Miller Family - Kid - Gift Opening

The grandkids open their gifts in the afternoon at the Miller Family Christmas.  This is the second year we’ve done this and I must say that the kids are better behaved and it’s much more orderly than waiting for late evening.  (This year would’ve been way too late with Mass at 9:30pm!)

First, Grandpa Golden Acres read a story to everyone.  I didn’t catch the name of the book!

Louis, above, and Graham, below, sporting his nasty scrape.

Angelina, above, and Graham and Zeke showing off their newest presents … identical (very smart Aunts!) Nerf guns.

Dash received a couple Skillet CD’s.

The Cars racetrack was a joint gift for Louis and Graham from their grandparents.  And Zeke and Dash shared the K-Nex education box from their grandparents.

Angelina received Julie’s (American Girl) bed from her Golden Acre grandparents and us (her parents).

One of the gifts came with clues!  It turned out to be Jenga.

Grandpa mounted antlers for Dash, in memory of his first hunt.

26 & 27/52

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.

 

These photos are from the July 4th storm.  They were taken at night and are ‘light’ because of the lightning.  What a show … glad we were miles from the clouds.

 

I asked the local florist to make up an arrangement for my table during the 50th Anniversary celebration.  They were gorgeous and we are still enjoying quite a few of them today!

The first fire in our fire-pit.

Louis loves riding around in his own pick-up.

The Ameraucana chicks have started to ‘fly the brooder’!  So, Dash cleaned out another section of the Wahoo for these little guys.  They are only 2 weeks old, but needed higher walls and more space.

 

Summer wouldn’t be as much fun without a smores party.  The kids had been begging for days and we finally were home on a gorgeous evening.

 

Didn’t I tell you this sill kid was always running after Bella’s tail…caught him in the act a couple times.

Splash splash in the outside pool for these three boys. 

The latest creature caught in our window well.  I think it’s a muskrat.

I’ve never had success growing Morning Glories, but this one (above) is absolutely beautiful.  Makes me want to walk out by the garage every morning to see the new flowers.  The clematis (below) is stunning, too.  So fun to have a different batch of flowers throughout the seasons.

 

 

Monday DayLook – March 15, 2010

For Today: March 15, 2010

 

Looking out from my back porch... the black patches of soil in the fields surrounding the house are getting larger!  Of course that means my fight with the mud begins…

I am thankful for... a reliable plumber who was willing to travel to the farm on Friday and help take care of another pressing sewer/drainage issue.  We’re taken care of for now, but in hindsight, I’m SOOOOO very thankful we did NOT plant grass last year!  The drain tile pipe burst, causing a 2’ diameter sink hole, & it will need to be repaired when the ground dries out – probably May.

I am reading… still only in the first part of the introduction of ‘Introduction to the Devout Life,’ but I’m enjoying it.  I keep re-reading certain paragraphs … reading this book might take me a while!

I am wearing… my favorite jeans & a long sleeved white t-shirt.

I am hoping... for a slow snow melt as the weather warms.

I am hearing... the electronic whir of Leo’s swing rocking him back and forth, keeping him in his peaceful sleepy state.

From the school room... Zeke is excited to be so close to finishing his current math workbook.  Last week he did three pages in one day, just so he’d be closer to the end.

From the kitchen... ‘cooking from the pantry’ is going well.  I’ve been trying to keep our non-perishable food shopping to a minimum.

State of the house… there are fewer piles (and they are shorter, too) on the kitchen island.  I need to get the papers filed TODAY!

A successful moment… we’ve been using our stations of the cross grottos almost every day, the kids have been calmer during the meditations.

Lenten Musing and Observations… we are halfway through Lent and about half our snow cover is gone, too.  The snow starts to look dirty and old at this point and you just want it GONE, but that’s not the way Spring works.  We need to wade through the muck, clearing away the dirt as we go, to reach the beauty of Spring.  Lent is hard at this point, too, but the end is in sight.  With hope, I’m working my way through these last weeks.

A few plans for the rest of the week…
Monday: The boys and I get to stay home tonight, as Eric is taking Angelina to dance lessons!

Wednesday: St. Patrick’s Feast Day!

Friday/Saturday/Sunday:   Solemnity of St. Joseph on Friday and Eric is a delegate at the state Republican convention this weekend.

A picture memory...

 

Our drain tile & septic system is located on the east side of the house – there’s no easy way to get there.  So, we don rubber boots and trudge through the muck, hoping we don’t loose our boots in the process.  It’s a great workout!  And, yes, we are temporarily discharging on the surface … better than into the basement.

 

It’s not really puzzle season; but with the drizzle and mud, we’ve been a little house-bound.  So, I unwrapped the puzzle Grandma Golden Acres brought us.  Angelina, Zeke & Graham sorted out the edge pieces.

Angelina and I finished it up last night around 10:50pm.  It was fun … we’ll leave it out until we have time to read all the cool facts about the American West.

Jumperoo

Well, I broke down and made an equipment purchase for Baby Louis.  It arrived on Friday and we set it up Saturday morning.  I have only purchased one other ‘big thing’ in the past … a table top swing when Zeke was a baby.  However, I believe this was a good purchase and when I’m done I’ll loan or give it to my sister or one of my SIL’s. 

At any rate, Louis has enjoyed the short spurts of time in the jumperoo.  It’s something to keep him contained entertained and out of harms way when needed (canning, taking baked goods out of the oven, art projects, etc.).  An added bonus is that he got a huge kick out of his two older brothers running around him.  He’s just so close to giggling out loud!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My little archaeologist...

Zeke was so excited to receive this 'kit' from his Godparents for Christmas.  He set to work immediately!

Had I known how dusty the project would be, or how fine the dust would be, or that it would stick to the table ... I would have asked him to do the project in the garage!  Oh well, it'll soon be done (at least it won't last as long as moon sand!) and he's having a blast.

The Triceratops is in this block somewhere.  He's already uncovered two whole bones and has a start on another.

Sandboxes and Perennials

Grandma & Grandpa Golden Acres came to town to see Angelina in Cinderella on Saturday night. She was excited to have both sets of Grandparents at the final show. Therefore, we had overnight visitors on Saturday. My parents went to Mass with us the next morning and then stayed to visit for a large portion of the day.

My mom is always looking for ways to help, so I asked if she'd plant my perennials. The bed had been prepped on Saturday and we only needed to arrange the plants (just in case they don't get moved around next Spring!) and stick them in the ground.



There is a rose bush on the corner with coral bells in front (above). The rest is not a perfect arrangement, but I like it. The daylilies and clematis (of which there are three - not sure where that third plant came from) are along the house. I have other plans for the clematis, but the daylilies will be staying in that spot, I'm quite certain. The hosta will like this location as well, but we'll have to see how the harsh wind treats them. Dash watered everything for us when the planting was completed. No more small containers to worry about!!! Can you feel my relief that this is done??



Grandpa was volunteered to help build the sandbox, supplies for which had been purchased last week. That task didn't take long, and it was a good project for Dash to help build. Zeke & Graham walked to the farm shed with Eric and, in two trips, brought all the sand toys to their new home. After seeing the kids' excitement, I wondered why we hadn't completed this simple task earlier??? Oh well, I can tell many more nightly baths are in our future.



Grandpa is finishing up one of the corner seats while Angelina and Zeke stamp down the pile of sand - to make sure it gets into the corners.





Graham (above), I can tell, will be out here quite a lot. Good thing I can see the sandbox from both the kitchen and patio doors on the back porch. Zeke is happy as a clam in the sandbox, too, and probably just as sandy at this point!



Only one task/chore we did not get done this weekend (and I am truly okay with that ... it would've taken longer than I wanted my parents to be busy on a project ... and I really need to be the one doing the measuring because the layout is in my head, if you know what I mean) - putting up a closet system/wire shelving in Eric's garage closet. At least the closet is cleaned out so I can measure and mark. Next Saturday (or maybe sometime this week)!