Gardening .....

Yay!  My raspberries and strawberries are ready!  I love the process of planning, tilling, planting, watering, weeding, and harvesting my garden.  This year I planted corn, tomatoes, peppers, peas, sunflowers and have a strawberry and raspberry patch.  I often plant things just because I love the way they look, i.e. peppers.  I love the colors and sharing them with friends--don't love the taste so much.

I also love flower gardening, it's amazing to see the creativity of our Creator.  There are so many colors, shapes, scents and varieties.  I've found myself returning to "old-fashioned" ones in the past few years.  I've planted a daisy garden, columbine, and bleeding hearts.  Daisies simply make me happy to see--it's like a garden of smiley faces. 

Counting the days.....

Our family countdown has begun....our annual trip to Northern Minnesota.  There is nothing better than the moment we pull out of the driveway together.  No phones, no computers, no TV.  We spend the time fishing, reading, boating, fishing, grilling, eating ice cream, fishing, looking for bears...you get the idea and if not, watch the movie The Great Outdoors--an old classic we watch before taking off every year to get ready. 

Each year becomes more precious as the kids get older and we know that soon they might not be able to join us.  We're hoping that they'll all be able to work their schedules go with us for many years.

15, 14, 13.....

The Joys of Parenting

Pete and I have begun a new venture!  We have been attending auctions, buying merchandise and selling it online.  It is so much fun to have a common interest and get to spend time with my 15-year old.  We have been learning together about the costs of business, dividends (his favorite part), and the importance of buying things others will like-not stuff we want to keep! 


Lilli is waiting to find out where she will attend nursing school.  It is a joy to watch your children become the people they were meant to be.  She is spending more and more time with some mission projects which may ultimately help her decide where she wants to go.  Wherever she ends up, it will be where she's meant to be and doing what she was created to do. 


What a joy it was to travel to New York to spend the day with Andy when he graduated from a Leadership Seminar at West Point!  It was like stepping onto the real-life grounds of Hogwarts!  I was amazed and impressed with both the young people there for the seminar and the young people that are cadets at the school.  As a speaker shared, "This is actually the Greatest Generation.  This generation is coming of age in a more turbulent time than ever in history, and will deal with things we could never have anticipated. "  I think we're in good hands.

Summer 2011 Favorites (not including the stuff I'm supposed to say-hubby, kids, jobs, etc) :)

         Wordless Wednesday---Summer 2011 Favorites         

Summer has begun!

Summer has started--officially!  I always forget that summer is just as crazy as the school year. In the 5 days since the boys finished their freshman and junior years of high school and Lilli finished her year of college, this is what's occurred:

Lilli started summer school, went to Kansas City to visit my beloved aunt and her great-aunt, redecorated her room, started looking for a new part-time job, checked the mailbox and email approximately 50 times a day to see about her nursing school application, worked on a transitional house with her dad, brothers and boyfriend, played with kids at Cedar Valley Youth Art Team, and spent some time doing her cousin's fingernails, to name a few

Andy finished his military packets, finished the soccer season, started summer weightlifting, went paintballing with the football team, worked on a transitional house, has been working at the hardware store, went to basketball camp, packed for his two weeks away, helped with a Memorial Day get-together with family and is turning 17 tomorrow

Pete has been fishing 4 times, went paintballing, started summer weightlifting, worked on a transitional house, has been attending Driver's Ed, went to detasseling meeting, has been disc golfing, helped with scoreboard at a few soccer games, has helped at the hardware store, played some PS3 and much more

When does school start again?!  I already feel a bit overwhelmed!  I started back to teaching today though, so I can go there and get a rest.  :)  But in all honesty, I truly love summer!  Today both of my sons came to get me at work and we got to do a little shopping and have lunch together. I feel pretty Blessed!

Andy-this week!

New week, same 16-year old, new experiences. This Saturday we're going to put our 16-year old on a plane to Newark, New Jersey to change planes twice, arrive, find his transportation to upstate New York and then paticipate in a 7-day leadership seminar at West Point Academy. When he gets home, he has two days to get ready to do the same thing on the other side of the country at the Air Force Academy. Is the same young man who thinks it's fun to get punched in the face ready for this? I think so. It is scary, to say the least, for his mom. But, it will be a chance for him to see what military life is like-on a very short-term scale. Prayers for Andy and mom would be greatly appreciated! :)

                                                                                

I missed bloggging!

I'm baaackkkk! I found that I've really missed having a place to share random thoughts, opinions, questions, etc, so here I am.

For today: Why do sixteen-year old boys have to act so much like sixteen-year old boys? As he walks in the door obviously hiding one side of his face from his fairly perceptive mom, I'm thinking, "Hmmm, what could this mean?" It means that he is sporting a huge cheek that subsequently became bigger and bigger and more and more bruised. Why you may ask? Because he and his "friends" thought it would be funny to videotape each other taking a punch in the face to post on YouTube. My response, bursting into tears. It was not my intention, but this may have been the best accidental punishment a 16-year old boy can be subjected to. (Moms--use this sparingly, but it does work.) So, in the scope of things, it could be worse. Although having to buy a new heating pad, pay for x-rays, having many "discussions" about choices which will probably make him think twice wasn't what I would have chosen, he's a great kid and I love him a lot!--just quit acting your age!