I have joined the Keurig generation!

I really did not think I would do it.  I fought it for a long time.  It seemed so frivolous, so expensive, so wasteful.  When my daughter told me her friend had brought a Keurig coffeemaker for their dorm I gave her a lecture about how expensive K-cups were and that she should just make instant coffee if she wanted to make a cup at a time.   So it came as a big surprise to her when I purchased the Platinum top of the line Keurig.  It was when I was walking with my friend Sylvia and she mentioned she had just bought one and loved it that it really made me think I should look into this Keurig coffeemaker. 

With five children, the youngest two being 1 and 3 I definitely need my share of coffee.  So after a night or two of good research I ordered my new Keurig.  I also ordered 2 boxes of glazed chocolate donut coffee.  I have to say my hubby was skeptical when it arrived but after his first cup he was sold.  We are big coffee drinkers, we don’t drink alcohol and we don’t smoke so I rationalize we deserve to have some good coffee made fast and fresh.  This Keurig also makes hot chocolate , hot and iced tea and iced coffee so the whole family is loving it.   I’m a Keurig, he’s a Keurig, she’s a Keurig, wouldn’t you like to be a Keurig too?

Please Don’t Eat The Daises…err Cornflowers!

Well, we have been Bulldog owners since 2008 and we have learned a lot along the way.  We have learned they will eat almost anything.  This includes much more than food items.  It includes cedar porch spindles that I will add have to be hand milled now at $15.00 a piece because we have run through all the extras we had when we built the house.  It also encompasses the weather-stripping of storm doors and that would most likely result in a trip to the vet because the dog had trouble passing the strip, not that I speak from experience or anything.  Obviously the kid’s toys, balls, shoes, UPS packages, and whatever else you would like to add can be included.  When first dealing with this it was a bit frustrating but I guess that is why God made American Bulldogs so darn cute and lovable because even with all this we would not trade them. 

Last September I was in the yard with Ethan and Mack our 1.5 year old American Bulldog.  Loyal and true are two great words to describe him   I was taking photographs of them in front of a huge patch of Black Eyed Susans.  Well after a few shots Mack decided to take a taste and I could not resist a few pics.  You see by now I was used to it.  So he does a little pruning here and there, it is not a big deal.  It also made for some darn cute pictures but when a few short days later we lost our majestic buddy to a severe diaphragmatic hernia it really put everything in perspective.  One of the last things I told my husband as he spent the last few minutes of Mack’s life with him was that I forgave him for everything he had ever eaten which was spoken through my tears.  His death ripped our hearts out and we could not imagine our lives without him. 

Since his death we have added two American Bulldogs to our lives and I have to say have had our share of eaten items.  So the other day when after planting most of my new perennials I could not find my purple Cornflowers, I was a bit perplexed until I saw the container and the identification strip leading me to conclude that one of my dears had indeed ingested my lovely Cornflowers.  I had a moment or two of anger, but when I realized it was Echinacea and probably good for their immune system and that I could replace the flowers but never the dogs it put it all in perspective.

So, let them eat the Cornflowers, having since went to the local nursery and buying two more.  I realize my flower beds will never be Martha Stewart worthy.  I realize that there will be trampled flowers and such but that is why I love perennials because they come back stronger every year and that is what we need here.  So my flower beds will never be perfect, they will never be photographed in some famous garden magazine.  You know what though, that is fine with us as we are far from perfect as are our lives.  We embrace the perfectly imperfect lives we live and try to go with the flow and where it takes us.  We would rather have the chaos our teenagers, toddlers, and pets bring to our lives then to live in a pristine world with no fun.  We are so thankful for the joy that this chaos brings into our lives.  So if you eat the Cornflowers could you try to leave a few?  If you can’t…well, we understand.

Wednesday, Rainy Wednesday!

Today was a more fall like than near Summer rainy cool day.  I definitely did not have to worry about watering the gardens or flower beds today.  Days like this we huddle inside cozy and warm and enjoy some movies.  Ethan chose, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Homeward Bound.”  Luke watches them as well in between honing his new-found walking skills.  Since learning to walk finally on June 2nd he has been a walking maniac. 

Yesterday Sylvia and I took another marathon walk and at the end we ran into the local farmer who told us that the new store they opened in the bordering town has a full cider mill as well as produce and meats.  I look forward to taking the kids to see the cider pressed in the fall.  I miss visiting the cider mill because with the older kids the one in town was functioning and it was always a fun activity.  I am glad the little boys will be able to experience such a thing so close to home.

This Sunday we are planning to go to the Tractor Parade in Callicoon.  I know the boys will just love it as they are both into tractors and trucks and anything with wheels. 

I am also trying to get Ethan signed up for swimming lessons and attempting contact with a woman who I was told was opening a pre-school in the fall.  So far I have not had my call returned but I am hopeful I will soon.

Well tomorrow hopefully will be nice as Sylvia have a nice walk planned and I am looking forward to it.

Embracing Dandelions!

All Winter Ethan has been waiting for the “wishy flowers” aka Dandelions.  He has tried to blow on many other variety of flowers but nothing gives him the satisfaction of seeing the little seeds take to the air with a simple puff of his own air.  Little children love to cause a big change.  This is the reason they love to throw rocks in the water because they can cause such a big reaction.  Well, when that first Dandelion went to seed and he saw them again he was elated and spent a great deal of time going from one to the other and spreading their seeds.  Now, many people would be mortified to find these “weeds” on their lawns, in fact they labor over eradicating them from their property.  Not here, here we embrace Dandelions. 

I am proud of our natural, organic, chemical free lawn and that comes with Dandelions.  I cannot fathom how people put pesticides and chemicals all over the lawn that their children and pets walk and play on.  I cannot even understand companies with the name ChemLawn.  I mean really…let’s just pour poison all over our lawn.   I know that my son revels in the Dandelions and that a perfectly manicured weed free lawn would never bring him that joy.  Let’s face it, if Dandelions were hard to grow then everyone would want them.  We however will just leave them and when we cut the grass they are gone for a few days and that is okay with us.  After all God created them and we know he does not make mistakes.   At our house we will continue embracing Dandelions.

Catching Up!

Wow, I cannot believe it has been so long since I have sat down to write.  I have blogs being written in my head all the time but it is getting the time to get them on the computer that is the challenge.  So I am happy to report that Sylvia and I are still walking fools and I have conquered much more than the track at the school.  With Sylvia’s tenacity  we have covered a lot of ground quite literally.  We have upped are walks to more like hikes and I can tell you my endurance has improved so much.  We walk around at least 4 miles up some very steep terrain.  I feel so much better and I can feel my body becoming much more muscular and fit.  I also so enjoy the time to talk with Sylvia and rediscover our friendship.  I am so thankful to have her for a friend.  I am going to try to keep up with my blog so stay tuned.