trampled wheat

Our nightly routines before Dave's surgery usually included the kids and me helping pick something from the garden and then meeting Dave as he walked home from the shop to check out the hop plant Dave is aspiring to become rich from with his cousins...here are a few shots (SOOC) I took of the kids playing in the field just east of us. Let's hope they didn't trample TOO much ;)

 Look closely... there's a Smith animal hiding!

beans galore

I'll be real straight... I know nothing about gardening or keeping any sort of plant alive. My tulips are lucky they live outside where God waters them. Someone once told me the easiest plant/flower to have was an Easter lily... yeah... apparently they need water... or something. All this said for one reason... we have a garden. This is our first garden. I shouldn't even say "our garden." Our wonderful neighbor (Dave's aunt) has a garden. We go out and help pick beans. Occasionally. If we're not hiding in the house because we just knowwwww she's got to be in that garden picking beans. Darn beans. Kidding! Our freezer is bean tight because of our wonderful neighbor!

We've received lots of compliments on our garden so I'm taking everyone's word for it that it is indeed a great garden... ;)

There's that crazy wonderful neighbor in the background. She'll appreciate the next photo as well. What you don't see is ME actually helping plant her sixty tomato plants. Repeat. SIXTY!

Something is actually starting to grow from all those itty bitty, teeeeeeeny tiny seeds we spaced exactly one-quarter inch apart. Yes. If she asks... I planted them exactly that far apart. ;)

And THIS is when is starts to get good... you can actually EAT the things in the garden. Gets me every time!

We will definitely be "helping" again next year. A few things we learned...
Lettuce - not so good.
Beans - we have PLENTY.
Tomato plants - late bloomers.
Cilantro - LOVE!
Garden - needs "fertilizer."

Wonderful neighbor, if you're reading this, next year we must add watermelon, cantaloupe, andddd... strawberries. ;)

if you build it...

Today marks Day #1 of trying-to-make-something-of-myself-without-a-job... so... I think Dave will be happy and hopefully something will progress from this teeny tiny step!

About 6 out of 7 days, Mallory (my youngest, sassiest, hottest sister... kidding other sisters!) and I messenger each other for countless, meaningless hours talking about just about anything but usually nothing... this was part of our conversation today.

Disclaimer: This blog now contains CUSS words. I do use profanity occasionally ... okay... a lot but only because Casey made me do it. I am currently working to better myself and remove this devil's work from my vocabulary...

Courtney says (10:38 AM):
MAN this is so much pressure!


Mallory says (10:41 AM):
it's gonna be awesome
I can see the clients rolling in now!


Courtney says (10:41 AM):
I'm not.
It's been 15 minutes.
None.


Mallory says (10:41 AM):
assholes
might as well shut er down


Courtney says (10:43 AM):
fuck it
it's over


Mallory says (10:43 AM):
if you build it....they will come
yep, just mind fucked you

Courtney says (10:43 AM):
LOL
Oh man, that laugh felt good.
I don't feel like I've laughed like that in awhile

oh yeah, check the official business out here.... HERE!

patience, faith, change

This week has been a true test of my patience, faith, and so much more. To say some changes went on around here would be an understatement. I don't care to go in to too much detail but after an extremely rough week, I have once again been reminded of a few things... Those we love will sometimes be taken from you too early. Life is too short. God has chosen a path for me and I might not expect it or even know what to do with the change(s) but I must carry on... somehow. I thank God for the blessings in my life. Daily.

While life will go on, our lives have been and will forever be changed.
Push forward.
Day by day.