Gratitude day 3

Today I am thankful for my youngest daughter Kristen.  You can see her here holding her baby cousin.  She is always smiling and so full of energy, unless of course she hears the word NO.  She loves to help those around her who need assistance and seems to have a special knack of making others feel accepted. 

Gratitude day 2

Today I am thankful for my oldest daughter Sarah.  You can see her here holding her newest little cousin.  This little guy seemed to really like her.  Anyway, she is turning into a very nice, responsible, young lady.  She is now at the age where we can do things together (see a movie, scrapbooking etc.), she is also turning into a great help around the house.  Many times she makes supper for us if it is a hectic night.  I am really proud of how you are growing up Sarah

A month of gratitude

The challenge out there is to spend the month of November blogging about something that you are grateful for each day.  Sounds like a fun challenge, but since I have a hard time blogging, we will see if this really something that I can do.

I am going to start the month off saying that I am grateful for my husband. 

I just wanted to share

My cousin and his wife wrote this for my Uncle Gary's funeral.  I loved it so much that I wanted to share it with others.

His harvest may be over,
But in my heart it’s not
Because I still can see him
In my every waking thought
I can see him at the counter
Drinking his cup of coffee,
eating a slice of pie
I can see him walking out the door
Grabbing one more donut,
kissing Mom good-bye
I can see him in his coveralls
In his boots and cap
I can see him in the recliner
The paper in his lap
I can see him in the tractor
Driving in the field,
plowing up the land
I can see him at the lake
Standing on the dock,
fishing pole in hand
I can hear him in the church
Greeting friends and chatting,
singing hymns with abundant cheer
I can hear him in the cattleyard
Hollering at a stubborn steer
I can hear him with the grandbabies
Playing in the sandbox, playing a game
I can hear him chuckling and laughing
Loving being Grandpa
Loving when they say his name
I can hear him in the kitchen
A phrase he always used to say
“There’s always tomorrow.
And if there is no tomorrow
It doesn’t matter anyway.”
There are no more tomorrows
For this great man is gone
But always in our hearts
His memory will live on

silly cat

The other day I went into the bathroom while my husband was showering only to find this:

It seems miss Tabitha is starting to understand the concept of a bathroom.  She was busy giving herself a bath in the sink while dad was in the shower.  She had even managed to turn on the faucet and had a small stream of water coming out.  I would guess that Uncle Duane picked out a smart kitty for Kristen.

A Trip back in time

Kristen in pioneer finery

The girls walking through the quarry

An old log cabin

Root cellar or sod house

The town

Covered bridge

watching a gentlemen make wooden kitchen tools.  HeHe spent a lot of time explaining nad showing how he carved, whittled the tools

The girls looking out the window of the covered bridge

The church

Kristen learning to weave

cooking over an open fire

dutch oven with the hot ashes below and on the lid. 

One of the demonstrators, showing Kristen all of the layers that were worn.

Kristen in front of the waterfall

We live close to a place called Heritage Canyon.  It is an old quarry where they used to dynomite for limestone or something similiar.  Several years ago a couple bought the abandon quarry and started turning it into an old time village.  Every year they have a fall festival where the cabins, school, church, and different stores are open with American Crafters in several of the buildings.  They are dressed in the period clothing and crafts.  Always a fun day walking through the canyon, with the smell of smoke in the air.  Kristen really got interested in the old crafts and way of life this year.  So much so, that she wants to join the American Crafters associate and begin participating.

Back to School

Can't believe that it is time for yet another school year.  Even more scary is that Sarah is a junior and Kristen is a 5th grader.  It seems like just yesterday I was walking Sarah up to school for her first day of kindergarten and then heading to a doctor's appointment.  I was supposed to have my gestational diabetes test that day.  Now how did I go from that day to the day when my oldest is an upperclassman and the little one is at the top of the so called food chain at the elementary school. 

Sarah and Kristen with their 5th grade teacher Mrs. Pailsey.  This is the first time that both Sarah and Kristen will have had the same teacher.  Kristen has been in the same room as Sarah many times, but never the same teacher.  This is actually the first chance they had to have the same teacher.  Kristen came home on the first day with an interesting fact.  3 other people in her class also have an older sibling that had Mrs. Paisley and they were all in Sarah's class.  What are the chances.

Kristen at her  desk ready for a new scchool year to begin.  She is so excited and can't wait for all of the cool stuff that she gets to learn.  This year that includes American History.

 Already looking away and talking to someone else. 

Kristen at her locker.  Next year she get a lock on her locker.

Both girls ready to leave for their first day.  Kristen is already dressing like a middle or high schooler.    Of course she loves to dress up and has always been very concerned about the clothes she wears.

Kristen heading up the hill to Whittier.  No book bag because it was left at school last night during back to school night.

A slightly different picture of Sarah leaving for school before I have always taken a picture of her walking, but this year she will be driving her self to school so that she can go to work right after words or head to dance after cheer practice.