Need Tractor, Will Travel...

Elmer has a birthday coming up and I would love to find him a little tractor that he can use on the farm. While it will probably be next summer before we can move onto the property, there's a lot of work he could be doing there on weekends - and if you know Elmer, he'd be up there every minute if he had something to work with. As it is, there's not a night that goes by where he doesn't ask me "Do you want to go up to the property?" So, when we go, we park on the driveway and he stands there telling me all the things he wants to get done, asks me where we should put the house and barn, and gives me a big hug and tells me how excited he is about owning our dream. It's really very cute. Don't tell him I said that though...

So, I've been searching for a tractor with a bucket. Something small since it's not a lot of property. Something like this would be perfect...


because we want to do rock work including a smaller version of this...


Isn't that awesome!

I wonder if we'll end up with something more like this...


If you know of someone with a good used tractor, let me know!

For My Sick Sister Kate. This One's For You...

Happy First Day of Fall!

Today, I Put Up My Blue Star Flag...

The Blue Star Flag first appeared in 1917, when an Army captain who had two sons serving on the front line designed it as a tribute to their dedication and service. The flag quickly became the unofficial symbol of a child in the service. Today, families who have a loved one serving in the military display a blue star flag in the inside front window of their homes to show the family’s pride in their loved one who is serving and to remind others that preserving America’s freedom demands much.

Thanks to all the members of the 116th and all those serving in our military. Come home safe...

Off to Iraq...

Tomorrow our son leaves for a few weeks of training in Mississippi then off to Iraq. I'm not so much worried, but rather sad. Sad to see him leaving his wife and two girls, Grace at 7 and newborn Halia.

Mom and I spent some time talking yesterday about how wars have changed over the years. When dad was in Korea, it took weeks for letters to get back and forth. No phone calls, no email.

Now, thankfully, our soldiers have options such as Skype, Facebook, and email. We plan to use them all to keep in touch with Jake, but I know that he'll also appreciate the old fashioned letters we'll send that he can receive during mail call.

We love you son and we're so proud of all that you have become. Know that we'll miss you but we'll do all we can to help Heather, Grace and Halia get through the next year while you're gone.



Until you come home, we're going to miss your wonderful hugs...

To All My Friends and Family With Blogs...

What is going on?????

Sweet Potato Pie - no post since 9/2
Hooty Hoot - haven't heard from you since 8/23
Obsure Photo Haiku and Peanut Gallery - I'd like to see more from you
Jaci Dawn and All I'm Saying - I can always count on you two!
Way Down in Mayberry, City of Compton and Boise Comma Idaho - I've given up on you.

Come on people! It takes 10 minutes!

Sigh.

The Little 3-Room School House...

About a year ago, I wrote a post about going home again when I took a much needed road trip to Garden Valley. It's a place I have such wonderful memories of. Where I went to grade school was a tiny little building with first and second grade in one room, third and fourth in another, and fifth and sixth grade in the last room. They built a new school in Garden Valley this year, and I started wondering, "what will happen to the wonderful little 3-room school house I loved so much?" Maybe it doesn't look like much to you but the memories I have of my childhood there are so special.



I remember meeting Kathy Coulter on the first day of school, who would be my dearest friend to this very day, Larry Stoops putting a dead wasp on my seat and getting stung, I remember learning how to do the 2-step with Richard Rane on days when it was too rainy or cold to go outside and play, getting a splinter in my butt from the old teeter totter - which, by the way, didn't come out until I was an adult! Spending spring days picking buttercups, Gerald Logue giving me 10 candy bars when he drew my name for Christmas because we could spend $1 on the person we drew and he thought I needed to fatten up, and Alan Ward running up to me and giving me my first kiss then running away.

You know me, once we purchased the 13 acres up the road, my first thought was, "if they're going to tear down or sell my little school house, I want it." So, I've made some calls and found out that indeed, they are going to sell it. They don't know when yet, but I've found the person that will find out for me.

Wouldn't it be something if we could get the little building and move it to our property? I can't even imagine how wonderful that would be. I'm not going to get my hopes up but I'm definitely going to see if it's a possibility. Wouldn't it be something to be able to live in my little 3-room schoolhouse...

Things Change...

My CASA file sits on the dining room table and has for over a week. I can't make myself make the calls I need to in order to do the interviews for this case. I just can't.

A few things have changed in my life over the last month or so. Some so good, some so bad. Unfortunately, the couple of bad things right now are affecting me far more than the good. I want so desperately to be so excited about the property. It's something Elmer and I have dreamed about for many years. As we all have, I've been through some bad things and have always survived and in fact, have possibly grown stronger because of them. At least I'd like to think I have. But now I wonder, am I just good at pretending that all is well?

I've decided that right now, as much as I've wanted to volunteer for CASA, and as much and I thought this was a good time to do it, I just don't have it in me. About 3 weeks ago, I doubled up on my "happy pills" but even that had no effect on how I'm feeling.

I know that eventually, things will get better. But for now, I'm just not capable of helping the kids on my CASA case. I feel like the more I have in front of me, the less capable I am of getting even my life's daily chores accomplished. So, I'm going to call my volunteer coordinator and let him know.

I know that eventually things will get better. Maybe not better the way I want them to be, but better because I'll be able to move on - it's the only way we survive.

I keep thinking of the process from caterpillar to beautiful butterfly. Why, when we feel this way, can't we wrap ourselves into a cocoon, rest for just a month or so, and then emerge fresh and beautiful?



I just need some time. Time without extra pressures and worries. All will be well...

Year 3 in Review...

Every year I review the previous year and some of my favorite posts. In case you missed them, here's the review of my first year, and the second year. It's been a great year!

I found a few pictures of doggy cuts that I thought would be darn cute on our dogs. I really should do this some day.

We learned last fall that our son could be deployed. He's actually leaving in about a week for a year in Iraq. It breaks my heart to think of him having to leave his family, especially since they just had a brand new baby.


I discovered Walmart.com. Really, who doesn't love that?

We raised some baby raccoons who turned out to be much smarter than we were. Boy, did they give Elmer a run for his money!

I posted my yearly tribute to the first day of fall. That's coming right up!

I participated in the Artful Bra Project to raise money for breast cancer. That was fun, wish I had time to have done it this year!

Elmer made homemade pepperoni - now that was disgusting.

We raised a squirrel. She gave Elmer a run for his money too!


What we had here was a failure to communicate

We forgot to get the cat fixed. That was the worst two weeks of my life.

We went on a cruise. Nope, I didn't go to the "clothing optional" beach.

We released Lucy. She was a good squirrel.

I remembered how you really know when you are a grama.

We had a cougar in Hidden Springs! What a wonderful thing to see.


I killed my neighbors horse. That was weird.

We had a new granddaughter - Halia. She's a beautiful baby. We're expecting another one in the next few months. The other grandkids are growing up so fast. We're so lucky.




I attended my high school reunion but had to come home early cause I got the beer shits.

We did the Middle Fork Clean Sweep which was great fun!

And we realized a 20 year dream of purchasing 13 acres just up the road!
Now, all of you with blogs - I want to see the last year in review from you!

What a year it's been. And so, there's my life over the last year in a nutshell. Thanks to all of you for sharing the ride. You are indeed, great friends, neighbors, family, and fellow bloggers.

The Christening...

among the cowpies.








This little doe and a few others stood at the top of the ridge, watching us for the last 30 minutes we were there. As soon as we left, they jumped the fence to come down to the flat.

It's About Time!

Monday at 6pm. Boise State vs. Virginia Tech.








GO BRONCOS!!!!

We Signed the Papers!

We're done, the property is ours! What a wonderful feeling that is. Now, we just have to sell the house. For those of you that wanted to see the bonus room, here it is. I painted it several years ago and now that it's all cleaned up, I love this room. Granted, the computers don't add much but Adam has his "stuff" all in one place and is quite content.





Saturday at 4, we're taking our lawn chairs up to the property and are going to just sit there and have a few beers with our realtor and his wife and kids and anyone else that wants to join us. If you have nothing better to do, come on up!