8.16.16 Space Camp

Harold had another adventure this summer. He attended the first aerospace camp hosted at the local community college. It was a great adventure. It was hard to part with my right hand guy for a week but in an effort to spark his imagination and desire to care about all the hum drum of school we felt it an important sacrifice. He spent an afternoon listening and learning from an astronaut who spent 6 months in the space station in 2014. Can you imagine that long in space?

He single handledly built and programmed a robot from scratch! Loved that! HE worked with drones and mapping and they explored the local air museum ate really well and learned various other air things. So thankful for the many minds and hands that go into these special programs and praying hard for a better school experience this year. If only science class could be as exciting and real as science camp.

8.15.16 Canning time again

Ahh the mad dash to cram everything in before the ominous sounding of the first school day bell. Too much to do and so little time. We went and picked peaches and blackberries last week. So delicious! Since I rarely post pictures (because he is always somewhere else on the farm) of Mark here's one of him post picking. The boys were first to fill their bucket of berries. Bless the scientist who came up with thornless blackberries. We made lots of mixed berry jam.

A happy little one. All the peaches, and berries her tummy could hold no one stopped her as we were all working. No problem she did fine. I think they may have lost money on our picking we ate a lot berries. The vines were loaded and it was lunch time.

The first batch! Many hands make light work and a big mess- but they mostly cleaned it up!

We listen to conference talks at least two, but generally a whole session before we turn on Pandora.  Playing name that tune with musicals and various Disney songs. It is fun to sing along and makes the time pass. I love the tidbits the kids glean from the conference talks and I love the calm spirit it brings. Thanks to my mom for a wonderful Bluetooth speaker that is loud enough to be heard over the bedlam going on.

They were pretty ambitious for the first hour or so. In fact so much so that they had to be shewed out of the kitchen so we could catch up and get jars finished off. The 2nd round up was more difficult. It's so frustrating that no matter how many or few you attempt to do there is always a big mess. Oh well it's good memories and important to learn to work together. We have enjoyed peach pie, peach jam, peaches and oatmeal, and lots of peaches this weekend. Love this time of the year fresh vegetables from the garden and fresh fruit from local stands. It's the best. I think we did about 70 quarts of peaches. 15 pints of berry jam and 6 pints of peach jam. Lots more to go but it's a start. 

The girls survived canning and got to go to the drag races with friends. They love watching the races. Aliza had a successful shopping spree and we are now one step closer to being outfitted for back to school. She is made because I make them leave their books home when going with friends. So mean to expect them to talk to real people! Oh well such is my job to be a mean mom!

8.9.16 working cows

Having so many helpers around meant the necessary working of cows was quick and pretty easy. The out of town cousins got to learn about being still and animal sense. The men made the job enjoyable!

This group was keeping the mamma cows from coming to help their calves they look intimidating don't they? 

Anna and Harold are use to working cows but it was nice to work with so many experienced uncles.

My two brother in-laws are cow men. So while our set-up is much more creative than theirs they are good sports and understand how to get the job done. It is a pleasure and blessing to have them around. They don't get ruffled or frustrated just keep smilin' and working.

The yellow shirt man is a good sport in any situation. He also has quick reflexes so he caught the calves in the squeeze shoot. He didn't miss a one. We de-horned the calves and they were done. Thank goodness Harold had the forethought to band so the testicles would fall off the calves when they were only a few days old. He would walk up to the little calves and grab them and get the band on sometimes single handedly. After a week this was not possible and would take lots of chasing and more hands but as newborns they are fairly docile. Horns arrive months later so it took more restraint to get them off. They are dangerous to work around and many of these are female so they will be in the herd for years to come. No need to gore anyone in the future.

Even little guys want to help. This guy is almost 2 and knows what needs to be done with these 4 legged creatures- just by watching and doing exactly what his dad does!

Making a plan how to sort the calves, and explaining position to the shirt-tail cousin. One must be fast and alert when working cows they are very agile and accidents or good things can happen faster than imaginable.

Sorry all the pictures are from the back I dumbly wore a hot pink shirt that day and if I got close to the calves eyesight they shied away so I stayed back, and not being so nimble these days I couldn't move to another position. Harold said it was nice to do some normal stuff. This was all done before 8:30 in the morning they worked about 20 cows and calves. I love getting to know more about people while observing how they work. I was most impressed with this crew. Another piece of coming to the farm

7.8.16 cousins

We had a full week of cousins! It was fun and tiring. We ate a bunch, played more, and worked a little. With almost 50 cousins there are a lot of personalities, energy, and enthusiasm when more than 20 get together. This time we had 32 cousins plus an added shirttail cousin. Thank goodness for nice weather we could spread out around the lawn and farm- so much more manageable and pleasant than being cooped up in the house.. The little kids enjoyed eating out doors picnic style. The mosquitoes enjoyed the extra kids too they came out with a vengeance last week unfortunately! The cats did clean-up of spills and leftovers it was a win for everyone.  

They liked playing in the dirt even more. These industrious guys and one girl cousin are loosening the soil to make towns in the dirt.

The swing was in constant motion we need about 5 more to meet the demand. Kids would wait and wait for a minute ride in the swing. Amazingly no little ones were knocked over or out.

Aunt Brenda's pancakes were requested almost daily I think. She is a great cook and a pre-planned menu helped to ease the concern and time required to feed such a crew. Paper plates and silverware were a huge help eliminating hours spent washing dishes.

This is a smattering of the littles. My girls are sure missing the constant action of cousins. They had fun playing dolls and moms and in the water and who knows what other games they came up with. They get along pretty well.

The older kids playing qwirkle. Grandma Sue loves games and taught her daughters to enjoy them as well. Aunt Brenda was coaching several of these players as they learn the nuances and strategies of the game. She said it was a challenge to play her self in so many different scenarios.

For the younger set Parcheesi. An oldy but goody! And a great way to learn some sportsmanship while someone else blocks your way!!

A ticket to ride is another popular choice. I love how boardgames make you talk and think. The kids likewise love the competition and the break from outdoor activity.
We had some fireworks one dark evening the kids were not aware that they are so loud. They ran through the sprinklers and picked beans and dug out pivots. They rode four wheelers and did chores. It is a great mix of work and play enhanced with cousins who aren't use to such activities. The shirt-tail cousin even set a siphon tube by sucking on it while working with Anna! That is not the preferred or taught way he was just being a goon.
It's fun to have the visits and develop relationships. Now to get ready for back to school!

8.1.16- Changes

We got an ominous call to meet with the stake president last week. We knew a change was coming in our bishopric and knew the implications of such a meeting. After the call was extended with a bit of a sigh of relief, we worked through the rest of the week. Preparing, pondering, and pausing often to check to see if the other was ok. There are so many and so few experiences in a marriage that are only shared between the husband and wife. It's times like these that make us closer and cause us to draw together. Honestly they are some of the most golden times we have together. So after almost a week of waiting Sunday came and we headed to church. 

We had opted to not tell our children. Thinking it best to keep it a secret and a surprise- we aren't really sure what we are getting into either so we couldn't definitively answer questions. 

My parents and grandmother were there as were many family members for the new bishop. It was crowded and Afton was a bear- getting teeth, an ear infection starting or just getting up to early she did not want to sit peacefully or quietly for a whole hour. The calls were made and we were asked to bear our testimonies. Along with the other bishopric members- Monte Saunders as bishop, and Jason Johnson as 1st counselor with Greg as second. A few fun facts- 2 Saunders descending from grandfathers who were brothers and also bishops of this ward. 2 red heads- classmates and lifelong peers who both served in the London England South mission although never as companions. I have once even mistaken the other red-head for my husband oops. 

I remember this turning point growing up. My dad was called as bishop when I was roughly 12 years old (I think?). I loved having him at all my activities and getting to know the ward members a bit more. It was also a struggle to have him gone a lot. It was great to grow close to his counselors and their families. My dad also changed a lot in the experience He became more patient and given to study. It was a good change for our family and made me all the more determined to marry a man who had a deep testimony like my dad. In fact it was Greg's spiritual strength that was one of the most attractive things that drew me to him when we first met. 

The bumps and reality of marriage sometimes cause my eyes to dim to that reality, but I always know he is a good man. I'm full of warts and witches hats too so I'm not claiming superiority just acknowledging slugging through the muddiness of life causes the glowing idealism of pre-marriage to be a remote remembrance. 

After sacrament meeting Greg was ordained a high priest by his father with my dad and the stake presidency standing in as well. It was a special moment. His father is a powerful spiritual leader and example. Greg comes from a long line of spiritually powerful men. Who lived humbly and happily working hard and raising crops and cows and families with their eye single to the glory of God. He has been surrounded by his father's faith in him since his early birth. Greg was an extreme preemie baby coming 10 weeks early. His grandfather encouraged his dad to give him a name a blessing and in preparation for his death. His father in a rare act of defiance proclaimed he would not he would bless him in church like is the norm and that his son would live and be fine. Greg went on to overcome great life challenging odds in the first few months of life but through the determination and strong spirit he has always possessed and his mother's endurance he survived and thrived and grew into this wonderful man I love.

It was great to watch the new calling settle on Greg's shoulders as he taught our group discussion for 5th Sunday. He will do great, grow and give much.
One little illustration- I was talking with his mom about how glad  I am that he gets to learn from this bishop. She responded that Greg has so much to give! I smiled inside, a mother's love is still the biggest champion a kid can have. I would have said the exact same thing about my son. I need to work harder to champion my husband as fiercely as I do my kids.

Our kids main concern was were we both going to be gone for meetings. I told them probably not that we were going to be switching back to mom being home and dad being gone. They were relieved.
Other than that life goes on. We are 6 weeks from baby. No canning on the horizon for this week, I think, well maybe some pickles. And just planning to prepare for back to school, enjoy our cousins and do the normal other farm and home stuff. Life is good even as it constantly pulls and pushes new adventures, challenges and opportunities. We are blessed.

7.28.16 Freezing Corn

After a not so early morning picking session, it takes forever to get mopey teens out the door, and then some attitudes just begged for bean picking we took a while at the field and were later than hoped for getting home.  The van is so comfortable to sit in while shucking.

John wanted to try cutting the corn off the cobs. I told him he had to sharpen the knives first. He did a great job I used them to finish cutting up the green beans. It was so nice to slice so smoothly through food! 

Last night the mutual kids had slip and slide kick ball the pools ended up at our house. This was a great distraction for the little and big kids. It is hot here and we have never splurged on such items but they have made for lots of laundry and fun today.

I've mentioned before how  much we love our animals. They are especially helpful and eager to eat the waste of canning. They bellow for the husks and run for the cobs.

The best part of working outside with such a sticky starchy mess is the clean-up is all hose powered. And this year we had some extra helpers the chickens were excited to have fresh nib-lets to gobble up! We don't allow animals in the house but we are sure grateful for them outside. This cutting stand is marvelous!! Easy to stand and slide the cobs quickly into bowls below! We are so thankful for this contraption.

The kids did a great job with this project once we finally figured out a rythm and who was doing what we whipped through the corn. We had a few angel helpers this year that mostly just kept the kids on task shucking and cleaning up. Our friend who came last year has been asking for months to come help telling the kids he would be the shucking general. He is a great visitor who knows much about life and is a pleasure to spend time talking to. He even kindly worked with the boys in snapping the final bag of beans. Bless him.

I'm learning people like to have things to do, it helps them cope with their own loneliness, sickness, depression etc. While I hate to ask, I do so appreciate those we have allowed to work with us. Like I mentioned yesterday in the quote about knowing older people it has provided some priceless relationships for my children too! Like the song says there are angels among us it's just being savvy enough to realize they are there and not to stubborn to allow them in.

7.28.16 Self Sufficiency Program

I finally got my letter and card today. At the end of school the district sent out notice that all school age children would be receiving an EBT card (like food stamps) for the summer so they could have access to food. I was sickened and upset. I fight so hard to stay off of government controlled programs and here again it was being thrown at my feet or down my throat. Now mind you it would be over 300 a month for my family. That is significant. But it is not worth the loss of my self-worth.

I laughed in my mind as I read the letter. The office it came from is the office of Self- Sufficiency. Really? Taking things you don't earn is self-sufficient? 

These pictures represent what is self-sufficient. Taking care of your stuff and doing your part in the family/world. Reed is re-stacking our shoe shelf after the trip, prior to a quick dip in the town pool. I try to teach the kids to earn rewards not just expect to be entertained. Harold is photo bombing- no one was hurt. 

It is picking more beans because you complain and because we eat them. Not that hard of work but it does get uncomfortable hence the reason it is work! (But seriously I am there too. Bent or crouched over my large belly- this baby really wiggles when I finally resume normal positions- but all is well and I can't expect the kiddos to work while I do nothing.)

The end product. Lots of beans means lots of movies to watch while you snap! YAY!!!

And ready for another year of eating. Not to hard took some time and took some learning and I guess self-discipline but not too hard.

Self-sufficiency is taking care of yourself as you can, and doing without if you don't put in a lot of effort not just getting it because others have it.

I would be remiss to not thank my dad for raising such beautiful crops, for my mother-in-law who works with my children teaching them to be pleasant and to keep going, to my mom for teaching me to can and preserve what is available, and to my kids for being kids who are able and who give me enough attitude to make me send them back out to pick. And yes I am cutting up the card and writing a letter to the lady who signed it.