Livin' the...

High Life.

Well, it's been a long 3 weeks folks, I won't mess with you...it's been R.O.U.G.H!! I have worked my self silly trying to keep up with all that needs to be done!

L was gone one whole week to camp. Thank You Jesus...that was one less person to fix food for, clean up after and get after...I packed her up, shipped her off and sent her a sweet email mid week to let her know that, yes, I was still aware that she was my daughter...and I loved her, kinda missed her and was looking forward to hearing all about her week at camp.

Then we had our "vacation" week...yeah, right! I turned 43, had a 10th anniversary party, took the girls to Bible School each evening for 2 1/2 hours (well, traded some nights with my mom so the Man of the Frumpy House could have his surgery and stuff like that).

Now this week Li is gone from 8 am to 6 pm for day camp...did I mention that it's a good 40 minute drive each way! Yeah, I know, I'm glutton for punishment. The digger is, I was planning on TMotFH and myself doing all the shuttling. But, since he is planted firmly on his keister with elevated foot, my mother has been doing all the running (whew, thanks mom!) since I'm working!

So, as you can see (read) life doesn't always get lived the way you want to live it...ask my bestie and her hubby in WI, who were anticipating sharing a few drinks on the patio with us last week when we were vacationing!

But, I'm a bit of a realist, I realize that life will go on even when there is sadness and disappointment. We will not die because we are bored or upset about circumstances (I'm speaking directly to you Greg). We don't know what life is going to bring us, but we can be assured that we will have trials, tribulations, joy, celebrations, sadness and happiness...how we choose to live in these situations is what our life is made of!

Count the blessings, instead of listing in the humdrum....

This is work...seriously. Taking Mr. P to the pool for exercise is good for him, and good for the view!

These little beauties are going to be lovely berries, juicy, ripe and in our own back yard!

Enjoying the little things in life, taking a breather to watch the littles blow some bubbles!

It's good for the momma's soul when you see, albeit short, love between sisters.

So we didn't get to go "out" for our anniversary. No vacation trip, not even a restaurant. This wife worked her magic with the food. Marinated tuna steaks, broiled shrimp and fried rice with veggies.

Watching the girlies enjoy a little carnival ride after the small town parade in our, well...small town!

Who, among us, can really live in complaining and the down-in-the-mouth pessimism when you see skies like this...had to pull over to take this beautiful picture!

The bad stuff comes and goes...we continue to press on in the Frumpy House.  We are learning more about each other and ourselves every day. The one who is the most active and on the go, is now forced to be still and learn patience. The homebody who loves nothing better than to piddle around the house (does anyone else use the word piddle as in "do little things of this and that"? or are you all thinking I have a bladder problem now?) making food, rearranging furniture or art, gardening, watching the chickens, is now having to work 45-50 hours a week to keep the bills paid and the household afloat financially!

IT'S AN ALL NEW JOURNEY...AND FRUSTRATINGLY ENOUGH IT'S GOING TO LAST THE WHOLE SUMMER LOOOONG!!! (The prognosis for G's Achilles Tendon is 12 weeks recovery and then starting physical therapy. Since the job has some physical work with exercising and stretching Mr. P, it looks like this momma will be working all summer!)