Sunday AM coffee

It's raining here today and chilly out. 

We've been busy around here getting projects completed and new ones started for the graduation. 

Which is only 25 days away now. 

In between all that we've had the pleasure of our school spotlight night, which featured the 7th and 8th grade choir preforming Michael Jackson's hit Bad.

Caden and another boy starting the song out with a duet.  

Caden moon-walking across the stage!

I didn't even know he knew how to do that lol

Also note the leather jacket he is wearing? That was mine back in the day. It's only about 30 years old and still looks great. 

Yesterday was our opening day of baseball for the Wheeler team.

They played a double header against a local team that actually won the small town little league world series last year. 

I'm proud to report that our boys won both games!

Hell of a start to the season!

Caden sliding into home making a much needed run!

Look at that dirt fly!

Love my camera and new computer. The computer can handle the high quality pictures with ease and makes for downloading and editing pictures a breeze. Which makes taking pictures a whole lot more fun.

Caden got a little beat up yesterday as e was hit twice with the ball while batting. Once in the wrist and once on the hip. Both sites are bruised and swollen today.

The boys celebrating their victory with the coaches after the team huddle.

The coach has put together a great team from three different schools and they play some fantastic ball!

After the games yesterday, even though we were pooped and a bit sunburned managed to get over half of the new trees planted. Only a few dozen more to go, but that will have to wait until it dries out a bit. 

This years tree stock sure looked good, much healthier than last years stock. Must have been all that rain we got last summer that made the difference. 

Anywho. 

Happy Sunday to ya :)

Sunday times

Yes yesterday was hot! And by hot I mean 78*!

Good thing I was thinking ahead and applied multiple layers of sunblock so today I'm only dealing with a somewhat red nose and forehead. 

Enjoyed a hell of a good baseball practice. 

Took a 2.5 mile walk all by myself. I think next time I'll be bringing one of the dogs as I'm sure I heard a bear or other large animal thrashing through the woods. Scared the crap out of me.

Little video of Caden up to bat.

Today Chyann and I managed to get the stairs and upstairs hallway painted. 

I didn't expect her to help, but she unexpectedly decided to lend a hand and I loved it. 

Maybe she is realizing she wont be here to enjoy these random times spent together soon.

I am one of those painters who is excited to start painting and then ready for it to be done within the first five minutes. So it was a good thing Chyann was there to keep me from getting sloppy. I told my Dad I wished he was there to help since he is practically a professional. 

A word to the wise as told to me, buy good paint. Not the cheep shit. Get the spendy stuff. It's definitely worth the extra money. One coat of the good stuff and it completely covered the peachy shit I previously had on the walls. Should have taken before and after pictures, but I didn't. 

Anywho. 

Then it was time to make the pizzas. 

Sundays used to be devoted to Mexican food, now it's pizza. 

Deep dish stuffed crust pizza with garlic butter crust and it is amazing! 

The two big pizzas I have already removed from the cast iron skillets and they are cooling on pizza stones. I love my cast iron. If you don't have any yet you should get some. 

Caden is ready to eat apparently.

The lego building you ask? Yes he and another boy built it today as part of a math project involving  math and designing a house. He just brought it up from the basement and course we had to stick it in the picture.  

After dinner is batting practice. 

Beautiful evening for it. 

I received an email today from a neighbor we had in AK. His son and Colton were good friends. We kept in touch for a few years after we left and now we pretty much just correspond via Christmas cards so I was surprised to hear from them. They were sharing the news that their son had become a father to a beautiful daughter named Cecil. 

Hard to believe our children are old enough to be parents, but I suppose it's true. I just hope my children hold off on that for a few years to come. Get established first, then think about a family. Course I can say that and they will do just whatever the hell they want right? Still. Get established. Then think about all the rest of that. 

Have a good week :)

Saturday AM coffee

It is a beautiful day here this morning. 

Temps are expected to top out around 77*!

I had planned on painting up the stairs and the upstairs hallway today while Caden is at baseball practice, but with weather like this I think I'll put it off a bit and go watch the boys practice.

There is always tomorrow, right?

The Hubby surprised me with dinner and tickets to see an Eagle's tribute band last night.

Seriously, he has never done anything like that before. 

 Only problem was, to me it just didn't seem right to see a band sitting in chairs at venue with about five hundred other people also sitting in chairs. Sure it was probably alright for the slower songs, but I likely embarrassed the Hubby pretty good moving, grooving and gyrating in my seat while singing loudly to my favorite songs. Not to mention annoying some folks around us lol

Loved it!

Caden's cat Silver has recovered from his broken leg, got neutered and is now a house cat with the desire to try darting out any open door. 

He snuck out one evening last week and wouldn't come in so he spent a chilly night outside. Poor guy was anxious to come in the next morning I tell you. 

Chyann's Bobbi-jo catching a snooze in a good ass beer box. Yes, we finally got some and it was alright - if you like light beer with very little flavor. Over the years I've developed a taste for beer that has a bit of a bite to it so this was not my favorite - going to save what is left for the graduation party lol

Chyann's other cat Stitch and Silver cuddling on the couch.

Yes Chyann is taking her two cats with her when she leaves.

I don't think I mentioned it, but ol' Dodger took a hard kick to the jaw from Jennifer around Easter time. Nothing was broken, but he swelled up awful bad and is just now getting to where he can yawn and open his mouth normally. He no longer harasses Jennifer when I go out to feed the horses. A hard lesson learned to be sure, but no amount of hollering at him previously would stop him from nipping and barking at her. 

Enjoy the day :) 

Let's see now

What all has been happening?

A lot.

A few of the highlights are:

Caden was released by his docs just in time to practice once before wrestling regionals happened.

I wasn't too keen on the idea, but he convinced us that any experience win or loose was good experience.  

Considering all that, he did quite well taking fifth place out of eight boys in his weight bracket.

Hanging out there with one of his buddies. 

National Honor Society awards for Chyann.

(Caden got braces this day)

Caden in the school play Peter Pan.

He was one of the twin lost boys.

The Hubby got a long overdue haircut for it.

Even his brother came home to see him preform. 

Brought back good memories for him as he really enjoyed the school play productions. 

Baseball season has begun.

The Wheeler team is already rocking out awesome practices and their first game is on the 16th.

The school team didn't have enough 7th or 8th grades for separate teams so they will have a combined team this year, which kids continue to drop from. At this time they've barely enough boys to play. Fingers crossed no one else quits. Not sure what we'll do if that happens.

We had to buy hay for the first time in two years. 

Last time we bought it the big squares they were $125 each. We were pleasantly surprised to find that they are now only $40 each!

After a few starts and stops with warm weather and then blizzards with a shit load of snow, it appears spring is upon us. 

The trees are heavy with buds just ready to pop!

Today the temp even got up to a whopping 71*!

Sure felt good.

We ordered an additional 70 trees from our local extension office and they will be here next Friday so after the game next week you'll find us planting them. 

Graduation is rolling right up folks!

35 more days and counting. 

 The INVITATIONS arrived today.

Our plan is to get them in the mail by the 20th. I can feel writers cramp coming on already.

Last night we celebrated Chyann's accomplishment of being in the top 10% of her graduating class!

How cool is that! 

The local chamber of commerce put on a banquet to recognize the top 10% of our school and several others in the county. It was a very nice program and we really enjoyed it.

I really appreciated the fact that they are also recognizing academic achievements and not just athletic side of it for their student body. 

The food was even good lol 

I was working one day last week and glanced out my window to see an amazing sight.

Jennifer had three crows on her back. She was just standing there frozen in fear I'm sure. By the time I picked up my phone to get a picture two had already departed. 

Couldn't believe this horse that jumps at just about everything under the sun would let birds land on her and hang out. What a dip shit. 

I seriously considered stopping the blog for a while there, but reconsidered as apparently there are folks that read it and like seeing what we are up to - Jeff, Rose, Mom :)

 later alligator