Redneck Style

Last night Pacen grilled up some Polish Sausage and we ate at the picnic table in the backyard.  As we were eating I was telling him that I really need to get a run in.  Then the following conversation ensued:

"I know what you can do instead Mom."

"What's that?"

Then as he took a big bite of his "dog" he fanned his arm out in a motion as if indicating a large area of land and said, "Look at all this."  ("All this" meaning the 50' x 50' area of our backyard.  Size is approximation.)

"Well, I have things to do cause I have a meeting here at 7:00 so if you think it's bad then YOU mow it."

"Okay!  But I'm doing it redneck style!"

He then ran inside and put on his cowboy boots, which typically wouldn't be weird, but he was also wearing his swimming trunks.  Sure enough...he mowed the backyard "redneck style".  He cracks me up!

My redneck lawn boy!

Speaking of mowing.  I think the people who own the abandoned house on the corner should've mowed earlier in the season instead of this past Saturday.  You should've seen the smoke rollin' out of their mower!  Crazy!  Here is a picture of Pacen in their yard the day before they mowed...

Pacen is touching a piece of grass that is darn near as tall as him! 

In the picture of Pacen mowing you can almost catch a glimpse of my DIY yard project (behind him)!  I am getting close to revealing it!  I got a lot done on it this past weekend (between storms and dead drill batteries)!  Here's a picture of Pacen helping me with the very beginning stages of the project.  He is quite the helper, but he wears out fast!  :)

Helping remove a post. 

"I always thought a yard was three feet, then I started mowing the lawn. " ~ C. E. Cowman

Chilling Discovery

It's been a while. Sorry! I've been busy busy busy! Pacen is finally on his last week of school for the year and things are so hectic. I've had to deal with: 4-H projects/meetings, Rendezvous (more about that soon), field trips, Relay for Life things, graduations, softball, lawn care, DIY pergola project, etc.  I also try to squeeze in a workout every night!  I'm exhausted and overwhelmed.  So, when I do have a moment to spare I lounge on the couch.  It helps me unwind. 

Last night after I did my run and put Pace to bed I decided to catch up on one of my favorite TV shows, Cougar Town. I have to watch it after it airs on television cause we don't have cable or dish. Thanks to the internet and the ABC network I am able to watch my favorite shows any time I want. So, anyway, I was enjoying Cougar Town and laughing my ass off and all of a sudden I was hit with a chilling discovery!

You see, part of this particular episode revolved around a group of siblings in the cul-de-sac neighborhood.  Aka the "chalk children". Three very blond kids who use sidewalk chalk to draw on everyone's driveways (some of the drawings are very morbid). They are creepy little tykes and at one point Grayson (very handsome bar owner) refers to them as "the children of the corn". Well, I know my horror movies and it was The Village of the Damned that had the creepy blond kids, but anyway, at the very moment I saw the "chalk children" it hit me. The chilling discovery. *Insert anticipating horror movie music here*

MY SISTERS AND I WERE THE CREEPY BLOND KIDS! We were "the damned"! Bum-bum-buuuuummmmm!  Grayson's description even fits us perfectly because we grew up in Nebraska!

One of my best guy friends once told me he was scared of my sisters and I when we were little cause we were "the girls with white hair". Haha! I could never figure out what was so scary about that, but last night the truth came to me. If we had walked around with blank looks on our faces (instead of our precious smiles) we would've totally looked like the children from The Village of the Damned. I have proof.

Scary how much similarities there are!!!  Especially the glowing eyes!  :)

The next picture is my favorite.  It's of my sister, Quinn, and I.  Raine had white blond hair too, but she didn't resemble the little horror children cause mom let her have long hair.  Not fair.  :)

My bangs are even styled the same as the Children of the Damned! 

Now I must live the rest of my life with this realization weighing down on me.  How will I survive?!  :)  Oh how I wish I still had the white blond hair.  I would so dress up as one of the "damned" children for Halloween!

Here is a "chalk children" clip from Cougar Town:  http://abc.go.com/shows/cougar-town/video-detail/featured/pl_PL5520924



Mara Chaffee (creepy blond leader): You are thinking of the one who died.
David McGowan (somewhat creepy blond boy): She was to be my partner.
Mara Chaffee: Yes it's true. Without a mate you are of less importance to us and your development of emotions is disturbing. We can't leave you behind David, it's time we resolved this.

Day Dreamin'

Spring has slowly worked its way into Wyoming.  The weather was beautiful the past few days and my tulips are finally blooming!  Last night we had our first real thunder storm of the season.  It poured.  I love the sound of rain beating on the roof.  I love the smell.  I love what it does for nature.

Today was a bit cooler and rather windy, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the outdoors after work.  Pacen and I went to the cemetery where I run.  Yes, I run at a cemetery.  It's gorgeous, it's hilly, and it's better than running laps around a track.  I love it.  Everything was so green this evening and while I ran I couldn't help but day dream.   I didn't day dream about one thing in particular.  No.  There were many things running through my head.  Summer.  Our trip to Atlantis (coming up in 27 days).  The lake.  Scuba diving.  Softball.  Camping.  Triathlons.  Laying out in my backyard.  Yard work.  So many things. 

Some of those things may not sound like day dreams, but trust me when I tell you that the way I think about them is a dream.  I don't think of the yard work and imagine all the sweat and frustration that will more than likely occur.  No. I think about what the finished product will look like.  In my head - in my dreams - it's beautiful and I can picture myself relaxing and taking in all that I accomplished.  I don't think about all the hard work and training I have to do to complete the Triathlon.  Nope.  I think about the unexplainable feeling I get when I cross the finish line and how amazing I feel that I did it!  I'm a natural at day dreaming.  I probably spend way too much time in my dreams, but that's just who I am and there is absolutely nothing wrong with dreaming.

"He does not need opium.  He has the gift of reverie."  ~Anais Nin

Why Is This Necessary?

For years I have been wanting to watch The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  I wanted to watch them all, back-to-back, on a cold blustery day.  Well, that didn't work out.  About a month and a half ago I noticed that the first movie in the trilogy was on instant Netflix.  It was a cold blustery day so I decided to watch it.  The other two had to be ordered through the DVD portion of Netflix.  Bummer.

I watched the second movie and then the third came and it sat on my kitchen counter for a good two weeks.  I finally decided I would just watch an hour every night until it was finished.  So, the other night I was lounging on the couch, enjoying Return of the King when it happened.  The thing I wasn't expecting.  The thing that always seems to pop up in fantasy movies.  Have you guessed what it is yet?  The scene where the MASSIVE spider comes in.  WHY?!  Why I ask you!  Why do fantasy movies always have to have a MASSIVE spider?!  Why?!  It is ridiculous and it creeps me out.  Big time.  I have major arachnophobia.  Okay, so my "problem" is a lot better than it used to be, but still.  Spiders scare the shit out of me.  The last thing I want to see in a decent movie is an enormous man-eating spider!  *Shudder*

Shelob

The Lord of the Rings isn't the only movie that I have had this problem with.  Harry Potter also had a man-eating spider.  No, wait.  That movie had hundreds of man-eating spiders.  I had to cover my eyes.  Yes, I covered my eyes even though I know they are not real and it is only a movie.  I covered my eyes the other night too.  But when Shelob (who names a spider?) stabbed Frodo in the stomach with her pointy thing my eyes were not covered.  I was frozen in a state of shock!  I sat there with my mouth dropped open and my eyes wide as she wrapped him in a web, preparing to eat him!  I couldn't believe it!  I thought he'd get away like the good character always does.  Granted, he did get away, but he suffered first!  Good grief!  I still can't believe it!  *Shudder*

Aragog (Yet another named man-eating spider)

 Just so you all know...it took a lot for me to find these pictures and post them.  I'm not gonna lie, my legs are all weak and shaky right now and I feel rather light headed.  Seriously.  *SHUDDER*  So, explain to me why fantasy authors feel the need to add these nasty creatures to their stories?  What is the point?  Can't they have a huge man-eating beetle?  I can handle beetles.  What about a walking stick?  Those might be close to crossing the line, but I can handle them better than spiders.  Okay, I have to go now.  I need to try to walk around...maybe go out and get some fresh air, although I will probably be scanning every surface thoroughly to make sure there aren't any eight legged bastards crawling around.  *Shudder*

Frodo: "What is this place?"
Gollum: "Master must go inside the tunnel."
Frodo: "Now that I'm here, I don't think I want to."


Frodo should've followed his instincts.  :)

Earth Day

Happy Earth Day everyone! I know not everybody is into saving our planet and many people think the planet doesn't need saving. Think whatever you like. I'm very open-minded so I don't mind if people have different thoughts than I do. I do think the planet needs to be taken care of, but I will admit that I'm not very good at doing this. I recycle my water bottles at work and I started a compost pile, but I still throw things away that should be recycled and I drive a car that isn't very eco-friendly. I'm going to try to start doing more things to help this planet though. Maybe I'll adopt a stretch of highway or something. Pacen needs to be taught to respect the Earth too and the adopt-a-highway program would be a good way to do this. He'll probably want to keep most of the trash we pick up so he can build something, but hopefully he'll get the understanding that it's not good for people to litter. Yes, I think I will look into the adopt-a-highway program tomorrow.

"Save the Earth, it's the only planet with chocolate!" ~ Unknown