Old Settler's Day Parade 2014

Here are some pictures from this year's Old Settler's Day Parade. The Farmer was in the field so he didn't get to join us, but we still had a great day!

The Herredsbergs and Decotes sat next to us and the kids saw several of their friends from school. 

I'd have to say the biggest surprise was the float of boys who after seeing Abi threw lots of candy and cheered her name! She blushed terribly and we all (including her) laughed. Apparently my daughter is already popular with the boys of her grade. And so it begins. 😉

Last Days of Summer

Took the kids on one last trip to the pool and then out to a movie to celebrate the last days of Summer 2014. 

Pool Fun

After missing out for a week, the kids are having a blast in the pool!

Fun at the Pool

Fun at the Pool:

Just a few Fair pics 3

Just a few Fair pics 2

Just a few Fair pics

Just a few Fair pics.

Fair Fun

During the Fair, the Farmer and I went to the goat show.  We had a great time trying to guess who would come out first.  While we watched the goats, the kids went under the stands and had a great time playing in the dirt.

Castles, Moats, and Towers...they played for hours!  

Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved MMFarmlife - Melanie Schlatter

Fair 2013

We had a great fair this year!  One of our new endeavors was the duct tape entries.  The rules were that you create something on your own or something you can wear out of 90% duct tape.  Abi made a crown to wear. Jonny made a sword, and Nathan made a camo robot wall hanging.

Abi received first place in her division, Jonny got first in his, and Nathan got second.  Instead of ribbons, the duct tape entries receive script money.

I'll go over the kids' other entries in separate posts, but I wanted to share a few other every day type photos we took:

We walked around getting ideas for future 4-H projects.  One thing the kids loved was this farm display.

There was also a live owl.  Someone found the owl wounded and will release it into the wild after it healed.  The fair entry was all about how the owl was found and what was being done for it before release.

Fair 2013, full of fun!

Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved MMFarmlife - Melanie Schlatter

Wheat Harvest 2013

Today is the last day of Harvest 2013 (and also the 4th of July but Harvest is our theme for this post).  Overall it has been a good harvest, we had one field that was the worst wheat the Farmer had ever cut, but the other fields seemed to make up for that one hailed field.

Anyway, I took the kids out to the field for some pictures before it was all gone.  I think we got a few cute ones:

I really should put together a comparison of all the years to see how the kids have changed each harvest.  It has become such a tradition to get the Farmer and his kids together on the combine!

Well, happy 4th of July and we hope you have a great rest of the summer.

Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved MMFarmlife - Melanie Schlatter

Easter 2013

Can it seriously be Easter again already?

This year it has snuck up on me totally unprepared...well, maybe not totally but fairly close anyway.  At least I do have our Easter outfits and a few eggs to hunt with the Cousins come Sunday.

This morning I spent the time cleaning up a bit and then baking He is Risen Rolls for after the Sunrise Service tomorrow.  I think we are going to try to make it to that, but we will see when the morning comes.  After lunch, the kids and I headed to Lebanon where they have the city Egg Hunt hosted by the 4-H club.  I got a few pictures of this year's goings on:

The kids did a great job standing around waiting for the hunt...it is always so hard to wait!

Ethan was so excited....he kept coming back to me and saying "I ready Mom...I ready."

Silly Jonny...wearing his basket as a hat.

The kids were to stay on the sidewalk until the hunt began...it was a hard temptation.

This  year I stood close to Ethan for quite a while during the hunt.  

He had so much fun finding candy and eggs.

After the little kids found 8 eggs and whatever candy they had on the ground, 

the big kids got to go find the rest. Here Ethan and Jonny were sitting and perusing their take.

Jonny looking funny.

Abi gathering eggs.

Grandma taking pictures of Nathan hunting eggs.

After the hunt...the kids enjoyed playing for awhile.  I wish I would have thought to bring my book or my laptop...we could have stayed all afternoon...well, except for E's nap that is.

Cousin B is doing the swinging thing above and Cousin E below is hunting candy.

Nate and Cousin B playing on the new teeter-totter toy.

Jonny Swinging on the Round thingy...

Cousin E and Abi on the bouncy thingy.

Don't you just love all my official terminology! Sorry...I don't know what those things are called...I just know the kids have fun playing on them.j

Well, after E gets up from his nap, we will head over the Grandma Schlatter's to decorate eggs and then there is a soup supper in town I think we'll go to.  Then hopefully to bed and up early for a beautiful Sunrise Service.

P.S. I have to say that the idea of Resurrection and heaven have a new meaning to me this year.  The sacrifice God made for us in giving His only Son to die for me; and the hope in knowing that our lives don't end at the grave, because Jesus overcame both death and the grave, is completely illuminated in a different light this year.  Because of His sacrifice, I have the hope of not only being with Jesus for all eternity, but Sarah too!

Copyright © 2013 All Rights Reserved MMFarmlife - Melanie Schlatter