So last night as I was making dinner we put on a song that I have listened to a lot this year. And danced.

Which made me start singing old George Jones.

“He stopped loving her today. he placed a wreath upon his door….”

and Andy joined in

“and soon they’ll carry him away. He stopped loving her TODAY”

Which made me laugh. I said, “wait! you know that song???”

He said, “honey I’m from Texas”

I’m sure our kids will do the same with old Foo Fighters and green day some day. But for us, it’s country baby.

Although what dude places a wreath upon his door… and why did they carry him away??

You can watch him here…. and you need to.

I was searching. For what I wasn’t sure.

And then I found it.

The first one he made was when I told him and Cole to clean their room. It’s a little rough and you have to turn your head to see the 2nd part which is the best part

Later when I got home from the gym I found this in my email inbox. As I started watching it I thought, “oh great another pep talk.” But then as it got to the 2nd part of the video I slowed down, took it in, and felt calm for the first time in weeks.

It’s worth a watch.

Thanks for sending this to me yesterday Amber. I miss you Chica.

I know I have posted this song before but it works. I put it on and dance around the room with Eva singing “Heya, throw your hands up and Holla”

It always makes me smile.

Try it if you don’t believe me.

My kids only go to school for a little less than two days this week.

Which means the girly and I are going to have some company.

She’s not sure how she feels about that.

Actually we are packing up, to spend Thanksgiving at the farm.

It’s been a crazy few weeks, I am looking forward to some relaxing time.

And then it’s back home to put up some Christmas lights, head to the tree farm and cut down our tree, and attend our little towns tree lighting ceremony.

But today we have a birthday to celebrate!

Can’t decide between a Graters ice cream cake, mrs. goodmans cake, or Blue Frost Cupcakes. Maybe I will ask the birthday boy. So lucky our little downtown is full of sweets!!

The day these pictures were taken, Eva skipped her nap. She was a hot mess. She wigged out at Target because she wanted to walk but the deal was she couldn’t run off. Of course she tried to run off. So I made her ride int he cart. She was not happy. She grabbed my phone in the car and tried to call one of my friends. Later when we got home she had another meltdown and I found her trying to text the same friend.

Come save me is what it said.

She tried to take some pics of herself and of me.

Then I found her on the counter playing in the sink

Andy was out of town again. It was one long day.

So we turned on the tv. Whew.

And went to bed early. Which she was NOT thrilled about.

It’s hard to be two.

Eva wishes Andy (and herself) a Happy Birthday. Well she also tells you she wants to eat, and that she’s going to fall.

Love her. Loved the movie.

It was cold and rainy when I went to pick up Cole at school and on the way I ran into Blake (who walks). He jumped into my car and within two minutes had turned my day around.

We put on the Foo Fighters and sang this song at the top of our lungs- bouncing around the car just like Dave. Making up words when we didn’t know what he was saying.

“For every piece to fall in place
Forever gone without a trace
Your horizon takes its shape
No turning back, don’t turn that page”

Only Blake will do this with me (sing at the top of our lungs in the car). It’s fun- you should try it. It just might make your day go a little better.

I took him over to guitar lessons- and on the way he tells me how he is learning a song by Eric Johnson. I say, “Oh? Ella’s Dad?”

I was just kidding, I mean I know that Ella’s dad doesn’t play the guitar, but I also know that there is no Eric Johnson on my iPhone. So he youtubes it and plays it.

Whoa. That’s some serious guitar playing. I wish him luck.

After his lessons his teacher comes out like he does each week to tell me how much he loves teaching Blake, he’s a “rock star”. God love him but he says the exact same thing each week (for the past three years) and yesterday it was raining and cold and I really didn’t want to roll down my window when I knew that I could mouth the same words to him through the glass.

But this time he was so excited he couldn’t stand still. So I rolled down the window while the rain pelted my face and got ready to nod, like I always do. But this time he said, “this kid can play. I mean he can really play. I mean he gets it like no one else I have ever taught gets it.” And he was bouncing around in the rain and I just stared at him. “but he doesn’t practice”, I said. I have been thinking about canceling his lessons, indoor lacrosse is about to start and he never seems to practice. Ever. But his teacher stared at me and said, “he must be! he can PLAY!”

Sigh. He really doesn’t practice. Rarely does his guitar even make it back to his room after he gets home from lessons- it just stays in the same place until the next week when his (30 minute) lesson comes around again.

So I’m on the fence. He’s lazy. Maybe he needs a schedule to practice. I swore I would never force them to practice and if I had to that meant it was the end of lessons. I may just have to eat my words and make a chart, and reward him with the thing he loves most. Pizza.

Now there’s an idea….

I don’t know if I have posted this video before, and I am too lazy to look. It’s from an adoption blog that I like to read. When they talk about the impact that their adoption has had on their 3 boys I get teary. I could have said the same thing about mine. Love it. What an amazing experience it has been.

Doughty Story from Healing Place Church on Vimeo.

Farm

Farm house

Tantrum on the floor at Gattitown

Guitars

Farmer

Flowers for Ginky’s birthday

Barley at work with Andy

Andy’s office is dog friendly. Quite a change from the culture at Vicky’s.

Barley at OSU vet’s office

Old friends in town

Eva created a doggy door at my friends house

Blake’s “survivor” letter from camp

Outside my front door

My little man at the water park

and the playground

Girly just woke from her nap- times up!!

The reason I am posted it here is because when I showed it to Andy last night he was holding Eva. She started watching it and when the girl starts crying, she started crying!

And we were laughing, at the video- but also because the video made my tough girl cry.

And now it all makes sense why Eva is so mean to our dogs, she’s a cat lover!

My family pics have been so lacking lately as I conquer photoshop and taking pics of people that are not a part of my family, well lets just say it has left me less than inspired to edit my own pictures so I tend to upload them right off of the camera these days.

But that’s ok, she’s cute without any edits.

We have all sorts of stuff blooming in the yard.

And last night I kicked off summer with my fave summer meal of pasta, fresh mozzarella balls, organic tomatoes, oregano, garlic, and fresh basil from the yard.

I love this picture even with all of the backyard crap on the driveway

Yesterday I took the girly to get her first haircut, she did great. They cut it into a bob and then french braided the side and it looked so cute, until she pulled it out when I wasn’t looking.

And then it looked like a mess- like it always does, only shorter

But for some reason she loves it that way

I love June and all of its crazy end of year parties, Supergames, pool parties- and then most important, the three boys that have birthdays!!

I am so ready for school to be over, to pack the family up and head south to hang with the cousins for a week. To eat some decent Mexican food.

Eva kept yelling for Cole through our mail slot “COLE!!” yes, now she decided she will say his name.

But she still calls this dude “G”

After walking home from school in the 94 degree heat he kept saying “water, water, water” as he headed inside.

Ok last I put this video on my fb page but I realized that my dad would probably love it and he isn’t on fb so I am gonna post it here

Eva loves music and loves to dance. I like to post her current faves-

Recently I posted this video. I love this song. And I like this girls version as much as Lady G’s.

And I sing it to her all the time

This post was going to be all about her crazy hair- but instead I wanted to print the words to this song-

My mama told me when I was young
We’re all born superstars
She rolled my hair, put my lipstick on
In the glass of her boudoir

Don’t hide yourself in regret,
Just love yourself and you’re set
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way

I love the message of this song- and I love telling Eva all the time that she is a superstar, because I know there are gonna be times when things aren’t always going to be easy for her.

I want her to always feel strong.

And rock that crazy hair.

Oh, and have you see this video?

This girl is amazing.

And another great cover