"Boys are found everywhere—on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around or jumping to. Mothers love them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers tolerate them, adults ignore them and Heaven protects them. A boy is Truth with dirt on its face, Beauty with a cut on its finger, Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair
and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket."
Author: Alan Beck


Friday, September 28, 2012

ME time.

Yowzers, life is busy. I used to try to envision what life would be like once all five boys were in school. Though I'm not the lounging, bon bon type, I pictured myself getting caught up on all my little projects, in between the time I'd spend baking, decorating, painting, and writing.  Id put my feet up every now and then and get lost in a book, with a piping hot cup of tea by my side.

What the hell happened?  Granted, all 5 boys aren't in school full time, but I do have exactly four hours per week where I'm the ONLY.  ONE.  HOME.

Here's the part where I need therapy.  Those precious 240 minutes are spent cleaning, folding, organizing, running (think errands, NOT treadmill), doing, volunteering, and partaking in many other ing's.

Funny thing is, I'm having a blast!  Who knew it would be so much fun to grocery shop alone, run in and out of stores alone, fold laundry (music blaring) alone, and scrub the kitchen floor when there are no little feet eager to traipse through your mop trail?

Life is good.  Damn good.

The crisp autumn air is the cherry that sits atop this blissful life of mine.  (Have you any idea how much I adore the declining temperatures?)  Bye bye shorts and flip flops.  Hello jeans and tall boots...I've been waiting (very impatiently) for you.

In other news, when I'm not folding, cooking, cleaning, and/or running (again, no treadmill), I can be found volunteering at the boys' school.  I think I may start sleeping there.  It'd be much easier than this back and forth gig.  Last week, the boys had field day and the two littles and I went to cheer them on. 

Here's a snippet-


 
 
 

Happy Friday!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Best. Day. EVER.

Have a look at those leaves. It doesn't get more exciting. Fall has arrived, people! Today I am the happiest girl alive. It's pouring rain, and it's a brisk 55 degrees outside. I'm wearing jeans...did you hear that?  I'M WEARING JEANS, and sorting through my cookbooks trying to decide what I'll bake today. 


Today was the first day my boys have worn pants since at least March of this year. You know what that means -They all trotted off to school looking like the Cleaver's. None of them had pants that came past their ankles. Poor kids are bound to get 'the business' from their peeps today


My apologies, boys.

Look on the bright side.  At least you don't have a crazy Aunt Martha who demands you wear the short-pants suit she bought you to school.

 
 
Things could always be worse.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Buyer's Remorse

Last night I was invited to a 31 party, hosted by one of my awesome neighbors. If you're anything like me, you are reading this thinking, "what the heck is a 31 party?"

No, it has nothing to do with ice cream (though I wish they could somehow combine the two).

In short, 31 is a company that sells totes, bags, purses, etc. The catchy part is that YOU get to pick your own fabric, and can even personalize your bag with a monogram. If you're really lucky, you can even pick the color of your stitching. What's not to love? And, if you're like me, you get completely




E
D
    

N
when it comes to these types of home parties. I usually fall SO in love with the products, that I end up being a consultant. Speaking of, everyone OK with their Wildtree spices and oils? Let me know if you need to order anything.

Every inch of my neighbor's family room was sprinkled with lovely bags of all shapes, sizes, and colors.  Each one reached out to me as I walked by, but this one
and this one


grabbed hold of me ever so tightly. 

I bobbled back and forth between the two, comparing their pros and cons (I'm lying a tad about the con part - they had no cons).  Disaster struck the instant I was faced with the order form.  I quickly lost control of the muscles in my hand, and I accidentally ordered them both.

Crap.

I ordered the shoulder bag in the grey fabric (shown to the right of the picture) with an A, embroidered in turquoise.  Further impaired by bad judgement, I went on to order the wristlet (in the black and white pattern on the top).

Crappity crap.

Today I'm suffering from an excruciating amount of guilt, remorse, regret, and shame....to name a few.

Before I go through with cancelling my order, I thought I should make a list of the top 10 reasons why I deserve these delightful items.  Here goes-

10.- Because I never buy things for myself (other than shampoo, toothpaste, underwear, and mascara...but not until it becomes completely dried out and clumpy).
9.- Because winter isn't coming fast enough and I'm continually faced with 90 degree days, which makes me grumpy.
8.- Because my husband is traveling for work this week, and I HATE.  BEING.  ALONE.
7.- Because I just ate a ham & hummus sandwich for lunch.
6.- Because I woke up late this morning and made my husband's lunch, my kids' lunches, packed their backpacks, and made homemade pancakes (in the shape of storm troopers, Darth Vader, and Yoda) in less than 45 minutes.
5.- Because a shoulder bag with a turquoise A would make me giddy.
4.- Because a wristlet would come in handy for places where lugging a large purse around is frowned upon (Like when we visit our farm.  Farmgirl's don't carry big purses.).
3.- Because Christmas is 105 days away.
2.- Because today is my 13th wedding anniversary, and my husband and I have no plans to go anywhere, do anything, or buy any gifts.  My husband could give me the shoulder bag, and I could give him the wristlet.  Being the manly man he is, he wouldn't have any use for the wristlet, so he would kindly re-gift it to me.  He's always been very giving.
1.- Because I'm Amy, mother of 5 amazing boys, wife of 13 amazing years, and DARN IT.....I'm  kinda worth it!

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Life on the prairie can be cruel.

Labor Day weekend was this wannabe-farmgirl's dream come true.

Horse rides...
after horse rides...
 
after horse rides...
after horse rides.

 
Throw in a few tractor rides,


and some campfires,


and you've got yerself one heck of a good time!

Just when things couldn't seem more perfect, this little lady got the bright idea to learn how to gallop off into the sunset.

The first go-round went smooth as can be. The second? Well, not so much. Starlight, the three year old mare (who was sweet as pie to my boys, thank goodness), decided she had had enough of me. She reared once, she reared twice, and the third time she successfully threw me towards the moon.

Ouch.

No, seriously....OUCH.

I landed square on my my right hip, which inevitably, landed me here-


I'm bruised and banged up, and I've got a backside that could rival Kim Kardashian.

(beauty is not pain-free.)

To Starlight, the spirited mare-

throw me once, shame on you.

Throw me twice.....well, that just isn't going to happen.

Prepare yourself, girl.  You and I have only just begun.