Lauren's Birthday Party

or

It's Not Always About You.

Jacob's having a little trouble this year letting Lauren get all the attention.

The party's just getting started and he's already sulking because there are no boys to play with.

Now, how is that fair?

When yet another female party guest arrives, Jacob whines, "Oh, GREAT! Now there's FIVE girls!"

Trust me, kid, one day you'll say that with a different tone of voice, a smile on your face, and a skip in your step.  Well.  Maybe not that last one.  You'll be too macho for that.

In the meantime you'll just have to get over yourself and let your sister enjoy her day.

Which she obviously did.

And now that she's four, she's very mature.

And patient.

As she calmly waits for Uncle Jeff to put a straw in her Capri Sun.

While Papa Mike does the same for Maddie.

And waits....

Papa Mike is already done.

And waits...

Getting pretty thirsty now.

So you can just stuff your face with cupcakes, wear the obligatory "Hello Kitty" ring, and check out the laser gun that Aunt Jo got you because you're still slightly spoiled.

But nobody said you have to like it.

Fire Bug

If all the whining, nagging and pleading fails, just burn the place down.

Seriously...I was just trying to help.  Usually, my problem is getting the fire started.

Here's a list of things I KNOW, but didn't DO.

1.  Don't burn when it hasn't rained in the last 10 days.
2.  Always have water nearby.
3.  Carry a phone.

This "control burn" quickly became out of control.

Being the control freak that I am, I just KNEW I could handle this.  But when my lungs started burning, I decided to call for backup.

These boots may be made for walkin', but they're also good for runnin' -- 

to the house -- to call our trusty rural fire department. 

Meet Charlie and Kenneth.

I was literally (yes, Emily, I said "literally") sick to my stomach.

Not to mention my face was burnt, my toes were burnt, I think the lining of my lungs is burnt.

My iced water tastes burnt.

I kept hearing my self mumble, "I'm so sorry.  My husband's gonna kill me.  I'm so sorry."

But look, honey, we saved your deer feeder!

That oughtta be worth somethin', right?

A little help, please.

I need photography advice.

I have a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi.

I have no clue how to use it.

Last week I spent lots of time reading the manual, searching the internet, reading blogs of self-made photographers, and practicing with my Mom.

In the shadows...

Motion....

She was a really good sport.  Will I ever want to take photos of someone waving their hand in front of their face?  Not likely, but I'm ready, just in case.

The best advice came from Marcia.  "Always use the Auto Settings."  

So I do.

But here's my pictures from Jacob's debut as quarterback....on the "Sports" setting.

Not too bad.  But not great.

Even worse.

And Lauren, cheerleading.

On "Sports" setting....

On "Full Auto"....

Okay.  Hit me with some pointers.

Conversations with Lauren

Before leaving to come to Nana's house:

Mommy:  Don't get your new shoes dirty.  (At my house? Trista, what are you thinking?)

Lauren:   (with attitude) Duu-uh!

(She told me later that she learned that from Miss Tirita, her dance teacher.)

Eating chocolate chip cookies at Queenies:

Lauren:  Cookies...cookies...cookies and cream.  What's the matter with the uuuther team?

Lauren:  Chocolate is good for you.

Nana:  That's right.  It's good for your brain.  It makes you smart.  (Ya gotta teach them early.)

Driving around Utica Square:

Lauren:  This is where we went wif Grampa Smif.

Nana:  Yeah.  We ate lunch at Olive Garden--back in July.  (That chocolate is a miracle food.)

Lauren:  When Jacob was reading a book to me, and Piercen was reading a book, they both kissed me on the cheek.

Nana:  How sweet!

Lauren:  'Cause boys can't kiss girls on the lips.  Only Momma's and Nana's and Mimi's can kiss me on the lips.  Boys have to kiss me on the cheeks. 

Nana:  And don't you forget it, princess! 

This Is Wine Country

Just for the record, I am still on vacation.  (I probably wouldn't describe Oklahoma as "Wine Country.")

But Southern Ontario is teeming with vineyards.

One vineyard after another.

And the vines are loaded--I mean--LOADED with succulent grapes.

The spies must have discovered something similar in the Promised Land.

Charge!!!

Neal likes red.

I prefer white.

I'm pretty sure that I was trespassing.  But I promise, I resisted the temptation to sample.  Not as hard as you might think, because the owners have their "bangers" going off constantly...which sound like gunfire.  So I might have been a little jumpy.

Oh...and it's almost time for the apple harvest.

Ya think?

Harvest Moon

So, I'm taking a walk along the shore of Lake Ontario yesterday evening...camera in tow. 

Plenty of photo ops.  Like the swan that was very cooperative and patient with my clumsy photo skills.

and the sail boats, coming in for the night.

It's a perfect evening and I'm enjoying time with my sister.  As we walk along the pier, Linda comments on the sun setting to our left (West)...

and the full moon rising to our right (East)...

And this morning, I find out that it was a "once-every-twenty-years" phenomenon.  Life is sweet!



It's That Time Again

Deer Season.

An age-old tradition among the Blevins' men.  And even some of the girls.

The first buck was officially bagged last night.

By my youngest--Jeff.

Is it already rifle season? (You may be wondering.)

No.

Black powder?

No.

Okay...Bow?

Wrong again.

It's Beamer Season.

Oh yeah, this bad boy was brought down by a red '88 BMW 325ix....

...that is now scrap metal.

Fortunately, the Nebraska tag is unscathed.

Meet My Daughter

In response to a comment on yesterday's post.

Meet my daughter, who I call "Baby A."

See any resemblance?

That's her baby-stealing, pretend mother on the left....

You decide.

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

My life is freakishly parallel to that of a certain (famous) blogger.

I won't mention any names, but her initials are RD and her nickname rhymes with Lioneer Roman.

Notice the similarities:

She lives in rural Oklahoma.  And loves to photograph sunsets.

  

I live in rural Oklahoma.  And love to photograph sunsets.

What are the odds?

She owns a cattle ranch.

My neighbor's cows wander onto my property.

Coincidence?  I think not.

She has a bassett hound.

I have TWO bassetts.

Hmmm.

She wrote a cookbook.

I bought her cookbook.  

This is getting creepy.

And finally.....

She recently adopted a kitten...

...AFTER I adopted a kitten.

Just sayin'.

We'll Miss You Admiral Twin

Today, Tulsa lost a beloved, historic landmark.  The monster, wood-framed screen of the old Admiral Twin Drive-In Theater (circa 1951) went up in flames around 2:00 this afternoon.  And with it...many memories.

You may remember it from scenes in "The Outsiders." 

But we remember it fondly as the place where our youngest--just recently out of diapers--pooped on his daddy's knee while being propped up to reach the toilet during one of many potty breaks.  Ahhh.  Good times.

Of course, there were lots of idiots who recklessly swerved across lanes of traffic and pulled off the highway to get a better view, and a few pictures.

Yes.  I was one of them.

You have to really use your imagination to make out the black, charred remains of the screen.  Way back there in front of the trees.  'Cause I just have a plain ole camera phone.

I tried cropping one of the pictures...

Yikes! Even worse.

You can see some of the photos that the really cool, hip, people with iPhones captured here.

See?  This is why I need an iPhone.

You knew I'd find some way to make this about me.