Reunion

We had a good time tonight at my class reunion!  There was a person or two missing from the photo, but we had at least 33 classmates.  With spouses and kids 130ish people!  Fun to see everyone!  The kids all had a blast.  I was so thankful the rained stopped after 5:00 and we could be outside.
 
Class of 97...

(Rod says we're doing his 20th year reunion next year.  sigh)

1st day of Fall

We had such a nice stay-at-home day, we puttered around here and there and enjoyed lots of exciting things in one day....

First we found a kitten in the barn, which Brad carried around all day.  He came up with this nice little cozy home for him.

Rod worked on an early birthday gift for me.  He wanted others to enjoy it too, so he did this early, before our Fall events.

I love it!  I've had the sink setting here this summer, empty.  Rod gave it a makeover!  He even put 2 fish in there, from Grandma's house. 

After lunch Rod and the boys wheelered over to the nearby trailer park, where there was a vehicle on fire.  Rod saw the smoke and took off.  After he left i heard the fire trucks. 

Early this evening we had a rain shower so we started running after the young chickens, trying to get them into their pen.  Then we saw a beautiful rainbow and i happened to have my camera on me.

Looks like it landed in our hay field :)

Such a nice go with the flow day.  If we had made lots of plans, (which i tend to do) then we would have missed all these special things.  (maybe a car being on fire isn't 'special')  I'd like more days like this. 

This week

This week we'll be gearing up for our first of many gatherings here this fall!  We have a family reunion, my class reunion, church event, and another family gathering the next 4 sundays.  We also have square dancing and the boys school friends fall event here in October. 

Speaking of school, the boys are doing so good with getting up in the mornings and starting the day.  I haven't had to wake them yet. They don't stay on task though, so we don't make the school bus.  We save 20 minutes by me driving them in.  They always have something good to say about their school day, but i don't think they necessarily like it.  Sometimes i wish they could enjoy it, the way that other kids appear to.  But when i stop and think about it, it makes sense...Most kids enjoy school because they get to play w/ other kids their age, and because school is more fun then home.  Well my guys have kids their own age at home, and there are a lot of fun things to do at home.  So this puts it in perspective for me, of course they'd rather be home!  I'm glad though that they don't complain about it, they know this is their job.  I do pray that will embrace and enjoy it as much as possible. 
 
Clay are i are having fun together in the mornings.  i don't try shopping with the 4 of them, so since it's just me and Clay in the mornings we went shopping a couple times last week.  That's still a little easier said then done.  He had a little mishap with the pole in my favorite clothing store.  It ended up on top of him somehow or another.  Owie...

Love this child. 

These fall-like days are so wonderful!  I'm always a fan of summer, but how can i turn away weather like this!  We plan to get some mums and pumpkins from the neighbors this week.  (if you are local, our amish neighbors have good prices on those things)  Happy Fall to you.  I'll leave you with my mom's yummy pumpkin bread recipe.  It's a keeper..

Pumpkin Bread:
2 cups pumpkin
2.5 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup crisco
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c. milk

Mix and Bake at 350 for 1 hour.  Makes 3 loaves!

new cow

if you never transported a calf in your van before, you need to keep reading and see what you are missing.  

we picked him up from uncle kenny's farm, and brought it here.  it went rather well, considering.  (i didn't just stand back and take pictures, i helped load him too, just in case you were feeling sorry for rod:)

 

Sometimes i think we are crazy.

 

 

His new home..

We named him bulls-eye.  I guess you know what the long term plan is for him. 

beach

we took the boys on our last vaca for the year.  one of our favorite places- the beach. 

we took bikes, did the ferris wheel, had fun with grandma, played and played on the beach.  it was a great time.  we were spoiled with hot weather for this time of year.  didn't need sweatshirts at all until the last morning. 

 

 

 

 

Organizing!

i saw this idea online and thought hey i can do that!  We have lots of old windows in the barn and the boys were happy to smash out the glass.

I've been organizing a lot around here lately, finding places to put school papers. there's a lot of paperwork involved even when your kids are schooled away from home!  this is another way to stay organized and on top of things.  Wouldn't want to forget to wear red on "red day", or wear sneakers on gym day, or when is picture day? and so on!

If i'd have done this myself, i would have done it in such a way that it would fall apart in a year or two.  Rod helped and did it in such a way that it won't fall apart.  ever. 

I had a roll of chalkboard onhand (i'm sure there's a name for that kind of chalkboard, reminds me of wallpaper).  and you can pick up a roll of cork at a craft store.  Rod cut out plywood to fit and glued the cork and chalkboard to the plywood, using a construction glue.  He then put nails in the back to keep it in place.

Also now have hooks to hang backpacks, yay!  it's the little things..

Blocks

This is Clay's version of knocking over his blocks tower!