Letters to Our Congressman & Senators

Years from now we may not remember why or that we did this, but recently Planned Parenthood has been caught on hidden cameras selling aborted babies and piecing them out for $60/organ. They even admit, in a letter to congress, to being more gentle with certain "tissues" to get more of a quality product. ARG!!! Disgusting! 

Our church gave us these packets & encouraged us to sign our own little note at the end. We prayed over them to encourage our congressmen to vote for what the people want and who they represent, not their own personal agenda. The kids and I even printed out a couple of Raegan & Suess pics we liked. 

Sleeping Beauties

It was tiring playing with Grandma & Papa last night, but well worth it!

Apple Picking Time!

Apples are beginning to fall off the trees. Time to pick!

Fun with Nails

I had a half an hour before our library group so I decided to paint my nails for fun. Polka dots were done easily with the use of a bobby pin. ( Boy my hands are showing their age!)

People used to ask me, "how do you spend so much time on your fingernails?" Well this only took me less than a half an hour including dry time. I'm not much of a TV watcher. And some of my coworkers used to watch 2 to 4 hours of TV a night. I think I found enough time to do a little something for myself once a week. ;)

Cutting, Splitting, & Planting as a Family

Gym Bin!!!

Emy, Ady, Felicity, & Elizabeth jumping on the giant air filled "raft" in front of rock climbing wall. It's a huge indoor park and gym for gymnastics. 

Jumping in the block foam 'swimming pool'.

After naps and dinner my gf from Hibbing was going from Crookston to Hibbing and stopped by for a play date. Miss these Guys!

Ceramic Pans take II

Earlier I posted about how much I liked the new ceramic pans. It was nonstick at first, but now I have to use a little bit of oil and my eggs still stick. I cook at a low-med temp so I know it's not too hot. I even followed the instructions and never put in the dishwasher. 

Would I buy again? Yes. Because I believe it is safer than Teflon, but I would be well aware that it is not long-term 100% nonstick. I have the GREEN+LIFE brand. 

Library Set Up

Still "setting up" I added a 3rd row to our, thankfully very sturdy, bookcase and got our books organized.  I know I should be doing more outside work while it is nice and saving the indoor projects for a long winter, but since it has been 90*+ outside this past week, the coolness of the basement was very inviting.

Baby Otto Samuel Joins the Family

Baby OSB was born Tuesday 12/04/2015 @ 12:04 pm. 

The Great Outdoors

This little critter LOVES to be outside, even to help weed the dog kennel. 

First time with the pressure washer:

The brick walkway has been severely neglected for years and dirt & moss had collected between the stones. I took the pressure washer to them and was amazed at how much crud was in AND on them as the bricks just brightened up before my eyes. 

No one told me there would be so much splash-back. I had to rinse down the house windows, my white van, and myself down afterwards. I was covered!!! From head to toe!

After:  I gave it the night to dry and did a little touch ups here and there. A little pressure washing goes a long way! And after cleaning up the rocks and trimming the gold mound spirea the walkway looks fairly descent. 

David's 37th birthday

David's birthday was spend with him and his ladies for dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings (yum!), then games at the mall arcade, walk around town, Gander Mtn, then home for brownies and ice cream then presents. 

I already took the pics off my phone to back it up onto my computer, but we had a blast. E's favorite game was when you use the mallet to hit the popping out alligators. E liked the brownies. David liked it al and I enjoyed seeing my girls take pride in their cars & gifts for daddy. 

Growing Up Fast

I thought staying home would be so slow. Granted most of my "stay at home" experience has been moving and in-moving ;) but these girls are just blossoming. 

F started potty training herself. Here's a pic of her on Dave's GM's pontoon (bottomless) as he has a bathroom on it and F used it about 10x's. 

Pete, Dave's GM, loves kids and invited us for a pontoon ride. The girls got to drive and easily found the throttle. 

Miss E learned quickly how to tie and requested her own pair or "tie shoes". She tied these all by herself!

Baby Green Thumbs

Planting some annuals around our fire&line hydrangea, named "Montgomery". Mulch next when daddy makes some. 

Wasn't sure how the clothesline would work but so far so good. Kinda cool to attach from standing up on the deck. 

Outdoor Gardening

We have a beautiful flag in our front yard. However it was FILLED w/ grass, bulbs, and was completely root bound. So I left my sleeping babes, including the Hubie, in the house while I cranked the tunes and dug in the dirt & cleaned up the bushes for 3 hrs. 

After: the fire & ice hydrangea our realtor gave to us. In 5 years it should be 5' high and around. The girls & I will be mulching and adding a few annuals to pretty it up for the next few years. 

These poor bushes & grounds have been poorly neglected for the last few years. The original owners did a beautiful job. The subsequent owners ... Ahh. Anyway they seem much happier and so were the bees. 

No I'm not lactating or peeing my pants. This is what 80*+and hard work look like!

Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning the New Home

Would you drink this? No? Then why walk or lie on it? This is what came out when I Shampooed carpets today. This was from the "clean" part of the carpets. I still have a lot to do, but I cannot lie or walk w/o shoes knowing if they're not clean. 

The Long Process of Moving In

Moving in doesn't stop at: bring your stuff in, set up, & live. This girl is still making it comfy for her girls today. 

The girls both have 2 smaller windows vs 1 large window in each bedroom. I took their bedroom curtains and cut them in half to make them into 2 sets. 

"Half" done. 

My makeshift sewing spot. 

Time for a little R&R after all that hard work. 

Sparrows & Dust.

Matthew 10:14
^"If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet."

This is the scripture I quoted to David when his position, along with 44 others, was severed from work.  I have not been fired from a job (technically - that's another post), so I do not know what it is like to give 100% of your time and talent all for it to be shoved away and unappreciated.  We talked it through and believe that he was let go mainly because he has integrity and his tenancy to stand up for others.  Some companies do not appreciate that in their staff.  That is also why I believe I was promised a part time position that was retracted 3 wks later -- I ask the tough questions.  Some companies just want door mats, robots.  David and I aren't that. No one in our families are so how can we be expected to just do without asking, "why?"

I posted recently a timeline of our job loses, job gains, & house buying and selling.  GOD IS IN CHARGE.  I have not a doubt.  I told my girlfriend at work "if He takes care of the sparrow, he'll take care of us" when we were in the early stages of 2 lost jobs and nowhere to go from there and she asked the tough question..."now what?".  When I left her for the last time 10 wks later, she had given me a beautiful framed picture of an older lady feeding birds and it says "Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God...even the very hairs of your head are numbered.  So don't be afraid, you are worth more than a flock of sparrows."  Ironic as she didn't remember me telling her the sparrow quote.  This is now my new favorite decoration in my home. 

The last mass we celebrated at our home town, I sat in the pew drinking it all in.  My eyes wet with tears.  This was where I was married, where my babies were baptized, where I was accepted into the church.  Just when I thought those around me would notice, my friend Teri stood up and she read these words from the 2nd reading: 2 Cor 12:10 "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." "...when I am weak, then I am strong."

And so we moved July 11. We attended our first mass at our new parish the next day and what do you think the Gospel was that day?: Mark 6:7-13 "wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave.  Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust of your feet in testimony against them."  And I love that whenever I tell people I'm new they reply with a smile or a handshake and say, "well welcome to town!"

I had to laugh.  I always say God is in control, but when you realize that you aren't the one holding the steering wheel it IS a scary feeling.  You feel watched, out of control, scared, intimidated.  Anyone with an ounce of faith can see He lives.
God is good, all the time.  All the time, God is good.

Bemidji Art in the Park

Very similar to Land of the Loon in Virginia, Bemidji had their art in the park this wkend. We got to taste some treats from some local vendors, bought some CDs from local artists while dancing to their live music, & met Paul & Babe. Poor daddy had to go back to the old house and cleanup and put some insulation up under the house. So it was just a girls' day. Beautiful and 80* but mostly everything was in the shade. Kinda sad my first real outing and having that sinking feeling of not seeing ONE familiar face. That's what I love most about these things. But we're getting established and having fun doing it. 

Having lunch in in the grass with our new mermaid dollies.  

Fun at the park. 

07/11/2015 the Big Move

My little squished sweeties. Hey look there's room for more!

Back of my van before adding more to nearly touch the ceiling. 

Hubie's truck and a full 26' Uhaul