Footings, Twinsies and Locusts

Last week our footings were poured.

 

 

 

As we watched concrete shoot out of the tube, our conversation naturally shifted to loose bowels, stomach cramps and cleaning toilets.  I'm sure you can imagine.

The word on the street is our foundation won't be poured until next week. 

So we continue to wait.

 

Meanwhile, the girls have matching dresses.  On a recent episode of Disney's 'Jesse' two teenagers dressed alike and called each other "twinsies".

  

'Twinsies' has become the word of the week at our house.

 

Oh, did I mention Molly has a baby?  She does.  Her name is Flower Pie.

 

These photos were taken on Fathers Day at Grandma and Papa Boyd's house.

 

Maisie arranged the fairy garden...

 

while Molly ran in circles to make the back of her dress fly in the wind.

 

 

 

Maisie's become pretty comfortable handling the locusts.  She creates habitats in air-tight jars and waits for the locusts to suffocate.  Keeps her busy.

 

Speaking of locusts, we spied a couple of them mating on our sidewalk yesterday afternoon on our way to the pool.  I swear Ross blushed and acted as though he'd just watched a porn.

Full Moons and Potatoes

It started with a wart.  A $600 wart to be exact.  The wart on Ross' elbow that is stubborn beyond words.  It's been frozen 4 times, treated with the pharmacy's secret wart solution, scooped out with a razor blade, scraped off during a roller-skating accident, smothered in duct tape and treated with beetle juice.  Yet it keeps coming back. 

 

I've always had a teeny-tiny interest in witchcraft.  I'm guessing all it started back in '96 after I checked out that witchcraft book from the Eldridge library.  Eventually the library called to say the book hadn't been returned and I'd be charged for it.  I searched high and low for that book with no success.  I cut up my library card and accepted the fact that I wouldn't check out anymore books from the Eldridge library for as long as I lived.  I ended up finding the book a year later under the seat of my car while packing for college. 

 

It was Aunt Judy who brought up Grandpa Claussen's old wives tale about warts when she visited us.  The theory goes something like this:

 

Under a full moon, you cut a potato in half and rub it on your wart.  Then you bury it without telling anyone where it's buried.  While talking to Papa Green about our plan, he mentioned a few more details.  Apparently, after rubbing it on the wart, you throw it over your left shoulder, wrap it in a rag and bury it in manure.  So there's that.

 

Friday night was the night.  Not only was it a full moon, but it was Friday the 13th.  In sheer desperation, I trespassed into the neighbors horse pasture and into a barn.  I emerged with a shovel-full of manure and boogied back onto our side of the fence.  We waited until nearly 10:00 for the moon to make it's grand appearance. 

 

Ross was responsible for sending a prayer to Grandpa Claussen as he secretly buried the potato in manure.  Only he and Grandpa know where the potato ended up.  Now we wait. 

 

Regardless of the results, I'm pretty sure Grandpa Claussen's gonna make sure Ross never forgets the full moon on Friday, June 13th 2014.

 

 

 

The below photos show how we killed time waiting for the moon to come out...

 

Starting a fire with a magnifying glass.

 

 

Chopping firewood.

 

My family. 

One with a knife, one with an axe, one in a maxi and one without pants.

 

Tiles and Faith

Tiles are set, footings are in, foundation will be poured next week.  We're starting to see the footprint of our house take shape.  Since we've never actually seen our house in real life (only the floorplan on paper), it's exciting to see what we picked.  Hope we like it!

These photos are of the tiles going in.  Each of those grey 2x4 looking planks have little slits in them for water drainage.  The peak of the house is visible just to the right of Ross' head.

The large rectangular section in the center of this photo is our front porch. 

First things first.

The house seems longer and narrower than I pictured.  The whole process baffles me.

Us. 

This is us standing in the hole where our home will be built.  We don't know how long it will take to build, we don't know how much it will cost, we don't even know what it will really look like.  All we know is we have each other and an abundance of faith.  

Ready or not, here we go. 

Strawberry Fest, Cousins and Dad's Garden

 I took my kids on a little adventure to my old stomping grounds.  It all started with the annual Strawberry Festival.  The kids each ran in the fun run.  Yes, the same race that gave us Green kids stomach cramps, dry mouth, unpredictable diarrhea, cold sweats and statements like, "I think I'm just gonna jog it."  So naturally, I couldn't resist signing my kids up for the same memories.

 

Ross was old enough to run the mile while the girls each ran 1/4 mile.  Molly held my hand the majority of her race, Maisie's shoe fell off twice and Ross won 4th place in his age group.  Oh, but hold onto your hats!  These days the Strawberry Fest coordinators give away prizes to kill time while racers await the official race results.  Maisie's name was drawn for a brand new bike as well as a coupon for a cookie at Subway.  Ross commented, "Jeez, Maisie must be having a lucky day."

 

These girls are ready to race.

 

 

Uncle Greg runs with Grace while Aunt Heather runs with Laura. 

 

Maisie and Laura appear to be laughing as they run.

 

I got the honor of running with Molly. 

 

Ross gets focused before the mile race begins.

 

After I snapped this shot, he told me to 'quit-it and go away'. 

Sheesh.

 

I think I pissed him off.

 

Maisie being presented with her new bike.

 

 

Ross rounds the curve with lightening speed.

 

 

Zach, Cole and Ross show off their trophies.

 

I think they were a little excited.

 

The girls thought this dog was pretty awesome.  Since the dog didn't talk, Laura just danced with it. 

Awkward.

 

Racers after the race.

 

Meanwhile, there's now a stuffed fawn residing at my parents house.  Molly couldn't stop petting it.

 

Luckily for GG, the girls are old enough to start helping prepare meals.

 

Zach, Maisie and Molly really hit it off.  Zach gave these flowers to the girls. 

Maisie Daisy and Molly Rose.

 

Cole and Ross were attached at the hip.

 

Aunt Heather and the Maxi-Dress girls

 

 

The boys took a dip.  The next day 2 very, very large snapping turtles were pulled out of this pond.  Yikes!

Turtle Stew anyone?

 

Meanwhile, my dads garden never ceases to amaze me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Yep, it's official.  The best things in life aren't things.