Jay, all dressed up and looking like a little man, ready for church! July 08

I love you, too, Baby Jay

Is this a sweet boy, or what? He's signing - he says, I love you, Mom!

Backyard Chores!

this is our backyard before

this is our backyard after

this is Rachel after - Samantha helped, too!

this is how the dogs help!

Wall "Art"

So here it is - wall art. What do you do when your kids write on the wall? James and I are usually of the same mind, but, on this one we see it differently. I say, give them the magic eraser and talk to them about how we have to respect things as well as people. James says it's artistic expression and we should be happy to have imaginative, free spirited children. Somewhere in the middle is more like what really happens - wash it up as well as you can, talk about how all the Sharpie markers are mommy's, not yours, and then smile every time I walk by it and think, yes, it is good to have kids who want to express their kind of beautiful...

the suspect...

God & the Scientist

God is sitting in his Heaven when a scientist says to Him, 'Lord, we don't need You anymore. Science has finally figured out a way to create life out of nothing. In other words, we can now do what You did in the 'beginning'.'
'Oh, is that so? Tell me...' replies God.
'Well', says the scientist, 'we can take dirt and form it into the likeness of You and breathe life into it, thus creating man.'
'Well, that's interesting. Show Me.'
So the scientist bends down to the earth and starts to mold the soil.
'Oh no, no, no...' interrupts God, 'Get your own dirt.'

Ma is Published!

This is my Mom, Juanita Brumbley. She called me the other day with exciting news - her picture is in a magazine! No, she's not on the cover Vogue, or even Sewing Digest, but a magazine all my LDS friends and family will know well - the Friend. Her ward's Primary sent a picture in to the magazine and it was published in the July 08 section of "Friends In The News", page 22. Look for her - she's the only adult that got to hold one of the letters - she's holding the P! Way to go Ma!

R&S Cleaning Service

Samantha asked for a toy the other day. Pokemon cards, to be exact. The set she wants is about $15 and she wants two of them. She's been collecting them and playing with her friends at school. They seem kinda complicated to me, but harmless, so I indulge her little hobby. Thirty dollars, though, is more than I will go for an indulgence. So, I had an idea. James and I decided that if she wants something, she can earn it. We also know that if we gave her stuff to do around the house for money she would do it, but, be focused on the money. I then sent an e-mail to some of my friends telling them that my daughter was looking to earn money. I said, ya'll put her to work, and I will decide what she gets paid and I will pay her. Well, after three straight days of doing chores at other people's houses, she has earned twenty-five dollars. Even her sister, Rachel, spotted a good chance to make money and has gone to two of the three days of work, too. They have been scrubbing cabinets, vacuuming vans and sweeping garages, all pretty hard work in the heat of an Arkansas summer. The idea was that they learn the value of work, a dollar and pride in a job well done. That realization may not come right away, but, at least they have another twist on the old what-did-you-do-this-summer essay they will have to write when school begins again. Kids have so much to learn and we as their parents have some many ways to teach them. I hope they will learn something, by example, by the sweat of their brow and by the satisfaction that work brings.