Summer!

The unofficial beginning to summer is almost here!! The last day of school is tomorrow, we are super stoked to have Layton home with us all summer long!!!!! No more set schedules, sleep until waking up, relaxed bedtime, cook outs, farming, bugs, snakes, cold drinks, the lake, all things summer!

As Layton's first school year comes to a close, we are going to welcome him home with a "Welcome to Summer" basket, bubbles, swim wear, sprinkler, new shovel, sidewalk chalk and a water balloon fight capped with a picnic. Yes, Pinterest will be the death of me!

Julia and I planted most of the garden this morning. Peas, beets, beans, carrots, radishes, zuccuhini, squash, watermelon, cantelope, pumpkins, cucumbers, all we have left to go is corn, tomato plants and pepper plants! Yummo! Hope it produces.

As exciting as this month is a transition from school to summer, it's also a tender month. 15 years ago, shortly after I graduated high school; my sister gave birth to the most perfect baby baby, Jacob. It was thrilling and exciting but turned scary in a second. Three days later Jacob went to be with the angels, his time here too short. We are blessed to still have my sister as we almost lost her too. Today Jake is celebrating his 15th birthday with Mom. Hugs and loves to you all. I imagine the party is filled with cake, diet Pepsi, ice cream, maybe even root beer floats.

Learnings from Mom

Who teaches you the essential life social cues? Passes on old wives tales? Ensures you are politically correct? Mom...during Mother's Day I spent much time thinking of my mom and all the things she taught me. Many are out dated or relaxed as we grew older but at a point in time a hard fast "rule".

*Say please and thank you
*Treat other as you would like to be treated
*Respect your elders
*Always send hand written thank you notes for gifts received, good deeds done
*No calling after 10:00 pm unless an emergency, on a school night 9:00pm
*Offer a helping hand
*If you don't have something nice to say, it's best to say nothing at all

*Never wear white shoes after Labor Day or before Easter
*It is best to only wear silver or gold jewelry, not mix
*Always wear panty hose with a skirt or dress
*Always wear a slip (petticote) under a thin or lightly colored skirt or dress
*Your look isn't polished until you have coordinating earrings in

*No swimming for one hour after you eat
*If you are in my kitchen, you cook my way
*If you do the crime, you'll do the time
*No more than one trip to town a day (we lived 20 miles out)
*Bathe each day and wash behind your ears and around your next extra good
*Show up early or on-time never late
*If you drink, don't drive, call for a ride..no questions asked, but be prepared to work early the next morning and all day long
*Take care of yourself, always see the dentist and doctor for yearly check-ups

*A balanced meal is meat, potatoes, vegetables, and dessert.
*When taking food to a potluck, take enough servings for your family plus 4-6 others.
*If you don't help cook you help clean up

*We weren't there when our grandchildren were conceived, we won't be there for birth it's special between you and your husband.  But we will come soon after birth!


One thing she tried to teach me but was not successful at...Frying chicken!

My sister, brother and dad could go on and on but these are a few gems that come to mind. Love you Mom, thank you for teaching us so much while you were here with us! We should have listened better, been more grateful, spent more time asking the important questions and expressed our love more often! We had a good up-bringing, you and Dad provided us a solid foundation!