School

Lana took this picture of me studying in October right after I took pictures of her with her Roundhouse school project (sitting on the front, left corner of my desk.)  I guess this is the only picture we have of me "in school."  Soon 'twil be but a distant memory....  As of this evening, I have finished two of my classes.  Three to go in the next few days!

Home Again

Rob's dad has been in the hospital here for a week.  Upon admission to the hospital, it was discovered that his blood sugar was sky-high.  As in, off the charts, high!  Doctors are speculating it is a result of the meds he has been on for his auto-immune condition.  (Prednisone being the main suspect....)  He is feeling much better, and they arrived home this afternoon.  He has learned to check his blood sugar and give himself shots.  We are hoping this is just temporary.  Thanks to Aunt Hazel for standing by them this past week. 

A special visitor

We have had a special visitor with us since we returned from Montana....  Flat Colter!  I love this school project.  We had Kyla here a few years ago.  They get "flattened" and sent all over the place to visit.  The mail is much cheaper than plane tickets!

Here is Colter after he ate lasagna with us for supper.  I think he may have spilled on his pants.  Mattie found it and licked it clean...

We're sending Colter on his way.  Don't be surprised if he ends up in your mailbox soon!  He will be traveling until March...

Ready or Not... Here it comes!

We have had an extraordinary fall...  I will miss these days of bright, crisp sunshine with the scent of cottonwood leaves in the air.  There is just no denying it; winter is coming.  Today we got our first dusting of snow.  Hopefully winter will bless us with an abundance of sunshine.  It has a most amazing way of reflecting off the snow and making the winter world bright indoors and out.  That is what I look forward to this winter.

Open forum about Home-Ec (FACS)

Does anyone have any good memories of a Home-Ec class?

Or do you have a child who has taken a Life Skills or FACS class?

What about that class was your favorite (if you took one)?

If your kids will soon be old enough to take a Life Skills or FACS class, what do you think they should learn?

I am so open to ideas!  While I'm going to school, I always have the sideline thought of what I'm going to teach next semester and how I'll do it....  It's really quite exciting and sometimes quite overwhelming - depending on my psyche at the moment!

The program is open.  I've been given lots of freedom to choose what I teach.  What are your thoughts and ideas?

I will deeply appreciate each thought!!!!

Thinking of Grandpa and wandering down Memory Lane...

 

This is the first of this series of pictures of Grandpa.  It was taken in 1995 at my wedding.

I like this picture of Grandpa and all his and Grandma's Children. I don't remember the exact date of this reunion, but I know Rob and I didn't have kids yet and were married.  Somewhere between 1995 and1999... 

When Evan was a year old, we took a road trip through Montana.  I have great memories of this time with Grandpa.  I remember this as "Grandma's Chair," but it was special that Grandpa used it after she was gone.

 

Evan's first 4-wheeler ride was with Great Grandpa Clarence...

And his first horse ride was with Grandpa's help.  Yikes!!

While we were there with Grandpa, Evan pulled himself up for the first time on the stone fireplace.  I have so many childhood memories that center around that fireplace.  This was special.

Grandpa spent Thanksgiving 2002 with us at Wolf Point.

Grandpa visited us in May 2004 while we were with Mom.

And he visited again in Mom's last days.  This was their last time together here on Earth...

 

 

At Mom's funeral time, Grandpa with the grandkids....  There are more pictures and more memories, but time and space don't allow.  I'm thankful for my grandpa.  He was a sweet man, and lived a good life.  He had much to go on to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Stud

STUDebaker, that is! 

(Pronounced "Stewdibaker," or "Stewdibagger" as my father-in-law says it... )

This picture was taken on August 27, 2011.  It was a red-letter day for us! 

Rob and Evan started work on the Studebaker again.

Several years ago, Rob hauled this home from his grandparents' farmstead.  It used to be his dad's.

He's had this dream to restore it.

He started on it.

Then he stopped on it.

And started on our addition.

Thanks, Honey!!!!!!!

So, now he's back to his dream.

The top picture is from that first day when they dragged it out of the garage and started washing down the chassis.

The next step after all the cleaning was a nifty paint product he found called "Por-15."  It's supposed to inhibit rust.  It's the super-glossy black shiny stuff he and Evan were painting on it here.

This evening was the spray-on primer.

I'm excited for Rob and Evan as they work on this together.  Can't you just see us cruising down the road in this thing?!? 

Well, now can't you????

One must have a vision....

Like this:

Go, Rob!

Changes

If you always do what you've always done,

You'll always be what you've always been.

                                                                                   -unknown


I've thought of this quote over and over the past four weeks or so....

I'm going back to school to become a Family and Consumer Science Teacher!

Formerly called a Home-Ec teacher....

This has all evolved over the past few weeks, and here's the scoop:

I am already enrolled in 5 online courses through NDSU.

If I complete these courses by December, I will qualify for an "emergency
license" which will allow me to teach beginning in January.

I'll be teaching afternoons only, every day...

at the school where I've subbed for the past five years. (Where my
kids go.)

I will now have 7th-10th graders as my students!

This is a major change for me.  Changes always come with some
anxiety and unknowns....

But this change has felt so guided.  I feel right about it.  I'll be okay.

I have comfort in that feeling.  And it has given me courage.

Change can be a good thing.

Sorry I've been so behind with my blog.  I've loved checking up on all of you, and will try to get some pictures posted soon!  HUGS!

p.s.  Dad, we are really missing the harvest.  Thinking of you so much!

Suh-weet Visit!

This is called Pavlova...

I didn't make it.

My sister-in-law, Narelle did.

She's from Australia.

And married to Rob's brother, Steve.

She's an expert at this beautiful dish.

It's an Aussie tradition.

Even more sweet, was this gift they brought with them...

And we got to share her for a few days at our house!

Oh, how we love her!

Uh, huh!  Even Mattie loved her... 

Wellllll, sort of.

Mikayla loved Mattie anyway! :)

Playing games with Uncle Steve and Auntie Narelle...

Bonding time with Mikayla

While her Mommy and Daddy were packing up to go last Monday.

This is the three of them on Saturday.  We all got together again for Rob's folks' 50th Anniversary Celebration this weekend.   More pictures of that to come....

The Real Picture

Special Couple, Special Day

This past week, Evan and Lana have been creating a wedding with their Lego sets.  And acting out the wedding with their minifigs.  Emily is getting married tomorrow in Florida.  Our thoughts are very close to them right now....

And we're remembering Emily at our own wedding several years ago when she was our adorable little flower girl.  She wasn't performing her duties as expected, and finally wailed to her mom, "But, mommy, I don't want to get married!"  Thank goodness that was at the rehearsal, and she did fine on the wedding day :).

We love you, Emily!  We hope you and Braden have a very special day...

Love, us 4

Our Reunion

Our time was grand... 

 And it went by so quickly.  Thank goodness for pictures!

These three buddies loved to hang out in "Auntie Elaine's Loft."  What a cool place it is!

Lana Jean and Lana Joanne

Some quality time with little Logan

This is my Auntie's beautiful flower/rock garden.  And my beautiful dear sweetie pie cousin and me.

I love to crochet these little finger puppets.  It kept me busy on the road.  One for each of my children, nieces and nephews.

I think they were the greatest hit with this little dolly!

A "Girl Cousins" picture.  We're missing Brenna, Molly, Kelly and Karla.

My adorable, precious, littlest niece who partly shares my name!

This is my nephew, Mr. Christopher Robin!

Big boys and their shades!

Goodbyes are no fun, but fist-taps are cool!

Great News!

My site feed seems to be working now!  I've fiddled and faddled several times and couldn't seem to get it to work.  I was to the point I thought I'd have to create a new blog!!!  After visiting with some of my family about it at our reunion I decided to fiddle and faddle some more.  I think now if you re-add me to your reading list, blogroll, google reader, or whatever you use, it should show automatically when I update.   Let me know if it's still not working for you...

Incredible Sky

Tonight I hear and feel the "Bombs Bursting in Air" from the big fireworks show 15 miles away.  Our own little show is over, and the kids are tucked into bed.  

The fireworks were pretty neat...

 But the sky behind them was even neater.  And how about this? 

 Money can't buy it.  Man can't make it.  All we can do is appreciate it and be thankful for it.

 And remember our Creator...

Who has talents this great and yet still has patience and love for little lives like my own and yours. 

I feel thankful today for the freedom we have in this land.
for the incredible fresh air.
for peace.
and quiet.