Snapshots

As I look back on the wedding, I realize that I took snapshots but not with a camera. Sweet little things that happened in a blink but come back to me when I am sitting thinking. Like when my daughter arrived and my grandson got out of the car and I ran down the driveway to him and grabbed him and he begins telling me how much he has missed me.

Or the men building the dance floor and we girls with all of the children sitting in the yard watching. All of the people I love most, working together and then everyone having dinner together afterwards.

Or on Saturday morning as I was walking around trying to get photos while it was still quiet as the sun was coming over the mountain and my sister who had arrived late Friday night, came running to the me and we hugged and cried because we haven't seen each other since my Mom was sick. Having my sister here was one of the best memories, no matter how tired I was she would make me laugh, or she would cry with me when things just seemed so out of control.

My closest friend getting here and finding me, wearing a beautiful red hat. I think one of the things that is so special are the people who have been my friends through happiness, and tears and joy and pain and the bond is so strong and in those moments thankfulness just seems to wash over me.

One of my favorites snapshots was after the sound system was set up, Ron came in and wanted me to see it. We walked outside and he had his I Pod with him so he put it on and we have this song we both like. No one was around so he asked me to dance. So out in the yard under that tree with Greenback Boogie playing in the background, we danced together. We had our time alone, all of the work finished, all that we had done was accomplished. To dance and be with him was one of the best snap shots because after all we are the ones who started this whole thing.

Finally, after everyone was gone out of the room, and it was just me and Emilie. We stood and looked at each other. It was time for her to go with her Dad. She went out my bed room door to my son's waiting car and they drove around to the gate she was going to come through when the wedding started. She went through the door, to a new life. I turned and went through the other door into my life. Life changes that fast, as fast as walking through a doorway.

All of this would not have been possible without the talents of our kids and family. For me though, yesterday my lovely sweet Megan sent me a text telling me that they started reading the book of Ruth for school and she told me that I was her Naomi. I have always thought of her as my Ruth. What better gift can I ever have than that. This really is a wonderful life.

So just a few thoughts today, God gave me the Martha, Martha verse this morning so it is time to stop and try to be Mary today. I will be praying for the Midwest and no more tornadoes.

~Kim~

Chats on The Farmhouse Porch

Since I am trying to get back to normal, I thought it would be nice to do a Chat on The Farmhouse Porch with Patrice. My porch still looks pretty. I want to thank Patrice for the Chats and for being so faithful to do them each week.



Questions:


 1.   Are you a heavy sleep, light sleeper, or somewhere in between?

I used to be a heavy sleeper but lately I wake up at the least little sound.

 2.   Are you currently reading anything interesting?

No, not a thing to speak of, I am ready though to find a good book and settle down.

3.    Do you like to enter contests?

No, not a fan of contests.

4.    Are you good about taking time to do things you enjoy?
I used to be, after I get my work done of course. :) I am looking forward to getting back to it.

5.    What's your favorite food to cook on the grill, or enjoy at a BBQ?

Every thing! I love to BBQ and I would love to cook every thing out there. I am going to do pizza this summer.

Thank you for stopping by today. I am sending prayers for Oklahoma today.

~Kim~

A New Normal

Well I am now in the new normal. Sort of I am still trying to give things back and clean things up and I have been doing this since the wedding was over on Saturday. We have had company so I have sat and talked a lot and laughed and really tried not to get choked up. On Sunday they were supposed to leave for their honeymoon, but they had to come back twice to get things they forgot.

It was a beautiful wedding. I will post pictures when the photographer gets done with them  I had good intentions but I only got a few pictures before every thing got crazy.

Early on Saturday Morning, this was how the yard looked.

Emilie did all of the flowers herself and made all of the bouquets, and boutonnieres. The top photo is the bridesmaids bouquet.

This was her bouquet.

The flowers for the tables.

Of course, I have a picture of the bride and bridesmaids getting ready.

She was so happy. I think my favorite part was as she was getting ready to leave she ran in the house to get some things and she told her Dad and my sister in law and my sister that " This was the funnest wedding she had ever been too in her life! " I knew we did good. It was worth it.

This would not have been possible without the hard work of our family and friends. The best thing I think though, was Megan's Dad let us use his sound system. What a sound system! The speakers were five feet tall and the sound board is what bands use in concerts. Emilie and Nik had picked play lists for the music they wanted.
I danced with my kids and my grandson to Johnny Be Good. ( I was so tired by Saturday night, I didn't get embarrassed.) We had dinner and then they cut the cake, then I served ice cream floats. Lots and lots of floats. The funnest part was Emilie wanted glow sticks as favors at her wedding and they were big necklace kind and handed them out so that made the dancing lots of fun. My favorite part was the music that played as they were leaving was from Back to the Future. Back in Time. Nik's uncle had an old car from the 40s that they got drove away in and we stood with glow sticks as they ran down the side walk with that music playing.
You would have thought we planned it but of course we didn't, it just happened so that made it fun.

I will have to show you our pasture when I get that picture. There were so many people here they parked all the way to the back trees in our pasture. The whole entire pasture was filled with cars.

This is a long post so I will stop. It was a beautiful day and I am very, very thankful for every single bit.

Thank you so much for coming along for this ride.

~ Almost back to normal~
Kim

Almost There

We are almost there. Now the fun part begins. Yesterday was nice and very busy but good. I got a few photos.

Yesterday they got the posts in for the lights. She wanted a circus tent without the tent. The tables will all be under it.
We called it our own personal Stonehenge.

Our grandsons were in high spirits watching Grandpa dig post holes with the tractor. The did get to help him measure where to put the post holes and I wish I had got a picture of them helping and holding the tape measure.

 

Cutest baby in the world. 

 The kids loved playing in the pillows I made. He is a cute little mister.

Lots of climbing trees got accomplished. That is always important at Grandma's house. They won't be delivering the tables and things until late this afternoon. So it is a little bit of quiet before the storm. 

Almost there, the bride is doing pretty good I think. 

She was arranging all of the flowers. By late afternoon there was no room for anything on the counter tops. 

Today the weather is beautiful. My oldest daughter and her family arrived late afternoon, so all of the cousins played and played. They are so excited because they get spend three days together.

Well, should go now,

I guess it is a change of plans, the truck with

  the tables is here now. 

Have a great Friday!!

~Kim~

Thursday Morning

You know that saying, " Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most." In a nutshell that is me. I have lists now that tell me what I should be doing. Today, I will go shopping for the water and the ice and all of the stuff that will be needed to pull this thing off. My son Ben came by last night with three arches for us that he had made. When I get them up I will take pictures so you can see what nice work he does. Megan will be here getting the vases ready for flowers on Saturday morning. Today the bridal bouquets will have to be made.

The dance floor will be going in and post holes dug for the lights to go on and we will be putting lights in all of the trees in the front yard and I keep loosing count of how many shepherd's hooks have to go in today. I have laundry to do and my oldest daughter and her family will be getting in today. Silly me, I was thinking of cooking dinner for 20 tonight and decided well maybe since my sons work at a pizza place maybe I will just have them bring pizza home for dinner.

This evening, though, I will be a happy camper. All of my kids will be home, all of my grand kids will be here.
All of the people I love will be together and it will be so good and filled with memories and lots and lots of laughter. Today, all of the ideas and the planning and the dreaming will finally be taking place. Tonight when I fall into bed, I know that I have been given more good than I of all people deserve. I am thankful for a strong back, and strong hands and when people thought we were out of our mind to keep having babies, I am thankful for a large family who steps in and helps us pull things like this off. Tired beyond tired we are but oh, so blessed and full of joy.

Have a wonderful day,

~Kim~

Halfway to The Finish Line

We are almost there. My house looks like a disaster area. I have boxes of lights, chafing dishes and vases and bundles of birch and in my office a Korg is on the couch with a amp in the corner.( A Korg is a very nice electric piano) I expect tomorrow for it to look even crazier. My son will becoming with his machine he made that bends metal to make some arches for me and to help his Dad build the dance floor. The other boys will be digging post holes for lights and putting in all of the shepherd's hooks.

I wanted to tell you though about my little miracle. I have been watching the extended weather forecast. The weather always said that on May 18th it would be 103 or it would be raining. With an outside wedding, both seemed like a huge obstacle in my mind. I decided that instead of wringing my hands and worrying, I would just pray about it. Last week when we had 100+ temps I really started praying. Today this is the weather report for the next few days.

7-DAY FORECAST

    Today Sunny, with a high near 90. Light and variable wind becoming west northwest 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
    Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 57. West northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast after midnight.
    Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. Light and variable wind becoming northwest 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
    Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming light in the evening.
    Friday Sunny, with a high near 81. West northwest wind around 5 mph.
    Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 57. West northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast in the evening.
    Saturday Sunny, with a high near 80. East southeast wind around 5 mph becoming west in the morning.    Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 60. West northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east southeast in the evening.
    Sunday Sunny, with a high near 89. East southeast wind around 5 mph becoming west in the morning.
    Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 60. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east southeast in the evening.
    Monday Sunny, with a high near 94. East southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west in the morning.
    Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east southeast in the evening.
    Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 94. East southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west in the morning.
     
Isn't that a huge miracle? Well, it is for me. Perfect temperature for a perfect day.

I continue to be overwhelmed at the kindness and all of the hard work so many people are doing on our behalf. Above my kitchen sink I have a sign that says, " It's a Wonderful Life." I have another one that says,
" Fairy Tales Do Come True." I have to say that even though I am more tired than I have ever been. Even the tops of my toes ache, who knew? But deep inside is such joy and as God continues to go before us, I am just amazed at every turn.

Well, off to clean my  chicken house. I decided today they had to have some attention their nest boxes are completely empty of hay and the spiders think they have a new home.

Have a lovely day, I feel like a bad blogger because I am so behind on your posts. I will be back soon like normal. What ever that is, Thank you for your comments they make me laugh and smile and pick me up.

Thank you,
~Kim~

Monday---The Race Begins

I hope your Mother's Day was nice and relaxing. It hit 102 yesterday. Which means I wimped out on painting. Yesterday was one of those days that not a single thing turned out like I planned. I had house guests. They arrived Thursday night at midnight. Because I am like I am, I told them, just pretend you are on vacation and this is your house. Do what ever you want, eat what ever you want, when you want. You can eat any thing in the fridge and pantry that you want.

Yesterday I picked my first batch of berries.

I walked in the house at 9:00 A.M. to wash the berries and I looked out in the driveway and the boys were back from their treasure hunt. Very tired, very dirty young men. It was going to be below 20 degrees on Saturday night so they decided to drive home in the warm car. They drove 14 hours. They didn't find the treasure.

They were hungry. Ron and I and my son William started making breakfast. William made boysenberry-banana pancakes. Stacks and stacks. Ron was cooking bacon and I was making coffee and they ate and ate. I don't think they had a decent meal since Friday. Then they were hungry a hour or so later so we did lunch. Then I fed nine for dinner. I used the rest of the berries to make a giant berry cobbler. I had picked artichokes so we had those too. There were piles of clothes and stuff all over my house that smelled like smoke. I was so glad to have them home though. That they were all safe.

So I made pillows yesterday. My pillows are all so dirty on the front porch and I wanted these for the wedding so I did that. It was so nice to be making something again.

This one looks small in this picture I don't know why. It isn't going to be here but on my back porch.

This one is my favorite but I don't have it stuffed yet. I have a few more to make. I do enjoy making pillows.
The Air Pollution control gave us the go ahead to burn tumble weeds but we can't burn until 10:00 A.M. That is one huge thing off my plate this week. Ron is cleaning the garage so he can make the dance floor.
I was awake at 3:30 this morning. Wide awake. We had had coffee and I was wondering what was wrong with the sun. Ron called the fire station to tell them we were going to burn today, and no one answered. He looked at the clock, and said, " Well, I guess I am waking people up early today, it is only 6:30." I thought it was much later too. So much to do today.

The swimming pool is all filled and looks pretty, all of the porches are clean. Vases are waiting to be washed.
I have lanterns to make and a house to clean and laundry to be done today. All of my kids and grand kids will be home this week. I am rejoicing. My sister will be here too. My sister and I will laugh until our sides hurt so that will be a very nice thing. Lots and lots of things I am so thankful for today.

Wishing you all of the best today,
~Kim~