Boxing Pop

The Superheroes came to play multiple times this summer.  They even came to stay overnight with their WannaBSuperMom (Rock Star) and the littlest superhero.

During the time they stayed at Four Sisters Farm, they talked Pop into teaching them to do some boxing.  They punched, they kicked, they sparred with Pop...and all the while, Pop taught them more than boxing...he taught them that he loves them and he taught them boxing safety.

Pop always seems to attract a "crowd" of admirers...he isn't your average grandpa...he uses a punching bag, among other things to stay in great shape.  He would draw a crowd even if he didn't punch a bag, but that is what he chooses to do.

He doesn't tell our granddaughters that they can't do things like boxing.  He will teach them they can do what they put their minds too...and he will help them.  He will convey that he believes in them.

It is like the icing on the cake to walk alongside Pop as we "raise GRANDkids" at Four Sisters Farm!

A "Tiger" Tail with Superheroes

Tiger makes his entrance at Four Sisters Farm...and into the hearts of some young superheroes.

Like most farms, Four Sisters Farms enjoys having some farm cats around.  You may have read stories before about some of them (cats eating cupcakes, flying cats, checking on cats in the middle of the night, cat poo, grumpy cat, and even a cat miracle). Seems like the cats are ever-changing...some come...some go...there seems to always be a new litter.

Sometimes we get to play with and handle the babies like when Lou Lou came to the farm to help with four little ones that we thought we wanted to tame...and we did. But that is another story.

Not all the superheroes really like cats and kittens.  In fact, one of the superheroes is pretty much petrified of them.  He is convinced they will "get" him.  So he watched from the safety of the house as his mom and siblings held and petted little kitty Tiger.

We figured out that something happened to Tiger's momma kitty and he got hungry enough and brave enough to come to the house where the older cats are fed every day.

After the superheroes first met him, they were playing and exercising in the yard when Rock Star kept hearing a faint mew.  So they went to see what was going on and discovered their new little friend, Tiger had fallen into a window well and was stuck.  They had to save him!

I was inside snuggling the littlest superhero and didn't hear the commotion.  It was all over by the time she knew what had happened.

Rock Star got down into the window well and rescued little Tiger.  Now, first of all, she is the least likely of the four sisters to do anything with cats because she is allergic to them.  But save this little kitten in distress, she did...but then SHE was stuck in the window well.  She sent the superheroes in to tell me what was going on but all I got out of them was that the kitten was stuck.  I thought they were just excited about the kitten...something was lost in the translation.  So Rock Star got more of a workout than she bargained for and fought her way out of the window well.  We had a good laugh at my inability to figure out what the kids were trying to tell me.  I might have understood Lassie telling me Timmy was stuck in the well better!

I guess all is well that ends well, and thankfully this story did end well.  The superheroes and Rock Star made a new friend and the superhero who was afraid seemed to conquer his fear enough to come meet the new little farm dweller.  He even managed to snuggle him a bit with his mom's help as I snapped some pictures.

Of course, I had to come meet the cute little fur ball too.  Hello, Tiger!  Nice to meet you!

Renovation Progress Update

Master Vanity

Two become one...two vanities trimmed down to fit into the space for one vanity in the master bathroom that is.  It was a crazy plan but it worked.  Pop figured it out...he always seems to be able to take some nutty thing I think up and make it work.  EJ came over and helped us most of one day and our biggest and best accomplishment of the day was the master vanity.  It makes me happy every time I use it.  

We started with inexpensive unfinished vanities that I painted. Then Pop, EJ, and I cut them down and I found something else to do while they put them together on a base they built so the vanity would be taller. I added some really cool paintable wallpaper that looks like beadboard and some furniture legs and we finished it off with a custom built double sink.  Then I "beadboarded" above the back splash and added trim.  Fantastic! Thanks for the help, EJ...how is that thumb?

I still need the cup pulls and knobs but I could not wait to show it off!

 Bunk Beds - Pop Style!

 Pop came up with plans for a triple bunk bed for the bunk room...he and I gathered up the lumber and supplies and got to work.  We cut, sanded, stained, and partially assembled. Then one day the superheroes came over and helped us complete the bulk of putting together. Little Super Girl made sure we had all the screws we needed. :-) We're pleased with the finished results and plan to build more to accommodate all our grandsons in the bunk room!

Stay tuned...the progress is slow but it is coming!

Welcoming the Newest Superhero

Rock Star, PhoJo and their family of superheroes just welcomed their newest family member...along with all the Four Sisters Farm family and their friends.

You can see the delight on their faces as they snuggle and hold him.  I would love to display photos of the faces of all the people who have already loved on this little guy in his first days on this earth but the post would be way too long.  You see, before he was even conceived we loved him because we know that children are a blessing.
Rock Star's labor was induced early in the morning.  The Four Sisters Farm family gathered at the hospital in anticipation.  The contractions increased in intensity as more and more pitocin was administered; but the little superhero was apparently not planning to make his entrance according to the plan.  As the day wore on, the strong contractions were putting our little guy into a bit of distress and the resident overseeing the labor was becoming concerned.  So...we "circled the wagons" and gathered around Rock Star to pray over her and ask for God's help.  As the doctor lowered the amount of pitocin and fretted about a possible c-section, God went to work on Rockstar's behalf and we soon welcomed the "li-lul-bay-bee" (that is how his big sister says "little baby").   By the way, Grammy has given big sister the nickname "Kissy Sissy" because she cannot get close to her new little brother without planting a kiss on his head!

Recently, Rock Star wrote a blog post about being asked why they are having more children and how many more they plan to have.  It seems that at some point folks began to believe that children are a burden instead of a blessing.  It seems crystal clear that God's view is the complete opposite.  Check out Psalm 127:3-5, Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him.  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.

Only God knows what His plan is for the number of superheroes in Rock Star's and PhoJo's family...we will simply welcome each one as they come, knowing that God is never surprised or caught off guard when a baby is conceived.  For now, we will love on the ones here and join our voices with Pop who sang over Rock Star and baby soon after the birth, "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow." Amen, Pop.  Amen.