I've been on vacation...

...Or so it seems. I didn't realize how long it had been since I'd last blogged. Wow, I need to get back to it. So much has happened since I was last on here. Not the least of which is the photographer's slump I've been in. I went for a couple months where I wasn't shooting anything at all. I could have blamed it on my regular-crazy-boring-life getting in the way. I'm sure the day to day demands of the mundane were a part of it, but it was more than that. I wasn't even "seeing" any shots. I usually can "see" ten or twenty shots every day even when I don't have a camera handy. I was actually getting pretty blue about the whole thing. (When I'm not able to release any kind of creative outlet, it really wears on me.) I even skipped a camera club meeting because I was depressed about not capturing any new shots. I am glad to say that I'm working my way out of it. I'm not completely there yet, but my photographer friends have been very encouraging. In honor of my hiatus (and slump), I'm not posting a photograph. But look for updates in the future. I would like to tell you about each month's assignment and the process of finding each shot... wish me luck.
Love and Peace to you all

Life is Good

Joel here. I'm back to work tomorrow but have really been enjoying my time off. Last week, Kate asked she could mow. She asked last year, but couldn't quite reach the brake. This year she can. Today she mowed while I trimmed around the house and barn. It makes her feel good and she really is a big help. We also got the bearing replaced on the go kart and had it out for awhile, too. We even got some kite flying in after lunch. After supper, Sheila worked in the garden and the kids and I played in the sandbox. Life is good indeed.

He's Home!

I got a phone call last night, so I threw the kids in the car and we hot-tailed it to the airport. This most welcome sight was there to greet us as we pulled up to the courtesy curb. Please excuse the crummy quality of the picture, it was taken through the car window, while I was driving. Immediately following the snap of this shot, I threw the car in park while simultaneously jumping out of it to give that gorgeous man a hug and kiss. But a very excited daddy's girl had beat me to him. I had to wait for my turn. (Well, okay we did all hug him at the same time.) The boy slept through it all, but woke to find his daddy carrying him into the hotel. He was thrilled, and wouldn't let daddy put him down the rest of the night. It goes without saying that we are Proud of the job Daddy did while he was in Iraq, but are all so happy to have him back with us and can't wait to acclimate ourselves as a family again. We are going to swim once more before checkout, then pack up and head to the farm where we can relax and reconnect.
We hope your day is as happy as ours is.
Love and... lots more Love

Holding pattern

We are waiting............ waiting................... waiting...................................
Daddy's flight was cancelled. He is on standby for another flight tonight, otherwise it will be tomorrow. So we will wait, and try to contain (I mean entertain) ourselves until then.
Love and waiting

Oh, we are SO ready!

Did you notice on the counter off to the side there that it says zero days left? There are only hours left until we are a whole family again! We are excited to say the least. I honestly don't know how I'm going to get any sleep tonight. It is comforting, just knowing that somewhere IN this United States, my husband is in a hotel waiting for his morning flight that will bring him home to us. By the way, She packed her bags last week in anticipation of the day we would drive out to the airport and pick Daddy up! (Who can blame her?) Love and Excitement

this cool park

Every time we drive by this park, the kids want to play on the cool boat and train toys, but we never have time. So Friday, we made time.

They loved it.

Love and games

Gardening

On Saturday, we planted some things in the garden. The kids helped me make the rows for the onion sets and the pea plants.

The boy was soon bored with the whole process.

He was then gone, leaving sister to finish the job.

Love and the fruits of labor

Piano Recital

There was some piano recital excitement this past week at our house. I did take some pics... just wanted to share a couple here for those of you whose lives are not in a limbo-like state. My understanding is that the world is still turning outside my door...ha ha. I should really try to keep up.

She is searching for her page. Funny story... She walked up to the stage for her first selection. Got all the way up there without her music in hand, realized it, and said, "oh crap, I forgot my music." (Did I mention that the recital was held in our Church?) So, she ran all the way through the Church, to the back room, to grab it then ran back to the stage. It was one of the best parts of the recital for me, I loved it. She didn't miss a beat, and continued on to deliver a flawless performance. I am very proud.I added this picture just because I like the look on her face. There was a baby fussing in the back row. I think she thought it was her baby brother. She was able to play, once she realized it wasn't him.

Love and Music

the longest time has passed

It has been a week [A WEEK!!] since I've talked to my dear husband. This has to be the weirdest part of the entire TDY. I feel antsy, excited.... and in the dark. Have you ever experienced restless leg syndrome? It is a tingly, annoying feeling that keeps you up at nights. I kind of feel that way all over, all the time right now. I can't seem to make time pass any quicker, but I'm not getting anything productive accomplished either. He will be coming in on Wednesday so the wait is almost over.
Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. I feel them, and am blessed by you all.

I'm still here

There will be no pictures today. I've been so busy these days, counting the days on my calendar until Daddy comes home. I count them down... then I count them up... then I count them down again. Often times, I will mentally count them, then get out the calendar to cross off the days that have passed. After that, I go the one of the wall calendars to see how many days are left. Then I like to go back to my calendar to see how many things I have planned before he comes home... Then the whole process starts over again.
Seriously, I'm not as bad as all this. But I am pretty giddy with thoughts of being a two parent family again and I have to admit that I do count the days down several times a day. The daddy chain is so short now!
I've had plenty of time to think about my wonderful husband during this deployment and I've decided that I'm not going to take him for granted. I would have never thought I was guilty of that, but we don't realize what we don't fully appreciate until we aren't able to appreciate them for awhile. So to all our friends and family, do me a favor and give your significant other a big hug and kiss... and let them know they are loved and appreciated. I suggest doing this the very next time you see them, repeat often.

Love and anticipation

Today in school....

We were all smiles...... and we learned to milk a goat.

It was too cool.

Love and Chevre

We love the kids!

Here are some photos from today's homeschool field trip.

Look at all the babies!

Our kids love the kids.

This is the correct way to hold a baby goat.

Next year, we'll have goats too... (hopefully)

Kids and Love

this month's assignment.....

..... is portraits that show emotion. I like these three, but I'm not really sure what emotion I'd call the middle one. I would love to hear your opinions again. Please feel free to vote, give a critique, or just tell me what you think in the comments.
A... B......

C.......

Thanks in advance,

Love and emotions

Sometimes the good toys are at the bottom.

Big Buckets of Love

The Pony Express

Saturday morning, on our way in to the Easter Egg hunt, some pony express riders were waiting on the side of the highway. I pulled over to let the kids look at the horses, and ask if I could take pictures. The riders were so kind, they let the kids pet the horses, and sit in the saddle while they waited for 'the boot' to come.If you are unfamiliar with the Annual Pony Express ride, they ride to raise money for Camp Sunnyside, a camp for kids with disabilities. They pass the money along the route via "the boot", (I don't know if any actual money is in the boot they pass, or if it is more ceremonious.)

Both kids really enjoyed it, but it was quite a ways up there for the boy. He looked less sure that sis did.

And here comes the boot..... the exchange was everything you would think a pony express exchange would be, very cool to watch.

Off they go for their leg of the ride, and then into town for a breakfast put on by the volunteer firefighters.

Love and road apples.

A Good Friday tradition

Okay, I don't remember if we actually colored eggs last year on Good Friday, but I think it is a good tradition to start. So we will have to remember this for next year.
First, we put a color tablet in each little bowl. The kids loved watching the tablets fizz and turn the vinegar bright colors. Baby is getting good at saying his colors, he loves to say orange. Both kids decided that the vinegar was really stinky, Peew. After the tablets quit fizzing, we added the water.

Everyone got to dip their own eggs. This is the main reason I needed my mom to help. That little guy has pretty fast hands!

Everyone loved seeing the pretty colored eggs come out of the dye. There was lots of oohing and aahing.

We decided that bunny ears were in order for the remainder of the egg coloring activities.

After all the eggs were colored and dried, we added embellishments, like these shrink wrap decorations, and stickers.

Baby decided that his egg was pretty enough and so he stuck in his thumb.

Which meant he got to eat it, yum yum.

K was much more careful in the handling of her eggs.

Just look at the beautiful results.

We hope you enjoyed this little insight to our new tradition of coloring eggs on Good Friday.

p.s. to you honey, we can't wait to decorate them with you next year.... see you in a month.

Love and vibrancy

Runza casserole

For supper tonight, I tried a new recipe; runza casserole. Oh Yummy! It is as close to an actual runza as I'm going to get in Iowa, maybe better... it is less salty and the crust is way tastier.

Honey, I know you miss suppertime with us, so I threw these last two pics of the kids eating so you could feel like you are here with us.

If anyone wants the recipe, I'll post it here later. I have a sleeping boy on my lap now, so I can't get to the cookbook.

Love and good food.

well, well, well...

The tiniest, deepest swimming pool in the county.

Ha Ha. In reality, my dad wasn't laughing when the pump in the well quit working at the start of last week. He had to get someone to dig it out, buy a new pump, and install the new one. All while carrying water to the cows and calves via five gallon buckets. (Just in case you are wondering, it takes lots of trips, several times a day, to keep the stock tanks filled.) After dealing with that headache all week... He was glad to have plenty of help when it came time to install the new pump.

Baby makes a good supervisor.

Love and (thankfully now) Water