Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Livin' the life...

First -  two apologies. One for the length of this blog.  I'm going to catch you up a bit.  The second - I'm sorry to those of you who have enjoyed reading and keeping up to date with life around here. I've taken a looong hiatus from blogging.  One I hadn't really planned.  It has to flow for me to write and I just haven't been feeling it.  BUT I've had a little voice in the back of my head nagging for a few weeks now.  "You should really do something with that blog..." "Are you going to write yet?..."  "Think of something and get it out there..." "It's really not as difficult as you're making it..." blah, blah, blah.  So in an effort to shut up my extremely annoying inner voice I am going to attempt to start blogging regularly again.

So an update of sorts.  We had some friends and their 2 kids stay with us October through June. There just wasn't enough room in the house for all of us so we made due with our campers as a makeshift "guesthouse". It was rewarding and stressful and it didn't quite turn out the way we had hoped.  I'm thankful we were in the position we were to be able to help and I glad we both felt like it was something we should do and we tried.
Ryan and I learned some life lessons that only that kind of situation can teach you.  We grew closer together in the process so I'll call it a win in that regard.

This is what my yard looked like through winter and spring - 100% redneck.

Ryan and I had a successful hunting season!  Opening morning we sat from before light until 9:30am.  It's very rare for us to not see or even hear a deer that long the first day.  Just as we were thinking of heading in to warm up a doe came crashing over the river bank with a BIG buck hot on her tail.  Before I even had my gun up Ryan had two shots in the buck and he was down.  I was already getting my cross hairs on the doe below us and Ryan swung his muzzle to shoot her too. That conversation went a little like - Me: "Hello! I'm in the stand too can I shoot a deer today?" Ryan: "I suppose".  I did shoot and hit her.  We heard her fall not too far in.  We sat for a few minutes and Ryan climbed down to go get help and then cross the river to find the deer with the 4-wheeler.  I opted to stay in the stand in case they chased any deer across the river in the process. 15 minutes after Ryan climbed down I caught movement near his buck but couldn't see enough of the deer to safely shoot.  A few seconds later it walked out below me.  I had one chance to take a shot before it walked out of my field of vision.  I shot.  It didn't jump, didn't run, just kept on walking.  I was astounded.  I had a perfect shot and I knew my cross hairs were on.  A few minutes later Ryan and his friend Todd appeared across the river.  I yelled that I had shot a little buck but I didn't know if I had hit it.  Ryan took one look behind him and the deer was laying down but not dead so he finished it.  After that I climbed out too to help them drag and load deer.

Landon had a really good heart checkup in the spring.  Very little change compared to other years.  His cardiologist even said we can skip his echo cardiogram next year.

We spent some time up at the cabin with my sisters and brothers, their significant others, and all of my nieces.  A week of being together seems to be just what we all need.  I'm thankful we all value that time together and make it a priority.   We made an impromptu road trip to Minnesota to spend a weekend with Jake and Becky (who are now engaged).  We always have a good time there.  If we have to be spread out I am glad that it provides opportunities for us to experience things we don't have around here.


We had a bunch of fun around home too.  Landon races R/C trucks with his dad so we made a trip down to watch his last race.  We made a bubble fan fort with a couple sheets, some clothes pins, and a big fan on one the really hot humid days.  So much fun!

(this picture is a 2 man cruiser race.  Landon is has the gas and the other kid is steering)



The kids are growing like weeds.  Landon is coming up on 8 and is in 2nd grade this year.  Sawyer just turned 6 last weekend and he's in kindergarten full time now.  Danica and I are enjoying some mother daughter time while the boys are in school.  Next year SHE will be in 4K (sniff, sniff).  I know what you're thinking and I can't believe it either!


As far as the homestead goes we're still on a reprieve from the majority of our animals. We have decided not to raise pigs anymore.  Between the work, the difficulty finding piglets, and the cost of feed it's just not worth it.  We can buy a whole hog from a friend or reputable butcher for slightly less than we were putting out and without the work.  Last year between old age and the dogs we lost most of our chickens.  This spring we ordered about 30 new chicks. .We should start getting eggs again soon.  I'm looking forward to having flavorful, rich orange-yolked, free range eggs again!  We have not raised any new calves.  Our baler broke the last time we used it and the rest of the equipment that we had been able to borrow in the past was sold.  It just made more sense to continue our break until we build the new house (more on that ahead) and then we'll budget in "new" equipment when we know what the new mortgage will be.  Ryan also promised me and Danica horses if he gets new equipment (since they're hay burners he says, hehe)


We've had a fairly successful garden this year.  My helpers and I canned 26 pints and 5 quarts of regular green beans, 14 pints of spicy dilly beans, and 21 pints of dill pickles.  My tomatoes were stunted and didn't produce between all the rain we got in the spring and the abnormally cool summer.  I really hate canning tomatoes so I'm not super disappointed.  I've also canned 12 quarts applesauce but we still have two big apple trees to pick and make into applesauce.  My kids go through a quart ever 2-3 days so we need a lot of it. We got 21 pumpkins too. The garden finally froze about a week ago despite me covering it.  I guess God decided I had enough.








I'll update you on our big news cautiously.  I say that because as many of my friends know we've had a lot of disappointment and heartbreak trying to build a new house in the past.  Between the housing market collapse during the recession and some poor planning we were let down twice about 4-5 years ago after we thought it was pretty much a done deal.  Ryan and I (but mostly Ryan) worked hard since then and paid off a pretty big credit card debt as well as our pickup truck.  The truck alone had a payment bigger than our mortgage payment.  Between the two we have now significantly lowered our debt to income ratio as well as raised our already good credit score.  That means this spring, after tax time, we shouldn't have too much trouble finally getting that construction loan.  This is our last winter in this house (PRAISE THE LORD!!).  We've decided on a (slightly unconventional) post frame house.  We're in contact with a builder who will be coming out in December to start putting together plans and doing some measuring.  We're going to tear down the house and the barn and use the barn wood and house timbers for ceiling beams, trim work, cabinets, and some furniture in the new house.  I'm hoping to decorate with a country shabby chic flare.  The house nor the barn can be saved but being hewed log makes them great for those projects and our builder has a carpenter who does it all.

The view from my future living room window (minus the boat and the baler)
(click on the picture to see it bigger)

This is our floor plan - I adjusted it from a few I liked to accommodate us better.  I'm sure it will be tweaked.



This is an idea of what the outside will look like.  Steel roofing and siding included.  Ours is ranch style so it likely won't be this tall.  I like the look of the dormers but they might not be cost effective.  I'd rather spend that money on the inside.

So that's what we've been up to.  Ryan and I are happy and super content.  The kids give us a run for our money pretty regularly (what kids don't?).  Brakebush bought a new plant in Texas and Ryan got a raise and a thank you for hanging tough through the recession and pay freeze.  He's been running his butt off.  Frustrating as that is for me we're thankful for the good paychecks and the job stability and security.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

God Things - part II ...

This boat was stolen from our old home sometime between Thursday June 26th, 2014 and Tuesday July 1st, 2014.  As the story tells it has a great deal of sentimental value to my family. We are offering a $100 reward for any information that leads to the recovery of this boat.  There were other things stolen and damage to the property and home.  The boat is all that matters.  Please contact me here or on Facebook or call the Price County Sheriff's Department (715)339-3011.

The last month in our small community has been tragic to say the least.  On September 7 two young girls died in a horrible car accident on their way to the high school football game.  I did not know the girls but the pain in our community was so heavy and so deep it was almost tangible.  I have been going to our church (Ogema Baptist) for over a year now and I have never seen it as full as I did Sunday after the accident.  Pastor Rod gave a wonderful sermon that spoke to me about some of the things that I've been through. Specifically my dad's suicide.  He said when tragedies happen people tend to ask why God would do something like this.  Why would he take these two young, bright, beautiful girls from their parents, families, friends, and community that loved them so much?  He said to instead ask why God ALLOWed it to happen.  So I got to thinking why God would allow Dad to take his life.  One thing I knew for sure even prior to this was it drew me closer to Him.  I had been struggling with my faith and it had been growing but I still had plenty of doubts.  There is no way I would have gotten through that tragedy without God's help.  I prayed for signs so I would know Dad was okay.  We got that sign and I was reassured that Dad had made it to Jesus and there in fact is somewhere after this life.  Now I truly believe I'm living another reason God allowed this to happen. At the end of August a high school friend of mine took her life.  I was able to send a message to her sister and reach out to her and give her some comfort that there were people who knew exactly what she was going through and that in time she would find a way through the questions and the guilt and the pain.  Last week Wednesday morning I woke up to my alarm to get Landon up for the bus.  I laid in bed a little while checking my Facebook while I woke up enough to get moving.  Sometime during the night a dear friend of mine had changed her picture to a suicide awareness ribbon in honor of her brother - another young man in our community.  This friend has helped me grow my faith more and has comforted me many times during our ladies tea and chat on Wednesday nights at church when my grief and memories of Dad would overwhelm me   My heart instantly broke for her as the tears streamed down my face and the memories came flooding back in a tidal wave.  After getting Landon on the bus I prayed without stopping for her and her family and the horrible anguish they were going through and the dark journey they had just been dropped off on.  I felt "the nudge" to be there for her.  God using my pain and suffereing to be able to support her like not many others can simply because they haven't been through it.  I hope that I was able to be a sign of hope for her that someday the pain will be bearable.  That she is not alone.  So many well meaning people say things that are possibly the last thing you should say to someone grieving - let alone someone grieving a suicide.  I hope I can be a safe haven in a way because even though our situations are slightly different - I've walked this same path myself.  I've sent messages just relaying the range of emotions and grief that I experienced and reassurance that in time, though it doesn't seem like it now, she will find a way to live with what happened even without answers to the questions that burn through your mind after someone makes this choice.  In one of my messages I mentioned that I had found reassurance of God's mercy and grace in the sign my siblings and I got.  I said I hadn't gotten any signs in quite some time but that one was enough and I was grateful for it.  I sent that message on Thursday.  Saturday morning I attended the funeral.  It is amazing the support our small community gives.  I didn't even make it in to the church it was so full but stood on the steps and listened to what I could hear. And I prayed a lot.  I had lots of flashbacks during the funeral procession of being behind my brother who was driving Dad's 'Vette and of looking behind us to see an endless line of flashing hazard lights in honor of Dad.  After the graveside service I went home and had some lunch.  Ryan and I loaded up the kids to meet some friends of ours at the big family farm in Prentice to drop off our boat and some of their things to store for the winter.  They're in the process of moving in with us for awhile.  As I pulled in to the driveway my jaw dropped, my heart skipped a beat, and tears filled my eyes.  Behind our friend Tim's truck was a little blaze orange boat.  Thee very boat my dad pulled me up behind on my first pair of water skis.  The one we kids had waiting and packed with a cooler of sandwiches, soda, and a couple beers for Dad when he got home from work.  So he could hook it up as soon as he pulled in and we wouldn't miss a minute of daylight those hot summer evenings out on the lake.  The one with the spider crack on the bow and the hole in the hull from hitting a piece of driftwood and almost sinking it on Lake Alexander one summer.  The one Dad sold to his best friend's brother over 10 years ago.  That apparently another friend of ours purchased from him 6ish years later and had dropped off at Tim and Rose's a year ago to fix that hole in the hull. THERE was my sign - just when I needed that reassurance that God is right here with me - all the time.  So so grateful!

Please keep my friend in your prayers.  She and her family are going to need it in the months to come. (As well as our community now grieving 3 young losses) If you're not a believer - or you have doubts.  I hope this blog and its "prequel" offer you hope or maybe plant that little seed of faith in you because just a little bit is all it takes... Matthew 17:20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”  As for me .... I don't have much for doubts anymore.
Uploaded from the Photobucket Android App My sister Amber and Me behind that boat over a decade ago!
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Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Recharging ...

We're taking a break this year.  Last year was a rough, tiring year.  Between Lyme Disease, My dad's passing, my knee surgery, and run away pigs we were not at all looking forward to our busy season this year.  After talking about the pros and cons Ryan and I decided we needed a year off to recharge.  We didn't get any calves or pigs this year.  We have one steer that will be butchered this fall for ourselves and we have a few chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese - and the garden.  My mom and step dad raised us a hog that is already done and in the freezer.  My posts have been few and far between - I'm enjoying summer with the kids. Playing outside and in the pool.  Spending Wednesdays at my moms pool for her day off with my sister and nieces  Doing a lot of reading on my Nook Color and swimming in our pool.  The garden is a little overrun with weeds at the moment but once we get some rain I'll get that taken care of - lots of veges in there - the pumpkin, zucchini, and cucumber plants are loving our hot humid days.  Last weekend we had a big party at the cabin in honor of Dad - we didn't eat much of corn I bought so we brought it home.  Danica and I shucked, blanched, and cut it off the cobs and stuffed it in freezer bags this morning while Sawyer was at VBS. 80 ears of corn = 16 -3 cup bags. 
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Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Snakes, and snails, and puppy dog tails ...

I was sitting on the couch minding my own business reading my Nook this afternoon.  Enjoying a few minutes of peace and quiet.  The boys and Danica were outside playing. The boys came bursting in the door shouting about snakes living in the garden. Thoroughly engrossed in my book I didn't look up but said "Oh yeah, cool - just leave them alone". As they approached me Sawyer shoved his fist in my face with a handful (2) of squirming, slimy, disgusting, snakes crawling out of it. I screamed and jumped about 3 feet. This is all Ryan's fault and I'm sure only the beginning of disgusting things being brought into the house by gross boys. Yuck! *shiver*

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Saturday, March 24, 2012

Mini Blinds to Roman Blinds at Dad's

There are some gorgeous picture windows at my Dad's house (now owned by the 4 of us kids). 

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They face the east so in the morning when the sun rises its extremely bright and it heats the house up for the rest of the day.  They needed some blinds but regular mini blinds just wouldn't be good enough.  Jake offered to buy the supplies to make some Roman blinds out of mini blinds. I did the work.   Real Roman blinds are expensive, especially for windows this size. 

Before

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After

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Monday, March 5, 2012

“My body is my journal, and my tattoos are my story.” - Johnny Depp

I ♥ Pinterest.  Since Dad died I have been wanting a memorial tattoo.  Something to remind me of him whenever I'm hurting.  I knew I would put it on the inside of my right arm so I would see it all the time. (I'm right handed).  While mindlessly wandering Pinterest last week I came a cross a pin of a woman's wrist tattoos with her parents' signatures.  I instantly knew that was the tattoo I'd been looking for.  I remembered seeing a card Dad had given me for a birthday a few years ago.  I couldn't remember exactly where I'd seen it and I worried I might have thrown it out.  The next day I went through our entire filing cabinet.  It wasn't there.  Then Thursday I remembered I still had the tote of loose pictures, papers, cards, and memories in the camper from when we were at Amber's looking for pictures of Dad for the funeral.  So at 10pm in the freezing cold and knee high snow I grabbed a flashlight and trudged to the camper to got through the bin.  I nearly hyperventilated when I found it I was so happy and relieved I hadn't thrown it out.  Friday I called and made an appointment and had my tattoo done on Saturday afternoon.  A little less weight on my chest...

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** Zoom was Dad's nickname for me since I was a baby.  The story is - when mom went back to work after I was born he could never keep up with me or catch me when I was in my walker - hence "Zoom"  He used to tie my walker to the bumper of the car he was working on in the garage (he was a mechanic) so I couldn't get into too much trouble :) **