9.29.22 Pirates and caterpillars

Millie has a long term sub this year because her teacher had a baby this summer. She has been blessed to have the veteran teacher Mrs. Robertson. The first unit she did was pirates, which ended with a dress-up day. This is pirate Millie and her classmates. 

When Millie brought her dress-up stuff home Bruce has been a pirate ever since. 

Another interesting activity at school is a vinyl cutter. The older kids have made bags for the younger grades. They were custom made and delighted the younger students. I love this cross age learning and serving. 

My handsome sons. 

Andrea is getting bolder in her crawling she climbed up the pillow and thought she was so big. 

Reed showing the bag he made. I was impressed!

I was so happy to receive this notice from Afton's teacher. She has worked hard and grown a lot from the last year. 

Bruce is working hard on his school work. He is moving along quite nicely. It's so good that he has desire to learn, that's about 90% of the battle. 

Part of his learning is just being a kid. He noticed the fuzzy crawling caterpillars and made a nest for them. Notice the toys to play with and the abundant water supply. 

His first catch was put in a jar with green food. He found they needed water so we poured water on the grass for them to drink up. The second attempt was above. Less food and more water and toys. 

Lia getting some mom time. She sure misses Aliza they are good buddies. 

Some of what we have been doing. Spaghetti sauce, peaches, and peach jam. 

 I'm thankful for space to be kids and to learn and explore. Life is good and we are abundantly blessed.  

9.29.22 Hoco John

John wanted to go to Homecoming this fall. Being a football player this dance is suppose to celebrate the team. He was prepared to ask a friend from school but when he tested the water to see if she would be interested in going with him she replied another guy had asked her and she said no. That she didn't want to go!

Well the poster to ask her was thrown in the trash and his younger brother Reed ate her candy bar. Ugh! That same girl continued to flirt and tease John for the next two weeks leading up to the dance.

John's cousin has a best friend who was willing to go with him. They conversed via phone texts and phone calls. Finally on Saturday around 11 he had the date, double, and driving figured out. They had a great time and I appreciate her flexibility. 

Bittersweet was the first girl he was going to ask was at dinner with her dad at the same place John took his date and friends with their dates. Oh well. After a long day of work and dating John finally was headed home around 11:45. At 11: 15 I had the prompting to pray for him. I was relieved when he walked in the door around 12:15. He said I wrecked the car and I have a flat tire, I fell asleep. I called him back and he explained. The next day Greg and I went to assess damages. This is the split tire. We had just retired that car this summer.  

In the field he had launched off a 5 ft slope into a hay field missed the power pole and then re entered the road crossing soem gated pipe. The pipe probably slashed the tire. I'm so thankful he didn't hit the pole. I'm thankful he was able to walk in the house un aided. I'm thankful it was our already beat up van, that is pretty easy to fix. We ordered another tire from walmart and a week later it showed up on my doorstep. The official dance pictures showed up not much later. 

The theme of the dance was star-wars.

The day before the dance was the game. His date and cousin MEgan came to watch. That was very kind of them. I was able to sit by them and visit for a few minutes. They are down to earth girls. I ventured to ask what her dress looked like as the homecoming court was announced. I was so thankful she was going to be modestly dressed. 

The coursage. This time it went in the fridge and not the freezer. Oops. 

The day of homecoming is full of class competitions. A major badge of honor is which class wins the tug of war. All of my kids have been major contenders. Mark anchored the sophomore team with John being the big man on the junior team. Mark's team won easily besting every class. 

Mark also competed in siphon tube setting. Unfortunately and much to his chagrin he placed second to Diesel Johnson. Ugh! HE was very disappointed in this.  

 LIving and learning that's the name of the game. As we age into this parenting experience we are better able to handle the ups and downs. I'm glad he went and glad he lived. Life is good. 

9.28.22 Life around here

Even though the big kids are super busy being teenagers we have a whole crop still  just growing and learning and needing slow time and lots of love. Well they all need lots of love and slower. I guess we have a lot who can't do as much. Millie is my baby helper. Oh I'm so thankful for her ability to love Andrea. The girls are slowly teaching and sharing all things girl with her. First stop a purse.

Reed showing a corn sample. We were delighted to see the large ear! That's promising. 

Afton is enjoying the grapes that are ripening on the vines. She is a spunky determined lady doing what she wants how she wants. 

Mark teasing me by putting on my favorite shoes. His feet are bigger but being a sandal he can squeeze into them. My sons love to tease me. I oblige their efforts by getting outraged. Not raging but a reaction nonetheless. 

Everyone's favorite meal spaghetti. Andrea is enjoying food and is learning how to feed herself. Time goes quickly.

One morning Aliza sent me a newsclip that butter storage is at an all time low it is last priority for processors and retailers are encouraged not to have holiday sales. This is sad news to my butter loving family. LAter that day my mother-in-law said she was out shopping. I had prayed the day before asking that God would help me feed my family, that I would be able to find the things we need. Well on that shopping trip my MIL found chicken $1.00-.50 cents less than the best price we've seen all year. She found the butter, chocolate chips, and brown sugar for last year prices. I know my prayers were answered. Time and again through the years when I ask for God's help caring for this hungry family of mine we are abundantly blessed. To say nothing of the random people who give us food that they don't want. Or my dad showing up with bacon or cheese. We appreciate all these sharing with us! 

I had a doctor appointment and my MIL came to watch the kids while she waited for them to wake Bruce took a turn mopping some floor. I figured he could do that for me. He's good for about 8 squares of tile, but it keeps him from fighting for half and hour. She has taught me a lot about raising kids and shown me what they can do. 

These same kids love fruit. They don't always eat all the fruit. I found these apples in various places around the house. Not wanting to waste them and since the older brothers are always hungry for pie I changed them from waste to dessert. 

These kiddos all wanted mostachio's after a quick no way. I rethought why not? I am trying to do better making some fun memories for them and not being consumed with all the housekeeping. So we have had some donuts after a long trip to town, they have watched some movies and got pencil drawn moustachios. 

This is how Andrea wants to roll. I do not. I hold her as much as I can. But I won't can food with her on my hip. That's just not safe or efficient for either of us. 

Andrea loves her brothers and they love her. Although they are only together late at night they both enjoy a few moments of play.

Andrea is my constant sidekick. Here we are waiting for my doctor appointment. I'm so thankful to have this little one in my life. 

This one also needs one on one mom time. She is a go-getter high achiever, that just wants some undivided attention each day. She's interesting and sassy, she's amazing and innocent. I'm thankful for each personality and for heavenly help knowing how to parent each of them.

People always comment oh you sure have your hands full. I just nod mm-hmm. They have no idea. I often scream in my head this is too much! I can not do this!!! Well life keeps going. They say what you think is what you are. So I'm trying to embrace what I have to love where I'm at and be grateful not grudging. Sometimes that happens, a lot of the time I'm just grumpy. I do love being a mom. In my 40's I'm just in awe of the family we have. They are so much more than I could have imagined. I'm thankful for the spot we are right now. As we dive into harvest my worries will be lived and resolved. Life is good and together we can do anything, God help us!