Cave Mountain Hike

Took the boys on a hike to Cave Mt.. Nice day, not to hot for a hike and this one is easy till you get to the top. 

At the bottom all smile. Oh if it would only last.

Still toward the bottom. See, smiles.

We finally get to the top and are I little disappointed the cave is not really a cave. That's because we needed to go up a level. And that is were it got steep.

It was so cool. Michael was a little scared and David and Maverick are all over the place. Jonathan was a little of both. So now how do we get down?

Why on our rears of coarse. Nothing like a dirt slid. Well, we made it down and still had smiles.

Tech Kids

It's amazing how quickly kids learn how to use tech stuff. After speech Jonathan asked to keep playing one of his speech games in the van. I said ok, unsuspecting silly mommy move. So here I am on the phone driving home from the laundry mate, when I hear Jonathan say,

"Look at me mommy, so I can take a picture of you.". 

Huh, what!! Click click click and more clicks.

Jonathan had taken over fifty pics before I knew what was happening. I deleted all the driving home shoots and the back of my head shoots too. But I had to show off a few. Here are some of my favorites.

And the winner for best "Selfy" is Jonathan.

Garden Update

Wow I am loving the hay mulch. Wish I had learned about this one years ago. So it's been almost a month since I planted with Elizabeth and I have only watered a few times and weeded once. Weeding is easy and clean. I think next year I will make some of my rows a little wider tho.

Above you can see my peas going crazy. I love peas they have to be my garden favorite.

Only five tomato plants got in. I had made room for more but time just got away and I ran out of funding. That ok tho I will have lots of cherry tomatoes to make up for it. Yummy!

Here's some rows of onions, carrots, lettus and I think arugula, oh and beats. Doing well, I love the lettus for cutting. Want a salad with dinner? Go to garden, snip snip, and a few cherry tomatoes and there you have it! Love that.

Over all I am very please. I have lost a few things due to a neighbors naughty chickens but otherwise I am looking forward to a good harvest.

Why I March

Every year I dig out my uniform, iron it, and shine my boots.  Hurry down to the Parade field and form up with other Vets. We step out and march down Main St. The flags wave, the band plays and people line the street. Waving, saluting and clapping. Do I march for the claps, for the "thank you for your service", for the chance to get my picture in the news paper. No! I march for a different reason.

Sadly the Patriotic vien that ran throughout this counrty is dwendeling. Parades that would once over take a town filled with men and women proud to live in the USA have shrunk. What saddens me is a spares parade and how less and less people come out to see them. People forgetting what the 4th of July really is about. It's remembering the fight.

I remember the day I got my uniform and put it on for the first time. I called my mom and said I felt a foot taller. I was proud to wear that uniform and to be serving my country. I spent close to ten years in the Army and even thou I am no long attached to a unit with an active millitary status, I know I'm not done. I continue to serve in this small way. Not leaving the marching to the older generation, but to following in their footsteps. Hoping the site of soldiers in a parade reminds people that freedom came with a cost and the the 4th was not peace, love, and "whatever", but a battle that needed to be fought. Freedom always comes at a price and we can never forget that. 

So the next time a parade goes by think about what those people in the front are trying to do. Reminding us that the battle was fought, won, and still goes on. Freedom is never free!