It's Friday and I'm thankful that the week is winding down. It has been a week that hit us all hard - JT got a touch of the flu Monday afternoon, which always puts everyone on high alert. Funny how everyone starts washing their hands and taking their vitamins diligently once an illness hits the house. So far, (knock on wood), no one has shared the experience, although the occasional queasy stomach sends a rampant fear through the individual. I'm fighting a cold that came on yesterday, so hopefully that will be short-lived as well.

Presentations, meetings, and overall work for the clinic and other areas demanded a higher percentage of our time this week. Add that to taxes, a lease signing for the other half of Brad's building (thank you, Lord!), baking for the bake auction at church, and the normal schoolwork, and you have one filled-up week. JT promptly decided this week we were "too busy", so our response to that was to let him know that baseball practice starts Saturday.

I'm anxious to add gardening in to the schedule as well - but it is a bit early. We've had a streak of nice weather, and the temptation to get the lettuce and peas out is deepening. I'm going to try and wait another week or two and then push my luck and see what happens. I'm loving the low 60's though, and hope the ticks and gnats stay away for awhile to make this season even more enjoyable.

TJ is riding a bike with ease and super happy to have that independence. It took her about 4 days to get it mastered and she promptly stated that riding her bike is as much fun as swimming. She wants to conquer the big hill down from our house all by herself, but I have clipped her wings a bit and let her know she can go on our cul-de-sac road by herself, but the remainder of the neighborhood needs to have a supervisor at this point. While she is quite comfortable with motoring around on her own, she hasn't had much experience with meeting up with cars, so want to make sure she's an expert at that - and the HILL - before I give her much more freedom.

JT starts baseball this Saturday...we moved him up a division so know he will be challenged but more appropriately placed this year. Should be a fun time, but we have committed to a more active and intense program due to his intense love and skill in the sport. It will be fun to see how much he grows and improves over the course of the summer.

JD will start gun training next week and is soooo excited about finally getting that done. He had given him a bb gun for his birthday, and he was finally able to get it out a few weeks ago to test it now that the weather improved. He was accurate from the get-go, surprising us with how calm he can keep his movements in different positions in order to get an accurate shot. This kid lives and breathes army, so I guess it shouldn't surprise us that anything with a weapon is taken very seriously, and accuracy is a direction reflection on his abilities (in his mind.) He's been trying to earn money hand over fist, and this week managed to find a niche of making "clothes" for his sister's stuffed animals out of old socks. He then charges her for them and she's happy to pay. He even made a punch pass so she can get a discount after ten purchases.

I'm seeking some calm today, and since it is windy on the front porch, I am guessing I won't be sitting out there to fulfill that dream. So, instead, I'm looking through our California pictures and reminiscing on some peaceful memories. Here is one of my favorite sunset pictures I want to share (and there are a lot!) Hope you all have a great day and great weekend!

Yesterday, our beloved dog, Baxter, passed away. He had been failing slowly over the past months, but took a big turn on Saturday and before we could stop the downhill slide, he died Sunday afternoon. Thankfully, he was in our house, in a nice warm environment, and we don't feel he suffered too much. He was a beloved fixture for the past 11 years, and I already miss him more than I thought I would. I told my sister that it is the "familiar" and "routine" things that I miss...him scratching on the door to come in the house, his happy greeting when we drive up the driveway, even his howling when he wants to make his presence known. Most of all, it is sad to see your kids grieving the loss of a friend. While they are handling it well, they question if they gave him enough love and attention over the years - a great lesson for us all that time is fleeing and we need to love our loved ones in the here and now.

We are still figuring out how we will lay him to rest, but today we are looking at old pictures and reminiscing on our fun times together.









Thank you, Baxter, for the eleven years of joy and fun you brought into our lives!

Today, I rest in the Lord. I have been blessed beyond measure as I am able to wrap myself in God's Word. We attend a church where the bible truth is spoken without apology. I am transfixed and transformed in the Lord. I have been convicted to study my bible with an indepth eye, looking both at the details along with the big picture. May I never stray from your Word, Oh Lord, and may I continue to seek you out throughout all my days. Guide me as we raise our children, that they may know the truth of you.

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105

I figured since I posted some good girly girl pictures of my daughter lately - seriously, how much more girly can you get than being dressed in a wedding dress? - it was time to share a little bit about the boys. The boys have been enduring cold temperatures, WELL out of the normal range for fall around here, to play flag football through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Both boys have previously been involved in the tackle football program, but this year we made the switch to flag for a number of reasons. The tackle program was quite intense for practice and game schedule, which was doubly intensive due to having boys in two separate age groups. Plus, we wanted to give them a chance to experience a variety of positions rather than be locked into one. Finally, the devotions and comradarie with other Christian athletes naturally drew us in, so we jumped in and made the switch.

It's been an interesting season, and fraught with rain and snow delays and changes. Overall, I think both boys have enjoyed the process, and they will finish their season this coming Sunday afternoon with make up games and awards. In anticipation, I thought I would post a few pics of the action...




We're off to church activities and a great speaker...my father-in-law! Hope you all have a great rest of the day!

And they sure fly by...

We had a whirlwind trip to Minneapolis last weekend, filled with family and fun. We experienced snow...
Sweeping views of downtown Minneapolis...
And a silly game called Hammerschlagen...
Yes, this is a silly little German game which involves hitting a nail into a piece of wood - with the wrong edge of the hammer. It ends up being quite humorous, and we were entertained for multiple rounds.

Upon our return back to the frozen ground we call home, we scrambled to get back into the swing of things in our 48 degree house. We did turn the heat on once we got home (doggone it) and are living life high on the hog at 65 degrees throughout the day. :) We're hoping for temps to head back into the 50's this weekend so I can get out and take a few kid photos on the rare chance that I find colored leaves still on the trees as opposed to the ground.

As always, life continues to fly by and we have to make a choice to sit back and enjoy it. I pray I can share with you all soon some of the many things floating around in my mind. Until then, have a great day!

It seems like this is a general theme of my blog posts as of late. It's crazy, though, when I look and see that it is Friday already and I haven't posted since Monday. I love to write down my thoughts, but I am finding it harder and harder to carve out the time to do so!

This week, our receptionist was sick, so I am the back up! We were able to juggle Brad's schedule for two days so he could be home half days with the kiddos. We filled in with Grandpa and Grandma the first day, and then I took calls from home for part of the second while he was at the office, then we switched. He was able to come home and teach while I was at the office with the other doc...Thankfully, it appears that his receptionist will make it through the day today and then have two add't days to get back up to 100%. She suffers with chronic migraines, so works through the pain much of the time. We know she is really hurting when she has to call in sick.

The weather has been cold and rainy this week, so it just begs for reading and soup! Today, we all sat on the couch and read Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle for awhile - it's fun to see the boys still wanting to sit and listen when I read to TJ. If I would have had the heating blanket on my bed, I think we would have crawled in there to read! I am fighting the temptation to spend the afternoon in my bed as I have 2 bushels of apples to put up. We went to a local orchard last Sunday and took advantage of their windfalls...I got 2 bushels for $14 total. They only spray before the blossoms come out, so they are about as close to organic and pesticide free as you can get. They are so yummy, so the applesauce should be good. I just have to clear my counters off in order to make them messy again!






So, while I may not get to sleep or read the afternoon away, I will be able to get some baking and sauce done. My kiddos have entertained themselves with building a carnival in our basement, so I am being called to the fish pond and the mini golf course. I hear I get tokens to cash in for some really cool prizes...one prize is 3 jobs of choice by a child! Sweet! I hope I get enough tokens to trade in for that one!!

Have a great day...Take the time to thank the Lord for the blessings in your life. While they are too numerous to count, pick five and praise him for those!

...and our little tomboy!

Ever have one of those "A-ha" moments? One of those light bulb moments where it all just comes together and you see what everyone else sees, despite years and years of thinking you were perfect? Well, maybe not perfect. But, let's admit, I know that my way has been the right way all this time. Hasn't it?

Last night, some dear friends of mine from church came over for a time of prayer. All our husbands are deacons at our church, so we try to have purposeful prayer time to cover them with God's guidance and peace as they make decisions affecting the flock. While we spend time in prayer, we also make sure we have plenty of time for chatting, laughing, sharing, and, of course, eating! So, as I was getting everything ready last night, my two children eagerly wanted to get in on the action (one was at football practice in case you think I have one child who didn't care to share his talents...) As usual, I was under a strict time frame as I hadn't built in any margin for additional help from my kiddos, so, begrudgingly, I found some jobs for them.

Job #1:
"JD, can you open these nuts and put them in this bowl?"

"No, I don't want them mixed with chocolate chips. Just in the bowl would be fine."

"No, I don't think we want to add peanut butter or butterscotch chips either. Just the nuts. That's all I want in the bowl."

"Actually, I don't particularly care for the design and seeing how high it can go in the bowl. They won't be able to scoop the nuts out with a spoon if you don't take some out."

"Yep, just put them on the table."

"No, we don't need to have a design on the table. Anywhere is fine."

"No, the decorations are fine. Simple is sometimes best."

"No, I don't think the tooth fairy will bring you a throwing knife."

"That is fine, right there. Yes, right there. On the end. Yes, there."

Job #2:
"You know how we cut the grapes apart into manageable sections? Here's the platter for them - green on one side, red on the other."

"No, you don't need to alternate every other one. Just one color per side is fine."

"Yes, I realize we can make that side extra tall, but I am thinking it would look better if it were a bit more even."

Job #3:
"You want to use the apple cutter? That's fine - I'd love for you to do that. Here's a plate. Use three of the red and three of the green."

"No, you can't slam it down on the cutting board like that...that will bruise the apples."

"That is going to bruise the apples if you keep hitting it against the cutting board. I know it is hard. I can help if you want."

"I'll help you if you need it."

"Give me that thing."

"Yes, you can alternate the colors if you want. That would be pretty. But first you have to dip them in lemon juice so they don't turn brown."

"A 2.3 on the acid scale, huh? I didn't know that."

"Yes, it does hurt if you have a hang nail."

"Run it under cold water. That should help."

"Give me that. I'll do it. You put them on the plate."

"No, we'll put the caramel in the bowl on the side."

"No, you don't need to alternate with bananas. Just the apples would be fine."

"Yes, you do make a wonderful banana and apple plate, but tonight I just want the apples."

Job #4:
"Go ahead and put the candy corn in this dish."

"Yes, you may have a few after you finish so that you don't spread your germs."

"Actually, don't put them into those holes on the side of the dish. Those are for decorations."

"Well, I'd prefer you just put them in the bowl."

"Alright, leave them that way. I am sure the ladies will love it, just like you said."

Job #5:
"The pecans should go around the outside of the cake in a circle, and then make an inner circle that alternates with the outside."

"No, I don't want a B on the cake for our last name."

"No, I don't think we need a gun on the cake made out of nuts."

"No, chocolate chips aren't necessary."

"No, I don't particularly care for candy corn on the cake."

"Just the nuts would be fine."

"Yes, it looks perfect, honey. Thanks for your help."

Outside they both went to be happy greeters and help our guests find their way into the house. Cheerfully they welcomed each of them, and made me proud to be their mom.

I learned, through this (somewhat painful at the time) process, that my ideas aren't always right, aren't always the best, and there is more than one way to decorate a carrot cake. What is important is having kids by your side who want to contribute and make a difference...may I never forget to build a margin into my day to share the joys of working together!

Two weeks ago, we set up camp in our "East 40" (although it is certainly not 40 acres, but it sounds cool) and had ourselves a little staycation. Brad mowed a section out of our long grass, which eventually will be our orchard someday. In the meantime, it makes a perfect site for a couple of tents, a campfire, some lawn chairs, and family fun.

Whittling...
Breakfast for supper - nothing wrong with that!

The campsite...

Watching the day end...

The day was waning, the moon arisin', and the world was settling down for the night. Unfortunately for me, no air mattress in my tent means mom sleeps inside tonight! Being married to a chiropractor is awesome, but I don't like to provide him any extra work if I can avoid it! While I love to camp, I do have my requirements, and an air mattress on the lumpy, bumpy ground is a must. Lo and behold, our big air mattress doesn't fit inside our tent door when it is already blown up, and we didn't have enough cord to run electric to the tent, so, I headed in to our house (and my nice warm bed) while everyone else roughed it outside. It got down to 42 degrees that night as well, so all of them snuggling together in one tent was a great idea! I wouldn't have fit anyway with that sleeping plan!

The next morning, the campers awoke to a gorgeous day, complete with fog over the foothills and the sun peaking through. What a glorious scene to behold prior to heading to church!

Amazingly enough, that was the first time we had our tents out this summer, and hopefully we'll be able to get them out a time or two again yet this fall. All I know, is whether we take a big vacation, or stay at home, when families are together, memories are made!

A few weeks ago, we made a large purchase. It had been a planned purchase, one we had been saving for, but nevertheless, it was pretty big around here. A certain someone had a birthday, and had been wanting one of these for a long, long time. And, what good is one, if you have to go it alone? Thus, the reason for two!
You should always kayak with a buddy. All the kids are able to use the smaller one, so anyone can join daddy for a relaxing ride on the lake -



Or, perhaps a ride down the river would be in order... All I know is that summer will be drifting by faster than ever now!

It's back to school this morning, but not before I spend a few minutes sharing how wonderful our weekend was! The weekend was absolutely beautiful, and had a full moon to boot! We spent part of Saturday celebrating our nephew's birthday with a picnic and a trip to the zoo. The rest of the day was a combination of front porch time, reading, cooking, and being together as a family.

Sunday was such an exciting day - we ventured out to Lifelight. Lifelight is the largest free Christian music festival in the United States. Three days worth of people brought well over 300,000 people from my understanding. We ventured out to the venue (a field) on Sunday afternoon to listen to Decemberadio, Andrew Palau, Lincoln Brewster, and the Newsboys. What an exciting and uplifting time this was! To be immersed in God's message of truth and life, sitting and standing and praising God amongst thousands of other Christians...words fail to express the emotion. From my understanding, many unbelievers attend as well, and I think they would be hard pressed to walk away without feeling the Spirit!

Honestly, though, what touched my heart more than anything was seeing TJ, JT, and JD worshipping their Lord and Savior with hands raised up, singing along with all the Newsboys songs that they knew - glorifying God and praising him. My prayer for them is to have this faith ALL through their life! Andrew Palau spoke of being wayward for 27 years - it doesn't matter if you have a pastor as a father, or are raised in the most biblical of homes. Children with the best parenting in the world still stray from the path they were raised in. But, Andrew's parents did the only things they could - they loved him, prayed for him unceasingly, and continued to speak the word of truth to him. Eventually, (27 years later!) Andrew recommitted his life to the Lord. It gives hope to me as a parent, but I think it is also important for my kids to hear of these things that pull them away from what they believe - alcohol, drugs, pornography, and much more can lure them away from God. Standing firm through the trials and temptations is extremely difficult, but ultimately rewarding. I pray they came away from Lifelight with that message!

Andrew Palau:

Main stage:
Sunset:
Rockin' out with Lincoln Brewster:

May God continue to bless and keep our families safe in his fold, now and forevemore!

Raise your hand if you are sick and tired of me telling you all how busy I am...Yeah, I see you all raising them and waving them frantically. I feel like I've been ranting and raving about the shortage of time in a day, and I'm doggone tired of complaining. I'm picking myself up by my boot straps and knockin' it off. Eeyore, step aside...I'm turning into Winnie the Pooh.

Well, not really. And, most likely, I'll keep complaining. But, not today. I'm just stopping in to say hello, and hopefully, if all goes well, barring unforeseen circumstances, I will soon be back to my regular blogging schedule. :) Not that there is one, but more often than once or twice a week is my goal.

You see, I love to write - I really do. I love to share my random thoughts and struggles. Because, I am real - a real wife, mother, woman, friend, sister, daughter, aunt, Christian, teacher, and bonafide nut case sometimes. :) But, I know there are many of you out there who can relate, and I am blessed to have found such wonderful "friends" through the internet...I'm looking forward to sharing more with you and growing together.

We started school this past Monday, which is a whole post in itself. But, I am going to reserve judgement for a week, and by then I will be sure to have a whole gamut of things to say. So far, all is well, and the attitude in the household has been positive - even from ME! :) We're still finding our wings in our current grade levels and know we are getting some of the kinks out. But, I am confident this will be a great year for all of us.

I put up 14 quarts of quartered tomatoes this afternoon and hope to get to the Roma ones tomorrow. Thinking about freezing them as I ran out of quart jars - that hasn't happened to me in years! I'm too cheap to go buy new, so I may scrounge around with my mom and sis and see if they have any to send my way...see if I can limp through for a bit until then. ;) Seriously, freezing is an option so I need to research it a bit more. Now that I have my handy dandy food saver, I am more apt to put something in the freezer knowing that the freezer burn won't be an issue.

Well, I've had a full day and still have a couple of things left to check off. I hope to see you all soon and make the rounds again to visit you as well. Bonnie, again, THANK YOU for your info on Google reader...life has not been the same since.

A couple of pictures to leave you with tonight...

Camo - the color of fun

Little TJ on the Prairie




There are no words...

Have a great day!

Beginning last Thursday, we started a streak of daily fun. Well, every day is fun, but this was a different type of fun - it was planned, detailed, executed in a non-spontaneous way, fun. :) JT's birthday started the daily onslaught of excitement, and each day brought new adventure.

We started with this, on a beautiful day, one of the few warm enough to actually get in the water. (Words I never thought I would speak in the middle of summer in South Dakota!)


The next morning, we got up early to travel a couple of hours to meet Grandma, Aunt Rebecca, and some cousins - Micah, Martha, Emma, Cade, and Max. We did some of this:



Now, Saturday, I had to get a bunch of these picked: But, when I finished, we didn't do anything with them but stick them in the fridge, because we had to get ready for hosting this down at our neighborhood cabana:
>


Sunday dawned bright and beautiful, and, once again, we were off! This time it was to participate in this:



So amazing - God has given these pilots such talent and I am so proud to be an American!

Needless to say, after doing all of those fun excursions, reality had to hit, and it did - the garden doesn't stop growing, so besides the beans that had to be done from last Saturday, we got these too: That meant the kids had to do more of this:
Which, ultimately, turns into this:

But, in the end, we truly had fun doing all of that!