some things are at the end of their season....

some things are still blooming...

some things are just plain fun....

no matter what age you are...

paint...a sidewalk...dump trucks...

some things are useful...

 re-usuable...

I love re-purposed items....

that is why I don't like to get rid of things...

you never know when they might can be put to good use...

Do you ever get bloggers block???

I downloaded the photos...

now for the words....

what should I talk about??

The Weather?

it is always a good topic...

if you don't know what to say...

you can always discuss the weather...

it usually will need to other topics...

it's a hot day....

not as hot as it was this time last year....

remember 1980...the big heat wave...

then everyone starts talking about their experiences...

before you know it...you've got a conversation going...

what is your go to conversation starter???

It was HOT today.....

I wish I had been at the sprinkle park...

instead I had to take Rooster to the vet...

cleaning and laundry where screaming my name...

one good thing about the heat...

it doesn't take long for your laundry to dry on the line...

I made up a several batches of my All purpose cleaner...

homemade furniture polish to share with my daughter...

she is getting all her things ready for the big move...

I found the perfect dining room set for her...

at a great price at the Salvation Army...

went back the next day...it was gone...

I guess it wasn't meant to be....

Hubby and my son worked 28 hours straight...

finally made it home late this afternoon...

they are tired guys....they got the job done...

a little rest then a new week...

where we start out at 108 on Monday...

Today we went to my daughters dance camp show...

Hotrod tried to steal the show...

he also tried directing the show...

in a few years maybe...

this was a younger group of kiddos....

I just loved the art work...

they made their own puppets...had a puppet show...

they were very excited to answer questions...

show off what they learned for the week...

they did a very good job remembering the song..

and remembering their lines....

now isn't this a happy group...

the song was Mr. Postman...

it was a great group performance...

the camp was from 9-3...

they had dance classes...

musical theater..

singing lessons...

art...

drum classes...

The teenage girls and my daughter got up at 3 am...

to be downtown Dallas...

at 4:30 am...to be a part of the audience...

at a local news station...from 5-7 am...

they were representing our city and the Dance studio...

my daughter and several of the girls were on camera several times...

so of course I was up early watching to get a glimpse...

It has been quite a week...

the guys have been working very long hours...

my office has been super busy...

but I have managed to have some great fun with my Hotrod...

and my DIL...

I checked out a cool CD at the library...

Hotrod and I have been having fun with it...

singing....dancing...

He tells me Oma...Turn it on up....

these are a few of our favorites...

are you tapping your toes???

are you singing???

go ahead get up and dance....

I won't tell anyone...

today was a great day....

story time with Hotrod and my DIL...

lunch from Subway....

Rooster played ball today....

Hotrod and I had a little Oma grandson time today...

in the swimming pool...

oh that boy just melts my heart...

all it takes is a look...or a hug....

and Joy is in my heart....

things are looking up around here...

my back is doing a little better...

I just have to remember not to pick everything up...

also stayed off the computer most of the day...

I had a blast from the past today...

a phone call from a friend I haven't talked to in at least 15 years...

she called my office....I thought the voice sounded familiar...

but the last name through me off...she had remarried...

I'm excited to get caught up....

I was telling hubby today....

how funny it is...in the last few years...

we have been getting caught up with old friends...

I guess now that all our kids are grown...

we have time to reach out to reconnect...

Facebook has been a great place to get re-acquainted too..

My step Mom's surgery went well...she actually went home

the same day...the Dr.'s wanted to keep her overnight...

but she wasn't gonna have it...I was so surprised when I called...

and she answered the phone...sounded just as perky as ever...

she is one tough lady....

well I'm off to visit....

looking forward to seeing what you are all up too...

do you ever feel like everyone around you is falling apart?

my daughter has been battling with her ears for a few weeks...

she went to the Dr. she had bad ear wax build up...

now she has a small abrasion in one...very sore...

but she can hear once again...

hubby and the guys had to work all night last night on a job...

after working all day long with only a 3 hour break...

he is hobbling around this morning...

bad knees bad back....

back to work...

I have a sore lower back and neck...

from wrestling with Rooster....

Rooster has a sore tail from the removal...

Jake is tired...anemic...

I took a stool sample in...waiting for results...

this will all pass soon...

compared to what is going on around the world...

we are very blessed...

there is always a silver lining to every cloud...

sending prayers for my step Mom...

she had surgery yesterday....

back to the heating pad....

the only place to be this weekend was in the water....

we had a four day streak of above 100...

cool front day....97 degrees...

break out the sweaters...LOL...

DIL and I took Hotrod to a sprinkle park by their house...

two of Hotrods favorite things...

a slide...

water....

he had a blast....

there were 3 other little boys around his age there...

they had a good time....

Sunday we didn't get to go to the lake...

we are still letting Roosters tail heal...

I spent the day cleaning...doing laundry...

organizing...it is amazing how much clutter you can get...

I cleaned out the bathroom cabinet and drawers...

I pulled out all my daughters stuff for her to go through...

I threw away so much...

a dab of this a dab of that...

now maybe I can find something when I'm looking for it..

Happy Monday.....

TGIF....we made it to Friday...

we all still have all our limbs...

(well Rooster doesn't have a tail)

we are still breathing....

we have beautiful sunshine...

today I've decided to only have positive thoughts...

put a smile on my face...

love in my heart....

only notice what is good....

what is happy....

what is awesome...

I'm a 1/2 full gal today....

you know I feel like I'm walking a little taller...

more of a spring in my step...

attitudes can be changed...

with a little work and focus...

I'm seeing the big picture...

not the little bumps or stumbles in the road...

yep...that does feel better....

how about you???

are you 1/2 full today or 1/2 empty???

counting down to my next lake trip...

wow this has been a month so far...

we haven't had the heat wave like last year...

but it is still HOT....

I am thankful we are very busy with our business...

others in our trade are slow this year...

a statement was made by one of the higher ups...

not mentioning any names...

that no one starts a business without help from the higher ups...

well I beg to differ...most small business are started...

by hard working folks...with a small amount of money...

and lots of time and energy...

we started our business over 21 years ago...

with 2 young children...$200 total in the bank...

a hard working husband...putting in lots of hours...

with little pay...me in the office...a home office....

with 2 kiddos in tow...

we made it because we put our all in to it...

we didn't take grants..or hand outs...

we made it through major Hot checks....

through people not paying their bills...

never once asked the higher ups for help...

paid lots to the higher ups at every turn...

no fancy vacations...no fancy pension plans...

no fancy cars or fancy houses...

instead hard working trucks...a nice HOME...

so Mr. Higher ups...don't take credit where it's not due...

My hats are off to all the small business'...

the family farms....

the local Mom and Pop shops....

the young people out their starting their own business...

you know what hard work is all about...

you don't take credit for things you didn't do...

you do own up to the mistakes you make...

you do not blame folks from the past....

cause when you make a mistake...it hurts you....

your families...

when the higher ups make mistakes....

it usually doesn't touch their families...

but it sure hurts ours...

for some reason...we pay for our mistakes...

and theirs...

boy this post when a whole different direction than I had planned...

I try to keep it light and happy on here...

but sometimes I just have to shout a bit...

if you are still with me...thank you for listening...

if your not...well I respect that too...

On the good news front...my DIL started a new job this week...

it is a trial run...hopefully it will become permanent...

my daughter has her official move into the new apartment date..

she is busy making her lists...checking them twice...

getting all her things packed up...boy does he have a lot of things...

I wonder where she got that from???

well I have lots to share with her too...

dishes and such....

one of her prize possession's she got from my Mom...

her Nanny...a snowball quilt made by Nana....

it is a very exciting time for her...

so happy I have Hotrod here so much...

the empty nest won't be too empty...

when he goes home I'm too tired to notice...

Happy Thursday.....

The Petting Zoo...

Hi...how are Ewe????

this petting zoo has been around since the 70's...

That would be the 1970's....

it is open every summer....it is free...

the animals are loaned to it by nice families...

(Hey Pawpaw...see the GOAT)

just saying....

I think the goats are the favorite attraction...

the donkey or burro...looks very bored...

it has a warden to watch over the petting...

for some reason they want to bite...

of course this was one of Hotrod's favorites...

Mr Peacock decided to do a little show for us....

so pretty....he has a mirror in the corner of his cage...

he loves to look at himself...

Mirror...mirror on the wall....

this is the entrance...the petting zoo is in the middle of a park...

I don't know who enjoys it more...

the kiddos or the adults...

we now have a 3rd generation enjoying it...

you can even have a picnic...

or a photo op with our favorite guy...

yep that's me...the shorty of the group...