A country convenience...

As far back as I can remember we have dried clothes on the line in the summer. We aren't die-hard clothes liners like some of the local Mennonite ladies around town. They hang their clothes out year round. Talk about going green!

My husband likes "crunchy" towels. Aka...towels hung on the line with little or no liquid fabric softener. He says they absorb better. I don't hang jeans, socks or heaven forbid...underwear, on the line. Don't like stiff jeans or socks and nobody should have to see our privates in public...this could be a hint to lots of younguns out there showing off their privates on a daily basis :)

Anyway...thought I would share one of my summertime favorites...what's yours?

My first AWARD...

While I enjoy writing on my blog this is my first "award" and I received it from my lovely Matra (Mom...we like to call her Matra). She has an amazing blog...hope you take the time to check out Dar's Crafty Creations

The meaning of this award is "These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind of bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers".

Even though we starts blogs for many reasons, usually first of which is to keep friends and family up to date with what our family is doing...now that's a sign that life is going WAY too fast. After we become comfortable with the blogging world, we start to look forward to meeting new bloggers, and this is a wonderful way to share your friends blogs with other people...as well as your own blog.

My top 5 favorites are:
Amy Johnson has become an encouraging wonderful friend whom I look forward to meeting someday.
Peggy is one of the more recent blogs I've come across, and thoroughly enjoy.
Mennonite Girls Can Cook I love, love, love this blog...the recipes are amazing and include everything from stupid simple to gourmet!
Judy is a wonderful, God-fearing woman who is privy to some of the most beautiful scenery this country has to offer.
Dr. M while he doesn't post often, what he does post is profound. Take the time to read his posts...and it will change your outlook on life.

These are the rules for this award:
Grab the award and post it to your blog
Link back to the person that awarded it to you
Nominate 5 others with a link to their blog
Leave a message on their blog telling them they have received an award.

I'm a Virgo...

I'm not "into" astrology. I mean, I read my horoscope every morning but that's about it. I don't know when the moon is in my sign and I certainly didn't marry the best match for my sign...I married a Leo. However, when it comes to the traits of Virgo...I am soooo there. As described on a web-site I recently visited...on the good side: Modest and shy; Meticulous and reliable; Practical and diligent; Intelligent and analytical...however there's always a dark side: Fussy and a worrier; Overcritical and harsh; Perfectionist and conservative. I'm sure if I would've been born 15 or so years later than I was I would've been on medication for my disease...I'm guessing OCD. While I live in complete, absolute chaos most of the time...I function best in simple organization...everything has a place AND everything IS in it's place.

Life has been a bit topsy turvy lately. My idiot co-worker got fired (yea!!) but that means I'm doing all the work...which I wouldn't mind so much if there were at least 30 - 32 hours in a day. Baseball started about a month or so ago, which I absolutely love, but again...more hours please. And of course, there's always racing, laundry, cleaning, dinner, rock band, etc....

On my way to Jon's first ball game Tuesday I was questioning if my shoulders were big enough to handle the load placed upon them. When I pulled into the field Jon met me at my car, tears in his eyes asking me to go find his hat...he wouldn't be able to play without it. When I got home as I stood in his room, feeling frustrated and guilty by it's disarray, I asked God to PLEASE help me find this hat (the game was to start in a meer 10 minutes). I looked through a few drawers, under a few items strewn about and then looked behind the drawer, this is where his coats (and typically hats) hang. I didn't see his hat anywhere. I was rustling through his coats and out fell his hat. I looked up and said a simple "Thank You". To me that was his way of saying "yes, your shoulders are big enough".

After working all day in my office on my bosses stuff I was feeling very defeated and overwhelmed. As I looked around my office I was discusted by what I saw. I DO NOT work well when everything is in a disarray. Well that's what my office had become...a complete and total disarray. I knew to have any feeling of calm I needed to clean it up! I poured myself a glass of wine and commense to cleaning. While there are still loads of paperwork to input, cards to make and pages to scrap...it is at least organized again so I can work with a small piece of mind.

I am embarrassed to show the "before"...now I know how the people on Clean Sweep must feel. But I feel much calmer and able to work or be creative with the "after". Notice kitty playing with a pen on my desk. She's become a feisty playful kitten. Still isn't sure what the litter box is for, and still drinking formula from a bowl (no real food yet) but is healthy and growing.

Happy Mother's Day!

Mothers...where would we be without them? Of course we all think of our own Moms on this day...and Grandma's too. It's funny the things you remember most about your Mom when you get older. For example, Mom was a full-time working Mom but if she had the morning off when I had swimming lessons she was up on the observation deck watching...those days I wanted to swim perfectly. One vivid memory is when I had had the flu and was finally starting to feel better Mom asked me if anything (food) sounded good, and for some reason taco salad sounded good (keep in mind we grew up on a mini farm in Pennsylvania...we ate red meat and potatoes). Somehow Mom came back in with a bowl of taco salad...I think...I can't tell you what was in it now, only that it tasted awesome and I even had a second bowl. Even though Mom worked a lot she always made sure I was ok...I called when I got home from school...she called if plans changed from what they were supposed to be...and we left each other notes all the time so we knew where the other one was(that was back in the day when you could walk to the corner store and not get abducted)...we didn't have cell phones then.

I am very blessed to have my Grandmother with me as well. She's 79 and can still run circles around me. I think that my yearning to be like "Mrs. Walton" comes from Gram. Gram canned when I was growing up, breakfast was real breakfast, her house was always (and still is) clean and ready for company, and if "it" needed done Gram would do it. Grandma taught me what elbow grease was, let me build tents in her living room with blankets and chairs, and taught me there's always time for friends and family...as long as they don't mind sitting on the kitchen chair while your cooking or standing alongside the garden while you weed.

One last shout out to all the Mom's out there! From friends of mine who draw no lines between step-kids and their own children even children from other countries and most of all the Mothers of our soldiers who are in harms way and protecting our freedoms. As the Mother of a son and the wife of a former Marine, I dread the possibility of him someday being in the military and going into unsafe territory. I would like to thank all military Moms and I will say a special prayer for your children's safety this morning.

Happy Mother's Day to each and every amazing Mom out there! And a special Happy Day to my own amazing wonderful Mama...I Love You!!!

Crazy weekend....

Too bad we can't find the glory in "being bored" when we are young. This weekend was sooo busy. Today I cut grass and actually enjoyed the time to reflect and enjoy the sun on my face. It was an absolutely beautiful day.

I spent my day off on Friday baking cookies for the band banquet on Sunday. Made about 18 dozen snickerdoodles and lemon drops. Morgan was still home from school recovering from pneumonia, and she was my official taste tester. They must not have tasted quite right, since she had to "test" several cookies to make sure they were okay.

Saturday was a points day at the drag strip. Morgan lost first round unfortunately, she ran under her dial-in by .04. Jonathan won first round then lost second round, he ran under his dial-in by .26. We are still trying to figure out how to "dial these cars in" according to what the weather conditions are like.

Frank got to combine two of his passions this weekend, drag racing and playing guitar. Driving Force is the official band of the Nostalgia Wars at QCR. That said, Saturday was the first of six gigs this summer. We had a blast! We had lots of room to set up, which is always nice. The band also has a new member. A new singer who definately brings alot to the table.

Tonight was the Leetonia Band banquet. It's a time to fellowship, commend the kids on their great work and say good-bye to the senior members of the band. Hard to believe Mo will be sitting at that senior table next year. Mo's classmates were happy to see that she hadn't died from swine flu...since that was what the rumor was she had!

Kitty is doing well. Currently she is asleep in the shoes in the hallway. Haven't had much luck training her on the litter box, but she has done good "going" when I take her outside in the grass. She's getting very playful and Jon is enjoying her alot. Hope he handles it ok when she has to start staying outside.