Gratitude day 14

Today I am thankful that my husband helped me with the final parts of the loft bed for Kristen's room.  Now she can start moving everything back into her room.  However she is only going to put in what I think should go in there.  She still has many things from when she was younger and those things either need to be given to others or packed away.

Gratitude day 13

Today I am thankful that I was able to spend two days scrapbooking.  I would really like to get caught up with my pictures.  I am about 1 1/2 years behind for Sarah and 6 years behind on Kristen's pages.  I really need to get them done and soon.

Gratitude day 12

Today I am thankful for good friends.  I have the fun of spending today and Saturday with some good friends scrapbooking. It is always nice to have friends to spend the time with

Gratitude day 11

Okay now blogger won't let me upload a picture. Not sure what is going on.
Anyway today I am thankful that I live in the United States where we have the freedoms that many do not.  I am also thankful for Veterans and soliders that fight to keep our freedoms.

Gratitude day 10

Today I am thankful for my health and the health of my family.  When I hear about others and the struggles that they go through, we are blessed to be as healthy as we are.  Basically we only worry about the occasional cold and flu.  Nothing serious

Gratitude day 9

It has been a few days since I have posted, been swamped.  Lets see if I can get caught up.

Today I am thankful that I not only have a job, but one that I enjoy doing.

gratitude day 8

Today I am thankful for the pets that have been in our lives and what they have taught us.  What a great way for a child to learn some responsiblity and also unconditional love.  They are also great for a smile or laugh with all of their cute antics.

gratitude day 7

Today I am thankful for organizations like 4-H that allow our kids to grow, become leaders, mentor the young and basically assist the parents in helping them to become productive members of society.  My girls have the privilage of being 4th generation 4-H members.  Since 4-H has only been around for a little over 100 years, that is about the best one can do.  As a senior member, Sarah is taking a leadership role and has joined the county council.  Tonight she was able to practice speaking in front of large groups of people and handing out awards.  In the top picture, she had the privilage of giving her little sister Kristen her very first 4-H award.  4-H is really such an awesome organization that has produced many of our nations leaders, Faith Hill, Reba McIntyre, Jacqueline Onassis, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton , Luke Bryan, Vince Gill, Roy Rogers, Herschel Walker, Archie Manning, Charley Pride, Glen Campbell, Johnny Carson, Jermaine Jackson, Russel Honore, Lamare Alexander, Ben Campbell, Pat Nixon, Al Gore, Reggie White, and Jerry Huckaby for a list check out this site National Associaton of Extension 4-H agents.  No 4-H isn't just for farmers and their kids, it is for all of our kids.  Get them involved now.

gratitude day 6

No picture again today. I meant to take a picture this morning, but forgot.  Today I am grateful for friends.  Even though we were shoping for the food and stuff for the retreat, we had a lot of fun. 

Gratitude day 5

No picture today as I really don't know how to show todays gratitude in a picture.  Today I am thankful for that heat that is coming in my classroom.  I haven't had heat in the room since we moved in, but I think that the construction crew working on the new addition fixed my heat when they connected it to the new addition.  So nice to feel the heat when I walk in the morning from the outside. 

gratitude day 4

today I am grateful that we have two cute and adorable cats.  They bring such joy and laughter to our household.  Tabitha (in the picture) likes to pick up the dog slipper and carry it around the house.  Our other cat Sox will attack either Kurt or myself if one of us is scolding or yelling at one of the girls.  She seems to be really protective of the girls. 

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.

Fair 2010

Well the Clinton County Fair is over and hopefully the Flathers family has survived.  This was Sarah's 7th year in 4-H and Kristen's first official year.  She has been a member of the Clover Kids program for 3 years, but is finally in a tradition 4-H club.   Both girls had a good year.  Sarah received 8 blue ribbons and 2 red.  Kristen finished the year with 1 purple ribbon, 11 blue ribbons and 2 green (outstanding junior) ribbons and reserve champion cat.  She also had top dressy for Clothing Selection and Honorable Mention for Fashion Revue.