Redneck Tuesday: The Poo Pile

I'm proud to say Shane built a compost bin out of recycled materials! The only cost was in gas to pick up materials, plus the cost in a pitch fork for turning ($35).

 He used nails we had on hand (free) and took old pallets (free) broke them apart and constructed a bin from an idea he had in his head. We have a friend with livestock who said we could come shovel out all the manure we wanted whenever we wanted (free). Plus we have a friend with truck loads of grass clippings each week, he said we could have them if we want them (free).

We are now saving our leftover egg shells, banana peels, onion layers etc. and throwing them in the pile too.

The purpose is to compost luscious dirt and organic material for our garden. The soil in Southern Utah needs a significant amount of amending and we are tired of killing all our plants (more on that later)!

We have affectionately named the compost 'The poo pile'.

The idea is to fill on the left, turn it to the right and then scoop it into the garden. Shane has also constructed 'doors' for the front of the bins using leftover plywood from the shed (free) they just aren't in these pictures.

p.s. see our one red wall? Painting outside is a work in progress, ideal conditions and time are hard to come by.

Seven Months

Sweet Parker,

   

  you have been so fun this past month! You're a grabber. You grab at anything that your Mama has in her hands, especially electronics. You grab your face when you're sad or very upset. I actually asked the Dr. if you might have an ear infection because of the way you grab your face (it is cute and funny but very dramatic). Dr. says you're fine. You like to grab at food when it's on anybody else's plate.

Week 27: Mom's water bottle is your favorite thing to grab.

You're saying Mama now, mostly to get attention. The other day you woke up early and I brought you into bed with me and your dad. I handed you to Daddy and you started crying, reached out your arms towards me and yelled: "maaamaaamaaa!" It was just about the cutest thing I've ever seen. Needless to say, you got what you wanted.

You love bath time. You just splash and kick.

You can grab things with one hand and swap it from hand to hand, one more step to being such a big boy.

You grow uneasy around people you don't know or recognize. That stranger danger is becoming very real. However, when Mom gives you the 'it's ok smile' you generally calm down.

Week 25: Playing outside while the rest of us weed in the garden.

 Love to grab at books, you can’t contain your joy when we read books with Emma (now if mama only let you eat them).

Week 25: Reading Time.

Week 26

 Your newest tricks: you shake your head 'No' repeatedly. It's cute now, but someday this won't be funny. It's hard not to encourage you when you put on your biggest grin and shake your head: no no no no no etc. Also, you practice sitting up on your own more and more. We've taken to propping you up with most of the couch cushions.

Week 26: Look Mama, I'm sitting up!

Oh, I'm not sitting up!

 You've started solids. I'm avoiding pre-packaged foods as much as possible. It's not cost effective and I'm thinking you should be learning to eat what the rest of us eat. However, you are not interested in solid food (unless it's on someone else's plate). You've tried, applesauce, peas, carrots, potatoes, baby cereal, avocado, rice, crackers, pears, peaches, pineapple and probably more I just can't remember right now.

Week 25: First time on solids.

No thanks Mom.

Week 28: This is how we do family scripture study. Happy Father's Day too.

 You're a big boy now and sleep throughout the night in your own crib. It's nice to have you in your own room but sometimes you Mom misses you. 

Week 27: you must have superman dreams often.

Week 28: June 19th 

You giggle and squeal often. Mr. Man, It won't be long now before you squawk in the middle of church. We love you, more than words and blog posts can say.

Redneck, um Tuesday

I accepted a new calling (service opportunity) in my church which keeps me really busy on Wednesday. So for now I'll try them on Tuesdays:

We visited a friend who lives on a farm. While there we saw this:





 This old broken down bus was parked in her front yard! I tried not to stare but our friend noticed my intrigue and quickly said:

"It's not mine, our [some relation, cousin or something, I already forgot] bought it and wanted to bury it for an underground shelter."

I wasn't sure how to respond, I wasn't even sure what caught me off-guard the most:
1. The fact that this was in the front yard.
2. The fact that somebody wanted to bury a bus.
3. The fact that our friend was willing to let somebody bury a bus in her front yard.

On the bright side, at least I'm not that redneck yet!

p.s. Here are our friend's cows. She calls them guard dogs cows. Whenever somebody pulls into the drive way they charge the fence and start mooing with gusto. It's true too, I had to listen to this chorus of distrust and frustration while we visited. 

 p.p.s. This cow wears a harness so it can be put on a leash...like a dog. She goes for walks like a dog sometimes.

Five Years and Counting

Well we made it Love, yesterday was our 5th wedding anniversary. We both agreed that celebrating was out of the question this year both financially and time wise. I'd say that the past five years have been full of these two problems and we anticipate the next 5 years to be the same. We consider ourselves very blessed however, and have learned our strong point through the hard times is to laugh together.

Rodizio Grill 2007

Now, 5 things I love about you:


1. I love your work ethic, you are so handsome covered in grease, dirt, plant debris etc.

You little grease monkey. 2008

2.You are helpful around the house. I love that you don't make me feel like dishes or diaper changes are MY job. It's our house, our family, OUR responsibilities. 
3. You are a good listener: you are literal and logical; my emotional rants don't make sense to you but  you try to understand anyway.
4. You are a great father to our kids. I love you more and more when you are sympathetic, kind, and playful with our children.
5. Oh you are funny. I love when you make me laugh.

Those $5 sunglasses couldn't handle the pressure. 2008

Five things I've learned about you:

1. You're a ditty master! We still sing jingles that you randomly made up from 5 years ago.

2. You're obsessed with juice.

3. Nobody likes things in their eyes, but you are overly sensitive to things in your eyes.

4. If you're going to do something you like to do it right, no jimmy-rigging, and it better only take once!

5. There will never be a wrong time to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies for you.

Panning for Gold 2007

Five things you should know (if you don't already) about me:

1. I have strong obsessive compulsive tendencies, like not having things on/in my hands (water, dirt, bits of food, slobber, hairs, grease, bags of groceries, toys etc.)
2. I love word definitions.
3. I have a good sense of cost and price, it comes with the obsession of saving money
4. I don’t like clutter: counters, table tops, and ledges should be clean and organized.
5. Costco is my favorite store, sometimes the kids and I would “go to costco” to walk around and window shop vs. “go to the park”

Playing at the coast 2008.

This is how I feel about you Handsome Husband!

CONFESSION: 

I warned Shane for a solid week not to step on my dress (because it was the size of China). Well we were in the foyer, waiting to enter the reception when announced as Mr. and Mrs. Shane Oldfield. Just as we entered the reception hall, the dirty deed of stepping on my dress was done. It popped a button off of the train and I gave Shane the evil eye. Here Shane is telling me: "Smile, everybody is watching." 

Needless to say, this picture doesn't hang on the wall of my home!

Behind the scenes of a wedding.

Emma-ism: For the Record

Let the records show:

At 2:13pm on the 6th of June 2013 I heard this coming from my 3 year old while in the bathroom:

"Mommy, I think you and Daddy are right; I can do hard things. I can buckle and unbuckle my belt all by myself."

In this house we almost always state "You can do hard things." whenever we hear "I CAN'T do it, it's too hard!"

"Mom! Get the camera and take my picture! Look what I can do." [Insert model pose from Emma and slight disbelief from Mom at Emma's ability to pose like this]

First day of Pre-school: January 2013

Last day of Pre-school: May 24th 2013

Date Night

We had so much fun on our date night, put the kids to bed without a fuss and snuck out to the backyard. Shane got our fire pit in place and we read some of our book (currently: The Hobbit) as the sun went down. Next we roasted marshmallows to make ooey gooey smores!


I just love date nights!

Our chaperons.

A redneck sunset

the captivating fire

The full moon coming up. It was outstanding, the picture doesn't do it justice.