Autumn Adventures

Ryan saved his money for about a year and bought two red holstein bottle-calves. Their names are Rusty and Spot. He has to feed them every morning and evening. He plans to sell them next year for a profit, and then he'll buy more. This is his first business venture.

Ty and Van went deer hunting Nov. 7th, 14th and 21st. Ty finally got his first deer on the 21st. He was so excited! You can see it in the picture. We'll make summer sausage out of much of the meat. Van has a good recipe that we can do here at home. 

Rachel and I took a little trip to San Diego to visit my sister, Noelle, and her two little girls. Anna is 5 and Natalie is 2. Gramma went with us and one day we went to the beach. It was a fun trip. Rachel collected a bucketful of shells!

Van and the boys raked a bunch of leaves this weekend and piled them all up by the trampoline. They covered the pile with tarp and then launched themselves into the pile from the "tramp" -- as we call it. Here are some pictures of the best "airtime." 

We're keeping busy and can't believe 2009 is about over. Where does the time go?

It's only been 3 months since our last posting!

We're just like everybody else -- busy as can be! This summer was fun and the highlight was our trip out to the family reunion. Our kids keep asking when we're going to Idaho again. The drive was long on the way out, and even longer on the way home.

Ryan celebrated his 10th birthday while we were there, and we had a little party for him. On our way home (going through Boise), we met Brandon and got to see his squad car -- Ryan even sat in the back seat and pretended he was in hand-cuffs. Sounds fun huh?

We returned the last day of July. School started August 13th, and we had a lot to do to get ready. Rachel has really enjoyed school and, after meeting with her teacher, the nurse, and several others about her medical situation, there haven't been to many problems. She gets on the bus each morning and Wyatt and Ty make sure she has her breakfast on her way to school. They know how to run the pump and take it on and off so the teachers don't have to feed her except for lunch.

Kids' grades are as follows: Wyatt - 10th; Ty - 7th; Ryan - 5th; Rachel - kindergarten. I miss them all and am still trying to get used to a quiet house during the day. -- But the activity and noise level from 5:30am to 7:30am and then from 3:30pm to 9:30pm makes up for the quiet of the afternoons! Why do I feel busier now than I ever have???

We re-arranged the rooms in our house to accommodate 10 seminary students (class is in the basement family room). Van is enjoying teaching seminary and it brings many blessings -- but it is definitely early (6:00-6:50am).

Ty is playing football for the first time and is chaffing from the tough practices, but really enjoyed the one game they've had so far. He is #9, a corner-back.

The garden is done and it was pretty good this year. We had an exceptionally cool and wet summer and the tomatoes didn't produce like we hoped, but the rest was good. I canned lots of beans, some tomatoes and zucchini jam, and Van put some corn in the freezer. The rest we ate for dinner each night and it helped with the grocery bill. I looked out the window at the dried up corn stalks and thought, "I could do some kind of cute fall decorations with them out in front of the house." Then I thought "it's to much work to mess with." I can hardly keep my front porch swept off.

Kids are growing up to fast and I try not to think about it to much or I'll cry. Life is good and we can't complain. Hopefully Van's union will get a good contract soon. We try not to watch the news to much -- our president is completely out of hand! Our dinner conversation topics range from the game played at PE and how gross the school lunch was, to the latest quote from some politician heard on the radio.

My big challenge this week is to plan my meals and stick to my plan -- sounds easy but it isn't! And MAYBE I'll get all my laundry folded and put away for just one day! And MAYBE I'll vacuum twice this week and the floor won't look as bad as it did last week when I vacuumed on Tuesday AND Thursday!

Van just came in and read my entry. He thinks this stuff is boring. Sorry. When I do the blog, just plan on reading boring stuff. He's better at being funny and interesting.

Well, it was great to see everyone at the reunion! We'll try not to let 3 months go by before our next post.

Pictures are out of order, but good enough to enjoy.

Weston & Van took a relaxing trail ride -- rare to see such big smiles from these two.

These two look alike - had to get a picture.

Rachel and MaKenzie were fast friends.

Kids ready for school

Anders, Wyatt and Ty. Along with Sarah they all kinda hung out together at the reunion.

Somewhere in Nebraska - Ty looks so happy!

Ryan's 10th.

Wyatt & Anders playing "tap tap" on the ipod.

Rylan, Jaeddenn, Ryaln and Hansen - the toy swords were a HIT!

Ty helping his cousin (Ellen I think) to have a nice ride on Wiley.

Brandon took the girls on a ride to pick flowers. The flowers go well with the sword.

'Till the cows come home

5:30 am saturday morning they're saddled and loaded. Finally no rain and we can work the cows and calves.

We got 'em gathered and in the holding pens. The ponies get a break while the real work starts for the rest of us, they only had to work a couple of hours.

BEFORE

Ryan was my helper doin' the sortin', kinda scary for a kid his size I couldn't hardly get him to fill the hole when the cows tried to turn back. He was a lot more brave with the calves.

Wyatt and Ty moved the cows through the shoot.

Don't they look so cute? You ought to smell them.

The cows are worked and it's time to break for lunch.

Wyatt doing the squishy tail grab, just don't wipe your mouth when your done.

Ryan liked the ones his size.

Ty picked the ones that kicked.

Ty on Mac ready drive the cows back to the pasture we gathered out of , 2 miles away.

Flick and I, he really like to work cattle.

On the drive back.

Devon and Ty.

Darrol ropin' a calf that needs a little more doctorin'.

Ryan and Mac ready to head back to the barn.

AFTER

Proof positive that even after a long day everyone had a great time.

Kite Flight

Last post showed our first attempt at kite building, it ended with a fatal crash into a tree. This kite was thrown together late that night and we are now making some modifications for flight.
It finally looks like it might fly.

Ah, yes indeed it will, notice the kite above Ryan's head and the plastic bag on the end of the tail, to help steady it. This produced almost 500ft string off the spool. We could have done more but that is all the string we brought with us, next time we'll bring more, maybe 750ft.

If the weather is nice and when we're not flying kites this is our favorite hobby, well at least mine. This is Ty and Wily, a horse he broke to ride last year, just tuning him up for summer. I don't think this little horse is ever going to grow, but if he doesn't he'll make a great kid horse.

Of course Rachel can't miss out on the fun.

Is it going to be April already?

Time flies doesn't it! Yes, April is around the corner. We're thinking about the garden, school getting out soon, and a million other things. Here is what's been goin' on 'round here for the last little while. -- Miscellaneous pictures and comments will show you how life is for us. We can't complain (or shouldn't), but sometimes we do. Whether we do or not, we're always genuinely grateful at the end of the day.

Grandpa and Rachel have a good time together!

Van told me to smile one morning before church.

Sunday afternoon, taken at Grandma's before the kids abandoned their ties.

Wyatt at the piano. He's getting pretty good and is fun to listen to.

Van's been working on each of the horses, filing down their hooves and trimming them as needed. He likes being a cowboy.

Ryan had a Kite derby for cub scouts. This one is made from wrapping paper and thin wooden dowels. It flew wonderfully, except it crashed into a tree and disintegrated. Van fixed up another kite that was broken and Ryan took that to the derby and his flew the highest. He was happy.

Everyone loves the trampoline and after lots of jumping and tricks one afternoon, they all got together for a silly picture. 

Would you just look at that hair! It's so long. I'm going to trim it soon, but for now I just put it in a big braid in the back and have fun doing it for church. It is so thick I have to use heavy duty clips and rubber bands to hold it in place.