tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7888925557921793312024-03-12T16:37:11.413-07:00This Land, This Life, This Farmer's WifeHeritage Family Farms......life on the farm, just as it is.thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-45815482291965945552018-10-31T15:17:00.000-07:002018-10-31T15:17:31.892-07:00Proficient<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
FFA is this girl's bag. Boy is she passionate. Today she headed off to present her Crop SAE (Supervised Agricultural Experience.) Her project is on acres planted in corn here at our farm. She manages the acres from what is planted, when and keeps the books involved with inputs and profits. Her love for agriculture is very deeply rooted. </div>
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Farmer girl went off to talk about her project with some judges. They look at her extensive book of information on her fields that was created over the last two years. They ask her questions and guess what, she actually knows the answers! This is unlike her mama who has been around farming for the last 22 years and I wish I knew half of what this girl does!</div>
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Good luck today girl. You got this! Farm on!</div>
<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-81152175483684533982017-03-24T16:19:00.000-07:002017-03-24T16:19:04.197-07:00Creepy or Cool?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The Illinois Beef Expo is held in Springfield, Il each year. We don't have beef cattle, but so many of our friends do, that we decided this year to make a weekend out of it and joined friends at a Springfield hotel for a weekend of cattle, swimming and hanging out. </div>
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What's a trip to Springfield without a trip to Scheels? What's a trip to Scheels without a ride on the ferris wheel and a spin through the presidential characters and maybe even sitting through a simulated Nascar race?</div>
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This year may have been the last on the ferris wheel for this boy. Not a fan of stopping at the top. Just like his mama I guess. </div>
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Then these animated, moving, realistic, totally awesome and completely creepy figures of the presidents. </div>
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Eeek. Not sure he was a fan of them either. </div>
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We did manage to spend a mere 3 hundo on running shoes for the big kids' upcoming track season. Now THAT is scary!</div>
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<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-53216430005558995952017-03-23T11:12:00.001-07:002017-03-23T11:12:25.666-07:00Game-On<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our family farm has social media accounts, and I am largely responsible for updating them . I uploaded this photo last night to our farm's Facebook account. It's gorgeous, just look at that sunset! My hubby snapped this one for me after multiple requests for a photo of his rig for the day. Social media and photos are not on the top of his priority list. Must have something to do with having a whole farm to run.</div>
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Here is the update I included with this photo on the farm page: "<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "San Francisco", -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px;">God's handiwork enlightens the sky as we apply </span><a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/anhydrous?source=feed_text&story_id=821808671305675" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: "San Francisco", -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">anhydrous</span></span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "San Francisco", -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px;"> to the soil of what is to be a field of corn this coming crop year. </span><a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/plant17?source=feed_text&story_id=821808671305675" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: "San Francisco", -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">plant17</span></span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "San Francisco", -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px;"></span><a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/heritagehappenings?source=feed_text&story_id=821808671305675" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: "San Francisco", -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">heritagehappenings</span></span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "San Francisco", -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px;"> </span><span class="_5afx" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: isolate;"><a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/justin?source=feed_text&story_id=821808671305675" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: "San Francisco", -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px; text-decoration: none;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="background-color: white; color: #4267b2; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: isolate;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="background-color: white; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px; text-decoration: none;">justin</span></a>"</span></div>
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<span class="_5afx" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: isolate;">All true. The part I left out was that this is the first day or spring work. So it signifies the beginning of a season of single parenting due to long work days for the hubs. It means juggling kids' activities alone. Sitting on the sidelines by myself., cheering on my runners during their events alone! The fight that ensues each night when I break it to the kindergartener that it is again....BATH TIME! Ugh! He hates bath time and he ain't afraid to say it. Loudly, with gusto. This I have to endure alone. </span></div>
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<span class="_5afx" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: isolate;">Also it means that those small honey-do items in the house will likely not get done until the end of June. The reality of this photo taken on this day is that it is:</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span class="_5afx" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: isolate;">TIME OUT on LIFE</span><span class="_5afx" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: isolate;">and </span><span class="_5afx" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: isolate;">GAME ON for FARM WORK</span></span></i></b></div>
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<span class="_5afx" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: isolate;">I'm all in, I've got my uniform clean and ready, I'm a gamer and a veteran.</span></div>
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<span class="_5afx" style="background-color: white; cursor: pointer; direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.24px; text-decoration: none; unicode-bidi: isolate;">But the first day of field work each season is always a little bitter sweet.</span></div>
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<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-47085352879479572162017-03-22T18:00:00.001-07:002017-03-22T18:00:22.493-07:00He Misses Out<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Babies of the family have miss out on alot of stuff! The first two kids in our family were in soccer, piano, ninjutsu and dance by the time they were four or five. This boy here...only summer t-ball. That is it. He is old enough for 4H and Cub Scouts and could probably start in piano lessons any day now. But because he is the baby, he has to miss out.</div>
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Before I get to feeling too badly and make you feel bad for him, and heaven forbid when he is older and reads this, I want to clarify. He doesn't miss out on a darn thing!!! Not a thing. <br />
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Yes, he doesn't get to do many of his own structured activities, but he does get to do cool things like work concession stands, hang out through praise band rehearsals, watch his siblings in various sporting events and learn so much from watching them and emulating them.<br />
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He is a happy boy and he makes us all so very happy too. While working a track concession stand, he took a little break. He came back into the building with this beautiful rock collection. Gorgeous. Thoughtful. Creative. In his own little way.<br />
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These were all in the pocket of his sweatpants. Don't ask me how they didn't fall down around his tiny little hips under the weight of all of these rocks, but he managed to keep them up! <br />
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I'm a lucky mommy to have a kid that helps our his family an me so cheerfully, and even finds the magic in the rocks beside the concession stand. </div>
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We somehow managed to leave all of these in the landscaping, but we did end up coming home with a Sour Patch Kid box and a box from Rice Krispie Treats. Why? Because they are "SO COOL MOM!" Whatever makes him happy. It's not all about the structured activities. Sometimes it's in the littler things.</div>
<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-1836634963907378972017-02-12T13:46:00.002-08:002017-02-12T13:46:41.894-08:00Farmer's Daughter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Daddy may be a dirty looking farmer wearing his bibs and digging in the dirt installing tile along side his crew, but don't let that fool you, he is a pretty smart guy. He is passionate about plant health and soil. It is becoming more and more obvious that his baby girl is following suit.</div>
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Here they are working on a project about how nitrogen stays in the soil. Yep. I can't tell you much more about it, though I have asked lots of questions. I guess I just don't share that passion so it doesn't stick in my brain, but seeing moments like these between two of the people I love the most just warms this mama's heart.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_C6_Qx554PK_kDdyBQe2_4U_qi14PplXZHbeOuCMSRDv_RAs66cFYvFOpCmzzbM3o6JlxDk0gGYrtoSSFSAoNaWMEMd0d90csTYePs1zxmqLqrWIZN1NdrSB4aF8b2drzwomDy48GzWs/s1600/20161121_170320.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_C6_Qx554PK_kDdyBQe2_4U_qi14PplXZHbeOuCMSRDv_RAs66cFYvFOpCmzzbM3o6JlxDk0gGYrtoSSFSAoNaWMEMd0d90csTYePs1zxmqLqrWIZN1NdrSB4aF8b2drzwomDy48GzWs/s320/20161121_170320.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Besides that, somebody has to worry about the nitrogen and the weed pressure and the fertility and the runoff and the levels and the pH and all of that good stuff around here. These two seem to be the perfect fit.</div>
<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-35296038246794826282017-02-12T11:30:00.001-08:002018-06-29T06:43:43.810-07:00My Girl.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My girl knows what she wants. Just like her mama. Wait, no, not like me at all. I guess she must get that trait from her incredible daddy. When she was in third grade and eligible to show livestock in 4H, her dad and I asked her what animal she would like to show. I mean, isn't it a shame to live on a farm and NOT show an animal in 4H? At that time we had only one animal, well two. We had my quarter horse Smokey who I bought in college and who I loved so much. We also had our little miniature horse Shrinky Dink. Shrinky wasn't much of a prospect, but I thought for sure my girl would say "ya mom, I want to be JUST LIKE YOU and love horses and I want to show horses." I suppose I should mention that her dad actually showed horses, not just owned a horse like me. He and his bruh showed western pleasure and did a pretty good job of it! Me on the other hand, pretty much just rode around the section, a couple of trails and put on a gajillion pasture miles around and around. Yeehaw</div>
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Well, our girl, being mature an all said...."let me think about it." Grr....come on, you are 9, just pick something girl! And a few days later she said she wanted to show pigs. Um....pigs? We literally knew nothing about pigs.</div>
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And so it began.......fast forward about six years or so and a friend introduced up to livestock judging. She was on a team, had a great coach and loved it. It literally took one conversation and my girl was hooked. It was her thing. And off we went. Another new venture. We joined a team, the same one our friend was on and we drove our girl an hour and half to practices aka workouts. We took her to competitions, we hung out at farms while she was with her coach. We researched, we talked, we followed her lead. </div>
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Last winter our girl's team got third place in the Illinois State 4H Livestock Judging Contest. The first place team gets to go on to compete at the American Royal in Kansas City. The second place team goes on to compete at the National Western Livestock show in Denver Colorado. Well, lucky for our team, the second place team had already been to Denver to complete for their one and only time, so the honor was passed to our team!! Image the excitement! We were headed to Denver!</div>
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In January of 2017 off they went to Denver to compete. They, meaning not Mama and Daddy. Just the team and their coaches. Repeat not Mama and Daddy. </div>
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Not US-Her. Alone without us. This was another new experience for us. Another example of our laser focused, sharp, confident and capable girl was off with her team to Denver for several days. </div>
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Here they are....your 4th pace team. I'm going to post a link to the results here, not necessarily for you all (um, the 4 of you who actually read this) but for me, well us....to look back on and recall the excitement when our team did a very nice job representing Illinois!</div>
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Photo thanks to Sue!</div>
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You know what, our family maybe knows a little about horses. I mean you could say horses are two or three generations deep around here. But pigs, sheep and cattle. Nope. Our girl is figuring that out on her own. And she is rocking it! We are so proud. Not of her performance (of course we are proud of that) but we are proud of her confidence, her poise, her drive, her determination and her passion. She's a gem. </div>
<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-66619988214989266232017-02-12T11:22:00.000-08:002017-02-12T11:22:11.783-08:00A Special Kiss<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A trip to Oklahoma with four generations in tow to reunite friends from 45 years ago. Great Grandma requested we visit. Great Grandma really wanted us to visit. Of course when sweet Great Grandma who is 90 years young asks that we travel to Oklahoma to visit a dear family that she and late Great Grandpa were cattle buying friends with from so far back....well you get in the car and you go.</div>
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This was one of those life changing trips for Great Grandma. Her name is Dorothy. We call her Dorty, Dorty often spoke of her friends who lived on a cattle ranch in Oklahoma. How "the boys" visited a few times in their childhood and rode the horses and met the ranch boys. These "boys" are now in their 40's and have kids and wives and a couple horses, pigs, dogs and cats of their own and run a nice little farming operation together in Illinois. These boys are my husband and his brother. I've seen photos of their tiny blonde toe heads horseback in expansive pastures of tall Oklahoma prairie some 30 plus years ago. Adorable.</div>
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The grown farm brothers, well one of them, was able to visit with the ranch brothers on their Oklahoma ranch. Grandma was over-the-moon happy to have reunited these two families, if only for a weekend. Four generations now have fond memories of riding horseback in those OK pastures now. And Dorty was happy. In OK. </div>
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<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-3059271682176871342017-02-11T19:47:00.003-08:002017-02-11T19:47:54.862-08:00Number 66<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The boy was 5, but though his body be little....his head is always a step ahead. Little man syndrome maybe? Baby of the family who hangs with teenagers more than other littles? Whatever it is, he wanted to work, so we made him a log in for the time clock. We made it 66, since he was turning 6, just so he could remember it.</div>
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He rode his bike to work, see it in the background? And oh ya, he picked out his own shoes. He probably worked 15 minutes and had 3 snacks and likely a potty break. Love this little man.thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-82091015089391935342016-07-30T21:21:00.000-07:002016-07-30T21:21:00.171-07:00Mama Goes to Sin City-And Eats it UP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The year was 2014. Remember it honey? We picked up and flew to The City of Lights. </div>
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I despise gambling (boring and a painful to lose money.)</div>
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It is FREEZING in those casinos.</div>
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Nutso, nobody sleeps!! (Remember we met those people we know and they hadn't been to bed yet and it was 10 AM, 10 IN THE AM!!! What the heck?)</div>
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But you know what.....it was AMAZING!!!!!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytMAbadYr525WTwVq-K3Z1MZonPrlg0PdT8Fk1uZImCXhm_bufvEmuyHuGuer5bKQ4jX6zqAD6Kdw4fidxIdKeKb8qLJhrNg-d1a8K0P1WWHmoHkROzBBCQfLd8_StgiLp26jRiCe5l4/s1600/20141211_183124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiytMAbadYr525WTwVq-K3Z1MZonPrlg0PdT8Fk1uZImCXhm_bufvEmuyHuGuer5bKQ4jX6zqAD6Kdw4fidxIdKeKb8qLJhrNg-d1a8K0P1WWHmoHkROzBBCQfLd8_StgiLp26jRiCe5l4/s640/20141211_183124.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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Remember when I made you take a million selfies? Because my make-up was ON POINT!<br />
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Remember, the girls got a regular cab ride and the boys pulled up in this dually limo and we were jealous of you boys? Sweet ride!</div>
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Remember I took a few photos of strange men because I like their outfits? For realsies, that is a good looking get up there! (Actually a little light on the starch and crease, but hey, ain't nobody perfect!)</div>
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Remember all those dumb selfies?</div>
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Rember honey why we went? It wasn't to gamble and loose our money or hang out in the casinos or stay up all night. We went to the NATIONAL FINALS RODEO ON SATURDAY NIGHT BAAAABY!!! Holy cow I was on top of the world!! Countin' it as one of the many highlights of my life. Right up there with birthing three babies, marrying a superman and Piatt County Rodeo Queen back in the day. <br />
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Remember when I just wanted to stand in this crowd and listen to the thump of the base and the strum of the guitar and watch the cowboys and cowgirls? </div>
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And how I realized I am one of those people who would lay their body on the sub woofer if I could? </div>
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Remember how we bought alot of boots and like 22 pairs of jeans for you. Sup with that?</div>
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And how we took alot of selfies. Remember, mama's make-up was pretty twelve o'clock.</div>
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Love ya my Cowboy (farmer. whatever close enough.)</div>
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<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-18956124385579777182016-07-29T20:46:00.001-07:002016-07-29T20:46:27.313-07:00Late Nights-Early Mornings and Anticipation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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All year these kiddos have been working for something. Looking forward to it. Talking about it. Planning for it. Snapping about it. Anticipating it.....The Illinois State Fair 2016.</div>
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It's our little tradition to pack our trailers and trucks and campers and hotel rooms full of food and stuff, moms and dads and lots of kids. And lots of food. Did I say lots of food? Lots of kids eat lots of food. We set up shop at the Illinois State Fair!</div>
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Yes, it's about showing the animals that we have been working on.</div>
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Yes, it's the big crescendo before school starts.</div>
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Yes, it's fair food, and 4H milkshakes.</div>
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But a big part of it is these 9 kids right here and how blessed they are to have each other in their lives.</div>
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See, their moms have been friends for at least 167 years. There dads were all AGRs (fraternity boyzzzzzz) and friends (2 at ISU and one U of I alum, but an AGR is and AGR:) </div>
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You see, this crew, we are deep and wide and long. A win for one is a win for all. Likewise a tough loss for one in the ring echos through the camp.</div>
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These kids rush from the cattle show ring to the sheep and over to the swine ring watching each other do their thing. Each willing to wash, carry or trim or lead the other's animal if needed. Each loving each other in a genuine, unpretentious way that makes their mamas and daddies proud. </div>
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Friends since birth. Through thick and thin.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErEEEIOKMbK7wGNEJzoweFvdIYDerpnzA6vOGxYWvirOAgthlbNiwchQM-Y__4gHtwnHi0iQa1osRq880bEPTKZumtH-m0SRc3gKVD-08UIxxCY3p4qR7uRDCmPgqnsNi7ymBu0CY8M4/s1600/2015+state+fair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErEEEIOKMbK7wGNEJzoweFvdIYDerpnzA6vOGxYWvirOAgthlbNiwchQM-Y__4gHtwnHi0iQa1osRq880bEPTKZumtH-m0SRc3gKVD-08UIxxCY3p4qR7uRDCmPgqnsNi7ymBu0CY8M4/s640/2015+state+fair.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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YEAH! IT'S ALMOST HERE!!! </div>
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ISF 2016!!</div>
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SSS</div>
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(Sorry so sappy, I blame it on these photos we shot last year that keep popping up.)</div>
<span id="goog_55213195"></span><span id="goog_55213196"></span><br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-9648428158725657812016-07-28T08:52:00.000-07:002016-07-28T08:52:07.228-07:00It's All Hanging Out There<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Running Sports....I LOVE to watch them. Most people don't, but I'm crazy like that. </div>
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You know what's so great about running sports like track and cross country? If you are into PC, close your ears---or eyes. Running races are just all balls out. Just pure, unadulterated, uncomplicated competition and grit. This is my girl. Grit is her middle name. She runs the mile, two mile and 800. She's a tough cookie. Tougher than me. Don't tell her that. Wait, it's probably pretty apparent to her by now....<br />
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This is my niece. She ran the mile and 800. She really likes to run for fun. Very cool to me, because, well I don't think running is fun, but I wish I did.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_ScyjyIW9C49tG9Ci_jnqCGcvCADEqH_S2NpJ1npecBRUWz7eUCeNq6EH0DeFwMlyybBMEZH4M6hAMnVhCMrmbJmYVoieOfyRcpJmw063QgwgIT1jWsDgLlQZWY-lp912hoEBLe6C_A/s1600/IMG_5588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_ScyjyIW9C49tG9Ci_jnqCGcvCADEqH_S2NpJ1npecBRUWz7eUCeNq6EH0DeFwMlyybBMEZH4M6hAMnVhCMrmbJmYVoieOfyRcpJmw063QgwgIT1jWsDgLlQZWY-lp912hoEBLe6C_A/s640/IMG_5588.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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And this is my boy. It was his first year in track. He ran the 800 and the mile. I love his enthusiasm and how he strives to improve each meet. He loves to run too. </div>
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This is my baby at a track meet. He frequents the concession stand and hangs out under the bleachers with other track sibs and makes stuff out of scrap wood and old tires. This is their dining table.</div>
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And last but not least, this is our exchange student daughter. She ran some short races like the 200 and 100. What she likes most about track is hanging with her friends at the meets. I love that about her!</div>
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Now adays, lots of kids time themselves with watches. Kids these days!</div>
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Now, if only I loved to run as much as I love watching these kiddos run the world would be perfect. Well, or if watching these kiddos run burned calories for their number one fan too. </div>
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<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-24724340676098060712016-07-27T08:41:00.001-07:002017-02-11T15:46:46.529-08:00Hoosier Homes Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Canada. My kids think the ENTIRE country of Canada lies right here on these couple of miles nestled on Dogtooth Lake near Kenora, Ontario. When we say we are going to Canada, that means we are going to these two little humble cabins. We basically ignore the other 3.855 million miles of the country. This is what we call "Canada" or "Hoosier Homes." </div>
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We aren't Hoosiers either, nope, not from Indiana. But my husband's dad is a Hoosier, and thanks to a group of hoosiers dating back several generations, we get to enjoy this gorgeous, remote setting year after year. It has been passed down several generations in his family and now our kids are the 5th generation of our family to lay their heads on the pillows in these sweet cabins. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59MROGZJzaxdm3xNq1_4wH5euhwNeXl7032YQEwoGdEnVhPzENopgqWgTB81TmR0DQfACJhGNS68KJMfcCubV7JAL-zavYOzYsbreXMGhXwKsKd88rGggCb26s9aaGXnfy_G1XK9HJ2U/s1600/13680514_1392406120775543_6678774504285596589_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59MROGZJzaxdm3xNq1_4wH5euhwNeXl7032YQEwoGdEnVhPzENopgqWgTB81TmR0DQfACJhGNS68KJMfcCubV7JAL-zavYOzYsbreXMGhXwKsKd88rGggCb26s9aaGXnfy_G1XK9HJ2U/s640/13680514_1392406120775543_6678774504285596589_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I plan to do a few posts about this...but Justin has gone here nearly every year of his life. I've been going now for maybe 16 or 17 years of my 20 years being around this clan. The kids have gone every year with the exception of the last 2. So, it was DIRE that we go this year. We made some adjustments in our schedule, missed some stuff we like to go to, sucked it up and.....ahhhhh arrived in the Northwoods for a week of awesomeness. <br />
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These are the kids that ran the show with us this year. Ages 6-17. We had 8 kiddos in these little cabins along with their parents and of course Mimi and Papa. That was a party of 16! A marvelous, fun, energetic, giggling, planning, fishing, wrestling, talkative, silly, glorious party of 16! <br />
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Everyone got along for the whole week. In close quarters. I mean CLOSE. Like sleeping inches from one another in a dark cabin with no electricity and very limited (no cell service) electronics. Poor Mitchell (the biggest of our brood) snoozed his nights away on a cot nestled at the end of two cots shoved together where the big girls slept, right at their feet. This bed was inches from bunkbeds housing two more kiddos. Not a single complaint. Not one from anyone. <br />
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These kiddos LOVE this place, "better than Disney" is what they say!<br />
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Our week was filled with sun glorious sun! See that tan (um burn) line on the little one there in front? We got burned, we got toasted, we got wet. Alot. </div>
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After settling in and tidying up our accommodations after nearly a year of vacancy and stillness tucked in the bush on this island (think, sweep, check for spiders and mouse poop,) we headed over to Moose Bay.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vx64WCqf9qBV9D9DbfoC3N8BSQgic8ntYm5UxOTf1d6shET6gevpdIGNuOmizKSRiUCUmqVtNyluawr8nEuYq5jQB7TtyowU5Ubj42QpFLXEA6yIlkmCqxCeYiX4UhMbnL9UKChG6Wo/s1600/IMG_7033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vx64WCqf9qBV9D9DbfoC3N8BSQgic8ntYm5UxOTf1d6shET6gevpdIGNuOmizKSRiUCUmqVtNyluawr8nEuYq5jQB7TtyowU5Ubj42QpFLXEA6yIlkmCqxCeYiX4UhMbnL9UKChG6Wo/s640/IMG_7033.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A quick boat ride and we docked in Moose Bay ready for a hike. A for real, sometimes it's touch climbing the rocks, no trail, no park rangers, deer flies bite hard, bears are real, HIKE. </div>
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Blueberries, brambles, vines, fallen trees, carpets of moss covering rock after rock, fallen trees and all!</div>
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This year we struck gold. Blueberries were plentiful and the bear poop in the berry patches made it obvious that the bears were in on the secret. </div>
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We collected blueberries forever and had to pull ourselves away. I don't think if the 16 of us picked all day we would have picked them all!</div>
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Cole and Jace climbing rocks. These kids were troopers on the hike up the rock. They could scale about anything with ease! It wasn't quite that easy for the rest of us!</div>
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The girls stuck together all week. Love to see their friendship, just like their mamas so many years ago. Hope they stay BFFs forever.</div>
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Papa Mike on the ascend. I wonder how many times in his lifetime he has made this trek? </div>
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We made it! Just look at that view!!!!</div>
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We have many photos over the years of ourselves and friends and family on this rock, it just never gets old. It also doesn't get much less scary, I mean, what if one of my babies went tumbling down that drop off? Snap a quick pic and get away from the ledge!</div>
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Mimi and Papa on top!<br />
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I know it isn't untouched, I know a few people see this spot every year, but NOT MANY! This is pretty remote, pretty secluded and that is fascinating and awe inspiring to me.</div>
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After breathing the fresh air, filling our lungs with the smell of pines and scarring our legs from the brambles on the way up the rock, we are rewarded with this beautiful view. And we are thankful for the opportunity and inspired by the grandeur of God's creation.<br />
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<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-50628509389252421612016-07-27T08:41:00.000-07:002016-07-27T08:53:34.080-07:00Hoosier Homes Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Canada. My kids think the ENTIRE country of Canada lies right here on these couple of miles nestled on Dogtooth Lake near Kenora, Ontario. When we say we are going to Canada, that means we are going to these two little humble cabins. We basically ignore the other 3.855 million miles of the country. This is what we call "Canada" or "Hoosier Homes." </div>
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We aren't Hoosiers either, nope, not from Indiana. But my husband's dad is a Hoosier, and thanks to a group of hoosiers dating back several generations, we get to enjoy this gorgeous, remote setting year after year. It has been passed down several generations in his family and now our kids are the 5th generation of our family to lay their heads on the pillows in these sweet cabins. </div>
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I plan to do a few posts about this...but Justin has gone here nearly every year of his life. I've been going now for maybe 16 or 17 years of my 20 years being around this clan. The kids have gone every year with the exception of the last 2. So, it was DIRE that we go this year. We made some adjustments in our schedule, missed some stuff we like to go to, sucked it up and.....ahhhhh arrived in the Northwoods for a week of awesomeness. <br />
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These are the kids that ran the show with us this year. Ages 6-17. We had 8 kiddos in these little cabins along with their parents and of course Mimi and Papa. That was a party of 16! A marvelous, fun, energetic, giggling, planning, fishing, wrestling, talkative, silly, glorious party of 16! <br />
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Everyone got along for the whole week. In close quarters. I mean CLOSE. Like sleeping inches from one another in a dark cabin with no electricity and very limited (no cell service) electronics. Poor Mitchell (the biggest of our brood) snoozed his nights away on a cot nestled at the end of two cots shoved together where the big girls slept, right at their feet. This bed was inches from bunkbeds housing two more kiddos. Not a single complaint. Not one from anyone. <br />
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These kiddos LOVE this place, "better than Disney" is what they say!<br />
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Our week was filled with sun glorious sun! See that tan (um burn) line on the little one there in front? We got burned, we got toasted, we got wet. Alot. </div>
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After settling in and tidying up our accommodations after nearly a year of vacancy and stillness tucked in the bush on this island (think, sweep, check for spiders and mouse poop,) we headed over to Moose Bay.</div>
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A quick boat ride and we docked in Moose Bay ready for a hike. A for real, sometimes it's touch climbing the rocks, no trail, no park rangers, deer flies bite hard, bears are real, HIKE. </div>
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Blueberries, brambles, vines, fallen trees, carpets of moss covering rock after rock, fallen trees and all!</div>
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This year we struck gold. Blueberries were plentiful and the bear poop in the berry patches made it obvious that the bears were in on the secret. </div>
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We collected blueberries forever and had to pull ourselves away. I don't think if the 16 of us picked all day we would have picked them all!</div>
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Cole and Jace climbing rocks. These kids were troopers on the hike up the rock. They could scale about anything with ease! It wasn't quite that easy for the rest of us!</div>
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The girls stuck together all week. Love to see their friendship, just like their mamas so many years ago. Hope they stay BFFs forever.</div>
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Papa Mike on the ascend. I wonder how many times in his lifetime he has made this trek? </div>
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We made it! Just look at that view!!!!</div>
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We have many photos over the years of ourselves and friends and family on this rock, it just never gets old. It also doesn't get much less scary, I mean, what if one of my babies went tumbling down that drop off? Snap a quick pic and get away from the ledge!</div>
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Mimi and Papa on top!<br />
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I know it isn't untouched, I know a few people see this spot every year, but NOT MANY! This is pretty remote, pretty secluded and that is fascinating and awe inspiring to me.</div>
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After breathing the fresh air, filling our lungs with the smell of pines and scarring our legs from the brambles on the way up the rock, we are rewarded with this beautiful view. And we are thankful for the opportunity and inspired by the grandeur of God's creation.<br />
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<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-42847174092409234292016-07-08T21:46:00.002-07:002016-07-08T21:46:31.414-07:00Mama's Boy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This boy has my heart.</div>
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A mama's boy. Loves his Bunny.</div>
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Could ride a horse all day.<br />
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We don't have to go to a ranch to ride a horse. We have two right here. We don't ride nearly enough.</div>
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My lil cowboy, melts my heart. </div>
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<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-57479473472935136112016-07-08T17:47:00.000-07:002016-07-08T17:47:03.242-07:00Remember His Goodness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Lately, I have spent alot of time appreciating WHERE God has planted my family and seeing the beauty all around us. I guess I have been looking through new eyes, visitor eyes. Maybe it is because we have had several visitors here on the farm in the last year, maybe it is because I'm getting to be "that age." The age where you get all sappy. But look at this this straight out of the camera photo of the flat lands of Illinois full of corn and bean beauty.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCCdCz6Lu-t9s1TSaeuVkq9sG4aALyVgHk6dLbuqAqUS4rKsmxecydydy_OGWkf7CW5Lb8nIbeoqpRPhfyPJzKxfFjsgMHtGF56UTyYaOWF8fS8OUBLQ8v-zVEIBVTbak5yNz-QF04vQ/s1600/20160707_155545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCCdCz6Lu-t9s1TSaeuVkq9sG4aALyVgHk6dLbuqAqUS4rKsmxecydydy_OGWkf7CW5Lb8nIbeoqpRPhfyPJzKxfFjsgMHtGF56UTyYaOWF8fS8OUBLQ8v-zVEIBVTbak5yNz-QF04vQ/s640/20160707_155545.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Each year my hubs plants millions of seeds, thousands, billions...technically not important here, and look what happens. That there is God's grace for us. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrkEO6wJJx-Wf8vG-6hwaGkJGlw7j8xkTEhVbnKwn3MemRfO0eyMXMyy38HTaSq4LINP3F8KjuaSNNF6Mo1m8HnBMXSB60OGMg6Tp-1NZ_kHgwahQkS7QoZxgvCMXdj6huS_otKUbbCs/s1600/20160707_155643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrkEO6wJJx-Wf8vG-6hwaGkJGlw7j8xkTEhVbnKwn3MemRfO0eyMXMyy38HTaSq4LINP3F8KjuaSNNF6Mo1m8HnBMXSB60OGMg6Tp-1NZ_kHgwahQkS7QoZxgvCMXdj6huS_otKUbbCs/s640/20160707_155643.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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I can't deny the beauty of it all. The lush green leaves contrasting with the deep black soil. The new growth fertilized by the drying and dead remnants of last year's crop. Beauty.</div>
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Acres and acres, miles and miles of fulfilled promises on the backdrop of flat plains and far reaching blue skies. Beauty.<br />
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We don't have mountains or waterfalls or 1,000 lakes or rolling hills here in Central Illinois, but what we DO have is absolutely breathtaking....if you look at it with a thankful heart.<br />
<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-62463785313612015412016-07-07T15:29:00.003-07:002016-07-07T15:29:42.679-07:00Chasing Tail<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So, as I write the blog post for our farm, I have to hold myself back a little. I can't just write whatever I want. This here, this is MY BLOG and I can just be myself with my weirdo humor. So on the other blog, I titled this post "Look to the Sky," My point over there was that it is fungicide season. My point over here is....LOOK AT THAT CRAZY DOG chasing an airplane!</div>
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Some dogs chase their tails, some chase squirrels, some chase tennis balls. Not mine....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWgAW_pG7oQFdC_SxBzoW8drvMWUSyox-wc5ioZBEbcwjm85uplI6xoqzJg2MnGHIfdE2ocOQFusQCikVsvi4c-hEX1DECeK5ykayxb4PBq80rPxSC29lje26zJ0b3VrOYB3wpIzVkEQ/s1600/2016-07-07+15.48.27.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWgAW_pG7oQFdC_SxBzoW8drvMWUSyox-wc5ioZBEbcwjm85uplI6xoqzJg2MnGHIfdE2ocOQFusQCikVsvi4c-hEX1DECeK5ykayxb4PBq80rPxSC29lje26zJ0b3VrOYB3wpIzVkEQ/s640/2016-07-07+15.48.27.png" width="360" /></a></div>
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Hank is a golden lab. He is a nice mutt that isn't particularly a retriever, but more of a chaser. He chases buggies and bikes ALL THE TIME. The poor Amish people that have to drive by our farm, but now he has started chasing airplanes. He isn't exactly a super smart dog either and maybe this is proof.</div>
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This is another behavior our beloved red head has that maybe alot of dogs do, but he is the first I have noticed. He paces the rows of crops. </div>
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Up and down.</div>
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Back and forth. </div>
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Running and walking.</div>
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Dry and soaking wet.</div>
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Is this some kind of doggie psychological disorder? We need a doggie phych eval out here stat ya'll!</div>
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<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-5073586362196154082016-05-26T13:19:00.000-07:002016-05-26T19:23:06.884-07:00Last Day of High School!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Our sweet Essi. Since she kept her grades up, she did not have to go to the last two days of school...no finals!! She was so happy! I got to snap a photo of her before she made her last ride on the big yellow American school bus! </div>
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She describes riding on the school bus like something in a movie. Bunches of little kids, many of which are Amish. All with their eyes on the tall blonde haired, blue eyed Finnish girl!</div>
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She enjoyed the experience enough that when he sister arrived to the US, she wanted to be sure that she got to take a ride on the bus as well. Benefits of country living I guess!</div>
<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-23052718213212764192016-05-26T13:00:00.000-07:002017-02-11T16:48:42.123-08:00You’d Forget Your Head If It Weren’t AttachedYa'll know what this is called? Yep a corn head. <br />
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Humor on the farm....corn head....not to be confused with a cheese head. <br />
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A cheese head seems so much more fun. Don't you think?<br />
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Our combines have precisely 2 choices of attachments. CORN HEAD or BEAN HEAD. Pick one but not both.</div>
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Here you can see that the combine is literally pulling it's own head. Why does this make me smile? They have a little deal called a HEAD CART. It's just that. A cart for the head. Pull the head where your field is. Unhook the head cart from behind the combine. Drive the combine around to the side of the head cart and put your head on. Then go about your business.<br />
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When you are done with the field and want to head home, Simply place your head on the cart. Unhook it. Drive around to the front of the cart, hook it up and pull your head on home. <br />
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Farmers don't find this so silly and practical. But I do.thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-5345035296444911632016-05-25T12:52:00.004-07:002016-05-25T12:53:13.698-07:00Flowers In Her Hair <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Throwback to ISF 2013 maybe? Kids and livestock. Makes me proud. I didn't get to be a livestock kid much when I was growing up. Showing a few goats at the McLean County fair is not exactly being part of it all. </div>
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My kids on the other hand are getting to experience it all. Rhode Brothers' Cattle are tied up in the barns at the Illinois State Fair. The "Nine Is Fine" crew spend their time between the swine, cattle and sheep barns checking on a tending to their animals. Bonding!</div>
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Show days tend to be staggered between the families. Someone is almost always getting ready for the ring or showing. So there is ALWAYS something to do.</div>
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Sometimes something to do looks like this. </div>
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Back in the day, my girl like flowers in her hair. Not anymore. Fifteen year olds don't wear flowers in their hair in the show ring I guess.</div>
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But they do wear blingy belts still. And they do wear those cute numbers on their blingy belts.</div>
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This was a gilt she was working with. We got out of showing gilts for a few years after this show. Hubs decided that we needed to focus on barrows. Gilts are very different than barrows. </div>
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Loving on the pigs. Important part of the job.<br />
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Can you tell I like the little numbers and clips. Some moms have make up and leotards. I get exhibitor numbers and boots. I'll take it.<br />
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Oh, and it was the year of sequined shirts. She's going to love reading this post about all things from the past like:<br />
1. sequined shirts<br />
2. jeans that are a little too short with her boots (because of skinny butts and long legs!)<br />
3. gilts<br />
4. flowers in her hair<br />
5. BRACES! <br />
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Illinois State Fair 2016, we are excited for you!! We won't pack our hair flowers this time!thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-83997791893298679802016-05-25T12:02:00.001-07:002016-05-25T12:02:27.618-07:00Our Tallest Friend...In the Whole World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last summer we were blessed. Last summer out of nowhere a Brazillian student at Murray State contacted us. We took a risk. We didn't know him from Adam. We didn't know anyone who knew him, but we decided to go for it. We invited him to intern on the farm. </div>
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It turned out wonderfully, Iago came to work on the farm all summer. He didn't know alot about working on a grain farm. His farmily, after all, had a small farm in Brazil where they have some animals and some fruits and vegetables. No huge big green equipment. No field corn. No soybeans. They grow these amazing mangos! WAY more fun than field corn!!</div>
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Iago had a little apartment in our little town. He rode his bike to work. He rode his bike VERY FAST to work almost every day. Iago learned alot I hope last summer including farm stuff like weed control and planting and spraying and yields. But he also learned some English vocabulary that he didn't have before!</div>
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The big part of the summer was, WE learned ALOT from Iago. He was so good to the kids. Our little one Beau still talks about Iago. Iago was the tallest person he has ever met. </div>
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This is a photo of Iago's last day before he returned to college in Kentucky. It was a sad day for the family. But how lucky are we that we have a forever friend on the other side of the world?</div>
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His farm in Brazil. Maybe sometime we can go visit him. Wonder if Beau will still think he is the tallest friend in the whole world?</div>
<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-66037217422224800572016-05-16T12:10:00.001-07:002016-05-16T12:10:18.775-07:00A Hiatus-No MoreI've been on a break. Three years. But whatever! Life gets busy, but I've missed my little stint in blogging and I'm going to try to get back on the bandwagon.<br />
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This planting season has been a trying as far as weather goes. Trying on our patience that is. We thought it was going well, bee bopping through the fields getting the crop planted and then it started raining and we have been stalled for many days. In for a few, out for a few. The guys could probably tell you just how many and I probably could look it up, but let's just admit that I don't care that much and I have other stuff to do... but let's just say, it's time to get those crops in the ground!!<br />
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Selfishly, it has been a GREAT spring! Justin has been around a little more than usual to help me get through two simultaneous track seasons. We have junior high and high school going on at the same time. That's alot of standing at the finish line. With a 5 year old, it also means alot of hanging out in the vehicle out of the cold, rain, wind etc. It's been great having my man there to help with these! We are almost done. Today is the last meet of our awesome season! As a veteran farmer's wife though, I know that I am going to pay for this extra time now with him being busy later. And I'm thinking summer and fall will be interesting with side dressing and spraying and then harvest being a bit strung out. <br />
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We have an extra kiddo in our household! That makes a total of four. We have been hosting an exchange student this spring. I always wondered what it would be like to have four kids. I don't think this is reality. She is 17, independant, she doens't roll her eyes at me or give me attitude. Her room remains clean, I haven't had to tell her even once to eat, bathe, clip her nails or do her chores. She's a dream of a fourth kid. She is not just ANY exchange student, but THE BEST exchange student. She is wonderful. She is from Finland. I hope to share some photos of her time here soon.<br />
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It has been rainy, and windy and dank here. The fields that are left to be planted have just not been dry enough to get back to the business of planting. Until today, the day of the last hoorah or a track meet for high school AND the night where we present our Heritage Family Farms scholarship at the high school. So, we do what every family does...reorganize and make it work. The good news is they are able to plant a little today! Little by little it will all get planted. We have faith. We are farmers.<br />
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And just for fun and because I'm not procrastinating my blog anymore due to lack of photos etc....here's an awesome video from Peterson Farm Bros. So true (just not right now) #ihateweeds #itstoohot #chanceofrain hallelujah!<br />
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<br />thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-23482400923985410852012-12-07T09:06:00.001-08:002012-12-09T09:43:16.749-08:00A Horrific but Blessed Day on the Farm<p>Today I am decompressing from a very strange day yesterday. My face book post had my phone buzzing and ringing all morning long. So many worried about me. It’s good to know someone cares right? I hate fishing posts on face book, so here is my follow-up… <p> <p>Yesterday kind of went like this: <p>1. peed bed</p> <p><br>2. fit from a kiddo </p> <p><br>3. forgotten homework 2 minutes before bus</p> <p><br>4. fit (kinda rightly so here)</p> <p><br>5. incomplete homework and upset child headed to school to learn a lesson in responsibility. Hard parenting time when your kids have to learn the hard way, right?</p> <p>6. fit at Wal-Mart, actually this was kind of me this time, just kidding, but I hate Wal-Mart.</p> <p>7. trip to consult with orthodontist which is going to lead to many trips to town, thousands of dollars and mostly awful, pain for baby girl.</p> <p>8. The question of where and how God is using me on and off of the farm popped up again today in the midst of all of this. This is the heaviest and most joyful issue on my heart daily.</p> <p><br>9. Before leaving for a Christmas Concert last evening, Beau cut his head open with a stocking hanger that he pulled off of the mantel. I immediately figured out what to do with the other kids, and headed to Decatur to the clinic for stitches. On the way over, my sister (thank God for that girl and all her kid health knowledge!) told me about liquid bandage. So I continued to Decatur to get that, because we know that the chances of the Dollar General having it was slim and I was already almost to Decatur! </p> <p><br>10. Oh, another small fit from a baby that kept saying “I hurt mom.” The fit was about the location of his car seat in the van. So I moved the darn thing in the parking lot of Walgreens for my poor hurting, hungry child who had already had junk food McNuggets for lunch due to orotho appointment. </p> <p>11. On the way back home, I came upon a horrific car accident. I don’t remember details, but know that many flashbacks and emotions flooded my head from our car accident in 1985 where I lost my mom.</p> <p>12. Among my emotion I was so thankful that the accident wasn’t me and my baby and felt the simultaneous guilt that it was somebody’s baby in the flipped over car the firemen were trying to get into. It was a fresh accident as there was no ambulance and police cars were headed to the scene from all directions.</p> <p>13. To make matters worse, the thoughts of MY MOM were mixed in there too…oh my! This day is getting deeper.</p> <p>14. We rushed back in town just in time to pick up Great Grandma (who I was worried I would be late to get) to take her to the Christmas Concert.</p> <p>15. Witness a near crash as parents were turning into the school parking lot from the busy road. Screamed and nearly gave Grandma another heart attack!</p> <p>16. Baby still had blood in his bangs and no shoes, which I forgot in my rush to leave the house.</p> <p>17. In the school parking lot, I came nose to nose with the town Police. The lot was crowded and I was trying to get Great Grandma close to the door so she didn’t have far to walk to the entrance to the school. I have an unreasonable fear of police in school parking lots as I “passed” a school bus years ago parking in the lot at the school where I worked! Oh heavens! </p> <p>18. Husband was standing in the parking lot somehow and watched the cop ordeal and gestured his disapproval of what, I still don’t know…</p> <p>19. Doctored Beau’s head under the dome light of the van and screaming and bleeding ensued. </p> <p>20. Got into school and settled in seat in first or second row on the floor. Ugh! Toddler+Floor= Play, not sit and listen to lovely Christmas music from pesky older sister and her friends.</p> <p>21. Toddler played with McDonald toy from lunch on the floor with his bloody hair flying in the breeze for the whole town to see. Toy proved to be very loud as did toddler when directed to sit and listen.</p> <p>22. Low rise jeans stink and I felt I was managing the toddler AND the creeping underwear hanging out the top of my too low jeans in the front row of packed gym full of Arthurites! Classy.</p> <p>23. Took him home after tricking him out of the gym with the promise of concession stand popcorn that didn’t exist at Christmas concerts, but he’s two, it wasn’t a hard sell. The screams of disappointment were in the hallway, not to be heard by glowing parents proud of Little Suzy’s Christmas solo.</p> <p>24. Fed hurting, tired toddler and had a wine and cheese while snuggling and watching cartoon. </p> <p>25. Put heavenly children to bed, snuggled and giggled with them and told them how proud I was of who they are becoming. </p> <p>26. Detailed conversation with my loving dedicated husband, followed by a 2 am night of writing all of my emotions out on the computer screen to decompress and sort my array of emotions. (My 7th grade english teacher was right, journaling does help. Too bad I am just now learning that 23 years later. )</p> <p>Hmmmmmm……sigh………oh……my……..</p> <p>A day full of blessings and heart ache, a fast-paced, wonderfully awful day, full.</p> <p>Thanks for all of your calls my friends and family. I love you all. I didn’t mean to scare you and I rarely put stuff like that on Facebook, so I am sure it seemed odd. </p> <p>So far, today hasn’t been full of weird, odd strings of events, but it really isn’t much better as I am praying for my friend and her mother, wondering about the outcome of the accident and pondering my plight in life. Thankful for so much and mourning the loss of what could have been in the events of yesterday and my life. (ugh, man, you can’t go there, known that since ‘85!)</p> <p>I am happy to be surrounded by people who care and respond to a ‘hurtin’ unit.’ Love you guys!! </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:10f91067-893d-45d9-8e63-8378ea727567" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">LiveJournal Tags: <a href="http://www.livejournal.com/interests.bml?int=crazy+days" rel="tag">crazy days</a>,<a href="http://www.livejournal.com/interests.bml?int=parenting" rel="tag">parenting</a>,<a href="http://www.livejournal.com/interests.bml?int=loss" rel="tag">loss</a></div> thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-53862424965401495002012-12-01T14:49:00.001-08:002012-12-01T14:49:15.980-08:0030 Days of Thankfulness on the Family Farm-Day 30Day 30-Friends and Winging It <br />
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I'm trying out posting from my phone- scary and probably not pretty. This month I have worked through some posting "fear" and today my final post I'm at it again.<br />
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Posting from an iPhone seem nutty, with my history if grammar. Yikes! But here goes, what the hey, I'm up for winging it! <br />
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Today, I am so, so, so over the top thankful for my friends Steph and Missy. Steph and I go back to the ole pre-k days and Missy joined the trio in college. <br />
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To say the least these two and I are as thick as it gets. <br />
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Both of them are born and raised farm girls. Both married livestock jocks and both work in the ag industry. <br />
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They answer lots of my questions and advise me on being a good farm wife... alot! <br />
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Between us we are amazed at the number of kids we have and the craziness of our schedules. Trying to get our families together is like trying to sort dust. Nearly impossible! <br />
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We have managed a few traditional, regularly scheduled meet ups. <br />
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This photo is of our meet up last year at the Farm Bureau Annual meeting. They are important girls there. I just pretty much hang. Works for me! <br />
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<br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXxNWAMTOBRnEjd8fvjVwC3oxB4ERqvvS8mA3AXXMVlxtG6QQrhpVhEUB-tFOAoeErif3F_dLp0m9kMWRVZLVDaRZ6BJDGLbLITqZAYBV6SaWlryYvkDqUAkMzNOKBRgfxs3csS70jyY/s640/blogger-image-117323012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXxNWAMTOBRnEjd8fvjVwC3oxB4ERqvvS8mA3AXXMVlxtG6QQrhpVhEUB-tFOAoeErif3F_dLp0m9kMWRVZLVDaRZ6BJDGLbLITqZAYBV6SaWlryYvkDqUAkMzNOKBRgfxs3csS70jyY/s640/blogger-image-117323012.jpg" /></a></div>thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-71960012715852157602012-11-29T18:49:00.001-08:002012-11-29T18:49:50.912-08:0030 Days of Thankfulness on a Family Farm-Day 29<h3>Day 29-My First (and possibly only) Printable</h3> <p>Our family has deep roots in our local Methodist Church. Justin’s family has gone there for several generations. His parents were married there and we were married there. All of our kids were baptized there. Our church has a congregation of 200ish people. On a usually Sunday morning we are bound to run in to many of our friends and our kids are sure to find their little groups to hang out with. The donuts at Sunday School are a sure draw and the coffee during the worship service is a perfect touch, but what brings us back week after week and year after year is the sense of community that our church offers. </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 2px; line-height: 0px"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/196258496233346939/" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" border="0" src="http://media-cache-ec6.pinterest.com/upload/196258496233346939_UShio1fB_c.jpg" width="554" height="332"></a></div> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px"> <p style="color: #76838b; font-size: 10px"> </p></div><br><br> <p>Just like a family, our church family has been through alot. We’ve had babies and babies and babies and sometimes we’ve had them two at a time! We’ve had deaths and life changes. Just like a family, we are steadfast and always there for each other. Some of us have been attending this church for decades and others for a few weeks or a year. As soon as you set foot in our doors, you are family. That is for sure. </p> <p>Our worship team was planning some holiday services and the idea for some scripture-based Advent Countdown activity was brought up. Years ago I had made a cheesy one that was just sliced up paper with the scripture message typed on it. This meeting spurred me on to remake that old wreck of an idea into something better and CUTER! Cute helps right? </p> <p> I put this little printable together. I scoured the internet for something I could just print off and go with, after about two hours I gave up and got to work creating my own. I know this could be made even cuter by a graphic design person, but if it foots your bill, feel free to download and print it. I may tweak it more next year. But as with most things I do…it’ll do!</p> <p><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9FseGk6IHOWZFc1OW9VaHltOU0/edit" target="_blank"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Advent test" border="0" alt="Advent test" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_GOI6GFpeew/ULgewQUGpeI/AAAAAAAAA00/KexGMRjJrhg/Advent%252520test%25255B9%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="375" height="484"></a></p> <p><a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9FseGk6IHOWZFc1OW9VaHltOU0/edit"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="Picture1" border="0" alt="Picture1" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-B30lKGFzKwI/ULgezPXKVnI/AAAAAAAAA08/IMN6p2ZnfY8/Picture1%25255B13%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="366" height="480"></a> </p> <p>I adapted it from a post on <a href="http://howsweeteritis.blogspot.com/2011/11/advent-calendar-teach-true-story-of.html" target="_blank">Sweeter Than Sweets</a>. Check out her version too!</p> <p>It is stored as a pdf at gmail. It’s public, so you all should be able to click on the image above and download no problem. If you would rather have the publisher version, shoot me an email and I’d be glad to email it to you. </p> <p>For our church we are going to print it on cardstock, tie it together with a little ribbon and give out to all the families in our congregation. </p> <p>My plan for it at home is to laminate it and stick it in our current advent calendar. One scripture card per day. Our countdown calendar is kind of like this one, but not really. Currently, I can’t find it. Typical. It’s in the basement. Somewhere. </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 2px; line-height: 0px"> </div> <div style="padding-bottom: 2px; line-height: 0px"> </div> <div style="padding-bottom: 2px; line-height: 0px"> </div> <div style="padding-bottom: 2px; line-height: 0px"> </div> <div style="padding-bottom: 2px; line-height: 0px"> </div> <div style="padding-bottom: 2px; line-height: 0px"><a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/196258496233346787/" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" border="0" src="http://media-cache-lt0.pinterest.com/upload/196258496233346787_ERjDjE9f_c.jpg" width="400" height="400"></a></div> <p> </p> <p>Usually I stick candy or coins in each pocket for each day. I think I’ll still do that, but this year each day will have a scripture in it. When we get to Christmas Day, the kids will have heard the whole story, from the Bible. Now that’s importante! </p> <p> <p> <p>Want to start at the beginning? Start <a href="http://heritage-familyfarms.blogspot.com/2012/11/30-days-of-thankfulness-on-family-farm.html">HERE</a>! <p>Want to follow along and learn more about farming and food? Click on over to <a href="http://farmprogress.com/prairie-farmer/blogs.aspx/30-days-prairie-farm-working-kids-3774">30 Days on a Prairie Farm Series</a>. <p><a href="http://farmprogress.com/prairie-farmer/blogs.aspx/30-days-prairie-farm-working-kids-3774"><img title="kickoff_30_days_prairie_farm_1_634872128566419996-300x119" border="0" alt="kickoff_30_days_prairie_farm_1_634872128566419996-300x119" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ltzFVqGY1EE/UJUS08xmOnI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/gouWTvCF6GE/kickoff_30_days_prairie_farm_1_634872128566419996-300x119%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="99"></a> <p></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:b959c016-3b56-4a41-bfaf-c6c32b4bc48c" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">LiveJournal Tags: <a href="http://www.livejournal.com/interests.bml?int=30+days+of+thankful" rel="tag">30 days of thankful</a>,<a href="http://www.livejournal.com/interests.bml?int=kids" rel="tag">kids</a>,<a href="http://www.livejournal.com/interests.bml?int=christmas" rel="tag">christmas</a>,<a href="http://www.livejournal.com/interests.bml?int=printable" rel="tag">printable</a>,<a href="http://www.livejournal.com/interests.bml?int=church" rel="tag">church</a></div> thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-788892555792179331.post-16605489115460856132012-11-29T08:28:00.001-08:002012-11-29T08:28:26.235-08:0030 Days of Thankfulness on a Family Farm-Day 28<h3> Day 28-Farm Kids and Their Love of Animals</h3> <p> New born kittens are a regularity on our farm. These are from the newest litter. <img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="11.12 kitties" border="0" alt="11.12 kitties" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-k8E3F6YzGJo/ULeNFzo6m5I/AAAAAAAAAz4/kp0KRwqG-No/11.12%252520kitties_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="1004" height="700"></p> <p>Note: white fluffy kitten, days old, eyes not open yet</p> <p>Note: sticky, terrified toddler</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pv1XDcucGpw/ULeNGxNPExI/AAAAAAAAA0A/Zu9Dcpc1Ojs/s1600-h/11.12%252520beau%252520scared%252520kitty%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="11.12 beau scared kitty" border="0" alt="11.12 beau scared kitty" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ikodqFxdQaU/ULeNIV1c5WI/AAAAAAAAA0I/YbYSTCvxwD4/11.12%252520beau%252520scared%252520kitty_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="641" height="772"></a></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p> We worked with the kittens and the toddler. We made progress. Sigh of relief for the future of our farm. If our little farmer is afraid of white fluffy kittens, the future may be bleak for our operation. Farming ain’t for the weak of heart. You gotta be tough. You can’t be scared. Scared of grain marketing, maybe. Scared of kittens, not okay. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xmjzj0d-oB4/ULeNI8-epAI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/fOxQ0w35qs0/s1600-h/11.12%252520beau%252520kittens%252520smile%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="11.12 beau kittens smile" border="0" alt="11.12 beau kittens smile" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xDUfXDOv_-U/ULeNJ8lzN9I/AAAAAAAAA0Y/JKDsX2TLpQI/11.12%252520beau%252520kittens%252520smile_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="517" height="772"></a></p> <p> Now that’s more like it!</p> <p>Want to start at the beginning? Start <a href="http://heritage-familyfarms.blogspot.com/2012/11/30-days-of-thankfulness-on-family-farm.html">HERE</a>! <p>Want to follow along and learn more about farming and food? Click on over to <a href="http://farmprogress.com/prairie-farmer/blogs.aspx/30-days-prairie-farm-working-kids-3774">30 Days on a Prairie Farm Series</a>. <p><a href="http://farmprogress.com/prairie-farmer/blogs.aspx/30-days-prairie-farm-working-kids-3774"><img title="kickoff_30_days_prairie_farm_1_634872128566419996-300x119" border="0" alt="kickoff_30_days_prairie_farm_1_634872128566419996-300x119" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ltzFVqGY1EE/UJUS08xmOnI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/gouWTvCF6GE/kickoff_30_days_prairie_farm_1_634872128566419996-300x119%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="99"></a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:a55da569-5f10-431c-9392-fcd19510d3b7" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">LiveJournal Tags: <a href="http://www.livejournal.com/interests.bml?int=30+days+of+thankful" rel="tag">30 days of thankful</a>,<a href="http://www.livejournal.com/interests.bml?int=kids" rel="tag">kids</a>,<a href="http://www.livejournal.com/interests.bml?int=kittens" rel="tag">kittens</a></div> thislandthislifethisfarmerswifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03163374153210170478noreply@blogger.com0