Little this...Little that

First things First.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my eldest!  He's 23 today!  What Lucky parents we are to be blessed with this boy!  Happy Birthday Ash! We Love you!!!

  This was a "don't take that picture" look!

 Poor guy didn't get much of a Birthday supper!  I called him earlier in the afternoon and asked him if he was going to be working late harvesting....he said probably.....so I didn't think much more about it.  Then he called back at about 6:00 and wondered what we were doing tonight....ACK!  Um....at this point...not much!  "I made you some scotcheroos"  does that count?:)  He said how about adding Goulash to that and I'll be over around 7:00.  DONE DEAL DUDE!!!!  Easiest meal in the world! Whew! 

We were missing Thatcher who was at his E.M.T. class.

 Then Ash got the camera and said it was pay back time??? For what???  He said I'd better see these on the blog!!!(or something to that effect)  Ok Birthday Boy.....just this once....but it may cost you a gift.....just sayin.  This is MY don't take that picture look.

 Kind of a mean mug from Harrison!  He was actually yapping at Helping Sherman with his homework.

 Ok I'll smile!.....now you can stop!

Now we are backing up to Monday.....don't you just love how I skip all over the place....This was before school....they were ready to go on their field trip to "the pumpkin patch"  This was early morning, they usually go in the afternoon. (that is the sunrise behind them.....NOT fire.....well I guess technically...it is still fire!...anyway...) I was worried about Wren....she didn't eat much breakfast.....NOT NORMAL...and she said her stomach hurt.  Sherman had already went back to bed with a stomach ache......and I had been sick all weekend.......risky business to send her on to school!  I ended up picking her up before they even left for the field trip.   The nurse calls...."Wren has a temp 99.6"  Oh Drat!

 So Iley went on the field trip alone.  She came home quite pleased with herself!  She had a bag of candy, and stickers.....it was a good day:)

 After school she immediately went in and crawled in with Wren.....you know...to make SURE she got sick.....good grief.  Then Kyndahl joined them....silly girl.  So far none of the rest have caught the bug.

 They were both up BRIGHT AND EARLY on Tuesday...this is their normal bed head look!  They were watching Harrison and Sherman get on the bus.

 Moving on to today...Wednesday Morning....I told Wren to smile for me......ok....or not.

 So I showed her the picture and said not smiling??  So she did a better one for me!  surprise surprise! Poor baby has a nasty fever blister from all her stress:(

This is a pretty accurate picture of what I'm up against....can you say "Double Trouble....Scout and Cricket....at your service!"  "Need something moved, taken apart, watered down, tied up, rearranged, colored on, things you haven't even thought of yet.... this is your crew!" 

Headed in to get Iley's hair trimmed up...way past time for it!  Notice Sherman is the first one in the door.....I asked him why he wanted to go to the hair dresser with us.....he looks at me like DUH.....TV!  We don't allow much TV around here.

 Iley Before.....

 During........she didn't like the hair getting on her feet!  I had already had to take her new slippers off because hair was getting on them....AAAAAAAH!

Then afterwards Kathy washed up her hair and styled it.  They both LOVE getting their hair washed this way!

 TA DAH!

Wren didn't get hers cut this time, I'm letting it grow out again....I think.

Sherman wanted his cut too...but I'm not going to pay someone to make his hair look this awful! He knows I do NOT like buzz hair cuts!  But..... Kyndahl and I had the FUNNIEST conversation with him.....I will forgive him the haircut ......this once .......for the laugh!

Kyndahl:  Are you going to let your hair grow out for my wedding?

Sherman:  Why?

Kyndahl:  Just because I like your curls on top.  Girls like hair.

Sherman:  Whatever.

Kyndahl:  (as I'm shaving his head) Well,  I guess you don't want a girlfriend.

Sherman: (with a look of disbelief)  It's like you haven't even heard me all these years.  (He's always said he's not having a girlfriend cause they spend all your money)  (...and "girls are SO annoying")

I LOVE this boy:)

What is this you ask?........we asked too.  He spent at least an hour and a LOT of Duck tape on this masterpiece.

Oh my!  I'm chuckling still, as I type!  His creativity amazes....and cracks me up.  You just never know what's next.  His comment....."I wish MY big brothers would have done this for me when I was little."  Note to big brothers......YOU FAILED!LOL!

 

 He even made a saddle!  With a strap! 

 Iley liked it:)  whether she had been longing for it all her life?????  that I don't know....

 The intricate head gear up close.

 This is the way the Ladies ride....the ladies ride......the ladies ride......

Prairie Pumpkins Pumpkin Patch

Sunday was a MUCH better day than the last two!  I was in bed with aches and stomach cramps all day on Friday, and just in bed wiped out on Saturday.  This was SO SAD on two levels....just the fact that being sick is NEVER fun......and ....Troy had agreed to keep the girls ALL DAY on Saturday while I went shopping with my dear friend Leann.   As much as I was sick....I was equally disappointed!  He still kept the girls all day Saturday....but I wasn't having fun:(

But Sunday dawned much brighter:)  We started off with a good HAIR WASH!!!  The stitches are still in....(supposed to come out Friday, but I was too sick to stand up) they will come out Monday at 4:00.  Praying the sterile strip tape is NOT stuck tight, and everything is painless! 

This was Wrens hair after I took the ponytail holder out...and after she had doused it with at least one cup of water!  It was TIME!

 I have been trying to convince them that drinking the bath water is YUCK.....she looks a bit....caught in the act and GUILTY!  They certainly are NOT convinced:(

After church we ate at Dairy Queen before heading to the pumpkin patch....where we bought no pumpkins.  The cheapest pumpkin was $6.00 X's 4 = $24.00 for pumpkins! + 30.00 to get all 6 of us in the place.  This was not going to be a cheap family outing at this rate!  So the mean Parents nixed the pumpkin purchase......and the pony rides..an additional 5.00 each.  That would have only been X's 3 though because I'm sure you couldn't have made Iley get on one of them.  She wouldn't even pet one!

Some people are such pokey eaters....they have to finish in the car. 

 ......Others have long polished theirs off and are happily picking their teeth.....and eyeing any leftovers with longing.....hey girl I think I see chicken in there....pass it over if you don't want it. They could have their own version of the song....."you get a line I'll get a pole..honey"......."You eat the bun, I'll take the burger sister"  "you eat the bun, I'll take the burger chum"  You eat the bun, I'll take the burger...we'll fool mom with a cleaned up platter......sister chum of mine"  This arrangement really would suit them both just ducky!  But....one  would have rickets....the other constipation.....(or is rickets caused from lack of fruit....)ok I'll stop there!  It's getting late:):)

This was the first critter we saw at the farm.  He was in a bit of a snit...he moved away quickly and gave us the evil eye!  I've seen this look plenty around my house!

 ......and a mama and a baby.

Wren carefully petted the horse....it kept twitching, so she wasn't too sure about it.  Iley was VERY sure!  NO WAY!

 While Iley and Daddy were standing back watching....quite close to these critters...one of them Hee Hawwed REALLY loud and looooong:) So funny!  I don't think they'd ever seen most of these animals.

 Then we got to pet some baby puppies:)  Iley was almost ready to screw up her nerve to touch it....but look whose creeping up behind her!!!!

 She quickly moved around behind Babba!

 Wren's bravery did NOT build her courage AT ALL!

 She finally did tentatively touch it.

 They LOVED the barrel train ride! Harrison and Sherman would have loved to ride too...but we weren't sure we'd be able to get them back out...something like pooh in rabbits hole?  Only nowhere to hang a towel...

Then it was the Hay Bale Maze....not thrilling....but the girls liked wandering through.

BUT....the biggest hit BY FAR....was the slide.

 These 3 were already at the top.....

 while cricket...GINGERLY.....made her way up.  She looked like a little ol granny hobbling up the hill!

Wren no sooner made it to the top....than she was jumping the first car going down!  This girl has NO FEAR!!!

 Iley stood at the top....very unsure of it all...she would never be labeled fearless....Troy said what should I do?  The lovely protective mom of 4 boys (I always said I wouldn't be a good girl mom)  said....send her down...we'll find out if she likes it!  Can you believe how heartless I am???  I WAS standing at the bottom to catch her.......and....she LOVED it!

 Harrison had just flopped down to go.....and Wren jumped on at the very last minute and barely got a hand hold on his pocket before they were off!  She looks like a child that just had surgery 9 days ago doesn't she!

 Here she is again.....toiling up the incline:)

 Sherm was half way down and she's still chugging away:)

 OOPS a bit of a crash at the bottom!  Dad's momentum was a little much when they hit the end! They all came up smiling:)

 This girl came down sitting forward, backward, feet first head first, and completely enclosed in a gunny sack!  She is OUT OF CONTROL!  She loved every minute of it!  She beat everyone else up and down that hill for the most trips!  OOPS....we kind of forgot that one of the release instructions was no strenuous activity for 14 days.......she really wasn't a bit strained...:)  Does that make us bad patients...or bad parents?  or both??

 They went down together like this....shrieking happily:)  My niece Fran once said about sledding with her brother Henry "he's no fun....I need Maddie.. When her mom ask "Why?"  She said "I just need some one to scream with:)  Well these two definitely had some one to scream with!  You would have been proud Fran:)

Go Dad!  Show em how its done!

I started out standing....but my shoes were MUCH slicker....and I was going MUCH faster!  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 no worries...they were screeching happily

 Back up the hill for more!  No granny gears now!  She got the hang of hill climbing fast.

 You know.....this makes me feel really sorry for their birth mothers!  Look what they are missing!

I put Wren in the sack....sitting up.  After she took off, she laid down and completely covered her head!  She's NUTS!  Can't hear.....now....can't see a thing!

 She popped out at the last minute....in time to stop herself.

....Anything you can do........

....I can do better.....says the child with stitches!  Should I send it to the surgeon?? 

 They thought it was SO funny to chase mom!

 Being silly:)

Iley's version:)

 Sherman.....who was sweating by the second trip up the hill....found a shady place to rest:)

Look out below!

Quick Dad, move the girls!

Then it was time for the hayride, and home.

What a fun fun day!  To think I was flat in bed yesterday....and going down the slide today....Thank you Lord:) Oh...and did I mention that the preschoolers are coming back here for a field trip tomorrow?  I hope Wren doesn't frighten her teachers to death!  I'm sure they'll have rules like sit on your bottom, and feet first only......she'll probably dive down head first .....or disappear into her gunny sack.......  giving them visions of busted stitches!  Maybe I should warn them??

Ok.....the next picture is for you Gwen.....you know that figurine you have that Mike got you?  I'm not sure what it's called...."the responsible woman???"  or something like that......when I looked at this picture of Wren, that's the first thing I thought of!  She is VERY like that!  and ALWAYS has a stroller nearly ready to tip with all the stuff she loads in it......not to mention all the stuff she packs on her little person!  She wants to run her world......and mine.   If all this drive, and determination can be directed in a useful channel....who knows where she'll go....if I don't wring her neck first! She tries my patience like no other!  Most days by bedtime.....she's gotten on my very last nerve......sigh.