Teachers, Pumpkins, and a Dog

Thanks to this wonderful kindergarten teacher, my youngest son developed a love of gardening. Last year he grew 2 pumpkins from plants that he started in his kindergarten classroom. This year he grew 6 big pumpkins at our old house. (and at least 50 tomatoes) He watered his garden several times a day without me having to remind him. He was very proud of it. I should have taken a picture.

Sadly to write, this is the lone survivor. This was the 7th pumpkin that was rescued before he got to full size.

Thanks to this amazing first grade teacher,

this adorable black pup came into our lives....

He thought it was very nice of my son to grow those delicious smelling treats in the backyard.

This remaining little pumpkin didn't get out without scars

I think my son learned some valuable lessons through this. Sometimes we can work so hard at something for so long and it seems to be going great. Then in one day our hard work can be destroyed. It helps if we 1)remember to do everything we do for God and not for man 2)find lessons in all our trials and 3) let our trials shape us into someone more dependent on God. Nobody except our family ever got to see his big orange pumpkins. His mom never thought to take pictures. But I think that he found comfort knowing that God saw his hard work and was pleased. He also learned that next time he needs to plant his pumpkins somewhere that Walker cannot get to.

Why I have so few posts

I have been amazed at how so many people can post something everyday and it has taken me 6 months to post 3 times! As I wrote earlier, I am striving to be like the woman in Proverbs and so putting God, family, and housework before blogging leaves little extra time. However, don't think for a minute that I am that righteous! I do manage to have my quiet time every morning while I have my coffee. After I make my husband and oldest son their breakfast and send them out the door I have from 7:25-8:00 to spend time in prayer and read a chapter or two from the Bible....but I must confess that the rest of my morning tends to be less like the woman from Proverbs.




I spend ridiculous amounts of time on unimportant (but ever-so-important at the time) decorating decisions...like should I have this fake tree in the corner near the window

or should I have a different tree along the wall

on this side of the room?

or just keep both in the room?

And I spend a lot of time THINKING about what

I need to be doing...cleaning the pool cover off and

raking around the pool...Yikes! I told my

husband if we had a pool I would take complete

care of it.Doesn't it make you want to swim?

















atleast someone thinks the pool looks inviting

PS here is a before shot of the dining room. I have managed to do a few things. Hopefully you think it looks better now. I am sure the blue striped wallpaper and burgundy shades were very stylish in the early 90's (I wish I had a picture of the blue floral swag)