Marion's Birthday

The children decided that Daddy needed to have a field cake with a tractor.  Then Nathan decided it needed to have a fence along the edge of the filed and Abi decided the fence needed to have flowers.  

So, this is what I came up with:

Happy Birthday Marion!

Old Settler's Day 2010

It's Old Settler's time again!

This year, Marion was able to join us for the parade.  We always like it when Daddy gets to go with us!

Waiting for the parade to start.

Here comes the band.

CANDY!

Look at all those tractors!

Here Mom...look what I got!

Daddy and Jonathan sampling the goods!
(see how they are both holding their mouths...lol)

I thought this was my favorite float...
these youth were 'break dancing' kind of to this really hip music about Jesus...
I was impressed and thought it was pretty cool.

Sampling more goods.

This gun was VERY loud!

The Candy Cannon...unfortunately it did not go off when my kids could get the candy...
they had to watch from afar.

Abi was getting a bit cool in the shade...Nathan was in awe of the LARGE sprayer.

Ethan was NOT happy...poor little guy.

Still pretty cold but loving the horses!

We had a great day...enjoyed the free lunch from the bank afterward and then called it a day...you can only do so much with 4 kids!

Bananas....YUMMMMMY

Ethan's first taste of bananas in the mesh teether.

After the first shock was over....he went to town...he LIKES bananas!

Pioneer Village, Minden, Nebraska

I can't tell you HOW MANY TIMES we would go to my sister's in Gothenburg and pass through Minden saying "We really should stop and see Pioneer Village sometime!"  It seems we always had some excuse...I was pregnant, we had a new baby, the kids are too small, we don't have enough time...you name it, we probably thought of it...LOL!

Amazing as it seems, we FINALLY made it to Pioneer Village!  It was a cool rainy day and I forgot the camera but fortunately Marion had his cell phone (but I didn't think of THAT until about 1/2 way through).  However, I managed to think of it just in time to get pictures of the kids on the caboose that Marion himself remembers being on as a child when the school took a field trip to Pioneer Village...He even remembers the green hands saying "you can touch this"...LOL!

Yeah....trains....Jonny was SO excited!

Nathan...get over here and take a picture! (See how thrilled Abi is?)

The little red engine...and smallest caboose.

In the depot...with model trains and engines.

See the green hand...you can touch this!
Jonny and Marion checking out the big engine!

this was in the back of the 'church'.
The children were very fascinated by the angel!

Now THIS IS MORE LIKE IT!
We need one of these at home!

We tried to actually get one of the kids to put their heads in...they wouldn't do it!

We went into one of the side buildings....
and there was a broom maker...
he told the kids all about how to make a straw broom.

Then he let each of the kids 'help' make one!

Nathan wasn't into it much and when it got to be Jonny's turn...well...he flat out refused!  

Here he is sewing the broom together.

Marion LOVED all the tractors and the way they transitioned from year to year.

Kiddos by an old wood stove in a pony express relief station cabin.

Not to bad considering all those pictures were from the cell phone.  I think I had to stop taking pictures because the battery was waining and we didn't want to be stranded without it.  But, you got the overall experience or at least the high lights.  The kids loved seeing everything but as those of you who have young kids know...they weren't wanting to stop and smell the roses around them...or read the posts...it was see and dash...see and dash!

Abi's Apple Pie

Abi had collected several apples of her own from the orchard and wanted to make an apple pie with them.  So I helped her...giving her specific instructions and letting her do as much of it as possible.  

Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of her with the final product but she did wash all the apples, cut them up and helped me make the crust.  She had a great time and was very proud of her accomplishment.

Our Pets....

I know that Marion would like to keep record of what pets we have and when...and since Spottie has had like 12 lives so far, I figured I'd better get a picture of her before she runs out of them!

And this is Marshmallow...with his orange friend in the background.  (We don't have a name for the orange tom.)  We really love Marshmallow...he is the BEST tom cat we've ever had!  He even kills snakes!  I'll keep him around FOREVER!  rofl

As is our regular tradition, we headed to the apple orchard in Courtland.  It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and the kids were all dressed up.  We took a lot of beautiful pictures..some are funny...I included a bunch of them here...good or not..for fun...hope you enjoy!

Ethan wasn't really into this pose.

Don't you just love that belly sticking out!
It would have been a great picture if we could have gotten Ethan situated.

OOPS...Ethan is slipping.

Awe...a little better but we are still showing that tummy and Jonny isn't looking!

Look at Abi...how grown up does she look here!

We tried to put Ethan in the tree too...that stick was just not working for us!

Moving to the grass...see the apples!
(Nathan felt it necessary to show us.)

Now this isn't a bad one...though E has a bit of a strange look.

Now we are smiling...

Ouch...got Abi's hair...we are having fun!

Starting to get a bit tired of these pictures.

Now that is a good one...Nate is a bit hidden...but you can still see everyone!

Dirty Play

Dump Truck and Loader (borrowed from Nathan)

Move that Dirt!

Scoop, Scoop, Scoop!

Dump, Dump, Dump