Down on the farm!

I was giving my sister in law a hard time about blogging their family life more so I decided to practice what I preach and try to upload some pictures that have been taken recently.

I haven’t been taking near as many pictures as my GOOD camera is not functioning up to standard.  It’s o.k. if I don’t go to full zoom but if I zoom in all the way it gives me an error and I have to restart it.  Also, it’s very temperamental, sometimes it won’t even focus!!!  It takes away a lot of the fun of photography when you can’t push your camera to it’s limits and get the best pictures possible for your skill level!  Anyway, I am thankful to still be able to record family memories.

Chad has diligently been working on our mini-farm this summer.  We are trying to get the fencing put in so we can fill our barn with animals!  The children have been helping, some more diligently than others.  I’m not sure what all they’ve done, but I do know Chad cut down a dead tree before putting up some fencing where the tree was likely to take it out when it decided to fall on its own; the children helped move it to the wood shed.

View Full Album

Some friends gave us some cucumbers so yesterday we worked together and pickled them.  It’s a first for us so I hope we like them!

View Full Album

Snacking

View Full Album

Tonight is Jared and Jubilee’s birthday party with the Plattners and tomorrow is the annual Threshers Reunion and Jubilee’s birthday; so more pictures to post soon!

P.S. This is being posted a day late because I couldn’t remember my log in for live writer, usually I don’t have to log in.  Anyway, today is Jubilee’s birthday, and she’s a very happy little girl because she got just what she wanted, but I’m gonna keep you in suspense till next time… ;)

Date Night With Daddy

Jolene ~ Last night we had lots of fun.  Daddy took Jubilee and I on a date. 

First we went to the Farmer’s Market.  Then, we went to the shoe store to look for a needle to sew a boot but they sewed it for us. 

We went to a Mexican place to eat and then we took a ride on the paddle wheel boat.  (Jubilee says “four person can seat”).

LauraLee ~ Jolene wants me to tell this story.

It was pretty breezy and they rode up close to the fountain, then the breeze stopped and the spray came directly down and Jolene started yelling “let’s get out of here!”  They got pretty wet!  Several hours later Chad’s jeans were still wet.

Jolene ~ Then we ran errands and we went home.

It was really fun!!!  Thank you Daddy, we love you!

A Picnic with some Friends

Saturday evening we had a group of friends in for a picnic.  7 families, 72 people including babies. 

Lots of people, lots of food, lots of fellowship, lots of fun!

I think the girls mostly played babies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ladies and older girls visiting.

A friendly game of football.

Miscellaneous…

My camera gave out early in the evening so I had to switch cameras so it wasn’t as fun taking pictures as usual, so I didn’t take very many!  I have been having some problems lately with it not focusing properly and it finally gave up completely.  Hopefully Chad can fix it!

We are HOPING to have company again Saturday evening (Hint Hint - Steiners!)  Other than that I think we are going to slow down for awhile.  I am working diligently at getting lesson plans made and a schedule planned so we can start school in a couple weeks.

Have a great week!

Plattner Family Reunion

On Saturday we attended the Plattner Family Reunion in Morton; this is Dad Plattners Great Uncles on down.  The only two surviving of 8 or 10 children (I can’t remember which) were in attendance and they talked for over an hour about a variety of things from their lives; it was very interesting.

It is always interesting to visit with the extended family though I wish I could remember more from year to year. 

Uncle Ed and Uncle Pete

 

Here are just a few of the pictures of the group.

Evening with the Knapps

We met some good friends at a park in Normal this evening for some food and fellowship.  It’s always a great time of fun and encouragement, but as always the time passes to quickly.

They brought a really fun game I’ve never heard of before.  It’s a version of Dutch Blitz you play in the yard (or a very large room).  There are large laminated cards and the children run them out to the center.  Only one card is allowed to be carried at a time, but the team mates can both be going at the same time, one after the other.  It was a lot of fun!

 

 

 

Javan, Jared, and Seth wrestling a bit.

Then a few Tugs of War…

They enjoyed watching skateboarders and bikers on the ramps for awhile.  I didn’t get to watch because I was feeding Johanna, but Lexi took some pictures for me.  Thanks Lexi! :)

The boys got tired of having their pictures taken…

So they started acting like they were texting whenever the camera pointed their way!

Joshua wrestling with Jonas ~ Can you tell who is used to wrestling?

 

I still didn’t get a picture of all the little 3 year olds together!  Joshua and Caleb are twins and only a week or two younger than Jonas.

Here is a picture of them sitting with their Dad.

I never got a picture of everyone together.  Our friends names are Matt and Dana and their children are Lexi, Seth, Megan, Micah, Joshua, and Caleb.

I am so thankful for good friends.  There is something about being able to be real, honest, and open with each other!  The biggest blessing is that our bond is founded in Jesus Christ and that is where our fellowship is centered, it doesn’t get any better than that!

Mom ~ Did you notice we were using my new blanket!  Thanks!  I really like it, it is quite useful!  Love You!

 

O.K.!  Time for some quiet time with my Lord and then to bed.  A BIG day tomorrow.  Family reunion at noon in Morton and company in the evening.  7 families (including us) 72 people (including babies).  Will try to take lots of pictures and hope to get around to blogging it before sooo much time is past that I never get it blogged!  Time will tell.  Good night! 

P.S. I was having trouble uploading my blog on Friday night so I had to edit some pictures and hopefully it will upload now ~ Monday AM!

Kayaking

We’ve been so busy, I can’t remember what all I’m forgetting to blog about!  Last Saturday evening we went to a reunion and had a great time of fellowship with some friends we hadn’t seen in awhile.  Of course that meant getting to bed late.  So on Sunday I was good and ready for my nap after church.

While I rested Chad and the children loaded up our canoes and kayaks to take to the river for a two hour tour, a two hour tour! :)  The children had been asking for a kayak (oops, spelled that backwards!) for quite awhile, so Chad got a couple this spring and it was the first time taking them on the river.  They were actually quite fun.

The first part of the trip, Johanna was either nursing or sleeping in the sling.  The second part she sat or stood in front of Daddy and I got to have some fun…  It isn’t considerate of a baby to have a water fight with her in your lap, but when you are in a different canoe or kayak you can splash all you want!  Some of us were pretty wet by the time we got back.  (I was acting upon my reminder to have fun and GET Wet with my children!) :)

I had a kayak for the last 10 – 15 minutes and it was a lot of fun!  We didn’t take a camera, but the last few minutes Chad got out his phone and took a few shots, they aren’t great but here they are.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And FINALLY ~ Drum roll please ~ My Self portrait!

O.K.  Enough corny humor for this post!  Can you tell it’s after 11PM? 

Visit with the Steiners

We started off the Independence Day weekend with a visit to Oak Run with Chad’s Mom and Dad.  When we got there someone on the lake was blaring their music so loud you could here the bass in the kitchen so we stayed inside until almost time for fireworks. 

We went out on the boat to watch the fireworks.  Johanna didn’t like her life jacket, so Chad kept feeding her snacks to keep her distracted.  Jubilee was afraid, so she laid on my lap the entire time.

Of course it was late by the time we got to bed…

Chad’s cousin got married Sunday afternoon.  It was nice to see a lot of people we haven’t seen in a long time!  Beth married someone from the congregation we used to attend, it made me teary eyed at one point.

After the reception we went to Mike and Ivy Steiners new home in Iowa for the night.

It was a wonderful time of fellowship and encouragement. 

Sunday night we were up LATE!  Called the children in to get ready for bed at 12:05!  Johanna didn’t go to sleep for me till 1AM and woke up at 6:45 so it was a short night.  When we went downstairs nearly everyone else was already up too!

The boys went out to do chores in the rain, I fed Johanna, and I assume Ivy and Hannah made breakfast, it was yummy!

 

The boys played well together.  Tractors, Kinex, 4-wheeler, building a tree fort, etc…  Javan is working on a blog to give you all the details I don’t know!

View Full Album

Jolene and Hannah made dough for the buns Ivy made for lunch.

View Full Album

Jubilee and Blessing played church together.  So did Hannah and Jolene.  They also played babies, including a real live baby ~ Timothy!!!  Of course, Jolene always called the shots, or tried to…  Hannah gets the baby all the time!

 

 

They also jumped on the trampoline together.

View Full Album

View Full Album

Javan holding Timothy.  He’s really beginning to enjoy babies.  He’s a great help!

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed singing a few hymns together before leaving the table. 

View Full Album

The men working on the 4-wheeler.

The girls minus Providence and plus Timothy.

 

Part of our trip was for Chad to go to Premier Fencing to purchase supplies to fence in our barn.  Mike and Mahlon went along for the ride.

 

 

 

 

View Full Album

 

Providence and Jonas were in bad need of a nap, they both fell asleep on the couch.

 

 

 

 

Right before we left to come home we took family pictures but because Providence had fallen asleep on the couch they left her sleep as they were going away for the evening.

Back row:  Mike holding Blessing, Titus, and Daniel holding Baby Timothy

Front row:  Ivy, Mahlon, Courage, Hannah, and Joseph

O.K.  I have loads more pictures, but you have to stop somewhere!  So I will quit with my favorite picture from the weekend.

 

Titus was climbing in the tree they were building the fort in.  I asked him to stop just for a moment and this is what I got.  I couldn’t have posed him better!