Now that Jon and Marys wedding is history I hope to revive my neglected xanga site! About 10 days before the wedding Phil and Erin flew into Denver and came to our house for the night. The kids just loved Jocelyn and still talk about her!

This is what it looked like a week beore the wedding! Thankfully it did last and their wedding day was warm and sunny.

Uncle Jr and Aunt Sara, Mary, Morris and Carol came for supper Thersday evening. It was so much fun connecting with them again!

Playing checkers

Morris and Carol ended up staying at our house overnight because of icy roads. On Saturday Carol ,Mary and I hit several thrift stores and a coffee shop. That was a day to remember!

All week I've been achy, feeling like I'm fighting a bug. Today I'm sick! Ugggg....hope I get over it quickly 'cause it just doesn't work  for 'mom' to be sick!

Inspiration for the day!

My summer looked so calm and uneventful until Jon and Mary got engaged. Suddenly everything got very busy! Three weekends out of a month we had weekend visitors. The last ones were three of Dave's siblings and familys.

Kevin, Lynn and family

Phil,Marrieta and Family

Marcus, Darlene and family

Kids,kids and more kids!

Brandon had a birthday, so we stuck candles in his breakfast!

Sitting around the fire pit in the evenings

Inessa and Allison

Our yard looked like a campground! We had so much fun!

If you wonder where the Root beer went....just check under the table! Hmmm???

The garden has been doing great! The lettuce did really well and I had lots to give away!

What could this possibly mean?

This is the field lane where we walk....or rather I walk and the kids bike. There's an irrigation ditch running beside the lane with nice cool water (more like muddy, cold water) and ofcourse it's so hot that they just have to go for a splash!

The other morning Tyrone came flying in from the barn yelling like someone was seriously injured. "MOM!!! MOM!!! *GASP* THERE'S... THERE'S A ...AN EGG....BROWN EGG....IN THE CHICKEN HOUSE!!! And so our chicken are laying! The boys love to go look for eggs!

Patrick seems to think it's his duty to make sure my hair turn gray. He was ridding a bike that was too big for him and ended up with this shinner. About three weeks ago he had a skate board accident and skinned his entire nose. It had just healed up and now this!

More pics later...gotta go make pizza!

My baby is three!

Friday was Inessa's birthday. She was delighted with the pink cake. At that age all that matters is the color!

Her hair is just washed on this pic. because by the time we were done with the cake she had so much frosting in her hair that I couldn't even comb it!

Summer is finally here! The kids are having fun riding  their horse, riding bike, building 'houses' in the pasture...and ofcourse helping me with chores.

Last evening Patrick learned to ride his bike! He's so proud of himself!

                                 Me and the little people who call me 'Mom'.

                            JUST A MOM?

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk 's office
was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation.
 She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
 "What I mean is," explained the recorder,
"do you have a job or are you just a......?" 
"Of course I have a job," snapped the woman.
 "I'm a Mom" 
"We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it,"
said the recorder emphatically. 
I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the
same situation, this time at our own Town Hall.
The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised,
efficient and possessed of a high sounding title like,
"Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar."
"What is your occupation?" she probed. 
What made me say it?
I do not know.
The words simply popped out.
"I'm a Research Associate in the field of
Child Development and Human Relations."
The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and
looked up as though she had not heard right. 
I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words.
Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written,
in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest,
"just what you do in your field?" 
Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice,
I heard myself reply,
"I have a continuing program of research,
[what mother doesn't)
in the laboratory and in the field,
(normally I would have said indoors and out).
I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family)
and already have four credits (all daughters).
Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities,
(any mother care to disagree?)
and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it).
But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she
completed the form, stood up and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career,
I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model,
(a 6 month old baby) in the child development program,
testing out a new vocal pattern.
I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!
And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than
"just another Mom."  Motherhood!  
What a glorious career!
Especially when there's a title on the door.
 
Does this make Grandmother's
"Senior Research associates in the field of
Child Development and Human Relations"
and Great Grandmother's
"Executive Senior Research Associates"?
I think so!!!
I also think it makes Aunt's
"Associate Research Assistants".