Bah Humbug

This is what I am feeling.  AUGH!!

In this crazy time of year I feel I have a pretty good handle on all of it.  I know what I have done, what I need to do and when I am going to do it.  I have the girl's Christmas program on the calendar, I have the chocolate dipped pretzels lined up for the parties at school.  Yes, I am doing well, especially for being such as relaxed planner.  I have taken the stress out of my life.  Well, that was until I ordered my Christmas cards last week!

Yes, last week.  Have you received it in the mail?  No?  Well either have I.  I have two very good reasons for my less-than-patient demeanor at the moment.  First, we participate in "Amazon prime" and no matter how great or small the package I order, it is on my step in 48hours delivered between 5:00-5:30PM when the UPS man makes his daily rounds.  Yes, I am spoiled.  The second reason is that last year my pictures were screwed up.  At the last minute I reordered them and picked them up at Walmart, only to get the original pictures the first week of January (which are still sitting in a drawer; all of them).  My shutterfly package that I have been tracking for 5 days (because I was hoping it would be here Friday so I had the weekend to prepare it) was delivered today.

It was delivered today!  What!?!  It is not on my step.  So, I called.  It was delivered to 301 South Cedar Street. Thinking just like Winnie the Pooh, think, think, think.... (the post office is on Cedar Street).  You are kidding me.  Nine days later and my package lands at the post office. This all sounds rather petty in the season of Peace, Joy, and Happiness, but I thought I was doing so well...

Thank you for listening (reading) to my childish rant.  Forget this blog completely when you recieve my card that prays for peace on Earth! (smile)

Well, at least the kids are happy!

Halloween Weekend

This past weekend was all Halloween.  Last Friday the girls had parties at school; it is always fun to see all the cute little goblins and princesses.  Sunday JR carved pumpkins, of course gross boy humor came out in full swing.  "Very nice, JR, I love the guts coming out of Clara's pumpkin's mouth," I had to say.  And, lets not forget the geeky pumpkin carver who makes a "pumpkin pi" every year.  (For those at a loss, think about 3.14159....).  JR's parents came up on Monday, just in time to go trick-o-treating with us, which was fun to show them the town and friends we met along the street.  

As parents, we all try to never have favorites, but I have a confession to make.  I LOVE Clara's "Angelina Ballerina" costume this year.  Not that I don't like Nora's cowgirl outfit that she wore when she was 2, 4, and now 6, but it just doesn't get the same excitement from me the third time in five years! 

                                                                                                       

Baiting

This year we have joined in with all the other yoppers in baiting...putting food out for the deer at the hunting spots.  We also have a game camera, which is really fun now, knowing what's out there.  It will probably be frustrating by the end of the season knowing what may have been!  In the last two days, there was nothing on the game camera because of the bad weather, hopefully not all is lost.  Here we are baiting with JR's parents.  Nora took Grandma Cunningham for a walk in the woods between the two stands.  It was fun to just walk with no roads or trails; Nora felt like a true explorer.  In reality it was about a tenth mile.

 Here is a glimpse of the wildlife while we are at home.  Big. Fat. Raccoons!

Weekend of fall activities

This past weekend my parents, along with my niece Stella came to celebrate Clara's birthday.  They arrived in shorts (apparently MN is a bit warmer) and left wearing winter hats and boots.  In the last three days we have all been in shock by the turning of the seasons.  Brrr....  We made applesauce, apple juice and apple butter, and showed our visitors the deer stand and bait.  On Sunday before they left we introduced a .22rifle to the 4 who have never shot before.  (For those who know a little about rifles, a few months ago we got a single shot bolt action .22 youth size.  Hey that was pretty good for me-- to know how to label the gun.)  I know the deer stand pictures may get old on the blog, but it is so darn fun to see the kids do this "thrilling" adventure.  Oh, and I found out the tree stand is 18 feet tall!

Nora made Clara a Birthday crown, which was so sweet.  "You Rock Clara...I love you...you are my sister...love Nora"

 Walking in the woods.

 I had to show this picture of Clara.  Immediately she went right to sighting in the riffle, only she couldn't get her head low enough since the stock was under her arm.  She always surprises us; Nora is the talker and going through the process verbally for all the world to hear, but then comes along Clara who is right in tune with what is to be done or expected.

 Even my mom was brave and shot a gun for the first time!

Happy Birthday Clara!

Four years old today!

Clara got a climbing harness for her birthday on Sunday.  We got to try it out right away because the girls helped JR set up his tree stand a few weeks ago, and they get to put on their harnesses to go up with him.  Clara loves it!

 The first time Clara had a make-shift harness with straps we have.

 Now she has her own harness!

 My three loves up in the tree.

And back down.

Backtrack: August

August was ....having friends over where all our girls play famously together, swimming in Lake Michigan (in Manistique), picking 4 gallons (20#) of wild blackberries in the woods (in an hour x4 1/2 pickers), canning 2 bushels of tomatoes (100#), 25# of jalapeños, and 10# of onions into 37 pints of spaghetti sauce and 80 pints of VERY hot salsa, and grandparents and fires in the backyard and friends and fires...    Did I mention we had about 3-4 fires a week in the month of August?

 Cold, yet refreshing!

 My dad on the shores of Lake Michigan down the Garden Peninsula.

 Gloves are a 'must have' with that many peppers!

First Day of School. 2 kids=Twice the fun, excitement....

I feel like today was a whirl wind...oh wait, it was.  Everyone with kids knows how much scheduling has to take place before 8AM on school days.  Today I was on high energy with 2 lunches, 2 backpacks, etc. (I know it probably sounds easy for anyone with 3-4kids, but I had enough for today).  I talked to all the teachers about the eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, and corn.

And after all the schedules and lunches are done...it is so fun to see your kids going off on a new adventure!  (Only a few tears by a three year old)

Summertime!

Great memories from June and July....

 A HOT 4th of July parade.

 Clara: wearing snowman pj's after swimming on 4th of July, just because it is the opposite of what should be.....

 Manistique's light house, Lake Michigan.

 The 4th. 

 Our backyard in full bloom.

Nora's first time with golf clubs in her hands.  Driving range.

Hayward WI.  The girls with their cousin Stella.

Sugar loaf Mountain, Marquette MI.  

Lake Superior behind us on a hot and sticky day.  Jet ski's and kayaks galore on Superior that day.