reader reading

Hey there fellow bloggers! It's been few and far between these days that I get around to posting; then when I do, it's in a collaboration of catch-ups. Thank heavens for Instagram to post our happenings somewhere [on the record].

Question for those that are users of the great and glorious Google Reader: I saw that it is sputtering to a kaput on July 1 of this year. I am gearing up to go old style where reading blogs is concerned: a blog roll once again on the side bar, checking early every morning. Maybe it will bring back the old magic the blog world used to hold for everyone. What my question is, is what are you planning on doing to gear up for this change? Are there any programs that would take the place efficiently?

I'll end with a fun factoid.. on this day in history in 1819, Walt Whitman was born.. here are a few favorable quotes:

"I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don't believe I deserved my friends."

"Keep your face always towards the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you."

"Re-examine all that you have been told... dismiss that which insults your soul."

"I exist as I am, that is enough."

"Oh while I live, to be the ruler of life as a powerful conqueror, and nothing exterior to me will ever take command of me."

"I see great things in baseball. It's our game - the American game."

"Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes."

"Now I see the secret of making the best person: it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth."

Happy weekend!

captain mont reeder

Have your read or heard of the book How I Became A Pirate? It's a favorite here at our house, and nearly every night it is requested before bed. We change Jeremy Jacob to Mont Reeder and he gets a kick out of it, checking to be sure that in each picture, "That's me?" "Yep!" And every day he wants to dress like a pirate, stripes and all. If it's not a "Smee shirt" (striped) then it must be a shirt with dinosaurs or dynamite or something equally as boyish. But pirates have green teeth, when they have any teeth at all, so whenever Mont asks for something good, he asks if it will help his teeth stay white and strong. So funny what some kids take from certain stories or situations. I love this little land lubber to pirate pieces.

may showers

Mark took this picture out our front door of the maple tree sprouting it's leaves during a rain shower. It's been one of the last to let it's new leaves out, but it has made this whole process even sweeter. Just as these two:

practice makes perfect

perfect match

While Buckwheat is only 9 pounds, he still controls the speed of Emmy's walking for the most part when she's the one with his leash. Pretty funny watching these two zip around to satisfy Buckwheat's need to sniff and search. Emmy couldn't be happier than when she is outside with some sort of animal, be it Buckwheat, a bird she's chasing, a deer she wants to hug, a horse, a sheep or a chicken. She loves them all.

clay pigeons and water jugs

Friday morning I took the kids to our friends' house for a visit and a bit of play, and as we got to talking, we decided to do a spur of the moment date night. With a last minute yes from a babysitter, we raced off for some target practice with a couple friends. I hadn't shot a gun since Mark and I were first married and visiting the Reeder Ranch for Thanksgiving. It'd been almost 7 years! I wasn't that great, but I did hit my first clay pigeon using our friend's shotgun. I wish I had stopped with that one.. because I missed the next three. : )

Here are two pictures Jenny took of the fun:

sailing ships and sealing wax

 Our nephew Maxwell turned two on May 14th, and as I look at our children... pirate ships seem to be all the rage right now with them. ha ha - So a "pirate" ship was painted and sent off in the mail. It's the smallest I've ever done, only 4" x 5", and it took me quite a while.. so much little detail that required so much time! I'm laughing at it, because it was such a challenge! Water might be the hardest thing I've painted.. I kept repainting over it and layering, then getting frustrated with it and doing it again. I believe it was redone 3 times. There's a good amount of paint on this little canvas! Maybe he'll like it for a few more years before it moves to a box. Happy birthday, funny boy!

springing

The buds came out this week and we have been out to see every one of them. While we're still in coats and pants, it's nice to know the plant life is even acknowledging some sort of atmospheric change! ha ha