there she goes

There she goes...

Madeline was MAD that she couldn't go over to Grandpa/Grandma's (on her terms right then and there).  So, she did what every other 6-year-old STRONG WILLED CHILD would do.  She decided to walk (or stomp rather) to Grandpa/Grandma's.  She knew the way.  Well, luckily it ended rather quietly (although that is really the perception of each party involved!) and most importantly~safely.  

She recovered rather quickly as the kids decided to camp out in the backyard.  

A fire was built in the fire-pit, the tent was put up, the sleeping bags gathered (thank you Uncle Dan for the best Christmas presents EVER), pillows, and bug spray.  

About 10pm these three kiddos gathered flashlights/books & turned in for the night.  Rob joined them about midnight, and we all met again early Saturday morning.  As for the writer; she stayed in her lovely air-conditioned house with her pillow & cat.  

And that dear reader, was that!

CHECK

A typical Ferguson Trio morning starting @ 6:30:

6:30-Wake kiddos up/kiss daddy goodbye-CHECK.

6:30-6:45-Wake kiddos up....again-CHECK.

6:45-7:00-Breakfast/brush teeth-CHECK.

7:00-7:10-Dressed-CHECK.

7:10-7:15-Shoes on-CHECK.

7:15-7:20-Backpacks ready-CHECK.

7:20-7:25-Lunches either made/or what choice ready for teacher-CHECK.

7:25-7:30- Hair.................... 

*Sam (shaved, off the hook)-CHECK. 

* Noah (typically wants his w/ gel & 'poke-y')-CHECK

*Madeline-(typically wants it in a 'pony' half up) THIS fateful morning she wanted a hair clip. 

             And not just any hair clip....THIS particular hair clip. "Awesome" I say...b/c it matches her shirt, I attach the hair clip to her hair.

             Sam tells her it looks like she has a shoelace stuck to her head.  Madeline punches his face.  Madeline goes into 

             time-out.  Mommy wants to take a picture of her super cute hair clip this morning.  Madeline is NOT amused.  

3:00-School is out-Hair clip did not last until even lunch, as fellow 1st graders told Madeline her hair clip looked like she had lots of

               'bunny ears" from shoe laces growing out of her hair.  Madeline says to me, "Why didn't you TELL ME it looked silly?!"

               I say, "Because I think it's CUTE!" Madeline rolls her eyes, stomps away, & slams her door.

3:30-Mommy looks in the fridge for wine-CHECK.

Sun

Noah:      Mommy?

A:            Yes Baker-Bot?

Noah:      You know the sun?

A:            The sun? Up in the sky? 

Noah:       Yeah, the sun. (Now also pointing)

A:            Yep, that's the sun alright...it's pretty shiny isn't it?

Noah:       It IS shiny.  But......is the SKY the sun's house?

A:             (Smiling) You know, I guess it is. Yes, the sky is the sun's house.

Noah:       Awwww, that was really nice of God to give the sun such a nice house.

:)                      :)                        :)                    :)                        :)                       :)                                 :)

The Butterfly Whisperer....

One lucky little butterfly just out of 'her' cocoon (wet wings & all) graced us with her presence yesterday :).  Madeline & Noah were so very careful, & after a few pictures we gently put her in a safe spot...away from Murphy & other backyard obstacles.

Aunt Amy's countdown to Arizona...

Jackson Dean's sweet little sister Karter Grace....

Kater Grace's awesome big brother Jackson Dean...

                                                                      44 days
                                                                   1064 hours
                                                                 63867 minutes
                                                             3832037 

 seconds

Lake of Three Fires

Sunday adventure...here we come! Lake of Three Fires in Bedford, Iowa.  It was BEAUTIFUL! We had a scrumptious picnic, followed a nature trail, found a few cabins, horse back riders, a sea of lily pads, and wound up at the beach...it was FUN!

Noah Baker finds our first trail...

Pretty bridges!

The sea of lily pads (with 250 frogs on them according to Noah).

Oh my gosh...Sam looks SO grown up in this picture!!! Such a big guy, I can't believe he is a 3rd grader!

                              
                                                           Time to cool off in the lake!!!

Marvelous Mickel Lake

Savannah's Sunday Adventure!

'Marvelous Mickel Lake' in Savannah was home to our Sunday Adventure this weekend.  It was FUN!!!  

At first I was just sitting pretty taking pictures, enjoying the giggles, goggles, splashes, and silly water shenanigans.  But after about an hour or so, it occurred to me-that each of my extremities was feeling really numb/tingly/pins & needle'ish.  Niiiiiiiiice.   Right about the time I was discovering I was in trouble Rob looked over & said, "Uhm Amy....I think you need to get in the water........come on in & cool off, no really, noooooo, you're going to get too hot....IN......now."  I thought-well crap, I won't even be able to make it TO the water-let alone jump (in & try to stay a float)!  I had waited too long, & gotten too hot.  Thank goodness I was prepared to swim just in case I wanted to jump in, because at that point I didn't have a choice, it was 97 degrees with a bazillion % humidity.  SO, into the water I went and almost instantly....all was right with the world :).  So, thank you Rob Ferguson for realizing it was too freaking hot for me to be outside without some type of MS repercussions.  I was just too busy playing photographer to realize I was melting...melting....melting! 

FUN FUN FUN in the sun sun sun!!!

"happy" is being 6

"Stripe-y tights make me HAPPY!" ~ Madeline Ferguson

Nickerson Pasture Patch

Sunday Adventure @ 'The Nickerson's  Pasture Patch'!!!

Noah deep in thought (or heat exhaustion)...pretty sure just deep in thought...although it was pretty darn hot & sticky yesterday!

The boys & I stop our stroll through the wild flowers for a Kodak moment...awwwww! Such nice smiles 

(:  Sam-8 & NoahBaker 4  :)

Madeline joins Noah for his deep-post-thinking...

Fabulous Ferguson Trio out on their Sunday afternoon adventure!

Sam (during supper last night- & then continuing after lunch today):

S-  "Mommy, am I what you would consider a country kid? I mean I really want to live out in the country.  Sell our house.  Live out in the middle of no-where.  We could plant our own food, Daddy & I could hunt for animals to eat, it would be awesome! You wouldn't have to go to work, we wouldn't have to go anywhere...Mommy you could HOME-SCHOOL us!!!"

A-  (ROARING laughter)

A- "Well, you certainly aren't a city kid."

S- "Why not, what do you mean?"

R-  (Chuckling)

A-  "Well...you like outside stuff, BB guns...

R-  "Sam you like camping, hiking, the outdoors, I suppose you could be considered a country kid"

S-  "But Mommy why couldn't you home-school us, and we could live out in the country killing and growing our own food; aw come on-it would be AWESOME!"

R-  (Chuckling)

A-  "Sam honey, I am not qualified to home-school you, sorry. So, nooooooooo. Not going to happen."

Mad- "I'm a country kid too!"

Noah- "Me too, I'm a country kid too!"

S- "Yes, we are a family of country people."
R- "All except for Mommy, she thinks she's a city-girl still"

A- "Yep!"

**Fast forward 24 hours**

S- "Alright Mommy, you said yesterday you are a 'city-girl' what exactly do you mean? You mean that you want to live in the city limits of Maryville, like across the street from the park so we can walk to the square whenever we want?"

A- "Well, yes and no."

S- "What exactly 'YES' do you mean...and why 'NO', no to what? What exactly do you mean?"

A- (Laughing) "Well, Sam, what specifically do you want an explanation of?
S- "Come ON, you know what I mean, why is daddy a country boy and why are you a city girl? You don't look like a city girl type to me."

A- (Eyebrow cocked) "And what exactly does a city girl 'type' look like Sam?"

S-"You, know. Like really skinny, really pretty, with really tall shoes,  like really tall shoes (looking down @ my bare feet) lots of bags, really busy all the time, big sunglasses, just...really busy."

A- "Well that is a pretty good description of one type of city girl. But there are lots of different kind of city girls though. That description fits about half of my friends here in Maryville.  For example, think of most of your friends mom's.  They are ALL skinny/pretty/carry lots of bags (okay perhaps some are diaper bags and or soccer/baseball/football bags-but you get where I'm going here) and busy! They don't live in a huge city.

S- "Good point. You still don't look like a city girl Mommy."

A- "Really? Because I think I fit your description perfectly."
S- "Hmmmm, now I guess YOU have a good point."

A- (Smiling) "Well then thanks Sam." (Thinking this was a pretty healthy conversation, nice way to end it).
S-  "Welcome Mommy. Hey-why is it important to you to be a 'city-girl' anyway?" 

A- "Sigh. Because Sam, I love traffic jams, smog, & being able to go to 15 different stores within a 15 minute radius at any time day or night, & not having to allot an extra 15 minutes where ever you go b/c you don't run into anyone you know.  And in the city if I don't answer the phone, I don't have to wonder if whoever just called me will show up at my door anyway, simply because my car is in the driveway or the street.  I LIKE being able to see people different than me, I wish that you guys could see boys married to boys & girls married to girls on a routine basis, bums that live under the bridge, and Joe-Crack mumbling to himself as he passes by....

S- "That sounds...........HORRIBLE!" 

A- "Exactly my point Sam!  You can practice mercy and compassion on a daily basis if you feel like it, and if not, there will always be an opportunity to either ignore Joe-Crack or listen to his ramblings as a reminder why drugs are very, very, very bad.  It's important to me that I give you guys an opportunity to see things that are different than you.  There are a lot of wonderful things about living in a big city as well, not just bad stuff.  It's all on your perspective.

S- "Well, I'm on Daddy's team, we are totally country boys and we are going to kill and cook our own food!"

A- "Sounds like a plan Sam."

S- "Can I have snack?"

A- (Nodding my head yes)

S-"Noah's peanut butter on a spoon looks pretty tasty."

A- "Would you like PB on a spoon Sam?"
S-That seems like the most country thing to eat so yes, PB on a spoon...but only until I can shoot a deer and then cook it over an open fire and eat it."

:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)