Bribery...works every time

Every few months we try our best to get out to the farm and stay for a night or two. It is so nice out there this time of year, before the 100 degree weather hits. We usually go out there to just get away, to mow the always over grown grass, check the horses, and the farm dog Sandy. I still have a couple horses there being boarded so I usually make a quick drive out there once a week to check and make sure they are doing ok, but getting to stay a night is always a treat. It is truly God's country. The rolling hills, oak trees with limbs that touch the ground, a babbling creek, that really great grass that blows in the wind just right. Seriously it really is this nice! The only down fall and the reason we moved is that its a bit off the beaten path, plus it is a ton of work I tell ya. Always grass to mow, fences to fix, usually some sort of water well crisis, you know, typical farming issues!

While there I was able to fit in a quick photo shoot. These days, the minute I pull out the camera my kids seem to magically disappear or turn into little monsters. Seriously, Bennet refuses to look at me when I have it out. So, as any good mom/photographer would do, I resorted to good ol fashioned bribery. You guys act like precious little children while I take pictures of you, I give you some m&m's. It worked like a charm!

Bennet Post

I realized its been a while since I posted about Bennet, sorry buddy! Well, he is doing sooooo much better in his big boy bed. It took about two weeks of utter hell, times where I was sure I was the worst mom in the world and that I was ruining him completely. I knew that things HAD to change for his sanity and mine so we stayed with the discipline and magically after two weeks of battle, he is sleeping in his big boy bed and going to sleep happily without screaming! That's right people, NO screaming at bedtime and it only took 9 months! Where's my 'best mother' in the world award?

Bennet has been taking swim lessons twice a week with Ella and their cousin Ben. Ella and Ben are doing awesome and should be ready for a fun summer. Bennet is more into dunking his head under and just waiting for the instructor to pick him up. Poor Miss Jessica, nothing like getting a 2 year old to listen to your shenanigans! She's awesome though and really is making some progress. The good thing, well...maybe it not so much a good thing, but he has NO fear of the water, he just jumps right on in!

Other than that, Bennet is doing great, he is a full fledged 2 year old, tantrums and all. We start the morning off saying, "mama, mama" and finish the day off the same way. I swear I hear "mama, mama" more than any other word. This morning even Jason had to tell him to find a new word!

Anyways, the Bredeson's have their court day today so keep them in your prayers. They live really close to us and are adopting a precious little boy, we cant wait to meet him! You can find out more here http://thebredesensandethiopia.blogspot.com/

15 million orphaned by AIDS

I stole this from Jana and Michael's blog, they are going to be the new in-country reps for Gladney and are moving to Ethiopia very very soon! I am blown away with their story. Go here to read their story http://eyestowardethiopia.blogspot.com/

15 million children, orphaned by AIDS worldwide.


That number is equivalent to the populations of New York, Paris, and Bangkok, combined.


"I believe that this could very well be looked back on as the sin of our generation. I look at my parents and ask, where were they during the civil rights movement? I look at my grandparents and ask, what were they doing when the holocaust in Europe was occurring with regard to the Jews, and why didn't they speak up? And when we think of our great, great, great-grandparents, we think how could they have sat by and allowed slavery to exist? And I believe that our children and their children, 40 or 50 years from now, are going to ask me, what did you do while 40 million children became orphans in Africa?"

--Rich Stearns, President of World Vision

Go here to read an amazing post, http://fullhousehandshearts.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/05/there-areover-15million-children-orphaned-by-aids-around-the-world-equivalent-to-the-number-of-people-living-in-new-york.html



Then go here http://bottomlysandethiopia.blogspot.com/2009/05/sponsor-needed_15.html to find out how you can get involved and help! Hopechest is an awesome way to sponsor a child, it is a long term way to help a child physically, and emotionally.

Its Official

Ok, Its official, my photography has now moved from hobby to business. Go check out my website, click the link 'website' above in my navigation. Let me know what you think!!

Today might be the day

Today might be the day that I go officially insane. Jason has been out of town ALL week, so that has left me to tend to two kids, three dogs, cats, plus the 10 horses because our barn help has also been out of town. I've been giving lessons, and trying to help my niece with her new horse, usually getting back to the house around 8 every night. I think last night I finally got a shower around 9:30, I wont even go into how amazing I looked, not to mention the desperate need to shave. Oh, and please may I mention that my considerate neighbor that has 300 acres to run his cattle business on chooses to keep about 200 of his cows in a pen RIGHT next to our house. Last night it was time to separate the babies from their mothers, so you can only imagine what that sounds like, I can barely hear myself think (perhaps thats a blessing). To top it off today is Jason's alumni golf tourn. so he will be gone all day today too!

Lets see, Bennet wakes up around 7:30 and begins saying "momma", he probably says "momma" 1000 times in one day. Since coming home from Ethiopia he has cried EVERY time we put him down for either nap or bedtime. When I say cry, I mean hysterically screams. Now please, no one get all 'adoption issue' on me, he simply hates to sleep, period. We recently thought perhaps he just hates his crib (which he does) so we got him a 'big boy bed' which is now named big boy. Did that help? NO. Is he screaming right now? YES. This too shall pass, this too shall pass, this too shall pass. Right?