Past the City Limit Sign

We live in 'The Fields.' Jeff has always wanted to live 'out' and wants to forevermore. There are tons of things I love about living out here, and I feel totally blessed to be here right now. But...there are some things that aren't so hot. Here are the Top 5:
Best Things About Living In The Fields:
1. The sweet smell of fresh cut alfalfa
2. I don't have to worry about my kids getting hit by a car, ever.
3. I can nurse my baby on the back porch and no one will ever see (yes, I do.)
4. My kids can have animals, do chores, and ride their horses in their own backyard.
5. It's beautiful!

Worst Things About Living In The Fields:
1. The water. The hard well water is kicking my butt.
2. The flies. and more flies, and more flies.
3. No mail delivery. Who doesn't like to get mail?
4. No school buses. I have to take Daisy and pick her up.
5. The insects. The entrance to my house looks like an insect graveyard. We're not talking a few lowly casualties, it's an unmistakable mass grave for crawling things.
5.1. No neighbors. Unless the corn counts. Ok, that could legitimately be listed under both headings.
5.2. Library fees. Not a city resident? Must pay a non-resident fee to use the library. Rude!
5.3. No such thing as a clean car. Dirt roads. Need I say more?
5.4. No vote! Call me naive, but I was told when I went to vote today that I cannot. I don't live in city limits, so I can't vote for City Council. Do you know what that is? Taxation without representation. They make the decisions for my city, but my vote is not allowed. Being told you are not allowed to vote = All.Fired.Up.

Ok, so the 'Worst' list is a tad bit longer than the 'Best' list. Maybe Jeff and I need to have a little talk about his lifetime goal to always live 'in the fields.'

Isaac's Trademark...Gone

Since the moment he entered this world, Isaac's trademark has been his hair. It was long and thick and out-of-control right from the start. Throughout his stay in the hospital all the nurses would tease about putting bows in it because it was so long. Everywhere we go - the mall, the movie, the zoo, the pediatrician, the photographer, church, family reunions - people comment on Isaac's outstanding (literally) hair. Several people have hinted, some not so subtly, that it was time to tame his locks. I resisted because it would make him seem older. That was the way he came! However, I knew I couldn't hold out forever. So this weekend when my mom was here I had her do the deed. Isaac's trademark hair is now just a lock of a memory taped into his baby book.

This is a good 'before' shot so you can see just how manly his mullet had become.
This is how he felt about getting rid of his famous do that he had worked so hard growing and grooming. I must confess that I, too, shed a few tears of my own (sniffle, sniffle.)

Here's an 'after' shot from the back. Yikes! It's gone!

And here's an 'after' shot from the front. Nope, I didn't let them take any off the top. While we bid farewell to the mullet, we are holding on to the mohawk for a bit longer. And as you can see, he survived the whole ordeal just fine.

Riding Club

Jeff loves competing with the local riding club. It gives him a chance to ride, which is his real passion. It's also a time for him to socialize, which I don't think he would do at all without riding club. He takes the kids with him to practice every Tuesday night and they all look forward to it. This past weekend his meet was in Huntington so the kids and I drove over to cheer him on. I even got to see my super cute friend Jana, which was a real treat. He placed in a few events which means he will advance to the upcoming State Meet.

After a full day of riding and playing all of us had very dirty boots...except Isaac.

This is Jeff's team. Yee-haw.

Daddy giving Isaac some love, since the older two are the ones who usually end up in the saddle with him.

This is a picture of Jeff and Levi last weekend. Jeff took both Daisy and Levi camping with his family one last time before school started. Isaac and I stayed home. It was a blissful weekend for both of us. I couldn't believe how much I could accomplish with just one child to take care of! We decided the whole "Leave Mom At Home For The Weekend" will be something we institute on a quarterly basis. I need the break, and Jeff and the kids need the time together. Where will I send them come November?