Goodness time has gotten away from me and I haven't written in a few days. We did make it to the beach on Thursday. We stayed for about 4 hours and had a wonderful time. The kids enjoyed their boogey boards a lot. The water was warm and they found a good spot to catch some waves. I am proud to say that #1 did not get third degree burns again this year! He kept his swim shirt on and even a hat part of the time. The waves were getting strong about the time we were leaving and there was a threat of rip currents, so it was probably good that we went when we did. Friday #1 had day camp to learn how to kayak. He had a good time. Actually his response was, "Some good, some bad." Which for him means, "Yeah, I kind of liked it." He had an arm cramp and had to be towed back to shore, so I guess that put a damper on things. I think he just got tired and gave up, as he is prone to do. We have to work on his "man-up" skills. #2 and I worked outside for a while and then went swimming with a friend. The sun was intense yesterday. I was working on tearing down the chicken wire that Elvis has once again destroyed. #2 was mowing the goat field. We are trying to start him there so that he can hopefully learn by next year how to mow well. There were big patches left and he was all over the place. That is why you start them in the goat field. I sold a chicken this week for $22! A man stopped by and wanted to get a hen for his little neighbor. He wanted to buy Carolina, but I didn't want to sell her. So he bought Virginia for $10. Yesterday he came back and again wanted to buy Carolina, but I still said no. He annoyed me long enough that I let him buy her for $12. Later, I kept thinking Goergia sure is getting around (she looks like Virginia), and then when I fed I realized that Virginia and Georgia were both in the field! He had brought back the first hen. So I was actually paid $22 for Carolina!

I just got back from taking the kids to the dollar movie. It is Flushed Away this week. I didn't see it when it came out and I liked it. The slugs are the best part- singing music from long ago (my childhood years) to set the mood. Yesterday was a wonderful day. It was the last day to have my extra kids for about 6 weeks, so I took them to the state park to swim. I had never been there so I wasn't sure what I was getting into, but it was really nice. The kids asked to stay there forever, and that they wished it was France (where they are going for a month or so). The water was never too deep for any of them and there was lots of room to play in the water. The beach was great sand and they had a wonderful time digging and building in it. There were huge old trees draped in spanish moss that hung over the water, so we were in the shade most of the day. They played in the roots of the tree pretending all sorts of things. We found crabs, jellyfish, sea horses, clams and fish. #2 cracked open the clam and we all looked inside at the "guts." Everyone asked to go back again. I am certain that we will. I kept thinking the author of Last Child in the Woods would love this place. Tomorrow we plan to go to the ocean. We have tried several times this summer and haven't been able to work it out. I was discussing it with hubby last night and saying it didn't look like we will get to go this week either and he commented that it is such a shame to be this close to the ocean and never find time to go. So we decided to put in some extra time today and try hard to go tomorrow. We won't stay long, but I feel so rejuvenated by going to the shore.

For the wages of sin are death. I like The Message's take on it: Work for sin all your life and the pension is death. Work for God and receive a life, eternal life. It seems there is a lot of slavery here in the USA that no one notices. Our citizens are slaves to drugs, sex, greed, selfishness, fame, you name it. I doubt they know they are in slavery, but it is obvious that they can't break away and experience freedom. It is in the 12 step programs, when they try to free themselves from their addiction, that they see God's way is the way to freedom. It seems to many that God's way is a tight, choke-hold, but it is certainly just the opposite. -------- We went on a bear hunt a couple of times yesterday, but no bears were seen. I do hope we get to see them--from a short distance while in the protection of the van! The 5 kids all got in the front seat yesterday and stuck their heads out the window looking for the bears. I think they were just as excited to be sitting in the front seat and sticking heads out the window. There is so much that they don't get to do because the world is different today. I used to ride in the back of the truck bed with my legs dangling out, or in the front seat with my hand waving out the window in the air current. The windows don't even open where my children sit in the van. -------- It rained yesterday evening. Praise the Lord! It was a fast rain, but not too hard, so it did seem to soak in well. I think it may have rained through the night some as well since the deck is still puddled. We hadn't had the air conditioning on for a few days, but yesterday was so humid that we had to put it on. Well good luck with that, because it wasn't working. I had turned it off last week when it kept running constantly, no matter what the temperature read. So we thought it might be the thermostat. Hubby and I worked on it and sure enough a new thermostat was what it needed. I was afraid hubby's thought that the ac is one thing that could still go bad in this house may have come true. Thankfully it didn't. -------- A man stopped yesterday and asked to buy a hen. He was working across the road laying brick and saw the chickens. (How could he miss them? They run all over the place.) His little 5 year old neighbor wanted a hen, so he came to buy one. He wanted my nice black hen, Carolina, but I couldn't let her go. I like her too much. So he took a different black and brown one, I think it was Virginia, but I didn't see her next to Georgia at the time and I have to in order to tell them apart. Anyway, he paid $10 for her and left. Now if someone would just stop and buy Elvis!

A friend asked yesterday if I had heard the wives' tale of hanging a snake in a tree to make it rain. No I had never heard that one, but he says some people are trying it the last couple of weeks. I haven't hung any of the snakes we have had, but if it would work I suppose I would do it. It looks like rain often, but nothing ever falls. The garden looks pitiful, though I am starting to get some produce...beans, squash and zucchini. I took the boys on a bear hunt this morning. According to the neighbors there is a mother black bear and cub(s) in our back lot. We went driving back there to look, but didn't see anything. There are a couple of ponds back there and I imagine that the bears are looking for water there. Our own pond is dry as a bone, but it isn't lined yet, so I guess that is ok. We need to dig more out of it, but somehow we just don't seem to have the time. All I do is work, and it still never gets done. I don't know how people who work full-time get anything done.

We have a strange dog. She sleeps on her back spread-eagled with all four paws up in the air. I am sure if she saw a picture of herself she would be mortified. _____ The wedding was vey nice. It was a simple ceremony that involved people in the audience, not just the couple. The guests were to bring a flower and they were all placed in large vases. That was to represent how each of us has had a part in their lives. Many people prayed for them, the groom's father was the minister, both the mother and father of the bride walked her down the aisle. The bride was exuberant and enthusiastic through the whole ceremony. They just seemed so happy and excited to be marrying. My own wedding, of course, was going through my mind. I found out that my husband and I have different memories about what happened. He remembers just trying to stay out of the way of me and my mother. I didn't want any music as I came down the aisle, and she said you can't do that! I ended up coming down to Ruth's Song: Whither thou goest I will go. Your people will be my people...I remember smiling so much that that night my face hurt. The boys seemed to enjoy the wedding. They asked lots of questions: What does a ring bearer do? What is a bride's maid? Why is everyone laughing? (The father of the bride put his hand on the shoulder of the groom and gave a deep sigh.) They both said it was fun. I couldn't help but wonder what their bride's are doing now. I pray that they are being raised to know the Lord Jesus Christ and that they are learning to be loving and kind.

I finally did it ! I stayed up until 11:00 last night in hopes that I would sleep trhough the night, and I did. I woke up at 7:23. How wonderful to have a full night's rest. I was starting to feel like my husband. I was sleeping on the day bed in the office most nights. That is usually where he sleeps, not because I kick him out, but because he can't sleep. The new baby rabbit died yesterdayI am not sure why. I don't think it was too hot, but I don't know. We went to see Evan Almighty yesterday. It was cute and the whole family laughed. There were remarks that went over the kids' heads because they aren't of the generation to understand-- like an indian standing in front of a pile of garbage-- and there were a lot of hidden things--like God's nametag reading Al Mighty. The special effects were great, too, and the thoughts of what it must have been like for Noah to do what he did with opposition from the neighbors was thought provoking. I give it a thumbs up. We are going to a wedding today. The bride is the daughter of friends at church. I can't remember the last time I went to a wedding, and I don't think the boys have been to one. #1 was to go to his aunt and uncle's wedding (he was not quite 2 years old), but was sick so he stayed in the back room with friends and didn't get to go to it. Hubby has been to more than we have--he has performed them though.

We have a successful adoption! A rabbit had babies the other day, her first litter, and she didn't make a nest or try to take care of them. One died before I could get to it, but the other one I wrapped in old fur from Christa and put it in her nest box. She has been nursing it and is doing fine. I don't know how the bigger baby feels about it, but I guess it will get along. There are lots of older and younger siblings in the world. Goldie is sitting on 9 eggs. She went broody late last week, but she didn't get on any eggs. So I tried putting some under her, but other chickens got into her and broke the eggs. Then I tried putting her in the manger to set, but she refused to go there. So finally I made a nice nest in the nesting boxes and she seems to have settled down to it. The eggs will hatch while we are on vacation, but she has always been a good mother. The goat kids are doing well. They are coming out and exploring a bit now. They are about the size of our cats and they like running and playing with them. The grass is so high in the field that the kids bounce to get through it. They are very adorable. ----------- OK, I had a blonde moment last week. Hubby and I went to the movies one afternoon and watched 2 movies. Instead of getting dinner somewhere, we decided to get the refillable popcorn and soda. So while he went to get the next tickets, I went to get refills. The server at the counter told me I had to take my top off. "Excuse me?" "I need you to take your top off." I gave him a very confused look and asked, "My sweater?" Then he handed the cup to my honey and asked him to take the top off. I laughed for a very long time. Someone needs to teach him the word lid.

So yesterday I was cleaning the bathroom. You may think that means cleaning the toilet and sink. Yes, that was involved, but mostly it meant washing the walls down. Now there are sections of the wall that I wash every week with Clorox just because there are 5 boys using that bathroom regularly. But yesterday, it was mud that I was washing off of the walls. There was mud on every wall, door frame, door, and cabinet. Not big hunks of it, but droplets of muddy water splashed everywhere. I am 5' 7", not a short woman by any standards, and I had to stand on top of the toilet to reach some of it. When #5 came in to ask what I was doing, I told him about the mud and showed him where it was. He responded with, "Yes, it shot up there. I was washing my feet and it just shot right up there." I have no idea if that was true, it could be, but it sure is fun to have boys. Even if it means washing muddy walls.

YeeHaw and Hallelujah! I finished painting the trim yesterday. Now I have touch up places around the house walls, since it has been 2 1/2 years since they were painted. The worst places are in our bedroom because of some remodeling that was done, and in the kitchen where the kids bang their chairs on the wall. So it looks like my desire to finish the painting this summer will happen. The first summer we lived here I spent trying to get it to be home. I started watching my extra kids, planted a garden, mowed 2 acres with a push mower, kept painting, and looked for friends. Last summer was spent travelling. We went to the Smokies, to WV a couple of times, Virginia to a conference, and then the big trip to PA, NY, and Canada. This summer seems to be stay home and get it done summer. The garden and landscaping are finally taking shape. The house is nearly in order. I feel like I am getting my act together. Guess the curtain will come down soon; it always does when I think I have my act together. --------- We have to get rid of Elvis. He is a great father, protecting his children. But the boys can't get in there to feed, and we all want to play with the babies. So I will be working on a sign for the front yard. I tried the paper, but had no luck. I may end up having to borrow a truck and trailer and take him to the stockyard. I promised the boys the goats would only die of old age or sickness, so I won't be butchering him. I can't promise what someone else will do with him though.

Well #2 stayed out most of the day yesterday, and he did spend the night out again. It was too hot to spend the whole day out though. He is interested in finding shark's teeth now. The last neighbors on the lane have a pile of gravel that has shells and shark's teeth in it. He goes back there and collects. He has been taking other kids along with him. He seems to know what type of shark a lot of the teeth come from. He even picked up sting ray teeth. #1 is happy to stay inside and read. I really messed up yesterday. I thought #1 had kayaking day camp. So I got him out of bed, sprayed down with sunscreen, and on his way with his dad. Then hubby called to ask are you sure it is today, because no one is here. Sure enough, I had forgotten that the date had been changed to next week. I felt so badly about it, and so insane. I seem to be forgetting things a lot lately. Another rabbit died yesterday. I didn't think it would be too hot for it to handle now. I still don't know for sure. It may have been too hot to move out of the way and got laid on too much. The other rabbits, as stupid as this sounds, lay on each other when they are hot. The boys seem to be growing again. We are going through milk and cereal like nobodie's business. I remember my brother doing the same thing when we were young. I guess I have to start going to the store more often.

Kelly has spent the last hour or so barking, so here I am bright and early. Now of course, she is lying on the front porch, content to lick the dew off of her legs. The next time we get a dog, it will be one with a small yappy voice so as not to wake a person through the night. Actually, I am glad for her since she can scare away most varmints that might want a bite of chicken for dinner. My dad lost his whole flock of chickens to a coon this past week. He trapped it and now it is no more. #2 is out in the tent. He wanted to sleep out by the pond, and then spend the whole day outside and sleep out again tonight. He likely will achieve that goal. When I saw him on Tuesday after camp, I asked how it was. "The usual, except they kept us cooped up inside the whole time." My friend who had picked him up said she knew they had been outside for at least half an hour, and they were only there for 4 hours, so he definitely needs to get outside. I need to remember that when school starts. We are reading On the Banks of Plum Creek now before bed. Last night's reading had Laura saying she would rather catch fish than go to school. I thought that is my boy's attitude. Yesterday was Father's Day. My own father spent it in the hay field. My father-in-law travelled to see his other son. My husband got to go to a nice lunch at the Mongolian Grill, and then come home and lie around. Actually, I don't think he enjoyed it as much as he would have liked. I had a fever and aches and so I was a bit of a downer on his special day. I did start to feel a bit better by evening and managed to make his present-- a blackberry pie. #2 wanted to know why I didn't make a pumpkin pie instead. "Daddy doesn't like pumpkin." "Well, then, could you make both? I don't like blackberry." Then he suggested that is what I can do for Brother's Day. --------- I spent Saturday in the garden weeding and hoeing. Then Saturday evening I started not feeling well. It seems that every time I spend a lot of time in the garden, I get sick. It feels like my strep flares up. Does any one know if I could be picking up strep from the soil? --------- Saturday also found us back in the milk business. Millie had twins; a boy and a girl. The boy is dark brown with a black stripe down his back, and the girl is gray and white spotted with a few small brown spots. Elvis seems to be proud of them and isn't bothering them as I had feared. Some friends came to visit them and were confused as to how Elvis could be a brother to his children!

The boys are back. #2 came back yesterday morning and #1 in the afternoon. They both had a good time, and I think they did some of the same activities. #1 went to Space Camp with 4-H and #2 went to Astronomy Camp with a museum. I noticed #1 came back with a shirt that had NASA on it, so perhaps it is a curriculum developed by NASA. My father-in-law jokingly asked what makes the boys think they are on vacation. That sounded like school to him. I guess we tricked them into learning something. I did manage to get one room painted, and some other places nearly done. Today I am working on the garden. The weeds have been thriving now that I am watering the garden a few times a week. We really need rain, watering just doesn't seem to give the same nutrition that rain does. The melon type products are doing well; they seem to thrive in the soil here...pumpkin, cucumber, watermelon, squash. I even have some coming up from last year! I might get green beans this year too. It has always been too wet for them, but we raised the soil level and we are having a drought, so they are doing ok. I need to spray them for bugs though. I read about using a garlic solution to deter bugs organically and plan to try that. --------- I talked with a friend yesterday about a mutual friend. We just don't understand the thought processes there. She is willing to let her children suffer in order to appease the husband. The daughter has spoken of suicide because she knows no one would miss her, and it appears to be true. I have never been mistreated by my husband, nor my father, so I don't know what goes through the heads of women who are, but getting out of it would be high on my priority list I am pretty sure.

My sweetie and I went out yesterday. A friend had the kids for the afternoon and night, so we went to the movies. We went to the new theater and watched 2 movies. I enjoyed both of them; Ocean's 13 and Pirates of the Caribbean 3. We bought the refillable popcorn and drink and had that for our dinner. I like the new place because you can put your own butter on---I like LOTS of butter at the movies. Next date is Thursday evening. I have #2 and his buddy tonight. #1 leaves this morning for sleep-away camp. I started painting trim again yesterday. I really want to get that job finished this summer. We will be here 3 years this fall and I don't want to go into the third year still needing to finish the painting. I have a second coat left on a door and window sill, and 2 half rooms around the house. I don't know why 2 half rooms, but that is how it worked out. I guess it was because I had other people helping to paint. --------- Reading from Ignatius Loyola this week, I was struck by several of his thoughts: Those who go from one mortal sin to another are usually influenced in this way: the enemy proposes certain illusory delights, causing them to imagine sensual pleasures and enjoyments, the more effectively to keep them under the sway of their vicious and sinful course. The good spirit deals with these same people in the opposing way, working on their consciences by reason to induce compunction and remorse. The contrary prevails with those who are making earnest progress in self-purification, rising from good to better in the service of God our Lord. In these cases it is typical of the evil spirit to cause regret and sadness, using fallacious arguments to disturb them and impede their progress. On the other hand, the role of the good spirit is to provide courage and strength, to console and inspire, to move to tears, all in a spirit of peace. Everything is made easy, all obstacles are removed, to enable the soul to continue in virtue.

I am having trouble sleeping again. I came out to the front room to read a bit and try to get a little nap in before the day must begin, but no luck. I did enjoy watching the dawn come. This room is on the west side of the house, so I didn't see the sun actually rise, but the light changed so slowly. At first it was a pale gray dimness. Then it was a little less gray and a little more blue. The shadows dispersed and what had been outlines of things to be were suddenly made visible in the morning light. It was so slow and yet so sudden. I thought this is how children are. Just like a dawning morning or the changing of one season to the next, children grow imperceptibly and all at once. You can't see the changes occuring until you close your eyes for a minute. Then when you look again you see how much they have progressed. I close my eyes and see my babies, see the looks on their faces, remember their funny words. And then I open my eyes and they are children about to embrace puberty. Especially in the ten year old, I see how he wants to be older, more in charge of his life and others, and I detect the clinging to his childhood, how he sometimes says "mommy" instead of "mom", the way he leans into me for a hug, the fight within himself to sit on my lap. Such subtle changes that you don't see them unless you close your eyes and then look again. A new day is dawning. Perhaps it has already.

I just dropped #2 off for the start of his camp. He is going to a museum for Astronomy day camp with a friend. He and his friend will be taking turns staying at friends' houses so that it will feel like a sleep away camp. They will be here tonight and Weds. night. They spend Thursday night at the planetarium and he is very excited about that. They are going to do some "real" astronaut training in a pool then. You should have seen his face light up at that news. #1 starts camp on Weds. and his is sleep-away camp. So hubby and I get Tuesday and Thursday evenings for dates!! YeeHaw!! I still have my "extra" chuildren M/W/Th so it isn't a lot of time off, but a date sure sounds good. We went to Sunday in the Park last evening. We didn't get to go last week because of the weather. Yesteday was a "Big Band" type of sound. The weather was actually quite cool, and it was nicce to sit and visit. The kids had fun finding a couple of friends to run around with, too. I love Sunday in the Park.

If I sneezed any harder I would be mistaken for a jet. I woke up at 4:30 with allergy problems and it just keeps going. I get a reprieve now and then, and then I try to get a nap in to energze for the next round of sneezing. The house was so clean on Friday, and now with not feeling well, it looks nearly as badly as it did! How quickly things fall apart around here. I did get a good bit of yard work done yesterday. We were supposed to have a day at the beach, but #2 woke up vomiting, so we stayed home for the day. I guess it was better since I did get a few things done that way. But the lawn mower broke, just as I had a few more swipes around the barn to do. The blades won't engage, so now there is something else to fix. We turned on the air conditioning yesterday. It was supposed to be 100 with the heat index. 5 of the baby rabbits died from the heat. I brought the mother and 3 babies in when we realized, but I think one of those babies is not going to make it. I took them back out for the night and I will bring them in again this afternoon. I feel so badly about it. They were precious little bunnies. Christa had lots of gray ones this time. I just picked a bowl of strawberries this morning. I am still getting a bowl a week I guess. I forget the name of the strawberries, but they are supposed to be everbearing. They will quit soon when the heat gets intense, but this fall they will bear again. The rest of the garden is coming along slowly this summer. We are not getting nearly enough rain.

Still reading Romans. Chapter 7 is very interesting. You don't sin until there is a law that says something is sin, and you don't necessarily want what the sin is until it is declared sin. If you tell me eating spinach and strawberry salad is bad for me, then I will want to have it all of the time. As it is, it is not sinful and so I desire it in small amounts. That is the way of sin. But not having a law doesn't make something ok either. If it is no longer illegal to kill someone, we still know by our emotions that it is wrong to kill. How many "laws" have we tried to change in our society, so that something that was illegal will now be ok. It used to be illegal to live with someone before marriage, but now it is accepted as the right thing to do, the obvious way to make sure a relationship is worth having. Yet, people aren't staying together as long as they did when there was the law. Children are scarred by ruined relationships of parents. Sexually transmitted diseases are rampant. Even without the law, we know it is wrong. The reading I was discussing with friends last night was about losing your own desires and taking on a relationship with God. This is so very un-American, that it can hardly be stated. The Prayer of Jabez says that you can pray for whatever earthly riches you want and God will provide. That is very American; people will listen to that. But most scripture tells us not to store up riches on earth, but in Heaven. Perhaps that is why hearing scripture at our church is not necessarily working. But I would rather have assurance of life after death than death after life.

Currently, a favorite place of mine is sitting on the daybed with the windows open. The front yard trees provide a shady area, the front porch swing looks charming, and the mixture of all of the shades of green out front is calming. I like the breeze that blows in there. The room here stays fairly cool. BUT, the traffic passing by is so fast and so loud, that the experience is dulled. I have thought about putting up a fence to help get rid of the noise, but that is one of the things I hate about many communities, privacy fences. So I close the windows during morning rush hour, and think of the more peaceful times. I met a couple of friends last night to visit and have some dessert. It was fun to have a night out. I often use my night off to catch up on things without having to talk to anyone. It was refreshing to get out.

Snakes. So far we have seen three this spring. Yesterday, a friend was visiting and as she got in her car she saw a snake beside her. The awful thing kept going under her car and then under my van, back and forth. Finally, my husband killed it. We didn't kill the others we have seen, but this one just wasn't giving in. We are fairly certain it wasn't venomous, but we don't know what type it was. I HATE snakes, so this is not a good part of the backyard habitat that we have been developing. I worked outside a bit yesterday too. The island in the pond is looking good, but one side isn't growing anything. So I planted some coneflower seeds. They were from a conservation event I went to when we lived in TX, so I don't know if they will still grow. Besides the snakes, I have seen rabbits, lots of insects, and lots of birds. I know there are crawfish, and I have also seen toads. So I guess we are doing our part for the environment. I have been reading Romans lately. It is so full of thought-provoking ideas. Today it is the idea that if you are a sinner (not a Christian) you have no resistance to sin. You can't help yourself. It seems that you sin, whether you want to or not. You are a slave to sin. If people could see that they are slaves I think they would change their lives. Who wants to have no control over their own selves?

It was a good weekend and a bad weekend. The weather was nice for our church Family Fun Fest, and everyone had a great time. It was a bad weekend because I was in a depressed state of mind. I am the boys' Sunday School teacher this summer and yesterday was my first day. They are the only children who attend the class, and it would be so much better if other kids would come. The boys thought friends were coming and they stood looking out the window and running to the window whenever a person walked by. It was sad; I thought #1 was close to tears. I don't know why we have such trouble getting people. I think the church is friendly and open. They are very Bible-based and scripture oriented. I have been praying for 45 children to be a part of our church by August this year. I have been praying that for 2 years. We aren't anywhere near that, and it is frustrating. I look at other kids who have gone through a large youth group, and I don't see the commitment to Christ that I want for my children. I know that my children enjoy going to church, and they like adults and aren't bothered by being part of an adult crowd. They volunteer to read and pray at group gatherings, and they talk to others about Christ. But it still hurts that they are alone. I know that God will do what is best for my boys, but it is hard to remember that when you see them looking for a friend.

I was out early this morning. The moon was so full and bright last night that I thought perhaps Millie would have dropped the kids during the night. She didn't. She was having some trouble yesterday morning getting up and down, but nothing there either. It has to be soon or she will explode! The windows and door were finished up yesterday, and they look nice. There is a screen on the door and that may be my favorite part. Now we can leave it open and let a breeze flow through the house. It will be interesting to see how the Low E helps in the sunroom too; it can really get hot in there. Of course in the winter I liked that it could get hot, but in the summer didn't. I guess I can be fickle. I had a visit with a friend yesterday, too, and was saddened by some of her news. A mutual friend has stopped talking to her. She hasn't stopped completely, but she doesn't confide in her anymore. We think there might be physical abuse; we know there is verbal abuse going on. It must be so sad to think that this is the way you are supposed to be treated. Her father was abusive too, so she has known nothing else. She is nearly 50 years old. What a life. Tomorrow is our church's Family Fun Fest. There are inflatable toys like a slide and bounce house, carnival type games, and a cook-out. We have invited several families as our guests and I think they are all coming. The boys are very excited. I am in charge of the games, so today I will be blowing up ballons.