A NORMAL?! ROUTINE...

I decided to go ahead and post today, because that's what I "usually" do on Wednesday.  And I am trying to get back to my NORMAL routine, (whatever that is?) as best I can.  I think what I mean is, whatever is going to be is my "new" normal, as let's face it, if there is one thing I have learned in my 58 years, nothing stays the same forever.  My whole last year was engulfed with mom, and so it seems like something is off or drastically different, and that's because of course it is.  And yet, I remember the year before and how hard it was to adjust to my step-dad being gone, and mom living here.  Part of me would love to fast forward things so the strangeness of this new reality would wear off, and there wouldn't be this constant ache in my heart.  And yet at the same time, there is soo much life going on that is blessed and happy, I don't want to miss a single moment of that either.  And so, I press on to get back into the normal swing of things.  My oldest grandson Evan graduated from high school (the same night as mom's memorial service ~ there is just NO way to accommodate everyone with soo large a family) and I am soo happy for him.  This is the start of BIG changes for him, and I wait anxiously to see where the next chapter in his life will take him.  And Lindsey finished the 6th grade, and I missed her little ceremony as well what with all that was going on last week.  : (  She was the student body president, so she played a very active role in the program I guess, and I am anxiously waiting to hear all about it.  And then I never told you much about our trip to Melody's, besides the biggie of course which was the birth of Luke Jeffrey.  How we enjoyed Sam as well.  He is really talking well for a 20 month old, and what a sweet heart he has.  He is soo active and busy and happy.  He is a GIANT daddy's boy as well.  He lives for the moment daddy comes in the house to take him outside for his adventures.  Now mommy does this too of course, but not like daddy, and certainly not a lot recently as she has been soo pregnant, lol.  However with Grandpa there, he got WAY more than his usual time outside.  Soo different though from what my boys enjoyed.  He has this HUGE dairy and farm to roam around on and he hits the floor running once he is out there.  One of his favorite places to go is the commodity barn.  His new John Deere electric tractor is kept there, and oh how he loves it.  Now grandma thought he seemed too young to work it, but that's where she was wrong.  He can push the pedal to make it go, steer it where he wants to be, back it up, move the scooper up and down, and just generally does wonderfully on it.  He kind of liked to push it too, haha, which seemed more in his age capabilities to me.  His other favorite thing is daddy has rigged a way to pull his wagon with his giant sit down lawn mower.  Oh my...again, Grandma was skeptical.  But he LOVED LOVED LOVED it!  He pulls him all over the dairy so he can see what he wants too see, BUT! he is soo good about the rules when riding in it, you would never think he is only 20 months.  He sits down, holds on, and DOES NOT GET UP until daddy says he can.  Mike said it took a little while until he got the connection to ~ do what daddy says or the ride is over ~ but he has got it down now for sure.  Their little dog Baxter rode along as well occasionally, which was just darling.  Now daddy is BARELY moving, but Sam doesn't seem to care, haha.  His next favorite thing would be just riding ON the mower with daddy.  He'd say over and over again, "Daddy mow?"  "Daddy mow?"  haha.  Their lawn gets cut pretty frequently is all I can say, lol.  Then of course he climbs up into the real tractor with his other grandpa while he was planting.  It was air conditioned, and totally pre-navigated so it was pretty easy to have Sam in there with him.  Mike and his dad were VERY VERY busy planting corn, so Sam did get a couple of rides in.  And when he wasn't doing one of these things, he was collecting rocks (he LOVED that too!) and stuffing them in his pockets, seeing the moos (what he calls the cows) climbing on hay stacks, playing in the cotton, splashing in his pool, pushing his trucks and cars in the dirt, and enjoying their 3 dogs.  Busy, busy, boy.  But then he would sit and cuddle with someone when he was in the house while he watched his favorite video ~ CARS ~ with Lighting McQueen, or Ighting as Sam called him, haha, or to listen to his favorite books. He freely gave kisses, and grandma stole as many as she could.  All in all this grandma LOVED watching him in his world, and loved the world it is.  Seems the perfect place for boys.  We of course took videos and tons of pictures, so I will share a few now.

I FORGOT ABOUT THIS TOO.  HIS LITTLE JOHN DEERE CAR.  MOMMY AND GRANDMA COULD HELP HIM WITH THIS ONE!  LOOK AT THAT FACE!

LOOK AT THAT GLEEFUL FACE!  HE LOVED THIS!

TIME TO DIG

LOVE THIS!  LOOK AT HIS LITTLE HANDS!

HERE HE GOES

TIME TO GET STAND UP AND GET OUT, HAHA!

I CAN DO THIS!

"I THINK HE TURNS A KEY HERE OR SOMETHING", THINKS SAM

A NATURAL FARMER BOY, HAHA

I am trying to finish up my sewing for my youngest son's baby which should be here sometime in late July or early August.  I finished up the burp cloths yesterday, and his bibs and blankets are done.  I am making some little night shirts now, and I still need to make his rag quilt.  I am eventually going to make some sheets, the bumper pads, and the bed skirt for the crib, but I will wait till after the baby is born before I do.  I need to run to the fabric store and get some snaps etc., for the night shirts so I guess I'd better get busy!  Hope you all enjoy this beautiful summer day!  Blessings!  Debbie