Working on the Farm!

The kids came home with Eric for a visit so we got to play and work outside - A LOT!! The weather was just gorgeous. Temperatures were mostly in the 70's and there were no stormy skies for us to deal with. It is so funny how the pictures graphically show what the kids enjoy doing.  But first off, LT had to give Bear the proper greeting - a nice slurply kiss!

 Nice little kiss!

 Bugs with her good friend Frankie!

 Buggy is so proud of herself riding her bike here at the farm in Papa's shop...

 Little Bear is almost to ride too!

Boy does he love getting dirty in the sandbox! and so did big sister.

 Papa and his good buddy and gator lover - Bear!!

 Moose chose to work with Papa on the deck so that's what they did.

 Learning the fine skills of tamping in the post!

 Daddy and Bear spent quite a bit of time on the - you guessed it - John Deere!

 In the evening, the wind went down so Papa could fly his model champ.

 Sis loved chasing the plane in the grass and we rode the gator quite a bit too. Did a lot of cooking and dishes together as well plus we fed Cheyenne and Donkey. Guess I didn't get any snaps of that....

 Working on a broken wing.

 Daddy & Bear playing outside!

 Moose got to write the names of his sibblings after the handprints were etched in the concrete. It turned out really good. Great job Moose!

The deck outside of the sunporch. Papa is trying to find time to get the stairs built, but roofing season is now upon us. Will be harder and harder to find any minutes. Plus the grass needs mowed, weedwacked, bushes trimmed, etc. It never ends.....

 and then out experiemental gutter garden. I'll take a pictures of the greens growing for the next blog. So far it is growing really well. It has sprouted long before the seeds planted in the regular garden.

And another project - yes Papa is reconstructing his shop into a plane restoration building along with a shop for his equipment to repair. The building was literally falling apart so has taken a lot of TLC for the last 3 weeks. Another addition is north of this shed - a 24 x 24 slab was poured today but I don't have any pictures to share on that yet. I'll get that in next time. After everyone left, it sure was quiet on the old farm. The dogs, horses, and donkey aren't sure how they appear and then disappear but I assure you  - they really do miss them all. Moose and Buggy couldn't figure out where we hid Johnny Ringo.  :)

That a whole other story!

Minnesota March Birthdays :-) Celebrations

March 6th, Bruce and I packed up and left for Minnesota to celebrate birthdays for Kman and Kcowgirl. We had a tailwind all the way and enjoyed a beautiful trip. We didn't see any snow until we got over halfway across South Dakota. When we landed, the whole clan was there to greet us. It's so funny, when we were coming in to land, I could see kids bouncing......with excitement. We took Kman and family out for Chinese, his favorite place to eat, for his birthday celebration. He opened his gifts when we got home and we ate wonderful chocolate cake. We got to play "Ticket to Ride," his new game - it was really fun to play but be prepared to sit for a couple of hours.

 Ready to open up the goodies.

Birthday boy with his sisters....

 Kman with his new #24 popcorn - Jeff Gordon.

 Princess K-brown eyes

 and Princess K-Sis

 9 YEARS OLD!!! next year we are in double digits!

 Papa and kids ready for nighty night.

 Mommy and the girls baking some bread. Carrie gave me some bread instruction.  I need lots of help!

 K-sis at gymnastics. Boy has she improved since last year....

and K-cowgirl is an awesome gymnast already! Papa and I were so impressed... 

 Kman and Papa putting together a Nascar he got for his birthday!

 they also go to swim and gym.  They had lots of fun...

 and K-cowgirl turned 7.... She is such a sweet girl!!

ready to let 'er rip!

 and then we went to the Fargo Air Museum where all the airplanes actually fly.... Was really nice, but I thought we would never get Papa out of there!

 K-girl trying out the jeep in the air museum. She had a lot of fun on her birthday!

 Even daddy got a little hands on in the helicopter!

 Then we went to Sheels where they have a big ferris wheel. Everyone rode but mommy who stayed on the ground taking pics (really she doesn't like the ferris wheel but don't tell anybody!)

Daddy with the two younger girls. This is the first time K-brown eyes got to go... She has grown so much!

Nana and Kman had fun until Kman started to rock it a little!!! so  not fun!

The day we went to Fargo, it warmed up to a balmy 45 degrees, and since we left - it has gotten lots warmer. Makes you wonder what the Spring and Summer will hold!

Tried to upload video of the girls at gymnastics, but wouldn't let me upload.... was taking FOREVER...... sorry about that!!

A little of this and a little....

of that !! Yes, this will be a hodgepodge of things occupying our time for 3 weeks.

We have been so busy with home improvement things and now Bruce has taken home improvements to the next level..... outside to the shop! It is getting a facelift, major construction repairs, and a good old fashioned cleaning. The shop will now be dual purpose - a shop for the roofing business and an aircraft restoration shop. There will even be a little addition on the north side for a paint booth and B also decided to add a little bathroom (save time hoofing it back and forth to the house when nature calls!) :)

So here are some of things we've been doing.....

 Bear had his 2nd birthday

 Buggy turned 4

 She loved her quilt Nana made....

 One of the ladybugs on the quilt

 then Buggy came home for a visit - she got to spend quality time with Donkey and the horses,

 gave Emmy a little TLC

 we baked cookies and did dishes.

Then the first weekend of March, Eric brought the kids home for a visit while Jason & Dolly & Braylee came home too. Jason did a wonderful job on our tilework and Braylee was so much fun to play with. What a good baby! We were out in the pasture flying the little model plane. Sure was fun!

 The guys had fun flying Bruce's new toy - a Aeronca Champ model plane. The kids (all of them) LOVED IT! Really hard to see in in the sky, might have to enlarge your photo. Jason had to go fetch the plane after it crashed next to our bull - Butch. He wasn't too fond of Jason!

 They had so much fun - one of the times we had them corraled.

 Eric & Bear did a lot of speedmoving with the John Deere.

 Braylee & Dolly enjoyed visiting Cheyenne,

 and so did Buggy.

Enjoying a little Papa time on the tractor.

 Oh yes, and Johnny Ringo came to visit us as well. Emmy really loves him and so do the kids.

and the garden got plowed, tilled, and ready for a garden in a couple of weeks.

On top of all this, we've had rooms painted, the tile done, and Bruce is working on the shop as I've said above. I'll post pictures of that next time! Whew, no wonder we are tired!  Tuesday we are flying to Minnesota to visit the other K-Kids. The oldest two are having their birthday so the weather is cooperating for us to make the trip. We're ready for a little get-away ......and to do some fun things with all of them!