The Joke's on Me!

I bought fencing to put around my small garden. Each year we end up spending more on seeds than we get back in produce because of animals. Anyway, I knew I'd need 50 feet to go around and leave me a little to lap over for an opening, but I ended up grabbing the 25 foot package. Ugh!!! Anyway, here's my small plot.

The morning sun is shining brightly today. Tomorrow's the open house at the State Parks so we plan to go to Hayes Lake State Park and bring the canoe. It's up in the air whether the dog will get to go or if he stays home to chew on his new Dingo bone. I'm convinced I spend more on him than I do on my children. :)

Sleeping Angels

Mike took the boys to see Indiana Jones tonight so the girls and I partied. They fell asleep around 10:30.

Giggly Girls

Melissa is trying to put Laura's shoes on, and they are both giggling. Today we went through boxes and bins of clothes to pull out summer clothes and put away winter clothes. Our children are so blessed to have more than they need. That seems to be a "norm" for all the children I know up here.

Melissa's Birthday

Melissa turned four years old yesterday.

Tomato Class Part 2

I forgot to bring the camera to the class, but here's a picture of the finished product. They did a "salad bowl" this year instead of just a tomato so in the bucket is lettuce, tomato, basil, and chives.

Jackpine Work Weekend

I forgot to get permission from people to put pictures of them on the Internet so here are just a few pictures of the many that were taken of some of the work that was done over the weekend.

We made it Home!

We had a very successful weekend and had fun with lots of friends. I'll post pictures as I have time. Thank you to everyone for coming.

Track and Field Day

Four of the kids did track and field today and did very well with their events. Melissa, Laura, and I went and bummed out with Grandpa. I got my fencing and soil purchased for my garden area.

Now we're gearing up for the weekend of building a roof on a pole-shed. Everyone is in bed and asleep finally, and I'm working on my meal for Sunday afternoon. I have calico beans, buns, salad, pudding, and fruit on the menu. I should see if I can find a quick dessert while I'm waiting for the buns to rise...

Romans 6:1-10

1. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
2. Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
3. Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
4. Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6. knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
7. For he who has died has been freed from sin.
8. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9. knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.
10. For the death that he died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that he lives, He lives to God.

Riding Low

I went to the mill today and had offered to pick things up for people so came home "riding low." A friend took a picture for me at my first drop-off point, and there was still some in the middle plus a miscellaneous box of stuff up front. There were three layers of stuff; I'm so glad I had taken the back seat out of the van. :) If I counted correctly, there were 1124 pounds plus a few miscellaneous pounds from buckets and a book.

A Funny Dandelion

Melissa found this dandelion on our Fargo trip today. I thought it was the neatest thing but had to wait until home to get a picture of it because I didn't have my camera with me so it's wilted. (What a run-on sentence!!!) It's two grown together at the top with only one stem, but it's a double-wide thick stem.

A Blessing in Disguise

I called to check about our propane pre-buy plan yesterday to see what the price was and found out people have been paying $2.52 per gallon over this winter. I was floored!!! God blessed us last fall even though it was the tightest fall we've ever had (falls are our most difficult time of the year financially) in that we were able to pre-buy 1000 gallons of propane at $1.78. We saved $740 because of doing that. Boy, the price has sure gone up since we moved out here! The first year we did this pre-buy thing, the propane was only $.65 per gallon.

Tomato Class

Tomorrow Emily and Melissa are going to a tomato class to learn a few things about them and to plant one. The school district does this with one of the grades, and then one of our friends gets the "leftovers" and does it with some of the interested home schoolers. Each year we've done this, the tomatoes have produced so well. If I remember to grab my camera I'll take a couple pictures. I'm sure most of you know what a tomato plant looks like, but it's always fun to watch the smiles as they plant them.

Flowers

Emily and Melissa bought Tracy some beautiful impatiens for her birthday. Well, they were beautiful until the dog got a hold of them...

I Was Wrong, Abbi!

Melissa brought me these flowers a bit ago. I guess we do have some. :)

Play-Doh House

Emily wanted me to post the picture of this Play-Doh house she made. We were given a big bag of dough someone had made so Emily was having fun with it yesterday.

Isaiah 55:1-13

1. "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.
3. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you--the sure mercies of David.
4. Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, a leader and commander for the people.
5. Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, and nations who do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and the Holy One of Israel; for He has glorified you."
6. Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.
7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
8. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord.
9. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
10. "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11. So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
12. "For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

Lego Games

Last month Aaron and Jason and Emily shared money and bought a pack of 4 Lego games for the computer. Well, they came yesterday, and Mike brought them home today. They've been busy playing them since 4:00 so have had all the computer time they need for a month or better. :)

Tonight Tracy and I went out to eat with a gift certificate I was given for helping with Awana, and we were even kind enough to order something to bring home for Mike. He helped with Awana by keeping Laura occupied most of the nights.

I suppose I should mention Melissa's name so I can have a post with everyone in it. :)

The Piano is Tuned

A lady came from Bagley this morning and tuned our piano. It sounds just wonderful! The only bad part about it is that I can't blame the bad notes on the piano any more; I have to accept my mistakes and own up to them. :)

Lack of Sleep

My youngest daughter has been thinking sleep is overrated the past few days so I'm just about running on empty right now.

Superb Violin Playing

I'm not going to take from Tracy's post (which should be coming in the morning,) but she had a violin recital today and did an excellent job. Not only has she worked hard on her own piece, she also played part of a two-violin piece by Bach with a friend. Being students, the music wasn't perfect, but I thought they did a BRILLIANT job with just the few practices they had. Way to go, Tracy!

Today was quite a day. I wasn't able to talk much this morning as my throat was sore (not strep, just sore) so I just sat and listened during church. I think it's so cute when little kids try and sing when they don't know the words.

I'm trying to get some planning done for the week of the 18th through 25th. We have so many side trips that could be taken that it's hard to choose which ones to do. I suppose I should get off of here and get reading to the kids. (I've been reading a lot to Emily at night which is part of the reason my throat is sore. I noticed that when I used to read a lot to Jason too.)

Killing Two Birds With One Stone...

...I mean bike. Melissa loves bike rides, and Laura loves bike rides so the ingenious Tracy figured out a way to make them both happy. :)

Today I took Tracy to a friend's house. She and this friend have the same violin teacher and are doing a two violin duet by J. S. Bach in their recital Sunday. They practiced for two hours!!!

Lazy Mommy

I was so tired yesterday that I fell asleep no matter where I sat. I even fell asleep while Mike was talking to me; he said I started snoring!

My Nieces

Here is a picture of my niece Samantha hugging her new sister Bailey and one of Bailey.

Tonight I made a roast for supper, and tomorrow or Wednesday we'll have the leftovers made into a stew. I even bought some peas so it could have more color. A fresh loaf of bread sounds good so I'll have to plan that.

Home Again

We made it home, and I have a new niece, born May 2. I'll see if I can get permission to post a pic or two.

It's so good to be home; I'm looking forward to my soft bed. Laura was quite excited when she got in the door, and the dog went "tearing" around the yard!

Happy 14th birthday to Tracy!!!

We Made It!

We're down at Mike's parents' house and have really "livened" up a normally quiet Saturday. The dog didn't even hesitate at being left at "Grandma's" house and probably isn't missing us, knowing him.

Mike's uncle is up and brought three HUGE boxes of doughnuts, and boy, oh boy, are they "nummy" according to the little girls around here. Well, I should be honest and say according to me also. :)

Tracy's going to be playing the violin for a special at church tomorrow.

Ready to Go

We're all ready to go except packing for the dog who's going to spend the weekend at his "grandma's" house (my mom's.) He still doesn't like car rides so it should prove to be interesting; the last time we went, he ended up sitting on my lap most of the way home. Mike should be home in an hour. Some of the kids got in the van at noon when I filled the topper and just got out a few minutes ago. I guess they're excited. :) Have a great weekend!

Clearing the Camera Card

Melissa has been enjoying taking pictures lately so the camera card I just cleared only had one good picture on it, but it happens to be one Emily took.

Tomorrow we're heading down to Brainerd so I'll have to actually get busy and wash the dishes. They pile so quickly. I think I'll have to start writing names on glasses again. When my older three children were young, they each had their own glass they had to take care of.