It's that time of year again

Back to school. I always get so nervous getting a new batch of kiddos but things are going good. We started Wednesday and I had a bunch of cuties marching in with new clothes and school supplies... some about to burst with excitement and some chasing after thier departing parents. It's so crazy how much they grow in one year. I saw my old kids going into first grade and it seemed they were never as small and immature as the ones I have now.(although I'm sure they were)

I was glad to get back to work and Eleanor is really enjoying staying with Aunt Becky and her cousins. She is such a social girl, I think she gets bored at home with just mom.

Some big news for the Johnson family. Rebecca is engaged! Congratulations Guys! I'll have to try and get a picture of the cute couple in here soon. It's a short engagement(november) so it's a good thing Becca is already slim and trim and will look gorgeous in her dress! Nic, on the other hand really may have to cut back. :)

Another Visitor

We had another visitor too. This one on my kitchen sink windowsill. Some friends cut me some of their pretty Zinnias (sp?) when I went over for a visit. They were starting to wilt but had been so pretty that I didn't want to toss them yet. Well, I 'm glad I didn't because I noticed a caterpillar climbing out of the center of the flower. It ate on the one in the back till it was gone and moved on to the other one. So I have had some company when I do the dishes!

Also, I didn't get any pictures, but we have been county fairing all week. We went to the demolition derby, rodeo, and carnival, Nora just loves being around all the excitment and people. I think she gets really bored at home. But her favorite part was visiting all the critters that were entered into the competitions. They were all cleaned up and pretty. There was a mother goat and two babies all curled up together that were soooo cute I had to kick myself for not having my camera. There were sheep, rabbits, chickens, roosters, pigs and cows. It was fun. Hopefully, we can maybe enter something a few years down the road.

I had entered some blackberry jam in the competition and Lucas and I were talking about entering things in the fair and he says "I won the "poopall" one year for my picture down at the creek. I said "did you just say poopall?!" No sooner than I said poopall, Eleanor was laughing! It was hilarious! We did it for about 10 min. straight. I'd say poop and she would crack up. I guess she already has that keen sense of toilet humor like her mother and father. We are so proud!

The Not So Pretty Side of Nature

A couple weeks ago I was home with Nora and we heard these birds going nuts! I look outside and there are sparrows, some kind of wrens, and mockingbirds all chirping around a HUGE snake! Lucas wasn't home so we just gave him his space. ( I know he's a black snake, harmless and good for killing mice, but they still give me the willies!) We had mowed a bunch of tall grass around our house and think he was looking for a new home on our porch which was pretty cluttered. So the next day Lucas was home and we heard the same birds again. It was so weird. Especially the mockingbirds. They were holding up thier wings high and wide and strutting around that snake like they were fearless. We had a sparrows nest up in the top corner of our porch and he had climbed up there and ate the babies. (we know cause we had to dissect him of course) We were too late, but I still ordered it's execution. He measured 58 inches.