More May

May 16
We've been making far too many trips here. That means we will need to replace a tire soon, and with the Great Tire Curse hanging over me, I'm afraid that will mean another vehicle out of commission.


May 17
The recycling bins we take our recycling to. We are trying to do our part to be a little greener.



May 18
As if tire issues aren't enough, Katy also lost the radiator cap to the truck. Luckily, that was an easy and inexpensive fix.


May 19
As if Katy needed ANOTHER pair of shoes. But these are "real walking" shoes, according to her. Hey, she bought them, not me.


May 20
And did I mention our push mower decided to die? Did I? It's been one frustrating year for mechanical things! This is the replacement.


May 21
The old, rotting doors to the back yard shed. They need to be replaced, but in the mean time they are an interesting item for a photo shoot.


May 22
My lovely Shona, showing off one of the roses from my bushes.



May 23
My gorgeous roses are blooming. These fireball hedge roses are so intense in color I find it difficult to get a detailed photo of the petals. They are absolutely beautiful in person, though.

More May

See? I really am catching up here. I'm still hanging in this project!


May 9
Shona, John and I went to an air show in Branson. John was working there with the Civil Air Patrol, and Shona and I had to amuse ourselves. Her favorite part was the mini golf, if you couldn't tell.


May 10
The other favorite activity was the Hollywood Wax Museum, where Shona got carried away...by King Kong!


May 11
On the way home, we stopped at the newest rest stop along the highway. It's on historic Route 66, and it is really cute. They have this inlay in the floor, among other things. My favorite, though, were the old fashioned Brylcream signs along the exit. I'll have to scrap those.


May 12
Days later, the little stream behind my house still has water in it from the storms.


May 13
Remember the clay thing Shona was making for Mother's Day? It was this little giraffe. I'm crazy about this darn thing. It's so cute!


May 14
It's a good thing I snapped this photo when I did. About an hour later, Shona carried it to me in the house saying "Mom! Look what I picked for you!" Now if I could just convince her to pick the stem along with the flower...


May 15
The greening continues in my yard.

Starting on May

Now for May, or as far as I have made it.


May 1
Guess what? I'm cheating. Too bad, it's my album and I can do what I want.

May 2
Prom pictures are so gorgeous they need a couple of slots in my book. Don't you agree? The girls really did clean up nicely.


May 3
Katy bought Bailey a little kerchief for her collar. I think it's very country and cute. John just rolls his eyes.


May 4
Another sign of spring: my hedges are sprouting at the tips. Time for the hedge trimmer!


May 5
In honor of Cinco de Mayo, Katy bought herself this little pot of cacti. She thinks they are cool. Weird teen. Isn't she supposed to be buying shoes? ;)


May 6
Every time we get a good breeze, the cover plate comes off the outside plug out our back door. I am forever picking this thing up and putting it back on. I can't figure out how to fix the darn thing not to come off since it isn't broken.


May 7
Two inches of rain in twenty minutes will do this to a yard. It's the heaviest rain we've had since moving here.


May 8
Katy, all decked out for her spring band concert. Isn't she gorgeous?

Catching up April

I'm finally finished with my semester! Hooray! Now I need to get in gear and catch my 365 album up, and since I use my blog to keep track, here goes my great big catch up post. Sorry!


April 25
Shona loves to play in clay. This time she ran me off every time I tried to check in on her. Turns out she was working on Father's Day and Mother's Day gifts.


April 26
This is the Father's Day gift. I was allowed to see this one since it's not for me. We'll see just how long she can keep it secret from her dad.


April 27
Once again, it took Katy's underhanded sneakiness to get Shona to cut that mane of hair. It looks far cuter in person, but this was the only front picture I got of the results. Shona was too interested in going out to play.


April 28
Things are greening up so nicely in my yard!



April 29
In the spirit of spring, I treated myself to a new pot of my favorite flowers.


April 30
With prom just around the corner, the girls had to get their makeup just right. And to do that takes practice. It also takes goofing off for my camera, apparently.

April 23-24

April 23
This is the accident report from the woman slamming her car into the rear of our van. Yep, our new van. This was her second accident in a week. Some people should have their licenses revoked. Luckily, no one was injured and the van is fine.


April 24
Part of the joy of being a teacher is taking your students on field trips. As you can see, John found some friends along the way.

April 22

April 22
There's my brother's truck in the median of a highway in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Another 18 wheeler lost two wheels, which bounced under Keith's truck, making him lose control and crash. A van behind Keith was torn up but the final word on that states the driver will be OK. No deaths, thankfully, but the load he was carrying was hazardous materials, 7 of which broke open and spilled. A haz mat team had to come out to the scene for cleanup.

I have to admit, for a huge truck to go sliding down its side on the road and winding up plowing into a grassy median at 70 miles per hour, the truck doesn't look quite as bad as I'd imagined.


Well, OK, maybe the trailer part of it did. Sadly, he had just paid it off a month earlier. The accident tied up traffic for ten hours.


I'm just glad he walked away with a mere three staples in the head. He has officially retired from trucking after this accident. He had been thinking of getting out of the trucking business and this was the sign I suppose he had been needing. They don't get much bigger as far as signs go. I'm just glad my favorite brother is still around to talk to. And my least favorite brother is still around to annoy me. ;)

April 13 - 21

April 13
Shona being her usual silly self.


April 14
Our new front porch lights. Kind of nautical looking, no?


April 15
This was the surprise beneath our propane lid. All I wanted to do was check the propane level, but nope. Not going to happen until mama robin delivers those little baby birds.


April 16
Ah, the pain of the first yard cleanup following winter. So many sticks and limbs in the way of the mower. And why is it that this job always winds up primarily mine?


April 17
Finally got it mowed and it looks much better. Pretty soon the rains will get rid of the brown spots and we will be back to a lush, green lawn.


April 18
A cute little Hobby Lobby purchase. Shona wanted her name on the front of her door and so that's what she got!


April 19
Suddenly, without warning, Shona was able to ride without training wheels. Just like that. They grow up so fast.

Bonus picture because I'm so dang proud of that girl.


April 20
Shona begged for a Topsy Turvey tomato planter. Honest engine. She really did. Of course we had to get one and so far it's doing well.


April 21
She also has a little garden growing on the deck. I'd love to rip up some ground for a real garden except there is a sprinkler system already in our yard. Certainly would make for easy watering, though. Ha.

More later with the catching up. It's been a stressful week. I'm amazed to be this caught up!