A Few of My Favorite Things!

July 28, 2009, All in a nights work, we went to the campground, took a scenic drive, seen smoke from the meat packing plant that was burning and took plenty of pictures of the sunset. I have started enjoying more scenery pictures lately. I enjoy seeing the beautiful things around me that God has allowed... wether its deer in a field, industrial landscape, reflections, rivers or just the moon. God is so Good! At the campground Lucy was finishing up her Chocolate Mousse Yogurt and she has a fascination with the dogs, especially Smokey. She is very sure about him, as you can tell, he is very unsure about her. I see this picture and it makes me laugh ~ he certainly has the look of "really, must you come so close ~ look at yourself!"

She was quite the messy little girl - but very Happy!

The kids enjoy driving the scenic way home from places to find deer and just to see what they can see. We had a really good night and I was able to get pictures of a few of my favorite things, my kids, deer, hot air balloons and the sunset. (*Jason* is one of my most favorite things too, ~ although he was at work ~ so I wasn't able to get a picture of him.)

Grandma & Grandpa's Camper

The kids and I joined my brothers, Ken (& family) and Eugene for dinner at my parents camper. They were camping at Squaw Creek Park again. The kids all went for a walk before supper with Ashley to the playground. (Since my mom and dad didn't choose a closer site!) The kids had a really good time and were so hot when they came back, they all enjoyed popsicles. We tried to get a picture of the kids together, but they weren't cooperative. We tried again after supper and it worked much better! I was able to get a few good shots of my little brothers, Smokey and Bandit. My parents treat thier dogs way better than we ever were treated ~ they are treated much more like people than animals!! It is always a good time for everyone when we have the chance to get together - my kids love going to the campground and having a picnic with Grandma and Grandpa, its a bonus when my brother's kids are there for them to play with!

My Morgan!

When it was time to plant the garden, Morgan really wanted to plant Marigolds. After patiently waiting 3 weeks or so... nothing ... I had gotten some Zinnia's for her to plant, and plant she did! We have quite a few, we had many more start to come up, but they were eaten before we had the 2nd layer of fence up around our garden! Now, we have had many pretty Zinnia's that are constantly blooming. While I was diligently pruning my out of control tomato plants, Morgan was outside the garden watching. I seen a Zinnia that had broke at the stem, but the flower was still alive. I clipped it and gave it to her. She ran off for quite some time with it. Morgan came back and was talking with me, while I was still diligently working in the garden with Logan ~ still pruning! She asked me if I could clip another flower for her, "the beautiful red one, maybe just under the leaf" I clipped the flower for her and she was on her way again. During all of this Jason had been mowing the lawn. When Jason came to the garden to donate grass clippings, he asked where Morgan was, she hadn't been seen for a long time. I told him that she was going to the house to put her flower I cut for her in water, in her special cup from Kami's birthday. Logan went in the house to see how she was coming along and minutes later they came back to the garden [Because I was diligently clipping away my Ginormous Tomato plants] Morgan wanted Logan to tell me what he had seen and this is what he described!

I love being a Momma - even if she hasn't gotten the spelling quite write!

Postville or Bust!

On Friday and Saturday the kids and I spent time in Postville, with Jason's Aunt Peggy and Grandma Violet (Going strong at 91)! On the way to Grandma Violets house, I ran into road construction and eventually storms, Thank God for answering prayer and watching over us! The "Shorter" way was detoured because of roadwork ~ had it not been we would have been right in the wrong place at the wrong time! Thank God for road construction! I watched and was able to get pictures {Yes, while I was driving - my secret} as the sky had a perfect line of dark, dark, dark and sunny! I drove into sprinkles for a few secs and they quickly became down pour, I couldn't see past my Windshield! I prayed to find a driveway and there was one within feet, I was able to get turned around and out of the storm in just a minute! The kids and I were praying ~ no sooner did we say Amen! and I could physically see the clouds move over the highway and the rain downpouring within feet of the highway as I drove. Logan and Morgan were very excited and Thank God, as I was too that the rain moved off of our road. I continued to drive to Postville and along the way I seen so much damage that God kept us safe from! The hail in places was softball size, we are so thankful God watched over us. We seen trees down everywhere as well as on a house, we seen new boulders that fell from small cliffs beside portions of the highway and we seen devastation to cornfields from the hail. The hour and 45 min. drive turned into three hours and from 89 miles to 114! When we arrived to Jason's Grandma's house, she had no electricity, though it was restored to the farm after a couple hours. In that time the kids and I weaved rugs on Grandma's Loom. It was so much fun. We were able to get 3 rugs completed before coming home Saturday night. The kids loved riding the Golf Cart all over the farm, between Peggy's house and Grandma's. On Saturday night we drove to Clermont and ate at TJ's Pizza Place - Awesome Pizza! On our way there and back we took detours and drove on old gravel roads where Grandma grew up. It is amazing to be with Grandma Violet and hear her stories. It was awesome to watch her weave on her loom that she bought 50 some years ago, for $40.00 to make rugs to help make a little money for the family when times were tough. I love to be with Grandma Violet, we try to take the kids there often so they will get to know Grandma Violet ~ she is an extra-ordinary lady! We love her to pieces!

Going, Going, Gone!

The kids and I are going to Postville today to visit Jason's aunt and grandma. The kids love going here ~ but I haven't told them! Morgan just came upstairs from cleaning the toys in the basement and said that Logan found her lipgloss. I told her that if they finish cleaning the basement we are going to leave. She runs away! I hear, "Mommy said if we finish cleaning the basement, we get to go somewhere special!" Ethan yells at the top of his lungs "YAAAH WHOOOOO! My Mommy is the best Mommy in the Whole World!" It isn't hard to be the "Best Mommy in the World" around here, we could just end up at the gas station ~ they don't have a clue where we are going! I packed the car while they have been downstairs cleaning ~ I am wondering how far on the road we can get before they ask where we are going! Toodle - OOO!

Family Picnic - CANCELLED!

We were suppose to have a family picnic Tuesday with my aunt and uncle from Illinois and my cousin from Colorado... Well, thanks to the rain ~ we had to change our plans. We met in Davenport at the Machine Shed and had lunch - no pictures - unbelievable, I know! Most of us enjoyed our lunches a few did not care for theirs much, mine was yummy! Anyway after the lunch we took the kids to Michaels Fun World ~ it was nice ~ not as nice as Playstation (Well, not as big) The kids were able to do lots of extra activities there rather than only tunnels. Had it not been raining, there is Mini Golf and Go-Karts, but, had it not been raining we would have been at Maquoketa Caves. Back to Michaels Fun World, the kids were able to play jousting and they loved it. They were also able to bounce, run through an obstacle course and play in the tunnels with balls. My kids really enjoyed everything they were able to do. My cousins that were with us have only boys, Morgan was overjoyed having Isabella to play with. *My niece* My brother Bill, and his family joined us as well, did I mention my grandmother was there with us too? I did however get some pictures from Michaels Fun World. On our way home, we did stop at Whitey's and have ice cream - it was very good indeed! I also snapped some pictures there. It is fun too visit with our cousins that come every year from Colorado and see how their kids have grown. This is a picture from Saturday's Picnic that I didn't post earlier, my 2 brothers families (Ken & Bill), my family, and 2 of my cousins families. Our kids all got along very well!

Catch Up!

Monday I canned some Cucumbers - turned them into bread and butter pickles! Yum! The kids love to help and I usually let them do a little bit, then convince them to play. Logan and Morgan both took a turn slicing cucumbers on my gondolin type thing! - scares me - Why does it scare me you ask? Because when they were done and I was slicing the onions I sliced my right thumb - the thumb is a very used little member that hurts when you slice it! I have bumped my little thumb on many things the last couple days and have felt it everytime!

Praying for Kenny

Prayer . . . James 5:16 "... and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much"

I have a friend who has a little boy, Kenny, *age 7* who had a serious accidental injury to his eye at the beginning of summer. He (Kenny) has no vision in that eye and should have had surgery today. I have not talked to his mom today, if everything went as planned, Kenny had surgery today. Rather than having Kenny in the hospital overnight. They are spending the night in a hotel near the hospital, doctor's recommendation, incase Kenny has a problem they will be able to bring him right back. Please pray that the surgery is successful and Kenny may have sight restored in his eye.

Saturday... Picnic with extended family

This past Saturday, the kids and I went to Backbone State Park for a picnic with my brothers and their families, as well as a couple of my cousins and thier families. The kids had tons of fun getting faces paints and glitter stencils painted on them. They each got to pick out what glitter stencils they wanted and Morgan and Logan picked out what face paint they wanted. My cousin, Zoe, from Colorado is a professional - face painter and such. When Zoe and her family was here two summers ago she painted the kids faces and they have never forgotten - imagine that! Anyway, she is awesome and takes the time to let our kids enjoy the facepainting and so forth. My niece, Isabella (5), Morgan and Logan all got facepaint, the rest only did the glitter stencils. Incase you are wondering, Jason had to work.

Most everyone went on a hike, I stayed back with my brothers and Lucy. One just didn't want to go and the other one hurt his knee - me I had to take care of my Lucy! I just love her!

After the picnic we went to the Delaware Co. Fair - the price was great $9.00 per adult, $1.00 per child and the rides were included. The kids had really enjoyed playing with thier cousins, since they don't get to see them too often. Since this was Saturday night, my kids are normally in bed @ 8:30 to get up for church Sunday Morning. I left the Manchester at 9:17pm and got home, had the kids showered and the last one in bed by 10:49pm. I was impressed ~ I had the cruise on coming home on 13, I think I could have easily gone a little faster had I not used the cruise ~ I didn't feel like getting another speeding ticket ~ it has been one whole year since the last one!

Fall in July

Today was a unique day, it was very chilly in our town. The morning started out nice and went dark and breezy from there. Which made for another great day to take some pictures! I started the day taking Lucy to her 18 month appointment, she is doing well, growing as she should and communicating as she should and moving about as she should. Lucy and I then went grocery shopping, I had started shopping on Thursdays a year or more ago, rather than Friday's, I remembered why ~ right away at Fareway! The stores are so busy! I got home in time for Jason to leave for work and the kids needing lunch. After lunch my Lucy took a nap, Logan, Morgan and Ethan played very nicely upstairs for some time with no problems! I am loving it the older they get.

I talked to my sister-in-law today and they are not having a very good day, they had to put thier dog to sleep, thier dog had a stroke this past Tuesday, Dodger was 12 years old. My kids and I have prayed for them at dinner time and bed time to have comfort from the Lord. ~ Those of us who have pets know ~ they are part of our family! Our love goes out to them.

The kids and I played outside for awhile and picked some cucumbers and peppers. I have plenty of cucumbers to make some bread and butter pickles, I will soon have many more. My garden is growing extremely well. This is a picture of my beans, I am wondering how I am going to go down the middle of this row!

For dinner I made some yummy blueberry, and chocolate chip pancakes. Morgan requested that I put both blueberries and chocolate chips in one of her pancakes ~ She ate it right up! With the leftover blueberries I added some, bananas, strawberries and vanilla icecream, blended them in the food processor and we had a very pretty, delicious smoothie! My kids think I am the greatest! - And one more thing, Ethan knows why blueberries are called blueberries.. .they are blue and they are a berry! I just love him!

Gospel Gun

The kids love the song that they are singing in this video clip at church. We have it on a Patch the Pirate CD and have been listening to it recently. I remembered I video'd it, so I just thought I would share.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khXpY8vQV0s

Fishy Business. . .

Fishing was fun this morning and we were happy to fish with our friends. Unfortunately we did not catch any decent fish ~ only many other things. Logan quit fishing for fish, and fished for crawdads ~ he was very successful! He caught many crawdads and Mrs. Brown was using them for bait, he loved it! Morgan was catching many small sunfish / bluegills. Ethan finished fishing first before everyone else, he was wandering while we fished. Mr. Brown caught a small bass, and a huge snapping turtle! He got the turtle to shore and it finally got off the hook - it was so large, I was able to get a picture, only when it turned to go back to the water! I would have gotten a better picture but, my new lens cap was on - oops!

Jason, I don't think caught anything other then rocks, he spent much of his time helping the kids and sometimes me, get our lines back in the water. He was such a good sport and willing to help us. Overall, we all had a wonderful time and we are looking forward to fishing with them again sometime in the future.

This afternoon we went to Old MacDonald's Farm with my friend, her daughter and her nephew. Who happens to be one of Ethan's friends from church, the kids had a wonderful time checking out the animals. When we were done looking at the animals we went to the playground. They all did really well sharing the tire swing - the hit of the playground tonight. (if you can't tell I am getting rather short - because I am so tired!)

PS. Ethan asked me tonight while getting a drink of water, in his serious tone "Does God Pee?" I changed the subject to eating watermelon when he was done with water. Ethan is certainly our earliest "thinker" of the bunch!

No Photo Day

I don't have many of these, but today I didn't take one picture, let alone touch my camera. We all were up by 9 and outside by 10:00! We are in splitting wood mode right now, preparing for this winter. I was reading something today in Readers Digest about Global Warming and Mild Winters. I am wondering, the global warming people must live in the South, because we were plenty cold and snowy the past couple years. We are even having an awesome summer ~ only one week that was unbearably hot and humid! Today was a nice warm day in the 70's! Global Warming has not been effecting Cedar Rapids as it has been effecting other parts of our world. So, in planning for this winter we have been chopping wood like crazy yesterday and today. The wood we went through today has been in a pile in the corner of our yard for quite a few years. As we were getting to the bottom of the pile, Logan and I were splitting while Jason was getting the wood from the pile, Jason got stung by a B-52! We found a nice nest of bees under our wood. It was very large ~ there were egg sacks and everything! We didn't have any bee killer, although Brake Cleaner works just as well. We continued to split while bees would buzz around every few minutes, it was kind of unnerving. After the bee incident, Jason was going to split a nice sized stump, I have learned, stumps are harder to split through, rather than trunks and branches. Anyway, he split the stump and it split easily *Clue* the whole inside of the stump was covered in carpenter ants! NASTY! When we moved into our house, within weeks we found carpenter ants in our garage. We fixed that problem right away, I could have spent the rest of my life just fine never seeing a carpenter ant nest ever again! For some reason, God thought he would have one be just a foot away from me today. It was so yucky! The ants were going crazy trying to save all thier eggs - uhhh! - just thinking about it again makes me feel like ants are crawling up my arms and legs! I never felt led to take a picture of today's find ~ I will always be fine not having those pictures on my blog or in my scrapbooks. The kids were all very tired after our morning outside and as each one got showered, they laid down for the afternoon, which was wonderful, I was also able to squeeze in a little nap. (don't tell anyone) I did however, get a few more loads of laundry done today, split wood, fed my children and took them to church and I worked in Lucy's nursery. Another day with plenty of accomplishments! (and a nap). Up early tomorrow to go fishing with some wonderful friends ~ have a good night!

Wood Chuck?

How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

Ethan, watched for a few minutes and then jumped right in and helped Jason stack the cut wood.

Morgan took turns with Logan pulling the lever. It was only temporary. She ended up swinging with Lucy.

Our hardest worker, Logan. He loves to learn about every machine Jason has and he listens well. He helps Jason do multiple things outside and inside. He loves to work with his dad!

My wood chucks can "chuck" quite a bit of wood in a little over an hour.