"What do you want for Christmas, Momma?"

Tate asked the other night.  My answer was what it always is "to have every wish for you and Lyla to come true this Christmas." And his smart lil reply was "Well I guess I'll just wish for Santa to bring what you really want for Christmas & then you'll get it for sure, if your wish is for mine to come true."  Smart lil cookie he is ;)  This little convo with my fella brought me to think about my wishes over the years.  The past few years I have always requested certain things that I too wanted for Christmas, though this year my wishes have truly changed.  There isn't one thing that I truly need.  I have all I need right here at home... we have our health, each other and lots of sweet lovin'.  As I addressed my Christmas cards with my hubby and kids by my side, I realized that my prayers have already been answered.  For the past few years I've been longing for my family... time to just be a family, time to sit and cuddle, have dinner together or play outside without worry of what needs to be done for work.  As I sat with my family, (though we were fussing and cooped up from the snow) I realized that this is what I've longed for & what I've gotten this year as my gift.

I have been blessed this year to have help with my business, to have someone I can trust and lean on when I need.  There is no greater gift to me, than the gift of my family.  So this year I will be thankful and notice the blessing around me, for it is these small moment in life that pass us by so quickly.

Sometimes Christmas is just overwhelming, it seems,
As we rush around buying up stuff.
We spend without end, and we rack up those bills,
But it feels like it's never enough.

So this Christmas, let's all take a different approach:
Let's try to be more in accord
With God's Christmas gift, the best one of all--
Our sweet Jesus, our Savior, our Lord.

We'll be gentle and patient, and loving and kind,
And we'll keep our priorities straight;
The gifts of the Spirit, the gifts of the heart
Are the ones that we'll all celebrate.

And our stress will decrease, and we'll feel more at peace,
As we decorate, package, and trim;
Our new Christmas will be a pure joy and delight,
As we try to be much more like Him.

By Joanna Fuchs

You make me feel safe just by being here...

it doesn't take anything more than just your presence, my sweet Rob.

I have grown dependent on having my spouse, and just recently became aware of it.  I always knew that I loved the comfort of having him here, but didn't know how much I NEEDED it!  Well, it dawned on me as I went to crawl in my empty bed last night.  And beside the ruffle of my pillow I noticed my new pocket knife tucked so sweetly by a big pile of books.  Pulling out my phone I snapped a picture of the moment that spoke so loudly to me.  

This image tells me that without my husband it takes forever to fall asleep, as I must read myself to sleep.  It tells me that without him here, I sleep with the lamp on beside my bed.  It tells me that my safety blanket is gone when he is away, as I feel the need to sleep with my pocket knife & phone beside my head.  This image tells me that without my husband, my house is not a Home... I no longer have a comfy bed to crawl into, I no longer feel safe, I do not feel like me.  

So, as I count down the days until his return & I cuss at the thought of hunting trips,  just remember that the things we have among us daily are the things we miss the most when they are gone.  Hurry Home, my Rob.. I sure do miss & l♥ve ya :) 

Oh my, what a day....

it is hard to believe that one little day I can do so much!  (especially running on as little as 3.5 hours of sleep)

It's almost 5pm now & I've been up and at em' since 6am (with a bedtime last night of 2:30am..due to work).   We started our day off by taking Tater bug to school.  And on our way back Lyla says to me "Mom that cloud is a boot."  I agreed and believe it or not, it was in a perfect shape of a boot, then she continues her sentence with "Nah, it really is a Snail carrying a boot."  Hee, hee.. she is such a mess & even at 7:45am.

Once Ly and I returned home I started in on some much needed laundry, when all of the sudden I remember the Homing Pigeon we were keeping safe.. he had to be set loose at 7:30 ~ oops!  So, we freed the pigeon, who story I will tell at the end of this post.  Well we only thought we freed him.. he kept coming back!  Finally I went inside & forgot about it all, thinking he'd leave.  Then my sweet Gal, Casey came by to pick up some clothing, etc.  I told her of my game plan to tackle the laundry room today & then get a nap with Lyla.  (yeah right.. that was a joke)  Instead we were drawn outside by our neighbor, John who was bringing me a really pretty vine to wonder up the bunny fencing.  So, that meant I needed to plant it.. so forgetting the laundry, I started digging.  That chore brought on the chore of letting the chickens roam.. and now days that is not an easy task.  I have to guard them from sooo many predators, so I can't leave them for a minute!  While watching them, I thought well let's multitask & get the bunny fence complete.. Getting my wire cutters & wire I got busy!  Lyla brought all three bunnies into the run & they played their little hearts out.  After maybe 10 minutes of playing the bunnies created another job for me.. they were able to slip through the fencing.. so, I set to fix it!  Meanwhile, the chickens are in the garden pecking around.. and what do I see ~ the darn Homing Pigeon.. he's back & perched on the porch!  So, I pretend he isn't there & continue with my work.  A few minute later I hear the chickens going crazy and I start running to see what the cackle is about ~ only to find a huge hawk circling the sky waiting for the perfect moment.  So without thinking I grab the water hose (which is always my weapon against animals) and go to spraying & screaming toward the sky!  Well I'm gonna blame it on lack of sleep, but what goes up must come down.. and I'm now soaking wet!  I do have to say that I would pay to be my neighbor.. I'd prop a nice comfy chair at the edge of the property line & just wait.. knowing there'd soon be a show ;)
So, by the time I get the hawk away, the chickens back to the coop, the bunnies back to their hutch, myself changed, Lyla cleaned from the dirt mound she seemed to roll in, and the homing pigeon safely back to his cage it is time to hit the road to get Tate again!  So, what did I get done during this oh so productive day... not a thing!   I just love how I can spend all day going in circles trying to get one thing done & end up doing a million things and nothing at all ;)  

Homing Pigeon:  She's our gal, named Sal.  ;)   The story of Sal is kinda crazy.  As Rob was cooking on the grill he noticed a sweet little pigeon walking into the screened porch.... noticing her tagged foot he caught her so she could be returned home.  The owners told us to give her food & water for several days & release her at 7:30 am and she would make the 500 mile flight back home.   Sal had other plans, she chose us.. we released her & she just wouldn't leave.  The known fact about pigeons is that it can take several years to re-home them.. and sometimes you never can!  So, with that known we opened our home to Sal, she likes it here so why make her leave.  We enjoy watching her fly around the yard during the day & at night she fly back to her lil home.  Pictured is our gal, Sal.

Welcome to first grade Mr. Tate!

My boy is a 1st Grader. Wow, seems a bit crazy.. but it is here.  Tate is no longer a kindergardener, no longer a preschooler, or a head starter ;) He is officially a BIG boy!  There was not a kiss for Mommy as he left me on the first day, there was not a tear shed (from his eyes), not so much as a hesitation.  What does this tell me??  It is a sign that my son is growing up.  I could sit and mope about it, and think of how much I want him to smell like a sweet lil baby again, or how I wish he'd lay in my arms as I rock him to sleep.. but I won't do it!  I said years ago, when I made up my mind to have my tubes tied... I said I would live in the here & now.  I would also love the stage of life that we are in, and always be proud of my past times with my children.  So, I'm putting my big girl panties on & sucking it up!  ;)

So, now that Tate is getting to be a true blue boy, he had to go and break his arm.. just to prove that he could I guess?!?!  And leave it up to my stunt master to do it the day before school starts!

So, that is how we spent our very last day of summer break ~ at the Doctor.

All I can say is that I'm paying for my raising!  We'll hope he doesn't fill my shoes ~ I broke one arm in Kindergarden, both wrist in 3rd grade & cut my pinky off in 6th grade.  (and those are just the stunts that required mom taking me to the hospital;)

Here is my cute lil Tate with his super sweet 1st Grade Teacher, Ms. Karrie Sanford.   How is it that we just keep getting blessed with such wonderful teachers?  I thank God for wonderful women & men who truly enjoy their jobs & understand how much these lil people mean to us mommas!  I couldn't be happier with how things are starting off this year.  SO BLESSED.

Below is Tater bug walking out from his very first day, head still held high.. just the way I left him that morning.  Had I not been yacking with the other teachers I could've got him giving high fives to Mr. Brian... but I missed it ;)  

So here's to the school year of 2010-2011... let it be a fun year for my boy, and let him remember as he goes through this year that he may outgrow my lap, but never my heart.  

what's been happening with The Engle Family?

We've been spending most of our time here at home.  We've swam every swimming hole we know of... so here we are at the last week before school is in session and spending these moments at the best place I know, HOME.Lyla & Tate have really enjoyed the chickens this summer.. first thing Lyla says as she crawls in my bed at 7am "It's a bight sunshiny day, get up Mom" Then the next sentence is always "you better get up and get me a drink, and the chickens a drink too!"  So, I scramble out of bed and make the princess her drink & then fill a large pitcher with ice & water for the chickens.. Lyla starts everyday the same way ~ with her feet running & without stop!  After the chicken care, we are off to feed and water the bunnies.. then off to feed ourselves ;) and all of this happens before I'm even able to brush my teeth!!!  Our oldest hen Mary Jane is our Easter Egg layer.. she lays the prettiest blue eggs.  We are currently letting her sit on her eggs in hope for hatchlings for Nana.  Wish us luck, as I'm new to it all and have yet to hatch lil chickies ~ hope it all goes well & we get several hens.. I'd cry if we end up with all Roosters! ;)

 

Our Summer of 2010:  All summer long we have hopped from creek bed to creek bed.  We've explored all the old places I swam at as kid.  My goal this summer was to take my kiddos back a few steps & spend our days doing what I did as a kid.  We have mixed countless gallons of Kool-aid and hit the creek full blast!  My kids have learned so much about being outside, and loving the simple things life has to offer.

  This summer my children have wrapped their small fingers around hundreds of lighting bugs, placed em' in my special screened mason jar & watched them lighting the glass with their magical glow.  My children have ran bare foot through the yard in just their underwear. They've road in the truck with the windows down, hair blowing, radio going.  They've learned how to can crops that we grew with our own two hands.  They've watched their Dad pack his bags, as he worked out of town to provide for our family.  They've eaten at least 20 boxes of popsicles.  They have been to the endless ocean.  They've said goodbye to two of their Great Grandparents.  They've collected 38 eggs from the hen box.  They've taken their bunnies to Walmart, the dollar store, the creek, the pond, the Apple House restaurant, the petting zoo, the thrift store, Target, and the park.  They've watched the night sky while laying in the grass beside Mommy and Lucky.  They've rode roller coasters.  They've worn winter clothes during summer, on days they were aloud to dress themselves.  They've made a million wishes on dandelion peddles.  They've played red light green light on a daily basis.  They've laid under the clothes line in the grass with their bunny.  They've skipped baths.  They've cried and laughed all at the same time.  They've collected money from the tooth fairy.  They've rode horses until they can't walk.  They've rode bikes up and down the gravel drive a million times. They've been hen pecked. They've picked hundreds of grape tomatoes.  They've smiled so much their faces hurt.  They've gotten butterflies in excitement for the upcoming events. They've waded through brush all for the blackberry pickin'.  They've aided in making 4 pound cakes to hand out as gifts.  They've watched almost every episode of Scooby Doo.  They've played in the sprinkler. They've been covered in dirt while carrying weeds to the compost bin.. so much that you could only see the whites of their eyes.  They've shucked corn.  They've fished.  They've went to hunting auctions with Daddy.  They've visited 2 flea markets.  They've went school shopping.  They've kissed Nana & hugged her neck.  They've made new neighborhood friends for life.They've roasted hotdogs.  They've watched fireworks light the sky.  They've felt the rain drops on their faces.  They've Skipped, Jumped, & Danced.  

They've accomplished countless amounts of fun!  I can list them all as the memories stick out like frozen moments.  Moments I've made sure to hit the pause button on, so that I could recall them as many times as I wanted.  I remember all the little things this summer held.  Like the smell of kid sweat.. it's the smell of outdoors sticking to their bodies after playing with the puppy & rolling in the grass.  I remember all the tugs on my apron from Lyla as I canned our vegies.  I remember sitting with Tate for hours and stringing beans and peeling peaches ~ such sweet talks came from doing so!  This summer was one of the best yet!  It was a hot one, but a good one!

 The summer of 2010 will forever hold
a sweet spot in my heart.  I hope the kids enjoyed our first summer on Sunlight as much as I did.  And a big THANKS to Daddy for allowing us to be at home enjoying life.  You've worked so hard this summer & spent so many nights away from home just so that all these memories were possible.  Your children will forever know the sacrifices you have made, as I will continually remind them of the reason you are away.

 

If you step back and look, you may notice that time doesn't stop..

That's what happened to me.  As I was having a creative block while editing, I decided to hop around online.. well I ended up here.  I instantly had tears streaming from my face.  If you think I'm crazy, just take a peek at the post below this... my lil Lyla has grown so much in the past 2 years!  And where has the time went??  While I have timeless photographs to look through, I do not have the detailed blog of our sweet lil days between then & now.  So, with that said... I'm gonna bring the old blog back to life.

I will journal for myself & my family of our everyday life and journeys!  It may at times seem boring to you readers but to me this is what makes me tick, what makes me, me.  So, read along if you wish ~ but I have to explain in the beginning, this blog is simply a selfish blog so that I can remember the memories we've made here at home.. our sweet home on Sunlight Road.