Grateful

First I want to say sorry for the down post yesterday.  Where its true things have been trying... There really is so much I am grateful for!  To start with him:

This is us playing in dirt... you know like all kids should!!  But for real.. He brings so much joy to not only my life but everyone around us!!  Which brings me to his daddy!  My husband has his flaws (hard to believe ;) ) but he is there for us.  He works SOO hard to help keep me at home able to raise and teach our son!  He is a great dad and a great husband.  We love when daddy gets home (cue Z jumping up and down screaming "daddy home, daddy home while clapping... :) )

Then there is my mom.  She is my super hero for real.  This summer, which was supposed to be her break (really means spending time w/ Z...) was spent taking care of her mother.  Which has not been easy for her.  Alzheimers is so very awful.  It takes so much more than memories.  My mom has done such a great job being strong for everyone, my grandma, my dad, my uncles and especially my grandma.   I try hard to help her out, but it is hard for us to even have grandma one night.. She has her every night of the week, plus during the day.  And rarely complains.  She is a rock.  Z is soo very lucky to have such a strong nana on his side!! 

I am so blessed to have great friends, near and far.  I was lucky enough to go on a trip to see some friends of mine a few weeks ago.  It was my first "nonwork/homeschool/marykay" trip without Z or T!  It was so nice to have my far away friends right there!  It was a weekend fulled with laughter, love, great food, relaxation, and wine!  It came at a perfect time.  :)  Anyway, I am lucky.. Even through the hard time I am grateful for my amazing life! 

Things have been... crazy

I havn't posted in a long time.  Life has been crazy and difficult.  Everyone knows the winter we had, when I say winter, I mean spring too.  Z was pretty much sick from dec till apirl.  That sucked.  Then other things happened.  Car accident (everyone was fine, but we were without our car for about 3 weeks : / Then my phone got broken, which was an easy fix, just kinda a pain... Then that one got broken.. finally got that worked out and my debit card info got stolen... after trying to get a new card set up... about 2 months.. I finally got it all fixed.  Then there was alot of drama with my grandma... it all started with her drinking pinesol by mistake (she has Alzheimer)  and since then she can't be alone.  we are working on solutions, but it all takes time and soo very much energy.  On top of all that, we are chugging along.  We have some exciting news... Z is potty trained (most part)  He is in his big boy bed also!!  Where did my baby go??  He has gotten so grown up!  We started "school" which is really playing and reading stories-but still fun.  Other than like life is just going. 

I'm ready for things to get to a new normal... One where things are not always going wrong... So here is hoping the end of summer and start of fall will be better!

4th of july!!

We had so much fun this past weekend!  We went camping out on our friends land, and it was pure bliss!  After a few rough weeks, it was nice just relaxing and not having major plans.  We canoed, swam, ran bank lines, sat by the fire, and just relaxed!  Z went with us to check the bank lines once, going on his first canoe trip!  He did great and he loved it!  I think he might be ready for a little longer trip!  I'll post pictures once I get everythign unpacked and cleaned up.. ;)  Z is doing great!  getting so big, and very fun!  We are enjoying the summer so much.  Being outside all the time!  One of our favorite places is hanging out on our deck.  But I need to go unpack the car.. just wanted to write a quick update!

Should be cleaning...

We have had a fun weekend! To start it off my friend and I went on a trip for a homeschool convention!  First it was lovely to be on a trip without kids!  A whole bed to myself.. no sharing food, etc!  But it was so great to learn so much!  

Then we got back Friday, and after that we went to a super fun birthday party on Sat!  Z had tons of fun!  

Anyway, here are some great pictures from the party!!  

He spent alot of time here at the fishing pond!  (or "per" as he calls fish...)

We were even lucky enough to have nana come!

:)

I am so loved!! (deck garden finished!!)

This came from our neighbor!!

My outside garden is pretty much done!!  I mean I'm sure I can always add more to it and be happy, but I have used all the pots I was giving (thanks to my FIL grandpa G) got them painted (mostly..)  and got everything in there.  But what I'm most happy about are the flowers and things I got as gifts..  I'll start by showing you the finished product!

So thats it!!  Its where Z plays the most and where I drink my tea in the mornings and evening.. And read or just watch birds!  In fact today we saw a red humming bird!!  So that was exciting!  So now I want to show you how loved I am!!  Here are all the things in my garden that were given to me!! 
First all the pots were given to me!!  Most from my FIL and some from my mom!

The wind chime was from my husband as my mothers day gift.. its perfect!!

My mom gave me this!!  Its the perfect verse for me lately.. I love that she saw it and thought of me!!

My dear friend R gave me this from her garden!  It will have yellow flowers! 

This plant traveled all the way from KY!!  My incredible friend mailed this whole thing to me!!  In the pot and all!!!  I just love her and she has the same plant in her garden..  :)

Where these might not look like much now... One of my favorite and a lady I look up to so much mailed these to me all the way from MN!  Each one had the most powerful and loving words on it.  I am simply one of the luckiest girls in the whole world to have such great friends!  So these plants are a strawberry plant, raspberry plant and a tulip.  I can't wait for them to bloom!! 

Thank you to all of you who helped make my sanctuary special!!  I love you all!!

The farm!!

We are so lucky to have some pretty amazing friends!  The T's are like family to us and to Z, I love how much they love him!  (and even us)..  I also love that they have a farm with tractors and animal!   For one, Tim grew up on a farm, and I spend alot of "dates" in the tractor...  So I love that Z has a place where he can see tractors and be in them and learn about them just like daddy!  But over the weekend we got a treat!  We went out to the farm and they got their horse Outlaw out so the kids could ride him!!  Even "uncle" G got a good workout :)

And when he was waiting his turn for Outlaw, he got to brush and sit on Star the pony!  He really like Star!!

He even helped "Aunt" R put Star away! 
Then we heard the cows mooing.. so we had to go look at them!

And finally got to play in the tractor!!

We are very blessed to have such great people in our lives!! 

Sunshine!!

We have really been through the lot this winter!  After finally have a bit of a good cry and some much needed rest.. I'm feeling back to normal!  During all this time, I still kept up wth playing w/ Z and doing lots of fun stuff! The Zoo, nature center, friends house, and nana's  Lots of fun places!!

We went to a graduation party over the weekend at one of our favorite places!!  Z loves it there!  He is a pretty loved little guy!!