Ya ya sisterhood

The last few days have been such a mix of emotions, (talk about needing chocolate!) I'm not sure even where to start or how I will possibly express myself to the level that I want to and the depth of the gratitude I wish I could convey to this group of ladies... I know that writing it on a blog probably isn't the most personal way to do it but I don't think I could stand to say it their faces...I'm not that strong right now...I would melt...but for now I'll try to say it here...

Being a homeschooling mom, I think sometimes that having other moms as friends is even a little bit more important than most (hear me out)....there is a level of respect and support that we need to do what we do and still preserve our sanity and some days, those friends can make the difference between giving up entirely .... and going on...

Last night was my last MNO with this group of ladies and I can't begin to tell you how wonderful it was, even if it did involve my own tears from time to time when it sunk in just how much I am going to miss them....

We met for dinner and then went on to Hastings (our usual stopping place on MNO) where we got coffee and then went to hang out in the kids section! As if we don't get enough time around children's books right? lol There is something to be said for getting to go the book store without children tho, and getting to just hangout there without feeling rushed or having to yell at little ones to behave...the times I have spent with these moms in that store have been priceless and some of the personal jokes we have will surely get me thru on days that I am terribly homesick for them in the future.... Sometimes moms just have to get out and act like kids too! lol Oh the treasures you can find if only you take the time to look and Brandy is queen of finding must have books! It's all her fault... really! :)

After the bookstore tour, we headed over to a friend's house that couldn't come out that night and she was such a dear to have these waiting for us....

There were eight of us in the end last night. Some moms had to leave earlier than others, but there were eight that remained for the soul searching discussions that we had...the topics ranging from every spectrum...lots of different opinions...some stronger than others but all wrapped in love and respect. I think that is what hit me the most last night. At times, I just sat back and listened, trying to soak it all in and remember the feeling of being surround by these women that I love so much and respect with every ounce of my being...we can all be so different, come from so many different backgrounds, chose so many different paths for our lifestyles and children and yet we are friends and come together to support each other and have this common bond that we know as homeschoolers.....

A few of the moms don't care to have their pictures taken, which if you know me at all is just a dare for me! My camera is like a part of my very being and especially with us leaving I have been trying to capture as much as I can for us to have to look back on...last night at dinner...it was made into a joke that we could only photograph someones "good side" so tonight at my last chance for goodbyes, while trying to get a group picture...this is what I finally got taken....there were a lot of tears tonight but it was equaled only by laughter....

After hating it here with a passion for over 3 years, I finally feel like I belong....so to all the moms that helped to make this place a home for us, that welcomed us into this community of home educators...for these ladies and so many more that pushed me to be better and loved me even when I wasn't...I thankyou for your friendship...and you know you will always have a place to stay when your field trips lead you west... I love you all so much!

Until we meet again....

Black and White Wednesday- Week 2

I have so much I want to say about these pictures but it's been a long day and I'm beat! These will have to do for now...I love how black and white brings out something so simple in picture don't you?

Want to get in on the fun? Stop by Natural Suburbia and join along!

Wandering Wednesdays

The Wandering Wednesday challenge over at GardenMama, came at just the perfect time! I know I am getting in on it late in the day but that's only because I have been out wandering today and didn't get back until late! It has been a technology free day and it was blissful!!! 350 miles round trip, 12 hours away from our daily lives and more memories made than I can count!

I have so much more I want to share from the day but for now this will have to do!

Here I stand, almost out of the picture as I may be, in a river....searching out real dinosaur tracks! This day was an adventure for us all that we are not soon to forget! The simple pleasure are the ones that seem to mean the most these days....

Won't you join the challenge and share the stories (and pictures) that your feet would tell if only they could talk? Where have your feet been today?

It's....

Please contact me and we'll get you started on your greating cards!

Thanks to all that entered....please check back often for more upcoming give-a-ways!!

Our night at Montana Grill

With DH being from Montana, the name alone would have intrigued us... but for us, the interest first started when the girls and I saw a Martha Stewart show dedicated to the state of Montana and the reintroduction of the bison into the American food market. The show was so amazing that we kept it on the dvr to watch it a second time with DH when he got home , and then again when it aired on repeat a few months later! The girls were captivated with the views of Montana and were especially interested at eating at Ted's Montana Grill...a newer chain of restaurants dedicated to good quality food made with bison meat!

For those of you that don't know, bison meat is a great alternative to beef and isn't subjected to the same use of hormone injections and antibiotics that beef and other meats are plus it's just really good for you!. My family and I started eating bison almost exclusively back in February when we started learning more and more about where I food comes from and how it is processed...our lives will never be the same...


The girls and I have been plotting for months how we could make it work to stop at Ted Turners restaurant in Boseman, MT on our way up to Washington State, but with the trailer in tow it wasn't looking good.....We were overjoyed to find that they had one (Actually two) of them in our part of Kansas on our current visit!! All of our family was busy with one thing or another and we really didn't want the girls to see Grandma like that in the hospital (she just had triple bypass this AM), so we were on our own for dinner....we just couldn't resist trying out Montana Grill!



From the time we walked in the doors I knew this experience wasn't going to be your average restaurant experience...the smell of the grilled bison lured us in from the parking lot and the wooden floors and exquisite wood surrounds for each booth made it feel like a welcome reprieve from the impersonal world outside....although the restaurant was hopping with activity, the booths made it feel like you were in your own room and the service was superb!!! The waitress (who I unfortunately didn't catch her name) was so nice and in no way made us feel like we were an inconvenience while taking our time ordering and she was nice to my girls too, including them in the conversation of ordering (a big plus in my book!). If you haven't gathered, I think the atmosphere was awesome!




The next thing to catch our attention was the table, layed out with recycled butcher paper and our drinks that were delivered in a flash! When we got our drinks we discovered that the straws were made of cardboard!!! At first I thought that surely DH was crazy when he told me that but they were in fact made of cardboard and they took a bit of getting used to but it was so cool! What a GREAT idea! This lead to an interesting conversation with DD about why a straw that is biodegradable would be so much better for the environment than one made of plastic! Gotta love the life lessons we learn/teach while sitting down for a family dinner! :)





Another great thing that caught our attention, was the lack of crayons for the kids...I thought for sure they would have crayons handy for them to use on the butcher paper table covering...we were pleasantly surprise when they were substituted with Wikki Stix . They were amazing!!! And have been entertaining the girls both at home and at the hospital waiting rooms ever since!! I looked them up and found that they are really in expensive and would be great for a little something to tuck into your purse for an unexpected activity! Again, a GREAT idea!



And then they brought on the food.....(in a super timely manner).....lets just say....heaven!!! This was the American Cup burger....bison meat, mushrooms, onions and yummy bacon...there were so many toppings on that super thick burger I wasn't sure where to even begin trying to eat it!! lol the fries were awesome too as was the bison pot roast that DH had. The coolest part? DD ACTUALLY ate her meal and loved it!!! Not having to fight them to eat was GREAT!



Of course, no experience like this is complete without souvenirs! The girls each got a tiny buffalo ($2) and I got a t-shirt ($12) and I couldn't pass up the reusable grocery bag made from 100% recycled bottles ($4). I thought that was pretty good for the cool items we got and the girls are still playing with their new little animals...they will be perfect for the fairies! :)

If you haven't guessed yet, we thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Ted's Montana Grill and can't wait to go there again! I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a good quality meal out on the town.... Ü

5 Question Friday

Well, last week was so much fun, I thought I would play along again this week...unfortunately DH isn't here to play along with me. He is currently at the hospital waiting for his Grandma to come out of surgery for triple bypass....it's going to be a long wait...( Any prayers you could send their way would be greatly appreciated) I texted him asking if he wanted to play along via text but no word back. If he does I'll add his answers later but for now you just get me...

You can play along too...go to My Little Life for details!

1. Do you collect anything? What don't I collect? lol No, seriously...I collected bunnies (of all kinds) as a kid but as an adult I don't really have just one main collection. I love old books and have quiet the collection of dishes (again all kinds) does that count?

2. Name 3 celebrities that you find good looking. Matt Damon, Joshua Jackson, and Angelina Jolie (she is SO pretty!)

3. Do you have any scars? If so, what's the story behind it (them?)? I have a scar on my knee from the 4th grade when Jeremiah Puckett pulled my hair just as I was running where the black top and gravel meet...man did that hurt! In my mind there was a lot of blood but who knows if that's true or not, I just remember how bad my knee hurt and how bad he felt! lol

4. What is a food that you like to eat, but others might think it's gross or weird? I LOVE peanut butter and sweet pickle sandwiches...yeah, gross sounding I know...but o-so-yummy! lol Try it! ...really!

5. Have you ever seen a tornado in real life? Not other than on TV, that's close enough for me!

Black and White Wednesday challange

I have been enjoying the posts over at Naturalsuburbia featuring her Black and White Wednesday challenge and thought I would join in too!


I have always loved photography, the idea of capturing a moment in time for generations to enjoy just captivates me. I got my first camera when I was around ten. It was a simple point and shoot Kodak camera that my Papa bought me at the BX in California and it quickly became my trusted friend....taking hundreds (if not thousands) of pictures...I used this camera until I was in college when I started taking photography classes and using my Great Papa's old Canon T50 (that is still one of my very favorite cameras of all time!!!) I still think that it's so cool that I was shooting with the same camera that my GREAT grandpa used....photography must b in my blood! In that class we were till shooting with film (wow that seems so long ago!) and I quickly began to learn about the different qualities of black and white film and how to develope them in the dark room....it didn't take long before I was hooked!!!



Even now, in the age of digital photography, I still love to see pictures in black and white...somehow it still takes me back to a time of just wanting to capture a special moment in time, not out to digitally alter a photo into something it's not....



For me, black and white photos strip away all the fluff and go right to the heart of a subject....

Take these pictures for instance...



While I think my dear Kobuk looks beuatiful in the color pic...






I think this one suits him better...

What do you think? Are you up for the challenge? Can you find one black and white picture to post every Wednesday? If so, please let me know so I can check it out too! Be sure to let her know over at Naturalsuburbia too...I'm sure she'd enjoy seeing it too!