how would you answer?

Thanks to our dogs going through their first heat cycle and now being spayed my kiddos are learning the basics of biology.  Having to explain the physical changes the pups went through in a way a 6 yr old can understand was interesting.  I was feeling pretty happy with all my answers until Bub asked me one little question as I tucked him in bed.

"Mom, do women go into heat like dogs?"

uh

ummmm

I stammered out "uh sorta.... goodnight dear"



That didn't satisfy his curiousty one bit. GAH! HE started in on the SPECIFICS of the dogs' heat and asking if girls do the same thing. I pulled out his little Bible and read him a story. I know I know total cop out!

I'm thrilled he hasn't brought it up. I know it just a matter of time before he does ask again. Guess I better get my act together and have some age appropriate (and modest) answers.

salute to our local first responders

They shut our street down recently so Careflight could land.

Can you see it?

There in the middle to the right of the fire truck...

They landed inside a grid of power lines in a parking lot with mere feet to spare for the whirling blades.

The whole town's police and fire were there to help.

We watched and prayed as they loaded the victim.

Even from a block away we could see the gurneys sheets stained red.

This picture is deceptive.

That is my 20 ft tall Bradford Pear tree and the chopper barely cleared it and my house as they left.

We have met our local Careflight crew, most of our police force,

 and we live a block from the only fire dept in town.

The FD has been to my house enough they know my son and remember him when they see us out.

This is a Mayberry like town where everyone knows everyone.

It has to be so hard for our crews to go out on these calls knowing they probably know the victim.

Our hearts and prayers go out to the brave men and women who protect and serve us.

God bless y'all!

CSI in training

Bub wants to be a police officer when he grows up

He made up his own CSI outfit-

life vest - bulletproof vest

binoculars

side arm

q-tips and containers for "trace"

and a badge hidden under his shirt tail so he can be undercover ;)

"MOM! You can't take my picture! Cause then people will know I'm a cop!!!'

observing his sisters during his undercover research

collecting "trace" from my prescription bottle with his q-tips

his "Search and Rescue" dogs ready to go

New life

I am always surprised by what bulbs come up in the yard.

This spring I'm just happy to see everything lived after our record breaking drought!

My Bradford Pear tree produced blooms really early and is now in full leaf.

My grass didn't weather the drought as well.

All the green in the back ground are weeds.

Lady bug laying her eggs on the beam of the carport

Mystery bird's egg found in the yard after I mowed this weekend.

No nest anywhere near it. Just laying in the grass all alone.

We candled it and there was no yolk inside. It stunk up anything that touched it!

The Irises are from my late Grandfather's home.

They were dug up 20 yrs ago when he passed and have moved with us over the years.

I was given about a dozen or so a few years ago from my mom's collection.

They have taken over the flower beds!

weekend project

A few weeks ago Princess informed us that the window in her room was cracked. Just a bit later and our oldest informed us the window was about to fall out.... after she had been leaning on it to better see the dogs outside. Sure enough we checked it and the only thing holding it in was the nasty old caulking and a nail. SIGH.  Hubs covered it in plywood to secure her room and I drove the to the building surplus supply store to pick up a new window. Turns out they had sold the last 6 windows they had that would have fit width wise that morning and our window was a custom order.  Bugger.

10 days later the window came in. It barely fit in my Durango with the back 2 seat rows folded down and the bouncing made for a scary ride home. Then it rained. And rained. And rained. Hub's company couldn't run the asphalt plants during the down pours so the company decided it was a perfect time for him to fix everything that was broke. No tearing off the outside of the house for us. Yeah! for overtime though as the project turned costing more than we thought...doesn't it always?!

Finally the sun came out and Hubs was home! He quickly ripped out the old window and pulled the siding off the house.

He promptly found DRY ROT. Lots of it

He had to go about 2 feet out of each side to get to solid wood.

He framed the wall.

I went shopping with the kids to get them out of his hair.

He installed the new window and put up new siding and trim.

I forgot to take pics as I held it up.

It was getting late and we had to have the window in as the weather was calling for more rain.

I love the creamy color of the primed siding!

Much more in keeping with the neighborhood's old white farm houses than the slate gray.

If I could repaint the whole house in creamy I would but that is not in the budget.

I hope to get that side painted before the heat sets in.

 

In all it took almost 3 weeks to get this little project done.

Hubby has never installed a window, framed for a window or done siding work.

I AM SO PROUD OF HIM!!

on a side note----

Did I mention this window is over 5 ft off the ground...and that I am afraid of climbing on ladders?!

The last time I was up a ladder outside I was sawing branches off the pecan tree out front when the ladder slipped and I fell nearly cutting my arm open with the sawz-all!