Prayer Requests...

Our dear friend's boy (13 years old) was involved in a horrible tractor accident this past Sunday. He was attempting to jump onto a moving tractor when he slipped and fell. The tractor ran over him before it could be stopped. He is in critical condition and we are needing your prayers... please take some time to pray for Tyler and his family along with the driver of the tractor and his family.

Thank you so very much,
Leah

For the Love of Coffee...

Well... afters long hours of internet searching and truly trying to decide how much I can get away with spending... I found my new love. I couldn't believe how difficult this was! Who would have thought so much research could go into finding a coffee maker? For the love of coffee! There is so much information out there. Well, low and behold... after finding 25 coffee makers I liked, I slowing eliminated 24 and made my final decision... (is this a coffee maker edition of The Bachelor/The Bachelorette?) I'm madly in love with him! I have the freshest coffee every morning and my day starts out soooooo much brighter! Here he is... The Cuisinart Grind & Brew Thermal 12-Cup Automatic Coffeemaker

Isnt' he handsome... and so strong and sturdy?! I must go enjoy my coffee... until next post ~ all you need is a lil' bit-o luv!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Happy Birthday to me

Happy Birthday to me

Happy Birthday, OH MY, THIRTY THREE

Happy Birthday to me!

Well... I woke up this morning to turning another year older. And, I'm not quite sure how I feel about it... I feel older so I guess since I'm younger than I feel, then I'm excited! Today has been a beautiful day and I'm picking up the kids after work and we are headed to my mother-in-law's pool for an evening swim and cookout.

Troy has an important job to get done by the 4th, so he left the house at 4:30am and will return (he hopes) by 8:00pm... he'll be so exhausted, so we are going to tire ourselves out so we can all curl up and crash together... We promised the kids we would watch a movie in our bed and have a slumber party for my birthday... they woke up this morning and it was the 2nd thing out of their mouths (the first was their sweet, droggy, morning voice wishing me a happy birthday!)

Anyway, Troy called me earlier today to wish me Happy Birthday and to tell me Owen's idea was to get me a new coffee maker for my birthday. But knowing nothing about coffee or coffee makers, he thought it was best if I picked it out myself (smart husband, huh?!) I've kind of turned into a coffee snob... we aren't in a town that can host a Starbucks, but we have a small town version called Perks. I just can't drink regular coffee anymore... it's got to be espresso (lattes) or there extremely bold and strong Perks House. Sorry Maxwell house, it's no longer "good to the last drop" in my cup!

Why a coffee maker as the number one gift from a 6 and 3 year old? Well, we have had several thunderstorms and tornados this past month. And, wouldn't you know... I lose my coffee maker to one of them. My 6 year old loves making me coffee on Saturdays, so I think this is one of those "mutual" gifts! He and Olivia will enjoy it just as much for the mere hope I won't be "cranky" anymore on Saturday mornings... they are so smart!

Well... off to pick the kids up and then do some web searching for a new coffee maker... what do you think about this one:

Gaggia Titanium Espresso Maker? You've gotta love William Sonoma!

Latte Love ~ Leah

One Wonderful Weekend...

June 21-22 was one wonderful weekend here at the house. Despite the circumstances of the visit, we got to spend some time with our families from the West Coast. The time was spent swimming in the pond, playing on the giant raft, climbing all over the playset, eating like kings and queens and enjoying the long overdue visit. Many of our kids hadn't met cousin Brian and cousin Sarah and her little boy Mason. And Mason hadn't met any of us. We absolutely adore him and would have never guessed it was his first trip to Ohio. Even though the visits are too few and far between, everyone played so well together... I guess that's all part of being family!

Though the house seemed full, this was still only a small protion of Grandpa & Granny "P's" branch of the Purmort Family Tree. We missed those who weren't here this weekend. But we know soon enough, we'll all gather again... celebrating the wonderful years of Granny P. Until then... the shutter of my camera lens opens and closes and I am happy with what I see... instead of our kids playing this weekend, I am embelished with the memories of my childhood.... the carefree and joyous days when I and my cousins, brother and sister swim at the pool, run around the farm yard, enjoy the family hog roast, take a hay ride to an unknown place and hear yet another spooky and haunted story by the Uncle's... it just seems like yesterday... and I can close my eyes... smile... and allow a few tears to slowing escape from the corners of my eyes...

Until next post.... remember, all you need is a lil' bit-o luv!

One more post today...

Wow, not posting all week and then I just can't stop today... this will be the last until tomorrow (hopefully, if I stick to choosing not to float this weekend, I will be able and free to blog!!!) So, anyway... as I'm typing, I look at my left hand and notice I forgot to wear my wedding ring today. I'm sitting at work (my day job) and everything just seems blah... I'm blah... the office seems blah... then I look down and my hand looks blah... I do however, like the fact I have a tan line from wearing my ring. It must mean I'm getting out in the sun and not just cleaning, doing laundry... etc. So, anyway back to my ring... it made me think about a wonderful post my BFF Shannon wrote about Security . The day I read this I instantly thought of my "security blanket" being my wedding ring. Please check out her post! Here is a tidbit: Shannon: "What is your security/habit/freaky weird personal possession?" My Comment: "My wedding band... no matter how happy, sad, blah, freightened, lost, quirky, goofy, bitchy, etc. etc. etc. I feel, I can look down at my wedding band and know that my husband loves me unconditionally through the thick and the thin. He is my comfort, my shelter, my security from day to day life. Without him I am incomplete!"

See... I'm having a "blah" day and I don't have my security blanket to comfort me!

Now go on over and post your comment on Shannon's blog about your security blanket...

Until tomorrow~ Leah

To Float or not to Float... this is the question!

I just got done with a wonderful lunch time read over at Mable's House. I always enjoy her posts. Today was an especially nice post on floating along in life. Please check out her link and then you decide to float or not float. I'm going to try my best to NOT FLOAT this weekend... unless of course I'm floating in the pond with Owen and Olivia... now, go check out Mable's House...

I couldn't resist throwing in a photo for this post... obviously, Olivia has chose to float :)

My Husband Rocks Friday... literally!

My husband and I have a landscaping business. I handle all the administrative items like billing, receivables, payroll and taxes. My husband is the hardcore laborer and designer... He "ROCKS" at it... literally! Our specialty is rock. We get all varieties and sizes shipped weekly from all over the country. We are unique and promise to provide a rewarding and low maintenance landscape for your enjoyment. Here a just a few pictures of how My Husband Rocks...




The above is our pond in the evening (and fall... haven't downloaded a recent summer shot, yet!). Notice how Troy placed a "sitting" rock on the beach (there is another one closer to the water on the other end of the beach) With the umbrellas we add in the summer, these make for great seats while watching the kids play. And seats you don't have to store in the winter! There are also large slabs of rock used as "steps" down to the paddle boat... and then he uses riverrock along the other three sides of the pond...

This is our friends house we have been working on... Lucy is our Supervisor! Troy likes to take areas off the side of your house and create a mound as an accent area. Here it placed large pieces of outcropping rock as the border.



A favorite from last summer. Troy took an ordinary hill to the side of a pond and created this waterfall. There are so many varieties of rock, outcropping and boulders here... it really does ROCK (pun intended)!

Here is our back yard... riverrock is used in place of mulch (a must in the country or any "windy" city!) as ground cover in our landscaped areas... he also used a border of boulders around the tree and large outcropping pieces as a step/landing for each hammock.

So, here is this Friday's issue of My Husband Rocks Friday. I took it "literally"... Have a great weekend ~ Le