i could be a professional refried beans chef...but i'd rather make boys run and do push-ups...more rewarding

i am happy to announce that i will no longer be purchasing refried beans in canned form...why, oh why did it take me this long to realize how easy refried beans are to make???? good grief! so i made some last night and then had some for breakfast this morning with my eggs and thought of a teen-camp i went to with our church when i lived in HONDURAS! i was not accustomed to the idea of beans for breakfast, but i warmed up to it pretty quickly with a little crema!

obsessed!

so, yes, then this afternoon when i got back from school, i may have made a bblt with no bread-that would basically be a large leaf of romaine lettuce, a couple of cherry toms sliced, refried beans, and yes, bacon...don't judge...you probably eat interesting things as well! -it was healthy and delicious! and i will most likely do it again..just not tonight.

yesterday when i got home, i noticed a mud dauber on the side of the apt wall, and i decided to take a picture of the beginnings of her nest...right after she flew straight at me, but i was able to avoid contact, then watch her fly off, out of sight. i wondered how in the world she was going to find this particular wall again (everyone tells me that it's difficult to find their way around our complex...it's somewhat of a maze, and i feel like i have to be on the balcony watching for people when they come over to make sure they don't get lost in the labyrinth), but apparently she had no problem-insects amaze me...now please just even TRY to tell me that God is not an amazing creator to have created these insects with such instincts (amazed by nature)...anyhoo, i woke up and as i was walking out to go to school this morning, i noticed her finished home...just a little 'hole-in-the-wall' type place...

humble beginnings

home sweet home...for a dauber!

 and since i have the boys, and i saw something the other day about what boys need in school....i offered them a choice after they finished their review: go out into the garden and relax in the shade, or go out to the fields out back and run around until they were tired...they made the not-so-surprising choice to go out back and run! it made me smile as i sat there to see them get such joy out of running around, playing tag, racing. then they made their way to the swings for about a minute or two; then i went over and told them that before we went in, they had one last task. they had to run across the field to the far fence, do five push-ups and then run back. they were up to the challenge!

about three of them ended up walking part way back, one of them set a good pace and didn't stop the whole way and wasn't even breathing hard when he got back to the finish-i told him he needed to look into cross-country in middle school, high school and perhaps a scholarship...and of course, i had one that just couldn't quite do it, so as he was getting closer, i suggested a couple of them go help him run it in the last 100 yards, so two of them did-they were very encouraging to him. i smiled-good job guys!

'my other boys'

i will say that the running around certainly worked! they were focused when they came back in, and they were happy-that makes things much simpler!

 when i got home, i was thrilled to see that my jury check arrived...because six dolla go far!

i'm rich! (to be read in target-lady voice)

and i just saw that HONDURAS is set to play tomorrow...i will probably be catching most of the games tomorrow-that way i have an excuse not to go out and spend money...good plan!!

i've come to a slight 'packing stand-still' because i don't know what i'll need to have out for use between now and then! i will end up doing what i vowed not to do...i will be rushing around last minute before we take off to mom and dad's...i have been packing up the crucial items that i cannot do without and want to make certain i don't forget.

i need to clean out the trunk of my car tomorrow to make room for the boys' extended stay at mom and dad's...my tent and camping gear stays there pretty permanently, and i'm pretty sure i won't have a chance to take advantage of it this summer. need space for the boys' baby gates (they don't like me referring to i that way...it's the whole "WE'RE NOT BABIES"-thing), and the pens for them to hang out outside out of dad's way while he's in the shop or whatever he's doing! i need to then sneak them down when the boys aren't looking...operation pack-the-car.

goodnight!
julie