Fire House Field Trip

First a little background: One day last week we were at Walmart and the local firemen had the boots out collecting money for charity. I gave both the girls a dollar to give. Jaiden wanted to see the fire truck and we took her over to see it. The fireman let her climb in and showed her all around. She was so excited! Ryan then told Jaiden that his appliance company services all the appliances for the local fire departments in our city and could arrange a trip to one of them. This is all I have heard from Jaiden for the last week. Ryan managed to get us a tour of one of the houses. Jaiden got up two hours earlier than usual this morning wanting to know if she missed the trip. All day long she was asking me if it was time to go yet.

So finally, the time came and we went on our very own personal tour of a fire house. It was so neat! We got to see the truck, the rec area, and the place Jaiden wanted to see the most, the dorm rooms. She has been trying all week to wrap her brain around the idea that the firemen slept at the fire house and then go home to their families. Ryan and I also learned a lot of interesting information. I didn't know the fire trucks could be any color the city wanted them to be. I always assumed the was a "rule" that fire trucks had to be red. "Our fireman" told us he has seen black, green, and even white. I learned something new!

It was a neat trip and I am so very thankful for the firemen allowing us to have a tour and taking time out to show us around!

Yard Sale Time

Well, I finally had my big yard sale that I have been writing about for a year now! I had it yesterday and am having it again today. I was really happy with the money I made considering I didn't sell anything big. All I really sold was junk and baby clothes 50 cents and a $1 at a time! I think we might move the items down to my grandmother's house and hold it there next weekend to try to get a little more money before vacation.

I had a friend helping me, thank goodness! I could have never done it without her and help from Ryan carrying tables and other heavy good, after all, that's what husbands are for!

Here are some pictures of the huge sale, it took up my entire front yard and side yard!




And of course, my super big helper of the day, Nutmeg. I just couldn't have sold those camping chairs without her assistance!

United Breaks Guitars

This is great! A band was traveling on United Airlines, the baggage handlers broke a guitar and the airline refused to pay. So, Dave Carrol decided to write a song about it. Since the song's posting on You Tube, United Airlines reimbursed him the money and he gave the money to charity.

United Airlines Song Background (short version)

"In the spring of 2008, Sons of Maxwell were traveling to Nebraska for a one-week tour and my Taylor guitar was witnessed being thrown by United Airlines baggage handlers in Chicago. I discovered later that the $3500 guitar was severely damaged. They didn’t deny the experience occurred but for nine months the various people I communicated with put the responsibility for dealing with the damage on everyone other than themselves and finally said they would do nothing to compensate me for my loss. So I promised the last person to finally say “no” to compensation (Ms. Irlweg) that I would write and produce three songs about my experience with United Airlines and make videos for each to be viewed online by anyone in the world. United: Song 1 is the first of those songs. United: Song 2 has been written and video production is underway. United: Song 3 is coming. I promise." Taken from
Dave Carrol Music



Here's song 2

A Fun Game

If you're like me, and have nothing else to do with your day (note the heavy use of sarcasm here), then check out this game: Sandy's Shrubbery Shakedown. It is a frustrating and aggravating game, but we cannot stop playing! I have got to level 14 and Ryan has gotten to level 15. Surprisingly, Jaiden has made it to level 9!!

Market and Other Things

Last weekend, we went up to my dad's and came home with 720 ears of corn! That's a lot of corn! We make the trip up there, and the family takes what they want. This year we only had 6 dozen left over after everyone took what they wanted. I had Ryan donate it to a local halfway house.

This is the best corn I have ever had! I love Silver Queen corn! It is so sweet and good!

After I put up the corn, I saved the cobs and made Appalachian Jelly this past weekend. If you've never had the jelly, put it on your list of things to try!

In the past few weeks, I had pickled over 300 lbs. of cucumbers! I am hoping that will last me until the Farmer's Market is over in October, but I really don't think it will. I make bread & butter, dill, jalapeno, habanero, horseradish, hot & sweet, and dill chip pickles. The habanero ones are my biggest seller.

WE took the kids to the fair 2 weeks ago to let them see all of the animals. Jaiden finally warmed up this year and wasn't afraid to pet anything. Arya on the other hand, just wasn't quite sure of those huge cows!

I hate to say this but, the fair is the biggest waste of money! We spent over $50 just to get in, eat and get something to drink! It's just so expensive! I am glad I had extra money from doing the market!



I have also been spending some time picking green beans from our garden. This was the first year we planted beans and I don't think I will plant them again. There is just too much bending to get all beans picked. We also got a ton of tomatoes that have just now started to be picked. We have had some mild weather and the tomatoes were not turning.


This is my stand at the Farmer's Market. I took this picture the first week. I have now expanded onto another table to hold everything I make. I was afraid to make too much stuff the first week in case it didn't sell. Now, I could almost use a third table! It's amazing how much we can grow learning from experience!


This was just a small taste of what I have been up to. I have also started trying to get ready for our vacation in 3 weeks. I hope to have some craft projects up pretty soon! I have to get my craft show inventory up for the shows that start in October.

Still Here

Just wanted to let everyone know that I am still here and haven't forgotten about my blog! Just another very busy week past and another one on the way! Today I decided to undertake the cleaning of the fridge! How does a fridge get so yucky? Aliens spilled soda in the bottom and it gelled. Now, I say aliens because no one in the house seems to know how it happened. That was a mess! I have the door completely cleaned out and the three drawers. I just have 2 shelves left and I am finished!! YEA!!! Next, I have to give my bathroom a good cleaning.

Over the weekend, I brought home 60 dozen or 720 ears of corn from my dad's. I had that to take care of and 150 lbs of cucumbers to pickle for the Farmer's Market. I have some pics I will post when I get a chance.

On a side note: Aunt Cindy, if you are reading this, please email me so I can have your email address. Just click the contact me on the left side of my blog. I got your nice card in the mail last week. We are going to be gone on vacation some of the days you are over here. And, I found Kevin's graduation card under my dryer. I guess it fell out of my purse and I assumed I mailed it. I will get it in the mail tomorrow.

Real - Verses - Fake

I went digging in my grandmother's pictures last night. Here's proof how scary it is that the fake pictures of me and her real pictures match!

Real ones are in color and the fake ones are in black and white. All of the black and whites have my real face, but they have been transposed onto fake pictures.






Not much different between the real and fake one, is there?

Yearbook Yourself

1950Have you all seen this yet??? My cousin sent me this site, Yearbook Yourself. You download a picture of yourself and it pastes your picture to different hairstyles that were popular starting in the 1950's thru 2002. This is supposed to show you what your senior picture would have looked like if you graduated in any of those years. It works for both men and women. You need a good and close picture of yourself for the best results.

The scary thing is, I look just like my grandmother in the first picture, my mother in the 1970's picture and I even had the same hairstyle in the 1992 picture! Sometime this week I'll have to find the picture and do a side by side!

1952

1960

1966

1978

1992