Fun Pops

I feel a little guilty about admitting that I bought these. It goes against my principal of "healthy snacks" and besides I can make freezer pops myself with a kool-aid mix.

That said, these were on sale and I welcome the convenience. I have a full day of ki consultation/write-ups and not much time for making, mixing, cleaning and cooking. The boys are tackling the garden as our weeds are really taking off, so this small indulgence is their pay-off.

I had no intention of having one myself, but dang it! No one likes the coconutty-pina colada flavor. *sigh* Who am I to let a fun pop go to waste?

What's your favorite flavor....if you are into Fun Pops?

Festive 4th Decor: The Easy, No Measurement Way

Do you decorate for the holidays? I grew up with a Mom and a Grandma that decorated each month. I loved and looked forward to our festive homes, with fall/Halloween and Christmas being my favorites.

Since the house reno a couple of years ago, I’ve significantly downsized the amount of decorations I have.I kept just what reflected my style and only what I really love (I practice what I teach in those Feng Shui classes!) I also do not buy new decorations. I use what I have over and over and over. The only thing that I have been adding is ribbon. I put ribbons everywhere. I love ribbons. They are bright, festive, colorful, fun and REUSABLE. They also pack really well.

My sis-in-law made a Hobby Lobby run recently to stock up on baby shower décor and supplies. I found four roles of ribbon at 40% off. Adding the ribbon with an old piece of gauzy red, white and blue covering, I whipped up a table cover. Yes, it was an incredible feat, considering it was oblong on a round table. I solved the problem by cutting off four pieces of ribbon and tying the corners together. (I DO amaze myself sometimes, please don’t check the “even-ness” of it though!)

I took an old candle holder, threw in the blue star ribbon on bottom, added a red candle on top and plopped this on the table for the center piece. Next I took the same blue star ribbon and tied a few “Robyn Style Bows” to each of the light fixtures. “What’s Robyn Style you ask?” Simple: I just cut off a piece, tie it in a knot and “floof” it up. I DO NOT MEASURE ANYTHING, EVER! Just ask my husband, he hides the drill and promises he will oblige if there is anything I want to hang on the walls. He is all about precision and accuracy. I’m an excellent (well, not really excellent), I’m a great eye-baller (well, not really great either) I just take a guess, when it comes to placement, and call it good.

The whole look costs a little over five bucks, since the ribbon was on sale. I used everything else I had on hand, in new ways. I’ve never set the candle holder on that table and I hadn’t put the cloth there either. Come to think of it, I’ve never used those two items together before! Instead of shopping, I looked around my home to scan for what I have that I can use different ways. I haven’t found a new purpose for the children or dogs yet (sorry, bad joke, it must be from the drone of scooters and toy pistols constantly going off in the other room!)

My decorating took an entire 15 minutes. I’ll have it down to five next year, since the ribbons are already cut! Then again, next year, I may have a different idea altogether. I like to change things up and change them out often, so who knows what my dining room may look like then?

If you have spare ribbon on hand and don’t know what to do with it, send it my way. I have endless uses for ribbon. (Where this comes from, I do not know? Another mystery!) And, if someone could come to my house and show me how to tie those fancy bows, that would just make my day! I still can’t figure that out even after watching endless You Tube “how to” videos. I believe it is because I use both sides of my brain and I can’t tell which hand is which most of the time. Oh, please help!

If you are not the decorating type, no worries, there’s just as much enjoyment and pleasure outdoors, sitting by a flowing river, soaking up the sun, and taking in the amazing greenery of Mother Nature’s summer dress. This is my favorite time of year; HOT summer days, dreamy, steamy, moon-lit nights and fireflies. I am celebrating that this suck-tastic month is about to end. I think I might be coming back to life………….

Here’s wishing you a fabulous and FUN, Fourth-of-July Week!

And doesn't Cap'N Jack complete the look? He may just live in my dining room all summer. I am quite fond of him!

Little Peanut Johnston

Here is a picture of my little niece. We are all very excited to meet here. She's due to arrive in July. We had her baby shower over the weekend. I can't wait to post new baby pics!

Especially with Cap'n Jack!

Oops! I wasn't quite done....

I was about to say that in spite of the disasterous appearance of my home, it feels great to be here. The seat of my car was getting old. If you're following my blog, then you know what kind of a tizzy I have when my house is such a mess. There is a cowboy hat, an airplane cargo ship various books, a cooler, a sewing basket, a laundry basket, and several other items that shouldn't be in this room.

Jack is included in the mix. He hasn't made it downstairs yet. My dear friend Shari "gifted" him to Parker. She knows he's a huge pirate/Jack Sparrow fan (as is his Mama!) There's just something about rugged men.....ahem...excuse me, where was I?

So even though I can't see the counters in the kitchen and every room in this house is a disorganized mess, I am enjoying the comfort of my surroundings and.....the view. It's pretty HOT right now!

There's No Place Like Home

I'm writing this post from the comfort of my couch. My a*# hasn't sat down in a good long while; my goal today was to change that. Quite frankly, its an effort to move. Getting supper tonight has taken a tremendous amount of energy.

I have no idea how many miles my feet and tires have logged this month; I'm guessing quite a few. Hopefully, my tearing around is done for a while!?

Rising In The Mist

I am actually on a computer and writing this post from home today *gasp*  I feel like I've been on a long trip though I have managed to sleep in my bed every night. Each day has brought up something different to do and experince. Though I like the variety I have to say, it would be nice to have some down time. I have a sense this will happen after the 4th of July but I can't be sure. I just looked at the ki alignments for June and WHAM, looks like it will be another month of living in the "action vortex"!

I am posting a picture that a friend of mine took during the Journey Practitioner Training in Tahoe. I am not a morning person but I did get out of bed quite early to catch this sunrise. I must have sent some kind of intention about waking up and enjoying mornings because that is what I have been doing now, since April! I am up at the crack of dawn doing chores and taking care of animals, children, garden and home........almost in that order too! The kids usually don't wake up until after the pens have been cleaned and the animals fed. I then go in and feed my other "house animals" and we begin our day!

There's been a lot of inner questions and wrestling with my identify of late. I feel called to make changes and have some ideas about what those changes entail but I'm not in a place of action right now, I'm taking it all in. I had planned on building my farm venture and staying very close to home; raising chickens, milking goats, making cheese and working in the garden. I'd have time for all of these if I STAYED HOME! As of April, that was my plan! Apparently the stars had a different theme in mind for my energies. I am doing all those things yet I don't feel as passionate and inspired as I once had. The death of my chickens really took the wind out of my sails, much more than I expected.

 I work well when I have a goal in mind. Right now, I am searching. The chicken ordeal has widened my perspective and I am questioning my motives and direction. The boys are playing ball games and going to Junior Rodeos. Chad is on the rodeo trial, being gone every weekend. I have to think that it might be easier if I only had the garden, house and kids to focus on. Is this defeat? At times, it does feel like it. I think I've strung myself out too far. I had no idea just how busy this month was going to be and now that I'm in it. I am wondering where I am headed now? For the near future it will be a matter of putting one foot in front of the other and just keep on keeping on. I don't regreat having this experience. One never knows the full gamut of all that is involved until you are right in the midst of it. I feel like I've come too far to turn around and go back but I am also feeing a little lost right now. This is a strange feeling for someone who is usually pretty sure of her direction! One thing about farm/ranch life is that it will offer a vareity of emotions. Like the weather you can be on top of the world one day and at the bottom of the barrel the next!

I can say that I am not feeling like a victim nor am I asking for sympathy of any kind, only that the recent events are offering me a chance to really choose what I want for my future and right now, I just don't know. I could easily downsize and concentrate on my writing, which always seems to be supportive. I can see myself hiking and camping in the mountains, "living out of a pink RV with starts on the ceiling", roaming across the country taking pictures and writing articles, or even collecting cool antiques and opening my own shop.  Oh the possibilites are endless. I just need some time to feel out what is right and what most inspires me. Maybe this is all about me getting used to being here, as most summers before this I've been on the road? Maybe this is natural? I don't know (I say that a lot lately!) You're input and clarification is welcome. Its sometimes easier to see things from an outside perspective and since I'm in the midst of this vortex, I'll be happy to see through your eyes for a bit!

I have a vision of clarity that is coming soon. I can feel it deep within my body and being. It feels far away but I know that it is not. It will arise, as the mist of an early morning does, when I give myself time and space to just be. I miss sitting beside a body of water and letting my thoughts drift, the shower just doesn't cut it anymore! I still dream of lazy days and moments of calm, peace and quiet. That's what I most want. That is not what today looks like. I have a five year old asking me to baby sit for her pet wolf, an 8 year old that is looking for a shovel, (pray for him, he usually can't find his underwear in the morning) and an 11 year old that is bossing everyone around telling us all the work that has to be done before Dad gets home from work (I am included in the "everyone"---he thinks he's older than I am sometimes.) I will continue to post throughout the week. I am finding the blog is a deeply therapuetic way to help bring my energies to center. If you are brave enough to read and keep up with such random thoughts, I thank you!!!!

This week's agenda; Wednesday, hair appointment with my favorite, dynamic Hair Goddess (she works incredible magic folks! Barb is the BEST!) I will take care of errands and food list for my sis-in-law's peanut shower Saturday. Thursday, up before the sun with chores, travel to Hastings to watch my rock star cousin compete in his final High School Rodeo Finals! Go Austin Go! (so very proud of this boy, he's an awesome roper!) Friday, work on peanut shower album and gifts and perhaps do a little organization. Saturday, up before the sun again and head north to Peanut's Shower and Sunday ??? hopefully a long nap!

Here's wishing you peace and direction wherever your jounrey takes you today!
Robyn

We're Spent

Its been a long weekend. We took in the Nebraska Land Days parade yesterday and today was Pake's Junior Rodeo.

I was up at five to do chores, pack the cooler, dress children, cut and wash fruit, make a dessert and clean up the kitchen. I like coming home to a clean space. Since there's been so much in and out this month, I've tried to be diligent about keeping things picked up and put away. My goal is to be able to clearly see counter tops and floors. Quite the challenge during these past few weeks.

I'm afraid I'm so tired I don't know which way is up. I feel like I'm going through the motions and powering forward when all I really want to do is flop down in a chair (which is exactly what I am doing right now!) I have an exhausted "wolf" on my lap. She and her cousins played hard, howling in the back of the suburban!

Pake had a good day; 5th in goat tying and flag race and 9th in pole bending. He's pooped too.

The house is cool and quiet. My focus is shot so it's probably not the best idea to blabber aimlessly through this blog. We have one more busy(fun) day which involves a road trip for baby shower supplies and then home for an entire day. I hardly know what project to focus on first!

Here's wishing you a relaxing evening and a fabulous week!