Lily is HOME!

Around noon today, September 30, 2014, and 10 days after she went missing, Lily has been returned to us!  A neighbor’s son-in-law heard her whimpers and took the time to look around.  He saw her with her paws on the windowsill and head out the broken out window on the second story of an abandoned farmhouse.  This farmhouse was within our search area, but we didn’t hear or see her during the time we were in the area.

She is very thin, but was happy to be back on the farm.  We are all thrilled she’s back.  It’s definitely a lesson in not giving up hope.  Thank you to all the friends and family who kept up the prayers and for locals who kept their eyes and ears open. 

Monday DayLook: August 25, 2014

 

Looking out my back porch... mostly cloudy, breezy and it just looks cool.  The wheat field is very ready for harvest, but thanks to the rain this weekend, harvest will wait for a few days.

I am thankful for... allergy medicine, shop-vacs, bacon, fresh peaches, a functioning computer and napping toddlers.

I am reading… a mish mash of books, magazines and online articles. 

I am praying for...  a successful senior year for Greg and a successful year for the rest of my kids.  I am praying they all stay healthy in their sporting activities, as well.  I’m also praying that Religious Education will run smoothly and that we’ll find a cook for the college fraternity I advise.

I am hearing... honestly, in the couple minutes I’ve been writing this post, the boys have scraped a stool across the kitchen floor three times, Dak threw a plate on the floor for clattering effect, and the middle boys were having an argument over who should pick up a game they were both playing.  Mix in a couple screams of ‘Done, done!’ and you’ve put yourself in my chair.

From the Home Front…today has been a doozy of a morning.  Why is it that we cannot discover a problem with our septic pump until water is spilling into the homeschool closet or spilling over the toilet seat next door?  We’d meant to get a back-up pump, but just hadn’t gotten it done.  Of course, my husband thought he’d have more than a year to accomplish that task.  It seems we go through a pump a year.  I think he’ll be getting that done a little sooner than planned.  For now, we are pumping into the backyard…good thing we live in the country and thank goodness it’s windy today. 

From the School Room... assignments are being completed.  Greg and I determined that he’ll be re-taking the ACT.  Unfortunately, there is only one date that works and it’s next April.  He’s also signed up for career days at one college and we’re planning on two college tours, as well. 

From the Kitchen...  Sweet ‘n’ Sour Baked Beans in the oven and Raspberry Chipolte Bacon fresh out of the oven.

From the FarmYard… Lily, our 4mo black lab, went missing last Wednesday.  She hasn’t returned, and we don’t believe she will.  It stinks.  We went out searching for three days in the area where the dogs were last seen, to no avail.  It rained the three nights after she went missing, so the odds of her surviving with an injury are even slimmer.  Bella, our older dog, has been moping around.  We all miss Lily.  Each morning, I’ve woke up hoping that she’d be laying on the mat on the back porch. 

The last batch of hogs goes to the butcher tomorrow.  It’ll be nice to get the barn cleaned out for the winter.

We still haven’t had an opportunity to move the chickens.  The weather played a part in the delay.  Oh, well.  It’ll happen when it happens.

A successful moment… the pile of shirts & handkerchiefs to be ironed has been pressed and put away. 

A few plans for the rest of the week…
*First varsity football game for Greg on Tuesday and his second game is  on Saturday

*Zeke’s first football game is Thursday

*Angelina has an ortho appt in Fargo on Wednesday

*Graham begins Flag Football practice on Thursday

*Family camping trip – last one of the year – begins Thursday night or Friday morning

*Grandma Green Acres plans to take Zeke, Graham, and Louis to see Bob!

*Final prep for our first day of class on September 2.

A picture memory...

 

From our trip through the Smokey Mountains in June 2006.  From left to right: Zeke, Graham, Angelina, Greg.  The pic up top is also from our trip through the mountains.

Monday DayLook: August 18, 2014

Looking out my back porch... It’s partly sunny and the wheat field is ripening.  Another couple years and the tree rows will block my view of the field…I don’t look forward to that day.

I am thankful for... living on the farm, cuddly two year olds, snuggly four year olds, chores to get the kids out of the house.

I am praying for...  insight into how to encourage good work ethic in my kids.

A random thought… my oldest son has his work space in our school room and my work area is in the schoolroom, but situated behind him so that I can see his computer screen.  He dislikes me working on my computer or being in the room behind him during school hours.  I think it’s because he feels guilty.  Maybe it’s because whenever I walk back into the room, after being gone, he’s not doing schoolwork and switches his screen??  Trust is earned my boy…it’s earned.

From the School Room... while the room is more organized than last week, it’s still not ‘there’.  Too many piles on the windowsill, dirty windows, old wall posters, remnants of summer that need to be stored away.

From the Kitchen...  peach crisp in the making thanks to Angelina.  If all goes as planned, she’ll be canning peach something for a 4-H project.

From the FarmYard… another load of hogs goes in to the butcher tomorrow.  We are also planning to move our older laying flock this week.  I plan to have the boys help me move two sets of nest boxes to the Wahoo and then we’ll move the flock.  Ya see, there are rats in the barn where they currently live and we want to get rid of the rats.  They eat the feed meant for the chickens and also drink the water, which prevents any poison from working properly.  It’s a big project, but hopefully one that will improve the property.

A successful moment… the basement is cleaned and a couple loads of laundry were taken care of this morning.  Went through a pile of magazines and papers to donate, store or throw.

A few plans for the rest of the week…
Cleaning and organizing. 
Greg has practice every day this week. Football practice for Zeke on Tuesdays & Thursdays.
A massage and meeting in Fargo for Suzie!
Harvest of the wheat begins this week.

A picture memory...

The picture is from last August, but this little guy turned two last week!  And, he is little.  10% for weight and 25% for height…very different from how his older siblings grew.  But, much easier on his older mama!!

Update:  Since I couldn't quite figure out the whole google+ (I really just don't have the extra time), I shut off that feature.  I'm sorry to those who posted comments under google+ because your comments are now gone.  It's another of those tech quirks.

DayLook: Thursday, August 14, 2014

I am thankful for... the days of August when the weather is mild, kids enjoy being outside, chicken butchering is done for the year, and school hasn’t started yet.

I am looking forward to…Greg’s senior year of school and all that goes with it, football games for my boys and the NDSU Bison, camping one more time with family at the end of the month (never thought you’d hear me say that…for those of you who know me well!), and late Summer/early Fall colors in the flower garden.

I am reading… novels on my kindle.  Eric and I watched Divergent the other night, and while I’d read Divergent, I hadn’t read the other two books in the trilogy.  After watching the movie, I read the other books within the next two days.  I enjoyed the series for the most part.  I appreciated closure at the end, even if it’s wasn’t how I’d envisioned.

I am praying for...  a successful and uneventful harvest for our family and a smooth start to our school year.  October will mark one year since my dad’s accident.  I pray for him and everyone helping on my childhood farm as they enter harvest (and the combine) for the first time since my dad’s accident.

A random thought… another of my children has been diagnosed with shingles.  That’s right, I said another.  And they’ve both been 11 years old!  I find it interesting and maybe somewhat of a double standard that older persons who are diagnosed with shingles are not told to stay home and avoid people, but my two children…who both had the chicken pox at the ages of 3 and 1 years (not vaccine related)…were told to stay home and avoid contact with anyone.  I’d also like to see a bit more research on how/if the chicken pox vaccine is possibly related to an increase in the incidence of shingles in younger adults and children.

I am hearing... the ripple of the water from the aquarium.

From the School Room... slowly becoming organized for the coming year.  Still have last years completed work to sort through and file, but all the non-consumable texts and materials have been stored.  Supplies have been purchased and syllabi are updated.

From the Kitchen...  purchased two lugs of peaches earlier this week with the hope of canning at least one lug.  So far, we’ve only eaten them fresh, but they are delicious.  Angelina used up a zucchini by making chocolate chip zucchini cake; I frosted it with brown sugar frosting.  Very good recipe; even though I initially thought it would flop because she halved the pan size (didn’t read instructions carefully enough). 

From the FarmYard… chicken butchering was spread over three days on two different weekends.  It’s done for the year.  We’ve already started delivering some of the frozen birds to customers.  The laying hens continue to produce!  The newest layers will begin production as early as mid-September.  The sheep are done for the year, and the hogs are being taken in to the butcher in batches of 5 or 6.  It’s awesome to be able to produce so much of our own meat.  Just wish I was a little better about the garden…

A successful moment… both boys had physicals before football practice started, thank goodness.  I’d forgotten about that little, but major, requirement until two weeks ago.

A few plans for the rest of the week…
1. Mass to celebrate The Assumption.

2. Supper with friends.

3. Bills, bills, bills.

4. Trip to Fargo for a doctor appt. 

Picture memory...

Angelina’s dress for the 4-H Sew ‘n’ Show Contest.

 

Lily, purebred Black Labrador Retriever.  Newest addition to the farm and great fun.  She’s much bigger than this photo shows.  This was back in June 2014.

Sunday DayLook: May 18, 2014

Looking out my back porch... sun is setting & it’s slightly windy.

I am thankful for... the annual Father/Son Camping trip and easy to heat freezer meals.

I am reading… a few fluff books on Kindle, and pattern guides (it’s time to get those 4-H projects sewn).

I am praying for...  a peaceful, uneventful week with good travels.

A random thought… why is it every time I sit down to blog/read, the littlest figures that’s the perfect time to wake up from his nap.

I am hearing... the littlest squawking from his bed.

From the sewing/craft room… found time to sew several pairs of pajama pants for the boys.  Angelina is well on her way to completing her first dress; we’ll be waiting a few days for the zipper.

From the School Room... Greg still has a few subjects.  The room is a disaster area!  Needs a thorough cleaning and this years supplies need to be stored….another day.

From the Kitchen...  not much.  Thank goodness for frozen pizza and brats.

From the FarmYard… lots of feeding and cleaning.

A successful moment…

A few plans for the rest of the week…
Monday: Youth Ministry training in Fargo, Spring planting

Tuesday: Youth Ministry training concludes; Consumer Choices contest for Angelina, Zeke & Graham

Wednesday: home today

Thursday: dentist appointments for two boys & a shopping trip to Fargo

Friday/Saturday/Sunday: Family wedding, family get-together, graduation open house

A picture memory...

July 2011 – Louis after his first haircut

Clean rooms…

In an effort to encourage my children to clean their rooms and then keep them clean, I created an award.  The award is a prize of their choice (parental approval required) won by having the cleanest room at the end of the week – provided the rooms are clean.  Some prizes necessitate winning twice.

Interestingly, the award has been won – two weeks in a row – by Graham, age 7, and Louis, age 4.  Graham needed two awards to win his Hexbug and Louis needed two awards to win a Link shield. 

There have been weeks when no one has won because the rooms were simply NOT clean! 

There has been some movement toward a cleaner room for Greg & Zeke, who share a room.  Angelina loves her piles, so is farther away from a solid win. 

AND, this past week, I completely changed it up again.  Zeke was moved in with Louis and Graham into the room with Greg.  Because…I’d been finding half empty cups of iced tea and chocolate milk on dressers (and behind clean towels in cupboards), bowls of food in drawers, under the sink in the bathroom, in storage tubs…it’s just plain GROSS!  Of course, no one fesses up to the empty bowls and cups.  So, my solution was to mix up the living arrangements so I could keep track of the offenders (yes, I do have an idea of ‘who’ is doing it, but they’d always blame the roommate).  And, yes, my kids get plenty to eat, just not that kind of junk whenever they want. 

It’s part punishment/consequence for poor decisions, part older sibling helping younger sibling learn to keep a clean room and make good choices.

I have no idea if it will work or even help, but something needed to be changed.  Here goes.