One of the best gifts of this year has been having my amazing team of hard workers home for a week. They got so much done! Addie loves to cut trees! I let her go as they are about to drop their seed pods and start millions more trees. That is not an exageration they are so prolific and hard to remove.
Mark and Merle working last years stubble to prepare the soil for this years cow forage.
Merle had a birthday! I love the simple happiness of young children. As I was wracking my brain for what to give him, balloons were an easy option. He was thrilled for days.
My mom made hi this masterpiece. He was so thrilled with his tractor cake. I appreciated her time and creativity making a special treat just for him. We all enjoyed sharing!
He likes most food, we had spaghetti then tractor cake for his birthday!
Andrea is getting tall enough to slide things off the counter. A lot of sandwiches have been packed this past month as kids have been working here and there.
I rushed Mark and John out of school to attend the shop skills contest at TVCC. John won this DeWalt thing and is seen with Uncle Justin who organized and hosted the event.
Grandma Lasley has a birthday right after Merle. The kids visited her while we listened to Anna report to the stake high council. That took a lot longer than we had planned. I kept getting texts but knew it would be poor manners to respond while she was testifying. Thus when we got to grandmas the kisd were on their way out and we spent a few minutes visiting with grandma then headed home in a different car.
My book worms are always intent on reading something.
Mark left for a leadership event so the working in of the seed was left to me. Lia joined me for a while saying that today the buddy seat (we call Merle Buddy sometimes) was now a Lia seat. She brought an orange in each pocket for nourishment. I am always thankful to remember how to do what needs to be done.
After a mad scramble to get Mark a sleeping bag as the bus passed our road and then finishing up the cleaning for the day the older three girls left and I had to stop driving and go be the mom. With the job not finished I went back later in the day with my two little ones and finished the planting.
They succumbed to the rumble of the diesel engine and safely slumbered while I completed the job. Best times with these kiddos. I love being a mom and I love driving tractor. I applaud my husband who has sought life occupations that allow for the incorporation of our children. The need for their help, the space for their learning, and being with us. We are blessed by these choices.
I decided Wednesday night we could in fact host a welcome home party. Thus I texted a lot of people an invitation to come to our house. While I had been driving tractor I realized there was so much clean-up and maintenance to do on our house. Thus we went to work. Again those daughters of mine did the heavy lifting. They cleaned and raked and picked up and sifted and sorted through a decade worth of children playing and breaking and imagining in our play yard. The tree management is always challenging with each wind storm more sticks are on the lawn. I realized our very used house needed more TLC. Aliza had painted 85% of the house in the fall prior to leaving for college. Some was to high and uneven to access. Thus Reed brought the tractor and I got in the bucket and he slowly and carefully lifted me very high to finish painting the house.
I panicked and breathed hard through the experience. It was very nerve wracking to be so high with no restraint. But I wanted the house to look done so I perservered and deep belly breathed and prayed. Through it all with my smiling Reed in the drivers seat I was very impressed and touched by his extreme care with me. He didn't tease he wasn't careless but so slow approaching the house, lifting and lowering the bucket, and in general making sure nothing bad happened. I'm thankful my sons when it's important are kind and protective. It means the world to me they are gentlemen.
Millie wanted to paint some too. She worked on a smaller portion.
John was asked to Prom in a neighboring town. He had a great time.
It's so flattering when people want to socialize with you. John is a great guy and I think he's pretty handsome.
At home with my sick kiddos after a long day of preparing for the party the next day.
I got this picture and was sure he was having a grand time.
Anna obliged her mother and painted the inside high traffic areas.
Livy and Millie added some paint to an outside doll cradle they have in their play house.
Addie had many helpers working to rid the yard of sticks. Evander and Myla are favorites to play with whenever we can.
I appreciated all the time and work my kids gave me. As I drove around looking at the yard from the tractor I was sure there was no way we could make the yard presentable. But with the addition of a lot of kid power they made it delightful. The many hours of work and detail laid a solid foundation for a pleasant Sunday afternoon. Work comes before and after fun and makes the fun all the richer. Life is good.
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