ARghhhh!

Ok, I did it again!  I just noticed, tonight, while writing up the post for Angelina’s birthday, that I had the wrong year on the cake.  You’ll recall I did the same thing with Dash in April? 

Either I do not want my kids to age, or I am aging quicker than I realize.  In my defense, I was really tired after the weekend.  You’d think I’d learn after doing it once.  And, no one mentioned it in a way that made me realize what I’d done!  Angelina mentioned it, but I assumed I just hadn’t counted the candles right…well, I was off on that at first, too.  At least she blew out the correct number of candles.

Good Idea

A while back, I read an article with tips to keep yourself on the right spiritual track …it was a homeschool related e-letter.  Many times, I’ll just skim, but this one I printed out and kept for a while.  One of the points said that we should ‘Keep a journal of answered prayers’.  This reminds me of Jamie’s Thankful Thursday posts.

It also fits right in with ‘Inspirations: A Gratitude Journal’ that my MIL gave me (also a while ago!!).  I’ve been writing in it every once in a while since mid-July.  The actual act of writing is good and it’s different from typing.  Quieter for one, but is slower, too.  It’s peaceful.

There is a section of the last page for each entry where I can keep a journal of answered prayers. 

Odds & Ends of October

 

MILLER FAMILY WEDDING

October 21, my cousin’s daughter was married in Minot.  We made a quick trip up to celebrate.

My sister, Julianne, holding Miss M (youngest daughter of my brother, Doug).  Below is Mr. W, my sister’s son.  My and her husband just recently announced they are expecting and due in April!!!

Above: SIL Anne and  her son, Mr. L.  Her daughter Miss E is below, but didn’t want her picture taken right then.  Isn’t her curly hair just the cutest?

My brother, Eric, above.  My hubby, Eric, and my brother Doug visit, below.

My mom, left, and cousin Bobbi.

Below: My aunt Sharon and her daughter (& my cousin) Shelly.

Uncle Eric with Mr. M and Miss E.

Louis fell asleep in my dad’s arms.

FROST - this was a hard frost.  It killed everything in the garden.  Secretly, I was glad!  No more guilt about not getting any tomatoes canned or the huckleberries picked or the canteloupe harvested, etc.

GLASS GONE:  A straight line wind took the umbrella and tipped the table.  It was too much for the glass.  Shattered into a zillion pieces.  Angelina and her dad both had a hand in cleaning up the mess.

NOT PRETTY:  Ok, this really isn’t cool.  I found all this stuff hidden in someone’s room.  That party will remain nameless, but a record of this needs to occur.  I hope I forget, but I hope the said child does not forget and remembers to take better care of their room and the garbage.  Nuff said.

Birds and Bees

A while back, while eating in a restaurant, the waitress was joking around with our family and asked, “Where did you get all these good looking kids?”  Quite promptly, before an adult could respond, Graham answered, “We were all eggs!”

The waitress looked at Eric and I, and we were about as shocked as she was!  No, we hadn’t shared anything about the ‘birds and the bees’ with Graham … he’s only FIVE.

So, yesterday, he had occasion to share more with me…

He came up to me, out of the blue, while I was sitting at my desk and announced, “Remember when we were walking on your back and your back cracked?  Remember that, Mom?  Well, that was eggs.  That was Louis.  That was an egg cracking.”

I tell ya, this kid’s mind doesn’t stop.

I have asked the kids to stand on my back – only a couple times – when I was really in pain.  It’s not the best method, but sometimes provides relief.  I won’t be able to do that again without laughing mightily!

NDSU Homecoming

Dash was thankful it was a warmer, rather than cooler day, cuz he forgot to pack jeans!  Silly teenagers.

Gold Star Marching Band and Thundar are always a hit.

Zeke, Louis and Angelina

 

A shopping cart go-cart – I thought it was clever.

My is a FarmHouse Alum.

Sometimes they’re looking, most times they aren’t!  Oh well.  A fun day was had by all.  The Bison won their game.

always moving

The four youngest kids and I met up with my sister, Julianne, and brother & SIL, Collin and Anne – and their children- at Chuckie Cheese the night before NDSU’s Homecoming.  I have to admit I tried to talk them out of it.  Noise and kids running around is not my idea of how to spend the evening before a busy weekend.  BUT, they talked me into it.  My kids thanked me profusely, which made it worthwhile. 

Try as I do to get a picture of Louis … it’s nearly impossible!  He’s a little man in motion.

33/52 & 34/52

Joining Barbara in commemorating the year in once a week posts … just whatever is going on in your life: the mundane, the crazy, the normal, the everyday.

 

33/52

Other FMCHE Annual Book Sale purchases…

Charity for the Suffering Souls:  An Explanation of the Catholic Doctrine of Purgatory by Rev. John A. Nageleisen

 

Padre Pio: The True Story by C. Bernard Ruffin

 

The Jesse Tree: A Cutout Book by Marlene Konrady

 

Essentials Digital Photography – this is more for Zeke than anyone else, but I imagine I’ll be reading some of it to him.  He has an interest in photography and videography.

 

Below is the Marian Garden Shrine Dash made for me.  He used the old shrine (it completely fell apart) to make a pattern on oak (leftover from building our hosue) and used the ‘old’ statue and added a crucifix.  I think they’re beautiful!  He’s making a few more for gifts.

 

German chocolates brought by a good college friend when she and her kids visited this past weekend.

 

And, the Kroshus crew is out again.  This time, they’re tearing out the front walk (that’s done), lowering the grade so water will drain AWAY from the house and foundation, installing a new walk, and landscaping between the walk and the house.  These guys know how to work…I really like their productivity!

Redoing the drainage.

 

And chickens…

…running out to meet their mistress…

…dust bath time…

…the broody hen…

…older pullets and two cockerels in the holding pen and getting used to the big hens.   The door was opened and the two flocks merged on August 18 (about a week after the two flocks were housed together).  We’ve kept the younger flock separated at night, but they needed outside time during the daylight.  A people-person stuck around the first couple days when they were out together.  On Saturday they were pretty much left alone.  The Buff rooster is definitely the dominant as he gets into the most fights with ‘head’ hens.  I just enjoy sitting and watching them…

 

…the Ameraucanas enjoying the outdoors…

I’m going to harvest tomatillas this year!!

 

And, a sleepy child (Zeke) to end the collage.

 

34/52

And another crazy week!  Lots of travel, first varsity football game for Dash (and he played because they were ahead by sooo many points… ended up winning 68-13), Dentist and Orthodontist appointments, Sam’s club shopping (with the three youngest in tow – they did better than I imagined!), overnight with a good friend for Angelina, peaches from the fruit truck in Fargo, first corn on the cob from the garden.

Big chickens have been successfully merged.  The roosters are settled in with the new hens and their authority established.  The flock is happy and the youngest pullets are getting closer to the ‘laying’ age.

We’ll be harvesting a few more chickens later in the year because the Ameraucana group includes about 4-5 cockerels that we cannot keep, or need, as adults.  So, more for the freezer later this Fall.

The newest three were moved to the Wahoo on Thursday.  They’ve outgrown their water tank home and were just getting too smelly to keep up with in the outside garage!  They have more space and better feed containers in the Wahoo.

Here are a few pics to memorialize the week…

Progress on front landscaping…

and the next day!

At the Ransom Co. Fair:

Zeke and his friend, Brett.  These are Mickey Mouse ears.

Above: Dash showing a pig.

Below: Graham in the tractor pedal contest…he won tickets to the rides (participation prize … but he did well for his first time ever!).

Below: Angelina showing a pig.

Below:  Louis was just happy to run around and see all the animals.  As for me, I was absolutely beat by the end of the day!

Above:  Love this pic of Angelina walking back from the mailbox.  Wheat field being harvested in the background.

Below:  Happy Birthday, Eric!