Cool Dip

Last night Jeremy and family came over after dinner.  Jacob has been pleading to go swimming. So far, we have only let him put his feet in the pool, 'cause even though it's been warm outside, the water is still frigid.  Last night, he begged to put his floaties on and get IN the pool.  I said, "let him do it, he'll get half-way in and decide to wait a few more days."

Cannonball!!!

sputter....sputter....sputter...

.

I LIKE IT!!!!

Shivering....

"I like thwimming."

Towel and sun feel good, but you'll never get me to admit I'm cold.

Let the pool season begin!!!!!!!

Pig Roast

In her defense, that's a root beer at her elbow.

Sorry about the clarity of the photo...I took it on my phone.  Monday we celebrated Paige's high school graduation with a pig roast.  Paige is the classy, gorgeous, talented daughter of some very good friends of ours.  Somehow those qualities don't quite mesh with "suuuueeeyyyyy" and "pig roast."  However, she is going to attend the University of Arkansas and will be a beautiful addition to their institution.

The forecast called for showers, but our neck of the woods was spared, and instead we had a very warm and muggy day.  The food was plentiful and delicious, even (especially) the roast pig. Since we live just a pasture away from Paige's grandparents, we hopped in the cub and tooled over the field and through the downed fence that Neal hasn't had time to mend.  Good times with good friends.  Great way to spend the holiday.

Surprise!

There are different kinds of surprises.  I'm usually a big fan of surprises.  

Yesterday, Neal and I worked hard all day.  He welded fence posts, mowed and edged the area around the pool and brush hogged the fields.  I did laundry and a little housework, planted flowers, scrubbed the pool lounge chairs and cleaned the pool.  As I was getting ready to run to the store to pick up some chips for our "build your own tacos" Neal walked in the kitchen with a fistful of wild flowers he had picked in the field.  "Surprise!"  Awwww.  He's so thoughtful.   

Of course I wanted to see where these were growing, so we hopped in the 4-wheeler and he took me to a plot behind a grove of trees and "surprise!" a virtual Monet painting, right there on our farm.

What a pleasant surprise.

This morning, I was sitting in the kitchen eating my Raisin Bran, when "surprise!" a furry little mouse ran across the floor and under the frig.  I am NOT fond of this kind of surprise.   I sat speechless for a moment, then saw the brave little critter sitting between the frig and cabinet staring at me.  The nerve!  Obviously he had been displaced from his home by all the mowing and brush hogging.

We have 3 traps set and I'm hoping to find a little surprise in one of them tomorrow morning.

Eat Your Heart Out

I have the best job in the world.  What makes this job so desirable?  1. It's part-time. 'Nuf said. 2. The people I work with are all amazing and wonderful and intelligent and funny. 3. My job is to keep people happy. Hello!....I'm a "people-pleaser!"  

When I got to the office on Thursday, a whole pan of homemade cinnamon rolls was in the break room. I don't know what's up with these people, but NOBODY was eating these rolls! Terry and I decided we might as well help ourselves to the "middle" ones, as no one else seemed to be interested and we all know that the center ones are the best. And ohhhh, land o' mercy, the heart of the cinnamon roll practically melted in my mouth.  

You will not believe what I'm going to say next.  But if I'm lyin' I'm dyin'.  On Friday, the only two cinnamon rolls missing from the pan were the ones Terry and I ate on Thursday!  What is wrong with these people?  I may have to take the word "intelligent" out of my description of the staff.  Well....(and I blame this on Terry), we decided we shouldn't let all that effort go to waste and we commenced to eatin' the hearts out of each and every cinnamon roll.

Well...maybe we left just one...you'll never know. 

I'm Not Bitter....Really

My favorite and oldest and youngest and only grandson graduated from Pre-K today.  So--you may ask--where are all the adorable pictures?  Well, somehow my least favorite son and daughter-in-law neglected to send me the memo.  Maybe it had something to do with this post from last year.  After all, I'm quite positive that they are avid fans of my blog.

So...anyhoo...I picked Jacob up at MeMe's house after work today and he came running out to show me the cool medal around his neck.  I said, "What's that for?"  He said, "It's for gratulations."  I like how he combines words to make up new ones.  Turns out that MeMe had saved me a seat at the ceremony, to which I didn't make an appearance.

Jacob was excited about coming to my house to check on the turtle and tadpoles, but somewhere along the highway route, he conked out.  It had obviously been a very exhausting day, what with all the excitement of graduation, from which I was absent.

When I pulled him out of the car, he opened his eyes long enough to mumble, "...at Nana's house...." then promptly fell back to sleep.  I put him in the baby bed, because I can't stand the fact that he's getting so big and reaching major milestones in his life right before my very eyes. On second thought, I didn't actually SEE this milestone.  (Do you detect a theme here?)

Well, I'm sure there will be many "gratulation" ceremonies in the future--and they will all be quite boring, except for the fact that he's my grandson.  And if I'm invited to the next one, I might just forgive his parents.

Oh, and if you want details and pictures you can go to Becky's Blog (MeMe), since me and my camera weren't there.  The link to her blog is in my Blogs I Read list.

Yucca

So...it's our third Spring on the farm and the Yucca plant is blooming for the first time.  I would attribute it to all the rain, but isn't it a desert plant??????

Luvin' Life

Remember the bluebirds?

Here is what Jacob discovered in the pole yesterday.

The kids were here for supper.  Jeremy caught a ginormous catfish last weekend, so Neal brought it home and cleaned it, only after promising Jacob that he could definitely come over and help us eat it.  Trista, on the other hand, rarely eats anything she has seen in it's original state and form, so she opted for potato salad and corn on the cob.  Give her a few more years of the Blevins' life....she'll come around....or not.

Uncle Jeff and Jacob retired to the game room that Jeff has taken over (along with a bedroom and the entire double garage), to watch a little Planet Earth on Jeff's Blue Ray, whatever that is. I'm sure our DVD's will soon be obsolete.

Lauren created something phenomenal in the sand box...

Then there was the tiny turtle that was found in the pool skimmer basket.

Jacob and Papa took a ride in the Cadet down to the pond and found some friends to join Mr. Turtle...namely, a crawdad and several tadpoles.

Upon opening the pool, I have found 1 turtle, 2 frogs and 3,789 tadpoles. Although, admittedly, the number of tadpoles may be a bit on the conservative side.  I'm killing them as fast as I can, cause this place already sounds like a tropical rain forest right about dusk.  And with Trista's Ranidaphobia (look it up) we do NOT need any of these little goobers sprouting legs. 

CRAWFEST!

The short time we spent living in Baton Rouge completely transformed our lives. That's where our love affair with crawfish began.  Since this is mud bug season, I've been privately envying and salivating over the FB status lines of some of my Cajun friends back in Louisiana. 

Today, Hebert's -- right here in dadgum Oklahoma -- put on a most awesome Crawfest! You got nothin' on us N'orleans!  Well, to be perfectly honest, you do.  But this was the next best thing.  Zydeco band, Jupiter Jump, Face Painting...not to mention boiled crawfish, crawfish etouffee, shrimp kabobs, red beans & rice, sausage, corn, potatoes...and last, but not least, bread pudding!

Mayfest is also going on in T-town, so the crowd at Hebert's was a bit unexpected. We had a little trouble finding a place to park and had to stand in line for our succulent dinners.  But I'm here to tell ya, Heather, it was well worth it...and you can eat at Schlotsky's anytime! Good thing Neal was wearing his "Scorpion King" hat. It made him much easier to find in the crowd.

Bruce shows off a perfect specimen.

Neal & Bruce participating in a practice in which not EVERYONE indulges.

(Sucking heads....sorry, but I had to say it...it's the proper term.)

Well...maybe just one.

Our 7th pound...and counting.

Jeremy demonstrates the correct way to eat a crawdad:

Mmmmm. Mmmmmm.  Ayeeeeeeeee!!!!

Sick Day

God works in mysterious ways.  After my last whiny post about not having time to spend with my grandchildren, Jeremy called this morning to ask if I could keep Jacob today, as he has a sore throat and can't go to school.  So I cancelled my work-out, grocery shopping and chiropractor appointment to stay home and nurse my grandson back to health.

Shortly after his arrival, I was talking to Jeff on the phone and told him Jacob was here with a sore throat.  Jacob piped up, "I don't have a sore throat, Nana."  "Oh....you don't?"  "No, I swallowed it."  Well there ya go.  The holistic approach to curing sore throats.  Couldn't have had anything to do with the Motrin Jeremy had given him before he came.

Here are a few of the things Jacob did on his "sick day."

Husker tickling.

Hay bale surfing.

Sky Diving.

Farm chores.

Safety first.

Gardening.

I promise...he begged to help me dig up my flower bed.

Don't turn me in for child labor.

We also made cookies, played GI Joe and, before the next dose of Motrin kicked in, had a little down time watching Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Amidst all the activity, I actually got some chores of my own done.  So all in all, it was a very productive day.  Just hope he can manage to swallow his sore throat tomorrow, since Nana has to go to work.

Too Busy

I saw a bumper sticker yesterday that said, "Jesus is Coming....Look Busy."  Kind of comical. Kind of.  

I think I've become too busy.  I seem to have gotten myself involved in a myriad of "good" things.  Ministries, if you will.  The thing is, they're all things I want to do.  But it has me stressed and exhausted. I started a new part-time job--a job that I love.  I'm teaching a ladies Bible class on Wednesday nights.  I'm planning another mission trip to Mexico in June (if the swine flu is contained by then).  Because of the trip, I'm involved in fund-raising.  I was responsible for planning the Cinco de Mayo dinner (and couldn't have done it without a little....no, a HUGE amount of help from my friends).  Last night I was up 'til past midnight organizing donations for our garage sale.  And today I spent most of the day at the sale. Vacation Bible School is right around the corner.  You guessed it. I'm on the planning committee.  I'm getting emails from our Deacon of Missions about a proposed trip to Quebec this summer.  I've taken on the task of keeping our foyer bulletin board current, as well as a new member profile display.  I'm the church Librarian, although lately I've been shirking that duty a little.  Yes, I think if Jesus came today, he would definitely find me busy.  But is that really the point? 

I've been in an irritable mood lately.  Neal has been having some physical difficulties, and it has me worried.  But instead of being sympathetic, I find myself angry.  When we both finally sat down this evening, we (he) decided to talk about my sour disposition. :-(  I told him about my stress level and all the things that were closing in on me.  I told him how I missed my grandkids. How during the day I would think about going to get them, but by the time I was heading home, I was exhausted.

Shortly after we talked, Jeremy called and they wanted to come over.  This is what I've been missing:

I really don't want to be so busy being "busy" that I don't have time for a relationship with my family, and for that matter, a relationship with God.  If Jesus comes and finds me watching Planet Earth with Jacob, while Lauren is sitting in my lap reading There's a Mouse About the House, I don't think He'll mind at all.

Random Thoughts Du Jour

Unlike my esteemed blogger friends who have designated a day of the week for "random thoughts" I will not name this post "Random Thoughts Monday." That would obligate me to yet one more thing...and I just can't handle the pressure.

I weeded flower beds today, because it's still too wet to mow my yard, which is more weeds than grass, and is now approaching 7" in height.  My former Tulsa neighbors would be aghast.

I miss my lawn boy, Randolph.

When I get to heaven, I will apologize to Grandma Crosby for doubting her when she accused others of stealing things from her house.  I thought she was senile.  Now people are stealing things from my house as well.  (Bring back my office keys, Nike workout shirt and Naneimo Bar recipe--you know who you are!!!)

Neal has quit dipping and I'm irritable.  Go figure.

If you work in the yard in chigger country, it's a good idea to put some bleach in your bath water.  However, shaving your legs would be better left til later.

When you live in a farm house that is more than half a century old, and it rains steadily for several days in a row, random electrical outlets and light switches quit working.  These will never be insignificant locations, but rather the ones that power your phone, computer modem and router.

• I love Wal-Mart.  This is my new $9.00 telephone.  Yes, that black thingy hanging on the bottom is a cord, for those of you who've never seen one.  And yes, you have to sit or stand right next to the phone throughout your conversation.  Don't call me unless it's an emergency.

• When you're having internet withdrawals, you become very resourceful.
  

At least the extension cord is bright orange, so we won't trip over it.

• Neal and I need to get away.  Preferably to opposite corners of the world.  (Did I mention that I'm irritable?)

• I think the writers of LOST have "father issues" cause all of their characters do. Dude. Think about it.

• I'm feeling much better now that I've got this all out of my system and had my bleach-water bath.  I shall now go fry some catfish to go with our tater salad, black-eyed peas and cornbread.