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Tag Archives: Family

Revive!

It’s been a year and 20 days since my last post! (well that was before I went back and post-dated some drafts.. but I digress.) I promise, I’ve not disappeared. Well, there’s lots to tell! Where do I start?
We’ve been working on the house (Aug-Sept last year Lil Bit worked diligently to help me get our kitchen floor finished!)
We went on a family trip to Oklahoma to see Ma & Rickerd and all the family. Stayed for two weeks with Claire & John. Had loads of fun. Also had a tornado near-miss, not so fun.
Last winter was blah. Not a single fun winter activity was had due to lack of snow. Well Lil Mister did build an epic snow man with the only real snow we did get.
I launched my solo businesses in January. That has been going quite well. Feeling blessed to have good clients!
Saw Thing 2 off to the Army, that did not work out, as he ended up with pneumonia in boot camp. Welcomed him home and then sent him to Job Corps were he’s currently becoming a world class welder. ❤
I’ve been hard at it all summer with little time for outside endeavors. We even missed the fair this year unfortunately.
Lil Bit is growing her skills on the violin. Playing in two orchestras and occasionally performing in smaller public affairs. She has quite the knack.
Thing 1 has her own life. Coming into her own, developing her culinary skills and building her own little circle in life. She’s close by but with our work schedules and such we don’t see each other that often.
It’s moose season and this is the second year I’ve not even been able to go out for a hike. Last year my shoulder was still handicapping my ability, (Which I’m grateful is no longer the case!) and this year I’m working hard to finish up a project before the snow flies.
This past year has definitely had it’s ups and downs. Many of which I wont post but suffice to say that one should always hold your loved ones close, and your enemies closer. Or is it the other way around?
I hope that you are blessed with enough! Enjoy the fall season and take a moment to sit by the fire and stare into the flames with a cup of spiced cider and good friends at your side.

Favorite Past Times

We’ve been especially busy working on our house, inside and out. We’ve still got work to do but we’ve surpassed a major goal, finishing our kitchen/great room floor. I told the kiddos once we got that done we’d ease up on the work load a little bit and enjoy some family time.

So in honor of a being a little less driven, here are a few things we’ve done recently…

Bear puzzle
Steampunk owl trinket box by Lil Bit
Wolf puzzle
Lil Bit’s first salvage and flip piece. She refinished for her bedroom.

Thing Two is here for a short stay and we’ve been enjoying doing puzzles with him. Lil Bit helps and even AK Boy (aka Lil Mister) does a few bits until he tries of it. It’s been a lot of laughs over silly voices and corny jokes and even a John Candy movie thrown in for good measure

2024 K Pen Fair

Another fair has come and gone! Winter is coming!! We all did really well with our exhibits this year.

The Fair board opted not to give out fair bucks this year, much to the little people’s dismay. So I made a deal with them. For every red ribbon they get a dollar. For every blue ribbon they get $5. And for every purple division ribbon they get their choice of an ice cream cone or Italian soda. That seemed to take the sting of no fair bucks away.

They had to wait three days to find out the results. But boy oh boy, I think I got snookered.

First thing we see when we walk in the door.

First place AND division champion.

He was certainly proud of himself as well as tickled about his ice cream cone prize!

They both did well, Lil Bit had an amazing number of ribbons. She chose a specialty drink at the coffee shop.

[Posting a year late, apparently I saved all my last posts as drafts instead of publishing?]

18 years ago today

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18 years ago today
Cutest Lil boy ever.

It’s a good day to go fishing

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It’s a good day to go fishing
First time halibut fishing!

May??

How is it possible? It seems like just yesterday we were snow machining and hauling loads of it away!

Signs of spring are very welcome! I’ve spotted Canada Geese flying in and Dean saw some Sandhill Cranes the other day. You can start to hear a few songs birds now and then but I’ve yet to spot a Robin. I’m behind on getting all of my Birch trees tapped, maybe today I’ll get another one or two done?

May is always a busy month physically but also emotionally as well. Besides the happy celebratory days like Mert’s birthday, Mother’s Day, a sweet little red-headed girl’s birthday and my Seester & John’s anniversary, it brings somber reminders of those we’ve lost as well.

Today would have been my step-brother Michael’s 54th birthday. Blessed memory.

My Grandmother’s, also of blessed memory, 97th birthday would have been on the 27th. She’s been gone for 18 years now.

We’ll celebrate the official end of the school year, although does it ever really end?? Ours just morphs into summer school and next year.

Memorial Day of course, somber for those remembering a loved one who paid the ultimate price for being an American. Whilst the rest of us kick off the summer season with joy. Both extremes of celebration wrapped up into one day.

All of the flowers watered by last months’s showers should begin to pop their blossoms. It’s time for some color other than white everywhere.

I hope your May is full of beauty and goodness. Soon, before we know it, fish camp will be here and my mantra begins… “winter is coming”!!

Remembering My Children’s Grandmother…

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Remembering My Children’s Grandmother…
Holy One of Blessing, in Your hands are all souls and the spirits of all flesh. AMEN

Dinner’s Ready

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Dinner’s Ready
Final product! Delicious! Happy Thanksgiving!

Blessed Memory

Today is my Grandpa’s birthday. I was always excited to celebrate with him. It meant there would be chocolate cake with pecans and black walnut ice cream or, if Grandma was being especially nice, raisin pecan pie. It was his favorite. I’m pretty sure he’s the reason I love pecans so much.

CEW, 1997

Grandpa’s birthday also meant that Thanksgiving was coming as well as another couple birthdays… It was party time!

Now, back to the raisin pecan pie.

It wasn’t like a pecan pie (my favorite pie) with raisins. No, it was like a funeral pie with pecans. I remember watching Grandma boil the raisins to plump them up. Prepare a double pie crust. Assembling and baking it in her cool old electric range with double upper ovens and a cook top that retracted when not in use.

Grandpa sure loved that pie. I haven’t made one in ages. Actually I’ve only ever made it once IIRC. It’s a lot of work and we’ll, if you’re not a raisin lover, I mean really love raisins, it’s gonna take a while to eat that whole pie by yourself. I don’t have Grandma’s recipe anymore, but here’s a close approximation. Just add a whole bunch of chopped (or halved) pecans.

So I’ll not be making his favorite pie today. Just reminiscing about The Old Codger and being thankful for having experienced life with him.

Rest peacefully Nicky Baby.

Fly Girl

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Fly Girl
My Biggest Kiddo flew the nest. Feeling a little lost.