Lumber Jack Family

Last week during some heavy winds, a mostly dead tree in my in-laws yard was blown down. A couple of months ago, I got a new electric chain saw. Fallen tree, Chainsaw... What better combination....

So, I start out triming limbs off and making my way towards the trunk. After a couple of hours, I have things mostly cleared up, except the main trunk and a couple of large branches. Thomas always wants to help with my tools, so I figure these logs are good, thick, and stable. It should be safe for Thomas to help, and learn how to use another tool.

First order of business, some talks about power tools safety. Note: Thomas has his ear and eye protection on. He was very attentive to the instructions, and I was there with him every step of the way.

He looks like an old pro now. He did a great job cutting carefully. He was safely able to make a couple of cuts, then he wanted to go play some more. Something about being at Nanny and Granddaddy's house that he wants to play as much as possible.


Well, Thomas wasn't the only one who wanted to get into the act.






Ggggrrrrrrrr!!!!


Bea decided she wanted to use the saw too. So, another safety lecture, a few helpful tips, and off she goes.





She made a couple of cuts as well. She too found a reason not to make any more cuts....




She got saw dust in her shoes... My wife, the girly girl :)


It was a fun time had by all. In the end we got most of the tree broken down and stacked. And, the yard was mostly cleaner than we found it. There was also lots of family fun. And that's the most important part.

BTW, does anybody need any tree work done.... I happen to know a crew.... :D

Beautiful Minds

My husband is brilliant. Plain and simple. He can have entire conversations in nothing but acronyms and numbers. He can tie a hundred different knots. He has an uncommon amount of common sense. He can tell which spiders are poisonous and which aren't but he kills them all for me. He is just awesome. He astounds me sometimes with what his mind produces.

Which is why this quote is so funny......

Tonight we were driving home trying to be cryptic with our conversation so we could get surprise plans past Thomas because spelling doesn't work anymore. I told Thad we were going to have to develop hand signals or facial expressions or something.

His reply?:

"Yep. I'm thinking we should go to the Tennessee School for the Blind to learn sign language."

It doesn't get any better than that! My near-genius husband gets the prize for quote of the year!

However, I'm pretty sure I have the second best quote locked in with this:

I was getting ready to pump breast milk for Elisha while Thad was making dinner. I don't like when he has to do one of my jobs because I can't so I say this:

"Sweetie, I can finish dinner if you want to do the pumping."

This just goes to show that no matter how intelligent people are they can still suffer from flatus of the cerebellum!

I'm Addicted

My wonderful, intelligent, logical, analytical, handsome husband enjoys Sudoku. One night as I was reading in bed and he was working a puzzle I asked how they work. I had no idea what I was getting myself into! Up to this point I had not even tried one or had the desire to try one. He explained them to me and the rest is history.

I now do one online every time I log on. They are addicting. I swipe his Sudoku book when he's not using it. I do the one in the back of the TV Guide and Sunday newspaper. I am hopelessly addicted with no hope of recovery.

For those who don't know Sudoku is basically a logic puzzle that uses the process of elimination to fill in a 9x9 grid with numbers or letters. I've even found them that use symbols. They are enjoyable and thoroughly frustrating and infuriating at the same time! They make me crazy. Yet I can't avoid them.

So now that I am hooked, I'm doing my best to get everyone else addicted, too! Check out this website or this website or the side bar for a puzzle!

Tennessee State Fair - A Late Update

We had great fun this year at the State Fair. It was held in the first half of September but I'm just now finding time to update everyone.

The fair had all the usual trappings (rides, overpriced food and drinks, rigged games, etc) and the traditional agricultural exhibits which is what we enjoyed. We don't do the rides for obvious safety reasons. We limit games to one per child. As for the food, only because we have too!

At any rate, we prefer the traditional in almost all things. The fair is no exception. Once you get past all the flashy, shiny moneypits there is a great deal of education and fun to be had. We visited the veggie exhibits and saw gigantic pumpkins and a couple of 200-lb watermelons! There were beautiful specimens of vegetables, fruits, canning, and crops all around. The kids asked questions and were engaged in one thing after another. The dairy association had a booth that was manned by Purity and Mayfield with free chocolate milk and ice cream! That was a big hit with Thomas and Lily, not to mention Daddy and Mommy!

We visited an exhibit called Tiny Acres Farm. It was an interactive exhibit that taught farming from harvest to market. Thomas and Lily had great fun!

Thomas' plan for getting his milk to market was to drive his tractor right up to the cow, milk her into the trailer, and head to market!

Thomas was careful to walk among his crops!

Lily wanted to ride the calf.

She also wanted to plant her eggs instead of digging potatoes.

Eli and Momma with the Tiny Acres cow.

The animal barns were a hit, too! Chicken, ducks, geese, rabbits, mules, hogs, cattle! Every barn was fascinating and exciting. And stinky!

Petting the mules was a new experience. It was relaxing until my allergies kicked in!

The allergies were a nice problem to have when we got to the hog barn. I couldn't smell a thing!

We also checked on my entries into the fair. I entered 2 photographs, a framed cross-stitch project, and a pie. It was the same pie I took to the National Pie Championship last April. I didn't place with either of my photographs which was alright because my competittion was stiff! There are many wonderful amateur photogs in Tennessee.

I got an Honorable Mention for my cross-stitch project. The picture is blurry but it is a large version of the poem "Footprints" surrounded by shells, seaweed, waves, and footprints.

As you can see, my big win was with my pie! I baked the best fruit pie in the state! I got first place with my "Delightful 'Pear'-ings Pie." I was astounded. I had to double check the results sheet more than once.

After the National Pie Championship in April I said that I would give out my pie recipe should anyone want it. If you do want it, you can comment on this blog or email me. I only ask that you keep it for personal use.

Though the prize was only $8 which covered all of my entry fees, just participating was grand, indeed. I highly recommend participating in your county or state fair. I am already thinking about what projects I'll do, what pies I'll make. Will I do other baked goods? Its up for consideration. And everything I see gets evaluated for photograph potential!

At the end of the night we had an overwhelming and fulfilling time. Partly because of the animals and exhibits, partly because we spent a day as a family but also because we helped to keep alive the traditional of the fair.

This is what we found when we were getting out of the car that night:

How do they sleep in those positions?

Because he is a Socialist

I normally don't post anything political on this blog. Today I am because I want this to reach the most people possible.


This election is so very important. As a nation we are turning from our roots toward massive socialism which has never worked in the history of the world.


I am voting for the McCain/Palin ticket. Not necessarily because I agree with everything John McCain says but because I wholeheartedly disagree with everything Barack Obama says. He is a socialist to the core of his being. Most of his views fly in the face of my faith which is where I base my votes. I vote my values not my party. I am more dedicated to furthering God's plan than I am to the GOP.


*I do not agree with Obama's mission to redistribute the wealth of the rich. I think people should work, and those that do should not be stolen from for those that do not. Bill gates should get to keep his money instead of sending it to someone who chooses not to better himself.


*I believe abortion is murder in any and all situations. Barack Obama wanted to keep the horrific, barbaric practice of partial birth abortion LEGAL!


*I believe babies born as a result of a failed abortion should be given immediate life-saving medical attention. Barack Obama does not. He voted against the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. See Here.


*I believe that I have the right to keep and bear arms. Barack Obama thinks that as a law abiding citizen I should be restricted while criminals aren't going to the local gun store for their weapons. See Here.


*I am in favor of and fully support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. There were actually weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Saddam Hussein repeatedly used them on his own people. They were moved to Syria. See Here. And Here.


*I believe small business is the driving force in America's economy and the only thing that can turn it around. Barack Obama does not support small business issues the way he should. He was invited to the NFIB Small Business Summit as was John McCain. Only McCain attended. Thad works for the National Federation of Independent Business, an organization of small business members who vote on what is important to their business. NFIB is the most effective lobby organization in the country. They are the voice of small business. Here is a link of candidate comparison on small business issues.


*I want to drill for oil here not take OPEC handouts and accept their dolling out to us to increase our costs. Obama is against domestic drilling.


*I am absolutely opposed, to a degree I can barely express, to homosexual "marriage." I support a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between 1 man and 1 woman.


*I am a Christian. This is a Christian nation based on Judeo-Christian beliefs and values. Obama doesn't believe that. He even thinks that evolution does not conflict with the Bible.


So as you see, I am thoroughly opposed to an Obama administration. It would be the edge of a very slippery slope toward full-blown socialism which can only lead to communism. I want to live in America. The real America, rooted in the Constitution. If I wanted to live in a socialist nation I would move to Europe where there are many from which to choose. Many whose citizen's can't protect themselves, abortion is rampant and gas is $8 - $10/gallon to pay for socialized health care.

Again, socialism has never worked in the history of the world. Its not good for anyone but those in power. The average citizen gets the short end of the stick.

I hope you will take the time to research Obama's true beliefs and vote your values not just your party. Faith and values are far more important than whether you are an elephant or a donkey, red state or blue state, Republican or Democrat.

Update From Bea's Earlier Video

I hadn't seen the video Bea posted before, but when I did, I had to figure out who it was. So, I visited the site where she found the video. Figured out who the people where, and googled their name. (Yes, I know I am a Geek. That's what I get paid for...) Their names are Dick and Rick Hoyt. They are Team Hoyt. They have completed in over 900 races, ridden a bicycle across America, and competed in the Boston Marathon for the past 27 years save 2 when one or the other was unable to compete.

Their story is amazing. I won't retell it all here, but you can read more at their website (www.teamhoyt.com). Dick is the father, and Rick is the son. Rick has Cerebral Palsy along with several other disabling conditions. Dick is a father determined to see his son included in everything, regardless of the person sacrifice required. What an amazing example of what our Father has sacrificed for us.

Today's Reading....

So I am trying to get back on the wagon with this goal. No guarantees other than my best efforts.

Here is a passage that touched me as we did Bible study this past week. Though this was the prayer that Solomon spoke at the consecration of the temple after its built there are points that apply to us today.

"Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant. The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us: That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers. And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require: That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day."
1 Kings 8:56-61


Continually Solomon speaks of walking in God's ways and keeping his statutes. If we strive to do that then God will honor that by keeping His promises to us.

Love HIM, seek HIM, honor HIM.

Love to all. Pray for me as I pray for you.