Questions....

 

Grace brought this piece of paper home from church last Sunday.  Her class was asked to write down three things they would like to learn about at church.  These were her three things.

 

Sometimes the questions from my kids astound me.  Not that there is much theological substance to her inquiries.  I just don't remember pondering such things.  I still don't ponder such things.

 

The most pressing questions on my mind most days revolve around the possibility that I have forgotten to pick up a child at some pre-agreed upon place and time or where I last had my now necessary reading glasses that I can never seem to find when I need them.

 

 

 

Life is spinning out of control....six ballgames last week.....two birthday parties to host (belated, mind you) in two weeks....one graduation for two kids......three graduation parties for friends......two field trips to end the school year to chaperone......one fire truck to ride.....four dental appointments in one day.....four eye exams later the same day......one bridge, one swingset and one deck needing stained.....one shift working concession stand......one garden full of weeds.....four kids home for the summer.....

 

you get the idea.

 

 

 

I will get back to blogging.............soon.

 

 

I hope.

 

Now, where ARE those reading glasses?!



May Showers Bring.....?

So once April showers are through and the calendar shows May

 

 

what is a kid supposed to do with all of the continued rain?

 

 

 

 

 

Pick flowers of course.

 

 

 

Grant cannot resist the urge to pick anything blooming.

No matter what it is or where it is.

 

 

I have to continually remind him not to pick the neighbors' flowers.

Not a good way to make and keep friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of graduations going on here.

That means lots of graduation presents need to be bought.

 

This graduate was easy to buy for.

 

 

 

 

Here is his graduation gift.

 

In theory it is easy.

Place the penguins on the ship without tipping it over and knocking them off.

 

 

In reality it is not that easy.

Dare I say it can be addictive trying to get these little guys all aboard at the same time.

I think we have all tried and failed more times than we care to admit.

 

 

Want to try?

Grantisms

It has been a while so I thought I would share a few of the latest Grantisms


Grant:  Who gave God all of his power?
Mom:  I don't know.  Who do you think made God so powerful?
Grant:  I don't know, but I'll ask Santa.  He'll know.



Grant:  When I grow up I want to be an elf.



Grant: Hey Mom.  How long has our car been alive?



Grant:  When I grow up I am going to make a box that every time you open the lid a dollar pops out.
Mom:  How will you put the dollars in the box?
Grant:  I won't put dollars in the box.  It will be magic.

(Based on his fiscal ideals, I believe this kid has a future in politics.  I know politicians that operate on Grant's magic box principle.)

 

 

 

 

Yesterday Grant was (un)lucky enough to spend the day with David and me at the farm.

We vaccinated and tagged cows,

vaccinated, wormed and fly treated horses,

picked strawberries,

watered all our new plants,

checked on bees,

on and on.

 

He was not happy about the whole deal.

 

 

The prize for his eternal patience was the opportunity to be the only Shupe kid

who got his hand prints put in the concrete pad at the third water trough.

 

See?

 

I was getting ready to load up and head for town when the concrete guys were finishing pouring the pad.

 

Grant thought it was neat to make his hand prints.

 

 

Counting down the days until the end of school.

Four more to go.

 

 

 

Freetime

Now that Grant is done with school

 

 

we have some days to fill

 

until the others finish up in June.

 

Here is one way for a boy to spend a day...

playing with monster trucks.

 

He was having a great time with this....

not sure what he was doing other than crashing trucks into one another.

The Way Back Files

Your dog might be a bit spoiled if

 

 

 

it hitches a ride in the bucket on the tractor.

 

Being the ir  responsible parents that we are

we would never let our kids ride on a hay wagon without being properly restrained!

 

GASP!!

more Easter pictures from the farm

 

 

Yes, we like eggs that much.

 

 

 

Trip to our new favorite water hole at the farm

 

searching for crawdads

and finding crawdads

Does Emily look nervous??

 

She should have.

She about had kittens when Dad stuck the crawdad on her sleeve.

 

Bad Crawdad!  Bad Dad!

 

Crawdad is now living in Johns aquarium at home.

 

Goodnight all!

Remembering

 

 

 

 

 

In Flanders Fields John McCrae, 1915.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

600

the number of flags we passed out to our neighbors in the subdivision

 

95

the percent who made this small gesture to honor those who have given their lives fighting for our country

 

 

Today we remember.