I don't need my husband...

This summer we had to endure our daddy being gone for 4 weeks. It was tough. Mom was tired and impatient but we survived. Even though it took a ton of effort to keep it going, it reminded me of what I used to be capable of. I remembered back in the day, before I was married, I had to do everything on my own. I was very independent and very self-sufficient. So when our daddy was gone we did it all. I didn't need him to mow the yard; I learned to be really fast at it. I didn't need him to take care of the car; I figured it out or found someone to do it for me. I didn't need him to take out the trash; the boys have become excellent at it. I didn't need him to keep the kids; I hired a babysitter or used the help of friends. I didn't need him to dig the crud out of the garbage disposal or change the blow-out diaper; I sucked it up and did it myself. I didn't need him to pay the bills, lock the doors at night, or get me medicine when I had a headache. I just didn't need him at all.

You want to know the biggest thing I learned while he was away? I don't need him but I want him! I want him to be here with every cell in my body. I want his sweet daddy smile and his strong tender hands. I want his crazy sense of humor lightening my emotional load. I want his calmness and his kindness, his love and his affection. I want him as my best friend, the man who would do anything to make me smile. I want him as the person who listens to me and cares about every little dumb thing I want to talk about. I want him as the father to my babies who adores all of their quirks and puts up with all of the frustrations. I want him as the father who tears up just looking at his sleeping newborn. I want him as the father who prays over his children with the fierceness of a warrior protecting his tribe. I want him as the father who is teaching me how to let boys be boys and as the father who is teaching his daughter what to expect from a man who loves her. I want this man in my life!

I used to think that I needed him. It is such a sweet and refreshing thing to know how much I want him. I love you Matthew Vernon!

( Also Honey, even though I did all of that guy stuff on my own while you were gone and I don't "need" you to do it, I really WANT you to do it! Garbage disposals are disgusting, car stuff really confuses me, and doing all of this on my own is for the birds! Love you baby.)

Wonderland 2

I had so many great pictures of our visit to Wonderland that I had to share more!

Waiting for the scrambler to start.

Is it that boring?

Apparently so.

Zad and dad are having fun!

I guess Jolie and Asher are too!

Asher shooting the chute!
Zad has it conquered!
I love the lights of the carousel!


Thanks for sharing our trip with us!

Wonderland day!

There is a day in our home that we look foward to every year. It is a day when parents and children come together in harmony. It is a day when brother and sister are as one. A day that the struggles we have faced just don't matter anymore. Cause we're going to WONDERLAND!

We always start with the Frog-Hopper. It is a classic and a great warm-up for the big rides. It will be a sad day when my kids' legs start draggin' the ground in the Frog-Hopper.


Next we always go for the Helicopters. You can't beat being able to control the flight path of your own ferocious war-machine!


And of course we love the cars. The round and round ride that lasts oh, about 20 minutes. But you can really feel the wind blowing through your hair on this one.



It's just too scary to watch!


Oh, nevermind. It's just peekaboo.


Somehow, the magic of the day turns my daughter into a gangster.


This is the entrance to the first water ride of the day. THE LOG RIDE! (Always my favorite as a child.)


Wait for it...


Wait for it...


There it is!


And it's good!!!!


I'll have more to share in a future blog.

Beauty in produce

Some updated pics on garden stuff. We have had an unusually cool and wet July so things are ripening slowly. Maybe we will have a huge harvest in September!

Tiny, hairy baby cantaloupe


Tiny, hairy baby watermelon. We planted these VERY late!


Oh baby! Can't wait!


Lettuce going to seed. I thought this was beautiful.


Purple sage all through my brain!


And I found this growing wild in the yard.

A little announcement...

No I am not pregnant. Geez! Can't a girl make an announcement without people jumping to baby conclusions? Anyhow, most of you know that we are not homeschooling this year. Now before everyone exchanges bet money, this may or may not be a permanent decision. We really still believe in homeschooling. We loved so many things about it. It just became apparent towards the end of the year that I was not thriving in the environment. And that means that our kiddos just weren't getting enough schooling (by my standards.) I was very worn out and wasn't motivated to teach anymore. We took a lot of "off" days.

Now, they did learn. Asher is a reader! Jolie made progress on her math. We did lots of neat stuff. I evaluated them based on our state standards and they both did great. I just had very high hopes for my role as teacher. I feel like I failed. It was a bad year for me to enter into this daunting journey. Schooling two kids, (one who had to learn to read) entertaining a 4-year-old, and caring for a baby made for some long days! I know it's possible. Lots of moms do it. I just decided to take a year off, let my baby grow a little and give my kids the desire of their hearts and let them go to school. (I give em a few weeks before they are begging for sleeping in and school in their jammies.)

So I am excited for the new year and have already bought school supplies! I love school supplies. I know that the public school schedule will wear on us all. I know we will miss being together. We will miss having freedom. We might even miss mom being the teacher. I am praying for a growing year. I am praying that God shows us, as a family, what He would have us do next year. We believe in having control over our babies learning and want to have as much time with these little guys as we can. So we will see what next year brings.

Garden Update!!!!

I have not updated on my garden in awhile. We just have so much to share that the garden goes on the back burner. But it's all about her today. She is producing and flowering all over the place. It's the part of gardening I love the most. The fruits of all of that labor come pouring into my kitchen. See...(I apologize in advance to all of my family and friends for the massive amount of squash you will be receiving this year.)



This is a beautiful and perfect tomato blossom.


The garden scene!


Patty-pan squash. Amazing and cute.


Green bean blossoms.


Loaded jalapeno plant!


Clusters of tomato blossoms.


My niece Emma is shorter than my tomato plants!


Cantaloupe blossom. Oh I pray these make fruit. It is such a taste of summer to me.


Basil, I love you. I really do. I hope we can be friends for a long long time. You, me, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, olive oil and garlic will be there. We'll invite crusty bread too. He's a good guy. I'm going to stop having deep conversations with my food now, thank you.


Finally, our growing chicks are more like small chickens now.

It's my favorite. It just is.

Oh Fourth of July, you are my favorite day of the summer. I love the family, the parades, the food, the kids excitement, the colors and the fire! I love seeing the flag walking down the street and hearing the cheers of the people. One nation, under God. I love seeing the honor we give our vets and the sparkle in the eyes of my son as he shakes a soldier's hand. I see nostalgia and future all in one! Here are some pictures of our day.

Oh my girls! I love them. (My daughter Jolie and my niece Ava Grace)


My sister's babies with my kiddos.


We got our faces painted! (Well, the kids did. Heather and I just got a burrito and a giant pretzel.)


Matt and the kids got distracted by the dunk tank.


Then Asher had to try it. He actually got the guy once! You can see the determination on his face.


Liv baby. I just love your M&M eyes!


Classic. "When is the parade going to start?"


"When is the parade going to start?"


"When is the parade going to start Aunt Chelle?"


"I think I see it!"


"Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!"


The best seat in the house.


Our precious town square with Old Glory flying free.


God, you are the one who gives freedom. I pray that we never forget the sacrifices made in your name. We believe in your ultimate authority over our nation and pray that you would turn the hearts of your people to you.