March 5, 2013

 

Eric & Dash needed mugs for CYAC (Catholic Youth Advisory Council).  Dash serves on the council and Eric is his sponsor/advisor.  The kids help plan the Senior and Junior High Youth Rallies for our Diocese.

I couldn’t believe my good fortune in getting a photo of this deer and am amazed it didn’t get frightened away by me or by the dog!  If it had been eating on the trees closer to the house, instead of a lilac shrub, I might have run out to chase it off on my own.  The deer have congregated around the farm this year.  None of us can recall seeing this many deer around the farm for years, though there have been herds in the area, they just haven’t chosen our farm for their resting spot.

February 10-16, 2013

This is the FIRST day we’ve had the snowmobile’s out.  And believe me, this is cutting it close for snow.  They’ll have to be careful not to go out in the fields or the tracks could be ruined.  But, the guys are all excited to get some sledding done!

Marcus is 6 months old in these photos taken on February 12.  The time has gone incredibly fast.  However, he is such a fun, happy little guy.  He’s lighter than the other kids have been at this age…easier on Mom, for sure.

 

Dash is on the sled closest to us, and Mr. W, my nephew who is here for a visit, is on the other sled with Eric.  He was thrilled to get a ride, too.

Sorry for the window reflection…I really didn’t want to go outside!  Zeke is in the sled with Louis and Graham is standing with our dog, Bella, behind the sled.  It’s so nice to be able to get the boys outside to run off some of the energy.

 

And still, we do not have much snow.  You can still see the stubble in the field.

This is absolutely my favorite picture from this bunch!  Marcus is hilarious.

And, the elusive teen who is hard to catch on camera.

Storms

Well, we finally got winter here in ND.  Of course, it was packed into just 5 days, but we have snow!  After the first storm this past weekend, the kids were able to get out and enjoy a bit of cross country skiing.  The current storm is still raging away, but it’s supposed to leave a bit of snow (up to possibly 12 inches).  Maybe the guys will be able to snowmobile!

Today is a storm day.  The classic, it’s too windy, snowy, unpredictable, we shouldn’t be driving kind of day.  I’ve cancelled my appt. in Fargo – and let’s hope the next day they ‘put’ me on (I didn’t get a choice with today because it’s very difficult to schedule with my dr. – and for some reason they want to see me sooner than later) fits with the family’s schedule a little better. 

While the kids don’t get school off, like every other kid around us, I’d already scheduled a lighter day.  That’s better than a full schedule, right?!?

17 years …already!

Eric and I celebrated our anniversary by going out to eat at Grizzly’s in Jamestown on the 30th.  Yes, it’s the day before our anniversary, but sometimes restaurants on the 31st are so busy that it’s more peaceful and relaxing to go the day before.  After we ate, we bought groceries!  That probably sounds goofy, but we needed groceries and it’s so nice to have a helper to load and unload.  Plus, Eric doesn’t beg for treats and ‘those items in the isle ends that are attractive but unhealthy’!

It’s really hard to believe this many years have passed!  I can still remember the scent of the gardenias in my bouquet and the beauty of the roses and variegated holly.  I  remember the first time we saw each other that day … pretty sure he was more ‘nervous’ than I.  After the wedding, we left to get in the car and it was lightly snowing.  I just remember the stunning beauty of the moment leaving with my husband and being showered with snowflakes.  Who needs rice when you have snowflakes!!

RR Crossing in ND

 

This video is of a train crossing that isn’t very far (under 10 miles!) from where I grew up.  Can’t say I’ve ever seen something like this before … the train’s snow shovel in action.