'Mother Shot by 6 year old Sharp Shooter'

I went in to tuck the boys in bed and was sitting on the floor by DJ's lower bunk bed when I felt something hit me in the back. I leaned back to look up to the upper bunk when I was hit again!! Dylan was sticking empty bullet casings in his nose and shooting me with them! Lovely! I must admit that he has good aim and is a quick re-loader! I am sure that this picture will be used as blackmail in the future!

Pete

Well, here we go again! We have added another new pet to our family! After Dana's accident on her horse in November, she has been very scared to get back in the saddle. We started to toy with the idea of getting a pony to ease her back into riding. If you know me, you know that I am the one who likes change and likes new things (especially animals)! Dave, on the other hand is much more systematic in his approach and takes time to think and pray about things. I found an add on Craigslist about this pony for sale that was kid friendly. Dave said that we needed to begin praying. I thought that we needed to go look at the pony so that I would know what God was telling me! We had a trip planned to Kearney, Mo. to see grandma and grandpa on Wednesday afternoon. The pony was located just a little ways away from them. That would be about 5 days to wait. Of course, my theory was that we needed to see the pony before it would sell! Dave disagreed. He felt that if God wanted us to have the pony it would still be available. I decided that I should call the owner to tell her that we would see the pony on Wednesday if he was still available. She asked me if I had gotten her message earlier in the evening. I told her no and she continued to tell me that she decided to hold the pony for us to view him on Wednesday! I was thrilled! She wanted Dana to have a chance to bond with a pony if he was the one for her.

We finished our visit with Dave's mom and her husband and loaded up to visit the pony. Come to find out that she lived only four minutes away from their house! Pete was standing in a lot with two goats and a mini horse. He was a bit shy but Dana was the first to ride him. She was very scared but kept herself perfectly composed. She said that he was the pony for her and she put him on the trailer.


Pete has been here for two days and he has been brushed 15 times and been on many walks around the yard. Dana said that he smelled good the first time she saw him...now that is a true horse lover! Dalton made a comment that Pete's muzzle was kind of ugly with the spots. Dana turned to him with a shocked look and nicely said, "Dalton, I love his nose!" We look forward to future rides on Pete and thank God for all of the times that he was looking out for us and cared enough to guide us to a special little pony!

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men
who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors,
and tortured before they died.

Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.
Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army;
another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or
hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes,
and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists.
Eleven were merchants,
nine were farmers and large plantation owners;
men of means, well educated,
but they signed the Declaration of Independence
knowing full well that the penalty would be death if
they were captured.
Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by
the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to
pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British
that he was forced to move his family almost constantly.
He served in the Congress without pay, and his family
was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him,
and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer,
Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that
the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson
home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General
George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed,
Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed.
The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying.
Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill
were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests
and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his
children vanished.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and
silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for the price they paid.

Remember: freedom is never free!

Manure War!

Dave and Dylan had fun on the manure pile! It started with Dave covering Dylan's riding toy with a scoop of manure and Dylan had to unbury it each time! Finally, Dylan had enough! He resorted to throwing manure balls at Dave!

I think I had better call Dylan in for a good long soak in the tub! Only boys would throw manure balls I think! :)

Grubs Anyone??!

Grubs, anyone? We have a hefty supply!! This evening, Dave was moving manure in the lots and it created a great science enviroment! And yes, I was picking up the grubs right along with the boys!

It started just with DJ and I picking them up and putting them on the shovel. Then Dylan came by to check it all out. He was a bit reluctant to help us though...and I can't blame him. Finally, Dalton showed up and was digging in the manure with his fingers! Remind me later not to let him near me with those fingers! Yuck!

It was exciting because we saw four stages of the grub life. We saw a beetle laying eggs in the dirt, baby grubs that were just out of their eggs, middle aged grubs that were almost transparent, adult grubs by the gazillions and some pupas that were turning into a beetles! Totally cool! We also saw the beginning stage of some locust that hadn't come out of the ground yet.

If you aren't up to speed on the delicacies of chickens...GRUBS!
After we collected our shovel full, we went to the middle of the yard and called for my "ladies"! "Heeeeere chick, chick!" Once they saw one hen snatch up something they all came running! It was fun to throw one in one direction to see them all run after it and then throw the next on in the opposite direction!! I never said that my ladies were very bright! The kids were impressed with the chickens one gulp approach!

GPS...GOOD OR BAD!?!

GPS...GOOD OR BAD?!? Recently, we had some good friends, Dave and Char Skinner, come to visit us from Illinois. They had not been to our home for 7 years and were depending on their GPS to get them there. I received a call from Char and I asked her how things were going, meaning the drive. She replied that it was not going so well. She then explained that they had been only 1/2 mile north of our house for the last 30 minutes!

You see, we have a 'low maintance' road' north of our home that turns to a muddy mess after it has rained. However, GPS doesn't recognize it as a problem! I think it took us well over an hour before we realized that we would have to call in for a larger tractor from our neighbor! Sorry, Dave and Char! Hope you come to visit again...before 7 years is up!

Little Boys/Big Blessings!

We had just finished lunch and the children ran off to play when I noticed Dylan coming up to the sliding glass door in front of me with his hands behind his back! Peonies are my favorite perennials and I have some young plants at the end of the house. Each boy has gone through a stage of popping the tight buds off in the spring to throw or do whatever boys do with things like that!! Needless to say, I am often sad when I am left with only a dozen blooms for picking! This year I decided that this too is just a season and in a few more years I will have wished my little boys would be that little again! So, how can I be upset when I see my favorite flowers being delivered by the sweetest and cutest delivery person in the neighborhood!?!