Weekend work and start of school

This weekend was busy, getting summer stuff down, so we can head back into the school year.  So, we started on the pool.  Let's just say, the pool goes up much quicker than it comes down.  It took us 2 days to get it down.  Then, we cleaned it up, and got it stored.  We also picked up all the pool toys, goggles, floats, noodles.  Then, we got the tent folded up, and stored.

We also got the truck and car cleaned out, and did a very thorough job of it.  We even shampooed up some of the car seats.  The truck has leather, so we just washed that down.  Washed all the windows, Rick did all the dashboards, and doors.  Whew!

I cut 2 heads of hair, and still have more to do.  I just got too wore out, after all that work.  I think we collapsed into bed that night.

Sunday night, we didn't have church, so we took 3 vehicles to Stillwater to Nelson's ice cream store.  WOW!!!!!   What a huge ice cream cone, and what a blast!!!  Siah & Sarah & family went in one van, Josh and Brittany and Elise, and Rachel and Becca & Gracelyn took another van, and the rest of us followed in our truck.

Here is Gracelyn, after eating some of Rachel's cone!

These were the child size cones!!  They cost $3.25 each, and very well worth it.

Yesterday, we went with my parents to the National Eagle Center.  It was a lot of fun  They take in injured, and unable to fly eagles.  They had 4 bald eagles, and 1 golden eagle.  It was very informative, and lots of fun.

Today, I got my Zagg mate for my iPad!  I am so excited!!  Then, I found out I have to wait, as it wasn't charged. 

Thursday night, we were supposed to go see Tim Hawkins up in the cities.  We made a mistake, and didn't get tickets ordered in time.  So, instead, we are going on a river boat cruise, with a dinner of bbq'd ribs and herbed chicken.  YUM!!  And, I am talking people into going back to the ice cream shop!!  :)

Blessings!

Cleaning up

     I forgot to tell you that I did a bunch of cleaning, and even had Becca's graduation party!  That is all done!  I pushed hard to get my school planned for the year (my goal was to have it done by August 1st).  I finished it with 1 week to spare.  Then, I got busy, and cleaned for Becca's party.  For her party, she had a Mexican theme, so I made home made refried beans, tacos (we used 30 pounds of meat, and it was about 15 pounds too much--thankfully, it freezes well), chips, salsa, nacho dip and a cake.

     I also did some rearranging.  And, I found a fascination with glass canning jars.  So, I did internet searches, on how to use them.  I put all my spices (I buy in bulk), in canning jars, and then I used my Pump 'N Seal to keep them fresh.  I also put all my pasta, and do we have a lot!  in jars.  My mom had given me some 1/2 gallon sized jars, and you can fit a lot of pasta in those!    And, for my special, or unique jars, I put them on display on my open shelves. 

     Yesterday, I was weeding, out by the raspberry bed, and asparagus bed, and I jumped and screamed.  Enough to make the boys all hop off the 4 wheeler!!  They came running.  I saw a small snake, about the size of a pencil in width, and about 9 inches long.  I also saw something crawling through the grass.  I thought it was a mouse.  I don't do mice.  At all.  Well, I found a nest of baby bunnies.  I thought there were 5, but today, we found 6.  I left the weeding alone, hoping that the mother would move them.  She didn't.  They weren't in the nest, but still in the weeds, and when I started weeding, they hopped, and hit in the grass.  So, today, I had Matthew put some gloves on and move them into the way back, where they won't get hit by the lawn mower.  Ewww!  Not sure if you can see them, but there are 3 here in the nest. 

     On Sunday, it was Andrew's 14th birthday.  He had Monkey Bread for breakfast, Crock Pot style Gyros for lunch.  In the evening, we went to a Dallas Holm concert at our church, and treats afterwards.  I told him I would make his chicken pot pie on Monday, as it takes a bit of time.

     Boy--did it ever take a bit of time!!!  I thought I had some pie crusts in the fridge.  Well, they were bad, so I had to make my own pie crusts.  I do not make pie crusts!!  I had frustration upon frustration!  Finally got them in the pan, and they tasted good.  Didn't look the greatest, but they tasted good.

     When we were at the Dells, we stopped in to a place called Buffalo Phil's.  They have a separate section in their restaurant, for the family area, where the meals are delivered by a train!  It was a lot of fun.  Here is Sam getting the pop off the train.

And, a better picture with Sam and Matthew and the train.

It was a lot of fun!

     Siah and the children are coming tonight!  Haven't had them over in quite a while!  It will be fun, and Sam will be totally thrilled!!

Blessings!

Enjoying the last few days of summer vacation

Well, here it is, August is almost done.  Here are some of the things we have been doing.

First--I got involved with Pinterest.  Not too much, but a little bit.  Still learning the ins and outs of it.  I was also trying to fix a chair, but I found out I bought the wrong zig zag springs for it.  I bought what "should" have been correct, as it was for the seat bottom, instead of the back of a chair, but with this chair, they had the lighter weight springs on the chair bottom.  So, that is ripped apart in my living room, still.

Hubby and I celebrated our 31st anniversary, on the 8th of this month.  Last year, Josh and Brittany gave us a gift certificate for a bed and breakfast, at the Ann Bean mansion in Stillwater, MN.  We stayed in the tower room, and it was very nice.  Breakfast, well, that's another story.  :)  We still aren't sure what we ate - LOL! 

It did have a poached egg, on the left, and the slab of rubbery stuff on the right, still not sure (we called it "Manna" - which was the Hebrew word for "what is it?") At first, I thought the green was spinach leaves, but they were basil.  Then, there was the chocolatey sauce, that also had some vinegar, or something tart in it.  This also had tomato slices on it, all on some very dry bread.  We thought it was Eggs with Hollandaise, but I don't think it was.

Then, there were the very dry, and totally not sweet blueberry muffins.  And, also the pears, with maybe a blueberry sauce, on a bed of sweetened sour cream.  If you know my hubby, you know he doesn't do sour cream, or cream cheese.  I did enjoy the pears. 




So, it was a very nice time away.

We also did a bunch of shopping.  We figured our bed at home, is way too hard.  The B&B bed was way too soft.  So, we did a bunch of searching to see what we could do.  We finally found a memory foam mattress topper, and we seem to like that so far.  We went to all kinds of stores, thrift stores, Bed, Bath & Beyond (where I saw towels for $70 each!!!).  We also went to a Trader Joe's.  I bought bananas, and a couple bags--one insulated, and one reuseable.  That was about all I could afford.  :)

Last week was Sports Camp.  Thankfully, this year, we had really nice weather!!  We had 41 children on most of the nights.  On the first night, Josh was able to lead a young boy to the Lord!  Josh was showing him the EvangeCube, and the little boy said, "They killed Him?  Why did He have to die?"  Well, Jesus died for our sins, so that we could go to Heaven.  Then, Josh asked him if he would like to ask Jesus into his heart, and the boy said yes!  So, they prayed the sinners prayer, and the boy had tears streaming down his face.  Later, the boy said, "why hasn't anyone ever told me this before?"  Yes, why?

We've also been doing a lot of ATV riding.  It has been so much fun!!  My parents also bought a UTV, and we have been going out with them a bit, too. 

This week, we have been on vacation.  We went to the Dells, and rode the Wild Thing jet boats (we would all do that again in a minute!), we also spent 1 day in a small theme park, and we did 36 holes of miniature golf, rode the roller coaster--even I rode it 1 time!! and we also rode the log flume multiple times.  They also had bumper boats that we road a few times.  Then, we also did a Jeremy Allen Grand Illusion.  What a disappointment!!  He called Matthew up to the front, and did an optical illusion (we watched a spinning disc, then turned and looked at Matthew's face, which then seemed to grow bigger).  Then, he told Matthew to sit in a chair, which he had hooked up to some battery cables.  He told Matthew to poke a doll with a pin, and it gave Matthew a jolt.  The guy said that it should have shot Matthew up out of the chair, as it will do that to adults!!!  Can you believe doing that to a child--who is trusting an adult not to harm them???  He then asked the audience if they wanted Matthew to do it again.  I almost (and really wish I had) said, "His mother says no!"  But, I was sitting there thinking, he can't be hurting him, it must be just a tingle.  He finally let Matthew come and sit with me, and Matthew started crying, and said it really hurt.  ARGH!!!

So, then we came home, and have been enjoying our time here - taking 4 wheeler rides, took the pedal boat and canoe out, and also made some home made rocky road ice cream. 

We are also in the process of taking down our pool.  It turned too cool for it.  Now, it will probably be a heat wave. 

Well, I should get back to the family, and go eat some of that ice cream.
Blessings!

Last minute cleaning frenzy!

Well, I got my school year planned out, and all the school planning done!!!  I finished up Tuesday at 4 PM.  Then, Josiah and the children came over.

Wednesday, I did a bunch of cleaning!  I cleaned off the glass table, as that was being used as my project table.  I cleaned out the entry closet, and that is nicely organized!!  I had some boxes from my Bosch, as well as my Grain Master Whisper Mill.  The Grain Master had a "lifetime" warranty.  Which you think would be nice--but when the company closes, or sells out to another--you lose your lifetime warranty.  I then put baskets up on the shelf, one basket for light bulbs, one basket for gloves and hats, one basket for vacuum cleaner bags and belts, one basket for hubby's hats and also umbrellas.  Nice and clean!!

My mom had given me a bunch of canning jars, and I buy spices in bulk--so I cleaned up my spice shelf, and put my spices in the canning jars.  Mom also gave me 1/2 gallon sized jars, and I put pasta in those.  I found some older jars, and I will put some noodles, or beans in those, and put them out for display in the kitchen, on the open shelves.  The girls think it's weird, but I kind of like it.

I also took the boys' pictures.  I love 1 hour photo!!  I had them made into 8 x 10's to put on the wall.  It's been a few years since I did the pictures.

Here's Dan

And Andrew:

Sam:

Matthew

My new rose bush "Double Delight"

Well, I should get going and get some more cleaned.  Tomorrow, I will be cooking for the graduation party, and Saturday is the party!!

Blessings!

Freaky and Freakier!!

Yesterday, after Matthew got his cast off, I had 1/2 hour to hop in the pool.  So, then, hubby decides to come in the pool, too.  While we are relaxing, the children come running outside, to tell us there is something dead in our bathroom!!  How's that for relaxing???

So, Rick went inside to check it out, and it was a dead bat--in MY bathroom!!!!!  He got rid of it, but it has been bothering me, as to how this thing got in there.  That's the freaky part.

I think I finally figured it out today!!  I went in the bathroom, and put my swimsuit on.  Mine was hanging in the bathroom.  I left, and went into the pool.

Hubby decides to go swimming, but his swimsuit was hanging on the clothesline.  I think the bat was in his swimsuit, and it (thankfully!) fell out before he put it on.  That is the freakier part.  :)  Needless to say, hubby is really freaked out, as well as the children. 

So, there was something the people in the old west did, and that was to shake out your clothes, and shoes, before putting them on.  Good advice!!  Our friend Rex M. in California, can attest to that.  A few years ago, he had to get up early for work.  So, rather than disturb his wife, by getting out his clothes in the early morning, he got them out, and laid them on the bathroom floor.  Well, a scorpion crawled into his underwear, and yes, he got stung, and, yes, he did end up disturbing his wife's sleep the next morning. 

Matthew's cast is off now, and he does not need to do therapy.  He does have to work on touching his shoulder, as that movement is very limited.  The doctor said it could take months, or years, before he is able to do that, because of bone growth.

Last night, we had a meeting at the church, as we are contemplating new Sunday School curriculum.  Hubby and I took the 4 wheeler to church.  On the way home, I was looking at a burned area near the railroad tracks (that happened last week, and thankfully, the fire department got there before it got out of hand).  Well, I saw something further up from the burned area, so we went to look.  We found a gas can, with something sticking out of it.  We have now informed our town's maintenance man, and he is looking into it, as it may have been arson.

I am busy planning our next school year.  So, I am trying to get that done before August 1st.  I am hoping that the month of August will be a relaxing time for me, before I get into the next school year.  Yes, I know we have Sports Camp, but I don't want to have things hanging over my head.

Blessings!

How to put the cast back on

So, here is the next part, that shows how he puts the cast back on.

Here is the original cast, waiting to be put on.

Here is Matthew, ready to put it on.  :)

 

Here he is with half the cast on

 Here both parts are ready to be fastened:

And here is the final, all ready to go:

On Monday, Matthew goes in, to get it checked out.  We are hoping this is the last time in, and that he will not have another broken ANYTHING!!

Blessings!

Matthew's cast removal

I have had some requests to see how Matthew's cast works, now that it is removable.  So, I will show you how it comes off.

First, it is all the same, original cast.  Here is Matthew, with the cast on, when it wasn't removable.

Here he is getting it cut off.

Next, they pry the cast apart.

Then, they cut the padding.

And, finally they remove the arm, ever so gently.

The next post will show how it is removable.

Blessings!