash of white. I was happy and scared all at the same time. Would she come to me from that far away and is that, in fact Millie? Jay had not taken her to the store after all and she was roaming free.

I called her, or maybe screamed her name (sorry neighbors) and she started running home. I bolted out the door and ran around the house as she came up the walk. She looked like she had been having a grand ole time up on K. road- a very busy road right by the highway.

I am giving God the glory for this one. I would not have spotted her, I don't think, without some divine intervention.

Gotta go and shore up her leash and pet her and be thankful that I still have my precious dog.

Tara's peach tree in the making

Tara planted her seed in true Tara fashion- wearing a dress and a t-shirt with a picture of herself on it! That is so Tara. She would like if I would let her pick her own outfits every day for school, but as of now she picks only on weekends. Otherwise, she'd wear a prom dress to school every day.

She planted her seed finally and really wrestled with the shovel. It was almost as big as she is. She also liked to pose for pictures looking a bit like a mini diva- ha ha. Pretty soon she'll be instructing me to only photograph her good side and watch out for the perfect lighting. I think I have created a camera hound with all my picture taking. Case in point- today she told me she is the prettiest person in the universe. With a smile, she then asked me what the universe was. Now that's confidence. She doesn't even know what the universe is but is convinced she is the best looking one in it! You gotta love her.

The trip to...

...the ballet today was great. The costumes were beautiful as was the Civic Theatre. This was the prize Emily had won from Radio Disney. The amount of work and practice it takes those dancers to do what they do is amazing.

I was worried the girls would get antsy.. and they did a little. But overall, they were well behaved. At one point I looked over at Jay and saw him taking a quick siesta. He is a good sport for going.

Ready to leave for the ballet.

The debutantes outside the theater.

On our way in.


Stand still for your mugshots.


Would you please stop taking pictures, Mom?

Debi and her cats

I went to see my great friend Debi yesterday. Debi and her husband have a dairy farm in Homeworth. Debi also works full time in drafting.
Her cat, Louis, has been sick and was in the veterinary hospital. He had some kind of bacterial thing but is better now. He sure gave Debi a scare.
We did little things around the farm. Debi lifted these big things of food for the cows. I could barely drag them and she was hoisting them effortlessly into the truck! I can't believe how strong she is... or maybe I am just weak. ha ha. It was good seeing her and Todd and all the farm animals. If I could've found a way, I would have put this one goat from another farm in my car.... so loving and cute.

Debi with Sam the Scrapper

Louis AKA The Feline Patient
sunning by the barn

Barn kitty

One of the barns
and the milk house.

making a swing set

The tongue is necessary for balance. :)

The frame going up.

I am supervising and taking my own picture.

Finally it is finished! Neighbor Paul trys out new swing with girls.

Just some of what was on the roof!

King of the mountain.

Jay made a swing set for the girls from the ground up today. He had cut boards and painted them, and today put it all together. He and I were outside ALL DAY doing this. It was more work than you'd think at first glance. There were chains and screws and boards and sawing.... Mostly I just supervised. :) I was instrumental in cheerleading and tea fetching. I even held up a side for about a minute. I am exhausted. ha ha.


The kids came home as we were still working on it. They played with the neighbor boys for a couple of hours. At one point they all had water balloons. It's fun to be a kid in nice weather like this. Then they tried out the new swing. There were minor adjustments.


I took a quick trip to Taco Bell, did homework with both girls, cleaned up dirty faces and hands, cleaned up the yard...

Jay also got on the roof and got down an ENORMOUS amount of sticks and dirt that had accumulated over the year. Our roof is flat so everything just stays up there.


After I post this, there will be baths and bedtime stuff for Em and Tara and a back rub for my hard working Jay.


It was a happy and productive day.

Open mouth insert Tara's foot

We met some very nice people from our church a couple of days ago. We went over to their house for a small group Bible study. The kids ran around and played with other kids.

Later, we got in the car and were halfway home when Tara said that she had taken the host aside in her kitchen and said, " I don't mean to be rude but my house is bigger than yours."

Jay and I cringed. A wave of horror and embarrassment came over us and I said, "Tara, you can't say that to people!" She looked puzzled and said, "But I said that I don't mean to be rude first!" Teaching manners to a five-year-old is an uphill battle.