A Spring Interlude…

Mid week, the temps went into the 50’s, 60’s and almost hit 70.  We headed outside for some fresh air!  The boys took their BB guns out for some target practice. Collin even risked taking his airsoft gun out, since it warmed up and the springs would not freeze.

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Chris played with Lacey in some left over snow.  What a catch!

  The tresses for the roof arrived mid week.  It’s getting exciting!

1/23 Friends

When Collin’s friends come over the inevitably get Alan'ed.  He is just right at the age where he can climb on, piggy back with and sort of pester them and get away with it.  Here is Andrew, one of Collin’s friends from church and JrH.  He is quite tall and I was very afraid he was going to bounce Alan into the next county!!!

The shop

Early (7:30 a.m.) early Monday morning we hear a semi pull up in front of the house and yippeee… it’s some of the lumber for the shop Chris is having put up this year.  They teased us until Friday, dropping a few things off throughout the week, but the builders did not show up until Friday… 

Lyrics You are Good

When the sun starts to rise and I open my eyes, You are good, so good
In the heat of the day, with each stone that I lay, You are good, so good.
With every breath I take in, I'll tell you I'm grateful again.
When the moon rises high, before each kiss goodnight. You are good!

When the road starts to turn around each bend I've learned, You are good, so good
When somebody's hand holds me up, helps me stand, You are still so good.
With every breath I take in, I'll tell you I'm grateful again.
Cause it's more than enough just to know I am loved and You are good.

So how can I thank you, what can I bring>
What can a poor man, lay at the feet of a king/
So I'll sing You a love song, it's all that I have
To tell you I'm grateful for holding my life in Your hands.

When it's dark and it's cold and I can't feel my soul, You are still good.
When the world has gone grey and the rain is here to stay You are still so good
With every breath I take in, I'll tell you I'm grateful again.
Though the storm may swell even then it is well....You are good.

It is well....so how can I thank you....with my soul....what can I bring?
What can a poor man lay at the feet of the King?
It is well... so I'll sing You a love song...with my soul... it's all that I have
To tell you I"m grateful for holding my life in your hands!

To hear Chris, Hans and I sing this song scroll below and hit play. 

You are Good

Bad Habits! 1/21

I got nothing except to note how naughty dogs (and children) are when you do not maintain consistent discipline!   After being a perfectly good, although an annoying dog to Abby, Lacey gets up in Chris’ lap even though we were at the table.  I think she was offering to do the dishes!

Weeds under glass 1/20/11

1/19/11 and 1/20/11 Ice Ice Baby

A normal Wednesday turns icky in a hurry!  Around noon some nasty freezing rain started and continued through the day and night.  AWANA was cancelled and there was a 2 hour delay for the next day.  Fortunately everyone we knew made it home safely, but I heard there were cars scattered throughout the ditches on the way to Nickerson.    I don’t really love 2 hour delays, the kids get cranky waiting for that fateful time to come.  Poor Collin had an 8 a.m. dentist appt and got home in time to pick up his lunch and get on the school bus.  I’m thankful it was the joke of the morning because he was in a foul mood at first!

1/18/11 While the boys are away

More specifically while Hans and Collin are at piano, Alan gets some 1:1 time with dad playing with the old train set.  Here you see some OLD buildings and people from when dad/ Chris was young.  These buildings are FRAGILE!  It’s sweet to see them keeping up with it!

1/17/11 Martin Luther King Day

What better thing to do when you have a day off of school, but lounge out on the couch after you get up and schlep through the living room.

1/16/11 Good Times

  The boys were outside playing and Hans came in mad because Collin had smacked him in the face with a snow ball.  So, as I went out with my camera for someone to repay the deed.  I forget who did, but we took a photo for evidence! Our foster student Chelsy brought sister Tristan over Sunday afternoon for some foster family time. She said something about making us into a sit com. …  I am very thankful for the wood stove that keeps out house so toasty and the wood hauled every day but Chris or the boys.

  Chelsy and Tristan are twins, can you tell?  They played together on Erin’s Nintendo like this for quite a while. Now downstairs for some time on the Wii.

The song of the night was Rasputian, for which Hans held the high score with Alan close behind.

1/15 It’s time~

Today the outside Christmas lights and greenery came down.  The boys were my trusty helpers.  Erin had friend Jessica over who gave Abigail some serious loving (and peanut butter granola bars!)   

Off for a walk, but not really happy about posing for a pic!

Way to Go Alan!

Alan has been wanting to get a perfect on his spelling pre test so he can bring a snack on Friday.  Today is the day!!!!!!  Whoo hooo!

Snow Play with Air Lacy

If a picture is worth a thousand words, than this post says a  lot!     Are you loving the couch in the background.  It’s our neighbor’s junk pile.  Great for forts, ya know!  

 

1/12/11 Early birds freeze their butts off!

 

Takin g Collin and Erin to the Science Olympiad at 6 a.m. was a chilly endeavor!  I later heard that it was actually –3, but our van only registered 0F. 

I had some fun today.  I saw my friend Kim and her 2 kiddos: Karis and Ian who are growing sweeter every day.  Then Alan went to the dentist for sealant on his back molars and a small cavity repair.  Finally when Collin and Erin got home they could share that the Science Olympiad team won 1st overall.  Erin and Clayton got 1st in Ornithology and her “compute this” team got 2nd (thanks to Brayden).  Buyah!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Collin was an alternate so his job was to go with the team and help keep things running smoothly, help Mrs. Riffel keep up on her Diet Dr. Pepper and so on.  Even his sister said he was very helpful! 

11 degrees F

Happy 1/11/11!!!!!
This is what greeted me as i came home from work on Tuesday.  Serious icicles!!!


Alan gets home from school and immediately gets ready to go out an play.  Well it is 11 degrees F with a wind chill, so I say oh not today.  Chris over rules me and off collin and erin and alan  go.  After 20 minutes or so I call for them… no answer. I finally hear them about a quarter of a mile away on the RR tracks and they still have to walk home against the wind.  “It’s not that cold” they say!
   
Lacey certainly was enjoying herself!!!  She loves to fetch snow balls or catch them mid air!

Hybernation Day 1/10/11

 Hit play to hear the music while you read!!!
Ok, a snow day has arrived!  Three to five inches for our area, nothing big, kids go to school.  What do we do???????
Chris helps me enter 12 (maybe 9) months of the household check book into the farm program on his computer for the accountant appt on Wednesday.  Halleluiah, he helped me get it done in 1 day!  Praise the Lord, we got to sit by the windows and watch the snow (he even let me take a few photos).  but UGHHHH, why do I not do this 15 minutes throughout the year!!????????????????
  
The goats would  absolutely not come outside while it was snowing or even afterwards.  We saw no hoof prints in the snow.  Alan had to coax them out with alfalfa.
It was a dry sticky snow.  Don’t you love the face on our bird feeder.  I did clean this off so they could eat, but not before a photo!