I'm Trying. Really.

It has been a wet year.

As of today, we have made it to the 3rd wettest year in Ohio.

All 54" of the wet stuff.

I know I've mentioned the rain in other posts this year, but I just wanted to whine about it one more time before the years end. 

Why?

I'm sick of MUD IN MY HOUSE!  and on my kids, and on my car, and in my garage, whine whine whine.

When the kids showed up for church I was so happy to see that Justin remembered to wear his belt.  (Layne & I were already there.)Then he turned around and there were muddy, puppy paw prints/streaks on the back of his shirt, on his belt, on his pants and even on his tie.  If I wasn't so sick of mud I might have giggled.

Then our home teacher came and shared this months message from Elder Eyring about being Grateful.  (awesome article, BTW)

I really liked the challenge at the end.  It was geared toward the youth, but we should all do this.

Take a Gratitude Challenge

By John Hilton III and Anthony Sweat

09692_000_004

Let’s not just talk about counting our blessings—let’s do it! Write a list of 100 things you are thankful for. If that sounds like it is too many, try this:

1. Write 10 physical abilities you are grateful for.

2. Write 10 material possessions you are grateful for.

3. Write 10 living people you are grateful for.

4. Write 10 deceased people you are grateful for.

5. Write 10 things about nature you are grateful for.

6. Write 10 things about today you are grateful for.

7. Write 10 places on earth you are grateful for.

8. Write 10 modern inventions you are grateful for.

9. Write 10 foods you are grateful for.

10. Write 10 things about the gospel you are grateful for.

When we make a list like this, we discover that a list of 100 doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of all the things God has given us.

So now I'm trying to find a few things to be grateful about with the 3rd wettest year & all of its mud. 

I'm trying to get past not seeing the sun for most of the year, the farmers not being able to get crops in & out of the fields, a really bad year for hair, and did I mention all of the mud?

Go ahead, try to prove to me that way too much rain and mud can be a positive.  

Sheeeesh. What happend to April?

This is all we wear now days.

Mud Boots.

April 2011 went down as the 2nd wettest April in Ohio history.

It has rained nearly everyday.  Not to mention the sheer line winds, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. 

I'm sick and tired of my shoes and pants went & muddy, so I've resorted to wearing my mud boots and capri's.  Mitch almost cries everyday when I pick him up from school & I giggle everyday when I pick him up from school.

We have a garden again.  That was one of the top things we missed last year. 

With all of the rain (and a little more heat) things have started to turn green and our garden is growing nicely.  Well, not our 'garden garden'.  We can't get out into that yet.  It is just way too muddy, but our square foot garden boxes are looking great. 

Layne is chomping at the bit to get the plants we put into the ground and our fruit trees in.  Maybe May wont be quite so wet.  We've also got to get some fencing up because we have deer that come right up to the house at night to eat grass and pretty soon our garden is going to look like a beautiful salad.

I feel bad for the farmers.  They can't get into the fields and they need to get the corn and soybeans planted in the next couple weeks or it will get too late.  Although, the winter wheat is so pretty & green right now.

Easter was wonderful to celebrate, as always.

Here Mitch & Judd are coloring eggs.  I guess the other two got too old for it.  They didn't come running when we announced it was time.

But they did show up for the egg hunt Layne put together between rain storms.  Everyone wants to find the two eggs that have $5 in them.

This year Mitch and Josie got lucky.

*We also had a birthday boy.

Todd turned 14 on April 18th.  For some reason I don't have any pictures to put up. 

I'll have to find them and update that soon.

*Baseball has started up in full swing.

Once again, every night of the week (except Sunday) has a game. 

It is fun to catch up with all of our baseball family friends.

We love it....till about July.  Then we are ready for a break.

*Justin got the chicken pox (he wouldn't let me take a picture because most of them were under his pajama bottoms...if you know what I mean.)  Yes, he had the shot and he still got them.  He started up with them the day before they went back to school from spring break, so he got another whole week out of school.  He thought that was awesome.

*One sad note:  I was sick in bed on April Fools Day and I didn't get to celebrate the best day of the year.  Next year I'm going to have to make up for that.  The planning has begun.

Happy Spring Everyone



The awesomely awesome watermelon we had at dinner tonight.
Ahhhh, watermelon season is back.  It is like getting oxygen.