Convention Preps

I found these on my mom's camera today, they were taken at our convention preps in June.
Meshayla and Kara went out for a week with Jana before convention.


The grounds--back in the sandhills!


Hiking up (and back down!) Scottsbluff Monument





Meshayla and Kara helping Jana in the kitchen

39...(again!)

Things I love, from those I love!
Thank you Mom J, Elaine & Dalayna!!
And a special letter from my 6 yr old.
I love you too, Kaela, and I think I'm very very lucky also!!
http://theweedas.blogspot.com/2008/06/happy-birthday-mom.html
http://dalayna.blogspot.com/2008/06/happy-birthday.html
http://jelly3.blogspot.com/2008/06/39-years-young.html
http://huismanhouse.blogspot.com/2008/06/happy-birthday.html

Summer time flowers (and fruit!)

(The last one just to show I really WAS working....and did you ever try to take a picture of your right hand with your camera???--at least if your picture button is on the right side of the camera too!)

The problem with having flower beds is that they need constant up-keep. With all the rain we've gotten, the grass & small ground weeds have been worse this year than the big weeds, and they don't get noticed as soon as the large ones either.
Yesterday I decided to mow the lawn. Notice I said Decided. I do not mow the lawn. In fact in a conversation with my daughter she mentioned when she heard this, that she stood there with her mouth gaping open in shock & said she didn't remember her mother ever mowing a lawn during HER lifetime! Well, it took a little thinking about, (26 years is no small thing :*) but I guess other than showing my 11yr old son that "Mom really did know how to mow" and that I could mow more than 3 strips at a time before taking a break because "it's SO hot"...no, I guess I haven't.
Yesterday I mowed the lawn because #1--I wanted some outdoor exercise. #2--I wanted some sun--(read tan!) #3 my three guys are out of town on a job, and although the lawn did need mowed, it could have waited till they were back today or tomorrow, but #4--I felt like proving to all three of them that I REALLY COULD MOW IT!
Am I in danger of having to mow it all the time now? No, first of all my husband likes to mow & would rather do that than many other things. Next of all, boys in town need SOMETHING to do.
Last of all, No one is volunteering to make meals, clean the house, do the laundry, grocery shop, weed the flower beds & do the "mothering" thing with the younger kids in exchange for mowing the lawn.
Oh yes, one more thing. You know how Mom's excel at multi-tasking? Well, along with mowing the lawn yesterday which by my pedometer I walked 15 miles....Along with it I did the flylady missions, washed clothes, did some office work, had lunch with my scrapping buddies and fixed supper. Got 2 little girls to work on cleaning their room and do some outside chores. So really it's not that I couldn't do it and everything else, just that I choose NOT to do it and everything else.
I don't know about you, but most guys I know can not mulitask. They mow, they work on the car, they do their "8-5" job. Sometimes being a woman can be a mixed blessing!
To the guys in my house; I love you dearly, & appreciate all you do, but don't challange me by telling me the lawn can't all be mowed in the same day, or I don't know what hard work this much space is to mow. I'm not likely to feel too sorry for you!!
Oh yes, and it's always a good thing to prove to yourself that you can do something too....It's no fun having to eat your words!

Antioch convention

Floyd & Jeanne- "Twins"--Kaela & Kiara- Fellow bloggers, Diane T & Maxine

Part of the large amount of young people who were there. I'd guess maybe 1/3? or less??!
Not even considering the large amount of under 5 & babies!!

Left to right: Jim, Lynisha, Trey & Kyrie, Ryan and Kayleen with Kara in front, Floyd & Jeanne with Kaela in front, Derek, Meshayla in front, Maxine, Morgen, Leon & Relyssa.
10 of our children here this year!! We missed you Dalayna & Laura!! (Jana is not pictured)
By the way...Thank you kids once again!! I know how much you "LOVE" the routine of family group picture time. I wasn't going to ask you to do it this time, but it worked out, and with minimal stress... and I hope someday you will appreciate the effort as much as I do. I love you all!!

We had a very very wonderful, AND eventful convention!!
Two new "babies" in our family Sat. night, Morgen and Kara, along with 10 others in the room. (including one from this town, and a family member of a fellow blogger!!) What a wonderful sight!!
And, our oldest daughter Jeanne and Floyd announced their engagement.
More pictures & commentary to come.....

Just a note...

What hit Kearney while we were gone...
Not much time left here for blogging as I've still lots to do before leaving for convention.
I've posted some pictures on my "Home" blog, that you can see there. I'll have to wait with my other project till I get back. Hope everyone has a great week, & I'll be anxious to catch up again when I get home :*)

Thank you!!

You all are the greatest!! Thanks for the comments, It did make my day :*)
Just got home this afternoon, feels like we've been gone a week, and it's only been 4 days. Obviously alot went on while we were gone!! Incidentally, no bad weather/tornadoes in Kansas!
I'm not sure where the "Martha" came from... Unfortunately the house fairy & Fly lady have not made any appearance while I was gone either...hope they're o.k. and will be returning soon. I've only got 1 1/2 days to work miracles on this place before heading to Convention on Wed.
I'll do some catch up posting tonight hopefully, in the meantime for those of you who didn't see the tornado damage pictures, here's a link to what was going on while we were blissfully working away out of state. I'm off to unpack & re-group---Later!!