Slow and steady here!

Look at this handsome boy.  After 4 years he got all the metal from his mouth removed.  And a new haircut.  Just in time for his first school dance tonight.  He is so excited.




The orthodontist almost assured me that he will need jaw surgery down the road. I asked this one how much it costs and he said $35K. Gulp. The good news, if it is something he will need it will be probably 5-8 years out!

Quiet around here, that is why you don't hear much from me these days.

Just a quick check in...not much happening on this end.

Here is my little corner of the working world. This is where I spend about 15 hours a week, putting products together and listening to podcasts, etc. I really do enjoy it, unless I get behind and have to do a lot in one day!

Last week we had about 6 inches of snow. I think it shocked everyone! We all expected a little dusting and got way more than that. It was gone in the lower elevations pretty quickly.

A view of the mountains. I think it is so cool how the snow line is a perfect line.

Football is over! Yay. I am pretty sure we have nothing extra curricular, sports wise all winter. I don't do well with weeknight practices. Just throws everything off for me. Hard to believe how quickly the days are getting shorter. The kids are out of school this Thursday and Friday. Nothing planned. Hoping the weather is nice and they can get lots of outside time with the neighborhood kids.

It is kind of fun going so long without posting because I am always surprised by the pictures on my camera.  Total randomness from our days.

A friend of ours has a cortland apple tree in her yard.  We helped her pick them all and then she showed me how to do water bath for the apples.  We brought all of the supplies home and Joseph helped me to peel and core the apples and then I made about 12 jars of apple pie filling.  I have a really easy crockpot recipe for apple streudel, so an easy, quick dessert.  (See the clear water bottle in the background, that was the homemade lava 'lamp' Jacob made with oil, water and food coloring)

An action shot of my boy.  Football season is winding down.  Only 1 week left!  Jacob's team has won every game (except tied one game) and Joseph's team has lost every game (no ties there).

I sometimes wonder how many times this kid brings a smile to a passing stranger's face.  Him and all his get-ups.

We are still attending the Friday night missional community group.  Every Friday night.  We really enjoy it, there are lots of kids there and good food.  One recent night was Asian night so I made crab rangoons.  I was so surprised at how easy and quick it was!

JR set up his wall tent recently.  Seems that once or twice a year he puts it up for a week or two and gets his fill.  The younger two spent one night with him and Benjamin and I opted to leave and sleep in a warm bed...although with the stove, it stays pretty warm in there.

He had it very close to the river.

My selfie loving son (whose voice is changing and I love hearing the different pitches, especially when he laughs!)

Benjamin has decided to take a break from Tae Kwon Do.  I don't think he will pick it back up, but we shall see.  Once football ends, our days drop off.  Of course 4H has started and Benjamin will be doing air rifle/pistol, hopefully.  I am also looking into some cooking classes for him.  He has told me that he is really interested in culinary school.  He was talking today about how he also wants to be a pilot and so maybe he could learn to cook and then just fly himself around to all these restaurants in big cities and cook!  How fun would that be.  We have found some really cool online videos that are teaching all the basics like knife skills, spices, veggies, cooking different meats, sauces, desserts, etc.  I have learned a lot too.  It is sponsored by Cuisinart, so Benjamin has a whole list of kitchen gadgets he wants!

Jacob has gotten lots of kudos lately from school.  Shortly before school started there was a 4th grade boy who was accidentally shot and killed.  Jacob did not know him very well, but one of Jacob's really good friends was really good friends with the deceased child.  About 3 weeks ago Jacob's friend started having separation anxiety and had huge melt downs at school.  Jacob patiently and lovingly came alongside him and sat with him, included him in activities, etc.  So warms my heart to see the character of my children coming out.  When I first heard about it, I took him out for ice cream.  I told him I would always be proud of him and cheer loud when he scores touchdowns, but that I am most proud of the guy he is.  Both the teacher and this friends' mother (who happens to be the behavioralist that Jacob made a goal not to get sent to her office this school year) have just been awed by Jacob.

Joseph has stopped his private speech therapy and has been picked back up by the school therapist.  He is still doing well.  He is not necessarily regressing but it is that all the other kids are progressing, so the gap is becoming more evident with his speech.  They will work with him 2 times a week.  The teacher says that it has not shut him down in the class though and that none of the students have really picked up on the difference, but it is obvious when you listen with a trained ear.  One thing that he is loving about school, is writing.  He will come home and write books.  We talk about him being a writer or illustrator one day.  One day recently in school he kept writing and writing and writing and even had to flip the paper over.  The teacher was amazed.

JR is gearing up for winter.  He has 5 new potential clients.  Still waiting to hear if they will accept his services, but it looks good.  This growth has allowed him to let go of some other work that was not a great fit.  Always nice when you can start turning down work for something that suits you better.  He has been out hunting and seen some animals, but never had a good shot.  One night he spent at the camp.  Then early the next morning he drove to his huge association around 6:30am and the parking lot was full of elk...however, his bow was not with him!  We have finally figured out some game jerky recipes, so I am excited to get some more meat in the freezer.

I continue to enjoy the home assembly.  Naturally I am getting faster and faster, so I have started doing more and more.  I am trying hard to commit all of the money to savings, knowing that all of our vehicles are getting older and very likely all the boys will need more orthodontics.  A pipe dream of mine is also to get the townhouse paid off early and then possibly look into rental/investment property.  No idea if that would ever pan out but more like a 10 year plan than 2-3 years!  Given the day and age we live in, it would be nice to know we don't owe anyone any money!  I have also been trying to stay up with Benjamin's reading at school.  He is blowing through 400 page books and I thought it would be fun to read them after him so we could talk about them.  I just finished the first book, Divergent.  Very interesting and thought provoking book!

That is the latest and greatest with us!  Ready for football fever to be over and to get two of our afternoon/evenings back.

Several weeks ago, the YMCA had a fun day for all players. They were able to meet the local college football team and run some drills with them. Got some fun, in action pictures.

Benjamin showed some great talent, both catching and throwing.  He had considered going out for football for 7th grade, but decided not to.  I think he sort of wonders how it would have gone if he did.

Whenever I wear baseball hats, I always make sure my ears are 'tucked' in or it bugs me.  This kiddo loves for his ears to stick out of his hat.  (Never got good action shots of him.)

They did a one on one drill and several times the boys faced off.  So fun to see them being able to compete somewhat on an equal level.

Random pictures...

Jacob picked me a sunflower the other day.  It was from across the street and it was huge!

Jbird went out shooting with his dad ~ one of the most favorite things they do together.

This is the barber shop I take the bookend boys too.  Classic old time barbershop.  You can even get a beer out of the fridge if you want.

Our Bree girl.

She was so tired after playing half an hour with other dogs that she would not stand to drink her water.

Fall weather is here.  The days are getting shorter.  You have to layer your clothes because it is cold in the morning and evening and hot during the day.   I am getting into a good groove with my schedule.  Before long, I will add some classroom volunteer time at the elementary school ~ at least for Joseph's class.

Guess what time of year it is.....

Both boys are playing.  Joseph on the Lions and Jacob on the Falcons.

Joseph got to kick off.  It was an awesome kick and went over everyone's head.

Two minutes earlier I would have been in the perfect spot for this picture.  Alas.  Jacob intercepted and then ran the ball back for a touchdown. Of course all I got was the behind shot.

He also got to kick off.


They both really enjoyed it today.  Jacob's team played really well together.  Joseph's team was fun to watch because they are mostly beginners and running the wrong way, grabbing flags of players who don't have the ball, etc.

This past week was a blur. Not that there was a ton going on, but still trying to get into my groove with my school schedule. I have yet to have any down time, but hoping this week to steal a couple of hours for some reading, nap, bath, long leisurely walk.... who knows. The fall weather has crept in and I am really liking it.

Do you see the missing front teeth?

The younger two have expressed an interest in tennis, so of course I have been going with them.

Notice the shoes.....that kid!

A boy and his dog...Bree loves to hang around the courts just outside the fence.

I have tried to get the boys to practice against the wall.

With a little bit of practice they both have potential.  We shall see.

We have a friend who has a dog that looks just like our dog Little Bit from our growing up years.  I just had to include a picture.  This dog was not nearly as nice as our dog was though.

With my part time job at home, I have lots of down time to listen to broadcasts.  I have been listening to a lot of them concerning raising boys.  My heart's greatest desire is for my boys to 'catch' my faith and become men of integrity.  I am very concerned for them (and all kids) with the culture we live in.  The innocence of kids is lost so young with the instant images on phones, tablets, in the grocery store check out line.  I figure it is best to have many small conversations than bigger, few and far between conversations.  I love it when God gives me a perfect story/analogy/word picture for my boys.  It happened this morning.

We have talked about dating and I have told them on numerous occasions that they have the rest of their lives to deal with girls, so just enjoy the growing up years.  Don't obsess over girls (although they probably will).  Today I was getting ready for church and I had a long shirt on (longer on the sides than the front) but it covered all the important areas.  So, I called the boys in and asked them if they thought it was appropriate for me to wear what I had on to church.  They all screamed 'no, unless you put on pants'.  I told them girls at the middle school wear long shirts without pants on.  They did not know what to say.  So I told them, the rule is, if it is not appropriate for mom to wear it, then it is probably not appropriate for your girl friends to wear it.  I told Benjamin that if his girl friend wore a mini skirt, then I would come to his school in a mini skirt.  We kind of laughed about it.

Well, after church a friend of ours, Curt, came up to me.  He told me he had asked Benjamin if he had seen any cute girls at school.  Benjamin told Curt he had seen a few but that he would never have a girlfriend because his mom had a new rule.  Benjamin proceeded to tell Curt that he could not date a girl that would wear anything too inappropriate for his mom to wear and because of that, he thought him would never have a girl friend.  Curt jokingly told him he could not date until he was 30 anyways.  We both laughed but I thought about it....Benjamin actually listened to me and it stuck.

Benjamin later retold the story to me.  I hit the point home again.  I told him that there will be lots of girls for him to look at and encouraged him to chose more of the modestly dressed girls.  I said 'do you really want to date the girls that all the boys are lusting over' and then I told him that he needs to treat the girls with respect because he will probably date someone who will one day be someone else's wife, just like the girl he marries may very well date someone else before Benjamin and how Benjamin would appreciate his future wife being respected.

It was just one of those 'great talks' with my son where some incredible things were communicated in a way that made sense to him!  Thank God.  Now, I just need to look for other opportunities to repeat it subtly about 100 more times!

Still getting into a routine.  Hopefully this week I will find a little margin time.  Football starts this week for the younger two, so our evenings will be hectic.  Just need to plan the school hours better.

Recent trip to the river.

Joseph picked lots of rocks for a small dam, which I did not get a picture of.

 They also hauled lots of wood for Jacob's little cabin.  (Notice my kiddo's socks and no shoes..ugh)

Jacob found some branches that were really long and I was very impressed with how he solved the problem.  See his shadow, and the big rock he is holding....

Then he throws the rock and snap...just like that.

Benjamin spent most of the time in the shade listening to music.

Notice him carrying his shoes...he chose to wear his nice church shoes to the river...not sure how nice they are anymore, since he walked in the river with them.  He is my shoeless Joe Jackson...from the movie Field of Dreams.

Carrying more sticks.

The finished project.

I love his details with the rock floor.  He was very careful to find flat rocks.

I took Benjamin back to his orthodontist. The doc was on the same page about pulling everything off and putting in a retainer. Two issues. Which retainer do we use. The removable one which will do a better job of keeping the front teeth in line, but it can be lost. Or the permanent one, which might not keep the front teeth together as well but cannot be lost. The other issue, which I knew nothing of, but he said he had made notes previously about...one of his top incisors is angled out just a bit. The cuspid next to it has not been lost but the orthdontist can feel the permanent tooth and it appears to be very close to the root of the incisor. So, he feels that we need to keep brackets on a little longer and try to adjust the angle of the incisor and root, of when the permanent cuspid comes in, it could destroy the root of the incisor, which would mean he could lose the tooth and then need an implant, at 4K dollars! So, the brackets remain in hopes that we can move/save the incisor root so the cuspid permanent tooth does not take it out. I just smile. No harm done in keeping the brackets on and if we advert an implant, huge!

Quiet weekend. The YMCA is having a football kick off this morning, so gonna head there for some fun. Then do a little clothes shopping! We are still trying to gather up all the school supplies needed for the kids. I don't remember what we had to take to school for each grade, but
it is nuts now.