85

That is how hot it is in this house right now.   Even with a fan blowing directly on my face, I can't seem to fall asleep.  Maybe a bowl of corn squares with honey, blueberries and milk will help.  And reading blogs.  That always works.

The Beehives were in charge of the combined YW/YM activity tonight.  Which means I was in charge.  Being in charge of things like that is not my favorite thing.  It went well, I think.  I'm glad I'm done being in charge for a while.  Hopefully.

We are getting a new AC and furnace on Thursday and Friday.  Happy day!

Pansy the broody chicken is still broody.  She's back in the broody cage.

We are getting peas and strawberries from our garden.  And the dill has nearly taken command of the entire garden.

It is hot.

Balderdash is a very fun game.

I'm out of things to type.

Yum

For breakfast this morning I had Multigrain Cheerios, cold milk and strawberries that 10 minutes before were still on the plants out in the backyard.  A breakfast of champions, think I.

AC

It is currently 72 degrees outside and 84 degrees inside the house.  I think something is wrong here....

We had our air conditioner looked at today.  It is beyond repair, the poor thing.  We will now be replacing both the air conditioner and the furnace, since they are both 15 years old and one of the two doesn't work and the other will probably quit in the near future.  We are all looking forward to some cooler temperatures in this house.

Numbers

82 - the number of degrees it is in the house right now

12 - the time the air conditioner fix-it guy is coming to look at the air conditioner tomorrow

4 - the number of girls' skirts I made today for the wedding on Saturday

78 - the number of times Daughters #3 and #4 told me they were still hungry today

1 - the number of hens that are consistantly broody

2 - the number of times I've played Angry Birds on the husband's new phone

5 - the number of kids I took swimming tonight

32 - the number of bears the Young Women and Relief Society sewed together for Girls' Camp

4 - the number of YW leaders that are very relieved the bears are done

7 - the average number of times during church that I cry

0 - the number of tissues I had with me at church last week

25 - about the number of strawberries I picked from our plants tonight

3 - the number of chickens who saw me holding the bowl of strawberries and ran frantically back and forth in hopes of getting some

3 - the number of people in this house with seasonal allergies

4 - the number of lucky people in this house without allergies

13 - the number of places I stopped at while running errands the other day

Happy Father's Day

I thought I'd share some things about my husband I'm grateful for on this Father's Day.

I'm grateful he arranged for the kids to go to Grandma's for 5 days.  It's been awesome.

I'm grateful he works hard to provide for our family and so we can be independent.

I'm grateful he knows how to install new toilets.

I'm grateful he insisted we get chickens.

I'm grateful he is into preparedness and getting our food storage ready.

I'm grateful he laughs at my corniness.

I'm grateful he takes the kids swimming without me.

I'm grateful he reminds us to have family prayer and scripture study.

I'm grateful he can draw and teach the kids art.

I'm grateful he can play the guitar.

I'm grateful he likes to garden.

I'm grateful he can take me to the temple.

I'm grateful we are sealed for eternity.

I'm grateful we just celebrated 15 years of marriage.

I'm grateful he taught me how to shoot firearms.

I'm grateful he is patient with my housekeeping skills (or lack of, sometimes).

I'm grateful he enjoys cooking and is very good at it.

I'm grateful he loves me.

I love you, hon.  Happy Father's Day!!!

Happily Ever After

This is a song we are learning for Girls' Camp.  I have yet to be able to sing or listen to it without bawling.  I think this song is one reason I was called to work in Young Womens.  It was definitely inspired.

2. Happily Ever After

(Jenny Phillips/Tyler Castleton/Cherie Call)

Once upon a time

A child was born into this life

Heaven could be seen in her eyes

There was no doubt she was divine

And if you are still you will feel the truth

That the princess in this wondrous story is you

It’s your time

It’s your destiny to shine

So arise

Be true to the royal

That’s inside of you

Don’t settle for the story that

The world would have you write

You were born to reach eternal life

Let faith fill every chapter

Let the Savior lead you to

Happily ever after

Sometimes in your life

The world will cast a spell

And try to make your conscience fall asleep

And forget the woman God would have you be

But if you are still you will understand

The noble role you play in his plan

Chorus

Bridge:

When the forests fills with darkness

And wolves seek your soul

Just know

You are simply in the place between

Your once upon a time and your triumph in the end

Chorus

Vocals: Jenny Phillips & Julie Yardley

Arranged by Tyler Castleton

© 2010 Jenny Phillips (BMI)/Diamond Aire Music (ASCAP)

In the Yard

Here are some photos of things around the yard and in the garden:

One of two nectarines on the nectarine tree

A pepper plant

The lettuce and spinach bed

Peas, broccoli, thyme, sage and chives

Cabbage

Carrots and one lone parsnip in the lower right-hand corner

Pears on the wonky pear tree

Potato patch #1 with rhubarb in the background

Tomatoes in cages

One of five currant bushes

Volunteer dill that is taking over the garden

Peaches on the peach tree

Another currant bush

Our first strawberries

Potato patch #2 with weeds

Our air conditioner which currently does not work

The awesome spigot my husband hooked up to the irrigation water

Silly tree growing in the window well

Gate to the garden to keep chickens and kids out

Chicken coop with hens in the shade underneath

Sow bug family Daughter #2 found

Nice spray paint marks on the lawn from my painting frames on Saturday

Random socks around the backyard

Grape vine

Wood pile

Here's our herb garden inside the house

Here is one egg from each hen.  Each egg is a bit different, so we know who laid which egg.  Starting at top right and going clockwise: Tulip (her's are longer than the others), Pansy (her's are the darkest and have freckles), Daisy (her's is the smallest of the light-colored ones), and Matilda (her's is the other darker one but with no freckles).

Thank you for joining us on the tour of the backyard!