Shadow

He looks just like him. He acts, smiles, and grins just like him. I'm talking about Tucker. He couldn't be anymore Travis if I tried to make him. This little boy is a sport now. He was bound and determined that he was going to help Travis with our garden.


I know I say it probably way to much, but how can children grow so quickly? It's like you wake up one day and the child they were yesterday is a thing of the past. They're into new things, they're saying new stuff, they just amaze me. It never ceases to amaze me at how well they are at mimicking our every move. Think about that, that's a deep thought. We must be great examples for our little shadows or we could lead them the wrong way.


It is my prayer that God will allow the words of my mouth to be kind, the steps of my feet slow and steady. May I always think before I act so that my shadows will learn to live in love, and peace. I'm just human and I make mistakes, but I can do my best each day to better them as they grow.

Spring Break 2011

We took our week off from school and just relaxed.  No big plans were made, we just enjoyed sitting back and relaxing for a week.  We did make a visit to Fort Clinch in Fernandina Beach with Nana, Aunt Jeca, and Uncle Kyle. The boys were somewhat interested in the fort but far more interested in the beach!  Carter took to the water like a fish, inching farther and farther into the water.  If he had sensed in the slightest way that it was okay to go in, he would have!!  Tucker enjoyed the sand, he kept his distance from the water.  Once again, they are night and day!

Warmth, sunshine, and my babies

I love Spring, love, love, love it! I love that the boys can finally get outside and just play for hours. I love watching Carter's imagination run wild. Watching Tucker try to keep up with him and mimic every step... it's sheer joy. Why do I deserve this? What did God see in little old me, that deserves such sweet blessings each day that I open my eyes?

It's the days that are a bit hectic and loud that humble me. When my nerves are rocking and we escape the four walls of our home to the beautiful outside. All the chaos, tension and craziness of life seem to blow away in the peaceful breeze. The boys stop their bickering and the giggles begin to flow. I sit on the step and I watch them in complete amazement. Think about it, children are always in the moment. Always enjoying whatever it is they are doing (well unless, of course, they are in time out). Watching them is stress relief for me.

I'm glad that God stops me and whispers to me, "just let them be, let them be little."  As I watched Carter draw on the front porch with his chalk, I thought about how quickly he's turning into a 'boy'. The days of my little Carter are quickly becoming a memory.  Little Tucker who is growing quicker then it seems Carter did. Seconds, minutes, hours, each day... I must treasure it. I must make each one a memory I want to cherish forever.

Soon they'll be off and the sidewalk chalk will be no more.  The giggles as they chase each other will be the laughter of teenage boys.  Their tiny, chubby little hands will one day outgrow my own hand. The just because hugs, sloppy kisses from little T, these are just little memories of my babies.  Again, how did God choose me for these precious little guys?  Blessed far more than I deserve, thank you Lord!!!

Clay County Fair 2010

I don't think I'll ever get to an age that I don't enjoy going to the fair. I just love it. I love the atmosphere, I love the smell of the yummy foods, the memories of when I was a child, and seeing the excitement on Carter's face as we walk to the main gate. I don't think it will ever get old to me to hear him talk about what he wants to ride first, or how awesome each ride is. I enjoy it as much today as I did 25 years ago!

Going to the fair was something we did every year while we were on Spring Break. Mom would pack us up around 9:00 in the morning and she would spend the entire day at the fair with us. As a mother now, I know that spending that many hours on a midway can drive a person insane but mom never complained! We always ended up looking like little crabs and lobsters at the end of the day. It was kind of like the mark,  for the outdoor adventures of Spring and Summer to begin. Each year, we'd finish the fair by going through the exhibit halls, then through the barn, and then enjoying whatever treat we chose on our way out. I remember leaving and looking back through the car window thinking how pretty the lights were. The ferris wheel always seemed so huge, and it still makes me smile thinking about how much fun I had riding that giant wheel with my mom, brother, and sister.

Traditions truly do carry on, don't they? I think Carter loves the fair just as much as I do. He's like a kid waiting on Christmas morning when we tell him the fair is in town. He's waiting on go! We parked the car and it was all he had to wait patiently for us to get the stroller and all the other stuff I would need. He reminds me of a race horse waiting for the gate to open so he can race to the finish line!!

Once in the gates, we made a stop at the pony rides. Travis knows the owner of Diamond D Ranch, and they graciously allowed our little guy a free ride. We made a quick run through of the barns, and then we were headed to the midway. I made Carter stop off in the early Florida exhibit, he wasn't happy! In this area of the fair it is a reminder of how our ancestors lived. There is actually an old home in that exhibit that was a distant relative of mine. Last year as we walked through it my mom reminded me of when she was a child and actually played in that same house. Call me sentimental but I love learning about my family, the way they lived, and the things they had to do to get by. The house was one bedroom! Could you imagine?

As promised, we made our way to the midway with Carter. He was like a Christmas tree all bright and gleaming. He went through the fun house, rode the merry go round, down the big slide, and then the banana split. As he was waiting for it to take off he looks at me and says, "Momma, we've got to go back to those pony rides!" I asked him why and he said, "there's a pretty girl over there momma!" Oh my stars, I couldn't help but laugh. Four years old and he's already scoping out the ladies!!

We grabbed a bite to eat and then Papa & Mimi were ready to head home. They offered to take Tucker home with them so that we could let Carter have all the fun he could handle. We packed little man up, and off he went back to Callahan. Carter was thrilled that he was going to get to stay longer at the fair. I rode a few rides with him, and learned quickly that I'm not as young as I used to be! :)

We finished up our evening at the fair, right where we started... the pony ride! Once again, Carter's ride was on the house and it was a long ride! He must have stayed on that pony for a good 15-20 minutes. He absolutely LOVED riding that pony. So much so, that I'm contemplating having his birthday party at Diamond D Stables. He only turns 5 once, right so why not go all out!

As I do every year, I looked back over the midway as we left the fair. There stood that big ferris wheel that holds so many memories of mine. We had a wonderful evening with Carter bug, and I look forward to many, many more spring fairs with that sweet boy!

Welcome Spring!!!

Oh how I've missed the warm days of Spring. Having my windows open, the breeze blowing through, and the grass. Winter seemed so long, I must admit I was starting to become a bit saddened by the dreary, cold days. When the fields are covered in dead, brown grass it really makes you long for the bright colors of spring and summer.


I've missed getting out and playing in the yard with the boys, feeding the cows, or just swinging on the porch. Luckily, Spring is here and we're enjoying every minute of it. Being Floridians our Spring will soon turn to our hot, hot summers but that's okay. The time change also has me in a more chipper mood. I love staying outside later thanks to Mr. Sun staying in the sky longer. The boys are sleeping better, and longer (thank you Jesus). I just love Spring. It reminds me that each day is a fresh new start.

With that fresh new start comes some new life to Cow Bird Lane. We have new calfs being born just about every day and that's just pure sweetness I can never get enough of.  Also, the grass is turning green, and we've started adding some color to the homestead. I bought some annuals to plant in these cute little water buckets that my mother in law gave me. They are old, antique watering pails. I just love them. They are heavy as all get out but they look perfect at my front door. Carter was so excited to help me. Granted as soon as he saw an empty bucket, he realized he could dig with he was gone and I was flying solo on my gardening adventure.  I'm hoping to do some more landscaping to spruce up the place. I don't have a green thumb at all. There's no shade of green in these two thumbs anywhere. I'm more in the brown/black department when it comes to thumbs.

Speaking of gardening, Travis has plowed up our garden. Now we just have to find time to go to the store to buy seed and really get it going. I really enjoyed the garden last year. Watching Carter check on it daily and find new vegetables was so much fun. This year I'm sure will be the same. Hoping that we don't get so much rain that it sets us back like it did last year.

This tree started out last May at 6" tall. It is now taller then I am.

I'm so glad that Spring has Sprung. There are sure to be lots of pictures of the boys playing outside, digging in the dirt, and all the other shannigans that go on around here. Hope you'll stop back by soon.

Dirt diggers

They love it.







I just wonder if I ever did have a girl, would she love it too???  By the way while styling Carter's hair earlier this week he says, "Momma, I love you." I love you too Carter. Then he looks at me with the most serious look and says, "when are you going to have a baby girl in your belly?" No time soon my love, no time soon! I'm really starting to think he has some sort of pregnancy E.S.P.  Hmmm....

{{{ FROZEN }}}

Oh my sweet niblets, it's cold! It is 9:15 a.m., and our current temperature is 28. Let's do the math, that is about 37 degrees TOO COLD for me. I do not like cold weather and for whatever reason, mother nature has decided we need to feel what the folks north of us feel all the time. Just another nail in the coffin that I am by no means supposed to live up north. This southern girl is missing her comfortable, no jacket just a long sleeve shirt or sweater, winter days. So my northern friends, take your miserable cold weather back I don't like it. It's make me grumpy, it makes my bones hurt, my teeth hurt, and my skin feels like sandpaper!

I've drank more coffee then I ever have in all my life, and my heater is doing all it can do to keep me cozy. We've had a fire in the fireplace almost every night for over three days. We usually only use the fireplace maybe five times each winter. I am bundling my poor children up like the boy on "The Christmas Story". Better watch Carter, he'll try to stick his tongue to the fence post, LOL! Tucker, bless his heart, his face is chapped his hair feels like horse hair, and his little lips quiver when we walk the twenty feet to the truck in the mornings. He too is bundled up like an eskimo, fleece clothing, socks pulled as high as I can get them, mittens (SERIOUSLY... mittens? people, my kids don't own these things), warm fuzzy hats, a coat, and a blanket wrapped around him. Oh, and I've been starting the truck a good ten minutes before we are supposed to leave just so it will be somewhat warm before we leave. Oh, and how could I forget Cowboy, our dog, he's even sleeping in his dog house that he's had absolutely nothing to do with for the past two years!!! You know it's cold when the dog tries to make his way in the house and he's never even been inside.

I am dreaming of Spring at this point. I need to see some green grass, hear some birds tweeting, be able to stand in my yard without hurting to my core. Yes, I'm complaining. It's what I do when I'm frozen to my soul. How you northern gals do this year in and year out is above and beyond this southern momma. I'm going to make my way to the kitchen and make me another cup of coffee now that our water is running again. Just another negative thing to all this cold weather, we leave three sinks running and still wake up to frozenness! Trust me when I tell you I was quite the site taking Carter to school this morning. Yesterdays leftover curly hair wadded up in a ball on top of my head, no make up because I only had makeup removing wipes to wash my face with, I was b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l!!!!  YUCK!

COME ON SPRING!!!!!

Sprouting up....

The farmers in my life, Travis & Carter, are very proud of the little sprouts that are popping up in our yard.  Carter was so excited when we checked after several days of continuous rain to find that his watermelon seeds were popping up through the soil!!  He said, "look momma!  My watermelon grew, can I pick it?"  Seriously, how stinkin' cute is that??? Each day since then, he's asked about his watermelon.  He doesn't really seem to care one way or another about the corn that is up to his knees now!  It's also really cute to watch him run to his bedroom window or ours to peep through at his garden.  I can't wait to see him when it comes time to do some pickin'!!

Carter was walking down the corn row, when I told him to stop and make sure there weren't any bugs on the leaves.  Well, I didn't mean for him to yank the poor corn stalk out of the ground!! He brought it to me to assure me there weren't any bugs, and the we decided we'd put it back in the ground to see if it would grow.  Probably won't, but we can hope right?  :)

He also gave me a pretty little purple flower this afternoon.  What a sweet boy!!

Grow garden grow....

Jen