SO Pretty!!

We moved into our house almost 11 years ago.

When we moved in our house was beautiful!

There was nothing I felt needed to be fixed or redecorated.

The years and large family living has run our house down I am pretty sure in dog years.

This summer I thought it would be fun to do a little work whenever I make a little extra cash from my Etsy shops.

I started in the smallest, easiest area of our house.

The entryway.

I took out the rug this past winter to discover old linoleum tile.

The tile was pretty easy to get off but I was clueless as to how to tackle this black stuff.

I thought all winter and finally decided to just start scraping.

I read that if I wet it up with hot water it would scrape off easier.

It actually worked!!!

It only took me two days.

Now, we have beautiful wood floors!!

I pulled off the wallpaper and bought a new light fixture.

I thought a chandelier would look beautiful.

And it does!!

I painted the walls Toasted Almond

Even spray-painted the heat vent

I am absolutely beyond pleased with my efforts!!

If you want to come over and hang out in the prettiest entryway ever feel free to drop by.

Next I want to buy a new screen door and maybe move on to either painting the living room or maybe sand and repaint the kitchen cabinets.

Not sure, yet.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

Happy 4th of July!!!

Jeff took some of the kids down to Clear Lake's Lakefest this afternoon.

Lily had her face painted

Grant took me to watch fireworks in his Corvette. He had the t-top down. Very special he wanted to spend that time with me.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

Courtesy of Elena

All of our five baby kitties found homes last month.

I love baby kitties but I have to be honest, I do not miss them much.

I will keep my baby kitty memories alive via picture courtesy of Elena!

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

A Few Last Minute June Photo Tag-a-Longs

A few fun gems I bought at the Waseca County Library book sale last weekend.

A Josh/Joel wildflower bouquet

Lily's Adam and Eve painting

A dragonfly the boys caught for Grant's bug collection

My Mother's Day flowers are still beautiful!

Our clover garden has a little eye catching competition.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

Relay For Life of Waseca County

This past Saturday was the Waseca County Relay For Life

Jeff and a group of kids were at Bash on the Farm in Forest City, Iowa so Joel, Lily, Grace and I went to this year's Relay For Life on our own. I was not in the picture mood while we were there. I kick myself now, though.

I did take a couple afters of Lily.

Lily got her hair painted

and won her very own cake in a cake walk game.

Yum!!!

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

A Dream Comes True

With a lot of hard work, a lot of planning, and saving Grant bought his dream car.

Pretty cool!!

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

FCA Night at the Ballpark

This past Friday evening was FCA Night at the Ballpark.

The Waseca Braves played the Rochester Roadrunners at The Tink Larson Baseball Field across from our house.

In between inning there were fun activities for the kids.

Coach John giving Lily and Grace instructions.

This picture is from The Waseca County News

Cute Grace and Lily running hard to first base

Joel, Barry Dufault, and a Dufault cutie waiting at 2nd base. Sorry that I do not know who the boy is in the plaid shorts.

Odell helping at 3rd base

A few shots of the Rochester Roadrunners.

A far away view of the Waseca Braves

I see Josh, Jeff, and Ekie among others down at the snack area

The Princess

And the Prince

A random shot of our house as I was walking home from the game.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

A Little Bit Tuckered

I like this picture of Mrs. Tittlemouse

I am just tuckered out with things.

I wish...

I suppose wishing isn't of much use, now is it?

I have been having a very hard last few months.

Actually, it has been much longer.

I sometimes feel pretty alone in my struggles.

I know I am not the first nor will I be the last who will walk down this road.

It just feels like it.

Watching a child make poor decisions is heartbreaking.

Making the hard choices in response, as a parent...so very hard.

Knowing others do not understand.

Feeling the judgment.

Hearing the whispers, the questioning of our love and devotion to the child walking a road of self made consequences.

Others thinking they would do it different or better...

People who are supposed to be our friends, our leaders, our support system.

Well, it had been very hard.

My heart is broken.

It breaks for my child.

It breaks for the dreams and hopes of a heart once open to God's voice.

It breaks for those who sit in their seat of knowledge of unknowing that they mistake as knowledge and wisdom.

My heart breaks for me.

It breaks for the rest of our family.

It has been a sad time around our house lately.

A thought for you who do not understand why we did what we did:

I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.

~ Ezekiel 22: 30

Well, we are standing in the gap for our child. On the child's behalf until the day the child is able to stand once again with us. We will make the decisions that are hard and unpopular. We will face the judgment and the lack of understanding full on. I will cry, because I am not brave but I am determined. We are committed. Our child is deeply, deeply loved by us.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

A Few Odd Things

My bathroom soap dish.

Sausage and gravy on toast.

An afternoon trip to town stopping at Charlie's hardware for a new bathroom door knob and paint for a project, a stop at the Daily Grind and then the new flower shop by the bank.

A Barbie's new outfit.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

"You Can Trust Me, Honest!", the Mom is Heard Saying.

Elena will be 20 at the end of June!

It is pretty amazing how time flew by.

I am fortunate to have fourteen of my fifteen still at home.

I will have three more children (Joyce, Josiah, and Alan) turning 18 this coming year!

Yikes!!

That will add up to five children eighteen and over!

I know the older ones will need to jump out of the nest at some point to fly off each on their own life adventure, but until then I will enjoy this time.

Thanks Elena for washing Anya and Lily's hair yesterday.

Anya and Elena

The big sister.

Lily and Elena

Nolan...doing his umbrella dance. Nolan is his own person. He wears his heart on his sleeve. That is part of what makes him so charming. He leaps before he looks. That is part of what makes this mom stay up late at night worrying. I still think he should grow up to be a cowboy. He does not think so, anymore. That is something little kids say they want to grow up to be, he told me not long ago. I love him. I am very glad I have him for at least 4 more years.

P.S.

Kids.

Sorry, but I told a little fib.

I did not delete these photos from my camera.

Nor did I crop you out of these photos before I put them on my blog.

You will thank me in about ten years.

Good memories.

Trust me.

Really.

Honest.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy