Why can't I do that?

They make it look so easy!! But nope Momma couldn't do it. I tried & tried.

I caught a rabbit!!!!

Madison busted through the door last night and with pure joy shouted, "I caught a rabbit!!!" This was not her first attempt. A couple of weeks ago Cary & I were sitting outside and all of a sudden we saw Madison running in the front yard. I mean she went by like the Tazmanian Devil. I looked at Cary & said "What is she doing?" Come to find out she was chasing a rabbit. Last year Cary caught 2 baby rabbits. Madison was tickled to death. Even though I didn't want her to keep them I couldn't bear to make her get rid of them. I think they lasted about a week. I was told "wild" rabbits just won't survive. And I learned a valuable lesson. They stink, so no rabbits in my house!!

Madison is an animal lover. It doesn't matter what it is she loves it. She has asked for every animal you could think of. I am not an animal lover. Actually dogs & horses are about all I care for. I kinda dread the day she gets her own house. I'm afraid she might be known as the "dog lady", "cat lady", "hamster lady" etc... She even tells me she will have every animal she can think of in her house. Hopefully she will marry someone who doesn't like cats & hamsters so I can at least visit her!!

Back to the rabbit last night. She didn't actually catch it she saved it from the dogs. The dogs had it in their mouth and she rescued it. When I went outside it was just laying there. It would move a little but not anything like it should have been. I told her the dogs have hurt it way too bad and it probably wouldn't make it. She checked it over and said she couldn't feel any broken bones and it wasn't bleeding it was just lifeless. After a couple of minutes I told her I thought it had died. She said it just needed some air. I told her to give it mouth to mouth (I wouldn't have let her, I was just going to see if she would do it). She did pick it up and blow in its face thinking that would help, but it didn't.

She wanted to bury it so I told Cary to get his shovel. His response was let the dogs have it. Madison & Grant were mortified. So he got his shovel. Madison picked out a spot under a tree and we buried it and Madison made a cross to put on the grave. Grant just sat beside the grave and cried (He's the sensitive one).

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Look out Beach here we come!!!!!!

The Year of The Rat

According to a Zodiac web site that Cary found anyone born in the years 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996 are people born in the Year of the Rat. It goes on to say that People born in the Year of the Rat are noted for their charm and attraction for the opposite sex. They work hard to achieve their goals, acquire possessions, and are likely to be perfectionists. They are basically thrifty with money. Rat people are easily angered and love to gossip. Their ambitions are big, and they are usually very successful. They are most compatible with people born in the years of the Dragon, Monkey, and Ox. (Cary was born in the year of the Dog)

That describes me to a tee. But what is even scarier is that Madison was born in 1996. So we are both Rat's.

If Momma Ain't Happy........

Then nobody will be happy. This happened in our house last night. I came home last night with an extra kid(Haley) and I should have known it would be chaos. When it's just my kids it's pretty peaceful around our house. But if you add just one more child regardless of who it is; it turns to chaos. I had kids running, screaming, slamming doors, kicking, crying, you name it & they were doing it. I decided not to cook and grab a pizza since we were suppose to go to Cary's Mom & Dad's. Cary was busy working on moving a pile of dirt that he has been working on since Saturday.

Cary came in about 6:30 and decides we would just go to his Mom & Dad's tomorrow night. I really didn't care one way or the other but now I had to find something to cook. I don't really enjoy cooking and look for every opportunity to get out of it. I decided to grill hamburgers & make homemade french fries(since I didn't have any frozen ones). Well guess what my kids wouldn't touch the homemade fries because they still had the peeling on them.

Grant started whining when he found out we were having hamburgers. When he says he wants a hamburger he really means he wants a bun with cheese & ketchup (and yes we have ordered that at McDonalds before!). Well I told him he was eating the hamburger with meat. So while I was grilling I flipped one of the hamburgers off the grill onto the concrete. I really thought about putting it back on the grill and marking it so I wouldn't get it, but I saw dog hair on it and decided to let the dogs have it. Grant got his wish. No meat on his bun.

Haley went home around 8:00 and soon after I heard Madison & Grant arguing again. SO....off to bed they go. Grant was crying that it was still morning and too early to go to bed. He cried for at least 30 minutes. My nerves were about shot.

So Cary finally comes in and I unloaded on him. I told him not to take it personally because I'm sure it's just PMS. But I needed some more help around the house. He felt awful and then I felt awful. He promised to do better & I know he will. I know I expect things to be perfect and when it's not I come unglued. I'm going to try harder to work on letting the small stuff go.

Today I feel much better and in control again...

Dead bird & heart shaped shrimp

Last night when I came home Madison had found a dead bird on our back porch. She had it in a plastic shovel carrying it around. I told her to throw it away & I thought she did. While I was cooking dinner she was making Cary's fathers day card. She always makes us a card and she is very creative. I love seeing what she comes up with. I hope Cary is not reading this because I'm fixing to tell about her card. She wanted a newspaper that I was reading so she could cut out the letters. She cut out all the letters to spell out her message and then taped them on. It looked really good. Then I put her dinner in front of her. She found a heart shaped shrimp and was going to tape it onto her card. I wouldn't let her do that. She said "Man daddy is missing everything first the dead bird & now this shrimp that is shaped like a heart."

Later when we went outside to swim I saw the bird still in the shovel next to the house. This time I made sure she got rid of it. She was saving it to show to Cary when he got home.

Sold!!

I think we might have one of the puppies sold. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Molly has had 2 or 3 litters since we have had her and each time we say we are going to sale the pups but never do. It takes alot of time & effort to sale puppies. We finally posted the pictures Monday & received an e-mail yesterday. They are coming at 7:00 tonight to look at them. Yesterday I was ready to give up and give them away like we always do. But now I have hope that we will be able to sale both of them. I made a deal with Madison that she could have the money from one of the pups & I would get the money for the other one. Last night when I told her that someone was coming to look at the puppy, I told her I had sold mine now she needed to try & sale hers. She didn't agree. She said hers was the one getting sold. I'm going to try & do a guilt trip on the guy & get him to take both!!!

Cary comes home today after another week in Texas!! Since the end of April he has spent 4 1/2 weeks in Texas. This was a short trip so it wasn't so bad. Tuesday night my mom came up to swim and ended up taking both kids home with her. So I had the whole house to myself!!! It's funny when Cary is home I never think about people breaking into the house and stuff like that but as soon as he leaves that's all I think about. So Tues night I was a little afraid. I kept thinking I was hearing things. Of course I wasn't going to get up & see. It didn't help that on Monday night right before Cary left he told me he couldn't sleep because he thought he heard someone in the house. That's just not something you should say before your leaving to go out of town.

This weekend is going to be great. Not only is the 18th Father's Day but it's Our Anniversary. 12 years together. We've had our ups & downs, but mostly ups I think!! I've grown up with Cary and hope to grow old with him. If he hasn't killed me by now chances are he won't!! I've made reservations for us to go to Chaffin's Barn & Dinner theater on Saturday night. I hope that it is good. We have wanted to go for some time. I will let you know Monday how it goes.

OH NO!!

>>I've done it now!! I was trying to be helpful and get the yard mowed before Cary comes home. I got it mowed.....except for one little strip by the driveway. That's when it happened. The motor revved up and then I heard a clicking noise. I quickly cut it off. I called Cary immediately. This was the 2nd time I had called him. The 1st time I noticed the temp. gauge was lit up. I have no idea how long it was on. Actually the only reason I noticed was because it was starting to smoke. He talked me through what to do and said I could continue to mow. So I did. And now we have a lawn mower sitting at the bottom of our yard blown up. He said I probably blew the motor up. I asked him if he was mad at me & he said "No, I'm fine with it as long as your fine with it." See I handle the finances, so now I will have to spend $ on something I wasn't counting on. And right before vacation too!!! Oh well, I'm just thankful I have the money to repair it & go on vacation!!!!

>>While I was mowing I told the kids they had to play outside. I didn't want them in the house watching TV when it was so nice outside. Grant came to the front yard where I was at & kept saying something. I couldn't hear him over the lawnmower so I motioned for him to come to me. He wanted me to catch a lizard that they had found. I told him NO WAY! He later showed me the lizard. It was at the top of the house right under the gutter. Him & Madison were taping(with scotch tape) sticks together to try and reach it. They never did catch it..Thankgoodness!!

Today is Beautiful!!

I've got the front door & back door open in my little office. There is a gentle breeze blowing and the sun is shining. I just finished my daily walk at the park next door. I am so blessed. This is the best job in the world. I know those that know me get so tired of hearing me praise my job, but you just don't understand how wonderful it is!!!

This weekend was another fun filled one. Saturday started off with Cary & I sleeping until 9:00. That is very unusual. But since we had slept so late we decided to go out for breakfast. Madison refused to go with us, she is in a "stage" where she doesn't want to go ANYWHERE. So we left her home. Grant chose Waffle House. He loves going to the Waffle House and sitting at the counter & watching them cook. Then we were off to the Pool store. I hate going there because we always spend $$ on chemicals. Then off to the greenhouse to pick up some flowers. I got the bright idea to plant flowers beside the driveway. Of course it was my idea but Cary has to do ALL the work. While he planted Grant & I sat in the shade & eventually laid in the shade. At one point Grant actually fell asleep.

After much sweat & work Cary got everything planted. Then back to the house we go. I remembered there was a ceiling fan I had purchased for Grant's room that needed to be put up. Somehow the blades got broke on his last one?? So no rest for Cary he went right to work putting up the ceiling fan. Cary's Mom & nephew came over for some afternoon swim time.

Doo Dah

This word came to me last night and I decided to call Cary "Doo Dah". He didn't like it so that made me want to do it more! I know I've got a mean streak that lives in me. I try to be good but sometimes it comes out!! I even told him I was going to call his work today and have them page him over the intercom saying "Doo Dah Lollar you have a phone call!!"

And before you start feeling sorry for him, he calls me "Mommy Dearest". Every time I ask him to do something I get "Yes, Mommy Dearest".

Well I can no longer call him "Doo Dah". He had a nightmare last night that I was mean to him and kept doing all these bad things to him and I wouldn't stop. He seemed bothered by it so for now I won't taunt him!!!!

The Lord knows he has earned his star for putting up with me!!!

What a way to wake up....

This morning at 5:45 AM I hear the dog bark and then I hear MY DAD say "Kelli". He was standing outside our bedroom door. I said "What?". He said "Come here". I am NOT a morning person and it takes me a while to get up, but when your Dad is standing outside your bedroom door at 5:45 and he doesn't live at my house, I get up. My first thoughts were Oh No someone has died and it's so bad he's come to my house to tell me about it.

So I open the door and there stands my Dad holding the new puppy that Madison gave him. It had a fish hook hung in its lip and he couldn't get it out. He didn't know what to do so he brought it to Cary. By this time the kids are awake and they all head downstairs so Cary could remove the fish hook. I went back to bed. I don't know who depends on Cary more; me or my family!!!

Daddy Day Care

Well the kids or should I say my Dad survived the 1st day of babysitting both kids. My Dad(Pa) retired in January of 2005. He took on the roll of taking Madison to school & keeping her after school & during the summer. He get's along really good with Madison. She's a Daddy's girl & a Pa's girl. She has him wrapped around her finger & pretty much gets anything she wants. Anyhow Pa wasn't quite brave enough to keep both Madison & Grant. When you have one it's not that bad, but when you put them together it can be trying.

This year Pa has kept Grant a little more and decided he would keep him this summer too. I'm glad that Grant get's to experience the summer like Madison. They ride 4wheelers, ride tractors, swim, & spend time with Haley & alot of time just being a kid on the farm. The only part that has me worried is the eating part. See growing up I've never seen my Dad cook. The only thing I think I have seen him cook was fried bologna. My kids won't eat that. I think he pretty much lets them eat whatever and drink Coke all day long.

So last night at supper I was questioning what they had eat that day. Madison said she had a peanut butter & jelly sandwich for breakfast & that was pretty much all she ate all day. She said there was no food at their house except for pinto beans in a can and that Pa said he didn't know how to fix those. So I told her I would get some ham and stuff like that so she could fix a sandwich. She said "Oh, they have that kind of stuff!!"

All I heard Grant mention was a Hershey's candy bar. We asked Grant if he had any Coke, he said no, but with that look that Cary & I both knew he had. So Cary said "You didn't drink ANY Coke today?" Again "NO!!" Then Madison says "Yes he did, He had a Pepsi at Gran-Gran's" so Cary looks at Grant and says "Did you have a Pepsi?" Grant replies " Yes, but I didn't have Coke!!!"

Later that night Grant tells me that he fell off the 4 wheeler & Madison ran over him. I looked at Madison and she said "I didn't know he fell off". After talking to both of them I find out he was riding on the front which is a big NO-NO. I told them not to be riding on the front & Where was Pa??

Weekend Highlights

**I had to work Saturday, so that was a bummer. Over the past 2 years I have come to enjoy my Saturday's. Ever since I started working at age 17 I have had to work Saturday's. I thought I would always have to work Saturday's, until an opportunity 2 years ago, that put me in my current position. I was not use to being off on Saturday's so at first it took a while to enjoy. Now I can't imagine it any other way. I really enjoy spending time with my family.

**Saturday we celebrated Haley's 12th birthday with a cookout-swimming-hayride party. The kids had lots of fun & were totally worn out by the end of the night. Madison wasn't too happy with me when I made her come home with us at 9:30. She had been going all day long & needed a bath and some sleep. I knew if she didn't get in bed we would PAY for it Sunday. After waking up yesterday morning she "tried" to still be upset with me but I told her that I prayed that God would make her happy and she couldn't help but smile.

**We had a great night last night with friends & ice cream. What a great way to start off the week. On the way home Madison was telling us about her class at church. She said they had a test & that the teacher said they would have lots of them. I asked her what was on the test and she said; On what day did God finish working? I said on the 6th because he rested on the 7th, Cary said the 7th. So of course the interior light comes on & Madison & I both pull out a bible and start looking. But then Cary brings the point out, that I have never thought about and that being God rested. Why did God have to rest?? Does God get tired?? And of course it came back to me & my naps. I said, "See if God needs rest so do I!"

I tried!!

**We had some time last night to sit down & let hubby show me how to post pictures. To make a long story short I thought he erased ALL my pictures on my camera. I didn't want to be ugly, because he was trying to help, so I just walked upstairs. I had pictures from Easter & Mother's Day and Grant's B-day on there. I wanted to cry. Thank goodness he knew what to do and for the most part recovered most of them. The ones that didn't get recovered I have already downloaded them so that was no big deal. Our computer at home is not the best in the world & he was having trouble getting it to post my pictures. He spent several hours working on it. He's the type that HAS to figure out everything. So when he came to bed at 11:00 PM, he laid there for a minute and then said I have to go figure out why that's not working. I bet I will be able to post pictures tonight!! I have no idea what time he came to bed. He can function on no sleep, I can't!!!

**Today is Grant's last day at Pre School/Day Care!!! He is so excited. Grant is 6 and since WE decided not to send him to KDG last year he has been in Day Care a LONG time. He's ready for school I just hope they are ready for him!!! His KDG teacher was actually my KDG teacher. Yes we live in a small community and my kids go to the same school I attended. Madison had my KDG teacher & Cary's 1st grade teacher. The 1st grade teacher has since retired, so Grant won't have her.

Mahaley Paige

**On this day 12 years ago my niece was born. Haley (what we call her) is an only child that has a life that most kids dream about. But she is a good kid. She was born about 2 1/2 weeks before Cary & I married, so she has been our "practice" baby. She was so much fun we could hardly wait to have our own kids. Now she's growing up, and spending more & more time with her friends. Madison looks up to her and loves spending time with her. So on this day Haley, I hope you have a great 12th birthday and I will be with you Sat night to help you celebrate!!!!

**I've hooked another blogger. I'm trying to get my friends to blog so that I can keep up with their lives since it is so hard to stay in touch on a regular basis. Barbara are you reading this??? Four kids is no excuse for not having time to blog!!!