Seriously though...the license plates on this car had 'BARNEY' ...I'm guessing after Barney Fife. My parents live in a small rural town where everyone knows everyone else. Its place where, when driving down the street they wave...if you are walking, you might be asked if you need a ride home. That kind of thing. They also look out for 'their own' in that if your daddy is a friend or a previous coworker...they will work on your car for free...you just have to pay for parts. No labor charge.

gotta love 'Small Town USA'



with recent hail storms and the drought its hard to figure out if these leaves are actually signs of fall or not.  The weather has been very fall like so I'm betting on a early fall....

* no Praying Mantis were injured in the following photo shoot*

I've got to admit...they do freak me out a little bit.

and although I am 500 times the size of it...

anytime I find myself 'losing' him in my view finder...

I'd freak out a little bit until I did finally see him again.

I seeeeeee you.......





sorta alien like, arent they???



we had a family reunion this weekend...I love them...Lord knows I do but boy do they wipe me out  :-)

Dont like being in confined spaces?  Take your mind off of it by taking pictures...

I had a lunch date today...with my Criminal Minds crew.  Agents 'Hotch' and Rossi ordered  from Roly Poly and they specially selected a Buffalo Chicken Melt with Ranch dressing BBQ chips and a medium Sprite.

they take such good care of me...

Yes...YES  I have issue but I am so addicted to Criminal MInds.  Right now I'm watching all the older season's on Youtube but I do believe that I will order them season by season.

Dont judge me...



*Missouri State Capital hallway*

Since I will more than likely not get to go on a trip this summer...

I have decided to play 'tourist' in my own town, my own state and in my own

neighborhood.

Here's to seeing the world in a different light....



I had a very productive active weekend.  I so love those.  Its been so hot lately I havent been able to just work out in the yard, enjoy the dirt and flowers like I want too.  This weekend, I was going to do that no matter what.

So, I enlisted my kids, my parents, my sister, my nephews, my ex-husband and a family friend to help work on my front yard.  it felt really good.

not just the physical labor but having us all together again.  A part of me loves the fact that my ex husband still has a part in the family.  He is my boys father...

he is very active in their lives

he still loves my family

and yes...down deep...I still love him.

but then there parts of me that hates it.  Hate it because it gets the boys emotion's all up.  

i truly dont believe that they think we will get back together but I know it means a lot for us all to get along.  they love it when I get along with the ex-in-laws and they love it when my family gets along with their dad.  

both boys posted pictures on their FB pages...pictures of all of us just standing around. drinking water...cutting branches....laughing  and they both commented along the lines of us all still being a family...

that no matter what we go through, we still were and always will be

family.

and together.