Mushroom Journal - Hunt I, II, III, and IV

Thursday evening, Keane headed out to the woods and sent me a photo of a group of mushrooms shortly after.  I quickly put the supper on hold, and joined him in collecting our first mushrooms of the year.  We found a total of 36.  I will call this spot our Premiere Draw, as they are always the first place we look for and find mushrooms each season.

On Friday, we went out again, to the Buck Draw, we will call it after a bow hunting experience Keane and I shared.  We found 87 mushrooms! 

We then went to the Sister Draw (it's near and dear to the Buck Draw), and found 12 more mushrooms -- totaling 99 mushrooms that we found in a short period of time.



Then on Saturday, Keane took a walk in Gump's Draw and found 8 mushrooms.  Later that day, we went back to Premiere Draw and found 10 more mushrooms.

Sunday, we worked on building a fence for Keane's dad, and then went home and took a short nap.  We woke up (too soon, if you ask me) and storms were rolling in.  We decided to go for a little mushroom hunt before the rain came.  We were heading back to the Buck Draw, and found 2 mushrooms on our way.  We started to get rained on, so that is all we ended up finding.

Our Total Mushroom Count for 2014 - 155

Speaking of finding things in the wild, I found three four-leaf clovers in the matter of a couple minutes, while Keane was tilling the garden.  I also found a five-leaf clover yesterday, but didn't take a picture of it.  My sister and I found hundreds of these when we were younger, and looks like I still have the Luck of the Irish!

Easter

Last weekend was Easter and it was the most beautiful weather!  We were able to spend Easter Sunday outside enjoying God's creations.  We looked for mushrooms (they weren't up quite yet) and the kids (and Tanner) waded in the creek. 

The kids painted some eggs Saturday night, and woke up to a trail of jelly beans from the front door to their Easter baskets on the kitchen table.  They both got candy, candy, soda, and an outfit.  Kaden got a basket with some games including a miniature badminton set, and Kylie got a basket with a sun hat, matching purse, and some bracelets and hair accessories.  They found eggs that the Easter Bunny hid in the backyard full of more candy and some change (their dyed/painted eggs were not quite dry yet, so the Easter Bunny didn't hide those).

Although I woke up feeling extremely sick and had to make a run to Wal-Mart for meds and last minute Easter goodies, we had a delicious breakfast Keane made with breakfast burritos, and a wonderful day to celebrate what Easter is all about.

We Went Fishing

Last Saturday, we went fishing at the "old pond" we call it.  Keane had burnt all the grass off the day prior, so we walked around in soot, basically.  Tanner walked around looking like a soot-ball, wading in the water and then trudging around collecting soot in his fur.

Keane threw in a catfish pole, while Kaden and Kylie started fishing with worms that we (Keane and Kaden) had dug up from the garden.


Kaden walked all the way around the lake getting a little more discouraged as he went...until he came back around right about the time Keane was getting a bite on the catfish pole.  Kaden helped him reel it in, he called it his own, and then he wanted to do nothing else but catfish.  He would forget to watch the pole time and again, but eventually he got another bite, and reeled in another catfish all on his own!

Now, Kylie...our non-patient child who hardly takes a liking to fishing because it requires just that, patience.  Keane put a worm on her hook and sent her on her way.  She would sit down, and immediately grow tired of watching her bobber, telling us the clock was ticking, and she was growing a beard.  But then...she got a bite.  And she reeled in a nice bluegill.  She happily brought it over to be taken off the hook, and to get another worm.  And she did this, again, and again, and again.  She even caught one bass.  Her area was all "chummy" from the worms, and we had to eventually cut her off because we had enough fish.  She learned how to carry her fish by the string, and even bait her own worm!  Needless to say, she is now quite fond of fishing!

I fished a little, catching one bass, but then gave it up after I lost my lure and didn't feel like tying on a new one.  And Keane...there wasn't a lot of time for him to fish between baiting the hooks, and taking Kylie's many fish off the hook! 


He said, "It seems like my dad used to fish a lot more than I get to when he would take me fishing."

Keane taught Kaden how to skin and scale the fish.  But I wasn't around to watch that -- Kylie and I were inside cooking potatoes and having a dance party in the kitchen!

14/52

a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014, and a thoughtful response from each...

What’s something that makes you angry?

Kaden: Whenever a friend and I get into a big Fight.  It hasn't really happened but I know it would make me angry.

Kylie: When Cameron annoys me at school 

Lately

I love this photo.  The simplicity of a country life, the cows happily eating, the overcast skies, the huge steady tree, the old barn, and the longtime fences.  It's a little sliver of my life right now. 

My life is in a busy season currently, which is only expected a little over two months before our wedding!  There is still so much to be done, including (but not limited to) dress fittings, bridesmaids' shoes, groomsmen's' ties, decorations, invitations, music, start time of the wedding, wedding party and parent gifts, jewelry, etc. etc. etc.  I'll catch up on some of that in another post.

Keane's best friend (and best man) and his wife wanted to take us to Nashville for their wedding gift to us.  We were luckily able to fit that in our schedules before we all got too busy with baseball/softball season, more wedding planning, and other upcoming summer activities.  We had such a great time!  I will post about that trip soon.

Also, I am starting a business that I am reluctant to talk about until I can really talk about it and share all the details.  You can find out information on my website: www.bridalbit.com.  I am hoping to be able to launch my Bridal Boxes in July, but this wedding planning of my own is taking quite a bit of time and attention at the moment.  I am so excited for our launch though, and to expand and grow my already-growing company!

This is just a little catch-up of what has been going on lately.  The kids' baseball and softball practices begin next week, and Keane is going to start helping his dad on the farm part-time starting tomorrow.  There are a lot of changes and development going on in our little family, and I am looking forward to all of it!

This is where a new pond will be built on Keane's dad's ground.  I plan to take consecutive photos to watch the progress.  Stay tuned!

13/52

a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014, and a thoughtful response from each...


What do you like to dream about?

Kaden: Hunting

Kylie: Doing Stuff with you guys

(or Swimming after being prompted by her father's gestures so he would win the bet between him and I about what she would say)

12/52

a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014, and a thoughtful response from each...
When do you feel misunderstood by grown-ups?

Kaden: When I try telling a Story

Kylie: When I try to explain a Book that I've read