My Office Entertainment

Looking out the window of my office I am delighted most days to see my little bird friends putting on a show. In the first picture they are not there but a few minutes later after I added bird seed they started showing up. One day a curious little squirrel attempted to climb the pole, while funny to watch the birds were not having it and promptly chased him away. Another day one of the dogs was busy "watering"the plants and they went after him too! Poor Rover had no idea he jumped a foot off the ground. The second picture shows two of the little birds feasting on thier prize. I never paid much attention before to birds or squirrels but I feel I am somehow honoring Jarrod's Grandma when I feed them. She always had food out ,and even had a few names for her favorite fat little hummingbirds, squirells and birds.

Mr. July

This hunky beef cake enjoys playing with trucks and just kidding...

The first thought that popped into my head when I saw him doing this was the Firemen Calenders. We were in College Station last night for Demo- Night at Fire School and he provided me with this gem of a picture- I DID NOT pose him this is all JETT!

FIRE SCHOOL

Crying and Counting down the days

I just realized that Jett starts Kindergarden in 3 weeks! I am not ready, where did time go, he was just crawling on the floors and learning to walk. I am not ready, this is where it all begins the gradual process of him becoming, yikes, independent of us. I am not ready, I want to hide him away and keep him 5 forever but I said that about 1, 2, 3, and 4 also. I know this is starting a great adventure for him but I want to pause these last few days of summer and his toddlerhood ( if its not a word it should be)before he is a school aged child! I hope he is ready? I question if we have prepared him enough? I am so not ready, waaaa.....

Busy Weekend

Don't you just love busy weekends, we had so much going on I wish I had the day off today. Saturday morning Jett had a rodeo in Gonzales, he did not do as well this time as he normally does. It was our turn to bring the toys for them to play with while they are waiting and while Jett is going around the first barrel he is looking at the other kids playing with his toys. So needless to say he was not paying attention. He wanted to know why he only got 1 ribbon this time and we explained to him that when we say -pay attention -there is a reason;I think he finally gets it now. He is 5 after all so if you don't say it at least a 100 times he doesn't hear you. Anywho, he still placed 3rd in cloverleaf and should have a chance at year end prizes. Later that day we spent time with Haley while Jarrod fed calves, I have to say I LOVE that Jett still takes naps because I sometimes get to with him, I wish I was 5 again and had them everyday. Saturday night the Campbells invited us over for dinner and fellowship. Beth and Neil always go all out and do an amazing job, Jarrod said the apple and jalapeno crusted pork tenderloin was wonderful!

Sunday we woke at the crack of 8 after such a long day and were off to College Station. Jarrod is fulfilling part of the requirements for the Volunteer Fire Department and that is fire school for a week at A&M, whoop! (for Jarrod). There was a huge expo at Reed Arena and the parking lot surrounding, every kind of fire vehicle was on display. Great big ladder trucks, Life flight helicopters, Rescue boats, and even brush trucks that had tires taller than me. The 5 year old in me was excited so you can imagine what Jett and Jarrod were experiencing. I took a few pictures but the temp was 106, so we did not stay outside very long. More to come later.....

GOD is good

A few beauty shots of one of the ranches, can you believe in July the hay fields are looking this good? What a drastic change from one year ago and the horrible draught. GOD is good! Calves are sold, hay looks great and everyone is healthy!

"Boots On"

When we buy Jett new boots I feel sorry for them. They are stomped in mud, tracked through poop, scuffed up and generally abused. We have not had a pair make it past 6 months. The poor things don't even get a chance to be outgrown or passed down to somebody else. Jett doesn't care if he has socks on, what size they are or even if they match,this combined with always having them on the opposite feet has stretched the leather out and destroyed the heels. We try to give the boots a break and make him wear teeny shoes- ya right he says he can't walk in them, sometimes he will wear flip-flops and I swear the boots go into hiding to avoid the destruction.

Toy Story - Long Edition

These are Jett's beloved animals, all 9 horses and 2 dogs. I took Jett to see Toy Story 3 and he started crying at the end along with me. He made me promise to never put Firecracker, Horsey, Dub, Danny, Chief, Lil'Chicken, Co-Chief, Shorty,Fiesta, Sleepy Sam, or either Puppy in the attic. He says he is not going to college he is going to stay home with Mommy and Daddy and all his horses forever. Every night we tuck him into bed ALL of the horses get tucked in too. He tells me that when he is busy working during the day Firecracker(the big paint horse in the back) is in charge.

Yoakum Fire Department Water Polo Contest

Last night Yoakum Fire Department had it's annual Water Polo Contest. They invite all of the Volunteer Fire Department as well as the paid employees. It was wonderful to see these guys blow off the steam of some recent horrible accident sites and act like children for a while. The families are invited and treated to hot dogs and ice cream, it is a true small town experience. Jarrod and his partner did well and fought back up the bracket but did not end up winning:( Jett, who thinks he is a fireman already, even got to spray the water hose some with his daddies helmet on. Jett takes as much pride in the firetrucks as any fireman, when they have truck washing or maintenance days he is there wiping and cleaning with the best of them. This next week Jarrod will be attending fire school in College Station to complete his training for the YVFD. Be sure to look at the very bottom tosee the video. I feel like I'm in a crazy romance novel with a husband who is a rancher and a fireman:)

Daddy Bungee

Our no fear child invented a new sport this weekend. He convinced Jarrod to hold him by his ankles and let him jump head first into the lake. I think the pictures speak for themselves...

can you tell by that smile?

Weekend Recap

HAPPY WEDDING DAY-7 YARS AGO

Today is the anniversary of the day I married THE MAN. The one person that means so many things to me; best friend, playmate, partner. From the very beginning I knew you where the one God had chosen for me. As I write this our song from our first dance came to my mind ,At Last. You have cast a fairy tale spell on my life and enriched it in ways I could not have imagined. I grew up watching fairy tales about love; the world doesn't want you to believe they can come true but we are proof that it happens. Even on our worst day I could never imagine my world without you in it. I kept hidden the soft, romantic side of me until I met you and you swept me off my feet. You are perfect to me and for me and can't wait to see what the next years hold for us.

Picker Upper Clouds

When we sit still long enough the answers to questions you ask God present themselves in miraculous ways. Jarrod is part of the Volunteer Fire Department in Yoakum, he happened to be paged out while Jett was with him. I picked up Jett and went to take Jarrod's place in the hay field, raking hay for him. We did not talk much in the tractor I was thinking about Jarrod and his safety, Jett poor baby kept blinking his eyes. (The vibration and sound puts him to sleep every time.) While on scene at the deadly accident another accident was called in that a child had been hit on the highway. Jett overheard me talking with Jarrod and as a normal 5 year old he wanted to know everything about it. I did not have any information but was also contemplating what I would say to Jett if and when I knew something- should I tell him the truth and use it as a learning tool? do I say everything is okay? About that time Jett says look Momma, it's God's picker upper clouds, I looked in the direction he pointed and three rays of light shone through the clouds. My questions where answered by God without me even asking. Jett said Momma everything is okay now but let's say a little prayer, moments later I received a call from Jarrod that the child had survived. It's amazing to me how children have the ability to let go and let God and how Jett's observation eased my troubled mind. If that is not reassuring enough the song ,I saw God Today, was the next song on the radio.