jUst aNoTheR maNic moNdAy - dAy sEvEn

i usually hate mondays. today was no exception to that but it wasn't as bad as some have been. i am not the biggest fan of my own job. i will be back in school in no time and will leave this wretched corporate america...for yet another i'm sure.

after work i weeded the garden. i'm convinced now that I should have left the weeds because now the flowers don't look as luscious. at least they looked full with the weeds. i would have taken a before and after but the battery in my camera died and i need to get the charger from mom. tomorrow. at least i got a couple before it died. cooked dinner and cleaned up. drank a few beers and put off writing thank you's for yet another night....yes i know...the wedding was in may...i am a master procrastinator...

bird practicing...not happy that I took his pic, but he looked good doin' it so I couldn't resist...

Bird's baby. dogs sure can contort themselves in some seriously awkward positions.

sometimes i think her tongue is not connected. to a point where it concerns me some.

sUNdAy fUndAy - dAy sIx

i usually love sundays. not this sunday though. i woke up very hungover, stiff from the ground that i slept on, needing to pee, but longing for more sleep. sleep would have come had my bladder not won that battle. i got up and decided i'd might as well stay up. i wanted to be with family.

at least i had a nice view for my coffee.

Jay really likes my dad's John Deere. so i took his pic again. lol. i was happy to do it actually. I'm glad our friends came. we had a blast. Mom made breakfast and we all stuffed ourselves again. Jay, Donnie, Erin, Steve, Ben and Mary left and I proceeded to be even more hungover then i was when i woke up. i packed up the tent, and our gear only to find that i had lost the tent bag. typical. i found it later in another bag i forgot i had. packed the car and went back to sleep. Woke up later groggy and longing for my own bed. finished packing and loaded Kim and headed home since she wasn't feeling well. Bird got to stay an extra night and bring Kim's car home the next day. the drive home always makes me sad. and then i look back at pictures and smile...365 days 'til next tractor pull family reunion...

this is what happens when you let your sister apply your sunscreen...really she was fine...but sucking up all the attention just the same.

family game of mancala

anner nanner...

tRacToR pULL - dAy fIvE

woke up early...sung "nicola" so she would wake up and her and I went for a 2 mile run. it was great. weather was perfect for running. Came back, took a shower, and sat around visiting with family.

i'm kinda obsessed with strange littlle bugs and spider webs.

where i enjoyed my saturday morning coffee

Bird, Steve, Erin, Donnie, & Jay got up there around noon. drank some beers, went swimming, did some fishing. we finally decided we needed to go over to the tractor pull for some food.

we might be big, but we still find great pleasure in throwing stones bigger then your head

Jay liked this tractor so i took a pic. notice the roll cage around the seat...

We ate some great Pulled Pork, went back to the house and did some more drinking and swimming. Ben and Mary showed up and the real debauchery began! Bird decided to go snorkeling and when he did, he found a ginormous wali (sp?) After that he fashioned himself a spear and went back in after it. He was not successful, but I was proud of the effort even though I still don't believe the fish existed. At least not as big. It was really just amusing to watch him go around caveman like with his make shift spear that was really just a long stick with a couple knives tired to the end. I was upset he was not successful cause I secretly wanted to see it as bad as he wanted to catch it.

we drank a whole lot more. our friend RJ cooked the world's best BBQ chicken, corn on the cobb, baked potatoes, my sister's baked beans. it was fantastic and i gorged myself. not too much that there wasn't enough room for more beer mind you.

drank a ton more, played the guitar, sang some. finally made it to the fire on the beach. i retired very late and didn't get much sleep. I was warm now with Bird to snuggle with, but my arm kept falling asleep. i was not meant to sleep on the ground.

tHe LoNg dRivE - dAy fOuR

I love the drive up. I love the roads, I love the view. Sadly I couldn't reach the camera in the backseat of the car without wrecking in the process. So I have no proof of the beautiful drive. I'm pissed because I already typed this intro once and then I lost internet connection. Not sure I remember everything that I wrote and not sure it really matters. I just remember thinking some of it was funny and now I can't get it back. poop.

It was late but not too late for children who are on vacation. We walked over to the Antique Machinery Show to see Uncle Charlie pull his yellow and mean Minneapolis Molene. He pulled 152.2 feet. He said that wasn't very good. That he had power and no traction. Tractor Talk. He gave us a ride back to the house in the bed of his truck. I haven't done this in so long and I felt like a kid again! It was only right down the street but I think I prefer this method of traveling and wish that it was legal.

Got back to the house and drank a bunch of beer. had to sleep in the tent by myself. Bird had to go to a Phillies game with a vendor Friday night and so wouldn't be up 'til Saturday morning. Bird time meant that would actually be around lunchtime. It was a little scary sleeping by myself in a tent borrowed from my boss. I was really cold though mostly, and was sad that i didn't have my Bird to snuggle with.

goiNg NoRth

Probably won't be able to post any pics for today, Saturday or Sunday-So I think I'll just start numbering my days manually-I'll post pics when I get back. Going north for the annual family reunion/antique tractor show. Can't wait! This IS my favorite weekend of the year! Guitar strummin', Banjo playin', drum thumpin', tractor pullin', camp fire buildin', tent sleepin', inner-tube floatin', creek swimmin', mountain hikin', crawfish grabbin', beer drinkin' laugh my head off kinda time! I can't wait for that 3 hour drive at the end of my day! See ya'll on the flip side of the best time of my life!

it'S tHe sMaLL tHiNgs - dAy thRee

I started the evening with my dogs...Joepetie is the best snuggler when he wants to be cool...

Our 82 lb Boxer...Kaley. I call her 'The Brute Squad' because she's too big to be singular!

Found this fly stuck to a spiders web on our boat...it was still alive and moving and everything...it kinda made me feel bad actually, but the spider was no where to be found. I may try to remember to venture out there tomorrow to see if it's still there...crazy looking bug.

The night began with grill cheese sandwiches. We headed over to my cousin Charlie's for some quoits and beer and good snacks-cousin Jen made this pizza dip that I still hate her for! Drank a little too much beer and vodka...that sweet tea vodka is killing me. Took my guitar only to let it sit behind me the whole time.

dAy-tWo

First tomatoe...they're a little challenged and neglected this year.

I heart black-eyed susans

toDay is the FiRst day of the rEst of my liFe - dAy oNe coNt...

Just in case you wanted to know what the devil looked like.

I dusted off the camera tonight and decided that my next big purchase for myself will be a new camera. Found myself at my parents house looking for the old tripod...apparently it grew legs. No one has seen it for years. I'm thinking maybe there was some foul play. I'll just blame it on JoePetie for now. (above, pronounced Joe Peetey-had a serious moment of indecisiveness and couldn't decide between Joe and Pete). I took some randoms and realized that I love the location of where I live though I may not like where I live.

I think I'll change my fonts around a little.

dAy oNe

I'm excited to start this! I've never done a blog before and so I will learn as I go. My goal is to take (at least) one picture for every day of my life for a year. I may learn to slow down and appreciate the infinite beauty that surrounds me everyday...because right now...I find myself just walking past without a second glance. I hope you enjoy...I know I will.