S.I.S.

S. I. S.

Does anyone else out there suffer from S.I.S...(Self-Induced Stress!)???

I'm not even sure if that's a REAL word...but, it's one that is the topic of conversations at our house at certain times of the year....(like the beginning of preschool, the holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, the end of preschool...etc...).

You see my Mr. thinks I create my own stress, by wanting certain things to be filled to overflowing with goodness and "perfection"! I'll admit...I DO like to make things cute, and add little special touches to make others feel special & loved. (And, sometimes, because I like to do those "little" extras...I get a little grumpy to my Mr. at home. )

And, lately, as I've been observing life happening around me...I've noticed...I'm not the only one in our Casa that S.I.S. can happen too :D

And, for the past few months...a soft whisper in my heart has been growing into a LOUD SHOUT...and, here it is.....SIMPLICITY! Simple things....time to just "be"....spending time enjoying the gifts that our in our lives....STOP rushing, hurrying, packing more into an hour than is needed......STOP pushing for more, saying YES to everything...just STOP and LIVE!

You see.....somehow, I just feel that God's plan for our lives is much more than ALL the things we fill our days, time, years with....much more than ALL the doing...much more than hurrying on to the next day. I so think HE wants me to LIVE....to find time each day to hear His whispers into my heart, time to spend with those I Love, time to enjoy all He created.....

So....here's some things I'm going to do to help loosen the grip S.I.S. has on me....

1. It's okay that my house isn't spotless...God wants me to open it up and share it with others!

2. Entertain More....(I always worry about having others over to my house...But, I NEVER care one bit what someone else's house looks like when I go to visit...SILLY I know!)

3. My gifts to others don't have to be perfect...it's the thought that counts not the cuteness of the packaging :D

4. Let my Mr. be in charge of himself :D (He really doesn't need another Mom or a teacher...Ha, ha....)

5. Let God be in charge of my to-do list....(things will happen when they are suppose too :D)

I know it's not going to happen over-night...but, with God's help...I"m pretty sure we can give S.I.S. a good boot towards the door!

Hope everyone is having a GREAT Monday....may your week be filled with many, many Sweet blessings! (and very little S.I.S. :D)

Meet our newest addition....

Meet our new little guy...

born yesterday, July 20th...

to his Proud Mama, Annabel!

I just LOVE it when calving time comes around....He is the first calf coming from our Fall Calving Mamas! And, it's the first time Sweet Annabel has had a calf without white on it's face. He still is nameless....Mmmmm...any suggestions...he was already running around, kicking up his heels last night, while his nervous Mama followed him closely, nosing him and mooing that soft, gentle moo Mama Cows use on their newborns :D Life is GOOD!

And, I am forever, each time, in awe of how new life happens....no matter how many times I've been blessed to witness it, it's still simply a miracle! And, if I could, I would spend ALL day just watching....the maternal instincts Annabel has is amazing...the way she instantly gets up after all that hard work and begins licking her baby, encouraging him to stand up...then she noses her baby to find milk...the patience, and calmness...even though, her milk bag is about to burst from being so full....the way she spends time cleaning and cleaning off her baby....how the first few hours she will NOT leave her baby for anything...No food or water...NOT anything! And...she even let my Mr. touch her baby (all the while standing over him...almost touching him with her nose) while he gave the little guy his ear tag! God truly created animals with such amazing instincts....they so can do it ALL by themselves!



Life is GOOD! And, I am blessed over and over again through this little "cow life" of ours to see the intricacy of All God created! What a Sweet Blessing!!!

Summer...

Summer....

It is here.......

Here's a little something my Mr. came home with last week...

Yep....it's Mint plants alright! Mint Plants??? Hmmmmm..."Why did you buy mint plants..." I ask, of course??? "Well, another vendor wanted to trade something for some jerky...so, we traded...she had zucchini, but I told her we already were over-run with it...then, she offered me these Chocolate Mint plants.... They reminded me of when I was a kid growing up in Joseph, and there was wild mint that grew all along the creek beds..and it smelled so good all Summer..."!

So, now we have mint plants...which are going to be planted in a box, because I hear they like to grow & grow & grow everywhere :D Most of all, I'm just smiling, because they represent a warm memory...that say Summer to my Mr!!!

Here's some of my flowers...finally starting to grow & grow & grow...Another sweet sign that Summer is happening!

And, this...it's the place I long to be All summer...sitting on my porch in my little

chair, taking in ALL that Summer has to offer! (Now, I just need to figure out how to make that happen more often :D)

Mmmm...I just LOVE the things Summer ......

(Okay, but not the 100+ degree weather so much :D)


Longer days...beautiful sunrises and sunsets

The smell of the earth after a long day kissed by the sun

The excitement of kids playing in water ALL DAY LONG

Sharing evenings with friends

Sitting on a porch, sipping Ice Tea

An Abundance of homegrown goodies...cucumbers, zucchini, cherries, peaches, blueberries

Weekend trips (Okay so,that doesn't really happen here either :D) but, the thought of it
warms my heart!

Lazy days (yet another dream :D)

The sound of the sprinklers whizzing back & forth

Watching the animals resting under shade trees

Enjoying some time spent under a BIG tree

Bees buzzing, crickets chirping, even coyotes howling (as I heard at 4:45 yesterday morning on my way out to feed...a little closer to my home than I'd like...but, still an awesome sound!)

Cats & horses rolling in the dirt to cool off

And, I know this is crazy...but, I LOVE the smell of horses in the summer...I know CRAZY!

Summer just represents a time that life comes alive! A time to really ENJOY all the GREAT things God created for us! So hoping you are each getting a chance to ENJOY all the things that make Summer Right for YOU! Sweet blessings!

P.S. Feel free to drop by and sit a spell on my porch...& catch the fragrance of the mint!

What's happening...

Happy Sunday!

Just a little update on life in our little corner of the World....

* Summer School is going GREAT...I only had 13, no 14, okay make that 16 kids by the end of the week. But, they are ALL very good, and very bright! Each day they find a way to bring a smile to my heart...on Friday, one of the little 4 year olds came over to me during music and said... or so I thought "You have bleeding in you"..."I'm bleeding" I ask...she says it again...and I ask her where as she is pointing toward my head....finally, she shakes her head and I can tell she is trying to find different words in English...and at last these words come out "You are beautiful"! How sweet that was!!! Sometimes, I think they are just fascinated that my skin, eyes, and hair is different from theirs.

* I got to join my sweet sister in Christ one afternoon to catch up on our Bible study video...and share some Starbucks drinks :D Then, on Thursday evening she cooked us girls dinner before we started our study! There is just something about sharing a meal, conversation, and sharing God's words & works that totally encompasses one in JOY! (Note to self: MAKE time more often to share a meal with friends...MMmmm...& invite them to my house for it!!! :D)

* Pat got in a little bumper bender.(in Hermiston, actually!)..Praise God he and the other person are both okay..and Praise God that it wasn't his fault this time! All is good...just in need of a new front bumper!!!

* I somehow really messed up my back again, and got to visit the Chiropractor...who works magic and sent me home with lots of new natural supplements...one, which I find funny because it contains bovine thyroid?!?! Now, just what that does I don't have a clue...but, I find the whole thing quite funny considering we have cows and eat our own meat...just not the thyroids :D After a couple of days of icing...I'm happy to report it all feels good again...Praise God!!!

* We were blessed with a new little newphew in our family this week! Now both our sisters are Grandmas :D (Which seems so unreal :D)

* It was VERY HOT on Friday & Saturday at the markets...but, we survived!

* My Mr. took me on a little road trip (driving all the back roads...what we like to call a little date :D) on our way to pick up a load of feed for the cows! Then, we actually went to Walmart together and then to check out the new Fiesta Foods! I know....what you're thinking..."you call that a date"...well in our little world...whenever we get to spend time together we consider it a date :D ha,ha.....

* And, today...well, it was a GOOD Sunday! Filled with time to worship, fellowship....a nice nap...and time to recharge for another week! So from our little corner of the world to yours.....Have a GREAT Week...May it be filled to overflowing with many Ta-Da moments! Sweet Blessings!

That's how it is....

Yesterday as I was blow drying my hair, I saw my Mr. sprinting down the hall past me...I knew exactly what that meant...someone must be at the door. (Not that my Mr. as an aversion to answering the door, but sometimes, he is still enjoying the comfort of our living room in his cozies :D) which was the case yesterday!

So, I head to the door....wondering once again, who would be getting the treat of seeing my hair totally, and I do mean totally straight and flat :D

It was our neighbor, also know as the Raspberry man from the farmer's markets. One of the best thing about the farmer's markets are the friendships made with other vendors....Here he was standing at our front door with an arm load of what else, but Raspberries....not just any raspberries, but the hugest, most flavorful berries around. How do I know you ask??? Well, it's not just my opinion...but, well... the honest truth as heard from others. (Funny little side note is as my Mr. was getting a little coffee at the Pasco market this week, he overheard two ladies talking about the BEST berries ever...and from the description...guess who's they were :D)

Well, Vic had brought those Raspberries for my parents. They were here this past weekend and had come up to the market...My Dad is totally amazed and in wonderment at all the produce available at the markets :D And, I, of course, gave him the tour and introduced him to all our "neighbors". Anyway, Vic just wanted to share some of his "bounty" with my Dad...but, unfortunately they had already left. We gave him some hamburger in return, and he stayed, shared a cup of coffee with the Mr. and visited for awhile!

We are blessed to be surrounded by GOOD people at the markets...and, here's a few other things we came home with this weekend too...some Cherries...(two different kinds), some apricots, blackberries. and homegrown peanuts! Those who labor over their products are so giving to others....and sharing your left-overs is just how it is....And, it's always such a warm, humbling feeling. Even though, our product doesn't have a shelf life (so to speak), we too give it to our "market neighbors" in return. And, the GIVING always feels better than the receiving!

And, because today was the first day of another session of Summer School...and I always like to take a little "something" to my co-workers to wish them a great first day....guess what I was able to share with them....some, nice Big, Juicy Raspberries.... :D

That's how it is......
share what you have.....
and it always, always comes back to you.....
in such Sweet Blessings!

Happy July!

Happy JULY!!!

I can't believe it's already here...time is going by so fast!

I hope everyone had a PERFECT 4th...filled with the BEST of everything..and ALL things good!!!

It's just been plain busy around here.....Good, but busy!!!

My family was able to come visit this weekend..and it's always good to get to catch-up, eat, eat, & eat some more...and just "be" :D

My second session of Summer School starts tomorrow...and I think I'm ready??!?

And, I'm hoping this week I'll find time to catch up on my little tales here :D
Most of all...I hope it is a GREAT week...filled with many, many Sweet blessings!