The boys are keeping secrets from us girly-girls.

I had already discovered one of those secrets a few years ago when I realized how much fun POWER TOOLS are. Since then, I have bought more power tools and done WAY more home improvement projects than my husband has. I don't think he's upset about it though, since he has never had a "honey, do" list. To further prove his lack of resistance and actual encouragement of his wife discovering the joy of home improvement, he bought me a pink suede tool belt for Christmas. I already know what I'm getting for my birthday, and I'm thrilled....a cotton candy pink-colored 25-piece tool set.

I have to admit I was pretty impressed with myself for breaking through cultural stereotypes, taking the reigns, and being more self-sufficient by "just doing it myself" instead of nagging and waiting for MY projects to get done. To all women reading this, my message to you is...try it! (AND, if you're a MAN reading this who has never tried it, my message to you is the same.) Between the Internet, Home Improvement store "how-to" workshops, and very helpful people all around you (you just have to ask), be confident in knowing YOU CAN DO IT! There is something really fun with improving the HOME you are making for yourself and/or your family and being able to take a step back and say, "I did that...I DID that!"

Plus, it always makes us laugh when one of Ben's "guy friends" needs to use a tool, and his reply is, "Baby, where's the pipe wrench?"

So, I can now say that I have discovered yet ANOTHER secret the boys are claiming for their own. That secret is....HEAVY CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT. Yes. That's right. Heavy Construction Equipment. Now I need a bumper sticker exclaiming, "I BREAK FOR HYDRAULICS!"

Last week, Ben was in charge of digging a few holes in order to "ground" some of the Pivots. Originally, he was going to drive the back-hoe out to the field while I followed him in the truck. I joked around about driving it and before I knew what was happening, I was sitting in the bouncy leather seat and getting a crash course on "what you need to know about driving a back hoe". After that, we were on our way. It was SO much easier than I thought it would be.

The sun was just about to dip down behind the Dragoon mountains, so the sky was filled with shades of pink, blue, purple, and orange. As I bounced along on the dirt farm road, passing the cattle feed lots, and enjoying a cool summer breeze, I looked over at a cluster of grain silos next to the farm. Everything seemed to glow. The air was SO clean and crisp. Above the silos was a bright white moon and glistening stars just starting to pop out. I love that time of the day...when the sun is down, but the sky is still bright and all the stars start to glow. It's been a long time since I've seen that in such clean air.

I guess sometimes you need to try new things in order to get out of your rutt...get out of your comfort zone. Besides, sometimes it reminds you how much fun, and beautiful, life is all around you.