Sticks & Stones

My "top 10" good, bad, and ugly ... things I've discovered since my mom's cancer diagnosis:

1) Anything/everything I will ever want for Christmas cannot be found in a store.

2) Strangers should be more patient.

3) People as a whole? Are genuinely kind, and full of mercy and grace.

4) If you're not 36, and your mom doesn't have cancer, and you don't live 1500 miles away from her, then no; you ...

actually don't get it.

5) Denial, isolation, and anger = serious shit.

6) As much as I love Judith Light, it's never a good idea to be in the same room as a Lifetime movie.

7) Not to save my prayers until bedtime, on-the-spot seems like a better approach.

8) I know without a doubt my recent 8 weeks in the southwest were priceless for both the kids, and myself.

9) I for the first time, in probably ever, truly don't care about the onslaught of whispering regarding my choices, my parenting, my marriage, my house-for-sale, my shoes. None of it really matters.

10) I need to start writing again, I need to keep taking pictures, and I need to continue Sunday Adventuring with my Fergletts.

sunrise

Day two on our Arizona to Missouri journey... panhandle sunrise

Greatest idea ever

Jackson Dean, "Aunt Amy?"
Me, "Yes?"
JD, "I have a great idea! Want to know what it is?!?!?"
Me, "Of course!!"
JD, "Okay good! Follow me Aunt Amy!"

We are now headed towards the kitchen ... it's 8:30 PM ... his parents are on a birthday-dinner-date, so this fateful night it was just JD and I (and Karter and my trio. But in the kitchen at this moment ... I was helpless to the power of his cuteness. Sigh ... continue dear reader).

He opens the refrigerator door, starts to climb up the shelves as I'm saying, "Wait just a minute here Mr. Monkey Pants"
JD, "Mr.MonkeyPantsGIGGLE!!!"
Me, "Yes. Mr. Monkey Pants. Now, what is it that we need for your great idea?
JD, "Oh, Aunt Amy. You forgot my milk! I always have milk before bed. Especially chocolate milk! See? You just climb up here and get the milk (he hands me a gallon of milk) and then reach behind (straining with all his 4-year-old-might) here and reach around here and get the chocolate!"
Me, Skeptical, but rendered helpless due to his cuteness. "Oh, I see. Of course!"
Me, "Do you always have chocolate milk before bed Jackson?"
JD, "Oh Aunt Amy, you are so silly! Of course I do. Don't you see how this is a really great idea?????"
Me, "Oh well of course I do Jackson! Say cheese!!!!!"

And ^ this is how ... you get outsmarted by a four-year-old. I knew perfectly well his parents wouldn't typically let him have chocolate milk before bed. But come ON. That great idea?! It really was a great idea. ♥♥♥♥

Sam turns 11 ... and Baker meets Chuck E. Cheese!

Chuck E. Cheese

"Where a kid, can be a kid!"
OR ... as Noah Baker put it, "The happiest place on e-a-r-t-h!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

^ Sam turns 11 years old. ELEVEN YEARS OLD.

Wait. What? When? How?!

Sam very graciously shared his day with Baker, by having his birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. It really was fantastic.  Fun was had by all!

She is such a natural! ^

"I just won ONE HUNDRED TICKETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Now, is that kid having a great birthday or what?!

The pizza was delicious, the folks were friendly, the kiddos had a blast ... success. :)

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

death of desert duck

7:40:am: Trio running/playing outside

7:50:am: Silence

7:52:am: "Mommy?"

7:52:am "Yes?" 

7:54:am "Uh, well, we were playing? And ... (sniff sniff) we ... uh .... I (Baker) ... we have ... DECAPITATED Grandma's DUCK!"

So, desert duck has died.

 BUT, now we're going to smash it into little pieces and create a fabulous piece of art. : )

AZ smiles

We're getting our grumpy faces out of the way so we can do some serious smiling. Well, not serious, we're not in our church clothes or anything. BUT, Madeline and Baker have matching awesome toothless smiles now, so I figured since I need to take a picture of my toothless duo ... might as well make Sam chime in with his pearly whites too. Lucky kids!

HA! ^ Got our non-smiling-faces out-of-the-way ... on to happier moments:

------- >   LOVE this girl!

We really are having such a wonderful time at Grandma Caroline's. Off to see Grandma Millie Friday morning. More chemo for her in the morning, so fingers crossed and masked faces on, we'll see her in 48 hours :).

Baker Bot's awesome new smile! --------- >

Grandma Caroline & the Fergletts :)

Sam Ferguson ... who will be 11 ... in just SIX days!!!!!!!!!!!!

Baker - 6

Madeline -8

LOVE, love, LOVE these smiles : - }

bittersweet

Mt. Lemmon

 Mt. Lemmon! It was such a fun day ... and wonderful to share one of my favorite memories from growing up with my trio : ).

Bear Country ... caught their attention. c:

Madeline's 8-year-old mind was blown. A real. Live. Pay phone. One that you ACTUALLY put money into ... to ... T-A-L-K. Wow. :)

It was a great day!!

Ostrich or bust ...

 Ostrich Farm!!

I 

love

this

picture! -------------------- >

Tucson Zoo

Jackson & Baker ... according to the map, HA!

Madeline makes some new zoo friends ... such a sweet girlie!

Uncle Matthew & Jackson Dean feed the ducks and turtles ...

Karter Gracie Cakes!

Cousins!

Miss Madeline & Jackson c:

 BBQ & Games ... Baker and Madeline take turns serving ... look out grown ups!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Galloping tarantula

Texas, day 3.

Sister Kristina and I driving down the road.

(Kristina) "Look, a tarantula!"
(Me) "WHAT? Seriously? Where?!

Then I see it. A furry giant spider galloping across the road. Really? I mean really. REALLY right now?!

(Me) "Quick, pull over!"
(Kristina) "Okay!"

So then I hop out of the car and take a few pictures right quick, I kinda chased it/followed it onto the side of the road. Probably saving its life. Hmmm. I mean, this IS our first tarantula galloping experience. SIGH.

nope/proud

Sometimes you just need to say NO. 

I wish I had said no more often actually.

I wish I would have said no, more consistently.

We should empower our children to say no when the situation calls for it.

 I want my children to feel confident and strong. So God willing, when they are adults, they each feel self assured and full of self esteem. 

^ Such a rare sight from only 3 feet high. This beautiful little nest in a teeny Charlie Brown tree out at Mozingo this spring.

I love this picture. My Lewis Folk from a LONG time ago :). My favorite part about it are the adult children behaving and the parents acting up!!!  I feel inspiration coming on for my next family photo shoot, perfect angelic children with mom/dad making faces. 

Near Clarinda, Iowa

My original caption was, "You know you're a redneck when ..." but was graciously reminded that rednecks don't eat edamame. Aunt Susan flew in for the win (on her broom of course) explaining that rednecks don't ... but Republicans do and ... EeeeewwwwwWW. Hahaha! Sam snuck this one in the freezer. He's quite the shot. In case you can't tell exactly what it is? A dove. Yep. The universal symbol of peace and love, beheaded in my freezer.

PROUD!