Productive...

Yesterday was a productive day!!

I completed one whole project and am almost done with a second!! What a great feeling!

Most of the things on my to-sew list are things to be given away. Whether that be baby shower gifts, wedding gifts, Christmas gifts, or birthday gifts. Occasionally there is something on there for just me. Just me!

Now I can cross one of those things off.

I have needed a different bean bag for newborn shoots for quite some time. My current one is an Iowa State one that I got at Target for $5. It is bright red and yellow and shaped like the typical bean bag. I have had the idea for a flatter bean bag in my mind for a very long time. Last night I actually put that idea onto paper and got it accomplished. It is really sad considering it didn't even take me 2 hours and that includes time to cut and sew! I just need to get some filling for it. I thought about just using the filling that is currently in my old bean bag but have decided that I don't want to use the tradition pellets. I am leaning towards foam scraps. 1 because they are cheaper. 2 because they are cleaner. We'll just have to see when I go to JoAnns on Friday.

Austin is actually going with me on Friday. I don't think he is aware of this yet. My birthday is Saturday and he is horrible about buying gifts so we usually go out just the two of us and I pick out my gift. Well, I've decided, this year to combine my birthday and Christmas and get a Kindle but he doesn't need to know that yet. So while we are out on Friday I can coerce him to go to JoAnns. I'll play it that I can't decide what I want for the b-day present but that I need the stuffing for my project. I know just genius!! That's me! And he says I don't know how to manipulate him... While we are there I'll get the rest of the supplies for Christmas presents.

I did complete a wedding gift last night. It is a dish mat. You know for when you take plastics out of the dish washer you can just set them on the dish mat to dry. Or if you have a pan that you don't like to put in the dishwasher. A pretty dish mat! I love it and Austin asked if I was really sure I wanted to just give it away. Evidently he thinks it would look good in our kitchen.

On tonight's agenda is two camera straps. I had made them before and had them setting aside ready to go to their new owners but now I can't find them. So instead of tearing apart my house I'm just gonna make new ones. So much easier.

Whoa...

Where did my day go... Woke up, ate, cleaned the bathroom, did some dishes, fed Zoey, did a little work, fed Zoey, picked up the living room (yet again), fed Zoey, picked up the dining room...

It has just been a blur!

Now I'm gonna finish this here and get started on some Christmas gifts... not very many days left... I decided that they only person we are actually buying gifts for would be each other and Mason. I'll let you know how all that goes after the holidays...

Monday...

We all know how much I love Mondays...

Today though I started babysitting a 3 month old little girl full time. She is so sweet and so quiet and Mason just loves her. And now I'd better go feed said little girl some lunch...

Novemeber 14

I finally got home today... It was a long day. The two gals I rode up with had a couple of stops to make on the way home... I sat in the car at the first stop. By the time of the second stop, Target with a JoAnns next door, I needed to buy another book to read on the way home. After buying my book I realized that they were no where near ready to check out. So I went to JoAnns.

I love a good fabric store. So many possibilities!!

I found my favorite print in a cotton fabric instead of flannel. Well I guess I shouldn't say my favorite but other peoples favorites for little girly blankets and accessories.

I decided to get 6 yards which would get me 4 blankets and some burp clothes and some bibs. I take it up to the cutting counter and the lady takes F O R E V E R...

First she counted out 7 yards instead of 6 and instead of having her count it out again I just said 7 was fine. Then she realized there was only 6 inches left on the bolt so I told her to throw that on there too. She told me that she would have to put it on separate because she didn't know how to put it on her thing. I suggested she forget about the extra inch and just put it in as 7 and 1/16 yards. She said she couldn't because then I would get that inch for free. I countered that as I can one inch samples of any fabric in the store for free... She was confused because the store had only been open a week and so I just decided to go with the flow.

It took her 30 minutes to cut my fabric. One yard of brown minky, two yards of pink flannel, and the 7 yards 6 inches of butterfly I ended up with...

As you can imagine I was just slightly annoyed when I headed to the check out... I finally get everything paid for and head out the door to meet back up with my friends who have just gotten back to the vehicle...

We pull out of the parking lot and that is when I decide to see how much I actually saved at JoAnns by using my coupons... First thing I notice is my total. 25.16. Twenty-five dollars and sixteen cents!! How crazy! I noticed that I didn't get charged full price for the butterfly. I got charged for .196 yards and .167 yards, or $1.16 and 1.00 respectively.

I don't feel bad about getting that much for free!! I have been screwed over enough times by that chain that I just don't care. Will it stop me from going there to buy most of my stuff? No!

And so now I've got plenty of baby blanket making supplies.

I finally got home about 6. It is going to feel so good to sleep in my own bed tonight.

November 13

Well, to start the day off good a good nights sleep is required...

Lisa wasn't feeling well due to her own medical problems, Jodi is getting over her a cold and was up all night coughing, Tracey forgot her mouth guard and was grinding her teeth all night and Molly was snoring softly... I am a very light sleeper. It was not a good combination!

Oh, and did I mention it was hot in the room and we had no window we could open.

Anyhoo... Tracey, Molly and me all got up around 7:30 and got dressed to go to the conference. It was really good and I always get so much out of it. I won't bore you with the details but I would encourage you to go next year. It is always a good time!!

AAfter the conference Tracey and Molly headed home because they had obligations tomorrow. Lisa, Jodi and me headed to supper and of course more shopping! Then we saw a bowling alley. It was early enough that we decided a little bowling was in order... I rocked with scores of 96 and 58. A sad thing considering my average in the leagues Austin and I have been in over the years have been around 170. But you know that is with my custom drilled ball and my own bowling shoes. A huge difference in quality, weight and comfort...

After bowling we were on the way back to the hotel and Lisa saw a KMart so of course they had to stop!

Now we are back at the hotel and I have a bed all to myself and am really hoping for a good nights sleep. The drive home should be interesting. We will be driving home through some snow. By the time we get up in the morning there could be 3 inches of the of the horrible white stuff on the ground.

I knew winter was coming but was hoping it would hold off for a little longer. Mason and I played outside Tuesday barefoot... Now we get to build snowmen and sled!! Yay!!

November 12

Note: My phone obviously doesn't like to post when I push publish...

This morning I woke up early, got dressed, threw my bags in the car and headed up to Webster City to meet up with some friends for the long drive to Rochester Minnesota. I was so proud of myself that I was actually on time!!

It was a great day for a drive... right... It was cold a rainy and windy!

Our first stop was Medford. Yep! An hour out of the way. For what you ask. Shopping of course!! If you know me then you know that shopping is not my idea of a fun day. Especially a day of shopping with 4 women who love to shop. None had anything specific they were looking for. Just shopping for the sake of shopping... After several hours of shopping we headed on over to Rochester. The roads were slushy... and it had started to snow.

After getting to our destination city these same girls noticed we were early and decided to do some more shopping. I know! Even more shopping!

We finally got to the hotel and dressed we headed to the Hearts at Home Mom's night out. We got to hear Sally Bauke. (www.funnygalsal.com) She is so funny. But maybe I just think so because her husband is also a 'nerdy engineer' so I understand what she means when she makes fun of him...

It was just such a great night that it almost evens out all the shopping. Almost!

Now it is late and I have to get up early in the morning. Tomorrow should be fun! Right now though I get to enjoy a night of child/dog/husband uninterupted sleep.

November 11

Today I found myself driving to Cedar Falls to watch the Fremont-Mills Knights taking on Armstrong-Ringsted in the state football semi-finals.
It was such a great game. Our Knights played with honor and heart! They had such a great season it was so wonderful to see them get so far. I hope their momentum carries over to next season. I think having the semi-final trophy in the case will just motivate them to get back there next year.
Now that my throat hurts and my head is still pounding I'm going to bed. Got to get up early to head to Rochester for the Hearts at Home conference. Girls weekend! Woot woot!!

November 10

So a couple of days ago my husband made a wierd request of me... Get your minds out of the gutter...



He wanted me to take some different photos of Woody and Monktey... Here is just a little preview. You'll have to stalk his blog for the actual release and the story. I think it might be my favorite yet!! I've tried convincing him that he needs to post more often but he won't and then he won't let me read the ones he has ahead of time I have to check my blogger reader everyday just for his post. I did get to read this one though so that I knew what type of photos he wanted.

After this little project I told my husband rather sweetly that if he was gonna continue to be such a tough customer that he was gonna have to start paying my session fee... He just laughed at me.

November 9

Just a little of the work I was trying to do yesterday... Jeremiah and his wife Karen are really two of the sweetest people. We got quite a few great photos but this was their favorite.

November 8

I was busy all day today editing some family photos of a friend. That is all I did while Austin was at work.

If you believe that then you have never met my son!!

Mason is what I would call spoiled only child challenged. He somehow has gotten it into his head that I am his playmate... This does not work well when I am trying to get something done. You know like clean, work, cook, clean...

Between editing my friends session I made no less than a hundred trips up the stairs to 'play' and have 'fun'. Obviously Mason's definition of 'play' and 'fun' differ from mine. It sure didn't help our schedule when he poops 4 times and only once was on the potty. No, he wasn't sick! He complained about his tummy hurting and that isn't too far fetched I'm sure. I'm positive that his stomach hurt... These were not little poops. So today he is off of milk which is kinda like asking him to drink vinegar instead...

He just doesn't understand that he can't have milk. Especially chocolate milk... I'm such a mean mommy because when he open the fridge there is two gallons of the yummy chocolate milk. To him I am just being selfish...

So after arguing with him all day over the milk and the not using the potty as the poop receptacle Austin got home and thankfully took him to town with him. I then had around an hour in which to do anything I wanted. I decided to make supper. I put supper on the stove and then I made some oatmeal raisin cookies.

My husband knows something is up because that is two days in a row I have made cookies...

He is such a smart man...

He'll know it is something really big tomorrow when I make the peanut butter cookies I've been craving... I'm just gonna let him wonder about it for awhile.

...

My sister, Marianne, has had a rough time of it lately. This evening, after an extended illness (3 years), her mother-in-law passed away. In most families this would be a hardship in and of itself. My sister though I'm sure is more relieved.

I know this sounds callous but it isn't meant that way. Marianne's husband, Jesse, has non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, for the 3rd time in 3 years. This last time it came back just 3 months after his stem cell transplant. They opted for the chemo pill clinical study this time instead of doing the regular chemo. It was suppose to be easier, less side effects, etc. It hasn't been. Jesse is in pain all the time. There has been times the pain has been so bad he has used lamaze breathing to deal with it. The last two times he has gone through treatment he has gained weight but this time he has lost about 50 pounds.

They have been at the hospital everyday for a long time. Whether it was for Jesse or just to see his mom, most days it was both. I don't know how Marianne has kept it together so well. I'm sure I would have already crumbled.

Tonight I pray for peace for this family and a 10 marker match for Jesse.

I don't think most people realize how important it can be to be a living donor. It can be as easy as giving blood. I would not hesitate to give given the opportunity. A couple of weeks ago we, being my mom, sisters, and me, signed up for marrow donation. It is so easy to register. Just go to Be The Match and register. They send out a self kit which basically includes a questionnaire and 4 q-tip things. Fill out the questionnaire and swap your mouth in 4 places, mail it in and you're done.

I'm hoping tomorrow brings better news.

Nail Biter

Last nights game was awesome!! Our boys did so well.

The Wildcats had some big boys on their team. Most the size of our biggest boy. It looked like David and Goliaths out there. Well at least until we actually started playing. We might not have had an even size advantage but they are fast and slippery.

Everything was going great the first half. We were on the scoreboard. Hell, we were winning 14 to zip at the half.

That is when the refs decided they didn't like us.

Bad calls, blind eyes, shifting the ball, calling the ball down before it was down, holding calls, and one unsportsman like conduct that no-one saw and ref never did announce who it was on but they sure took our 15 yards. But don't worry they weren't all around bad refs. They were doing great for the Wildcats!

In the middle of all the bad calls the Wildcats got on the scoreboard. Tied.

F-M ran for two touchdown passes for over 50 yards and both times flags were thrown as soon as our guy broke through the line. There were a lot of upset people.

By the end of regulation game they kept fighting over the 50 yard line so they let time run out and we went into overtime.

As always there is a coin toss to see who would get offense first. The Knights won the right. I was a little worried when the Wildcats were excited about getting defense first...

The Knights went in there and gave it their all.

As I understand it they get possession on the 10 yard line and have 4 tries to get a touchdown.

I swear the Wildcats put in their biggest boys. It looked grim the first 3 attempts but finally on the 4th our guy broke through their line and scored. I have never yelled so loud (the whole 2nd half really). We missed our extra point. Not a problem we were still in it.

Wildcats get a turn... Our boys did awesome and pushed the ball back a yard on the first try. I don't think anyone was sitting down... oh and I had to pee so bad... anyways... Our boys did great on the second but they gained a couple of yards. And it was so cold we couldn't feel our feet. The third they gained a couple more yards. By the time they started the 4th the crowd was just one big yell...

They cracked...

FUMBLE!!!

We WON!!!

There was a bunch of cheering (not too many by the actual cheerleaders though) and jumping up and down. My throat hurts today... like hurts to just breathe.

Our boys were good winners and took a knee as the Wildcats were presented with their trophy. The Wildcats were very gracious losers too. After they accepted their trophy the players and crowd just quietly dispersed. Almost eerie how quick and quiet it happened.

It makes me ponder if we had lost... would we have been as gracious? After all the bad calls and near misses. Would we have been able to leave quietly?

I don't think we would have been able to.

One more game and we are in the state final. The next game is in Cedar Falls at the UNI Dome on Thursday November 11th. I don't know if I have my husband talked into letting me go yet or not. I would have to find a babysitter for the entire day and then the next morning I take off for Minnesota for the weekend...

It might take a couple more of sweet talking and good hot meals for supper... but you know... on time and stuff like that...

I'm not ready to throw the birthday 'card' in yet to get my way. I have other plans for that ploy...

Love/Hate Pandora

Pandora no longer controls how many hours a month we listen to music on our phones!! It feels so good to cut the Pandora strings!!

Thanks to the Tune In app on our Droid phones we are able to tune into local and national radio stations. Right now I'm sitting in Stratford Iowa and listening to an Omaha radio station. AWESOME!! A station that I drove out of signal around mile marker 73 or so...

There might be commercials but at this day and age I think that is a given. Just something we all have to get over. Or if your like me, learn how to work around. It is so quick to change channels that as soon as I hear that commercial start I am already listening to something else.

My absolute favorite though is that I can get the KLOVE stations.

And before I forget... GO KNIGHTS!! I'm skipping a wedding to go to the playoff game. I don't feel guilty though... I've got their gift ready to mail... Now I need to wash my winter coat so I don't freeze my tail off tonight!! Woo Hoo!! GO KNIGHTS!!

I Don't Think I Actually Slept...

I don't feel like I've even gone to bed... I've had the same cah-ra-z-ay dreams for 2 nights in a row. I wake up, or really just decide to open my eyes, and my eyes feel like sandpaper. I'm draggin butt today. There is plenty I could be doing but it isn't getting done... I was going to start laundry but when I went into the bathroom I decided while staring at the pile in front of the washer that it was just too much work. I just couldn't be bothered to lift that pile the six inches that is required to put it in the washer.
And yet I know this and it didn't change anything... It is Thursday. I'll be in a crappy mood if I want to be!

Day 3

I'm having huge problems staying awake today... I go on very little sleep while down at my mom's... Like. Very. Little. Sleep.

When I finally got home yesterday I set Mason up in front of the tv and jumped in the shower because they smoke in the house down there and that smell just kinda lingers... My husband got home early so I had to dig into my clothes that came home with me and as you have guessed they didn't smell just laundered fresh. Kinda ruins the great mood I was already in.

We all loaded up and headed into town. Thankfully we live in a very rural area and didn't have to wait too long to vote. Too long being more than a couple of minutes. Next stop was the grocery store. Austin decided on ham steaks for supper. Is there anything easier? After the store we headed to Boone to WalMart. Toy Story 3 came out yesterday on DVD. By the time we got home and Mason bathed and ate it was past bedtime.

Today has been spent just trying to catch up. You know doing laundry, washing dishes, picking up, vacuuming, telling the little boy no a millon times. Sad thing is that tomorrow looks like much of the same.

Friday I am going to the next round of playoff for the Knights since the game is only about an hour from my house. Then next week will be spent with me getting things easier for my husband to handle while I am out of town for the weekend. Secretly I hope that Mason is a complete terror for him... He deserves no better than I get on a regular basis...

And that sums up day 3. Tune in for another exciting installment tomorrow. One where I'll hopefully have more than 5 minutes and can actually put photos on.

Day 2

So as I was saying yesterday my day started by getting puked on. Well today started by me puking. Aren't kids awesome. They share illnesses so well.
Yesterday morning Mason woke up, lifted his head, looked at me and puke came flying out of his little mouth... all over me... Totally not the way I like to start the day. Through out the day he puked another 4 or 5 times. He wasn't feverish and was acting competely normal. It was just that every onnce in a while he would stop playing and make a run for the bathroom. Not that he actually made it to the bathroom every time but the effort was appreciated. I had not anticipated him sharing his malady but he sure did! At 4 this morning I found myself bowing to the porceline thrown... thanks Mason!!
I cannot afford to be sick. Today we have to drive home to vote! I sure hope everyone remembers to go vote today!! If you've been reading this blog for long I'm fairly sure you know how I am going to vote. I don't vote right down party lines though because let's admit it there are crooked politicians on both sides...
I'll just sum up just how much this day will suck... I have to drive home. Hopefully this will get accomplished without me puking in the car. I have to shower as soon as I get home because after staying at mom's I have that faint smell of ashtray all over me. Then I have laundry to do so I can wear something clean to the polling place. Ha! Hopefully I don't have to wait too long for my wonderful husband to get home so we can vote together.
And so this concludes day 2. I have some goods things lined up for the rest of the week. A recap of Halloween and a couple of other projects with... wait for it... PHOTOS!! Mason and all the other little boys were so cute and my little projects are too if I say so myself!

WooHoo

Well we know I can go a month without posting as evidenced by last month. This is now November. We, meaning me, are going to try to post everyday this month... We'll have to see how I do. Really how hard can it be... I might be eating those words by next week... I am not doing this alone though... my friend Jess has joined me in this challenge... I am doing this on my Dro.id so bear with me. Her blog address is http://frontporchbeauty.blogspot.com...

Who knows I might even post more photos this month!!!

Now onto other news...

Fremont-Mills won their football game tonight... 65 to 27!!!! It was such a great game!! The cheerleaders sucked... but the game was great! Now F-M continues on in the playoffs. It would be an understatement to say that the whole town is beyond excited!

And that concludes day one of thirty.

A day that started out with me getting puked on and ended with a great football game. More on the puking tomorrow,,,

Overview

Well... this month is just flying by.

I decided I should have at least one post this month. You know just because.

So lets see... what we've been up to...

Um... As you can tell it has been really memorable.

We went camping for Labor Day. The overnight temps were in the low 40's the first night. The next two nights Mason spent the night in my sister's camper. We had tons of fun! Mason got to play with his cousins and I got to 'play' with my sisters. Over all it was a great weekend.

The next weekend was a family reunion on my Dad's side. You know just a little gathering that my husbad refers to as the freak show and we refer to as the dating game to my brothers. It was a gorgeous day. Mason played and played and went to bed early. YAY!

Then I spent the week at my mom's house. I helped Cammie and Ricky get their new house ready for carpet and counter tops Monday night. I got back to mom's around 4 am. Got to bed around 5:30. Mason got up at 7. I know AWESOME... Tuesday evening we went to my nieces volleyball game where I got to meet my brother, Donnie Guy's, new girl friend. After Mason went to bed I went back up to Cammie's and helped some more... Wednesday my mom was off from work so we spent the day with her. Well Mason did at least. I left them at home playing and went to help Cammie and Ricky with their deck. Thursday Mason and I stayed around long enough to have lunch with Cam and Ricky and then we headed home. I had told Austin that I would be home by the time he got home. I made it by 10 minutes.

I wouldn't have helped Cammie and Ricky nearly so much as I am more of a supervisor than helper but Cammie was sick. Like sick sick. Snotty nose, cough, fever, the whole bit. I stressed to her that it would not become habit to 'help'.

Friday Austin took a half day at work. We did some work outside and then went to a friends house for supper.

Saturday Mason spent with Austin's parents. You know the people that live 10 minutes away and yet hadn't seen their grandson for 6 weeks. Those grandparents... It was suppose to be a weekend but ended up being just Saturday from about 10 to 7 or so when they dropped him off. I was personally surprised it happened at all. I know such faith. Ha! I just know them. Sad.

Sunday was spent outside. We finished taking the coopla off the corn crib and burning it. I am still sore from the demolition. Austin was clear up on the platform that used to be under the coopla, you know before it started to fall over... I was for sure he was going to come down with the stupid thing. About a year ago one side and half the roof came tumbling down so only half of it was still up there. It looks so much better now. Our fire was a little hot. We had it set up on a cement slab next to the barn and the barn was HOT to the touch. I know probably not the safest but we didn't really care if the barn burned down or not.

The fire was still going, although a lot smaller, at 3 in the morning when I let the dogs out. I can't wait until we get to burn our huge (HUGE) brush pile. We just need to find a weekend where all of our friends are in town. It is big enough though that we might end up finding a babysitter so we don't have to worry about all the little ones around the fire though. Bonus: Austin is getting ready to add to the pile.

Last night was another night spent outside. We have hopefully mowed the yard for the last time!! We typically keep our grass about 3.5 inches but we cut it down to 2 inches for fall. Nothing is worse than tall dead grass when you are trying to walk in the snow or play with a 3 year old before it snows...

So that is what we have been up to.

Yippee

The tutorial for the ironing board is up and functional. Now my husband can just read it instead of asking me huh? whenever I try to explain it.

Onto other good GREAT news. A friend I made through my sister has just purchased a long arm for quilting. Lucky lucky me!! (The long arm is what makes all the pretty stitching designs on quilts)

Ahhh... Monday

I don't know about anyone else but my weekend went super fast!!

Saturday morning Mason and I loaded up and headed south. My little sister, Cameron, is turning 28 today. I had not planned on going down this weekend. I also remember the last time I skipped one of Cammie's birthdays. She didn't talk to me for like 6 weeks. I think I learned my lesson. So we stopped halfway and rode the rest of the way with my older sister, Marianne.

I don't generally "ride" with anyone preferring to control every situation in which I'm in a moving car. This weekend though I just didn't 'feel' like driving and Marianne is generally a good driver. You will notice I said generally.

So Mason and I get to her house and we get the carseat switched over which was an adventure all in itself. We get headed to the interstate and I always look to see how much gas people have that I am riding with because one of my biggest pet peeves is running out of gas or having to search last minute for a gas station. And that really fairly well sums up my family. They will put in just enough to make it to their destination and it just makes me nervous. So here we are almost to the interstate and I notice that she is already on E. I hint at it and she said 'Alright but just to shut you up but we do have enough to make it all the way to Tabor.' There is not rejoiner for that. None. So she humored me and pulled into the gas station and put in 4 gallons. Yep. I mean really there was no need to fill the tank was there. Then I notice that her front tire was almost flat.

After finally getting the gas in the tank and the tire aired up she decided to wash her car. She put in her $2 worth of quarters and starts washing the car. We were both listening for the beeps of the machine telling us she needed to add more quarters to keep it running and it never beeped it just shut off and there was still soap all over the car. In order to start the machine again she needed to put in another $2 in. Well she only had 7 quarters. Seven as in S-E-V-E-N. You know $1.75. So she searched her car for more quarters and found none. Neither of us had any dollar bills. No that would have been to easy. The only cash either of had on us was a 20 dollar bill. The change machine only gives quarters. So there went my 20 dollar bill for 80 quarters. She only used one.

So there I am stuck with all these quarters. I know how awesome!!

So she finally finishes and pulls out of the car wash and pulls up to a spot in the middle of nowhere in the middle of this parking lot and gets out and gets a bottle of oil out of her trunk. Yep. Not only did we have to get gas and air up a tire and wash the car but we also had to put oil in.

She just totally verified why I always drive.

To top off the rest of the drive she texted and drove with her knee. And somehow I forgot that she hugs that middle line something fierce.

By the time we got to my mom's I'd almost decided that I'd had enough excitement for the weekend but I knew that if I didn't 'go out' that Cammie wouldn't talk to me until Halloween. So I sucked it up knowing it would be me driving home.

We had an awesome time going out in Tabor. We visited both bars and they drank and drank and drank. Oh, and who could forget the smoking and smoking and smoking. I know sounds awesome. We laughed and made fun of each other all night. We even got to see some people we hadn't seen in a long time. Nothing like catching up with old friends.

We got back to mom's around 3 and we couldn't believe she had waited up for us. She didn't even wait up for us in high school. She never knew what time we got home now though she has to know what time we get home and she has us call her when we leave town. Even though it is only 4.5 miles.

Sunday morning came way too early. At 8 am my son and nephew were outside punting a football at the front of the house. Unfortunately for Mare and me we were sleeping in the bedroom at the front of the house. Hard to sleep when you hear the football hitting the front of the house and them yelling at each other through the open windows.

Our wonderful mother made us some oh so yummy pancakes and eggs. No worry of salmonella from these eggs though. They are fresh from the hen house behind the house. We enjoyed a lazy morning with family. My mom's mom and sister came down and we ate water melon for lunch. Really a almost perfect Sunday morning.

We left mom's at one and headed home. You know after the stop at hy-vee for food stuff for camping next weekend. I usually just give my sister money for my part of the groceries because it easier than me finding another cooler to bring meat in. This year though I just paid for my meat at the store and she'll bring it out with the camper. I also picked up all the stuff for my punch. I'm taking 6 bags of it this year. I know we'll go through at least that much.

We got to Mare's about 3 and I finally got home about 7:30. You know after my own stop at the grocery store. I knew Austin hadn't been home all weekend because he was helping a friend with some hay. Yes, he is crazy!! He volunteers to help with hay for free. FREE!! Crazy.

And that brings us to today. So far today I've actually unloaded our bag (and my suitcase from the weekend before) and washed clothes, cleaned the bathroom (including Cometing the tub), washed dishes, vacuumed, swept and mopped, and now blogged. I'd say that makes today a fairly productive day. I think it is now time for a nap. It's going to be a busy week.