18 Years...is that possible!

Today is Grace's 18th birthday.  We planned her day to include some window shopping and some thrift store shopping.  (We bought a formal dress, 2 pair of pants and a vacuum cleaner...all for a $6 total at the thrift store so we were pleased with our bargains.)


Along the way, we took a break and had a birthday lunch of sushi with mochi for dessert.  (Mochi is pounded sticky rice around a small ball of ice cream.)

Later, we went and bought the ingredients for her birthday dinner.  As is our family tradition, Grace got to pick the menu for her dinner.  She chose crab rangoon dip, grilled shrimp and stir fry. 

Then after dinner, Grace and her Dad headed out for some father/daughter time at a fast and free WiFi spot.  He installed some new birthday gift software and fixed some problems on her laptop. 

She says it was a great day.  Last year her birthday was interrupted by an unexpected family commitment and nothing seemed to go right or on time that day.  I am so glad that this year's birthday was much more enjoyable and relaxing for her than last year!  

Easter Weekend

Waiting for lunch to be served.

As usual we packed a lot of activity into one 3 day weekend.  Friday was full of running errands and kids' appointments since they were off school. 

We went to Grandma's house for Saturday dinner and an Easter egg hunt with cousins.  Grace even took advantage of the great weather and went flying Saturday morning.  We had a full day!



Hannah sat in front of her
favorite lasagna.

Sunday included Easter dinner, Easter treat bags, another egg hunt and some gardening with mom.  We did a non-traditional lunch with salad, two types of lasagna, stuffed mushrooms, grilled asparagus, spaghetti squash, and NO DESSERT...there was enough candy! 

We never got around to coloring eggs this year, but we were so busy that no one missed it.  We also didn't spend money on fancy clothes for Easter this year, and not a single one of my boys missed wearing a suit.  Two of the girls asked about dresses, but even they were satisfied with what they had already. 




Luke at the Egg Hunt

Vanessa hunting eggs.

Waiting for your treat bag can apparently be intense!

Diving into their Easter bags! (our version of Easter baskets)

We tried to focus Easter on its true meaning, but like any parent we always wonder if the kids understand that the Easter bunny and eggs and candy are just noise around the real celebration of Jesus giving us a way to have a relationship with God.  It is such an important time to remember that our relationship with the Almighty God came at a price because of love...pure LOVE...simple, yet complex and life changing.

For God so loved the world that

he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him

shall not perish but have eternal life. ~~John 3:16 

No!...Oh nevermind, rock on!

Grace and I had a mom/daughter evening out and took Nate along with us.  We "window shopped" plants for the garden.  Next we stopped at Fox Farm Whole Foods for dried seaweed and Fruit Leather to put in Grace's Easter Basket. 

Then we headed to Han the Sushi Man to try out the place.  Nate was our entertainment for dinner.  As soon as he saw the chopsticks...he knew what they were!  Drum sticks!  He started laying down a beat and having a great time.  Even after he saw Grace eat with her chopsticks, he was still determined that they were the most awesome kid's meal toy ever!  (By the way, Han's is good, fast and affordable.  It has a nice, clean and bright atmosphere.  Plus there is even a kid's menu with sushi without raw fish and it starts at $2.99.  Service is their weakest point and I had to borrow water from Nate's cup...which was okay because he was busy rocking his new drum sticks.)




















After Han's, we went to try OrangeLeaf.  It was good, but not great and expensive!  I don't think we will be going there again.  The small dishes were huge so my 4 ounces looked like 4 teaspoons.  Plus I had hoped to try the no sugar added options and there wasn't any.

Lastly, we went to the grocery store to restock on a few items and to get ready for Easter dinner.  It was a nice night out.

Weight Loss Goals Check-In

When started my weight loss journey, I did not focus on a number as a goal weight.  Instead I set quality of life goals.

My weight loss goals from my January 2013 blog entry were as follows:

Done!  1. Be able to wear my wedding ring again comfortably. (With my arthritic hands, my weight may need to be lower than when I stopped wearing it to get it back on, but I'm going to try.)

Not yet.  2. Be able to travel with my crutches on short trips such as in and out of a doctor office, library, or friends' homes. (But no stupid excessive stuff that causes falls and injuries.)

Done!  3. To be able to reduce and potentially eliminate my high blood pressure medicine and to avoid further health damage.

Almost! 4. To buy and wear clothing that are not in a plus size store.

Almost!  5. To have more energy, more endurance and more strength than I did for most of my thirties!

I have lost 70% of the weight
that I set out to lose.

I have now lost 70% of the weight that I needed to lose, and I have met 2 of my goals.  However,  I have realized that I now must build up strength and endurance to reach goal 2 and 5. 

Until now, I have not "exercised" by any traditional definition.  I don't have the disposable income for a membership at our YMCA, which is expensive.  I don't really have the time to use it anyway, especially with it being so far out on the south end of town.  I have "exercised" by doing more housework, lifting/loading more groceries/stuff without assistance and standing at my microwave timer trying to build up to 5 minutes of standing.  Now this week, I have started walking on my crutches in an effort to reach goal 2 before July.  Unlike my activities until now, walking on crutches feels like exercise which is rather invigorating.

I doubt that I'll start a "crutch it" fitness craze, but I am enjoying the energy boost that it is giving me.  

Recognition and Encouragement

Recognition

In 2013, I lost 131 pounds.  Grace lost 49.25 pounds.  Corrine lost 23 pounds.  We did this with the support and encouragement of our local TOPS chapter in Neosho.

TOPS divides members into divisions based on their weight at their first weigh in each year and they have a special category for teens and pre-teen.  In our local chapter, we all were 1st place winners because we were each in different divisions.  At our Tuesday meeting, we each received a recognition ribbon, pin and a special lunch out with our chapter friends.  It was very nice.

Then this weekend, we traveled to the Missouri TOPS meeting in St Louis AND we all received 1st place in each of our divisions for the State of Missouri!  We had a lovely time and we met the TOPS President Barb Cady.  As part of the program, we each had to give a short speech.  Grace and Corrine did awesome!  Grace is not a crowd/audience lover and she survived.  No one would have guessed that she was out of her comfort zone.  Corrine was a crowd favorite with her smile and animated speech.

Left to Right:  TOPS President Barb Cady, Me (Leatta), Corrine & Grace

Encouragement

So far in 2014, I have only lost 10 pounds.  It is understandable considering the pregnancy and miscarriage, but it is discouraging!  By this time last year, I had lost 42 1/2 pounds!

It was encouraging to see the success stories while in St. Louis.  It was even encouraging to see the folks who had lost a lot (like me), but then they had not yet finished the job to get to goal.  It reminded me that I cannot get discouraged!  It would be incredibly unhealthy to lose 42 1/2 pounds in 12 weeks considering my current weight, but I know from my past success that I can and will do better than 10 pounds in the next 12 weeks!  The guest keynote speaker spoke on cognitive psychology and the effects that our outlook has on our weight loss.  It was all "stuff" that I knew from college, but it was a well-timed reminder! 

Chick Days at Our House

I think Spring might really be here soon.  Today a dozen baby chicks arrived at our house.  These chicks are sleeping soundly tonight after a busy day of meeting the many Workman's!  The little Workman's are sleeping well tonight too!  (All photos except the 3rd one were taken by Angela Covington.)

Loss

It seems almost impossible to be missing a baby, especially when we were so recently surprised by the news of his/her pending arrival.  However, when the loss is the life of a pre-born baby, it is truly a loss...no matter how much of a shocking surprise the news of our pregnancy was to us!

Today I had another ultrasound which confirmed that I miscarried Workman #11.   After a miserable weekend, I am feeling better today and I am hoping to be back to my regular routine tomorrow.  Although, I am going to take a few "me minutes" tomorrow for a hair cut and maybe even have lunch out.  Plus I plan to take it "easy" this week with crock pot meals and a couple naps.

The little Workman's don't understand why their new baby won't be arriving and they still want their baby.  (Of course, since they thought the UPS man would bring the baby, this is especially confusing!) Corrine is very disappointed as she has been knitting and sewing since we got the news.  She is planning to go donate the baby items that she made to the local crisis pregnancy center so this may develop into a new ministry opportunity since she loves knitting little hats. 

Please keep our family in your prayers as we adjust to the loss.  It is amazing to think that God gives us such a love for our children that even the loss of a "surprise" baby is felt so deeply!

Praying for Workman #11

Today was supposed to be our first ultrasound to establish a due date, but the testing did not reveal the expected.  The baby is at least 3 weeks younger than expected...only 6 weeks.  The doctor is concerned that Workman #11 is not going to make it.  I go for another ultrasound next Friday to look for growth and we are praying for a strong heart beat. 

Even though Workman #11...oh let me digress....please don't be offended by this baby's title, we are notoriously slow on naming children...It is a wonder that Corrine is not still "Workman #2"...which would be awkward since we adopted Hannah and Corrine is #3 in birth order.  It is just so much easier when adopted kids come with names!

So as I was saying, even though Workman #11 is a BIG surprise, this baby is still a blessing created by God and already treasured by our family.  Corrine has already knitted several hats.  Grandma and Aunt Doris have secured baby furniture because that is what Fleming women do.  They are always prepared in advance!  Matt, Mark & Luke think every box that arrives at our house might have the baby in it.  (Yes, our delivery guys are probably VERY confused by now.)  Vanessa is ready to move a baby girl into her room now...we have been talking about how the baby stays in Mom & Dad's room, but Vanessa has other hopes and plans.

Needless to say, I would appreciate your prayers for our family and Workman #11.  (So far this newest Workman is one of my favorites because I have not had terrible morning sickness like with Grace and Corrine...only a bad cold.)

Shocked!

Well, we are shocked. 

It has been almost five days since we found out and I can almost believe it now...almost. 

So I guess we are ready to tell the world because some of our kids already have...we are expecting Little Workman #11. 

Yes, expecting.  You read that right... expecting...not applying, not completing a home study for...expecting.

We will greatly appreciate your prayers right now.  Not all of our kids are excited about this new addition.  We are all adjusting and some of us are letting go of what we thought was ahead for our family.  For me, realizing that I will not have everyone to school age this Fall is a BIG change to my plans. 

We understand if "Congratulations" is a bit hard to mutter for some folks who aren't fans of big families, and we are still getting used to the idea of hearing "Congratulations".  As the shock is starting to fade away, we are realizing how blessed we are by this VERY unexpected addition.  We will have more info such as a confirmed due date after our February 28th ultrasound appointment.

McCune Clean-Up Progress

This week we will have both the houses in McCune rented!  We have them listed for sale also and they can be viewed at www.realtor.com under McCune, KS.  Getting them rented is a huge stress relief and an even bigger relief to our budget.  The mortgages and the cost for utilities to keep the pipes from freezing were adding up!  We have a few last things to finish up before the renters get the keys on the 19th, but we will be working with smiles on our faces!

Forty-something...

Well, today marks one year of trying to make "my forties" a good decade.  I have accomplished some great things, some okay things and I made a couple BIG mistakes.

On the great things list, I lost 131 pounds since this day last year.  I am very pleased with the results and I met some wonderfully supportive people at Neosho's TOPS chapter.  On the good list, I had a tumor removed this year that was benign. (But it only weighed 10 ounces...I was hoping that it weighed a lot!)  On the bad list, I tried to improve my housekeeping skills, and I think I made progress.  However, I irritated my kids with constant reminders and I limited their "fun" to limit the messes so I still have to work on balancing all that fun vs. clean "stuff".  Unfortunately, most of my kids' favorite activities tend to be messy.

Now for my 41st year, it seems that I will get to spend at least part of it recovering from our biggest mistakes of 2013.  Those mistakes, of course, were buying two homes in McCune, Kansas where the local school district voted to close the school right after we closed on the houses.  I am so glad that our home in Neosho never sold and that we did not complete the expensive home modifications in McCune!  Please be praying for a quick sale of the McCune houses.  We could also use your prayer for us to have clear direction from God because we really were hoping to end Ed's long commute to work.  He has driven it since 2008 without complaint, but it is three hours of family time (and sometimes sleep time) that is gone from everyday.  God protected us by having the school make its decision before we invested money in modifying the new houses, and I am trusting Him to make the McCune mistakes resolve quickly.  It seems like a lovely town, and I am sure He knows the right people to buy the houses.

Christmas 2013

Christmas was not exactly picture perfect.  On the 23rd, we had planned to see Christmas lights on the way to Grandma's house, but the thick layer of ice on the side windows of the bus would not melt fast enough.  It was blocking our little passengers' views.  Therefore, we had to postpone this annual outing to Carthage.  Then Nate sat in front of french doors that caused most of his photos to be overexposed so there is virtually no photographic evidence of his Christmas gifts. Hannah ate too much Christmas candy and had it suddenly revisit us at Christmas dinner.  We arrived at the farm and the propane tank had been turned off so there was no heat. We all huddled around the oven and ate pizzas while waiting for the whole house to heat up.  Each of these non-photographed items will probably be more memorable than most of the photographed events.

Below is a collage of a few of the 2013 Christmas highlights.   This is the first year that Vanessa had something that she desperately wanted for Christmas.  She has been asking for months and thanks to grandma and grand-dad, she got it...a Nintendo DS.  Everyone had more fun, just because Vanessa was so excited!  Plus I got a picture of my folks that proves that my Dad has a ton of fun when he is annoying my mom. (I hope you can see his big his smile in the photo on the collage.  If you double click on the picture, it will make it bigger.)

Like most families, challenges are all around us.  Owning multiple houses and trying not to let multiple mortgages rule us, having what seem like "the usual" unexpected stresses and most importantly knowing that God has it all under control gives us reason to celebrate His amazing love and sacrifice.  May He help us to remain faithful and may we be better examples of His love during the holiday season and throughout the year.

Reflect upon your present blessings,

of which every man has plenty;
not on your past misfortunes,

of which all men have some.
--Charles Dickens   

Christmas Spirit Challenges

Not only have I been neglecting my blog, I have been neglecting Christmas.  Oh, I have made cookies, sent cards, received cards, put up a couple Christmas trees...but my heart and spirit are just not embracing Christmas this year.  This failure on my part to feel all the joys of the season is only intensified by one our of children, who I am sure could easily hold and defend the title of "Miss Merry Christmas".  (You can probably tell which child from the photos below.)

Christmas cookies are NOT a dieter's best friend, but they are a must in our house!

Decorating one of the Christmas trees.

Christmas isn't complete until we ring the bell!

Stamping the special postmarks in Noel, MO

The Postmaster's Elf

Like many people, I am going through the motions, but I simply feel too unsettled to really feel the extra peace and joy that Christmastime brings.  As many of you know, we bought 2 homes in Kansas and have been in the process of transitioning to Kansas.  We were in the process of widening doorways, adding bedrooms and building ramps when we learned that our new community's school will be closing.  As a result of the closing, the kids will be bused to a school with three unconnected buildings and many steps.  (I cannot even get into the office or lunch room.)  The buildings require frequent trips outdoors to get between buildings and this setup will not work for three of our children.   We are researching our options including out of district placements which Kansas allows, but so far no district has committed to taking our whole family.  Due to these situations, our Kansas house is not home; our Neosho house is not home and the Ava property which does still feel like home is too far away to visit regularly. 

Please be praying for us as we try to ensure that Kansas is the right place for our family before we complete this move. 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.

I do not give to you as the world gives.

Do not let your hearts be troubled and

do not be afraid. ~~John 14:27

We need more pumpkins...to eat!

As I travel along this weight loss journey, I am constantly trying new foods or old foods in new ways.  So for the past few days, I've been experimenting with pumpkin since it is in season and on sale for $2 a pumpkin.  Plus when I found out that a cup of pumpkin is only about 50 calories, I knew I had to find some good recipes for it!  AND it is a great source of vitamin A and a good source of potassium.

MASHED:

So far I have made boiled and mashed pumpkin two ways.  One was with some sweetner, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.  It was a sound dish, but a bit bland.  The other version had chicken broth, butter buds and a bit of Ms. Dash.  It resulted in a nice variation on starchy potatoes as a side dish for the roasted turkey tenderloin with which I served it. 

We were shocked how good
Roasted Pumpkin tastes!

ROASTED:

This is a new favorite in our house!  However, it takes a lot of hand strength and time to cube it.  In order to make roasted pumpkin, a fresh pumpkin must be cut up into 1" or so pieces and the peel must be cut off.  Then spray the cookie sheet with cooking spray and place the pieces on the cookie sheet.  Finally season with the seasonings of your choice, but so far our favorite is a bit of salt and Ms. Dash.  Finally, spray the top of the pumpkin lightly with cooking spray and put it in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.  The pieces should be turned over after about 12-15 minutes as the bottom starts to brown.  It has a very mild pumpkin flavor and it is yummy.

BAKED:

This has been my least favorite so far, but it was the easiest.  We cut off the top and cleaned out the inside.  Then we salted it lightly and turned it upside down in a baking dish with about 2" of water to bake.  I baked it at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes and the let it cool and cut it apart.  This resulted in a taste similar to a spaghetti squash, and I think it would be a good soup stir-in as it stays firm.

AND LET'S NOT FORGET THE SEEDS!

These were toasted a longer time by request so your seeds
don't have to be this brown to be yummy.

This year I tried a new roasted pumpkin seed recipe and it has the kids fighting over the seeds.  We start by boiling the seeds in salt water until they start to look gray.  Then drain the water and pat the dry on a paper towel.  Finally, place in a baggie with a little oil (and I do mean a little...like 1/2 a tsp per cup of seeds...it goes a long ways!) and some seasonings like just salt or Cajun or whatever you love on popcorn.  Place the seasoned seeds on a cookie sheet in a single layer and then bake at 325 degrees for about 20 minutes (depending on how toasted you like them).  It is best to stir them every 8-10 minutes while it cooks so the seeds cook evenly.   

Fall Rally

Well, it has been a few weeks since I mentioned weight loss and some of you may be wondering if I am still losing weight.  Indeed I am, but it is coming off more slowly as I get closer to my goal.  Unfortunately, I still have a LOT to lose before I reach goal.  I have now completed losing 58% of the weight that I need to lose.  So when I consider how much more there still is to lose, it can get depressing, even with my past success.  I find that I need the accountability of weekly weigh-ins at TOPS even more than ever to keep me on track.

Yes, I am showing off my pin....
but I did take it off before I went shopping.

Today was a special TOPS day because it was my first TOPS rally.  This morning around 9am, people from all over southwest Missouri met in Joplin to get encouraged and to encourage each other in their desire to be a healthy weight.  I would never have guessed in January when I went to that first TOPS meeting that I would be 115 pounds lighter by October, but if I had known, I would have been a lot more satisfied while dealing with hunger, cravings, old habits and new foods!  I certainly never would have guessed that I would even have lost a 100 this whole year so it was really special to receive my 100 pin today.

The rally was a great opportunity to hear how others were staying on track, reaching and keeping their goal weights for years.  It was a good reminder that even though "goal weight" is a long ways away, the ultimate goal of maintaining a healthy weight is never going to end and I am always going to need the support of people who will help me be accountable for my weight....I am so glad that I found a group as great as TOPS for that gentle, and sometimes crazy, but always consistent accountability. 

Exploring Kansas

It has been a long time since I posted, but we have been busy!  We have left the farm, and we have been back for a weekend visit because we miss it.  We purchased two homes in Kansas which we were preparing to be our new home, but now we have learned that the ideal school that we thought our kids would attend is likely closing so we are a bit hesitant to invest much more in the houses since we do not know if they will hold their value after the school closes.  We still have our home in Neosho and we are just starting the transition towards being Kansans. 

This Saturday was our first Saturday in Kansas, and we spent it exploring Hickory Creek Farm, which is just outside McCune.  Daddy had a debate tournament so it was just the kids, our helper, her younger brother and I.  This was my first time driving the bus, but we took mostly dirt roads from McCune.  I was relieved that we did not even meet another car on the way there.  By the time we were headed home, I was much more comfortable with the bus.  I might even drive it again.

The kids loved Hickory Creek Farm and due to the flatness of Kansas it was much easier for me with my wheelchair than our Missouri favorite at Right Choices Corn Maze.  Hickory Creek does not have accessible hay rides, but Grace carried Vanessa onto the wagon.  Jon has never cared for hayrides so he and I sat that out with him.  The playground area was awesome.  It has great activities, and it is mostly fenced which made watching Nate easier. 

Now I must say that I had always thought Ava, MO was very rural with country fun.  However, Kansas has reset the bar on rural fun.  While we were at Hickory Creek, we saw and even participated in events and activities like duck races, pig races, chicken races, rope making, and hay bale moving contests.  BTW-The duck race was my favorite!  Those ducks really move!

If you get a chance to come checkout Hickory Creek Farm, then please let Ruth know that we sent you and let us know so we can meet you at our new houses and give you a tour!

My "Tell All" Weight Loss Blog Entry

As I promised, now that I have lost 1/2 of the weight that I need to lose.  Here are all the terribly true details.

Start Date:                                          January 8, 2013
Start Weight:                                      319 (at TOPS)  

Current Weight as of Today               213.25 (at TOPS)

Weight Lost So Far:                           105.75

Current Anticipated Goal Weight:    115

This is me with our TOPS chapter President
from last week's meeting.

I am currently eating around 1200 calories a day and track my portions instead of directly counting calories.  I go to TOPS once a week and see a weight loss specialist every 6 weeks.  My diet gets adjusted by the specialist as needed, but I currently eat 4 portions of carbs, 6 portions of protein, 4 portions of veggies, 2 portions of fruit, 2 portions of milk protein, and 2 portions of fat/oils.

When I started in January, I was allowed more portions than now and I felt like I was starving. The portions seemed so small!  Now I typically feel satisfied with the portions that I should eat in order to keep losing.

Getting closer...to "tell all"

I have promised a "tell all" blog post when I have lost 1/2 of the weight that I need to loose.  Well folks, we are close...VERY close....like...only a 1/2 pound more to lose... CLOSE!

So I thought I'd share my weight gain story before I share my weigh loss story.

Two months before I started losing weight:
I realized that even I did not have enough kids to
hide my weight problem in photos.
I knew I HAD to lose weight!

When I was in my twenties, I exercised and followed a vegetarian diet.  Then I married a man who expected meat at meals, and I gained a little weight.  Then I had a child, and I gained a little weight.  Then I had a job with a lot of stress, and I gained a little weight.  Then arthritis started making exercise painful, and I gained a little weight.   

Then 3 years ago, we had a child with a life threatening heart condition.  A few months later, we added 4 children to our family after the earthquake in Haiti, which brought us to a total of 10 awesome children.  My round the clock schedule, my lack of personal time, and my need for energy made food the “go to” for a pick me up.  I snacked in the car to stay awake.  I snacked at midnight when I was tube feeding our son.  I needed my next “food fix” to keep going...or so I thought, and I gained a lot of weight.

    
I wanted to lose weight, but I did nothing until January when I faced my 40^th birthday.  I was depressed and disappointed with myself.  I decided it was time to make serious changes to improve my health.  On my birthday, I went to my first TOPS meeting.

Runaways!

Grace decided it was time to runaway.  She just couldn't take isolated country living, limited internet and constant sibling "companionship" anymore.  However, since she does not have a driver's license, she had to have me runway with her!  She was hoping to head into Ava for free internet at McDonald's, but I had a better idea.

We started with a stop at Henson's Gas Station in Champion, MO for some gas. (If you haven't been to Champion, you must check out their news.  Its a favorite web site of mine.) Grace had not been to Henson's and asked if they took debit card.  They were polite and did not laugh, but I did!  Then Grace was bewildered by the 40+ year old gas pumps so Betty Henson came and personally taught Grace how to pump gas.  (I couldn't believe Betty remembered my first name after all these years!  Its been over 30 years!)

Then we took the dirt roads to Assumption Abbey.  Grace had never been there and Fr. Paul took time to give her a tour and tell her about their daily lives.  She was impressed with their self-sufficiency, devotion to worship and hospitality.  The monks start their days at 3:15am and have worship 7 times a day.  They are very self-sufficient and even sew their own clothes.  The monks make and sell fruitcakes 6 days a week and they ship these fruitcakes around the world.  This is their 25th year of making fruitcakes, but when I was a child, they made blocks.  The Abbey offers a quiet retreat for contemplation and prayer. 


 We also stopped at the creek on Abbey property and enjoyed the beauty and quiet.  However, when I saw their posted signs, I think they need to sell these signs too. 

Finally, we headed to Rockbridge Trout Ranch for the afternoon.  This is one of my favorite places, but I've never brought any of our kids here with me so now my getaway is no longer a secret.  The Grist Mill is a great place to soak up the great views and enjoy some beverages (and per Grace's request....free internet).  The temperature was only 70 degrees with a light breeze so it was a perfect day for this outing.    It was a great day to runaway!  I'm glad Grace thought of it.

 

 

Summer Days in the Country

"What do you do at the farm?"

 So many people have asked me this question and they assume that our "city" kids must be bored.  However, so far except for a few rainy days, the kids have been delighted with country living....the creek, catching critters, visiting Cousin Carl's farm, playing casting games with the fishing pole, going to town to Ava Drug, and building tents inside the house are their favorite activities so far. 

Ava Drug's Soda Fountain is a favorite treat.

David and Vanessa with a critter.

We still have lots to do and we are quickly running out of Summer Days to fit it all into on this visit.  The kids seem to think that this might be a good place to visit every Summer so maybe we'll just take another walk and save some of the other activities for next Summer.