My Desk

My desk is a mess.

I want it clean and organized.

But I hate this desk.

It just doesn't fit 2 computers very nice.

So I let it become a hot spot of paper hell.

I even see a lego man and a bobby pin on it.

So my kids are using it as storage too.

Before I had kids, I had a neat desk.

But before I had 2 computers, I had a neat desk.

Really, last Saturday, I had a neat desk.

And now the magazines are coming again.

I have like 20 subscriptions - most of them I got free.

So I read all I let pile up at the beach.

And now they are coming back.

My desk looks like the ER waiting room.

I actually make doctor appointments just to drop them off and get rid of them.

There is a dog tooth on my desk.

At least that is what I think it is.

It could be a lego piece.

How do you tell if it is a dog tooth?

Maybe I will take it to the vet and ask.

So I started writing and my desk was a mess.

And it still is. 

And it is going to stay that way.

Because Stephanie Plum is calling me.

My Butterfly....

I have tried on many occasions to photograph nature - but I usually just get ok results.  I took this photo at the New River Gorge Bridge in WV.  And I am so proud of it.  How cool is that?  You can even see the feet of the butterfly!  Oh Happy Day!

TV at home.... And how the Duke Boys Rock!

TV is a funny thing in my house...  I so wish we could purchase our cable a la carte - because we tend to watch the same channels.  (for the record, Golf, FSN, Nick Jr., Sprout, PBS...)  Dave and I are pretty in touch with what we allow our kids to watch.   We just think there are some things they don't need to see yet.   And to be completely honest, there are things my own eyes don't want or need to see.  It just gets to me in ways I can't explain.

But if I am being honest here - there are days when I can't take to watching another kids show.  My sanity is dependent upon not seeing anyone animated.   So Dave and I have created a plan - but we didn't even know we did it.  It all started with Andy Griffith.  We simply bought the TV series on DVD.  They like it, we like it.  Total win.  We have Gidget and  Leave it to Beaver too.   What makes me smile is these shows were funny.  I belly laugh.  And it isn't sarcastic funny like today - it was just honest laugh at the person or situation funny.

Our latest purchase was The Dukes of Hazard.  We bought this for Noah's birthday.  I have such great memories of that show.  Every Friday. 8pm.  The Dukes.  The best part - My kids are loving it!  Just enough action to make them happy and us too...  Dave and I were working at Mom and Dad's last weekend before they came home.  I walked into my parents garage to find Noah and Hannah jumping the front my Dad's Impala as if it were the General Lee.  I caught them red handed but the only thing I could do (aside from call the Dent Wizard) was to smile having been there done that myself.   This morning, I heard them having an extremely serious conversation as to who was there favorite Duke character.  (Bo won - hands down).

One of these days my kids are going to catch on to our scheme of keeping new TV away from them by giving them old alternatives.   But for now, we are all happy happy happy!

Happy Birthday to Me....

My wish...  more of this this year...

My Neighbor

Something has been bugging me lately.  You see, I have had a neighbor who has been ill since my son was born - about 7 years ago.  Her kids have had nursing care in and out of her house for some time.  Then, not too long ago she was permanently moved to a nursing home...   Her illness is not of the physical kind - she is losing her memory.   This lady - and she was a lady - was the epitome of grace and giving.  She was always very thoughful and welcoming.  She was always dressed proper, and basically, had her stuff together.  Her yard was always impeccable.  (In fact when I moved to my house, I snuck around her yard to note all of the types of plants she had because they were so pretty and the deer stayed away.)  Financially, she appeared to live a comfortable life...

Well, I am not sure of the whole story - but this past week her daughter moved from her house and folks came in to clean it out.   I can only assume what happened.  They loaded everything that was left in a big old truck.  Ripped down the curtains...  And then the workers set to "cleaning" up the yard.  They hacked away at shrubs.  The completely removed this absolutely gorgeous clematis she had growing around her lamp post.   It just made me so angry - her whole life of working to keep everything so nice - packed and whacked in the matter of hours.  If the workers didn't have so many muscles and tattoos I might have given them the what for...  not that they really had anything to do with the injustice to my neighbor - but darn if someone needs to teach them what is a weed and what is not.

Incidents like this just make me think...  and worry a bit...  will I raise my children to take care of me with dignity as I age?  And I am not saying - literally take care of me - but to help make the right decisions for me as I try to do for them now?   Life really is a circle, isn't it?   I just wonder how my neighbor would have done things different, or if she would have, if she could see what happened this week?  All I know for sure is it certainly is a sad situation...

The Sidewalk...

These are my little ones sitting out on our sidewalk. 


They just finished some ice cream.

I took this photo of them when they weren't looking.  (I like to take pictures of them from behind because I want to remember how they look when they don't know I am watching them...)

So then they heard my camera click and then this happened...  They wanted photographs. 

Well not the boy - he was just happy biting his ice cream stick.

Isn't it great?  Being bored on the sidewalk, eating ice cream, goofing off for the camera.  Life can't possibly get much better from my point of view... 

Unless of course it looks like this...