Charlyn’s Web

Disclaimer: These photos were taken on the same day as Ditch Day. She is wearing different clothes today! Honest.

Taking turns even!

It’s hard work!

Brother’s turn!

Unfortunately, their combined weight made it too hard to pedal in the gravel. They didn’t get very far. I guess I can’t use the song “He’s Not Heavy, He’s My Brother” and I don’t think there has been a song written titled: “She’s Too heavy, She’s My Sister”. Which is a good thing.

When Col. Panic was a younger man he worked for a family that ran a custom harvesting business. They owned combines and trucks and would travel to different areas that had crops that needed harvesting. They harvest wheat, corn, milo, and barley. I’m sure I missed something but they will let me know. The Col. would often play with the, eventually, four children of the family. He was a great kid himself and would engage in games of hide and seek, basketball and various other things. I know that at least once, he scared the heebie geebies out of at least one of the girls in a game of nighttime hide and seek. They remember these things- well.

Fast forward many, many years and the youngest is all grown up and in college. For some unknown reason (itchy feet?) she decided to go on a college exchange program to a college close to us. Imagine that. So we have been enjoying her company the last couple of months.

But what goes around, comes around and she now enjoys coming and getting our kids all riled up. I am sure The Col. NEVER (you hear that? NEVER) did that with their kids.

The piggy back ride- or as my kids call it “Monkey Back”- as they enjoy a game of hide and seek.

Why, yes, TG is wearing the same outfit as the last post. You have issues with that? I can assure you that I have peeled it off of her body and it is now in the wash.

Going after The Boy.

Her best hiding spot.

The Boy didn’t find her until she sent TG to tell him where she was hiding. TG was also hiding with her and I don’t know how she kept TG quiet all that time.

The Boy’s best hiding spot, his tunnel.

She didn’t realize that it went down under and so missed him when she checked there.

It’s been great fun getting to know as an adult the child we used to know. We look forward to more fun times.

And, yes, she is going to kill me. But her sisters will thank me.

Some days are just meant to be spent in the ditch.

Going down!

Pedaling hard to get out!

New tactic- use the feet.

Refuse all help from Sissy and insist you can do it on your own. Until your Mother gets tired of standing there and pulls you out while you protest.

Then do it again. Same thing, new ditch.

Except this time manage to get yourself out of it .

Encouraged by success- ride on the unbroken territory of the bank until the slope calls your name.

Try to get out there and fail so in order to save face ride along in the bottom for awhile.

You planned to do it that way!

But there is still the sticky problem of getting out.

Grunt!

Let’s try something else. Does this look easier?

No, it wasn’t and after much effort on her part- her Mother again had to help. This time she asked.

But that doesn’t mean she learned anything. New un-blazed territory! Who needs boring old roads?

Same old story. Help a neighbor out here, Dog!

Until Mom rescues again, and insists you stay out of the ditch. The thrill is gone so you give up the bike to Sissy and discover that roads aren’t really that bad after all.

Ah, the feeling of wind blowing through your pigtails!

I can take a hint. You want to see more photos of Col. Panic’s kids. Well, here is his favorite.

Oh, maybe not.  But it is his dog!

Last week the weather was lovely, for a few days at least. So we walked/rode down to the mailbox and beyond.

Remember last fall and Pixie’s bicycling difficulties? Well, she still uses her feet to stop instead of the bike brakes but that is, perhaps, a good thing as she jams the brakes on so hard that she skids all over the place. She can now get going on her own and can even turn around. All without the continuous whine that used to proceed from her mouth. Here she is actually standing up and pedaling.

The Boy just took off, as usual, zipping around. Here he takes a side trip down into the ditch- and back out again.

Sorry, they look like ants! I was being left in the dust!

Then there is my baby- the one who marches to her own drum.

What interesting characters they all are. Wonder where they get it.

Note: I made these pictures “smaller” in hopes they wouldn’t take too long to load for any dial up readers out there. (Hi KN!) Let me know if they take too long to load still and if they look OK. Thanks!

I glanced out the kitchen window as I was making dinner and saw the sun shining on the trees with the dark sky behind.

I thought that I had better not stop. I had better fix dinner. Then I thought- what kind of photographer are you?

Those are robins in the tree.

So I turned the burners down, grabbed the camera and went out the door as I checked my ISO and F-stop settings. (Oooo! sounds like I know what I am doing, doesn’t it? Ha!)

The sun was cooperative for a few more minutes and I shot away.

The kids can starve.

Col. Panic had a doctor’s appointment in the city but he wanted to make a fast trip of it and wasn’t going to go to my favorite store. He decided to take the older two with him and I was left at home with my little Sunshine. As an aside, I wonder why I thought things were tough to get done with just one kid? Now, when I have just one it’s so easy! (Yes, KN it may seem overwhelming now but you too may think this someday.) So now I had time on my hands and I actually did something! As opposed to sitting here on the computer the whole time. I tackled a project that needed to be done and had been bugging me for quite awhile. Now, you who are sensitive in nature and are OCD in the cleanliness department might want to skip the rest of this post. It’s not pretty. You have been warned!

I tackled the mess in the Girl’s room. I am showing you horrible things- please don’t think less of me.

Before-

Awful, isn’t it? See the path? I cleared that the night before so that if they got up in the night they could have a place to walk. Or if I had to go in I wouldn’t step on a musical toy and have “Have a Happy New Year!” blaring out. I had picked it up recently but they had so much stuff that it got out of hand pretty fast.

See the brown bowl with the pink shoe in it? I was looking all over for that last Sunday to put a salad for potluck in. Silly me, I looked in the kitchen and the family room but didn’t think to check the Girls’ room. When I tell them to put things away in their room, I usually tell them a specific place to put it. The shoes are supposed to go in the closet. I guess they are close. The stuffed animals and dolls are supposed to go under the crib.

I went to work. And after two or so hours, and Pixie had returned home, it looked like this-

I got rid of some of the dress up things they were not using so there is less in the dress up box under the window. I think it may have to be trimmed farther but we’ll see how it goes.

I vacuumed under the crib too! I didn’t move it but just reached under it with the vacuum wand with an attachment. I thought of trying to get a photo of that but, besides the fact there was no one here to take it but a three year old (I know, she probably would have done well) I decided I didn’t want the Internet to see my bum sticking up in the air as I stretched to get to the back. I know you thank me. You can even see the vacuum marks!

I didn’t get the shelves organized. I think I need to do something else with them. The seemed like a good idea at the time but, as with anything, things just get thrown around. One shelf was for Pixie and the other for Sunshine but now they get all mixed up. They both can wear some of it but their tastes are so different they don’t often mix it up. Also, I think there isn’t enough room on the shelves.

It’s a start. Now we need to work on maintaining it. That is where my cleaning prowess breaks down.

Look at this face! Hard to believe the messy monster that lurks just under the surface!

This last Tuesday, our local home school association went on a field trip to the nearby National Guard facility. We had a great time, and met some wonderful men in uniform who gave us the grand tour. We took lots of pictures, some of which you will find filed under the galleries page here.

The blonde quadruped that lives around here has been displaying his true colors, and they aren’t all golden.

Once upon a time, “Mom’s dog” used to announce visitors coming up the driveway, chase deer out of the area, go “mousing,” and perform other useful services. Admittedly, he’d dig up the yard, drag smelly wapiti remains home, and forage in the organic refuse pile, but basically he was all right to have around.

That was then.

Oh, to be sure, he still excavates the yard, and deposits decaying carcasses and other disgusting things near the back door.

But the slothful canine gave up chasing deer: can’t catch ’em; they’re too fast; might as well give up. So the villains wander around like they own the place, eating roses, raspberry vines, small trees and whatever else, leaving destruction in their wake. He often doesn’t even bother to lift his head.

Whilst pheasants recklessly ravage the garden, the lion sleeps.

Announcing visitors? Well, yes, he still does that sometimes.

When he feels like it.

But both the mail lady and the “children’s father” clad in brown shorts are now able to drive all the way up to the house and escape our notice until they honk. It seems that bribery with delicious doggie treats will prevail over any sense of duty and honor. The tawny traitor excitedly (but quietly) trots out to greet the delivery vehicles, visions of yummy delights dancing in his head.

But the real slap in the face?

The fleabag barks at me when I’m driving home from work!

Man’s best friend? Ha!

Well, maybe. They just didn’t say which man’s best friend!

It’s hard to believe that our sweet, cheery little baby is capable of brutally pummeling her older siblings!

(click thumbnail to view larger photo)