trespassing

So, yeah.

I forced the girls to trespass on some farmland today.

Just the edge of the land.

But apparently trespassing is a slippery slope to hell

because then they stole.

Five soybeans to be exact.

In our defense,

the sky was a beautiful "pewter."

Steve told me that's what color it was

because he thinks I am colorblind.

The fields were gold.

And I just happened to have my camera in the car.

I have always loved fall,

but fall in the country is even more magical.

swinging thru the trees....in his BVDs

My younger brother and I used to call in

to the local oldies radio station regularly to request

Ray Steven's GUITARZAN.

Until, of course, we managed to record it

off the radio onto a cassette tape

to listen to on demand.

For some reason after watching the girls swing

from the willow branches in our yard

I just can't seem to get that song out of my head.

I love my _________ life.

I stole this from Redbook, I think.

They ask all the celebs to fill in the blank when they're featured in the magazine.

Last night Steve built a fire in our new/used woodstove.

Outside.

He had to heat it up to cure the paint.

So we ate our chicken piccatta in front of the warm fire

on the cool fall night.

After dinner we peeled apples from our own apple trees

to throw in the crockpot for my next batch of applesauce.

Of course it became a competition

to see who could peel off the biggest piece of apple skin.

Steve won.

But I peeled more apples.

And then, after the kids had dispersed,

we pulled out what his co-workers had left

of his birthday [Texas Sheet] cake

which always tastes better the second day.

I love my Friday night life.

In which 35 is declared the new SEXY

Steve's birthday is tomorrow.

So far all I've done to prepare for the big day

is vow to start using my wrinkle cream regularly.

How self-centered can a girl be?

Apparently 34.5 is the age when guys start wearing those

old man golf-ish hats.

But doesn't he make it look good?

Yes, I've decided that 35 is the new SEXY.

Let me share a few pictures so you know what I mean.

There is this one that says,

"Grey beards are smokin'."

We already know that snuggling with his daughter makes ANY man sexy.

And then there is this one that says,

"Hopscotch.....the ultimate foreplay."

Can I use the word "foreplay" in my family blog?

What is it about a guy being a great dad that is such a turn-on?

And lastly, this one that says,

"Yes, I have enough life experience to build the perfect fire."

Sigh.

As you can see, I am a very lucky girl.

(And that's without even posting a picture of his thighs!)

Happy Birthday Steeb!

You make 35 look GOOOOOOD!

You might be a redneck if......

......you buy something you don't particularly care for just because it has a cool name.

a girl, her cat, and some doll clothes

Could life get any better?

The more you know (bum. bum. bum.)

Those "bum. bum. bum."s are to the tune of that old NBC jingle.

Except it's not really a jingle.

Whatev.

Just thought I'd share a photo exemplifying stage four of a

Lake Superior Immersion Experience.

Stage 4: REGRET

bum. bum. bum.

Welcoming us home

We just returned from a little mini-vacation up North where we enjoyed the company of wonderful old friends, napped on our favorite rock beach, and braved the big city crowds to visit the zoo. Our last day was the one spent in the BIG city, making our return to the peaceful countryside even sweeter. We were welcomed home by some exciting torrential rain, 4 hungry kitties, 14 still living chickens, and a flower bed just full of blooming zinnias.

I am already planning

rows

and rows

and rows

and rows

and rows

of next year's zinnia gardens!