Unusual Weather for North West Wisconsin!

What happens when the temperature reaches 66 degrees in early March in Northwest Wisconsin...MUD!

On Tuesday the two older grandkids ride home with me from school. We stop to pick up the youngest at his day care.  My motto has always been, "Kids and clothes wash.  Have fun." 

It was a great 90 minutes at grandma & papa's before mom arrived from work. 

Finally some quilting completed!

Baby showers for special people require special quilts be sewn with prayers and love!

The first was for the daughter of friends who are missionaries in Nicaragua. It is difficult for them to be away when their first granddaughter will be born! Once again, I used the Moda Pinwheel pattern with the prairie points.  Rikki has decorated the nursery in pink and gray. I didn't expect her to use it as a wall hanging!

The second quilt was for the 2 year old grandson of the same friends.  He is the son of Rikki's twin sister.  Trisha has been going through an extremely difficult time in her life.   In an email their mother (grandma) told me the toddler loves trucks.  I had fabric left from Cole's quilt to I made a toddler size quilt for Greyson. He didn't have a special blanket of his own. 

Today was the shower for a gal at church.  Her mother-in-law is one of my very good friend.  It was a fun afternoon.  I had one flimsy together and decided I didn't like it.  So up to the "fabric collection" I went where I found flannel I purchased 1 1/2 years ago when a local shop went out of business.  It was easy and quick.  The fabric is from the book, "Guess How Much I Love You."  

Now the sewing machine and fabric will need to be put away until I finish our farm taxes!  Then on to a Christmas tree skirt for a shower gift, a baby quilt for my next grandbaby coming in April/ May, and a for my nephew's baby due in August!

Beauty of Winter..

The view from my kitchen window this morning.

 

I am going to try something new.  I am going to try sewing wool applique.  I know it won't be as perfect as the awesome ones everyone post pictures of on facebook.  I will give it my best try.  Hopefully it is something I will be able to work on at night after school. 

 

Memories Made

Merry Christmas  My Friends,

In an attempt to not become overwhelmed this Christmas season I attempted to focus only on what was the most important and try to let other things go.  No cards, not as much decorating, and no baking.  Also, no sewing!!

One of the important things was to attend the Christmas programs for our grandchildren.   They started on December 6 with the church program for Conner, Tatum and Jessa.  Tatum was in a candle light angel dance with the "big" girls...beautiful (even if I am grandma.)

Jessa is our drama queen.  She loves being in front of the microphone. 

Kasey, in the black sweater, and Cole, in the plaid shirt with his hand in his pocket, were part of the bell choir at our church.  Kasey is very intense to do it all correctly.  

 Our Elementary and Primary schools still have Christmas Programs.  Each grade sings two or three songs.  The gym is packed with parents, grandparents, and siblings.  A true small town community.

 Since Kasey is a 2nd grader it is her last program in the primary school.

 Tatum, a first grader, in the blue dress helped direct the students in one song.

Cole in the plaid shirt in the back.

Chad and Katie live in a small unincorporated village.  Across the street from their home is an old extremely small Lutheran church.   A gal from the church as a Wednesday school on Wednesday afternoon.  She always invites Conner, Tatum, and Jessa to participate.  She puts together the "old fashioned" Christmas program with memorized pieces, songs, and a pageant.  Nine children participated.  If you notice on the way the is a sign to report there were 24 people in church that morning with an offering of $445.00.

As we have done for many years, we spent Christmas Eve at my mom's.  I attempted to talk her out of it.  She is living in a small duplex.  She will be 90 year old in April and I can tell she is failing.  She told me she hates to give it up.  So my DIL's and myself brought the food.  We don't do gifts that night, only time together. 

At Great Grandma's house are the same toys left from their great uncles and their daddy's played.  Great Grandma's carmel corn is always a hit.

And then,  I  wonder why we can't have a good picture.. It is hard enough to have seven grandkids all look at the camera.  It doesn't help when Papa is goofing off also.

I didn't have a chance for pictures on Christmas Day.  We had 9 adults and the seven grandkids here for Christmas Morning Brunch. In our small home it is more than crowded.   Our family now includes our nephew and his fiancee who moved to Wisconsin a year ago.  They are with us for all holidays and fit so well with our crew.

Until next time, 

God Bless my friends!

Linda

One More Birthday Gift

When Kasey saw Kylie's Moses Basket in August, she whispered to me, "Grandma, will you make me one for my birthday?' What else is a grandma to do?

She needed it large enough for the American Girl doll she was able to pick for her birthday from her Mom and Dad.  She selected "Kaya." Kasey and her mom made a trip to the Mall of America to the American Girl store.  They ate lunch at the restaurant where they had a high chair for the doll to sit in at the table. 

It is deer hunting season in Wisconsin.  This afternoon Conner and Tatum came with their dad to hunt with Papa.  While DS-2 headed to his stand, the others went to Papa's stand.  The new stand makes it possible for the kids to safely spend the afternoon with papa.

They didn't see a deer to shoot.  However, many memories were made.  Conner had his Daisy BB Gun along just in case there were any squirrels in the tree.

We have the week off of school for Thanksgiving (Hunting season) Vacation.

Until later,

Combining in Northwest Wisconsin

Today DH is driving the combine while son and nephew are hauling semi loads of corn to a facility about  90 minutes away one direction.  Our grain bins are full which requires the corn to be hauled away.   I went to the field to ride with him.

The head is 20 feet wide which takes twelve corn rows at a time.  

The combine is equipped with a computer.

 

This is one of the touch screens.  It shows a running bushels per acre, the bushels per acre for the field, the moisture of the corn,  and many other things. 

 The main control for the head is a type of "joy stick." Each of the buttons controls part of the head.  Another computer screen is on the right.  Usually it shows how full the grain tank is.  When it is 4/4 full it signals with a "beep".   Another amazing feature is "auto steer."  When one of the yellow buttons is held until it beeps twice the computer takes over to drive the combine down the rows. 

This is the view from the drivers seat.  This year they have chased several bear out while going through the field. 

If you look closely you can see our dog, Pepper lying on the floor watching or sleeping.  Sometimes when Colby is riding with Todd he will lie their also and take a nap.  One day he slept over two hours while riding with Todd. 

When the grain tank is full the corn is emptied into either a wagon like these, the grain cart, or one of the trucks. 

They start extra early and work long after dark.  

This year it continues to be all family.  From DH to our son to our grandkids riding safely in the combine.  Also, our nephew moved here from New Jersey and is helping.  He is learning farming is hard work, long hours, and yet he is learning why his grandfather, Herb and now Todd spend the hours farming. 

A Grandma and Tatum Day.

A perfect Granddaughter and grandma day.  I thought I was getting the two youngest girls.  However, when Daughter in Love arrived she said we were having a day with only Tatum.  Tatum needed a grandma and papa day.

 So on our day..We mixed and baked cookies.  She did all the cutting and decorating while I did the rolling out and frosting.

 Then we headed to the woods on the Gator to see how Papa and Tatum's daddy were doing with the new deer hunting tree stand.   Chad built it in his shop this week and hauled it up this morning.

DH and Chad set the poles last weekend. Today they placed the new stand on the poles.  It is large enough for Papa and a couple of grandkids.

The new stand  is replacing an one that has definitely exceeded its safe time of use.  It is good I had never taken a look at it until this summer!

Yep, the ladder was made of two wooden poles with boards nailed on for the steps.  Last  year a 2 x 4 was nailed how to attempt to give it stability. 

After returning to the house. Tatum and I decided to go for a walk to take a closer look at a muskrat house.

The end to a perfect day....
I am blessed.

Hello Friends!

Hello  Blogging Friends,

It has been a long time since I have updated my blog.  I am still here.  It has been a challenging beginning to the school year.  However, this is Saturday and I don't have to think school!

This afternoon is a beautiful fall day in NW Wisconsin. This morning when I looked out my kitchen window I saw the swans had returned.

Colby, who will be three in another month, has had to spend the past two weeks with his Dad or with Papa.  He has loved everyone moment of it.  Many hours in the combine, tractors, or in the truck running for parts with Papa.

If you look closely you will see Colby next to Todd in the combine.

Yesterday when he was with Papa, Daddy and Uncle Pete there was a deer close on the edge of the woods.  Colby walked within 20 feet of the deer before it ran off.  If you look carefully you will see the deer on the edge of the woods.

The only sewing I have accomplished was to finish the Christmas tree skirt for a teacher at school.  We have a long history together.  I had her daughter in kindergarten in 1980.  We began teaching full time together in 1997.   We have a special bond in experiencing the death of a child.  Her grandson died of a brain aneurysm at the age of 10.

On this beautiful fall afternoon, I attempted to put together a fall arrangement in our yard.  I went out to the barn for the straw bales, to the cornfield for the corn stalks, and a stop at the local green house for mums on closeout.  Our neighbors raise pumpkins .  They stopped to drop off the fantastic pumpkins to finish the look.

Thirty four years ago our oldest son, at the precious age of four, was killed in a farm accident on our farm. As I have shared before, it is something you never got over, however you do learn to live with the grief.  It is hidden away in a special spot in your heart.  On the anniversary of the accident, the grief tightly hidden begins to surface again.  I am so very thankful and blessed to have friends who pray me through the day.   When the day is over, the grief returns to the secret spot in my heart that only I know is there.

However, my birthday was the day following the funeral service.  My DH has never been able to celebrate my birthday since that time.  I am so very thankful I have friends who have been faithful and make me feel loved and special on my day.  Also, since I have Daughters-in-love who now make sure there is something special for me.  I am so very blessed.

Kylie loved her baby carrier.  Now I have requests for three more!

The best place to be when you are tired is on your papa's lap.

God Bless you my friends,