monday check list

1. 5:30 am kevin came home from work

2. i arrived at nick's to help out while he had class 8:30 am

3. by 8:45 am nick realizes he is under the weather so no school today for him

4. stayed anyway...had to get some baby time in!

5. headed home to check on my own peeps

6. kevin went to run...i stayed home

7. the dog vomited on jordan's shoes...so very gross

8. secret blizzard run with my honey

9. sawyer vacuumed, jordan mowed the back lawn, cameron bathed the dog...kevin and i are complete slugs

10. i pondered and came to know that God puts people in our path when we need them

11. i made plans to have dinner with that very person

12. listened to my peeps laugh and laugh...fills my soul

13. prayed for my sister-in-law...first time motherhood can be such a roller coaster

14. realized that thursday is book club...AT MY HOUSE?!

15. talked to my dad

16. have a date with the rain, my book, and the bed

17. needs an IPad

18. wishes we could all just love one another

19. school is fast approaching :(

20. is grateful for my peeps and pals

happy monday to you
what is on your checklist?

a little late but here i am and apparently beautiful

my sweet sweet sister in law Erin has awarded me the beautiful blogger award. isn't that the nicest? i have a feeling she has run out of beautiful blogs to award and has been forced to mediocre blogs. in any case, thanks!

the one and only rule is that i share with my readers 10 things they do not know about me. TEN?! okay, let my nerdiness go public......

1. i love to fill out forms. if anyone goes to the doctor in my family, they just hand them to me. it has a proper place for each thing. a neat little box to check. a handy list to mark off. what could be better?
2. i would rather be with my chickens than shopping. yes, the former queen of the mall is so over it. i love my girls (and 2 boys) and visit with them everyday. they give me lovely eggs daily so it is the least i can do to thank them and keep them company.
3. log trucks freak me out. i will not drive behind a log truck. it is only a matter of time that they are going to come sliding out of those things and kill us all!!
4. i dream of living in Vermont on a farm. it is gorgeous there and the farms in the pictures are of a Norman Rockwell quality. i am sure that i would be in heaven there with my sheep and goats and cows and pigs and chickens. i am sure of it.
5. i sing every word to every song that comes on the car radio...very loudly i might add. it is sad but true. if only i could sing on key.
6. i love my organic garden. OK that is not news to anyone but this is. i have signed up to take the master gardeners class with the Jefferson County Extension Agency. i have always wanted to do it so i am.
7. i am super duper insecure. that has always been the case. how is that possible when you are so loud you ask? i do not know. i second guess myself at every turn. well....i did. i am working on it. i think it is getting better. i am me and that is all i can be.
8. i wish i were a seamstress. i could make all sorts of lovely for me to wear and fabulousness for my home.
9. i cannot stand gum or to watch it being chewed. totally grosses me out.
10. i am a closet writer. there. my biggest secret. i should say i secretly write. i am no writer. but that doesn't stop me.

so there are my ten things. i now bestow this award to.........

::Lacy Ruggles

::Teri Iseman

::Jennifer Shepherd

::Molly Dunham

::Theresa Montes

::Shannon Swafford

::Monica Hindmarsh

to do

to do to do there is always something to do here @ the bonin farm. we are now the proud owners of 6 baby chicks and 2 baby ducks....stinking cute ducklings...to go along with the menagerie. we did give 2 puppies to our friends, the Dulaney family, this weekend.
there is always a to do or want to do list going through my mind. right now this is the.....

to do list

• feed and water all the animals
• finish planting my garden....including 2 fig trees, 1 satsuma tree, and 1 japanese maple tree
• mend my fave leopard pillow
• bake a loaf of bread
• bake cookies and cheese crackers for lunches
• pick up the garlic chives my good friend is dividing and generously sharing with me
• read my scriptures
• plan FHE
• find out who is currently on the Texas Board of Education so i can vote them out...really? take Thomas Jefferson out of the textbooks. another reason to home school.
• make laundry soap
• make liquid soap
• learn to knit
• write letters
• work on celestial university
• read a book about beekeeping and then talk kevin into bees
• while i am talking kevin into things maybe a pig or 2
• can jalapeno peppers
• read to sawyer
• read to cameron
• read to jordan
• go on a date with kevin
• giggle with laura

not too big of a list.

what is on your list?

today was.....

a great day! i love spring break. i love having time to spend with my peeps. i love watching them grow and be curious, to mature and yet remain playful children. i love that their father works shift work is with us many weekdays......such a blessing. i love the everyday rhythm of our life her on the bonin farm. i love our dreaming of one day having a true farm to call our own. mostly today i loved..........

**going to the feed store and stopping to check out the ducks on the way to the vegetable plants....picked up corn, tomatoes, broccoli, strawberries, and japenese eggplants.

**watching jordan & cameron work hard building the foundation for bro. putnam's new deck

**reading my cheese cookbook while my chooks free ranged for a while and visiting with cameron about....well life.

**giggling with kevin while sawyer informed us on many topics.

**smiling while kevin said we are absolutely not getting any ducks all the while knowing deep down he will be the proud owner of at least 2 before monday...silly kevin.

**having a conversation with my dad a couple of days prior to his first 10 k.....the excitement in his voice was contagious.


:::: just have to add a terrific telephone conversation and later a hilarious im chat with sweet sandy mitchell....that woman is certifiable! my face still hurts from laughing!

what a fab giveaway

my favorite jewelry is Lisa Leonard. her stuff is beautiful and sentimental. she writes an awesome blog as well. i am always reminded of the beauty around us when i read her. today on her blog she have a fab giveaway. go visit her and give her your most sage advice. my best advice is to be grateful in all things.

today i am grateful for:

**spring break with my 3 peeps

**home baked bread

**new friends....especially ones from Australia

**bluebirds busily building nests

10 right now

:: golf lessons from a cutie kindergartener

::dinner @ the Bonin farm with the Fosters and a viewing of Food Inc.

::skinny cow ice cream sammies

::trips to the temple

::Teddy Roosevelt

::a week of fun and relaxation with my peeps

::taking photographs

::feeding my girls and gathering their eggs

::in my kitchen with my sweetie

::smooching

10 right now

:: ironing my guy's crisp white shirts

:: hymns on cd playing in the kitchen

:: method almond wood floor cleaner

:: watching sawyer & cameron play tag.....so sweet that a high school freshman will take time out for his kindergarten brother

:: eureka springs, arkansas

:: my fab new rocking chair on the front porch....thanks kevin

:: movies at home with my peeps

:: homemade pizza

:: saturdays.....it is a special day, the day we get ready for sunday

:: best buds

.....loving

there goes half of my month of love. stupid computers!! i had better make up for lost time.

right now i am loving.........

::a computer that is working
::a very special trip to the temple
::kindergarten valentine parties (pics to come)
::chocolate dipped strawberries
::a niece/nephew on the way
::david mc collough
::a pretty white rocker for my front porch from my valentine
::new marriages in our family
::teenagers in my house.....so fun!
::letters and valentines

an assignment

that soule mama sure is an inspiration. over at her blog today she posted 10 pictures and words that described her life right now. she asked us what our 10 right now were. so (minus the pics...all cameras are down) here are mine.....

:balance
:peace
:baking
:creating
:laughing
:prayerful
:loving
:reading
:remembering
:mothering

now what are yours??

i....

i have been away from this space for far too long.

i went to a lovely wedding this weekend.

i have had the best conversations with my peeps lately....such great boys i have

i miss my daddy and am ready for a trip to eureka

i want this for my birthday and this, this, and this i cannot live without........looks like i want too much!

i have the greatest pal ever..........poor thing has spent almost every date night with us lately (good for me!)

i want to be one of these and one of these

i am in love with this song and this one

i cannot wait until valentine's day

i have several posts rolling around in my mind...need to get those out

i am super excited for tomorrow night's book club...loved Guernsey

i am in love with baking bread

i am so grateful to be a child of God


see you later in the week

what to do????

kevin starts his nights weekend tonight so.........what to do?? maybe the boys & i will

::eat some chinese food...sawyer has been begging for dumplings
::paint sawyer's room a beautiful blue
::go see Goodnight Moon @ the lutcher
::bake graham crackers
::chili cook off
::b&w movies with my guys complete with some orville redenbacher
::marathon games of silly sliders aka sorry sliders
::sleep

what does your weekend hold for you??