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Heartfelt Blessings Christmas Card

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Stationery card

Heartfelt Blessings Christmas Card

This season, send Christmas cards personalized with family photos.

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Gifts from a great man

He planted the tree for grandmother. She loved to cook with the apples she picked. Debi told me about how she would slice the apples and lay them out under the sunshine to dry. "Just like candy," she said.

Today Debi took me to Grandfathers house for possibly the last time. It will be auctioned off a week from Saturday. She had mentioned to me a week ago the apples on grandmothers tree are ready to be picked, so we took the opportunity this evening before a thunder storm to pick as many as we could. I know we have at least 20 gallons of the beautiful cooking apples that grandmother once used in her famous recipes.

A gift from grandfather to her and now to us. Thanks Buis! We love and miss you.

You just never know...

I find it ironic the days that start so well, can turn violently against you. And of course, vice versa.

Today, I decided to really do my best to feed my picky eater three very rounded meals. Breakfast was French toast made with farm fresh eggs (thanks to Nicki Buchanon since the girls aren't laying yet) and thick Texas toast. The boys loved it! Clint shoveled toast with one hand and his daily sausage biscuit with the other.

I packed Cole's lunch... Fresh corn, a pb&j made with all natural pb and homemade strawberry preserves, and some fresh pineapple. He surely could gobble down his faces for lunch, right?

Then, it happened. At Cole's 1.5 year checkup (two mos late) I was informed Cole has in fact lost a half pound over the past 4 mos. I was crushed. All the home cooked meals and agonizing over bites. Even if he only took a few I worked hard for those calories. Doggonit!

Dr. K reassured me there were things we could do. I don't think I know it all, and boy did she prove it. Thank goodness for a pediatrician I LOVE and trust so dearly!

Even if the appointment was my first truly discouraging one for Cole, I am committed to get some weight on this boy! Coke reminded me of what is so important when he met me running down the hallway tonight from MissionFriends smiling and giggling while he called for Mommy! He knows how to perk me up.

Tomorrow starts calorie counting for the positive!!

I love my days off with Cole!

Tuesdays are always my favorite. Cole and I spend the day together cleaning, running errands, and getting into mischief together. Today there were a million thugs o our to do list... The bank, post office, grocery, Southern States, TSC... But what did we end up doing? We took a lunch picnic with PePaw at the MoMoCar store (Harley Davidson). I love visiting with my Dad. I wish we had more time to do it.

Cole got to see all of Pepaw's MoMoCars and he even got to sit in one. The groceries can wait. We made memories today. :)

Spring Wheat Harvest

Tonight after church, Cole and I put on our crocs and headed out to the garden. We didn't get too much accomplished until Cole noticed the hum of two large combines in the field south of our property.
The wheat is golden and ready to be harvested. I knew it would be anytime now. It just so happened we caught them at exactly the right time for Cole to get a show!!

I drove the Ranger through a break in the brush at the edge of their field just large enough for us to fit. Cole had a perfect view of the wheat, the "tac TORs" and the sunset! He was in heaven!

After several minutes of bliss, he'd had enough and we went in for bath. A stow-away had latched on to Cole's diaper; a tick! After I stripped his entire body and searched it in 2.5 seconds, I whipped out a lighter and promptly burnt the pest.

If that wasn't enough, while disposing of the tick, Cole left his second surprise waiting under the bubbles in the bath. This Mommy has had enough excitement for one evening. :)

All in all, lots of fun was had at the Wiles this evening, regardless of the tick! Cole is already fast asleep mumbling about tac-TORs and his papi (pacifier). Nite all...

How does your garden grow?

This year we chose to try raising a garden organically. While we arent 100% sure we are doing it correctly, the garden seems to be growing by leaps and bounds!

This season our seeds were purchased from rareseeds.com and they have produced great seedlings. The young plants were transplanted at various times over the past few weeks. After our long busy weekend, Cole and I went to check on the garden this morning. It has been unusually hot this spring with temps reaching as high as 100 degrees, so I was concerned some of the tomatoes and melons would be wilted. Much to our surprise, the veggies are loving the heat!

Cole just loves the chance to be outdoors and ride the ranger. Here's hoping he's learning to love the garden as much as his Momma does!

Memorial Day Trio

Ah!!! What could be more relaxing and enjoyable than a day on the lake with good friends? This morning we packed suits, trunks, floaties, snacks, and ourselves up make a fun day on the lake with The Meadors and The Gills.

Cole had been to the lake last year, but this year he was ready to wear his puddle jumper and dip into the water with Mommy! Daddy even got in this time. It took a few minutes for him to feel comfortable, but soon Cole was splashing and laughing with the best of them. We foresee lots more trips to the lake with our little water dog.

Always be my baby...

This weekend isn't over quite yet, and already it seems so perfect.

Clint was honored to be Best Man in Andy and Lindsay Jolly's wedding. It always takes me back to that day we both said "I do."

It seemed almost as perfect that day as it is remembered now. The only extra in our family now, Cole, sat in my lap as Andy danced with his Momma, Reta. I couldn't help but tear up. One day that will be our boy. But tonight I'll just rock him a little closer and whisper in his ear yet again, you'll always be my baby. Just like my Momma did with me.