Two Things I Love About Summer....

the pool. And all the kids who swim in it.

So Sad

The three trees in March 2007.
















So, with not enough paint to effect the kind of magic-wand change I was hankering for yesterday, I went outside to whip up a batch of Vitamin D. That led me to observe the state of my yard and garden. Which led me to the sad discovery that the three trees that had escaped the wind storm and the ice storm with no damage whatsoever were DEAD. So dead that one of them pulled out by the roots. I noticed that these were looking poorly last summer when they started to loose their leaves, but I don't really know what they are and I was hoping they would bounce back. I don't know what happened to them, but all three of them just inexplicably croaked.

I need you to understand though, the comedy of me cutting these trees down all by myself with a bow saw and a hack saw, a hammer and chisel, and the sweat of my girly brow. Just because one came out by the roots, don't think that removing the other two was a simple job. And I may have mis-estimated the size of the largest one, which is going to need a little trim before I can drag it past the air conditioner...but that will have to wait for a day when my arms aren't like sticks of butter...or if the chain-saw fairy arrives. Picture the most comedic moment with me rocking the largest tree loose, ripping a hole in my sleeve, wiping my forehead with a leather glove, that I realized too late, I wore while picking up dog poop out of the yard.

My jeans fit better today, though. And that's all I'm after, really.

"Not all who wander are lost."

With gas close to 2 dollars a gallon, we felt like a drive was an okay way to spend the morning. The cold snap is over and the sun toasted us at a pleasant 75 degrees. As you can see, wandering down Arkansas' mysterious dirt roads can be well worth it, especially this time of year. The kids started to get nervous with no "civilization" in sight for miles, but we just told them as long as they didn't hear any banjo music, we were just fine.

School Supplies

Check.

school clothes:

check.

Backpacks packed:

check.


With Robb's help, we knocked it all out yesterday...new socks and shoes and all. You cannot believe how picked over all the shoes were, but we finally found Mattie's signature Chuck Taylor style tennis shoes (in her size) at Payless.

Buying kid's shoes annoys me more than anything...because a good classic shoe with no moronic Disney character, pink stripes, or skulls on it-yes, skulls on my sweet 8 year-old's shoes-is nearly impossible. I'm SO sick of the marketing crap gimmicks, I could scream. I think Mattie actually did a couple of times! I'm sorry, Marketing Geniuses out there...I refuse to make my child your billboard.

Local mom's...here's a tip....Sears was one big clearance rack. It was Old Navy for socks and two-for shirts, Target was very picked over, but we did like their girls' tunic-dress-shirts a lot. We decided, though, to try our hand at copying them from things we already have here at home...and if our ideas turn out as cute as they are in my head, pictures will ensue. Hey, I've seen Project Runway a couple of times...it could happen.

We're ready for school. Bring it on.

Today's Yeild

Whoo Hoo! Sale season is here again along with the bird's singing and the dandelions in my yard. Yesterday I saw crocuses, today I saw sale ads. Here's a shot of what followed me home today.