Farmer Boy

We're reading through the Laura Ingalls Wilder books and right now we're in Farmer Boy. It's about Almanzo (Laura Ingalls' future husband), a nine year old boy living in the 1860's in upstate New York. It's a fascinating look at what life looked like way back when. When kids didn't start school till they were nine years old. When farm work took priority over books and when the kids were needed at home, they didn't go to school. As we go through it, I find myself explaining words to the kids, things that don't come up in our everyday conversations. What's a yoke? What's the difference between an ox and a cow? What's an icehouse for? I'm learning a lot, right along with the kids!

Today Mom and Dad came over for dinner and Dad asked us about the book. We all went off on a tangent, talking about our favorite parts of the book so far. Finally, when the rest of us paused for a moment, Dad said, "Grandpa Shorty's great grandpa grew up on a farm in New York. And he moved to Wisconsin when he was 16." Suddenly Almanzo in Farmer Boy took on a whole new light. My Great Great Great Grandpa perhaps lived something like this boy! He grew up in a world so different than where we are today, and yet I'm sure there are things that have been passed on to his children, grandchildren, and more that come from him.

The knowledge that I have family that lived like this boy, like Almanzo Wilder in Malone, NY, brings new life to the story. I wonder what other hidden treasures are lying around in genealogy records and stories of history, just waiting for us to turn them over.

Tonight Shelly and I were chatting as I tucked her in. I told her about our upcoming plans for the holiday weekend. Thursday fireworks, Friday road trip, Saturday we'll visit the farm... Then Sunday Dad and I will come home but you'll stay at the farm, so you can learn to be a Farmer Girl. You'll have to cook for yourself, what can you cook? She said cereal. Scrambled eggs, grilled cheese, sandwiches... She's pretty sure she can survive on that. I told her I'd better teach her how to roast a chicken. I asked her where she'd stay, and she said she'd ask Grandpa Shorty if she could stay in one of his extra rooms. I told her that's a good idea, he's pretty nice and he'd probably let her stay. But what about laundry? You'll run out of clean clothes, I told her I'd have to teach her how to do laundry too. We have a lot to do in the next couple of days!

Recognize "Laura Ingalls" from the tv series?

 

She played along pretty well, and when I asked her if I would ever see her again, she said she might come home at Christmas. We talked about who could give her a ride home, I told her not to try hitch hiking, too dangerous. She agreed, riding with strangers did not sound good. Maybe Great Grandpa will let you borrow his car? You'll be almost seven by then, you should be able to drive, right? She thought that sounded good, she'd drive home for the holidays and go back to the farm after the holidays were over. I think she really started questioning the plan when I told her she couldn't go to school anymore, she'd be too busy learning to be a Farmer Girl. That didn't sound so good, she really likes school Anyway, I happened to also mention that Grandma and Grandpa were going to be at the farm when we were there, and then came her best idea of all. "Maybe they can give me a ride back to HC?" Oh of course! So you won't stay at the farm forever after all! I'm SO GLAD she came up with a way to get home, we would have missed her so much!! (Although, I'm sure she would be a GREAT Farmer Girl if she did stay!)

Pond

35 Years

And still goin' strong!!

Mom and Dad celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary last week and we surprised Mom by showing up on Tuesday (the day after the anniversary) for a little party. Dad likes to remind us that they dated for seven years before they got married. So they've been together for 42 years... gosh that's a long time! But its not hard to see why their marriage has lasted this long, they are so full of love and respect for each other, they sacrifice in the big and small things and they just plain have fun together.

Thanks for the great example, you two!!



Photos courtesy of Denise

 

Dear children, let us not love one another with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
~ 1 John 3:18

Scout Family Camp

Family Camp runs from Friday night through Sunday morning. We just weren't ready for camping on Friday (still packing at 10 p.m.) and its a good thing we didn't attempt it. We would have thrown everything back into the car and run for cover when the thunder and lightening rolled in at 3 a.m. As it was, the kids ended up in bed with us because it sounded like the sky was splitting in half right over our heads. We cuddled up in our comfy beds and waited till Saturday morning to go to camp.


Water balloon slingshot with hundreds of balloons and twenty kids means entertainment for at least 20 minutes!

As always, the Scouts did not disappoint. The kids had a great time, the food was good, the company was fun. Saturday night there was the annual ceremony, celebrating the boys' move up to the next level of Cub Scouts. Archer's moving from a Bear to a Webelow. We're so proud!

Saturday night, the forecast was likely more storms. We opted to go home. No tents for us, although it ended up staying nice and dry (and HOT). We went back for a little bit on Sunday morning, but other things called for our attention and the adventure was over, back to reality. Another great weekend under our belts.

Enjoy the pictures!

Mud from knees to toes means lots of fun!

 

 

 

Sleeping In? Not Yet!

This week we've been at VBS every morning. We stay for lunch and then, the minute we get home, I put E down for his nap and I do my office work while the kids do school work. Practicing math and a few pages in their workbooks, then off to playtime while I finish up my work.



The kids attempting Twister as we left on Thursday



The Craft Team from Fort Funtastic



The flowers and the fun were HUGE at VBS this year!

Now, Friday evening, I'm trying to get ready for a weekend of camping with the Cub Scouts. Here it is, 5:20 in the evening. I haven't packed anything, haven't fed the kids supper, and still need to go grocery shopping. This summer thing already has me running behind and completely worn out. So, when does the "sleeping in" part of summer vacation kick in? Not seeing it yet!

Summer Camp

Mom and Dad took the kids on Thursday, and today we'll go pick them up. Summer Camp lasted three nights and I'm sure we'll be hearing about it for weeks to come. The quiet around the house has been nice, but I miss our kids, the five of us together where we belong. 

Dad shared these pictures with us, hopefully Archer and Shelly can give us the stories to go with the pictures...

Legacy

Recently we discovered a little problem with our washing machine. Immediatley my friend Worry showed up and I started wondering how much it was going to cost to fix. I'm getting better about this, though, and my other friend, Its Going to Be OK, made an appearance. So, I sent a little video to David to illustrate the problem. And that night he searched the great world wide web of knowledge and found a possible (easy, cheap) solution. Hooray! I was praising God, seriously, I had been thinking about a couple hundred dollars to call in a repairman and take the whole thing apart and replace expensive-sounding parts. This solution... $3.00.

So, we got to work. David brought out his tools. I jumped in fearlessly to help. And it struck me. These tools were given to us by David's dad. He shared his resources with us and now, that wrench, the extension piece, the right sized whatever I don't know the name of it.... Lou gave those to David. They're blessing our family now. And my dad, he never let me sit around watching if there was something I could do to actually help. He made sure I could confidently use hand tools, being a girl was never an excuse to not step in and fix it or clean it or whatever.

These are the legacies our dads have given us, the tools, the confidence to use those tools to build and fix things. The willingness to dive in and at least try it before paying someone else to come in and do it for us. Thanks Dads, both of you. I'm hoping we can pass some of that along to our kids, your grandkids, and make you proud!

P.S. We ordered the parts we needed (agitator dogs, have you ever even heard of that?) for $1.50. Shipping... $12.95. Ugh, shipping!! But still better than paying a repairman to come out and do it for us!!

Ten Years Later

I was looking through some old emails and found this picture... Ten years ago, David and I tied the knot. Ten years ago Christopher was just eight years old and there he is, at our wedding. This year, we will celebrate our tenth anniversary and Christopher has graduated from high school. My how time flies!

David and I have been so blessed to have the support and love of our families in this journey of marriage and raising our family. Thanks Family!

Up Up and Away!

After much deliberation, daily phone calls back and forth, and close inspections to see who is sick and who's healthy enough to go...

After a frantic packing session this morning and last minute breakfast of cookies while watching Grandpa examine his fishing gear...

A quick bath for someone with a diaper issue, ignoring all the tears and loading all the bags and gear into the truck, hugs and kisses and orders to behave...

They're gone. Once again, Grandma and Grandpa have flown the coop, three kids in tow. There was one who was nearly left behind for his crying (and is that a cough? is he still sick?), but Grandma overruled Grandpa and Mom, and E was tucked into his seat to join the rest of the crew on a trip to the farm. Grandpa assured me that this is not an unusual way for the trip to start. "Do you know how many trips to the farm have started this way?" And you know, he wasn't just talking about my three kids, he was talking about all those trips, way back when the three of us, Denise and James and I would be crammed into the backseat despite any objections, and off we'd go.

I'm always impressed by how well my parents ignore the crying. The little meltdowns don't phase them, they just keep moving forward, kids in tow, they don't let the drama keep them from the fun and adventure that the day has waiting. So far all I've heard is that they stopped to visit Nana and there was something about the polka? Can't wait to hear more about the trip, when they come home bubbling with a hundred new stories to share!

My Math vs. God's Plan

Sometimes I do this little timeline where I figure out how old Archer will be when Shelly is... or when Eli is... Or how many years till (think of some major milestone here).

The math formula goes something like this. Archer is in third grade, Shelly's in kindergarten. Eli is two. When Archer goes to a new school at sixth grade, Shelly will be in third grade, and that's when Eli will start 4K. Elijah will be in elementary school till the 2021-2022 school year is over. (Is your head spinning yet? Mine is.) Suddenly, that seems like a really long time to have kids at the neighborhood school. We'll be at North Park for another nine years (and then Archer will be 18!?!?!).

Except. Who are we to say where we'll be nine years from now?

We recently received a letter that told us Shelly has been accepted into a different school. After only one year at North Park, she's moving on. That letter stopped me in my tracks, the path of figuring out the timeline for our lives, for every year and month and day of where we'll be. How can I possibly know where we'll be eight years from now? With just one simple letter, one day, the entire timeline/plan/map changed.

Archer and Shelly walk to and from the bus stop together, they're supposed to be watching out for each other and I've told them a hundred times, "Stay together," because its safer that way. They go out the door together sometimes laughing and chatting. Sometimes crabby and bickering. And they come home that way too. But together. And now that its ended, now that they won't be walking to and from the bus with each other, I find myself nostalgic. I realize that their daily routine is something I treasure, the idea that they're watching out for each other. And now its over, something I thought we'd have for another couple of years, it turns out it was just once, just this year.

We've talked with the kids about meeting new friends, getting ready for changes whether its a new classroom or a whole new school. And I think Shelly is taking it pretty well. I'm trying not to dwell on the things we're giving up because I know that God has a bigger plan than I can even imagine. Before that letter came to us, I prayed that the Lord would let all of the kids (not just my kids) end up in the place they most needed to be. And if someone else needed that spot at that other school, I'd be disappointed. But I prayed that the Lord would provide the very best for each child in His care. And it turns out that next year, that means Archer and Shelly in different places, but in the place that the Lord has made ready for each of them.

So how about that road map, that timeline for where we'll be eight years from now? Only God knows, but for now let's just see what happens in the next year...

We Made It!

Another year finished, thank you notes passed out and goodbye hugs for friends and teachers. When so many kids are crying, you know it must have been a good year, if they're so sad to see it end. We definitely finished with a bang... Olympics Day followed by the Lighthouse Run. The kids were outside almost the whole day and at the end they were sunburned, exhausted, and ready to go home.

The day started bright and early, helping to set up the games. I then spent three hours in the hot sun cheering on the kids as they tried to fill up a jar by carrying spoonfuls of water from a bucket 15 feet away. Ours was a pretty tame one, most of the others involved a lot more water, and getting a lot wetter. God blessed us with a nice hot, sunny day, so it was perfect!

 

After the games, the kids had lunch and recess. (Just enough time for us to put away all our supplies and get ready for the next event.) They came back out for the Lighthouse Run, and what a great time! They were split into groups by gender and age. The kids who chose not to run lined up along the finish and cheered on their classmates as group by group, kids came streaming into the finish. It was so heartwarming to see the faster kids go back for their friends that had been left behind. To see their principal jog along with the slowest, encouraging them till the end. And all the kids cheering and clapping for each other.

Archer let me run in his group, the 3rd Grade Boys and I was a bit surprised at how fast most of them were, even after the long morning in the hot sun. I had to push pretty hard at the end just to catch up with Archer, and even then, he was a few feet ahead. He claims I finished last in the group but I know I didn't, there were a few kids behind me! Since there was no photographer to document our claims, I guess it will go down in history as a contested "last place" finish for Mom.

After a round of popsicles for everyone, they went inside to retrieve their backpacks and that was it. Day over. A long, hot, hard work day was over before I knew it, and school was done.

I walked around to the front to pick up Shelly and say a last goodbye to Mrs. P. We walked to the back to find Archer and say a final goodbye to Mr. Z, the principal. Shelly's teacher will be moving to a different school next year. We'll really miss her. Mr. Z is retiring and we're going to miss him also. They both bring so much to North Park and they leave big shoes to fill. But for now, we've got Summer Vacation to survive!

Archer - Archery - What Next?

Sometimes you just stumble into something that's a little unexpected.

Last summer when Archer was at Cub Scout camp, he got a little taste of archery, sling shots and BB guns. And it turns out, he's a pretty good shot. A seed was planted in my mind. Christmas came, I floated the idea to David, "bow and arrows?" No. Birthday rolled around, "bow and arrows?" Not yet. But for his birthday we signed him up for an eight week clinic. No equipment required, just show up. They'll provide everything you need, along with some basic instruction, and when you're ready, they turn you loose to wander through the woods. So you can shoot at wild animals.

Today was our second time, last week I joined Archer in the lesson but this time around I just watched. When he asked to go to the outdoor range, they led us out. When he asked to go into the woods looking for wild animals, they pointed the way. Shelly and I followed dutifully along, and before we knew it, Archer was hitting deer, bears, squirrels, everything in sight was being struck by his sure aim and fast arrows. What a hunter!

While Shelly and I took pictures of flowers and talked about what poison ivy looks like (I have no idea), Archer carried on, hitting the target time and again. His arrows only flew past or over the target twice, and of course Shelly ran to help him search the woods.

 I have to say, I'm a little jealous of Archer's natural talent. This talent of his definitely doesn't come from me. He's so confident, he sets up the arrow, takes aim and SWOOSH, the target has been struck again. He is definitely the coolest kid around, and I can't wait to see where this latest adventure takes him. I'm so proud!!

Fortier Posse

Armed and on the lookout, rubber band guns in hand and ready for any intruders that come their way!

Excercise Everywhere

One of the very last Scout meetings of the year was a heated game of kickball in the church parking lot. While the big kids played kickball, E and I played chase the ball. We brought our own ball and spent an hour chasing the ball, each other, and then just standing around... Then drawing with chalk on the pavement, then chasing the ball...

For fun, I decided to map my route, and to my delight I discovered that Elijah and I had traveled 1.44 miles while watching Archer and Shelly play kickball! The green arrow is where we started, and where the kids were playing. The red square is where I stopped, and where my car was parked, and that's where we all climbed into the little Echo and drove back home. We should have walked there and back, then I could have added another 0.4 miles each way!

Anyway, this map reminds me that even when I'm just standing around talking to the other grown ups, and when I'm entertaining E as we watch the kids to do their activity... Even when I'm not really working out in the gym or running on the treadmill, I AM doing SOMETHING. And that day, it worked out to 1.44 miles!