Red Door

So I've spoken about my fascination with Red Houses before.. My DREAM is to convert an OLD OLD RED BARN into a house.. although I'm realistic in this dream and know it would most likely cost 10 times as much to re do and make habitable a barn than to just start from the ground up and build a house that "looks" like an old barn.. so because I am realistic in this dream RED houses have kind of been a semi equal substitute.. WELL of coarse our house we bought isn't red BUT when we got all the loads of paperwork after the closing I FOUND IT!~ on an old assessment sheet there was a tiny thumbnail picture of our house just a few short years ago and guess what IT WAS RED!!! now even in that picture I can TOTALLY see why they replaced the outside with siding the red paint was chipping and peeling and it was a flip after all, so they went with the MOST neutral TAN siding you could buy and it is nice don't get me wrong but i was URNING for the red.. I even looked to see how much it would be to re-side the house with red siding (did you know red siding is WAY more expensive than ugly neutral tan??) so not only was that a TOTALLY un-necessary expense (the siding is LESS than 6 years old!) it was WAY out of reach even if it WAS necessary... so I decided I was going to paint the front door RED.. and i gotta tell you I LOVE IT!!! and YES red is hard to cover (all the rumors are totally true!) it took about 5 coats and I'm still kind of worried because it started raining the night after I did it but so far so good.. but here's another kind of weird tid bit.. I have ALWAYS had this fascination with the barn/house thing BUT here's the other thing that is kinda interesting weird.. this is kind of a self fulfilling profice, Lane is buried and Ben and I will also be buried at "Red Door Cemetery" in Mt. View Arkansas; across the street from the "Red Door Baptist Church" and yes the church DOES have a red door... my Mother in Law and I have kind of always remarked when ever we have seen a red door and been together.. so SOMEONE reading this PLEASE, PLEASE print the picture and give it to Sheri for us ok?? cuz I've lived with this red door now for almost a week and I just can't get it out of my head that Sheri would like it!!!

ta ta for now

Musings

So I am TOTALLY procrastinating I should be typing up an agenda for my camp meeting this week, its quite involved with lots of assignments (ie; delegating ME out of things hopefully haha!) but I am blocked... we have been BUSY BUSY BUSY... and I'm having a hard time keeping a handle on pretty much anything!!! to top it off it is COLD and RAINY which just makes me feel justified to be in an ugly mood...

Anyway last week I got to go on a field trip with KayLea's class it was to the "farm" the class is studying baby animals and this was kind of the cherry on the sundae so to speak... BUT although this farm had it's share of baby lambs and sheep and chick's it also had reindeer, Mt. Lion, Lion, Monkey's and Lots of other non farm type stuff.. and I really wouldn't have called it a zoo either it was well someones idea run a muck.. the kids LOVED it and it was on the most perfect day and KayLea FEEL IN LOVE with the baby lambs she would have stayed all day petting and chasing them (ok so there was MUCH more chasing than petting) I'm trying to upload some pic's of her and her lambs we'll see if blogger cooperates... Stay tuned for pic's of KayLea holding baby chicks that her class hatched IN CLASS this week.. (they can't hold them until Monday) they are SO cute!!! (no we aren't going to take home any, despite Ben's efforts to convince me otherwise)... the highlight of the field trip for me seeing a JUST BORN rain deer.. one of the other mom's suggested we wait to see that exhibit because the momma still had her placenta well "hanging" I said NO WAY and we went right over.. it was AWESOME.. I just loved seeing the momma lick off her baby and we got to see the baby try to walk a couple of times.. have I scared the children in my group forever??

On Monday for the school holiday Hunter finally had his friend party.. he invited 2 friends to go so "Night at the Museum 2" it was pretty good and the boys were really great.. Hunter came home and fished with his friends and Dad bbq'd He got to go yesterday and spend his gift cards.. he was so excited he had enough to get guitar hero and 2 guitars.. thanks grandma and grandpa!!! he's VERY excited..

So I also found out, actually just confirmed again that God has a since of humor... remember how boastful I was that the Fox's were DONE with pinewood derby and Cub Scouts FOREVER... I was just called to be Primary 2nd counselor over CUB SCOUTS.. so I'm pretty sure the Big guy was looking down saying "she's far too boastful and confident zap not for long!"... I'm excited but feeling just a tad bit overwhelmed.. I'm still doing camp and I'm STILL on boy scout committee too but hopefully after camp (I've gotten a reprieve from sharing times until after camp YEA!) things will be back down to a low roar...

anyway that's the goings on with our family... School officially ends June 22nd the school board opted NOT to ask for any snow days to be forgiven.. I'm pretty ticked BUT what can you do.. want to feel a little bit better about your crazy life here's what our end of June looks like right now..

June 10th KayLea's field trip to a Museum (i'm chaperoning)

June 17th- Hunter's field trip cruise around the harbor in Main (i'm chaperoning)

June 19th KayLea's Kindergarten celebration and party (i'm a room mom)

June 22nd Hunter's 5th grade celebration and bbq at the beach (also room mom for his class!) and LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

June 26th Hunter's 11 yr scout overnighter w/ Ben (thankfully I don't have to go I just have to pack for EVERYONE while they are gone)

June 27th or 28th I or Ben fly kids to Arkansas to spend week with Mom and Dad

June 28 or 29th I or Ben fly home

June 29th I have to be at girls camp by 2:00pm

July 3rd fly back to mom and dads

July 4th or 5th fly Brad back home and me fly back to AR. (he may fly half way by him self still deciding)

July 6-11th Brad at scout camp

sometime before July 11th come home with my Parents (maybe still working out the details)

after the 2nd week of July we will be sleeping pretty much 24/7

feel better now???

good my job is done here..

ta a

Happy 11th Birthday Hunter

So Hunter Turned 11 !! I can hardly believe it... He got a new DS-I (we got a GREAT deal by trading in his old one)... So he was SUPER happy.... and we had his Birthday Dinner on Mother's day since Ben is working nights now so he chose, Ribs, Braut's, twice baked potatoes and baked beans YUM!!! thank goodness his birthday falls when the weather is good we are definitely a BBQ'ing family... and for his Birthday cake he wanted Cheese Cake (definitely MY kid!) and Strawberry's on the side (again MY kid all the way!)...

Hunter is a GREAT kid... he is very tender like a BIG teddy bear.. for his birthday he ALSO got the OK to play Tackle football.. we sent in his form and FEE the week of his birthday I'm a little bit nervous because we've ALWAYS said he had to wait until JR High and here they don't do JR High (7-8th grade) they do MIDDLE school (6-8th grade) and so AFTER a ton of thought we gave in.. He really needs something his own, he often feels like he's un-fairly compared to his OLDER brother and they are just totally different kids!!! so Brad will do Soccer and Hunter will do Football.. I'm a still a little bit nervous about the time commitment and the risk of injury but I have to get over it I guess...

Hunter will get a friend overnight sleep over Memorial day weekend and a Movie with friends on Monday to top it off..

all in all Hunter had a great B'day...

**post note: blogger picture upload isn't working for me at the moment.. hopefully i'll remember to post them when i'm on again...** YOu'll just have to trust me that he was adorable blowing out his candels and opening his presants***

another year has passed

So the last few years I've had a blog I've posted on this day.. My feelings and thoughts on the whirlwind that was our 3rd Son "Lane's" life.. the lessons we've learned and the things I remember.. This year I'm not feeling as melon collie I don't know why.. I'm not angry, or bitter or even horribly sad (although I haven't looked at his book today yet.. something I do every year on this day)... if you somehow missed those thoughts you can find them here or here..

My only thoughts are really how lucky we are as a family.. Our new Bishop gave a talk a few weeks ago, he was quoting a speech he heard at a medical conference (he works at a hospital) entitled "the luckiest of the unlucky".. He was VERY emotional as he relayed the message as he has a daughter (one of KayLea's BESTEST friends) who was born with a genetic disorder she LOOKS perfectly normal in every way there's no way you'd ever KNOW unless you were told.. anyway that has stuck with me ever since.. they feel like they are one of the "luckiest of the Unlucky".. because she is doing so well and even though she has had to endure daily injections, invasive testing and lots of uncomfortable procedures on a regular basis in her 12 years of life "it could be SO MUCH WORSE"...


I'm wondering if we all can see how we ALL are "the luckiest of the unlucky" we all have things that really SUCK in our lives.. things that we don't ask for or even deserve happen to us or our loved ones.. Things that we wouldn't wish on our worst enemies.. BUT.. I can see the "lucky" even in our situation.. Lane only lived for 20 days, he didn't suffer (as far as we can tell) he very well could have lived for much much longer and needed more surgeries and had the SAME outcome.. don't get me wrong we would have taken any more time with him as Heavenly Father would have allowed but WE WERE LUCKY.. We were lucky because we had/have a wonderfully supportive family who really took care of us for those 20 days (and beyond), we were lucky because we lived close to the BEST health care/children's hospital in the state with the best doctors who were familiar with his condition etc. we were lucky that we had insurance his medical bills came to just under a million dollars at that time (lets face it at ANY TIME) there is NO WAY we would have been able to afford those bills, but we had insurance that covered EVERY PENNY of his hospital stay.. We had wonderful friends who helped us and with them and family we were able to "come back" and become "normal" again...

I know we as a family are one of the "luckiest of the unlucky"... can you see things in your life that make you one of those lucky people too???

ta ta for now...

Crazy Wednesday's

So yesterday was SO BUSY!!! first I did grocery shopping at Sam's which takes up my whole morning because well, we live in the WOODS so It's a drive.. and well it just takes a bit to do that kind of shopping (THANKFULLY I only do Sam's shopping twice a month!) anyway then I have FINALLY found a doctor and I had my first appointment yesterday.. but first I had to LOOSE my key's that I had JUST used driving home from shopping i was in a FRANTIC fit trying to find them, I called Ben to STOP fishing and come give me his keys when I found them under the Laundry soap I hadn't put away yet (oops!) so I was late to my appointment BUT I did still get to meet with my new Doc.. she seems VERY through (something the last doc WASN'T) and she does seem to think I am turning into my mother and I'll probably need to be put on blood pressure meds (yippee!) although because I was late she didn't get to do a full examination so that is for my NEXT appt.. BUT she was nice enough to complete my physical form for Girls camp she answered some questions AND seems to think we can get a handle on MOST of my health issues so I'm CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC.. but glad she didn't just rubber stamp "your fat" on my chart and move along like the last Doc.. I got about 8 vials of blood taken (that was great) and a Tetanus shot so at least I got my money's worth haha!

Then because I was at the Doctor's for hours Ben took care of picking up the Chiclets and making dinner (I have a GREAT HUSBAND Y'ALL).. then we went off to Hunter's LAST pack Meeting where he Bridged into Boy Scouts.. it did my heart proud people.. and I can FINALLY say the Fox's are no longer in CUB SCOUTS... FOREVER!!!

It was a great night, Hunter and his good Friend Ethan received their Arrow of lights and got to Bridge together which was perfect because these boys pretty much did all of their advancements together.. I made the green banner thingies with all their Cub Scout awards on it for them to display in their room to remember this time ...

You know this is another "entering another phase" moment and I'm not sad, I'm excited for Hunter to continue on with scouting and am proud of his willingness and excitement to learn and serve!

that's all for now

ta ta