1/29/09

Thursday Jan. 29 M&P went in to rec center about 6 this am. Evan and I read a book... about 6 times. I left for school about 7:25. Good day at Battle Creek. After school I met Denny in Arthur and we rode up to Storm Lake to get 2 sow feeders at Hog slat, heat bulbs and parts to replace and fix broken heat lamps at Bomgaars, A-I tubes at Nelson Feeds, a clock at Wall Mart for an Awana room so they get out on time, 2 boxes of chocolate mint cookies at Goodwill...AND 2 $1.00 sandwiches at McDonalds. How's that for exciting? He left me off at my car and I stayed at church until 8:30. The ladies were having a work night. Bring any project you would like to work on. I just stopped to watch and eat the snacks. Someone brought little smokies wrapped in bacon and baked in the oven...super greasy...super good...at least that's what I heard some one say. Surprisingly enough Emily and Danielle were playing Slap. (They had another name for it...but it was still Slap)Watched ER with Dad when I got home. I thought about Mandy as they had a code call.

1/28/09

Wed. Jan. 28 HOT DOG!!! The sisters are gathering in Texas on Feb. 20th. I think Gail comes in at 4:38...Nancy come in at 8:46 and Jean come in at 10:58. Hope the car is working okay. I'll wear out a path going to the airport. Luckily it is only 5-10 miles away from 4 Seasons. Big day at the unit. I'm tired. 6am -5pm. Wean, load out and spray. Luckily Nancy Rogge called me to sub tomorrow, so I'll be at the middle school. Just ask me math questions. Good Awana tonight. Only 10 regular club meetings left. I called Linda Harriman yesterda. She had some furniture listed for a moving sale. Maybe a leather sofa and chairs. They are brown and I'm sure she will want to sell them for more than I want to pay. She said she had 8 chairs...how can that be...8 leather chairs. I'm going to look at them next week.

1/27/09

R&R Tuesday Jan. 27 I've worked at the rec center on Tuesday mornings from 4;30-10 for 5 years. Every Jan. I go around and shake and stir the old cans of paint and touch up dings on the walls of the rooms. I finished the job for this year. The lids are really getting ripped up. In fact 3 of the 6 cans Malcolms wouldn't shake on the machine because they were sealed tightly. So I did a lot of stirring. Missy and Tasha came to exercise so I watched kids after I got done working. Phillip has been very diligent of the largest loser contest so I told him I'd fix supper for them after his class tonight. Plus we wanted to hear about the weekend at Parkersburg. We ate Chinese. Teriacki pork and vegetables plus chicken sesame & sweet and sour chicken. I took carry out. Nice meal. Plus Fruit pizza.

Spring is coming soon! I hope.

1/26/09

Monday Jan. 26. As Denny and I sit in our warm little office where the computer is...it was a pretty good day. We worked at the unit...weighing and marking small pigs before noon...giving shots to 925 pigs after lunch. I went with Missy to the rec center from 5-6:15. Eight Bible study girls came at 6:30. Denny and I sit in the office just visiting. Tomorrow will be early for me at the rec center. I did fill out a survey for my airline ticket. Now hopefully I will win a free round trip ticket to any place in 48 states. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Both Nancy and Gail are flying to Texas on the 20th of Feb. Hopefully Jean can join us too.

1/25/09

Sunday Jan. 25 Worked at unit. Missed having my donut boy go with me to SS. After church Mike and Brenda Bergman asked us to join them at Subway. They also invited Kenny and Cyndi Ferris who came to church today for the first time with their 5 kids. Awana Sunday and quite a few wore their uniforms. Lazy afternoon and church tonight. Gail called last night and she has gotten tickets to fly to Brownsville also. She had misplaced her coupon so I gave her my code numbers and they found her name with the $200 credit. She even got a lot better price than I did. This picture was taken at Awesome Biker nights at Sioux City this summer.

1/24/09

R&R Sat. Jan 24 Jensens left about 7:30 am for Parkersburg where Phillip is preaching 2 services on Sunday. We worked at the unit and then went to Howard andAnabels for a visit. This picture is from June celbration. In the afternoon Denny worked on books on the computer and I worked on digital photo album pages. As I worked the process time got slower and slower. The machine was just a humming. About 6 Denny started a fire in the coop and some polish sausage in a fry pan. We put away tubs of Christmas decorations is the attic and made salad. Nice warm supper in the quiet of the coop. Then we watched a video of a church Christmas program where Luke was about 3-4.

1/23/09

R&R Fri. Jan. 23 The picture was taken Thur. at the rec center. No, I don't thnk they are a couple of block heads. Missy subbed today so I watched the kids a couple hours in the am... Denny thinks I'm so LUCKY!!! I think so too. I took E&A to great granny's. She sent home a sample of Diane's great meat balls. In pm I had a home school field trip. The Ida County naturalist had owl pellets for about 15-20 home schoolers to dissect. I gave 2 Bergman and 2 Master kids a ride. Then after the science lesson I took the 4 to Selections and Dollar General and they picked out things for the Awana store. Pretty easy shopping for me. They would pick up something...I'd say "Put it in the cart." Or we'd talk about it ," Would you spent 20 shares on this toy?" No guns or Barbie dolls...Just stuff they were interested in... a tape measure, a nurse kit, balls, cars, a tea set, puppets, etc. I also got a work out at the rec center during the pellet class. Susan watched the kids.

1/22/09

R&R Thurs. Jan. 22 I couldn't get on the right blog spot last night to post. Good full day. We got a phone call for Missy to sub so I went to the unit early and came home & watched the kids from 7:30 and on. I took them to Bible study at Susan Goodenows. Evan said he wanted to go to Susie's. Anabel slept from 1:30- 3:30 there. Evan lay down in a port a crib for about an hour...then made enough noise that I brought him out to the living area and he lay mesmerized with a Vegitale movie for another hour. We went to the rec center and I watched the kids while M&P worked out. Then I went 45 min...4 mile on ellip and some machine exercises etc. NICE visit with Luke when I got home. Denny had sprayed out F room #1 all by himself today.

1/21/09

Wed. Jan. 21 WE GOT TICKETS!!! Went on line and Going to Brownsville. Feb. 13-17 for Denny and Feb 13-24 for me. Even used my $200 travel certificate. Last Feb. Gail and I were bumped to a different flight to McAllen for $200. Then Continental paid for our taxi to Brownsville. I didn't think we would be able to use it, but Praise the Lord it worked. Denny would like to take the motorcycle, but we may have to borrow Torren's birthday present if we want to take a bike. Gail and Nancy are driving, leaving Iowa on the 20th and coming back to Iowa some time in early March. Denny finished putting cement around the pump. Missy said she was shocked that I didn't take pictures of the work in progress. It was a big job...but now that it is almost completed it doesn't look like so much. Just have to hook up the discharge line someplace (Whatever that means, as you might guess I just wrote what Denny was saying.) He said was was probably 12 cubic feet of dirt. 2x2x3. I headed to Carroll with Missy and kids this am. I bought about 3 cubic feet of dirt for planting some dahlia bulbs, If I would have know all that Denny did...and dug... I could have saved some Dirt money. He said it was mainly clay anyway. Awana tonight...on the way there I was really tired and discouraged,but once I get there it goes fast and IT JUST IS GOOD. Mike Bergman brought one clubber up to Denny with the exciting news that he had accepted the Lord. Denny says he gets goosebumps every time it happens.

1/20/09

Tuesday Jan. 20 Early am in the rec center. I was looking forward to watching the inauguration today. Quite a monumental day!! I wanted to remember where I was when it took place. Well, I was in the play room watching E,A, Abby and Zachary. I will always remember it. Just like I remember I was in a classroom in country Burr Oak school...7th grade when President Kennedy was assassinated. I worked out afterward Ellip-4 miles 45 min. Then I got a treat of Chinese take out for supper tonight. This afternoon Missy and I got sewing machines out. Missy finished a nursing cover up. I finished putting a ruffle on a quilt. And a tag blanket for Torgrude's baby. I went to BB game at 6:30 and home school meeting at 7. Denny stayed home and finished the pump...Knocked out more concrete put in pipes for electricity and water...Plus 8 pails of pea gravel. It's pretty much done.

Instead of Evan jumping on the bed or sofa I told him he could jump on the pillows.

1/19/09

R&R Mon. Jan 19 It was good to talk to Mandy this am. She was getting off work and pumped because she got to go on a code run during the 7pm to 7am shift. Quite an adrenaline rush for her. She loves her job. Hopefully soon to have passed phase 5. I took and passed the online class I had to take to update my teaching certificate. Denny and I had a tax appointment this afternoon at 2. Bible study here.MJ FJ SW MD TB SP EM DD Denny got the equipment to start to put in the sump pump. He used a cement saw to cut through the concrete and a sledge hammer to break it up. He and Phillip carried out lots of pails of dirt. Phillip and Michael Ward really did a alot of work cleaning. Hopefully it will work and there will be no more water running through the basement next spring. This am Dr. Armbrecht and Curt Raasch came to the unit for a walk through. Kinda depressing because the pigs are not the healthiest. We just keep trusting the Lord. This month it looks like we will only have 700 to sell instead of the 1200 we would like to have go out. every month. OUCH!! Keep trusting.

1/18/09

Sunday Jan. 18 Up in time to get donuts with Evan before Sunday school. Reach Global missions Al and Edie from Fort Dodge talked. After church took Laura Stangl home, salads and naps. Denny listened to the monitor while Jensens and I went to the Rec Center. 4 miles in 45 min. Later Denny took Evan out to move snow with the tractor and I went to church.

1/17/09

R&R Sat. Jan. 17 Keith and Val were leaving for a Pheasant Forever conference in Des Moines at 6:30 in am. We got up with them and had a cup of coffee, then we went back to bed. At 9:30 we left and stopped at Pat and Dureens. We had arranged it yesterday to see them. Good to visit and look at pictures of Amber and family. The drive home was icky...snow packed and slippery conditions. Home about 3:30. We watched A&E while M&P went to the rec center and out for a treat of Chinese. Later we watched the DVD Generals and Gods.

1/16/09

R&R Fri. Jan 16. Up to the unit early so I could drive the Intrepid in to IG and get a tire fixed. Small towns, you got to love them. I took the car to Rupps. Jack asked me if I was going to the rec center. I said "Yes". He volunteered his son to drive me there. When the tire was fixed he would bring the car to the rec center and leave it there for me. Pretty sweet. I went 4 miles in 45 min at the rec center and then went home. We left about 10 am to drive to Manchester. The memorial service was very nice. We saw Jim and Carol Neppl and their son Jeff there. About 5 pm we went to Krauses and ate supper, visited and spent the night there. So good to see friends.

1/15/09

Thburrsday, Jan. 15 Mark said it was -26 on his car thermometer this am. Worked at unit until 2:30 mostly clearing up the shop and office. At 3:30 I went with P&M to the rec center. We took turns watching kids. 33 min on elliptical 3 miles. Denny came and got me for motorcycle meeting at 5:30. At 7 we had an Awana coaches WEBINAR. Instead of traveling to Sioux City for a 2 hour seminar we went on the computer with 40 others from around Iowa. I thought it worked well. I could give E&A a kiss and hug before they went to bed...I couldn't have done that in Sioux City. Made plans to go to Manchester tomorrow for a memorial service for Amber Neppl Carter...a 29 year old daughter of friends who used to live in Kiron. She lost her 4 year battle with cancer. I'm sure it will be so sad. We love you kids so much. We'll stay with Krauses over night.

1/14/09

R&R 1/14/09 Finally I got to this text box so I could post. Last night I tried, but no luck. Don't know what I am doing wrong. Well here goes...Wed. Missy, Phillip and Anabel went to Des Moines before 6 am. I went to the unit and worked for a couple hours. Then home to watch Evan. Fun day! I really accomplished much...Amazing how much room I could find in my closet when I took everything out and took my 16+ turtleneck/t shirts off hangers and folded them and put them on a shelf. Plus threw away some clothes. All of the sudden I had about 50 extra hangers. About 11 am we went to great grannys to visit and have lunch there. Denny and I got our haircut at 1:30. Evan and I napped in the pickup while Denny drove to IG and got the repaired dryer and sump pump at Malcolms. Quick supper of salad and fettuccine. After several phone calls it was decided to go along with Awana...-8 but no wind or snow. Evan went with us and was happy all night because Denny gave him every thing he was interested in...Denny didn't want to face a no nap melt down. (note from Tues. post...Denny said I gave too much information...SORRY...yet when I talked to Diane (when she called her folks at 11:30) she wondered what the recipe was.) I talked to Makayla Sich she said it was -23 in Duluth and she had school...took finals...brrr. Good to talk to Mandy tonight.

1/13/09

Tuesday Jan 13 I woke up early and went to the unit about 6 am and worked until 9:15. Then home and watched E&A til 10:45 when I had to go and finish my physical at the hospital. Then to rec center to sign up for a 4 month membership for Denny and me. He had won a 3 month for being the 2nd place biggest loser last year. I just paid the difference. (With the 2 hour late start on BCIG schools I had Karen P. work at the rec center for me.) I finished processing litters from 1-5 and then home for soup that gave both Denny and me toots. I think Anabel took her first steps tonight. Pretty fun to see them...in fact priceless!!! Home school meeting was cancelled because of bad weather. Phillip went in for this years largest loser class. Missy has high hopes...she even told him if they (HE) won they would go skiing. Quite the incentive.

1/12/09

Monday 1/12/09 Missy was going to substitute for Mrs. Glawe but first a 2 hour late start...then school cancelled. I worked at the unit from 9-5. Lots of litters to process. Denny took checks into the bank and dryer to Malcolms. Bible study cancelled...blizzard conditions.

1/11/09

R&R Sunday 1/11/09 Up to the unit early so Evan and I can go in for donuts before Sunday School. I did nursery during SS then Evan went to church with Denny and me until the last few minutes when he wanted to talk out loud. Home for salads and naps. The internet is automatically shutting off because our useage is high. Ever since about January 3rd. I don't know if it is because of downloaded Netflick movies, the web cam. or my blog. But Denny has to call and check on it. At night we took popcorn down to our neighboors and visited. Denny tried to get our dryer working.

1/10/09

R&R Sat. 1/10/09 I thought about calling Mandy onn the birthday at 7 am...but, no, It is only 6 am there. I stayed home until Missy got Tracey Bergmans meal delivered...about 11 am. Then up to the unit til about 4. At 7 pm we had 5 come for Awana prayer, praise and pie.

1/9/09

Friday 1/9/09 I worked at the unit 8:15-10. Then Missy called and said she had a doctor appt for Anabel's watery eyes. I rode in with her and worked out 45 min at the rec Center on elliptical -4 miles. Then she and Tasha came and we did a 20 min DVD. I took kids swimming while Missy used the cardio room another 30 min. (The picture is from November ...me with my 4 grand kids at the rec center baby pool.) Then errands in IG- bank, gas, Bomgaars, Foodpride, Malcolms. Then home, nap, work at the unit until 5. Denny and I had soup and bread bowl out in the coop for supper. Pretty nice and quiet. We watched a video with the 1991 fair, camping at Ledges, Hidden Acres and fall BB games for Missy. Then we came inside and remembered that we got 2 new Net flicks in the mail...It sounded good just to chill out and watch a DVD...Forgot that we share Net flicks...Our 2 choices were Jungle book or Ready Set Go with Di ago. We watched Di ago until we fell asleep. The one redeeming factor was that it had an Armadillo in it and Denny got to learn that they can curl themselves up in a ball..and dig with their feet. Of course not at the same time. The cartoon armadillo looked a lot less threatening than the real dead one that Denny picked up 2 years ago and brought back to Arthur. Our Internet was off last night. So I posted both today on Denny's computer.

1/8/09

R&R 1/8/09 Called Matt first thing to wish him Happy Birthday. He was working in KC and eating bkfast at Mc Donalds. Did a load of clothes that didn't drain on to the bathroom floor in the basement! Worked at the unit 9:15- 1:15. Then to Bible Study at Sue G. 7 gals Then to IG. I watched E&A at the rec center while M&P exersized. Then at 6 Denny met me and we went to Goodenows for supper and to watch the college final football game. til midnight.

1/7/09

Wed. 1/7/09 Early start...6:45 am phone call to sub at OA Middle school science. I went to unit to check my mamas and was at school 8-4. Fixed ham & scalloped potatoes before Awana. Checked sows again after Awana. Just got all my 2008 checks in the computer and balanced with the bank. YEA!!! Plus Tim Sholte came today to rotor rutter out the basement drain and Denny and Phillip said the water does not back up any more when we use the washing machine. Now that's an accomplishment!!!

1/6/09

Tuesday 1/6/09 Yes, 3:30 did come early today. Pretty noneventful day at the rec center...Just the usual increased traffic ...New years getting in shape ...after the holidays. After I got off work at 10 Missy, Elizabeth and Tasha came to work out and so I watched 4 little ones in the play room. Physical with Dr. Mumert at 11. Nap at home and then bk to unit. I came home at 4 to watch Evan while Anabel went to get a shot. Then at 6:15 went to BCIG girl's bb game. When I got home Denny and I had salad supper and hot cocoa in the coop. Now I'm headed to unit to check mama pigs. December 14th when I watched the kids while M&P went to Hidden Acres I took out an outfit of Mandy's for Anabel to wear to church. I had lots of "That's cute" comments. When Missy got home that afternoon she said something to the effect 'That's an outfuit from the 80's' or with the 80's look." No denying it...I still think is cute on both of them. (Anabel's question..."Do you think this outfit makes my bottom look too big?")

1/5/09

Monday 1/5/09 Worked at the unit from 8:30 -3:30. Phillip came up to work on heat lamps and repair work with Denny. Denny left for a 5 hour run to Walmart in Storm Lake. I came home and finished writing minutes for the church board meeting. Missy was watching Ezra and Abigail Brgman. I fed Anabel a bottle. Bible study at 6:30 SP TU LS SW DT KL MJ TB and myself. I didn't get to sleep until after midnight. It'll be a short night until 3:30 am alarm for working at the rec center.

1/4/09

Sunday Jan.4 09 I wanted to inlude a few pics of the coop. Not perfect... but now it is about done it was fun to work on. Did I tell you it was icey yesterday? Well, I fell down 2 times to prove it. So instead of my solo early donut run with Evan before church, we waited for Denny to drive us to SS. After church Susan G. asked us to supper there on Thurs night. She said Friday she wasn't feeling quite right and so she went to the emergency room. They kept her overnight and she is scheduled to see a cardiologist next week. We had naps this afternoon and then we went to church tonight. I've been working on getting the minutes of the last church annual business meeting in the Secretary's book. Betsy sent 200 pictures from Zambia to look at on the web.

1/3/09

Sat. Jan 3,2009 It ended up by Denny saying"Nice Day!" Mark worked at the unit. Denny fixed bacon and eggs for Jensens who headed to Ames about 9:15 and Luke who came home about 3 am. We worked in coop in am and in the afternoon cleaning with the shop vacuum. Luke and we had soup for lunch and he showed us a new game. CATO...He and Denny even made boards to hold the cards. Then naps for us all. After cleaning Denny fixed hot dogs and roasted bread on a fry pan for supper. Jensens returned and Luke returned after being at Doses for brisket. Played CATO and admired work in the coop. "Nice Day!" Talked to all our kids except Mandy. Watched a 1991 fair video in coop. Funny

1/2/09

Friday 1/2/09 Worked at the unit 8:30-1:00. Luke came up when Missy brought up egg casserole for lunch. After lunch M E A & I went to great gma and pa for a visit. Denny came home around 5 and Kim Larson called. We hadn't gotten her Christmas card and invite to their NY get together. Bummer. D&I worked putting up the south wall in the coop til about 11. Then we spent a little time just admiring the coop. It has changed since this picture was taken Thanksgiving Day. Hopefully we will be able to get a lot of use out of the building.

1/1/09

Did I say that I was up at mid night to see the new year in because I was trying to download the 56 pictures I took of Anabel I took while Missy and Evan went to Arthur? My computer is so slow I finally just gave up.

I don't know who had more fun AF or Denny. She did laps from the sofa to the picture wall. He followed her on his knees. She just sticks out her seat and leans into the walker and goes. I think she did about 10-15 laps...Denny said he was just trying to get her tired out for bed.
When Evan came he had his "football helmet". He had a real one for Halloween, but had to return it. So Missy fashioned one form an ice cream bucket. Don't tell him there is a difference. During baths it became Noah's ark.

!/1/09
Another big day at the unit with spraying and moving. Worked from 8-5:30. Missy brought up chicken Parmesan for lunch. After work we relaxed in sun room for a while... I got great news. Denny said that after the first cold spell he was actually thinking the Texas trailer sounded like a good idea. Later we put the big digger puzzle that Evan got from Aunt Mandy together with him. After each piece he put in... we would say "Good job!" and he would stand and spread his arms out. I think it was kind of like a gymnast giving the "TA DA". M&P went to work out at the rec center. Anabel goes to bed so nicely. 8:15 feed her as much as she will take. Last night it was 5 oz. Then burp, zip up fleece bag, give passie, tag blanket, and nite, nite. Denny takes more time with Evan. Play as long as you can, read the longest book you can find, a couple drinks of water, pray for every one you can think of, say good night I love you grandpa, I love you Evan quite a few times. Then 45 minutes later shut the door. Pretty fun.