Milo Harvest Started

Well, even though it is a bit wet still, they started on milo harvest today. By the amount of trucks being brought to the bins here I'd guess that it must be doing well, though we won't know exact numbers till it is all cut.

Nathan is chomping at the bit to get to the combine but he will have to wait until tomorrow as we have a busy day today with story hour, shopping and naps. Maybe tomorrow.

If I get any pictures of the kids in the combine, I'll try to get them posted for you to enjoy. Now we just need dry weather for the next week to get this finished up. Marion was reading in the paper about several years ago when it snowed 11 inches on Oct 25th...we are glad that didn't happen this year! Harvesting in snow would not go that well ;-)

I'll try to keep you posted as to when we might get done!

Corn Harvest Done

Well despite the almost 3 inches of rain we got, the guys were finally able to get the corn harvested out of the field. Marion said that it was yielding really well and they had it all done in 3-4 days.

If the weather holds the next thing is milo harvest...that will take significantly longer, leaning more towards a week of good cutting. Let's pray for a dry spell to get it all in.

They have gotten a few of the calves weaned while waiting for the ground to dry up enough to get into the fields but they still have some more to wean...it is hard to believe it is almost time again to have cows out on stocks!

A visit to Salina

Well we were able to go down and visit Ben, Erik & Aunt Karla this week. Aunt Karla had called to ask if Nathan could come down and play. Ben was up at the farm visiting toward the first of the week and needed to be brought back home on Wednesday so we decided that Nathan, Jonathan and Mommy would go down for an overnight stay to visit and see the new house and play!

Abigail was going to stay with Daddy and Grandma. She got to ride in the combine and eat lunch which she thought was just great and then on Thursday she helped Grandma back and decorate cookies. Grandma said she was very intent on decorating those cookies.

Nathan was a bit reserved in going to Salina but once he was there he warmed up to the idea a bit more. However by the time we left he was very interested in getting home! On Wednesday after naps we went to a park nearby and let the boys run and play. Nathan liked to climb up to the top slides but wouldn't go down them because they were covered and "dark". Mommy went down one of them with him to show him it wasn't scary but he still didn't want to do that by himself. He really liked digging in the sand and the little spring car.

It was good to visit and I was amazed at home much Karla had unpacked and settled. There were hardly any boxes at all! And the best thing....she is very close to Target! :-)

Jonathan's 9 month Check up

Well, I can't believe it but Jonathan is now NINE months old!  We had his regular check up today and he weighed in at 20 lbs 14 oz...so almost 21 lbs and his length was 29 5/8 inches.  His head was 13 I think.  (not sure about that one?)  Anyway that put him at the 55% range for weight and 90% for height...so he is a BIG boy! 

 

Several people think he has got to be higher then that on weight because of his pudgy tummy but it must just be the presentation of his length with his weight that make him look that way!  I sat him on the scale at home and it said 20.5 so he really isn't THAT heavy! 

 

He is working on another tooth...the top left hand side...it is JUST pressing through and he won't really cooperate to look at it unless he is SCREAMING...but I have seen it just pressing through.  

 

I got one picture taken so far for his 9 month pictures and hope to get a couple more before too long.  I know I have been terrible at distributing pictures but I am hoping that I can get some photo paper soon and do a day of printing and catching up.  No promises though!

Bon Fire

Well we finally were able to do our bon fire!

Marion made a couple of trips out to get everything set up and then came back to wait for the fire to really get going well....about 7 is when we headed out...I wish we could have gotten a picture of it...here we were all FIVE of us on the four wheeler headed out to the edge of the creek to our bon fire pit! It was AWESOME...

Marion set out tubs as seats and it worked really well...the kids were apprehensive at first but warmed up to the idea as we started roasting the hot dogs...Spottie joined us and had a couple hot dogs too!

So we had hot dogs (without buns...ask Marion why), marshmallows and a story at our bon fire...I got Marion telling the story on video (or at least most of it) but it is too long to post here...maybe I can cut a section out so you can hear a bit of it...we will see.

I got a few pictures too...let's see how they turned out:

Rain, Rain, Rain

Well, it rained again today...I don't know how many days it has been now but we are up to a little over 2 1/2 inches since it started raining...

Marion is a little hesitant as we still have some soy beans to cut and we were supposed to plant wheat after that but with all the rain it will be a while before the beans are ready to cut AND then they would have to fertilize and drill the wheat still.

I guess we will have to wait to see what happens there. Well, really that is all I have to update...just rain...not too much else is happening right now. We have story hour on Friday...and Jonathan has a dr.s appointment on Monday...other then MOPS Steering and a couple more story hours...we don't have much else on the calendar!

I'll let you know if anything else comes up....

Nathan's Birthday

We can't believe it but Nathan is THREE!

For several days now we have been trying to build anticipation in this day but for whatever reason (mostly that he was turning 3) Nathan has not been very excited. However he did get more into today as the day wore on...and by the time we did his birthday dinner and party he was pretty excited about it.

This morning he wanted waffles with blueberries and chocolate chips...Mommy struggled with them and finally Daddy took over and they turned out great! Always leave the waffles to MARION..he is really good at them.

He played alot during the day and for his birthday dinner we had hamburgers, tator tots, applesauce, corn on the cob and of course cake and ice cream. He was surprisingly not that interested in eating his cake but he still made a pretty good mess out of that blue Thomas train!

He got some cars from Ben and Erik (Aunt Karla & Uncle Mark) and a square baler from Grandma and Grandpa Schlatter. My mom sent him a pliers holder to go with the tool kit that we got him with the realistic Black and Decker tools.

Overall, I think he enjoyed his day...they played and played. Here are a few pics for you to enjoy:

Nathan's Cake Pictures

I wanted to see how this worked out...I have posted Nathan's Cake pictures on Facebook...here is the link to the site...when it opens...you'll have to select the album title in order to view the pictures...I believe the title is Nathan's Birthday.  Here is the link:

 

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=53636&l=17ed5&id=572351454

 

Let me know if you can see them, and if you like this as opposed to seeing them here!  If I do it this way, then I only have to post them once...but the down side is that you don't get to see them directly on the blog...so I don't know...I may not do it this way?  Let me know what you think...

Family Photo

Well, we almost made it to the professional studio for a family picture but then the economy when south and we just couldn't justify spending the money necessary to get a professional family picture taken...so in compromise, we decided to go outside and try one on our own. Marion marvels at how well we did with a timer, folding chair and the kids! Here are our two options...we haven't picked for sure which one we are definitely going with yet but at least you can see them both:








I will confess that I had to do a bit of doctoring...but I don't think anyone can tell...can you?

Jonathan is clapping

It is so cute...he sits up really tall and giggles and claps...he doesn't really have much control yet so it really is a bit funny to watch him but it is a something new he is doing now!...I will try to put a short video of him clapping if I can:

I'm Back...

Yes indeed, I am back from my four day vacation and feeling rather refreshed...though today has been a little trying in getting back into the swing of things. Nathan especially is struggling today and tonight Jonathan seems to be a bit more cranky then usual...but overall, I am glad to be home and glad to have had some time away...

The retreat was awesome...I think the highlight though was the 1 hour massage that I was able to get! I was also able to get Jonathan's scrapbook caught up...or at least all the pictures I had done. I realized once there that I did not have his photoshoot photos...being his 3 month and 6 month photos...but that probably doesn't surprise any of you who haven't gotten updated photos of him since his 1 month pics...maybe now that I have my new printer I will actually get those to you!

Anyway, I still have to put the book together but I wanted to wait to do that until I get all the pages done so that I don't have to keep redoing and redoing...still, I have alot more done then what I did before the retreat!