Random collection of thoughts.

My mind is full of thoughts and kind of all over the place. I hope that it comes out 'organized' and not everything rambled all together.
The other night I was thinking about how different evenings are compared to what they use to be at the old place.  I remember that I use to stand at the window and just watch and see if Kevin was coming home and I would just loose track of time just watching out the window.  Now, I really don't do that anymore. As it gets to bed time I put things away and glance out the window to see if he is coming down the road and get ready for bed myself.  It almost makes it easier now, knowing that Sandy is in the same boat that I am. It is harvest time and they are going to be pushing it hard for the next two weeks as long as we don't get rain (kinda ironic, we are going to be getting a storm tonight I see it flashing as I'm writing this).  I really do feel more, at peace (not sure how to put it) here.
The kids finished their second week of school and with that we had our first school time cold.  Jacqueline started it Saturday morning with sneezing and then we up all that night coughing, even with her taking the children's night time cough syrup.  Nathaniel had it on Monday and it hit him harder then it did Jacqueline. He stayed home from school on Tuesday as he still had a fever and was not eating, until Kevin came home for lunch that day. Kevin and I both got it too and Kevin got it worse then I did. I just have the deep cough that is annoying but not bad that I need to take something for it. Back to the kids and school.  This week was the first time that they both went all day! Nathaniel fell asleep on the way home on the bus Thursday.  They both are really loving school.  They are beyond excited to show me what they did at school and tell me all about their day.  I am almost wondering if I should send a note to Jacqueline's teacher and ask if she is making any friends as I hear nothing of that. But at the same time it is only the second week of school. I might wait another week before I ask the teacher.  Nathaniel really does not like it when Jacqueline goes to school without him.  He cries and I know that it is a mix of him wanting to ride the bus with her and that he is by himself.  Jacqueline really is his best friend.  I wanted to cry with him as he cries as the bus goes down the driveway, I know that it will get better.  I am really looking forward to the school year.....picture day is coming up in a few weeks as is homecoming week. The elementary kids get to dress up!! This is going to be fun!!
We got some barn kittens this week!! A mother and five babies (mother moved 3 and hid them well, we see her every once in a while) and then four older ones.

There is another one just like this one, the mom left them behind

The four older ones, Cali, Sorbet, Peaches, and Tiger.

The four bigger ones are good older siblings to the two little ones.  I feed them morning and night, they really are a lot of fun.  The dogs to get along with them well and I have heard hisses from them telling the dogs that they have had enough!

Today I made my first batch of pickles (bread and butter)! I only had 4 little cucumbers, which came to two quart jars.  I didn't use the canner, and I'm not sure I will this season.  

They taste good!! Going to get more cucumbers when I go to the Farmer's Market next week!!

This is the smaller of the two pumpkins!

This is the largest pumpkin!

I really do have a lot more to say and write, but the longer I sit and write, the louder the thunder is getting and the more lightning strikes I see.  It really is moving in closer. I'm not really scared, but I'm calm about it and it feels good to say that!! I hear the rain starting and the thunder rolls, Angels bowling (a good way to think of thunder, and it really does sound like someone bowling if you think about it!)

Well, the lights flickered and its a sign that I should call it a night and shut the computer down. Night all!!!

First Week of School Complete!! Garden Update!

The kids have completed their first week of school and they both loved it! They made art projects on their first day.

They didn't like it to much that they didn't have school on Wednesday, but they were more then happy to go on Thursday morning!! They rode the bus for the first time!

They are the first ones on in the morning and are picked up at 7. They are on the bus for 50 minutes, school starts at 7:50. Tuesday they will be riding the bus home for the first time and I am expecting them home by 4!

When I picked them up Thursday afternoon, they weren't to happy to leave school, they wanted to stay.  They did have fun showing me they papers and telling me about the day! Jacqueline went swimming for PE and she will do it again next week! She said she kicked in the water and it was fun! They both told me that they had pizza for lunch and it was yummy!

Jacqueline started this on the first day of school and finished it the second day! It's a raccoon!(her cutting has surely improved!!)

Nathaniel first told me that this is a horse and tractors and then when he showed Kevin he said that it was a truck a truck a tractor!

Love some of Nathaniel's answers on this!!

Nathaniel's paint job!

Nathaniel's art project, its a magnet!!!

My fridge full of kids school work!!! I need more magnets for any future work!!!

This morning I told Jacqueline that she has a 4 day weekend and she started to cry, I remember looking forward to 3 day weekends when we were in school!!

My garden is going so well! My peas are finished, pulled them out tonight. Kinda bummed about that.  My green beans are still going good! The pole beans have just started the last week being ready! Zucchini is still going strong, several big ones lately and will be picking more tomorrow! Corn has some beautiful ears coming in and should be ready in a few weeks! I have been getting carrots every few picks and they sure smell good!! 

The coolest looking heirloom carrot!!

During the last storm the hail knocked off the only jalapeno pepper that was growing... have a few flowers though so I should have more soon! Bell peppers are doing good, have several nice looking peppers that should be ready in a week or so. The potatoes are starting to die off, 2 plants were ready so I did pick them.

Left are russets and the right are golds

The pumpkin plant is doing so well!! There are 2 pumpkins on it right now and a possible another 5 starting to form. I bedded it down along with the watermelon, honeydew and the squash plants with straw for the fruits to rest on. 

This was the pumpkin plant yesterday, its bigger then this now!! This is the biggest one of the 2.

Honeydew is about the size of a softball right now and getting bigger. There are also about another 4 just starting to grow!

The watermelon!! There is only one that I have seen so far.  It also is getting bigger by the day!!

It has been a great day today, hope you all have a wonderful night!!

A Crazy Storm and the First Day of School!!

Before I tell you about the crazy storm or the kids first day of school, I forgot a few things in the last post (I really do get to excited when I write, I forget things:) )
First things first, we put our name on our mailbox!!! It is our very first mailbox, too! We have always had a PO box, so this was exciting!

Doesn't it look pretty?!?!

Next, we get to go hunting this year! We entered into the 'lottery' to be drawn for hunting tags, and we both were drawn for a tag! (First time hunting for me!!) That is way exciting!!! I cant wait to go hunting! Next step is to get our hunting license.  We both were drawn for any antler-less deer, (yes, Bambi's Mommy) We were hoping for a buck tag, but are more then happy with a doe tag.  Deer meat is deer meat to me, some can taste a difference between a doe and a buck, but its all the same to me. I love deer meat and cant wait to get it in the freezer!! 

The storm. Before the storm hit, it was calm, like nothing moved, and out to the west it was green and dark blue (never seen a green sky before). The first thing I thought was Anneke telling me that the sky was green last summer when the tornado hit. But I knew there wasn't going to be a tornado here.  Then the wind started to pick up and in minutes it was full blown windy.  I went outside to look at the sky and to see if there was a funnel cloud that I couldn't see, and there was nothing.  I saw that the barn doors were being blown inwards and could possibly be ripped off the hinges.  Kevin and I ran outside to try to keep the doors from blowing in.  It was starting to rain and was really windy. Once inside the barn it sounded like the roof was being ripped off, and the wind was howling. We couldn't put anything behind the doors and the way the barn sounded we decided it was best to get out fast. The whole time inside the barn, I wasn't scared, in fact, I really don't know what I was feeling, besides it felt like I was in one of those movies where people are running to get shelter before the storm ripped things apart. Kinda like in the movie "Twister" (haven't seen that in a long time and never the full movie) We weren't in the barn for more then a few minutes and when we left the barn it was pouring and very windy. We tried to run back to the house ( i was in flip-flops and couldn't run) my feet were wet in seconds and the wind was pushing my around, took the flip-flops off and ran barefoot to the house.  Running from the house to the barn takes less then a minute, both of us were soaked! 

Mascara was running!

I was the only on brave for a picture, :)

Once we made it back in the house, we looked at the barn and saw that the roof was being lifted.  We sat there and watched it just waiting for it to blow off (I was video tapping it too) and it never did!

How heavy the rain was with lots of wind

The corner here is being lifted

The rain, in a short amount of time

Later that evening, Nathan text Kevin to see how things were here with a picture of their equipment shed, the wind took off the roof. And the new shop that is being built, the two garage doors were bent and cant move.  No other buildings were damaged, but crops were wind and hail damaged.  Really glad that we didn't really have any damage!!

The first day of school! The kids were really eager and excited to start school today! Doing Jacqueline's hair this morning, she was telling me that they were going to be late and that i need to hurry!  Kevin had the morning off, so we can take the kids to school the first day!

Showing off their backpacks!

Excited for school!!

When we got to school, Jacqueline saw her teacher and ran and gave her a hug and Nathaniel was more then happy to put his backpack away and play with the kids.  I gave both a hug and kiss and off they went to play!! No one cried or shed a tear! 

Jacqueline does have a locker that her PE shoes go in and her paint shirt (no lock)

The kids got out at noon today, so I went and picked them up.  Nathaniel was happy to see me and asked where Kevin was but wasn't too sure that he wanted to leave school, he did cry about leaving.  Jacqueline wasn't to happy about leaving either.  Her teacher did talk to me and made me feel so good!!! She said that Jacqueline was so proud of herself that she could write her name and cut and glue! I told her that Jacqueline worked hard this summer, and she said that you can really tell and told me, "Good Job, Mom!" She also said that she really appreciates me working with Jacqueline and getting her up to speed with the other kids! I couldn't help but smile, it made me feel so good!! The kids are looking forward to going to school again, but they have to wait until Thursday (also have have a half day).  It might be a different story about the second day (at least for me it might be), they will be riding the bus to school that day, first time! That they are excited about! They will be getting on the bus at 7 in the morning!

Its time to relax and enjoy the evening, kids are on their way to bed!

Summer's end!

This post I was planning on having done and posted at the perfect time, the night before the kids go to school, to officially mark the end of summer! But, I decided that I have too much to share that it probably be best to do it now.  From big milestones with Kelo and us to kids being excited for school, and a few things that I forgot to add to post past!

I'll start with what I forgot about and work to the most recent and the new stuff!!

I was really wanting to share this, its a new statue that a local (semi-local) guy made for the museum. It was displayed during the parade for the towns 125th birthday celebration.  There is one of these, need to get a picture, outside of the museum of a cowboy riding a triceratops.  Its cool looking! 

This was Jacqueline's 'school' work that she did after I did the post about her getting school ready! 

She also did this too...we are still working on her writing.  She can spell her name all by herself! She is also starting to write her last name too...she gets at least the 'Et' right. That's as far as she gets with that!

 

Jacqueline got her first loose tooth!! She was so excited about it too!

We did a little fixing up on the house, the porch. I got it all clean so that Kevin could repair the holes that are there, at least temporally. 

This is after the hole were patched.  The head board, I will eventually turn into a back of a bench for the porch.

This whole side will get replaced, the front side is really loose.

Jacqueline lost her first tooth!!!! Loved playing tooth fairy!!! She lost it the day before the BBQ party we had! The tooth next to the one she lost, is now loose!

That is all for what I forgot in post past, now to the new stuff!! We will start with Kelo! He really has come a long way since the first time we worked with him! (I have come a long way too, with letting my timidness and nervousness go) We know that he has some training as a cutting horse, he has the foot work down and it really is a beautiful thing to see! Kelo has also calmed down a lot (making him a gelding has helped too) I am able walk him around know problem, he leads really well.  He nudges my shoulder we we walk as if to tell me that I am walking to slow, or its his was of telling me that I am doing a good job! 

I really love walking him around!!

Of course, I had to take a selfie!! Many more are to come, just a warning :) I kinda love this horse too!!

Kelo really is very gentle! Jacqueline walked him for a while. She was so happy she finally was able to do so!! Kevin was watching (and taking pictures) and said that he saw Kelo change as I let go of the rope and let Jacqueline have it! 

He really looks happy to have Jacqueline walking him!

The next day Jacqueline lost her second tooth, I had to help pull it.  Well, I held the tooth and squeezed it a little and it came out!

She was so excited the next morning to see that the tooth fairy came. She yelled from her room at the end of the hall, "Mommy, Mommy, The tooth fairy came!!" All before Kevin's alarm went off that morning! It was worth getting up a little earlier to a very happy little girl!
Jacqueline had a check-up and to possibly get updated on shots.  The doctor told me what I already knew, Jacqueline is tall for her age! She was in the 80th percentile for height, 50% for weight and at a 56% for the weight/height ratio! She didnt need any shots, but she did need to get her finger pricked to test for lead (the pediatrician likes to do them at this age) and she didnt cry at all.  I was really surprised, she usually cries at the smallest scratch.
This past Sunday, at the Church we have been going too lately had a lunch at the end of the service and we stayed for it.  They were taking pictures for the Facebook page and we were in one of the pictures and made it on the page!

The kids had an open house for their class today, and they had a blast!! They both were in tears because they wanted to stay in school! They both will start school on Tuesday. Nathaniel will go every Tuesday and Thursday all day. Jacqueline every Tuesday, Thursday and every other Friday until November and then everyday after that!

I will end with the garden. I am still getting a lot of goodies out of it and they taste really good!! Mainly peas, green beans, and zucchini!! I am so excited because I have a watermelon, a honeydew and a few pumpkins growing!!! I cant wait until they are ready (I will have pictures next time).

Well, I need to get dinner going. Hope you all have a great evening!!

Family Fun with Horses, a Party and Garden Goodies!

The last week of July was a lot of fun.  Kevin's mom and a friend of hers, Alex, came for a visit and to pick up 2 of the rescue horses.
We spent a lot of our time together with the horses getting them in halters, leading and ready for the ride back to Idaho. We also worked with Kelo.  We were able to get a halter on one of the horses (Sweet Pea, Alex's horse) before the visit and she was able to get caught.  The other one, Shayla, she didn't want to be caught and had to be cornered to get a halter on.
Sweet Pea was a complete sweetheart!! She was so easy to lead, Jacqueline did it by herself many times were we up there.

It was wonderful to watch her with the horse! Shayla was a little harder to get but ones she was caught, you saw her fear melting away and she was leading well! 

She is very pregnant (Kelo is the daddy, and she is due any day! And yes, those are scars on her belly and shoulder)

Messing with the horses just about every day was fun and I learned a lot. I also got close to to the horses, even Kelo!

I gave him kisses!

  Kids had fun playing with the horses and with Grandma! Kevin got some great tips and suggestions from his mom on how to work with Kelo.

There was a county fair during their visit that I made brownies for, Zucchini Brownies! I wanted to do a craft project but it didn't get done, but it will be ready to go next year!! 

The brownies going into the fair!

What I won from the fair, a jar of honey and 2 packets of yeast!!

The night before they left for Idaho, we had a BBQ at the house with Nathan and his family, His dad and brother came, and Sandy's 2 sisters and Mom and Dad came too!!  We had a full house and it was a blast.

(Top 3 are ours)

Chowing down!

Dad and Nathan's dad

Kevin and Nathan!

Mom and me, not sure what I was talking about 

I had to do this one, I stepped on a frog just before the picture was taken, it either squirted water at me or touched me with it's tongue. ewwwww!!

Mom and Kevin's Mom

Had so much fun with everyone, I cant wait to have another BBQ with everyone again!!

The garden, I have been getting lots of green beans and peas every other day!! Zucchini every few days!! Just yesterday I picked a few carrots, turnips and beets! Bell peppers will start being ready in a week or so!! The pumpkin plant has about 6 pumpkins starting to grow, so excited to watch them grow!!  A few weeks ago I added a butternut squash plant to the garden, it was dying and i got it for nothing (last of the green house, they weren't charging for the dying plants) and surprisingly it is growing and as long as the rabbits leave it alone I might get some squash! The rabbits are eating the flowers off the squash and melon plants. Tomorrow when I'm in the garden I think that the zucchini that I left yesterday will be ready, as long as the flower is there I leave it until next time!

This was picked the day of the party.

6 days later (yesterday) peas and green beans have more then doubled!

I am really enjoying the garden, I have already figured out what I need to do next year and what I'm doing wrong. I'm thinking of going a bit bigger next year too, not sure yet!

The kids start school in 11 days!! Crazy!! They both are excited to go! Summer vacation is nearing an end, but it has been fun and I am looking forward to that first parent teacher conference (and that is in October)!!

Have a wonderful day everyone!!