Life in Nebraska ....

I just made a wonderful little smoothie of a banana and some whole frozen strawberries and Acai juice and my own homemade yogurt.  Makes me sound healthy to write that.  Don't worry I'm not healthy.  I just wish for energy and feel good again.  Every day I drag around and wonder what to do.  If you were in my house you'd wonder why I don't know what to do as there is work all around me.  But I am so tired and dragging my tail.  Wishing for some doable EASY things to do to snap out of it.  I think it's a matter of laziness  and fog brain. Today it's  suppose to rain. I really like that.  On all these nice warm days we've had the boys fly out the door in the morning and play out there HARD all day.  And dear precious small one thinks he should go out with them. Three times he made it almost to the road.  And the other day I lost him.  We were all over the place calling and looking.  And sending silent prayers ......

Yesterday at church I witnessed a special conversation.  Grandpa Lloyal came up to Rachel and shook her hand and told her, "Happy Anniversary Rachel".   Rachel was sitting down visiting with me and she leaned forward and shook his hand and smiled at him and said, " Happy Anniversary to you too, Grandpa".  Grandpa nodded and smiled  a gentle smile.  So while they were talking I figured out that this would have been their 67th year. They celebrated their 60th together with the entire family in from all over the US for a whole weekend.          But what makes them special to us isn't that they were any different than anyone else.  What makes them special is that they had/ have love for each other and they loved family.  Grandpa made choices for his family early early on and his family respects and honors him in his old age.  But I think what makes it even mean the most to us is his love for ALL of us.  It's good to be l...

Of our trip to see Royal and Jenn and Company.  This is a long bunch of pictures.  Sometime I should think about finding a better way to load and arrange pictures on here.  But we've had computer issues for a while now and laptops are not as easy so.... We've been wanting to see our friends down in Georgia for a long time.  It had been 4 years.  So finally we took a flying weekend and went to see them at their very own place!  What an amazing good weekend!  On our first evening there Jenn made a wonderful huge feast of grilled steak and the works.  And we got the first of the strawberry season.  I could live there.   It was summer...and laid back and so very very soothing to my weary soul. She stretched the table out and set the table and treated us like honored guests.  As you all know....at our house we're very casual and it's always plopped out on the bar and a come and go kind of thing.  Also I must say something ...

Helping make cookies and being my taste tester, My plant and bug man brought these in behind his back....with a guess what mom and a big smile. this looks gross but I wanted to show to April.  So April was talking about food for the picky cook.  This is what I was thinking you should do with your rice April.  The flavor is Mexican kind of but has some curry too.  And the onions are great chunks of sweetness as well as the red pepper.  The ultimate way to eat this is with a  fresh soft tortilla and Daisy sour cream.  And to make it even the very best....melt pepper jack cheese over it.  This can all be made with whole ingredients and nothing filler and the dairy stuff can just not be used if need be.  Try it and tell me what you think.  For the Mexican flavor I use things like cumin, chili powder, onion, garlic, and  cayenne pepper. Oh and I use sea salt.  Also I use real butter to toss the rice i...

Today after having a conversation with a friend,  I was reminded that I don't really know anything.  I had this really good deep thought and I thought I knew so much and then when I left and was thinking about it later I realized I was wrong. Even if it would appear that what I said was true, I still was wrong.  Not naughty gossippy wrong.  I just mean my thought wasn't completely thought through....and in the end it didn't come out. Another thing I just discovered this week.  People see me completely different than I thought they did! That one has confused me all week!  I'm shocked and surprised. I don't know why I'm shocked.  I guess I"m pretty good at bluffing or pretending.  It's made me think that perhaps I had better look at that other person with much  more mercy and love and know without asking that God is refining them  too.  And then to make sure I freely give that smile or honest word.  People often aren't who we f...

.....is occurring at this house right now!  It's quiet!  So very very unusual.   Zerrick got an invite to go with his uncle to a sale barn this afternoon and the two chipmunks are sleeping!  Which they should be....they didn't sleep last night so now they're paying for it.    At least two people have suggested to me that I need to find a "maid".  I have been thinking long and hard and praying.  I don't want a maid.  I've hired maids on and off for the last 6 years.  It's not satisfactory.  They always do excellent jobs with the work detail.  But I want to do it myself!!! I want to be queen of my own castle.  And so here's the alternative...I'm thinking rather than hire a maid I need to buy a friend for my kids.  I need someone old enough to care for my kids when I need a two hour breather.  Someone who can come and do a project with the kids or read to them or take them hiking or whatever.  And then that wo...

make a difference on a lot of things.  Like a two hour nap.  Or a nice clean living room. Or a good conversation with  a friend.  Or watching my one year old be cute and smart.   Or seeing my third grader actually write something out ledgibly.  Like a good starbucks....I want one right now. Today I made bubbles for the kids.  Did you ever?  Its as easy as I thought but worked better than I thought!  1/2 cup dish soap, 1 1/2 cup water and two teaspoons of sugar.   For fat Huge bubbles use a plastic cookie cutter in any shape and dip into a shallow bowl of bubbles.  What a mess we made and fun too.     On Monday evening I want with Matt to a storm spotter class.  It was interesting.  The best part was going with Matt somewhere...without the kids.  Steve and Mitz had the kids.  Zerrick can't get done talking about wanting to go back.  He got to go down to the dairy where Derrick and Andr...