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Cotton Gin Festival

Today Savannah and I traveled to Bostwick, Georgia for their annual Cotton Gin Festival. Papa Jim enters many of his tractors in the parade each year and they are driven by family and friends. A few of the tractors have trailers that the youngin's can ride on. When Savannah found out we were going she couldn't wait to put on her cowboy boots and hat.

All day she referred to herself as "Jessie" (as in Jessie, the cowgirl from Toy Story 2) and would correct anyone who dared call her Savannah. After we ate lunch, we sat for a minute listening to a live band. Here she is doing the "Watermelon Crawl":

And of course this entry would not be complete without a picture of one of Jim's tractors. This one is being driven by my niece, Rachael. Her Uncle Jonathan is riding on the back.

Friday Funny

Recently there were 2 additional chores added to Savannah's responsibilities: helping me put away groceries after we go to the store and emptying the dishwasher. Both of these things are something she might get involved with from time to time, but now she is expected to help anytime either of these tasks are being done.

Sometimes I think it is a harder adjustment for me than her, because in the back of my mind I am thinking that I can get this stuff finished in half the time if I just do it myself. But I realize that 2 things happen when I allow her to get involved. She is learning about responsibility and what it means to be a part of a family, and I am learning patience and that there can be more to household chores than the speed in which one can be accomplished.

This morning the dishwasher needed to be emptied. Savannah was watching TV and I told her when that show was over, to come to the kitchen, I needed her help. She agreed.

When she came to help out I told her that I wanted her to empty the dishwasher by herself (this was a first...usually I am right there helping). I asked her to put away the things she could reach and I would get the rest when she was finished.

Then the drama started! As I was moving furniture out of the kitchen (it is "floor duty Friday", ya know), she is whining and crying. "I caaaaaan't doooo thiiiiiis". "I bummmmpppped my head on the doooooor". "Mommy, my noooooose is ruuuunnnning". "I need a tiiiiiiissue". "You neeeeed to heeeeeelp meeeeee".

Thankfully, I didn't fall into the whining trap with her. I kept my cool and just repeated to her that it was her job today to take care of the clean dishes, and she could not do anything else until that was done. I continued with the floors and maintained that I really didn't care if she sat next to the dishwasher all day, I was standing my ground on this one.

I'm not sure how long she sat there feeling sorry for herself, but eventually she did get up and put away all the things within her reach. When she announced she was done and asked if she could go to her room, I said "of course" and told her I was proud of her. A few minutes later I went up to her bedroom to see what she was doing. She had taken her clothes off and climbed into bed.

"What are you doing?", I asked.
With a big sigh, she replied, "I am going back to bed. I am really tired after all that hard work."

Love is...

Peak Season:

Check out these colors! Aren't they beautiful? I thought we'd have to travel up to New England somewhere to see trees this vibrant.

These pictures were all taken in my own yard. The first one was shot from my garage, looking down the driveway. I took the 2nd one from the bottom of the drive, looking back toward the house. The third is just one of my personal favorites showing all the seed pods that will be flowers on my Crepe Mrytle in the spring.

I don't remember the last time central Georgia was producing this much color. I am seeing it down every street I drive. It is just so beautiful! I can't get enough of it!

**Love Thursday created by Chookooloonks**

Hebrews 11:1

Weekly Memory Verse: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."