Harvest...

Wheat harvest started on June 30th and we had six great days of cutting...on the evening of Monday the 7th we got rain that delayed the last 40 acres until Thursday but we were all but done! We are so thankful for the Lord's provision and protection...Marion said the machinery ran as smooth as it ever has and they had little to no mechanical problems at all. The wheat wasn't bad either...most was average for our area.

This year we had the special treat of Marion's youngest brother, his wife, and two kids (Mark, Karla, Ben & Erik) all came to the farm for harvest. The kids had a great time playing together at our house and especially at Grandma's. And Mark was a BIG help running the grain cart and setting up each day for harvest...he really saved Grandpa Jim alot of walking :-)

Here are a few pictures of harvest and playing with the cousins...I'll save the 4th of July pics for another post:

The Fever

Well, as some of you may know, we have been struggling the battle of the fever.  Last Friday, Nathan came down with a fever of 102.5 and has been battling it for four days now.  On Saturday morning, Jonathan came down with the fever though it was lower at 99.6 and then in the afternoon Abigail started her trek of fevers at 99.5 to spike shortly thereafter to 102.8.  Though we have had moments of lower temperatures, they have stayed pretty high for Nathan and Abigail with Nathan topping out at 104.4 on Sunday and Abigail having 103 (or close to it) several times. 

 

We finally took them all to the doctor on Monday but at this time there isn't anything he could treat them for...they did have red throats and Abigail is coughing (alot) but the strep test was negative and there aren't any other signs of anything wrong...so the best diagnosis at this time is a viral infection that just needs to run its course.

 

I do have to confess that at first I over reacted about the 102-103 fevers...in all three (almost four) years of being a mother we have NEVER had that high of temps before.  If my kids hit 99.7 I would freak about having fevers and they got Tylenol and restricted care.  Now that I am at the back side of this episode (or at least I hope we are) I have learned ALOT about fevers, kids, and myself.  It is amazing to me as I sit and reflect back over the last four days at how traumatic I felt the situation was and how after repeated consultations with medical professionals (and friends and family) how I now realize that fevers are a good thing that need to run their course and even be allowed at times...it is the other symptoms that are worrisome not really the fever. 

 

One of the many lessons I have been trying to learn over the past several months it to let go of controlling every aspect of the kids and give them to their Creator!  I have tried so often to keep them under my own protective wing to the point of over doing it. I realize that God has given me the blessing of children to take care of but I am simply a steward of HIS CHILDREN and I am learning that God's protective wing is much better then my own and far more inclusive!  I am not sure if this was a test of that lesson or not, and I am definitely not sure if I even came close to passing it if it was...but I know that I have come out on the other side changed.  Isn't that the real proof...whether you grow or stay the same. 

Our Father's Day

Happy Father's Day Marion!

(and all the other father's and grandfathers out there!)

This year was a bit more challenging as we have been sick but I'll save that for another post. Anyway, this year I wanted to do something extra special for Marion so I decided to make him a Father's day cake ... I had the kids help me with the animals...below are our pictures: I hope you enjoy them.

Flowers

Well, I have to confess that I have not been the best this year at getting out and weeding my flower beds. If it isn't one thing it seems to be another. I never realized how hard it would be to get outside to do anything with a baby...granted he is almost 5 months old now but of course now I have a bum foot and can't be out standing on my head trying to pull weeds...and last week there was VBS...the excuses just go on and on...anyway...even with all my excuses we have had some great weather for my flowers...here are a few pictures for you to enjoy:

This is the rose bush we planted on the north east of our house last year. It has really taken off.


This is one of the climbing roses we planted last year...I was hoping Janis could remind me what it's name is...we have another one that is white with pink splatters call Fourth of July but I can't remember the other two...this one is the only one (of those two) blooming at the moment.


This is Marion's wild rose bush that he just absolutely HAD to have pictures of. He said he couldn't remember a time when this bush bloomed so nicely...it is out at the corner of our pasture just south of the house.


These are my tea roses...



This last one I thought was really cool because it looks like a butterfly...

Applesauce

We just couldn't refuse...I know, I know...but it was so much fun!

This morning we fed Jonathan some applesauce...here is a video of it:

We had decided a long time ago that we wanted to wait to feed him any solids for as long as possible in an attempt to prolong my milk production a bit further...but when he sits there and watches every bite you take and opens his mouth when you get close to him...it just makes you want to give him a bite!

When Grandma Schlatter was watching him the other night she gave him his first sippy of water...ever since then he has really wanted to hold that sippy...especially if he sees you drinking something. The other night he was sitting on my lap while I was drinking some orange juice and every time I would take a drink he'd follow the cup with his eyes and when I got it to my mouth he'd open his too! Marion just couldn't beleive how engaged he was in that.

I am not saying we are going to start feeding him solids regularly but it was fun to give him his first taste of applesauce. We will just have to see...he does seem VERY interested and he doesn't tongue thrust it out so he is very much over that!

First Time in the Pool

This year we decided to get a bit larger pool for the kids to play in...yes I could have taken them to town to swim but three kids in the kiddy pool just didn't really appeal to me but I wanted the kids to be able to play in the water so we decided to get an 8 foot pool and see how that went...so here are the kids in the pool at our house for the first time this year:

I also got some video and I'll see if I can't get a clip of that to post too but for now...here are the pics:

VBS Week!

Yes, indeed...we had VBS this past week. I was the preschool teacher for the 3 & 4 year olds...we may have had a 5 year old or two but if they could write their name they went to the K class because I had 15...you saw that right FIFTEEN preschoolers in my class and I sent three of the supposedly older homeschooled kids to the Kindergarten class (which my mother-in-law taught). I found out later on that at least one of the kids was not homeschooled and didn't even know how to write her name (oops - Oh well, we had plenty!)

Anyway, I am working on getting some pictures of Abigail and Nathan at their first VBS but here is one that I got on my camera:

Nathan is in the far bottom corner but you can't really see him...see the hand with the blue butterfly...that is Nathan's! (hehehe)

Here are a few pics of my classroom...I was pretty proud of the decor. I decided it would be too much to try to keep the kids at tables so we taped a big cardboard box on the floor and that was our activity area:

I really had a lot of fun. I was pretty tried by Friday afternoon but the program went very well and it was good to know the kids had fun and learned something too! I wasn't sure how it would go with Nathan and Jonathan but they both did really well and after the first day they really got into the VBS mode! If I get more pictures, I'll try to post some more.

My Super Heros

We don't know exactly where they learned this but the kids wanted to have capes and run around the house being super heros...I am going to attempt to post my first video clip so we'll see how it goes...at one point you can hear Abigail say she is a "sleepy hero"...too funny!

You will all have to let me know if you can see the video...it says it loaded it...if it doesn't work for you...then I'll post some pics that I have of them.