Impossible....

It is impossible for me to figure out how to share over 200 pictures of the worlds most wonderful vacation with you. Our BWCA trip was the best. The weather did not cooperate most of the time but being in the most beautiful spot in the world, weather is just a minor problem. We went a total of 45 miles with 2 miles or so of portaging. I had time to sit and relax and ponder what comes next in life when Mike graduates this next year. I had time to hike, fish and play with Mike and enjoy him and his antics. I had time to get to know 4 other teens whom one that is heading to college in a short 20 days, one that says her ducks aren't in a row yet and just not sure what her future will go. She turned 18 while we were on our trip so we treated her to a necklace and pair of earrings I made just for her in colors her parents said were her favorite. Both were eye openers for Mike because people, teachers, family, friends are always asking that "what are you going to do when you graduate." He really isn't positive yet. He has picked a college he's interested in and classes to study but then there's the family business he wants to be a big part of, his choices are not easy ones but he got to see that it can take time and he's young and he doesn't have to know it all now or even in the near future. The sites, sounds, feelings are so perfect in the BWCA that it gives such a feeling of peace.

I am going to see what I can add here without over doing it. Just look and enjoy and I am sure I'll have to add a few more as the week goes on. I uploaded my photos today to snapfish to be printed, all 170 of them. That's just from my camera (which got broke so not sure what I'm going to be doing for a bit. Kim said I could borrow hers but I hate doing that, what if I screw up and break hers?) there's still two other people with pictures too and totally different ones then I took, I can't wait to see them too.

Okay....pictures.....

There are so many to choose from. This is all for tonight. I'll share a few more tomorrow.

Take care and God Bless. Thank you for letting me share such a special vacation and such a terrific young man. Love to you all!!!

Thank you Kim....

Before I forget which I really shouldn't because it is a great honor but you know me and my memory. Anyways, Kim voted me as
an extraordinary and awesome blogger. Thank you Kim. Now if anyone wants to see a real awesome blogger with some cool ideas, thoughts and words of wisdom, check out the ubercrafter at http://www.ubercrafter.blogspot.com/

Nap time....

Wouldn't it be nice to be a cat for just a few afternoon nap times? I would love it. Bobby spends nights outside and then spends the day inside sleeping so he's all energized to do it all over again.

I just had to share this relaxing photo with you.

Today we went to the farm because we made today Farm day. The kids brought tractors from home, wore farmers clothes and ate things we would get right from the farm. They loved their day and the time we spent feeding the goats and playing. We also went and visited my cousins kids where they always have a blast. Rachel sat with a new baby goat today and just loved it. The baby goats name was Clover and she climbed all over Rachel, nibbling on her hair, chewing on her buttons and the final laid down beside her. I took a couple pictures and here's a couple of the great ones. Of course I didn't have my camera but my cell phone works as a perfect substitute.

We are now officially ready to roll on Saturday morning. I am packed, Mike is and the canoe carrier is on the suburban with the canoes on it. The only thing left is the servicing and that happens tomorrow. I doubt I'll be back on here until we get back after the first of August but I'll be here as soon as I can to share our trip and adventures.

Take care everyone and have a very blessed rest of the month. Thank you for letting me share a part of myself with you. GOD BLESS you all!!

swapmama.com.....

If anyone is interested, there is a place out there for mama's to find and give things away. It's called www.swapmama.com Go and check it out. I just completed my first give today. I sent off a few craft supplies I had extra, a clothes line that was sitting on the shelf with a package of clothes pins, a bracelet I made just for the box and a bit of this and that. The lady I did this for loved it all. You can give or trade things here. They have lots of mama's on this website so if you're looking for something extra to think about then head there and see.

Today I let the girls play with my make-up. Really I don't wear make-up but I always have some for the day I just might want to be pretty. My mama says she never can see it when I do put it on but isn't that how a person is suppose to wear it? I really haven't a clue but I do know the girls are having a blast. They have painted their toe nails, finger nails and the boys toe nails (it comes off before the daddy sees it, most of the time :o) ). Now the girls want to do mine, that's funny since I have ugly toes and not to much for toe nails but we'll see.

I'm just about done packing and getting it all into the suburban. There are the odds and ends I'm remembering as the day goes on so am writing it down and doing it when there's time. Mike bought me a Back Track, it's sorta like a GPS but only keeps three different places remembered and I'm learning to use that so I can pin point my suburban when we get to our exit point, our camp site and home. I think I'll really like it and the security I'll feel using it. Just another way to be safe.

Okay, off to have them do my toe nails. Take care and have a super evening. God Bless!!!

Good Monday morning...

Well it's Monday and a new week with lots to do and it seems not enough time to do it in but I've gotten to the point in life I try my best and if it's not done at the end of the day, if you turn off the lights you just can't see it and it doesn't matter.

We had a good time camping this past weekend. It was cold so no swimming tests but everyone did do some practice in canoeing and also making their own meals over a camp stove. Most of us have done it before but practice make perfect and I think I need lots and lots of practice but it all worked out.

When we got home there was 6 cords of wood to be stacked and we got about 4 of them done. This is the first time in a very long time we will have all the wood we need for the full winter. Well more is coming and then we'll have enough but we are usually scrambling in the fall to get all we need. We use to go out and get it ourselves but with our schedules it isn't possible anymore so we have a man doing it for us and this man really needs to work because he just adopted 4 little people from another country and it has been a challenge for them (a great challenge but a challenge none the less).

Well here are some pictures for you, you know I like to share them. The first set are of our food supply for the week getting bagged and put into the barrels. Then one of Mike first thing in the morning, he had to go to work while we were camping so we were up way before anyone else was even stirring. The last is just a couple of the scouts doing their thing.

I hope you all have a great day today and I will do my best to blog at least one more time before we are heading out for the BWCA. I can't wait!!!!

God Bless you all!!

When it rains, it pours......

Well in two hours time we got 5" of rain, it rained so hard the culverts couldn't keep up and the water backed up. I kept waiting for the power to go out but this time it didn't but just in case I showered in the rain. Yes, it was chilly but I got use to it and since I was already out there I put my camera in a Ziploc bag and headed out to take pictures. Well you know what, you can't take clear pictures in a Ziploc bag but I'm still going to share a picture or two just so you can see though the blur all the standing water. My garden didn't fair to well but mostly the corn but maybe when it dries out it'll stand up again, same for the sunflowers. The rainbow though was beautiful and God's promise of not to much rain we can't handle but with the flash flooding happening around right now I'm sure some are wondering about that promise. Anyways, here's some pictures. Do enjoy. Have a great night rest and may God Bless you all.

Ideas.....

http://perchedonawhim.com/?p=81 .......... an idea, a freebie wrap, a piece of old wool and see what you can do. I'd admit I screwed up and put the pockets on the sides instead of in the middle inside and just maybe wool isn't the best to work with since it's pretty scratchy but for a new little bag, which really isn't to little this one is about 12"x13", it didn't turn out to bad. My next one I will line in something smoother and will try and put the pockets where they should be and just maybe I'll try binding but I like the raw edges of the sweater. You can see I zig zagged them so it won't fray so hopefully this will work. A new learning experience. Anyways, see.......

I also made this one this weekend. It's to hold our clothes line (or whatever we need it for rope)for the BWCA trip coming up. It's just a boxy pouch without the zipper so I used a snap instead.

Brenda and I took the girls swimming and I love this picture of Abby and Wilbur watching Rachel swim. Rachel also had one other watching her swim, look up....

So that is that for now. Now it's time to work on the grocery list for our trip. The menu is planned so it shouldn't be to hard get it organized into a list. Time is growing shorter and shorter and now there's getting to be things that have to be done. We are borrowing my dad's canoe and we need to put a carrying yoke on it. We are borrowing Daren's canoe (Brenda's hubby) so have to go and get that. We have a couple of paddles that have to be resealed. Oh speaking of paddles, did I tell you my friend Terri bought me one of those really cool bent paddles. The ones that make paddles a hundred times easier? Well she did, she made me cry too. I didn't expect that from anyone, they are expensive. It was a wonderful gift and such a perfect time to be getting one. Terri, thank you again!!! We have to put extensions on my canoe rack on the suburban since I'll be carrying to and my partner Dave will too. We want to be self contained so we don't have to wait for anyone or have anyone waiting on us. So lots to do but it'll get there. Soon packing and ..........oh can you tell I'm getting excited? I am, I am!!!! :o)

So off to work. Take care and have a stupendous week. God Bless!!!

My devotion I'm sharing with you.....

I loved reading this, this morning so thought I'd share it with you all. I hope that you all have the most blessed weekend.

"Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark." ONE: Don't miss the boat. TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat. THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark. FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big. FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done. SIX: Build your future on high ground. SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs. EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs. NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile. TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals. ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

The Lord then said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and your whole family, becauseI have found you righteous in this generation. ( Genesis 7:1 *NIV )

Comments....

You know, I know that my site is visited once in awhile and no one ever says anything or comments (or very few times). If you could, just once in awhile, take the time to comment I would so appreciate it. Thank you Pat for e-mailing me when you read my posts and Sally too. Kim comments every day when I talk to her so thank you to Kim too but anyone else?

Okay that's all, just had to get my thoughts out. I apprecaite you looking and reading so I'm not complaining at all, it's just plain fun sharing.

Oh two more pictures to go, Mike took these for me......

Good night, God Bless!!

Summer...

The beauty of summer. I love it. We went for a walk tonight down to the pond and these flowers among at least a thousand more were just asking to have their pictures taken.

Here's a look at my garden too. Yep, I see the weeds too but last week there were a billion more so not to bad now. We have eaten all the kohlrabi now and picked the first cucumber. The beans will be ready in about a week or so. My raspberry patch will produce just a little this year and this fall we are going to move it out of the garden and start it over fresh. It's been slowly dying out so this will be the year to move it. The only thing that isn't the greatest yet is the corn but it's still early so we can hope it comes in.

Jim calls me the pied piper of our chickens. They are spoiled rotten. At our house they live until the die naturally or the vixen comes by for dinner. They eat the ticks and spiders and anything else that crawls or is tiny so they earn their keep plus they give me a couple dozen eggs each day which save me tons of money (that is if feed was cheap) in our grocery bill. I love being able to bake any time I want because before chickens it always seemed I never had eggs. Did I mention we have ducks and guineas too? We have a black mama chicken that hatched a little baby duck we call Chuck. He may end up a bit confused but with three other ducks to watch he'll learn.

Well it's time to do some paperwork, watch a wee bit of TV and then head to bed. Tomorrow I just have the girls so am going to go and check out the new Thrift Shop in Deerwood and the go swimming. We'll end our morning with a picnic. Then in the late afternoon we'll head to the Aitkin County Fair. Mike and I will work the Turkey Booth and then putz around the fair and see what's there. Mini donuts, cotton candy, fresh ice cold milk and snow cones, Yummm!!!

So good night, sleep tight and God Bless!!!

First time for everything....

Today, for the first time in their young lives, Jon and Rachel helped milk goats. They were so surprised that the teats were warms and soft but had to be squeezed and pulled so hard. It was so cute watching them. We also had a guest today, Aden, and he a was able to feed a baby goat. He's a city boy and was having a blast. He watched those two milk the goat and sorta felt the teat but wasn't about to try anything else. Abby and Justin were busy playing with a baby goat that is more like a dog then a goat, she follows them every where, lets them carry her and comes when called. Here are some really cute pictures I think you'd like.....

I got some of my sewing done too. I got the sheet made for my sleep pad, a pillow case for the blow up pillow, a draw string bag for my sleep pad and a small draw string bag for the toiletries. I was going to take a picture but it's just pillow cases with draw strings so figured not very interesting. I need to make a tote for the cook set but not positive yet of the size because we all are adding to it instead of having us buy a set or try and find something. So I'll wait and do a quick one after our pre-camping trip.

So that was my day today. A great one too. Take care everyone and have a blessed evening. God Bless!!!

The count down....

It is just a short 17 days before we head to the BWCA so that means at least 100 times each day I think of something I need to do or something I need to bring and something I need to sew to make things easier so that means today I am making a bedroll bag and also a cover for my sleeping pad. I found a cool idea at Bobbie's tee tote tot tote tutorial at http://www.leethal.net/zine/?p=351 It's just using an old tee shirt for a tote and I think this will work perfect for my bedroll. For the sleeping pad cover I'm just going to take a old flannel sheet and make it into a huge pillow case, easy to put on and take off and will make a very small bundle to carry. We leave the 25th of July and figure it's going to be pretty warm up there so don't want to go and carry a sleeping bag when two light blankets will do the trick. Mike is taking his sleeping bag and that's not a small thing so don't need to big items along with everything else. Last night I put together my first aide kit. I will make us a small personal one, the one I made was for the cook kit. I'd rather be overly prepared in the since then not. We do have an EMT coming with us this year and she plans on bring her stuff too so I think we'll be plenty prepared. I'll share me project pictures when I'm done. It'll be neat to do some sewing today.

Our County Fair starts today. Rachel and Abby have chicks in there and 4-H projects. Rachel's 4-H project is about flowers and Abby did trees. We'll go on Friday so they can show me everything and then go on a few rides. Then after Mike gets off from work we'll walk down and meet us. At 7:00 Mike and I will work the JC's Turkey Sandwich booth.

Has anyone started thinking about Christmas yet? This year is going to be an all homemade one. So far I'm going to start making plastic bag holders. My mama asked me to make her one and thought if she needed one just maybe everyone else on my list could use one (if they have one then two). I'll come up with other goodies as the year keeps going.

Today I have an extra little one. I'm not quite sure what extra we'll do other then play but I'm betting they'll keep me busy. It's time for breakfast so had better get going.

Take care you all and have a great day. God Bless!!

Good Evening....

Well camp was excellent and the boys sure did love the goodies I brought up. The swimming course I was going to be part of ended up being the scout master, assistant scout master and I learning water life saving. It is just a bit short of life guarding and we are now able to give our scouts their BSA swimming tests and also know how to save them if need be, heaven forbid. It was a lot more work then I have ever expected for swimming before. On the dock, jump off the dock, climb back on the dock....at least 35 times. I'm not a strong swimmer but I did learn a few things and I also passed the finally test.

The boys and I got to do a few things together too and at the end before heading home I got to watch them in the Water Carnival and get ready for their Iron man race. I got some wonderful pictures and Mike (yep he came too which was wonderful, I got to spend time with just him too and you know how I love that) even climbed the fire tower and got some even better ones. Here's a couple I'll share with you.....

Our family reunion was great too, now I am so ready for things to slow down just a little bit, that is until our BWCA trip. I tried to take some good family pictures so check this out..

Here's Mike and

Daddy....

Plus Mama and

Scott...

The party was great too, here's just a couple of pictures...

Anyways, this week and weekend was a blast. Now it's back to work tomorrow. I just have Rachel and Abby in the morning so am thinking I just might take them swimming since it's gonna be another nice day. We'll see. I read in our local paper of a new thrift shop in Deerwood so want to check that out too. I wonder what's there waiting for me to pick up and turn into something.

Take care you all and do have a blessed week. God Bless!!!

Good bye....

In a few hours I'm heading off to scout camp for a couple of days so won't be here to chatter but didn't want you to think I wasn't thinking about you so had to leave something.

Jim has renamed the bird pond, it's now called the 3 ton bird bath. Last night him and Mike went down to the Wysocki's to get more rocks. We had a good size pile to start out with but have found out only certain rocks fit in certain places and boy are we going though concrete. 6 bags so far and have just got the bottom row on and some reinforcing around the blocks. This isn't going to be a quick project at all but next week will get back to it full swing.

Saturday is Independence Day, what a great day that is. We are having our family/friend reunion and mama was looking back and we've been doing this since 1996, WOW!!! I didn't realize it's been that long. That is so cool.

My grandpa is home now. He came home yesterday and today the kids and I went to visit him and grandma. Both are looking more at peace being home and grandpa even held Hannah for a bit. She is such a lover and is so full of hugs she makes everyone feel so special. She loves the grandpa's the best, all they do is look at her and she's getting there as fast as she can to hug and cuddle them.

So now I'm off to bake that last batch of cookies for the scouts. I got Mike and I packed and am trying hard to get everything else done. It is amazing just how much there is to do when you're just leaving for a couple of days. We have new baby chicks and the ducks are hatching so had to make two small pens in the hen house to keep them safe while I'm gone. I don't have any new pictures of them to share but when things aren't rushed next week I'll get some on because there's nothing cuter then a mama chicken with baby ducks.

Take care my friends, have a blessed 4th of July and I'll be back next week with pictures and a host of other things to share. Be safe and God Bless!!