Christmas at our House

Jim is having too much fun with his new mask. Baihley and Sparky on the couch!

Tyler and Baihley reading the note from Aunt Marsha. Their gift was a donation to a Memphis school for uniforms for children in need. Their cousin and his wife teach in Memphis.

Auntie Lee's for Christmas dinner with cousins Craig and Nick and Aunt Bev. We had fun!

The childen are actually happy and enjoying each other. It's amazing what happens when they grow up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hanukkah

Friends out for a special night of Hanakkah... before when the table looked nice.The beautiful tablepiece was actually all the presents connected by ribbons to their name tags by their plates. You had to work together, just like the Jews did when they took back the temple.

Of course it's a wild Dreidel game!!!!!!!!!!!!! Actually they had more fun trying to see who could spin the Dreidel the longest!!!

Snow days

Behind the four wheeler is fun but hang on!!!!

Dad pulls them down the driveway!
Hang on when he starts doing donuts in the yard

Are we having fun yet?

Oops!

indoor Arena

The indoor arena is done and are they training Gizmo or Jim?

No helmet, no saddle but having a blast and he's going around and around and even started trotting; although Baihley wasn't really prepared for it. It's a nice big arena and no wind; and Jim put up lights. I have a feeling today's snow day will find them in their ALOT!!!!!

Christmas Alive

The wise women--- on horses had way too much fun!!!

Wasn't in the Bible but it does in a pinch!! And the horses actually almost enjoyed being camels for three days.

Tyler is Joseph...

Putting Mary on a horse and leading her to the stall next door wasn't the trip that they did in the Bible but it was very good.

The wise men (women) on camels (horses)

So perhaps they have added to the Bible, but no one had camels they could ride and it was only girl who volunteered to handle the horsees. Tyler and Baihley have been participating in an outdoor nativity near our town. It's only below zero windchills- but that doesn't deter kids. Several hundreds of people braved the "walk thru" not 'drive thru' and tomorrow I will actually go and brave the weather for pictures in the daylight.

Mom's in heaven!!! actually only for 2 hours.

Since a picture says 1,000 words, no words are needed. If you know me, there needs no explanation. The only bad part was I didn't take my good camera.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving day was fun at our house. We had a 12:30 dinner with all the fixings plus pecan, pumpkin pie and Oreo desert. We talked the afternoon away and had a great time.

Lights at Bluff Valley Old friends... just pick up where you left off.

Everyone pitched in and it was quite a beautiful dinner table.

Addlea has been home 24 hours and she's already bored... so she made turkeys for our centerpiece.

We're babysitting and we have a new play place.

We have missed this face, and the eating, and the talking!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So this weekend we spent working hard; the kids were incredible. Jim is done in the field, Tyler and Jim went deer hunting or rather what I call, getting cold for no reason at all and when they came home Baihley and I were hard at work changing the quanset into an indoor riding arena. We are more than excited. All we need now is lights!!! We also welcomed Molly and Mac into our home for awhile. Friends of ours daughter is moving right down the road and we are more than excited because she is not only a Christian but a very qualified horse expert. Baihley and I are already signed up for lessons. She can use our indoor arena with us, give us pointers on training Gizmo and we can work the mini driving all winter. Today I am calling about sand. A riding arena for the cost of one days hard work and a load or two of sand. Katie told Baihley to her face, "your father must really love you." Baihley hasn't quit smiling yet!!!!!!!!!! We can't wait for Fred to come home, but I have a list of things a mile long to do before then so better get working!!!

4-H

Boys dumpster jumping; note I didn't say dumpster diving. They are squishing boxes at the Local Food Shelf. It was their idea to jump in!!!!

Tyler is quite the song leader---- anyway he got lots of laughs and smiles.
He's doing the Narly Harley or something like that.



(P.S. no deer yet)




Baihley gets a Spirit award; so far she's gotten 6 friends to join 4-H!

Up north

The lake is starting to freeze over

Raking leaves can be fun....

Smile Baihley- you're on candid camera

Hunting Season Begins/Harvest almost over

So, tomorrow Jim and Tyler are going hunting... Pray that they get a deer, and then we don't have to worry bout them anymore. They are having fun in their new playplace; the hunting blind. They have determined it will be great for ice fishing!!!!

It's a blind... yet rolls up into a backpack that Tyler can carry and no bigger than his backpack for School. It's has tons of zippers and peep holes.
Here's a very happy boy. He'd be happier if he shot his first deer.

We are almost done with the corn... and it will take 3 more weeks to finish. That's always the way it is. We have snow here and enough mud to make it not combining weather. We had a friends dad come over and ride one day and she took a picture of the three men. He seemed to love it.

Grandpa Leonard, John Dunn and Jim out in the field.

Beautiful Weather in Minnesota

It's been beautiful weather here. Jim is picking corn, the kids are riding horse and I've been just trying to keep up with unplanned events.
One of the unplanned events to my week was being with our good friend during the death of her husband and the funeral was today. Rick and Cheryl Kubitza came down and it was a wonderful day, although sad. Cheryl, Dawn Miner Zollman, Rick, Marette

Baihley and Socks as they headed out trail riding the ditches.

Tyler and Buddy.

Curse of the Werewolf

Tyler was in a play this weekend; or rather it's still going on Sunday too. He died.... then rose again!!! Actually he wasn't dead just put in a deep freeze... there- I gave you the secret.

Sitting on the dock of the Bay

Sittin' on the dock of the bay watching the sun set is about as close to heaven as I have been on earth. I sat and watched the sun and the clouds play with the heavens and couldn't help but think that in all the things God has created, other than the complexity of the human body, I marvel at the sunset. Every minute is a new picture and it is constantly a reminder that God loves beauty.

Oh and by the way, that was Mom's big mouth Bass that Tyler's holding!

Stewartville Care Center Sharing Time

Baihley getting an earful about the good ole days!
Always a gentlemen; he took off his hat for a picture.
This gentlemen didn't see with his eyes, but felt with his hands. Max was a true gentlemen and kept nuzzling his way closer.
This sweet lady wasn't sure but kept smiling as Baihley made a few extra rounds with her.
Tyler and Max went around the ladies loved to pet his nose! Max kept sniffing for treats.

We went to the Stewartville Care Center Sunday afternoon. Our goal was to bless the folks with rides and memories. Baihley does the driving so she got to hear the many stories. It was fun to watch them pet Max and as many as wanted got to ride in the parking lot. One man brought a picture of his horses when he used to drive. Others wanted to ride but due to being in wheelchairs they can't quite get into the cart. We helped quite a few from walkers and it was a neat afternoon. I keep telling the kids that we bless others with little things and God expects us to use our passions for His good.