Photo Finds

Recently, while cleaning, I found several rolls of film.  I had a few developed and found several very cute photos.  It's bittersweet to look back and see the boys as wee-ones.  Ella has spent the morning yelling, "Where am I? Is that me?"  Nope, it was life before Ella was even thought of!  Mom, Dad and Wendy... I needed a tissue.  You might just want to have one on hand. :)

Make your own slideshow

PS. Mom,thanks for the suprise photo drop!

What happened to those sweet little boys?......

My Garden Guy

This week James just asked if we had enough cash for him to get a hoe and plants. 
Thank God I know my man well enough to know he ment these:

Instead of these:

                       

Feeding Time

Recently we've added a new addition to our family.  Yet another mouth to feed....well actually mouths.  Apparently 3 kids, 3 dogs, geckos and a hamster weren't enough.  Now we have a venus fly trap!  Not only is it a carnivorous plant, it is apparently a "special" plant.  Explanation of  "special"....it doesn't catch FLIES!  We found the plant during a recent trip to our local nursery.  The kids were checking it out, which led to the following conversation:

Kids: Does it really catch flies?
Me: I guess so.?
Kids: Can we get it?
Me: No!
Kids: Aw, common Mom! Why not?!
Me: What are we going to do during the winter?  It will die...there are no flies around here in the winter!
(Enter "helpful" Garden Guy): You can feed it small meal worms during the winter.
Kids: We have meal worms for the gecko!

Great now I really had no excuse, other than just plain "No, Because I said so!" Plus, I was kind of curious....would it actually eat flies?   Short answer....NO! Our "special" fly trap is apparently incapable of catching flies!  Since it has gone about 2 weeks without eating any "protein" my husband decided to feed it last evening.  The following pictures illustrate the horror which took place on our kitchen table last evening!

Do you see what is dangling from "mouth" on the left?!  A WORM!  James placed a worm in the mouth and it wriggled away while the mouth was closing! Eeeewwww!

Good-bye Mr. Meal worm! 

As of this morning both heads were still closed and the worms were completely inside.   GROSS!  I think I prefer the simple houseplants that prefer air, water and fertilizer over protein!  Yuck!

Relief!

As anyone can see, I had taken a L-O-N-G break from blogging. I didn't feel comfortable writing about an issue that had somewhat taken over our lives. For the past 6 months I (we) have been dealing with drama, threats, lies and uninvited home visits from individuals who can't understand the word NO! Even my kids were beginning to feel uncomfortable. Many nights when we would pull into the yard, they would see the mob at the end of the street....they knew who they were, the same people who came to our home. The same people they had seen me tell, VERY firmly to GO AWAY! The same people they "heard" terrible things about. Now here they were, camped out in what they thought was a "safe" place with "safe" people. However, after yesterday I am hoping our lives will return to normal. After a vote of 54-26, healing can hopefully begin, and life can return to what had been very peaceful.

Funny! Funny! Funny! (BEWARE: NASTY LANGUAGE!)

I know I've had days like the one documented here. Sadly, my mouth most likely sounded just as horrible too! Enjoy the following movie trailer in honor of bad days everywhere! I can't wait to see the movie! Check out the original out-takes on You Tube by searching "Original Winnebago Man".

Since I Last Posted.......

This free digital slideshow made with Smilebox

S*N*O*W & Lots Of It!

Here in the northeast we just had the best snow storm in years! My kids have finally gotten the chance to play in a DEEP snow they will remember. I love being snowed-in, it gives you a great excuse to kick back and relax. It's also gives you a great sense of community as everyone helps clear sidewalks, driveways and cars.

Now, while the kids are having a great time digging and playing in the snow, the dogs are thoroughly confused by it. Chelsea (our Rottweiler/German Shepard mix) is NOT happy about the deep snow and would prefer we just keep the door closed and ignore the white stuff. Sheldon (our Border Collie, Chow, Lab mix) is tolerating it, and Dexter (our spastic Jack Russell/Border Collie mix) is LOVIN' IT!!! Check out the video below. We were trying to get Dexter to leave the shallow snow in the walkway and enter the deep snow further in the yard. Doing so would have put the snow over his head. We bribed him with a soccer ball (his favorite toy), yet he still wouldn't go without a little help.





Here are a few other photos of our snowy day:

NBC Has Officially Lost It!

This is who the Tonight Show belongs to.



Look! It even says so in the photo! :)

But instead of giving the guy and honest shot, NBC has decided to do this:




Which makes me LOVE this:



Please watch to the end... it's just beautiful and so true!

New Camera!

We did it! We finally broke down and bought a new camera! :) Instead of punishing family, friends and fellow blog-readers with dull text-only posts, I've been avoiding blogging. Now the pics are back and the posts will follow!

New camera tests:

Ella's CHEESE!!!


Hayden's panoramic shot of our kitchen. Yes! The counters have been cleaned off since this pic was taken! :) Note, burgundy cupboards with pink and teal tile...you would think a sledge hammer to this room would be next on the list of home improvements. Sadly, it's third on the list! :(


Jim and his favorite kitchen accessory.... the coffee pot!


Hayden's strong man pose. :) LOVE IT!




We also had a family fondue/Wii party this weekend.....

Pap-paw playing Wii for the first time!

Food covered in chocolate.... the kids were in heaven!

Aunt Wendy and Baby Kenny (due end of April) enjoyed too!