Created to be.... little helpers. :)

The harvesting begins! Not only does it begin, but it goes on and on...

Well, it seems like it. Those green beans... It could be a drought and they would still be popping out from every stem! It's a rather daunting task at times... especially in the heat. No sooner do I clear a small area, then I discover that they've magically re-populated the entire plant.

I also discovered a little surprise a few days ago.... after picking myriads of beans that were green, I reached under a leaf and pulled a bean out. When I laid eyes upon it, I was a little scared. It was purple. I've never seen those before... did God create those, or are they some sketchy cross-hybrid... And what do you call them? Purple beans or purple green beans? If I said that I'd picked "purple beans", I doubt many would understand.

It could just be me. Maybe purple green beans have been around longer than my 24 years. I know, I just revealed my age in public.... shhhh. :)

Now look at the above pictures. In photo A, we've got Eva in her "Country Girl" shirt. Very appropriate, I'd say. These miniature adults actually have their very own, kid-sized garden gloves! Straw hats and we're ready for work!

Eva is a little master at picking green beans, as I discovered. I ran back in to get the camera, and there she was, picking away. Kailey felt a little left-out, and meandered off to pick her own, Kailey-sized green peppers.

So there we were, slaving away in the sun. Well, mostly Eva and myself. Kailey contented herself (much to my dismay) with digging in the dirt and pouring it all over herself.

I reminded myself that I used to spend hours making mud cakes. Thrill of my childhood, those mud-cake days!

Kids love to help.

I feel that I need to emphasize that a bit more...

Kids love to help!

It doesn't matter what you're doing- pouring in chocolate chips, scrubbing the toilet bowl, pulling weeds, or talking out loud. (Eva loves to help finish my sentences) ;)

Problem is.... its more work when they help. I have found myself sneakily cleaning the house, hoping they won't find me and ask to help. It's hard to say no. They're so cute, for one. For another thing, I know it will benefit them to learn life skills.

If only it weren't so much more work.... Not only do I have to do it with them until they get the hang of it, I then have to re-do (in secret) whatever they do for me!

It's not easy! And I won't lie- I work very very quietly and hide in the closet if I hear footsteps coming my way. Well... maybe not that last part... but it's tempting;)

What is my problem?!?

Um..... selfishness.... perfectionisism.... laziness.... I could go on but I'd rather not. :p

I'm selfish because I'm depriving them of opportunities to learn skills for their life. (Hey, it will benefit me/others in the long run- if I teach them how to buckle their seatbelt, I don't have to crawl in the back of my 2-door sports car... if I teach them to take their dishes to the sink, I will create a life-long habit ... er... hopefully.)

I'm being a perfectionist because I think it all has to be done to perfection. Kids take pride in their work; who am I to insist that every wrinkle be out before I give them a passing pat on the head?? I need to get away from my perfectionism and work on praising them. Praise drives them to work harder and do their work better.

I am being lazy because I want the quick(er) and eas(ier) way out.

So it's tiring, constantly working alongside them, helping them to master some skill.

Is that really my excuse?

So there. Maybe this will increase my motivation to be better about letting the kids help.

After all. One day they will be making me chocolate chip cookies. Unless I refuse to ever teach them by letting them work alongside me.

One day they will be folding the clothes by themselves. Unless I refuse them every opportunity to learn with me.

My thoughts and goals.... I promise you that I'm not posting this to make any of you feel like a bad parent-- if I know you and you're a parent- I think you are wonderful and I've learned from all of you:) Thank you for being a good example!

Keep on keeping on!

Little Girl.

Big Farm.

Little Girl.

Big Grain Bin.

I wonder what life looks like for them....

Does everything seem big and daunting through the eyes of children?

Is that why they need us to coax them through the scary and hard parts

of their life? Things that seem trivial and silly in my eyes...

Do my problems seem big and daunting?

Do I maybe cling tighter to God's hand when He is

trying to lead me up what seems like a treacherous

mountain? When it fact, it is only a gentle slope in the eyes of God...

Do I know anything of the hill Christ climbed for me?

Bruised and bleeding, my Lord and King staggered up that

treacherous mountain, with no hand to hold.

But still He pressed on....

Because with His eyes, He saw that the 'hill' of Calvary

must be conquered to win life for the lost and guilty.

"Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift!"

Girls Day Out

Deceiving title, isn't it! After all, coming from me, you would expect

to see pictures of, well, MY buddies. Nope. That

wouldn't be exciting enough to document on film,

nor post on my blog. THIS, however, was

monumental! It took me about 15 minutes

to get them all buckled in! (mostly because

the three boosters were too close in the back

and it was rather impossible but I had a will.

And the seat belts knew better than to defy me...)

So here we are, all smiling! Well... 4 out of 5? I'll take it!

Take 2. This is a more accurate capture.

In 5 letters- chaos. Controlled chaos, and who wouldn't

prefer that to dead silence 24/7? (I added that last phrase

because I know better.. I have moments where dead silence

is rare and beautiful. And never long enough.) ;)

And our final pose-

Driving past the turkey barns with the windows open.

That's enough to make anyone plug their nose:)

Dedicated to my Bros

You wouldn't know it, but I dearly love my brothers.

Its a rather quiet, unspoken kind of love.

The relationship consists of me telling them that I love them and

think they are Amazing. (cuz they are)

I *know* they love me back, but like I said... its an unspoken love.

We would all defend one another in a heartbeat, and man I would

give everything to take away their hardships.

But in the day-to-day hustle and bustle of life, you sort of forget

that you possess this undying, defensive love for one another.

It usually starts when they leave their glass of half-empty milk sit

it some remote place where its bound to remain for another week.

It follows with a plate which doesn't quite make it into the sink, but

instead finds a home on a precarious ledge next to the sink. Not in,

but on. That's not what bugs me, its the fact that the food gets crusted

on. I hate crusty dishes. And sometimes I just can't be there to rinse

it off right away. I have long arms, but they can't stretch across the

house. ;)

Sometimes I can't help but wonder... How do you forget to flush the

toilet?? Honestly?!

Honestly, we get along fine. I cringe inwardly at their less-than-polite

manners... Sometimes I might slip with a comment like, "So, do you

have sink-phobia?" "Does the loud flushing of the toilet scare you?" "Is

the faucet not working?" ;)

I just finished mopping the floor today. The smell of clean was in the air

(and in my nostrils. permanently.) and the floor gleamed like never

before. No quicker did it dry, then in walks my awesome brother, who

I love dearly. I really do, no sarcasm there. He is hard-working,

thoughtful, a great husband and father, and honest.

On second thought, let me correct that-

No quicker did it dry, then in walks my awesome brother, who just

happens to be wearing his crusty work clothes and work boots.

I watched in silent dismay as he "tip toes" in his clunker boots

to the fridge for something to eat. He's roaming through the cupboards

when I couldn't help but calmly but sorrowfully say, "Your boots...

on my freshly mopped floor...."

Now maybe my assumptions are off. But I assume that *most* men

will shrug it off or say something callous.

But my awesome brother whips his head down as he realizes that yes,

he is wearing his work boots in the house. "You just mopped?" he asks.

"Ye-ah..."

"Oh man, I didn't even think about the dirt on my shoes. Shoot.

I'm sorry."

He said it all so genuinely and concern was written all over his face as he

eyeballed the floor for debris.

How can you be upset with THAT reaction?!

Tell me!!! Its not possible!!!

They're just plain awesome. I love my brothers!!!!!

If I were a marriage expert, I would mention how important it is to react

calmly and have a forgiving heart. ... and not to let petty little habits cause contempt between yourselves...

I would also mention how a soft answer turns away wrath.

I might even suggest that men can make a definite impression of masculinity (and chivarly!!)

when they react genuinely, with concern, and are truly repentant. Even if they had

a great reason for having to keep their shoes on. Like, "Listen, I was on the verge of collapse and would have blacked out any second if I hadn't rushed in here to eat some cheese!" :)

But since I'm not a marriage expert... I just won't say any of those things. ;)