OOOPS!

When I looked at my blog a little while ago I realized some of the pictures I had put on here from the church picnic and 4th of July weren't there. Blogger kept giving me some kind of error so it may have something to do with that anyway here they are.


Awesome sky.






Some of the ladies.











Finn eating watermelon again.



Rylin enjoying some as well.



Bob and Finn and a pretty pregnant Leslie.

The Wandtke Family 4th Of July

It's been a long weekend for sure. Jacob flew in Friday, wearing a mohawk. Bob swiftly removed it Saturday before my friend Barbara's BBQ.







Friday night we watched Bob's Big Firework Show, some of the fireworks are pictured on the truck behind him. (I think we've been in the deep south too long, Bob never wears a shirt anymore) We oohed and aaahed appropriately and I even set some off.

We picked up some citronella tiki torches to keep the 'skeetos' away during the fireworks show. The kids thought they were very neat and I had to keep a pretty good eye on them so they didn't get all "Lord of the Flies" with them.
















We were all pretty tired at this point as we had spent the majority of the day in the pool and ate ribs, cheeseburgers, sausage and macaroni salad until we were about burst. We actually made it a pretty early night. It was a nice family long weekend, Saturday evening we went to a barbecue down the road for a friend's birthday and Sunday was the church picnic. I think we could all use a weekend to rest from the long weekend.

Annual Church Picnic

Sunday after the morning service we went to the annual church picnic in the pavilions at a park close by.

There was losts of yummy food and Finn enjoyed some watermelon.









If you notice the picture of me it is a definite oddity. #1 I'm sitting. #2 None of my children are near by. The picnic was definately enjoyable.
















Then I took a picture displaying the Baptist male physique. Left to right: Jacob, Bob the husband &Finn, Bob Patterson, Pastor Troy Grant, Assoc. Pastor Jason Weathersby and Andy Barker. We always joke that whenever us Baptists get together there's food involved... these men indicate that it is true.












Finn ate him some more watermelon like a true southern child. A good time was had by all and around 3 pm when the last of us were leaving a huge thunderstorm moved in that lasted about 3 hours. That shows God's perfect timing.

4th of July funnies

Have you ever heard about how animals and their owners tend to take after each other? Finn and Callie are definitely a good example of that.















I found her lying there sleeping with one of Finn's blankies. The blanket was eventually repossessed by the owner and the cat was left blanketless.









Rylin chased Peeker the chicken and she flew into pool onto a floatie we watched her float around until she got near the side and we got her out. Of course, I had to run for the camera because that was just too good to pass up.






















Then there is this a... situation you can have a laugh about at my expense as it's the Fourth of July and therefore a holiday I will gift this to you.

Apparently, I have been in denial about something for some time sort of like the time I came home from having a sonogram found out that I was going to receive a boy at the end of it all and continued in spite of this knowledge to knit a pink afghan. Like if I refused to accept this fact it therefore wouldn't be true.

Well, remember how my hen wasn't laying eggs? Well, it's all been explained because Peeker turned into a rooster. I have sort of been forced out of my denial when around 6:30am every morning I hear a screeching, "COCKA DOODLE DOO!" The first time he did it I was sitting out back at the table and just looked up at him and said,"No." Yeah, like that's gonna fix it.

He isn't terribly loud (this might again be part of that denial thing) and I like him, I think his ways are pretty cool. Like the way he walks up while I'm sitting out back reading, looks around (checking for wee folk most likely) says to me, "Ba Bach!" Which I think is poultry for "hello Jess" and then eats Gizmo's dog food. Unless of course, there is no dog food and then the conversation is extended where in the chicken yells at me until I go and get dog food for the bowl. (Someone is training someone here, huh?) And it's pretty neat that when the kids come outside he hangs out before fleeing in terror to check for the possibility that they're bringing him bread pieces. But in spite of his cool persona, he will never, ever, not in a million years, lay me an egg. Anyone up for a chicken barbecue??

Catching Up part 4 - Pursuing Normal

Remember the bench I had picked up at a flea market?











Well, I sanded it down. And Bob finished it to match Finn's big boy bed.

















Rylin lost his first tooth.

Last week the kids and I were gone Sun - Fri night from 6-9 for VBS at church. I was in charge of snacks. The theme was Hawain, Rylin even got a yukalali. It was a lot of fun even though it was tiring and Friday was family night where all the kids put on a show reciting the verses they memorized and the songs they learned. After that was an ice cream social. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera.

Catching Up part 3 - Hard Goodbye

I finished sewing the binding on Elizabeth's quilt the day everyone left. Unfortunately, not till after so it needs to go in the mail.










While we packed the van Finn and Hannah took their own road trip.






















There was snuggling with Auntie Jess.






And cousin Finn.




Goodbyes are so hard.

Catching up part 2 - Family Visit

We tried to have a family photo...












Cadance drove around the pool in her floatie...






















Elizabeth spent time with me on my bed and relaxed outside...







Cadance got a new hairdo...
Cadance had her first corn on the cob, it was grown in my garden.





Carrie got tired. Me too...

Catching Up part 1 - Family Visit

I know it's been over a month since I last posted and I'll do my best to catch up on everything. This wasn't planned (it never is), sometimes life happens full of unexpected issues and things are left along the wayside in the process, such as the blog.

Here are pics from our family visit. I took Finn and Hannah out on the swings every morning while it was still cool and Hannah would say, "I need a pursh, Jess."


Cadance was nice enough to get me some toilet paper. She also followed Bob everywhere, he said she was probably hoping he'd give her food.

We went swimming pretty much every day.




















Bob examined what girl babies are like.

Covers & Company

Wednesday I made a Bible cover and a matching notebook cover. I had many compliments Wednesday night at church. The words on the fabric is the song,"Amazing Grace". Yes, I know I just have so much extra time to do unnecessary projects with a quilt that needs the binding hand sewn to the back, my mother and sister and her three girls arriving soon, a striped knitted tote back still in process (I will never again make anything that changes color every two rows ever again. It's not portable because of the five different colors. Even though its plane ole knit stitch you have to pay attention due to color changes and it's really rather boring. It had better felt up beautifully or I'll punish it.) Anyway, back to the main story... the Bible cover came into existence because I saw the fabric and the urge for a quick instant gratification project overwhelmed me.

My sewing space has been relocated to my bedroom because my sewing room err... um... I mean Bob's office has been changed over to a guest room/baby nursery for next couple weeks.


















My next project is to sand down and refinish my $10 flea market find a child size bench where the seat lifts for storage. I've decided to refinish it to match Finn's big boy bed add a fabric covered pad and use it to store his extra blankets as when your child breaks 30 pounds it really is time to give in and get rid of the changing table. I have fought this so far as it seems the end of babyhood and full on childhood for him. I'm planning to put the bench in front of the double windows in his room as sort of a child sized window seat.

In other news... the hen has still laid no eggs but the chicks are growing fast. I'm wondering if one of the Australorp chicks is being picked on as he appears to have some sort of mange going on with his feathers and just doesn't look well. I'm thinking to separate him out of the coop and back to the recycle bin as if it's not pecking order it may be disease and I don't want it to spread. He is also the smallest chick so it would perhaps help him catch up. The cat decided to sit in the bathroom to watch Finn take a bath and Finn extended a very physical invitation to join him. Get this... the cat liked the bath. I have tried to explain to Finn that people and animals don't generally bathe together. I wish I had a picture but Bob was the one home on child care duty. Gizmo once jumped in the bath with Rylin so this is not a new thing in our house. Lets hope the chickens aren't next.

Mother and Carrie should be here by dinner time tonight; I'm thankful they've had no serious traveling trouble so far. Bob and Rylin left for Tennessee this morning around 5:30, they were supposed to leave at 7 but Rylin was up and excited at 5. Bob decided to just get up and go as,"When are we gonna go?!?" is right up there with, "Are we there yet?" They are going up there for Bob's nephew Nick's wedding and were supposed to leave for home Sunday morning but the plan changed when Bob's boss suggested since he was going to be there he go over to Clarksville and do some work on the job site there. He'll have Rylin's help but it's good news as his company is willing to cover the travel expenses other than the Hotel Fri & Sat night. An almost free vacation sounds good and sometimes even work can be a blessing. I talked to them on the phone about 8:30 this morning and Rylin was already asking when they were going to stop for lunch. Have a nice trip Bob!

Big Boys and Other Species

Finn got a 'big boy bed'. We found it for $10 at a garage sale Bob sanded it down, 'antiqued' and varnished it. As you can see Finn was very excited about it and wanted it kept in the living room.



Here is a Rhode Island Red Hen I picked up at the flea market Saturday for $2. We call her Peeker because she stands behind things and peeks around at us. She doesn't appreciate people coming into 'her' garden and will yell at you for it. She has yet to lay an egg even though I have been giving laying feed and plenty of clean water since Sat. She is the only chicken in the coop and as far as chickens go that is the lap of luxury; she needs to earn her keep or she will take up residence in my big roaster pan. In her defense I have yet to see any grasshoppers in the back garden even though I'm stomping them out of the front garden every day. So she is at least organic pest control. The people I bought her from had no idea how old she is so I don't know if she still makes eggs or not.

Here are some chicks from the same flea market, the yellow ones are Buff Oringtons and the black and whites are Australorps. Pretty feathers. Yes, they are living in the recycle bin right now. Between dogs and hawks destroying my poultry population I'm not taking any chances.

























Here is Callie the cat. She is Finn's new toy that he carries around all day. Bob doesn't like her but she likes him. Last night she climbed up on his computer to have a nap on his laptop keyboard while he was working(he wouldn't wait while I got the camera). She is 8 weeks old and very precious. Since I knit it and have a blog it seemed only right to have a cat. So now there is either a dog or a cat on my lap while I'm sewing, on the computer or knitting. I'm very loved... Callie and Gizmo have been getting along good; I'll need to get a picture of them sleeping Gizmo was on the couch in the sewing room last night and Callie was in the rocking chair.


Someone was feeling left out of the photo shoot, can you tell?

Three posts in one day, that should catch me up.