Productivity...

You know I've been productive when the craft room looks like this:

I can't say what all I've been working on just yet; it will be a few more weeks before I'm able to share.  Just know that I've been having tons of fun playing with my Grandma's sewing machine.  It can do all sorts of things my other ones can't.  Plus, I feel extra crafty having 2 sewing machines out at the same time! 
Other than working on secret projects, I've also done less exciting things like replacing elastic in shorts and turning jeans into capris.  Nothing photo worthy there, but it's nice to have some of those maintenance projects done too.  I've got a list of 16 projects that I'm slowly checking off.  It feels great!  Have a wonderful, productive weekend!

7 Years Ago...

... this adorable little chocolate morsel was born.  *sigh*  Of course we didn't meet him until a few weeks later, and the rest is history.  He has been one wonderful pup.
Prepare yourself for some serious cuteness!

When was he ever this small?

Titus learned what the kitchen was very early on.

Still Titus' favorite part of the day

His dog house seemed so huge when we first got it.

I don't know why other buyers didn't want this droopy-eyed pup.

We learned pretty early that the camera flash + Titus' eyes = crazy yellow-eyed dog.

Total sweetness!

After his very first swim ~10 weeks old.

"Just hanging out with some toys"

And my absolute favorite Titus pic of ALL TIME...

Homicide puppy- anybody have any chalk?

Happy 7th birthday to Titus, Mr. T, T-pot, Stinkpot, Mr. Merryweather (Titus' middle name), Trail Blazer, Little One, Bub, Poochy Pooch, T, Bud, Pig, Horse, Cow, Silly Willy, Arthritis Titus, Old Man, Sweet T, and officially (according to AKC) Brokaw's Titus.  It's been a fun 7 years!

6 days in NM

I just got back last night from 6 wonderful days in NM.  Josh was on a research trip and missed out on all the fun.  The main reason for the trip was a friend's wedding, but we also celebrated a belated Mother's Day.  Here's a breakdown of my trip:
Thursday- drove to NM, dinner with Mom, evening at home
Friday- Picked up my brother at the airport- a total surprise to Mom!!  We had been planning this for a few weeks and were so excited to pull it off.  We ran a couple of errands, relaxed most of the day, then had dinner and a family walk.
Saturday- breakfast out with a few girlfriends, back home to relax, then a super fun western wedding
Sunday- church, lunch at Dion's, trip to cemetery, more relaxing
Monday- brother back to airport then I spent the whole day with my dear friend Becca and her daughter Bailey.  I attended my first Gymboree class and enjoyed sweet songs from a 2-year-old as we drove around town.  We also met our friend, Kendra, at Dion's for lunch.  (Yes, I ate there 2 days in a row- it's that good!)
Tuesday- a little shopping with Mom then I blew home in a cloud of brown dust

A bunch of pics from the trip:

Lynette and Beau's wedding

Such a sweet couple

Family shot- love all the denim and cowboy hats!

Bailey being silly during the awesome brisket dinner

Super cute cake topped with a tractor.  Notice the groom's cake is a dart board- fun!

A few members of our church youth group from the '90s.  It was like a family reunion!

Father/daughter dance- hard to watch, but so sweet

First dance as husband and wife

Zach (bride's nephew) charming the ladies

Papa Tom and Bailey dancing

Me with Mom and Adam.  Being with these two makes me smile very big!

Lifetime friends- ignore the guy in the background :)

Me with Becca and Adam

Me and Becca with the bride

Doing a little dance we made up decades ago!

Party crashers!

Who invited this guy?

Bailey at Gymboree

Exploring

The theme for the day was "cowboys and cowgirls," so here they are on a chuck wagon ride.

Bailey riding the "bull"- Yeehaw!

I had a really great trip- what a great way to kick off summer!

Snake Year

The year that we moved to TX (2009) was a snake year.  We saw several snakes around our property including one baby rattle snake, a ringneck snake, a huge bullsnake, and the snake in our bathroom.  Last year was much different.  I saw one in the garage and Josh found a couple when he was digging around with his tractor.  We never saw any on the road or trail around our house, and we walk the property nearly everyday.   
I think this year is going to be a big snake year again.  I've already seen 3, nearly stepping on 2 of them.  Last night I came within 1-2 feet of this one while walking around the yard.  

Fortunately, the snakes around here don't seem very aggressive (unless you have them cornered in a bathroom).  Usually they lie perfectly still or slither away very quickly.  Still, last night reminded me again to be more aware of the ground as I'm walking.  The hard part is finding a balance between being alert and jumping every time I see a stick lying on the ground :)

2011 Garden, Part 3

Just thought I'd share a little garden progress with you this morning.  We have most of our plants in the ground, but they aren't very impressive yet.  We are attempting to grow various peppers, tomatoes, okra, squash, cucumbers, watermelon, cantaloupe, corn, and green beans.  In other parts of the yard we have blueberries, blackberries, apples trees, peach trees, and persimmons.  We were very excited to see that all of the trees we planted last fall survived the winter!

Tomato

Bell pepper

Row of peppers and some okra

Rows of corn and beans

Our blueberry bushes

Lab Quote Friday #13- Three important lessons

I don't think these really count as lab quotes, but these are the things that have made me laugh lately:

#1.  A lesson on the correct use of your common test tube holder
This is how a test tube holder SHOULD be attached to the ring stand

A view from above

This is how NOT to use this equipment

Maybe this view will illustrate the problem more clearly

Do you see it now?  I don't think I need to explain what happens when you tighten a screw into a glass test tube, but here you go
 

#2.  A lesson on improving your grade- ALWAYS take free points when your professor offers them!

Josh was short on quiz material one day, so he included these 2 questions:
9.  Free question
     a) correct
     b) incorrect
     c) incorrect
     d) incorrect

10.  Free question
     a) correct
     b) incorrect
     c) incorrect
     d) incorrect

TWO students choose "incorrect" on both questions!  One student chose "b" both times, and the other chose "d" both times.  Lucky for them, Josh was feeling generous and gave them the points anyway.  Me?  I would have counted them wrong!

#3.  A lesson in paying attention in class
Josh had a student tell him last week, "I think I've taken this class before."
Keep in mind, we are about 3 weeks from the end of the semester.

2011 Garden, Part 2

Well, we're definitely making progress with the garden set up.  Here's what we accomplished this weekend.

We brought home the last of the mulch and Josh plowed it all with his new toy.

We repositioned the old garden entrance and put up our electric netting.  We just lack a gate now.

A close-up of our electric netting.  This should keep out most of the critters we're concerned about.

Titus enjoying his last opportunity to lay in the garden before he gets kicked out.

I dug the trenches and Josh laid out 5 rows of soaker hoses (some rows got double hoses).

We still need to run the electricity to the fence and build a gate.  Oh yeah- I guess we need to plant something too!  Stay tuned...