Day 244 - pumpkin decay

i have absolutely {loved} watching this pumpkin decay
i could have moved it many times
and tossed it away
but there was a strange beauty every time i looked at the stem
popped up among my fallen leaves under my favorite
japanese maple tree
i love the texture, color and the feelings
that this pumpkin evoke
a life cycle
and i wonder
what kind of benefits will this pumpkin leave behind
will it nourish the new growth
making life more abundant
in the leaves and beauty of my tree
{{{wonder}}}

Day 225 - the grasshopper w/pumpkin

this grasshopper is a hard worker
'Luck is when opportunity meets preparation'

Day 206 - a day to remember

♥
~the red, white & blue~

What do the colors of the Flag mean?

Sentimental writers and orators sometimes ascribe meanings to the colors in the flag. The practice is erroneous, as are statements on this subject attributed to George Washington and other founders of the country.

From the book "Our Flag" published in 1989 by the House of Representatives...

"On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution authorizing a committee to devise a seal for the United States of America. This mission, designed to reflect the Founding Fathers' beliefs, values, and sovereignty of the new Nation, did not become a reality until June 20, 1782. In heraldic devices, such as seals, each element has a specific meaning. Even colors have specific meanings. The colors red, white, and blue did not have meanings for The Stars and Stripes when it was adopted in 1777. However, the colors in the Great Seal did have specific meanings. Charles Thompson, Secretary of the Continental Congress, reporting to Congress on the Seal, stated:

"The colors of the pales (the vertical stripes) are those used in the flag of the United States of America; White signifies purity and innocence, Red, hardiness & valour, and Blue, the color of the Chief (the broad band above the stripes) signifies vigilance, perseverance & justice."

Also this from a book about the flag published in 1977 by the House of Representatives...

"The star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun."

The quote below concerning gold fringe on the Flag is from the book "So Proudly We Hail, The History of the United States Flag" Smithsonian Institute Press 1981, by Wiliam R. Furlong and Byron McCandless.

Alan is a "good hero"
He is a good husband

He is a good father
and he not only shares his faith with his family daily
but he openly speaks to others
♥

Alan read the following to the girls:
The following passage is from a sermon by John Hagee:
I want you to close your eyes and picture in your mind the soldier at Valley Forge, as he holds his musket in his bloody hands. He stands barefoot in the snow, starved from lack of food, wounded from months of battle and emotionally scarred from the eternity away from his family surrounded by nothing but death and carnage of war. He stands though, with fire in his eyes and victory on his breath. He looks at us now in anger and disgust and tells us this...
It is the Soldier, not the minister
Who has given us freedom of religion.
It is The Soldier, not the reporter,
Who has given us Freedom of the press.
It is The Soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us Freedom of speech.
It is The Soldier, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us Freedom to demonstrate.
It is The Soldier, not the lawyer,
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Soldier, not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.
It is The Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag and
Whose coffin is draped by the flag
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

praying for our country

so thankful for our blessings and the sacrifice that was made for our freedoms

remembering family and loved ones~
remembering traditions

Day 198 - dancing in the rain

one of the greatest things about being a mom
is teaching my kids that it is ok to be silly
& to play outside of the box

when i told the girls we were going to dance in the rain
they were worried about shoes and coats
i said, we don't need them
it's warm outside
let's go stomp in the mud puddles and
dance in the rain

the girls loved it
thought it was the best
and the next time it rained
hailey shouted, "yeah, it's raining. let's go dance"
~♥it

happy heart, free spirit, spontaneous fun

Day 191 - Oregon Zoo

~mates~ love the feel of this photo
protected
♥d

splashing in the puddles ~ lessons from mommy

"king of the world"

t-rex

"run b!"
all the girls loved the dinosaur exhibit @ the Oregon Zoo

Day 186 - "like pulling teeth" NOPE ;)

caitlyn lost her first tooth
i asked if i could wiggle it
i asked if i could push on it
i asked if i could pull it
and she just kept answering "yes"
and when it popped right out
she didn't even cry

and it was nothing "like pulling teeth"
she is my strong girl
♥~

Day 184 - railroad crossing "really"

teaching the girls about railroad crossing at the zoo
stay off the tracks

Day 160 - lemon dipped in sugar

lemon dipped in bakers sugar

beautiful

caitlyn wanted to buy lemons at the store to eat
i always encourage my girls to try new things
and i let them help me pick the fruits and veggies

when caitlyn first wanted to buy the lemons
my mental limitation went up
and then i laughed and said absolutely we can buy them
i remembered eating the lemons with sugar before a shot drink and it was so tart/sweet
and yummy!
so we came home and cut the lemons up, rolled them in the sugar,
and the girls loved them.
new little traditions

and even i can learn a lesson from this....

just like the classic quote
"when life gives you lemons, make lemonade"

you can always find a way to apply it