DESPITE OUR INSTANT ABILITY TO NETWORK WITH TECHNOLOGY...

PEOPLE LOVE TO GATHER...




AND SIMPLY ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF THEIR COMMUNITY AND ONE ANOTHER..

NOTHING CAN REPLACE HUGS FROM OLD FRIENDS OVER SPILLING BAGS OF FRESH GREENS,

AND LAUGHTER... WITH THE LOCAL JAZZ GROUP EASING THE CONVERSATION...


WE ARE BLANKETED WITH THE PUREST OF SENSORY OVERLOAD...AND WELL ...WITH DOGGIES AND KIDS IN TOW...YOU FEEL...PURE HAPPY


OUR WIGGINS AND CHASE



WHAT A GREAT WAY TO START THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND...WITH THE CULTURE OF OUR FARMER'S MARKET

LURING US FROM BOOTH TO BOOTH TO PURCHASE A LITTLE OF THIS AND THAT...



AS THE LITTLE RECIPE FILE IN MY HEAD DREAMS UP A WAY TO USE THE SCRUMPTIOUS LITTLE NEW POTATOES AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS IN MY BAG.


I LOVE WHEN WE CAN SLOW DOWN AND LOVE ON EACH OTHER'S PET AND KIDS...

WIGGINS AND A VENDOR GREET ONE ANOTHER


KIMI AND "REX" FROM THE LOCAL SHELTER.




AND NOT JUST SMELL...BUT SAVOR THE FLOWERS.



CAP IT WITH A STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE AT JAMIN' JAVAS...



AND AN INCREDIBLE BOUQUET TO TAKE HOME, MADE BY THE SWEETEST VIETNAMESE FAMILY.



AND YOU HAVE BOTTLED A MORNING OF CONTENTMENT...I'LL TAKE IT ANYTIME...


AHH, YES...

we love to make a celebration out of the ordinary, and so it was on Sunday... as we pulled together friends for a spur of the moment cook out, finished off with "smores" around the fire pit...

but not until dear dad had to piece together from his "scrappy" scrap pile to find the right stuff to burn for just the toastiest of mellows.

and just in case you wonder ...it wasn't perfect...we had , messy, sticky, whiny kiddos, a couple o' swing mishaps, blood, sweat and tears (yes, all three),and tweeny girls that wouldn't come out of hiding when it was time to go. completely normal here!...and completely worth it...

good friends, blue skys, "smore"" smeared hands and lips, garden fragrances thick in the air and a blanket of color before me, who could ask for more?

and a few new pictures today...

a week ago tonight...

we had family gather,
and friends come alongside,
and we had a blast celebrating Landry's graduation! Enjoy with us!

BACKYARD VICTORIES

Back to graduation celebration very shortly, but had to slide this in.

Little Bit is getting better and better with her canes, and less than three weeks after her major surgery, she was ready to go!



...With Kym supporting her trunk as Quynh handled her canes all by herself...even across rain sogged grass.





You gotta love this kiddo's manipulation skills...honed a little more each day, despite our "commitment" to end them...

New and old best bribes are --dark chocolate, big league chew, and swinging! You can't help but give in with a giant grin.







...AND THE BEST IS SNUGGLES WITH DAD WITH TWO OTHER FAVES...HER "WELL LOVED YUMMY GUM", AND HER PORCH SWING, FOR WHICH SHE TEMPORARILY DETHRONED CARL THE CAT...




YEP, SHE HAS DADDY "WRAPPED"...FOR SURE...

lots to celebrate with graduation...

...but one of the best things happened in little increments,... over many years of study groups, and Frisbee games, Wii game parties, and mad rush lunches. Shared AP coursework and late night cramming , prom plans conspired together. The good stuff of friendship.

And somehow with guys, it is so much more straightforward and "out there" and easy. These friends of our Landry have been much like brothers to him (as if he needed more HA) Easy to like, smart, fun, we couldn't have asked for better.

These guys are a joy to have around our house, and I will miss them showin' up. In fact, I surely hope they still come round often, and entice Landry back for family weekends and long ultimate Frisbee games with his buds...

Their party was for them...but I think even more for their parents, especially we moms that bonded while watching our now grown young men celebrate a new phase together. All of us moms sorta wishing we could keep them around just a little longer...but knowing its time, and they have so much to give this world.

So, these next posts will be full of the happiness of celebrating Landry and his fun, life of the party self...with a kinder, gentler, part that will even hug his sisters when he's not driving them crazy and vice versa.

Happy Graduation 2010, Landry Parks...we couldn't love you more or be more proud.

gliimpses of a very special day and dancer...

Dancing with the feet is one thing, but dancing with the heart is another. ~Author Unknown

Our reflective little dancer..."I'm thinking about how much fun dance recital was...."

MUSINGS CONTINUED...

THE CHOICE IS ON FOR TOMORROW'S JEWELRY PICK

"AH, YES"


BUT THIS ONE IS PERFECT ...THE DAUGHTER OF A KING..."



"PEACEFUL DUSK"



ps...the beautiful horse farms are not ours, but belong to, or are managed by friends that give us the magical privelege of enjoying them. Jacob interns at one and we board our "Cruiser-man" at the other. Friendship are tethered tightly together amongst horses...

It puts me in a funk...the demise of an appliance. This time, the dishwasher. Last year, the microwave, and the kitchen faucet (don't even ask my best friends' about that one...)

If I could be normal and reasonable about it, I would call the local spot, order the latest model and have it delivered, installed, and the defunct one hauled away....be done with it.

But after wanting to kick the thing hard for conspiring to fail about a month after the warranty expiration, I take on the task of the "quest".

And, I am reminded once again, after a few days of this intensive search for a "deal", that the whole appliance dynamic is meant to frustrate...

finally causing us to expend our last emotional energy by giving in to whomever can get it "there" the fastest; because you are desperate and will hand over any amount.

Lessons to be learned for me...and that have needed to be learned repetitively by me...

All the local adds for used ones are total goose chases.

There is a pattern...finding the one you "think" you want and being talked into it by super salesman.

You google it up, only to find that famous "2.8 out of 5" approval rating (where to they get that??)
...with some raving reviews about its quietness and efficiency,

... quickly knocked a dead blow by "honest in Cincinnati", whose review says "run, don't walk away from this wreck of an appliance" .

---Which by read's end, awakens visions of demons unleashed in your kitchen and the machine eating Grandma's China, while leaving the everyday wear crying out for Mr. Clean. UGH

And to top it off, as you know; the appliances in your kitchen are all kind of leering at you, coercing you to guess which one will go next, cause they all have about the same life span.

Conniving-ly meant to end when most the kids are in braces and at least two are in college. (which for us could be any of 15 years of our life past, present and future :)

So,the quest continues...but I promise it will end this weekend. Done...

Tucked into calls and trips to sears and lowes and home depot and handyman joe, and bella vista restore-er man, LIFE is full and good and packed with lots of the FLAVORS of May.

Our Landry graduates high school this week, and we are celebrating him! more to come on that.

Carter made "center snare" of the drum line for his huge high school band ...and we did a little proud momma and dad button poppin' about that.

Kylie left with breathy excitement on her first trip away without me or dad. One of her school clubs is on its well planned trip to Minneapolis, and she was a bundle of questions and hugs and last snuggles and anticipation as she took off...

Kimber's dance recital is tomorrow, and it is totally scrumptious.

Quynh is recovering well, and has been cute, naughty, engaging, trying, and eager to get back on her "feet". This kid amazes us every day...

It has been raining gallons, but last night gave us a little break, and after a fun shopping trip with Kimber to look for glasses, I headed to the farm at dusk...my therapy...ENJOY...

I Luv that dimple...it "speaks" her personality.

"these are the most fashionable , mom" " I JUST CAN"T decide"





OUR PRINCESS...WHO GOT TO DRESS UP PRINCESSY FOR BOOK DAY AT SCHOOL