Brush, boys and high centered weenie dogs.

We had a major brush, dead weedy stuff, overgrowth and unruly foliage issue. What could be more fun than chopping and chainsawing to start off the summer? I chainsawed, and yes I still have all my appendages, while blonde rascal loaded up branches and hauled them off to the back of our property. It's why you have boys right?  

He was driving the truck and I was driving the gator....what is wrong with that picture?  Check out our boy Baxter in the bed of the truck.  Love that dog.  Baxter was not much help, just looked cute and wagged his tail.

We had just had a big rain storm the night before.  Puddles are especially big when your legs are 3" long....

Don't love this dog.  Missy is SO bad.  Clearly when you bottom out in a mud puddle, you must go to great lengths to dry off.

Bad, bad dog.  She decided to do this on our last load of dumping branches.  I was tired, hot, bruised, cut up and battered....and then I had to give a muddy weenie dog a bath.  A woman's work is never done!

It was August 2011

My last post, that is.   And my post before that was like 12 years prior.  Both times I threatened that I would be back and posting regularly.  Ya, well clearly THOSE were empty threats.

But here I am!!!  Smack dab in the 2nd full week of summer.  Summer to me is kinda like New Years.  A time for a clean slate and lofty to-dos.

Getting back to my blog has been on my guilty to do list, you know the one...
"Oh I really should...." but the motivation behind that list is always lacking because who really likes guilt.  Am I right?

Here is why I want to blog again.  (Notice I did not say a definitive AM GOING TO BLOG?  Have to keep this decision on the guilt free to do list)   So my decision is two fold, or really four fold, I don't know how many folds but....

#1 is that I don't take hardly ANY pictures when I am not blogging.  Besides the typical birthdays/holidays/vacations picture events. I so miss the random life moments that I used to photograph...when I blogged.  SO much happens between the birthdays/holidays/vacations that I want to remember.  Also tangled up in this particular revelation is that I want to continue to scrapbook in some form or fashion.  This falls onto the guilt list.  I have not scrapbooked in 3 years.  Sigh.  Have to find the scrapbooking medium that fits my life right now.  No guilt.

All of that in a nutshell...no pictures = no scrapbook.  Blog makes me take pictures. Must blog.

#2 My Dad loves my blog.  My Dad is one of the greatest guys on earth.  Simple, huh?  Hi Dad!

#3  The obvious narcissistic personality that on some scale all bloggers must posses?  Life is beautiful and crazy and entertaining and sometimes I crack myself up... and like to write about it. 

#4 I have TIME to blog now!!!  The long and short of it.... 3 years ago we moved 90 miles from "home" to this fantastic small-ish town where hubs opened a used car lot.  He was wildly successful and loved it.  I was working 2-ish days a week at the lot as the office manager extraordinaire.   Our business partner turned out to not have the same work ethic/drive/standards as hubs.  He walked out last June and then proceeded to try and extort money from us and then "procured" a large sum of money from our business account later in the year.   The hubster and I buckled down and put all of our money/energy/time into our business.  All the while making a concentrated effort to keep bitterness out of our hearts and praying that our God would provide the path for us to follow and remedy the situation in His time.

In a nut shell, I for all intents and purposes became the full-time partner.  Therefore no time for blogging or being a housewife.  I have to commend full time working moms.  I believe they wear capes! 

Despite the upheaval and unknown of where our business would go, hubs and I made a great team and it enhanced our marriage and our business continued to succeed.  My man is an incredible businessman and provider for our family.  I could not be more proud of him.

Months passed as we worked hard and tried to be patient while we waited for God's answer.  The answer came last month when a large dealership in a town about 60 miles away, that hubs has done business with for years, randomly called and offered him a job.  A job as the fleet manager.  Which involves him traveling all around our area.  We don't have to move.  He has a lovely salary, benefits, a vehicle and is doing what he loves with a passion...blah, blah, blah.  All of that and no headache of owning our own business with a smarmy business partner that would not go away.

That all leaves me gainfully unemployed.  To which I say....HOORAH!!  I love being at home and taking care of my family.

So here I am!  After the harrowing minutes this morning realizing I forgot my blog password and trying to figure out which email address used ...I gave google blogger a blood sample and fingerprints, now I am back in business!


Lots has happened since last August but here is the top of the list.  In April we drove to Arizona to welcome The Marine home from Afghanistan.

The Marine and one happy darling-daughter-in-law!!

 I was one elated mom.  Best day ever.

 Hubs...with a BIG sigh of relief!

Blonde rascal has his brother back, all is right with the world!

I pray for the safe return of all of our service men and women.  Every military family deserves the indescribable joy of a deployment return!