Be Aggressive!

Courtesy of Jacque Davis on Flickr, I found this neato little guy to cut out & fold for my DH on Valentine's Day.

The kid got some little bugs to color, cut out & fold.

Tons more fun paper toys here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacquedavis/sets/72157605609557222/

Happy Valentine's Day!

More artwork from the kid! Springtime = love in the poultry run...

It's so sweet, isn't it?

But...it's part of a larger picture of chickens enjoying a day at the fair, and this cute couple has their own personal smart ass it seems...

The 'Get a Room!' guy is always around, isn't he?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to my family! That's me on the bottom left of the picture...

My Dad (in the center)--taught me so many things I can't list them all...how to REALLY grow things and care for the earth, how to care for all kinds of animals, how to do all those things that most girls CAN'T do like refinish a table, change a tire and butcher a chicken or rabbit, and how he used to sneak us out of school once in a while to spend the day with him on his work route, LONG before there was such a thing as 'Take Your Daughter To Work Day'.

My Mom (next to Dad)--was our Girl Scout leader for the entire long haul, Brownies through Juniors, took us camping, helped us earn our badges, taught us how to cook, sew, can fruit, vegetables and preserves, and always carries herself with beauty, grace, poise and ease as a simple, quiet example of how a true lady should be. She's a tiny 5 foot thing, but once grabbed up a 2x4 and chased away a group of teenagers who were terrorizing our Girl Scout troop during a late night campout.

My sister B.(top left)--an expert seamstress, cook, and anything else she tries her hand at, sewed my sister K. and I tons of Barbie clothes and made us Barbie furniture that was the envy of the neighborhood. Always kind, elegant and beautiful, with a big heart and a home open to everyone, people naturally just flock to her, her home has become our family gathering spot.

My sister C.(top right)--taught us kids the finer points of Halloween mayhem, soaping windows and smearing peanut butter in screens, would tickle us mercilessly and made us learn NEVER to allow her to be banker at Monopoly, can make us laugh till we cry just by telling a story, was a guaranteed great time and grand adventure whenever she'd say, "Let's just go for a drive!"

My sister K.(bottom center)--taught me how to ride a horse, but NOT before I learned all about them and how to care for them properly, my playmate, and, along with my brother, my co-conspirator in all those childhood adventures. Generous to a fault and absolutely fearless, there is simply nothing she can't do.

My brother P. (bottom right)--from him I learned a truly wicked sidearm throw and other baseball skills. The leader of our childhood pack.

I hope everyone is lucky enough to have gathered about them a family as wonderful as mine. I look forward to the coming years, as MY daughter gets to grow up and enjoy and discover all of these wonderful people and the family stories we tell, plus our extended family of aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins.

I love you all.