A Little Random-ness--May 5, 2010

Since I don't have anything in particular to post about at the moment, here are a few random pictures for you from the last few days.

The boys took the (literal and figurative) plunge today and went swimming for the first time! The water was freezing--I had to take a few pictures to document the fact that they were actually swimming in it! And yes, they stayed in for more than few minutes. In fact, they spent nearly a whole hour in there!

Speaking of the boys, Sunday they went fishing with Mom and Dad at one of my favorite places. I don't know the real name of it--we just call it 'Middlefork'. But it's a large park/wildlife preserve with walking trails, fishing ponds, picnic areas, camping, etc.. It is very beautiful there and I love it! I didn't go along on Sunday because they were fishing, and my dislike of fishing far outweighs my love of Middlefork! But Mom took some pictures. Here are the boys with their dad, fishing their hearts out!

This last picture takes a little more explaining. Today during our family devotions I was sitting on the floor with Buddy, and there was a box of wooden blocks next to me. We don't usually have blocks around the house (these were purchased for grandkids coming to visit this summer), so I started building with them as I sat there, and began to realize there was a creative element to blocks that I'd completely missed when I was three! I had quite a bit of fun too! Maybe if we all sat on the floor and played with blocks more often we wouldn't get old so fast. :o) Anyway, if you look to the far left of this picture you can see my name, I had to build my signature into my little architectural masterpiece!

A Pretty Good Lie--May 2, 2010

Here, for your enjoyment, is a description of a simple test of the gullibility of your family members, devised by yours truly. I tried this myself, and got such a good laugh out of it, I had to share it with you. However, just as a warning, this only works if you have family who is used to accepting what you say as fact. If you are the youngest of ten brothers who all have Ph.D's in Everything, this is one of those 'Don't Try This At Home' things. If, however, like me, you have an older sister who is used to you spouting random (true) facts at her, and two little brothers who are also used to what you say being true, go ahead and try this. Once they know the joke your family may or may not find it as funny as you do, depending on how much of it they swallowed.

Let me give you a quick example of how this gullibility test works, taken from my own experience. I carried it out one day at lunch, when my sister, two little brothers, and dad were all present. This is how it worked for me, and how it just might go for you, if you were to try it.

You (matter-of-factly): "Did you guys know that lemons and limes are the same fruit? Limes are just picked before they are ripe."

Now follows a long silence while everybody digests this information as they have never heard of such a thing before. Your job is now to hold in your laughter as you get an inevitable "Yeah, I knew that" from the know-it-all in your family, a "Really?" from the skeptic, and quizzical glances from your dad who is hoping you don't really think that is true.

Before the afore-mentioned skeptic (or your concerned father) blows you wide open, you burst into your long-suppressed laughter and inform the world that, actually, no, limes and lemons are not the same fruit, and nor are limes usually picked before they are ripe (even if they do taste like it). Then you get a burst of laughter from everybody else, while those who agreed with you hastily back-track, and your dad sighs in relief, delivers a short lesson on citrus fruit, and then adds to you with a look of (dare I say??) pride--

"Actually, as far as lies go, that was a pretty good one."

A Day With My Little Brother--May 1, 2010

Today was a busy Saturday. Matthew, Beka, and Tim spent most of it mowing lawns for Matthew's lawn care business. So it was Caleb and me against the world, and we had a fun day together! We cleaned the house, did an hour's worth of dishes, tidied the yards, made brownies, did laundry, and laughed ourselves silly. We had a grand time!

After a crazy tickle match that resulted in so much laughing we had to call a truce so we had time to breathe, we helped our mom with the supper dishes. Then, grabbing our camera, we headed outside and spent twenty minutes goofing off together as we took crazy picture after crazy picture. I thought I'd share a few (Ha! Watch it be more like twenty!!) with you, just so you can see for yourself how much fun we had!

At first Caleb didn't like the idea of getting his picture taken, and he tried to evade the camera....but as you can see, he wasn't too successful there!

Eventually he did sit still long enough to let me take his picture under the apple tree.

Then we took a shot of both of us....gotta love that delayed take option!!

Of course Caleb couldn't stay serious for too long....

Sorry folks, no crazy-face pictures of me!!!

While we were waiting for the camera to take this picture, Caleb was telling me how, actually, we weren't technically supposed to stand on this gate...it might break the post or something....

When Caleb found a bow in the field, he wanted to model it for me. However, he decided pink just wasn't his color.

As you can see, we had fun! Caleb never fails to make me laugh--and he has the greatest laugh himself, it's impossible to resist joining in when he starts laughing helplessly! He's so fun, I don't know what I'd do without him; even on busy, stressful days like today, he can make me laugh. I love you, little brother of mine!!

Oh, and just so that you leave this with the proper impression, here is one final shot of him and me looking as sane, beautiful, and calm as we always are. (Right, everyone???????)

On a Rainy Afternoon in April—April 23, 2010

I’m sitting on the end of Beka’s bed just now. She’s listening to some of her favorite music on her own laptop, as we relax together. Outside, rain is sometimes drizzling, sometimes pounding, on our roof and I can hear it. It is a welcome sound after quite a few weeks without significant rain.

Today has been another slow day. Since I finished school, we’ve all been working around the house and farm both mornings and afternoons (instead of working in the mornings and doing school in the afternoons), and so we’ve quickly gotten caught up around here. With no significant projects going on at the moment, the daily housework and chores are quickly completed, leaving ample time to do lots of cleaning and ‘extras’.

After that picture of me and Buddy last time, I figured I'd better post one of my sweet cat Jack...just so nobody gets jealous!

Earlier in the week we spent an afternoon tidying up outside and mowing, so the farm looks really great, and the house is clean as clean can be just now! This morning I gave our bathroom one of those really thorough cleanings, and as I was washing off the top of our mirror cupboard and dusting the top ledge of the peg shelves, I was thinking that the last time anybody cleaned these things must have been this time last year!!

Really, I think it’s true that we haven’t been this caught up since spring of last year. There is always a lull between the end of school and when there is enough to do in the garden to fill up the afternoons. Although the slow days can be long and it’s easy to get a little bored, I’m enjoying it, as I know we’re headed into an especially hectic summer!

This morning Beka went to the doctor for shots and tests for college—it’s so surreal to think that she’s actually going to college this fall!! I still can’t believe it! We’ve had her graduation party, she’s gone shopping for book-bags and blankets, I even visited the campus with her, and yet I still can’t get my mind around the fact that she’s really going!

Caleb, Tim, and Beka watching the water level go down as they drained our swimming pool yesterday.

Because my brother Matthew lives at home while attending our state university, it’s been a long time since one of us actually ‘went’ to college. I barely remember when my brother David left home. And this will be the first time a sibling that I am really close to will leave home. So in a lot of ways, this will be a first for me.

Before I close this (fairly) brief update, here’s a funny story I was reminded of the other day. My sister and her husband and young children were visiting us several years ago, and one afternoon during their visit, my brother-in-law was sitting in our living room reading while I played with my four-year-old nephew on the floor.
Down the hall, the rest of my sister’s children were playing with several of my own siblings. They were being quite noisy, with lots of laughing and shouting, and as my sister was attempting to nap briefly in the next room over, my brother-in-law eventually asked my nephew to go and tell them all to keep it down.
Quickly my nephew went down the hall, threw open the door, and shouted at the top of his amazingly loud little voice,
“BE QUIET!!!!”

Good Morning!--April 20, 2010

As the clock speeds quickly towards eight o'clock and I wait for the household to wake up after a long and busy day yesterday, here's a quick picture and update for you!

A few minutes ago I wandered into my sister Beka's room and chatted with her for a bit. Matt's Shetland Sheepdog, Buddy, was also in there hangin' out, all relaxed on Beka's bed. Bud and I love each other much, and so naturally some cuddling ensued, which I don't think he really liked but he endured anyway! (But hey, you can't complain of a little cuddling now and then from the person who feeds you high-calorie scraps when you're supposed to be on a strict diet!!) When I looked over at Beka, she was taking our picture!

It should be a busy day today! I finished my sophomore year of high school on Saturday, much to my joy, delight, happiness, and any other words expressive of relief and extreme rapture!!
Yesterday Mom, Beka, and I were out doing our monthly grocery shopping and also picking up some clothes for the summer. It was a long day of lots of shopping for one who isn't a shopping fanatic (that would be me), and now there is some catching up to do today! I am just glad there is no Algebra 2 on my horizon today, and in honor of the end of school, I'll leave you with this funny quote I saw on a sign yesterday and that had Beka and me laughing:

This is My Life—April 16, 2010

As you might imagine, with four siblings (one in college and one headed there in the fall), two dogs, four cats, a flock of homing pigeons, a cow, three ducks, tons of chickens, an acre organic garden, a busy produce stand, and two parents who run multiple home businesses, my life can get pretty crazy!! It’s hard to describe, though, just what it’s like around here most of the time, so I thought I might give you a few written snapshots of my life. Here are a few of the things which have lately had me laughing, crying, crazily busy, and pretty happy!

Youngest Little Brother (holding the end of his jacket over his head on a windy day): “Look Mom!!! I’m deflecting radio waves!”

Me (to Sister, as we prepare for a few hours of hard work): “Do you realize that it is 5:00 pm, we have rain coming in tonight, and there are 1,000 strawberry plants in this box???”
Sister: “Your point??”

Oldest Little Brother (directly after letting Big Brother’s hyper dog Farley out of his kennel): “Whoa, Farley!!! Whoa!!! Settle down!! Farley!!! Stop!! Get down!! Settle! Whoa!! Farley!! Hey!!!! No!!! Stupid dog, come back!!!!!”

My Dad (wryly, at the end of a long day filled with one problem after another): “Can anybody remember the last time something went right?”
My Mom: “Well, this morning, I woke up, and I was breathing.”

Me (to Sister, in the midst of a shared silly moment): “You are totally crazy!”
Sister (innocently): “I can’t help it, I was born that way."

Oldest Little Brother (complaining to Sister during potato planting): “Hey, Caleb won’t work! He’s just sitting there.”
Youngest Little Brother (yelling from across the garden): “I’M ON STRIKE!!!!!!”

Me (to Big College Student Brother, over the phone): “What’s up with you lately?”
Big College Student Brother (takes deep breath): “Well, I’ve got a biology exam, a 2-page paper to write for speech class, two weeks of chemistry homework, a research group project that I’m doing by myself, two chapters of animal science textbook to read, pre-lab homework……………………….”

Oldest Little Brother (grabbing Youngest Little Brother): “Hey!!! Why are you wearing my shirt?????”
Youngest Little Brother (shaking him of nonchalantly): “Well hey, every time we clean our room, Mom tells you to take care of your shirt, and you say, ‘It’s Caleb’s, Mom, so he should put it away’, so I thought I’d wear my shirt for once!!! Got a problem with that???? Huh? Huh? Huh?”

My Dad (laughing at the chaos around him on an especially busy day): “You don’t have to be crazy to live here….but it helps.”

My life. I love it.

Welcome--April 15, 2010

I'm not entirely sure what this page will turn out to be. I think it is supposed to be something of a blog (although I'm not calling it that because the word 'blog' is really weird I think--sounds like some kind of foreign food or something...), or maybe a journal, but we'll see. Should be fun!

It was humorous just now coming up with a title for this blog/journal/thingy...the award goes to Beka, but Timothy immedietely had some creative variations on it when she suggested it. He began with 'Rachel's Random Ramblings', which I briefly considered, but he quickly went a little farther: 'Rachel's Really Random, Ridiculous, Radical, Rapid, Rollicking.......'. I think I'll stick with Beka's idea. Thanks anyway, pal.

Stay tuned for some posts coming soon! And as always, thanks for visiting!