What do these flowers have in common? They're all perennials and I planted them at our house! (although these photos were taken at the market)
Columbine
English Daisy
Coral Bells
Clematis
PoppyMonday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Today
The kids were invited to a birthday party yesterday for Simone....she invited Luke to her party last year, the first party (outside of family) he'd been invited to. Needless to say, they were pretty excited! However, the weather didn't cooperate, so things were postponed a day. We went to Osage to Straight Lake (which isn't very straight and which feeds the Straight River that is a property marker for us...and also isn't very straight) this afternoon. The kids had a blast! Luke made sure he drank lots of milk before we went so Simone could see how stroooonnngg! he was, haha! Mark Mag surprised us (we surprised him?) by showing up, too....although it wasn't for the birthday party!
Yeah, the kids fell asleep pretty fast tonight....
Happy birthday, Simone!
Friday, June 26, 2009
What's Going On Around Here
Today is the arrival of the first of many Carter's around these parts....or at least the Carter's that aren't USUALLY around these parts! Dwight is supposed to be arriving from Guatemala with his business partner Juan and Juan's son, Jose Guillermo (I love hearing Luke pronounce his name!). Paul and Lori are arriving soon, too. I believe it is Tuesday when Carla and her girls will be at the farm....and David & Rita and their girls arrive sometime on Thursday. Paul and Lori's kids will all be here on either the 2nd or the 3rd...so for about 48 hours, we'll have all the Carter family except for Clinton (Mark & Beth's oldest) and Al (Carla's husband). It'll be a fun and busy time, especially since we're having a shower for Erin, Andrew's soon-to-be bride, on the 3rd!
If that isn't enough, my parents will be arriving on July 6 (although a good portion of the Carter's will be gone by then...some just temporarily). We'll be in the parade on July 4 (look for some more surprises this year, for all you locals!).
Our u-pick berries will be ready some time about July 4...just not exactly sure when we'll start yet....but we've been having lots of berries for the market, and they are YUMMY! We've also got LOTS of fresh spinach....and the timer just went off for the canner -- I canned 10 pints tonight and will probably do the same again tomorrow night when I get home from working all day at the market.
The market is going great. We are having a wonderful year, praise God! This is almost the best year since I've been here, this my seventh summer. I really enjoy working at the market, talking to the "regulars," meeting new people, seeing all the pins popping up on our Minnesota and USA maps as people pin where they're from.
Poor Tony has been so busy...between planting, weeding, and picking the crops, he's had to deal with cows getting out of the pasture, the farm dog almost dying (we think it may have been an infected tick bite, but we're not sure....a few shots of antibiotics got him almost back to normal, much to some people's dismay......no, Mama, I'm not talking about you, why would you think I am?), cutting hay, and baling it in between the frequent rains we've been getting, AND repairing a blown out burner on my flat top stove so I can do canning as produce becomes abundant.
The kids are enjoying their summer. They come with me to the market on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and play with Katie, a teen from church who watches over them. She is GREAT with them and they love it! On Saturdays, Bridget is the baby sitter of choice, keeping a bit of variety in their lives. The love both Bridget days and Katie days. Tomorrow (Saturday), they'll be going to a friend's birthday party and are looking forward to it. I told them they should both pick out something to give Simone, one of their favorite things. Luke picked out one of his swords. Susanna, after being told she couldn't give Simone a plain piece of paper, reluctantly picked out one of her horses...with two broken legs. "This is my favowite, Mama. I will give THIS to Simone!" "Susanna, you are not giving a horse with broken legs to Simone!" "Okay, Mama, then I'll just put it in the garbage." "What? I thought it was your favorite!" "But Mama, the legs are bwoken, so I don't like it any more." Sigh.
Tonight was cute, too, as she said her bedtime prayers: "Dea God, thank you for my wondewful Daddy who is weally stwong and takes good cawe of me. And for my Mama who cooks good and takes cawe of me when my Daddy isn't hewe, and for my big bwotha Luke who is weally weally mean to me sometimes but still takes good cawe of me even when he's mean."
At least she's honest....even if she is mean to him more than he is mean to her!
If that isn't enough, my parents will be arriving on July 6 (although a good portion of the Carter's will be gone by then...some just temporarily). We'll be in the parade on July 4 (look for some more surprises this year, for all you locals!).
Our u-pick berries will be ready some time about July 4...just not exactly sure when we'll start yet....but we've been having lots of berries for the market, and they are YUMMY! We've also got LOTS of fresh spinach....and the timer just went off for the canner -- I canned 10 pints tonight and will probably do the same again tomorrow night when I get home from working all day at the market.
The market is going great. We are having a wonderful year, praise God! This is almost the best year since I've been here, this my seventh summer. I really enjoy working at the market, talking to the "regulars," meeting new people, seeing all the pins popping up on our Minnesota and USA maps as people pin where they're from.
Poor Tony has been so busy...between planting, weeding, and picking the crops, he's had to deal with cows getting out of the pasture, the farm dog almost dying (we think it may have been an infected tick bite, but we're not sure....a few shots of antibiotics got him almost back to normal, much to some people's dismay......no, Mama, I'm not talking about you, why would you think I am?), cutting hay, and baling it in between the frequent rains we've been getting, AND repairing a blown out burner on my flat top stove so I can do canning as produce becomes abundant.
The kids are enjoying their summer. They come with me to the market on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and play with Katie, a teen from church who watches over them. She is GREAT with them and they love it! On Saturdays, Bridget is the baby sitter of choice, keeping a bit of variety in their lives. The love both Bridget days and Katie days. Tomorrow (Saturday), they'll be going to a friend's birthday party and are looking forward to it. I told them they should both pick out something to give Simone, one of their favorite things. Luke picked out one of his swords. Susanna, after being told she couldn't give Simone a plain piece of paper, reluctantly picked out one of her horses...with two broken legs. "This is my favowite, Mama. I will give THIS to Simone!" "Susanna, you are not giving a horse with broken legs to Simone!" "Okay, Mama, then I'll just put it in the garbage." "What? I thought it was your favorite!" "But Mama, the legs are bwoken, so I don't like it any more." Sigh.
Tonight was cute, too, as she said her bedtime prayers: "Dea God, thank you for my wondewful Daddy who is weally stwong and takes good cawe of me. And for my Mama who cooks good and takes cawe of me when my Daddy isn't hewe, and for my big bwotha Luke who is weally weally mean to me sometimes but still takes good cawe of me even when he's mean."
At least she's honest....even if she is mean to him more than he is mean to her!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
He Knows What's Important!
Today we celebrated Father's Day with a weiner roast and picnic at home after church...it was yummy and fun! Tony seemed to enjoy it -- and especially playing ball with Luke afterwards.
Tonight, as we were having our Sunday snacks, Luke looked and me and said, "Mama, you married a good man!" I grinned and told him, "yep, I did! Why do you think so?" "Because he fixes stuff." Okay!
Then he turned to Tony and said, "Daddy, you married a good wife!" Tony quickly replied, "I know!" "Why am I a good wife, Luke?" I asked him. "Cuz you cook stuff!" After a couple questions, he then informed us that if he falls in love with someone and she can't cook, "of course I can't marry her!"
The way to a man's (boy's) heart......
Tonight, as we were having our Sunday snacks, Luke looked and me and said, "Mama, you married a good man!" I grinned and told him, "yep, I did! Why do you think so?" "Because he fixes stuff." Okay!
Then he turned to Tony and said, "Daddy, you married a good wife!" Tony quickly replied, "I know!" "Why am I a good wife, Luke?" I asked him. "Cuz you cook stuff!" After a couple questions, he then informed us that if he falls in love with someone and she can't cook, "of course I can't marry her!"
The way to a man's (boy's) heart......
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Autism Speaks
Recently, my friend Annette (check out her blog at http://www.xanga.com/anut4dan) posted information on a radio commercial in Ohio on autism. This is a subject Annette is very familiar with as one of her children has autism. There are so many times I read her blog and get tears in my eyes, saying a prayer for her and her family. I have a few other friends here in Minnesota who have children with autism...from a very high functioning where you may not even realize it to some with severely autistic children. I'm not even able to fathom what these families go thru...but they continue to get my prayer support.
Following is the post Annette put on her blog (used with her permission). For my thousands of readers in Ohio (okay, the six or so of you), if you've not done so yet, please call. I don't know if other states have anything like this, but I'm thrilled to see and read about how different parts of autism (diagnosis, treatment, support, etc.) are finally being recognized and addressed. Please, keep these special people and their families and caretakers in your prayers.
"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:37)
Recently, I have been hearing a radio ad sponsored by Autism Speaks asking for Insurance Reform in the State of Ohio. In the state of Ohio, autism is not covered by insurance. This means when we go to the doctor, if it is in regards to her autism, we pay the cost. Recently it hasn’t been too much out of our pocket, but I think back to when Natalie was ages 4, 5, and 6. We gave her 2,000 hours of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Paying tutors and therapists for this intervention wasn’t covered by insurance. (Paying a therapist at $25.00 an hour for 2,000 hours is $50,000.00.)
Let’s look at the benefits of ABA. Because we had early intervention for Natalie, she now speaks and is able to express herself. At age four, she was not able to say a single word nor could she understand any of our words. Thanks to the therapists and a lot of hard work, Natalie is now high functioning on the autism spectrum. I am sure that if you interview enough families, you will come up lower functioning individuals whose families couldn’t afford to pay for intervention. It is a shame that there isn’t help out there for families like this. The ad calls this “discrimination against children with autism.”If you live in Ohio, you can help get autism covered by insurance by reading the following and making a phone call. It can make a big difference for a lot of families stricken with a child with autism.The following is a script of the radio ad:
~~I just don’t understand how they get away with it. Why does the law let health insurance companies discriminate against children with autism? Families are going broke paying for medical services their children desperately need. Cancer is covered. Diabetes is covered. But not autism – even though autism has become more common than most childhood ailments combined. Speaker of the House Armond Budish has led the effort to end the terrible discrimination against people with autism. The Speaker hopes to leave a legacy of care for all of those who suffer with autism.
Please call Speaker Budish today and express your support as he defends his autism insurance reform provision in the budget negotiations with the Senate. Call Speaker Budish at (800) 282-0253… that’s (800) 282-0253. This message was paid for by Autism Speaks. It’s time for the Ohio Legislature to listen.~ Autism Speaks: http://www.autismspeaks.org/Information taken from Autism Votes at: http://www.autismvotes.org/site/c.frKNI3PCImE/b.3977637/k.BB80/Ohio.htm
Following is the post Annette put on her blog (used with her permission). For my thousands of readers in Ohio (okay, the six or so of you), if you've not done so yet, please call. I don't know if other states have anything like this, but I'm thrilled to see and read about how different parts of autism (diagnosis, treatment, support, etc.) are finally being recognized and addressed. Please, keep these special people and their families and caretakers in your prayers.
"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Romans 8:37)
Recently, I have been hearing a radio ad sponsored by Autism Speaks asking for Insurance Reform in the State of Ohio. In the state of Ohio, autism is not covered by insurance. This means when we go to the doctor, if it is in regards to her autism, we pay the cost. Recently it hasn’t been too much out of our pocket, but I think back to when Natalie was ages 4, 5, and 6. We gave her 2,000 hours of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Paying tutors and therapists for this intervention wasn’t covered by insurance. (Paying a therapist at $25.00 an hour for 2,000 hours is $50,000.00.)
Let’s look at the benefits of ABA. Because we had early intervention for Natalie, she now speaks and is able to express herself. At age four, she was not able to say a single word nor could she understand any of our words. Thanks to the therapists and a lot of hard work, Natalie is now high functioning on the autism spectrum. I am sure that if you interview enough families, you will come up lower functioning individuals whose families couldn’t afford to pay for intervention. It is a shame that there isn’t help out there for families like this. The ad calls this “discrimination against children with autism.”If you live in Ohio, you can help get autism covered by insurance by reading the following and making a phone call. It can make a big difference for a lot of families stricken with a child with autism.The following is a script of the radio ad:
~~I just don’t understand how they get away with it. Why does the law let health insurance companies discriminate against children with autism? Families are going broke paying for medical services their children desperately need. Cancer is covered. Diabetes is covered. But not autism – even though autism has become more common than most childhood ailments combined. Speaker of the House Armond Budish has led the effort to end the terrible discrimination against people with autism. The Speaker hopes to leave a legacy of care for all of those who suffer with autism.
Please call Speaker Budish today and express your support as he defends his autism insurance reform provision in the budget negotiations with the Senate. Call Speaker Budish at (800) 282-0253… that’s (800) 282-0253. This message was paid for by Autism Speaks. It’s time for the Ohio Legislature to listen.~ Autism Speaks: http://www.autismspeaks.org/Information taken from Autism Votes at: http://www.autismvotes.org/site/c.frKNI3PCImE/b.3977637/k.BB80/Ohio.htm
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Bad Jokes, Good Friends, and Wild Scissors
Today was a day I'd been looking forward to for awhile. My good friend Tammy was coming up for a visit along with her aunt and mother. I met Tammy through her cousin Dan while I still lived in California, and we related on so many different things. We'd not seen each other for probably close to ten years, although we've kept in sporadic contact, always picking up where things were left off.
Tammy is an author and wrote a series of books called The Shadowcreek Chronicles -- a fantastic series of historically acurate events during the Civil War. She worked for the San Diego Chargers when she authored them...and those guys enjoyed her novels. So did I, and Tony's young nieces, and anyone who has read them...it's hard to find them in book stores, but do a google search and see if you can locate them somewhere...you won't be sorry!
Tammy currently works for the Washington Redskins, and she kindly sent some football things shortly after Luke's first Christmas when he'd look at her Christmas card and say "poop ball!"
Anyway, the first words out of Luke's mouth this morning were "Today Mama's friends are coming to visit, Susanna! Aren't you so excited???" His next words were "I'll tell you a joke. Why did the goat go into the house? To read some books! Isn't that funny, Susanna? Goats can't read, so it's a joke!" "Yes, Luke, it is vewy funny!" "Okay, here's another one. Why did the goat go into the house? To eat some palichinta! Isn't that so funny?" "Yes, Luke, it's vewy funny." "okay, here's another joke! Why did the goat cross the road? To go into the house!"
Susanna's favorite joke that she loves to tell just about anyone is "Why did the bee get married? So he could have his honey!"
Anyway, after a whirlwind of finishing touches on the house (vacuuming the floor, cleaning the bathroom, coming out to find the kids had cut two pieces of paper into about a million tiny pieces all over my freshly vacuumed carpet....which stayed because I didn't have time to deal with it), a business call, a quick shower, getting things ready for our lunch, the kids constantly looking out the door to see if Miss Tammy was here yet (from 8:30 to 11:30!), they finally arrived! We chatted for a bit then sat down to a Carter's feast:
Our fresh spinach with our sliced strawberries and some (non-Carter) raspberries tosse with finely sliced green onions and medium-sized shrimp (yum!)
Our cucumbers and tomatoes tossed with some of my freshly cut herbs and balsamic vinegar and Watkins grapeseed oil
Pesto with grilled chicken
Fresh asparagus
Home made rosemary herbed bread
Our rhubarb crunch for dessert.
We then were off for a quick tour of the farm (as Tony walked towards us to meet the ladies, Luke informed Tammy, "That's my Mama's husband.") then a trip to our market and a walking tour of down-town Park Rapids. As we were approaching town, I heard my boy in a shy, slightly stuttering voice tell Miss Tammy, "I-I-I-I-I....I Love You!" And he shadowed her for the rest of their time together, fighting with Susanna if she dared get between him and his beloved Miss Tammy (until I reminded them Miss Tammy has TWO sides).
Shortly after Tammy and her mom and aunt left, the kids decided they had to make her a card. My mistake was in leaving to check emails quickly. I came down to more of a mess...and something I didn't realize quite yet.
After supper, Tony went to sit on the couch and picked up a hand-crocheted pillow from my aunt. "Is this supposed to be like this?" "What's wrong?" "It's CUT!" I turned to see a pair of guilty eyes looking at me along with the explanation "I didn't think you would notice that I cut it." What? NOT NOTICE?? How could that go unnoticed....for long? My wonderful husband quickly sewed it up (he's so handy with a needle and thread!), and scissors were completely taken away from Susanna until after Papa and Grandma go back to Ohio...and they aren't even here yet!
You might think that's the end of the story, but no...it isn't. Tony took the kids down to the farm while I made a couple of quick Watkins business calls, and when they came home he told Luke, "Go show Mama." Show me what? Luke hemmed and hawed until he finally showed me the knee in his pants...a jagged opening. "What happened?" Just a smile. "WHAT happened???" "Um...." and more smiles. "LUKE MICHEAL CARTER, WHAT HAPPENED?" I'm not sure how many times it took, but he finally told me he cut his pants. "WHY???? Why would you CUT your pants???" "Well, Mama, I didn't think you would notice!"
At least they were an old pair....
Tammy is an author and wrote a series of books called The Shadowcreek Chronicles -- a fantastic series of historically acurate events during the Civil War. She worked for the San Diego Chargers when she authored them...and those guys enjoyed her novels. So did I, and Tony's young nieces, and anyone who has read them...it's hard to find them in book stores, but do a google search and see if you can locate them somewhere...you won't be sorry!
Tammy currently works for the Washington Redskins, and she kindly sent some football things shortly after Luke's first Christmas when he'd look at her Christmas card and say "poop ball!"
Anyway, the first words out of Luke's mouth this morning were "Today Mama's friends are coming to visit, Susanna! Aren't you so excited???" His next words were "I'll tell you a joke. Why did the goat go into the house? To read some books! Isn't that funny, Susanna? Goats can't read, so it's a joke!" "Yes, Luke, it is vewy funny!" "Okay, here's another one. Why did the goat go into the house? To eat some palichinta! Isn't that so funny?" "Yes, Luke, it's vewy funny." "okay, here's another joke! Why did the goat cross the road? To go into the house!"
Susanna's favorite joke that she loves to tell just about anyone is "Why did the bee get married? So he could have his honey!"
Anyway, after a whirlwind of finishing touches on the house (vacuuming the floor, cleaning the bathroom, coming out to find the kids had cut two pieces of paper into about a million tiny pieces all over my freshly vacuumed carpet....which stayed because I didn't have time to deal with it), a business call, a quick shower, getting things ready for our lunch, the kids constantly looking out the door to see if Miss Tammy was here yet (from 8:30 to 11:30!), they finally arrived! We chatted for a bit then sat down to a Carter's feast:
Our fresh spinach with our sliced strawberries and some (non-Carter) raspberries tosse with finely sliced green onions and medium-sized shrimp (yum!)
Our cucumbers and tomatoes tossed with some of my freshly cut herbs and balsamic vinegar and Watkins grapeseed oil
Pesto with grilled chicken
Fresh asparagus
Home made rosemary herbed bread
Our rhubarb crunch for dessert.
We then were off for a quick tour of the farm (as Tony walked towards us to meet the ladies, Luke informed Tammy, "That's my Mama's husband.") then a trip to our market and a walking tour of down-town Park Rapids. As we were approaching town, I heard my boy in a shy, slightly stuttering voice tell Miss Tammy, "I-I-I-I-I....I Love You!" And he shadowed her for the rest of their time together, fighting with Susanna if she dared get between him and his beloved Miss Tammy (until I reminded them Miss Tammy has TWO sides).
Shortly after Tammy and her mom and aunt left, the kids decided they had to make her a card. My mistake was in leaving to check emails quickly. I came down to more of a mess...and something I didn't realize quite yet.
After supper, Tony went to sit on the couch and picked up a hand-crocheted pillow from my aunt. "Is this supposed to be like this?" "What's wrong?" "It's CUT!" I turned to see a pair of guilty eyes looking at me along with the explanation "I didn't think you would notice that I cut it." What? NOT NOTICE?? How could that go unnoticed....for long? My wonderful husband quickly sewed it up (he's so handy with a needle and thread!), and scissors were completely taken away from Susanna until after Papa and Grandma go back to Ohio...and they aren't even here yet!
You might think that's the end of the story, but no...it isn't. Tony took the kids down to the farm while I made a couple of quick Watkins business calls, and when they came home he told Luke, "Go show Mama." Show me what? Luke hemmed and hawed until he finally showed me the knee in his pants...a jagged opening. "What happened?" Just a smile. "WHAT happened???" "Um...." and more smiles. "LUKE MICHEAL CARTER, WHAT HAPPENED?" I'm not sure how many times it took, but he finally told me he cut his pants. "WHY???? Why would you CUT your pants???" "Well, Mama, I didn't think you would notice!"
At least they were an old pair....
Monday, June 15, 2009
A Crown with Jewels
Tonight, Luke & Susanna were fighting over the same night shirt to wear to bed (actually my nightgown); after some words on my part about Luke wearing it last night and taking turns, he generously decided to let Susanna wear it tonight...well, I think he did. I sent them downstairs when they were still arguing over who got to wear it...and she was wearing it a bed time (while he was wearing a pink sparkly t-shirt of mine instead....but we won't go into that any further).
I mentioned to Luke during story time that the Bible tells us we will get a big crown in heaven, and every time we do something kind for someone else, God will reward us with a sparkly jewel in our crown. He thought about that for a few moments, and after bed time prayers, asked Tony and me if we needed help getting up. Are we that old???? Is the scout from the movie yesterday who needed to help an elderly person to be awarded his last badge setting an example for him???? Or, "Hey, Luke! Are you trying to get a jewel in your crown?" Big grin. He tried. Tried some more. Tugged even harder. Finally got Tony to his feet. Tony then fell to the floor, trapped Luke between his legs, and set Luke hollering to Susi, "Come help me! You need some gems in your crown!" She just looked at him and went to bed. Oh well.
And lately at bedtime, she just gives Tony and me dozens and dozens of kisses until she "runs out of kisses in my heart." Then, her heart fills up while she's sleeping and she's full of kisses again in the morning.
Ah! Gotta love 'em!
I mentioned to Luke during story time that the Bible tells us we will get a big crown in heaven, and every time we do something kind for someone else, God will reward us with a sparkly jewel in our crown. He thought about that for a few moments, and after bed time prayers, asked Tony and me if we needed help getting up. Are we that old???? Is the scout from the movie yesterday who needed to help an elderly person to be awarded his last badge setting an example for him???? Or, "Hey, Luke! Are you trying to get a jewel in your crown?" Big grin. He tried. Tried some more. Tugged even harder. Finally got Tony to his feet. Tony then fell to the floor, trapped Luke between his legs, and set Luke hollering to Susi, "Come help me! You need some gems in your crown!" She just looked at him and went to bed. Oh well.
And lately at bedtime, she just gives Tony and me dozens and dozens of kisses until she "runs out of kisses in my heart." Then, her heart fills up while she's sleeping and she's full of kisses again in the morning.
Ah! Gotta love 'em!
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