2/28/09

Saturday Feb. 28 Hurray!! I'm caught up on the blogs. Slow to get out of bed this am...but I did make it to Carroll to get kids by 8:45. I shopped and Laurie came about 11:00. Boy, those car seats are tricky to get fastened in. On the way home we stopped at Great grandma's...not the best idea...Naps sooner would have been better...But long naps did get taken. M&P called tonight. They skiied Breckenridge yesterday and Vail today. Tomorrow A basin. It sounds like great days with the weather and sibblings. Matt, Mandy, P&M were in the Honda driving to the house they are staying with the Hirschmans. Denny spent most of the a.m. getting acccounts balanced... so he could pay the bills. Right now he's putting the kids down for the night. I have a video clip of the puzzle he and the kids put together. Several times you will note that Anabel is singing the ABC song,too...Then a ARRUGGG for being frustrated. At the end Evan kisses her on the forehead after she breaks his puzzle apart. I stopped taping in case he was going to bop her...but no...just a sweet kiss on the forehead. It was preceeded by a quiet "No, please." His way of saying "No, thank you...or No, please don't do that." So Cute!!!

2/27/09

R&R Friday Feb. 27 Wouldn't you know there were 3 phone calls for subbing today. I had a bone density test scheduled so I couldn't and Missy was in Colorado. In the am I prodded Denny to get us tickets to fly to see Mandy...and so he did...only to discover that the Awana games were when we had tickets for...So I made another call and we could cancel for no charge...BUMMER!!! that we couldn't go...PRAISE that we could cancel with out a charge. Worked at the unit for the rest of the day. Watched Netflick " Babbet's Feast" at night.

2/26/09

R&R Thurs. Feb. 26 Up to the unit to spray 7:30- 1:00. Bible Study at Susan's 1:30- 3:30. Tax appointment at 5. Special treat-- Chinese buffet for supper. Nice little family business. How can they make it in rural IG? We really should support them more. Their son Justin comes to Awana. Most of the time at the restaurant he sits at a table and does school work or plays a hand held game while they are open. We were the only ones in there from 5:30- 6:15. Then another family of 4 came in. It really tasted good! Watched Sue Goodenow's DVD "Fireproof" at night. Good movie!!

2/25/09

R&R Wed. Feb. 25 Denny didn't wake me up...I woke up at 7 and knew the load out of about 930 pigs was scheduled for 7:30. Just time enough to see the neighbors and get my sugar fix. Evan & Missy were snuggling in bed. I got Anabel out of the crib when I heard her stir. Then up to the unit by 7:30. Load out, spray 2 rooms, and set up 2 rooms...Missy brought lunch. taco salad and birthday cake made Great Grandma Johnson. Showered out about 5:15 then to IG to pick up my riders to Awana. There were no takers...Chance and Jordan must have decided that riding in the church van was more fun that riding with me...so I headed to Arthur. When I got to church...Surprise!! Becky had brought Haley, Torren, Grandma Jenny, Cousin Addison and Brady with 3 pans of bars for my birthday. Matt had met Becky's brother and sister in law and they were headed skiing in Colorado. Becky was spending the time with her folks. She came to wish me a Happy Birthday. Sadly though I didn't get to visit much. Such a sweet idea. Thanks Becky!! The picture kinda says it all...time to go to Kingsley and get those children to bed... We had a nice visit with Missy and Phillip in our cozy office after kids were in bed. They head to Colorado tomorrow to ski 3 days with Mandy, Matt and Hirschman clan. E&A go to Ames with Jensen grandparents Thurs & Fri. Saturday we make the switch. We care for E&A Sun & Mon.

2/24/09

R&R Tuesday Feb. 24 My day to fly home. We didn't have access to a computer to print a boarding pass, so I drove the 3.2 miles about 7:30 am. When I got there I found out the 10:40 flight I was scheduled for was overbooked...Would I consider taking another flight for $150?...Yes, if I could still get to Omaha tonight...That could be worked out ...I knew that most of the time they bump the offer up to $200...So I asked if it could be a $200 coupon...Yes, but I should come and check in, go thru security, and be ready to fly if not everyone showed up... GREAT!! Back at 4 Seasons the sisters had set the table up out on the deck and the breakfast casserole was in the oven. Oops, it looks like the table cloth was crooked...Oh, well, everyone had a good time. It was a great 70 degrees...Didn't prepare me for the 20 degree weather back in Iowa later that night. I got to take the later flight...and spend 5 more hours with my sisters in the pool, eating a special lunch that Gail fixed. and watching the park's Martigra (spell check didn't know what I was trying to write and I know that it isn't spelled right.) parade with 5 decorated golf carts and beads. On the flight home in Houston I saw Pat and Arlyn Stewart- and met a childhood friend of Carol Thomson. Small world...Got home about 1:30. Denny had a birthday card on the table for me:)

2/23/09

R&R Monday Feb. 23 Time to go to Mexico. Coffee at Glorias at 8:30. Shopped at Progresso and ate at Canada/Garcias. Nice cloth napkins and tablecloth meal. Looked at many booths and lots of stuff. Nancy got a pretty ironwood calla lily box. My, is it heavy! It started out at $85, Nancy ended up buying it for $55. We looked for blue dishes with red chili peppers and found just 1 big bowl. We didn't get it. It took us a long time to get back over the bridge to the US. We went back to 4 Seasons, Gail and I went swimming before potluck. Shopping at Dillards after supper. It took us a longtime to get to the mall. We got new sheets for the twin beds at Penneys. I packed and Gloria brought a long (loud) video to look at. One segment had a skit that she and Mom did about 25 years ago. We asked the neighboors to breakfast the next am. We figured it would be nice for them to meet the 4 of us. Thinking of the pictures I"ve included, it looks like all we did was eat...pretty close to being correct.

2/22/09

R&R Sunday Feb. 22 Got up to work on pictures and we decorated the Community room for Mom's memorial service. We put a light blue plastic table cloth on the serving table and cut up some as runners down the center of the other tables. I trimmed some flowering bushes in the park and put those flowers down the center of the table. Mom had lots of pictures and we put them down the center of the tables and had people take them home with themm. We pinned lots of pictures up. At 10:45 we walked to the little Baptist church. Then home for a salad lunch. The service at 2 pm went fine. We heard many kind nice things about Mom. Jean read what Craig said at the funeral. Gail read what the pastor said. Nancy lead music. I was an emcee, more or less. 5 ladies brought bars cut up in small servings and served coffee and lemonade. About 106 were there. Two teachers that Mom volunteered in their classroom came. About 10-15 came from Shepard of the Valley church. The rest were from the park. About 5-10 spoke when we opened up the service for sharing memories. We cleaned up after the service and went back to the trailer to relax. At 5 I walked to the church. They were having Awana there. Nine youth. I heard the books of the Bible in Spanish as I helped with the handbook time. Kind of fun!!

2/21/09

R&R Sat. Feb. 21 We went to breakfast at the community room for the whole park. Then coffee at Gloria's and Roppa at 10:00. We took a picture with all of us wearing purple. From there we went to 77 Flea Market. Back to trailer to work on sorting and throwing stuff. Plus lots of pictures. Fajita supper leftovers for supper plus Rosalinda's flans for desert. YUM

When my sisters and I are old....We shall wear purple. We will spend our Saturdays seeking out every garage sale within a 10 mile radius...We wil critique the bargains and say,"Oh, remember this. We used to have one of these."...We will walk the malls at 7 am...and make promises to each other...and gossip a little and giggle alot. My sisters and I... when we grow old ...and wear purple.

2/20/09

R&R Friday Feb. 20 Three trips to the airport to get the sisters. Gail came in at 10:40 am. Nancy came in at 7:05 pm without her luggage. Jean came in at 10:45 pm with Nancy's luggage. Gail and I took everything out of the storage shed and put back about half of it and took about 1/4th of it to the dumpster. The rest we put on a give away table. Gail painted one of the shelves red and we were thrilled with how much we got done.

2/19/09

R&R Thurs. Feb. 19 Ran in am. Swam in the pool. Coffee at Gloria's at 9. Bible study from 10-12. In the afternoon I went thru some of Mom's things in the second bedroom. I ate supper with Elaine. I read book "The Summons" by John Girsham thru out the day.

2/18/09

R&R Wed. Feb. 18 I swept the deck and then sprayed on Thompson water sealer. Coffee at Gloria's. Then I sprayed off the poop dock. Mom and Dad have fed birds there for years and there was several years of poop on it. The sisters were able to visit out there Friday night without stepping in anything interesting. I went to the pool over the noon hour and read out in the sun. Chicken Soup for Mothers...Kind of a tear jerker for me considering the circumstances. I miss Mpm a lot. About 3 pm I went to the community center and helped the committee fix food for the fajita supper. It was great food. I think about 150 were served. Yesterday they picked some sour oranges from the tree off our deck for the meat marinade. I went with Elaine to hear a speaker at their church after the meal.

2/17/09

R&R Tues. Feb. 17 Denny goes home today. We had breakfast on the deck with Wayne and Kay whose high pressure sprayer we used yesterday. Their pastor and his wife are spending the week with them. I ran a couple of mornings with Amy. I packed a couple of sandwiches for Denny to take along. His plane left Brownsville in 80 * sunshine. I went back to 4 Seasons Resorts. Denny called me from Houston. He asked if his leather coat was there. I was just sick when I found it in the closet. A half an hour later he called. Were his car keys in his coat??? I was really sick when I found them in the pocket. He talked to Missy and she found the extra set of keys. His mom and dad drove down to Omaha to give him the keys. His parents are so kind. Me, I was lonely when he left. I kinda went thru some stuff of Mom's and then I went with Elaine to Gatti's pizza for supper.

2/16/09

R&R Monday Feb. 16 We were spraying and cleaning by 8 am. The south west side of the trailer was green with mildew. The deck floor was pretty black where moisture was absorbed. We worked til about 1:30 Then drove to San Benito to visit a Harley store. Denny got some new threads. He needed some jeans that fit. We ate at Khan's. We drove home to hot tub, swimming pool. and sitting on the deck. Another good day in the Valley.

2/15/09

R&R Sunday Feb. 15 Nice leisurely breakfast. We walked to the small Baptist church about 1 block from 4 Seasons. After church they were serving lunch to Winter Texans so we stayed and visited. Went to South Padre Island after a nap. Visited with Kerm and Nora Hendricks -Mom's friends from Decorah who winter at the island. Bingo back at the park. Then to Walmart to get stuff to clean the trailer and finish fixing the door.

2/14/09

R&R Saturday Feb. 14 Coffee and doughnuts at the clubhouse where they announce what is going on at the part for the next couple weeks. Denny worked on fixing the front door to Mom's house. (I guess that it is our house with Gail, Nancy and me buying it.) We went to 77 Flea market. Denny got a Spanish Christian CD to listen to...not realizing the car didn't have a CD player and there was no CD player in the mobile home. We made reservations for the Valentine dinner--Chicken Cordon, They rented tablecloths. stem glass ware and cloth napkins. About 100 there. We missed the happy half hour before the 5 pm meal. Denny was finishing up fixing the door. Hot tub afterward. Nice day.

2/13/09

R&R Friday Feb.13 We leave for Texas...The weather was so bad that we left my car in Avoca instead of taking the car to Atlantic and leaving it at Gail's house. We were praying that we would just get to the airport. It was so snowy. Denny felt that if we made it to the airport our vacation would still start... even if we had to spent the night in the airport. No need, the plane took off on time. Gloria and Elaine picked us up at the Brownsville airport. Wonderfully warm down in Texas. I hung our winter coats in the closet right inside the door. We would not need them. Roadhouse Roy had gotten Nancy's car ready for us to drive. We drove to WalMart for groceries. First time for Denny in Texas. Glad to be there.

2/12/09

Thurs Feb. 12 I got up to the unit about 6 am. I just did inventory. Denny showed Phillip how to feed today. He is going to take care of my mammas when we are in Texas. I took my car in to get the oil changed at 8:30. Then I worked out until 9:30 when Missy brought Evan to me . We shopped at the Dose garage sale while Missy and Anabel went to A's 12 month checkup. We had a home school field trip at the EEC with the Ida County naturalist, Steve Hummel, about birds. Over 50 students, parents, siblings listened to him for about 1+ hours. Evan sat quietly on a chair. Of course I had given him a blow pop sucker. Missy dropped off A and I had her in my backpack for the hour during the talk. I couldn't believe how well every one behaved. The preschool teacher heard Missy was in town and she had a sick child so Missy substituted for her in the afternoon. Phillip was in town and took the kids home. The naturalist helped older students dissect frogs in the afternoon. I went to Bible Study at 3. Then to the unit to help clean so we can go. Phillip left for a Labrai conference in Rochester. Denny paid bills at night. and we just got done printing our boarding passes. YAHOO!! Texas here we come! I think Denny has watched the Skating video 15 times and laughs each time.

2/11/09

Wed. Feb. 11 Luckily, I thought about having Evan come with us to the Awana Skating Party...or we would have nothing to blog about today. Missy and Phillip had spent most of the day getting the Honda checked over. Also they took a high pressure sprayer to SC to get it repaired. I worked at the unit until about 11 and then went to Carroll to go to Weight Watchers. Then I went back to the unit and cleaned...getting ready for our trip to Texas on Firiday. About 6 pm I went back home and Denny and I took Evan to the Skate Palace. Keep in mind that he just napped in the car...We were treading on thin ice. We got his skates on...actually he just wanted to wear one...until he saw that Abby had on 2 skates. Then he was hesitant to actually get out on the floor and skate. We watched Grandpa skate several times around. I pointed out people who fell down and kept getting up and trying again. He might never have gotten on the floor EXCEPT Abby was there and she went out and was starting to skate with her mom. Presto... out he went..and never looked back. This clip is when I was skating behind them. My self appointed job was to slow down any fast skater that might be coming from behind and not watching for little ones. Evan didn't want to hold my hand . He wanted to skate by himself. Then the song stopped. The kids clapped and when the music started again. They boogied. SO CUTE!! They did a very similar dance Sunday between SS and church. By the time I got my camera out on Sunday they were done. I was just happy to be taping them from behind. Then the Skate Palace police came and reminded me that there were to be no digital cameras on the skating floor. OOPPS!! I was being willfully disobedient...For the second time. But this was the first time he told me. Actually I was trying to take a picture when the announcer was going over the rules early in the night and at the end of the list of rules she said, "No electronic devises on the floor...no ipods, cell phones, garmins or digital cameras." Hopefully this video will upload. It still is processing. Good night. A ps from the next morning. Denny added a second video because the first was taking so long to upload. Now I don't know how to delete either.

2/10/09

Tuesday Feb. 10 I got my heart rate up at the rec center this am. Ed Williams came in earlier than usual. He is a retired probation officer who has lost over 100 pounds the past year here with exercise and diet. A gal came in and as she was writing her name she said,"He's asleep on the bicycle." Oh, my, I went to check on him. Thoughts of 911 running thru my brain. Luckily he did awaken, but it shook me up. I went and checked to see if Nate Balder was there...He would be more experienced than I with resuscitation. Then I went and reread the AED manual for the defibrillator and CRP. We get certified every year...but I never think I will actually have to use it.

2 /09/09

R&R Monday Feb. 9 Long day at the unit. 9-6:15 I started processing (did about 400-500 pigs) and pulling off scrub pigs that need a good milking mom. I ended up euthanizing 10+ because they were too small and skinny to make it. That's always discouraging. Home for a quick piece of frozen pizza and Bible Study. 8 gals- It was nice to visit...and we made it thru 2 days of study. Which is good for us.

2/08/09

R&R Sunday Feb. 8 My donut Sundays are limited in number...so happily Evan and I got to go this am. He likes to go to the front of the church (after the 8:45 prayer time in pastor's office) and we watch those who are practicing for music during the service. Nancy Rydberg was singing and he didn't want to go down for SS until after she was done practicing. During the service I held Anabel and he sat on his mom's lap. When Reed Lindgren passed the offering plate Evan watched him as he walked by. He looked up at Reed as he stood beside the pews and waited for the plate. When Reed went to the back of the church Evan whispered to Missy , "WAS THAT GOLIATH?". LOL After church we had salad and pork roast leftovers in sunroom with our neighboors. Then naps and prayer meeting at church. Pretty low key day. Very nice.

2/07/09

Sat. Feb. 7 Birthday Party!! 16 of us. We worked at the unit til noon. Missy had 2 soups, a vegetable tray and fresh bread. Plus 2 birthday cakes that she (with the help of Great Grandma Johnson's tools and instructions) decorated all by herself. The kids went down for naps and we all visited at Evan's house. About 4 pm 10 of the Brinkman clan headed in to the rec center. Denny and I brought the kids at 6 after naps. We swam and had pizza from Caseys. Nice day.

2/06/09

Friday Feb. 6 I got a call last night to see if I could sub for Jim Mickelson at OA. so that's where I was today. He had first hour planning, 2nd hour Pre Med. I thought that was quite something to have 14 students taking a class to help them in the medical profession. The lesson plans said they were working on power points and avio video. So I asked the kids...the class was Presentations and Media...Silly me. Then there was a econ class, and a government class both of which had tests. A HS PE class and after lunch 3 elementary PE classes. Nice day. Missy is getting ready for the party. I finished painting the wooden letters A B A L N E. Rearrange the letters and what do you get? ANABEL We have pink table cloths, glasses, napkins, and plates. Missy finished frosting the 2 lamb cakes. Alan and Laurie Jensen got here about 8 pm. I'm pretty sure this picture is of the garage sale where I got the fire truck. I must have already taken it to the car. Missy, Nancy Newhouse, Anabel, and me, My cousin Myrna, Nancy, Gail, Jane. and Jean Plus there were some who chose not to go saling.

2/05/09

Thurs. Feb. 5 Another early am at the unit...I missed Denny giving another bath. Just a clean boys when I got there. They like eating oatmeal with Grandpa. AND HE LIKES IT, TOO. Missy went with E over to Great Granny's to bake a lamb cake for the birthday party on Saturday. Torren just sat on my lap while I worked on blogs. He liked to watch grandpa drive the bobcat and push snow. My box of Awana store items came. I got them all priced before I headed to Holstein to make the grandson exchange. I was 5 miles from meeting Jenny and realized Torren's bed toys and pjs were still in my dryer. I went back to get them and Jenny waited for me in Ida Grove. I went to Sue's for study. I stopped to look at some moving sale furniture. Then to unit. Missy cleaned today... getting ready for party. At night we started a fire in the coop and went out there for a while. Mandy, Dad wanted you to know it is now day 80.

2/04/09

R&R Wed. Feb. 4 ANABEL IS ONE!!!

I went to the unit early again so I could watch the Torren during the day. Denny really has a hard time leaving for work when there are little ones around. He did extra duty. I got home and he was getting Torren out of bed. Torren had gotten sick during the night and also after He and Grandpa had oatmeal for breakfast...so into the bath he went. Evan had not fared too much better. He had filled his diaper and crib, When I talked to Becky later in the day she had gotten sick, too. But she had finished painting the walls of the kitchen. For a birthday cake I made a bowl of finger jello and covered it with low fat cool whip and sprinkles. It worked for sensitive tummies. Good night at Awana. I've been checking the sows at night, so I stopped at the unit before I went home.

2/03/09

R&R Tuesday Feb. 3 Thankfully Karen Petersen volunteered to take my early am at the rec center. I went to the unit from about 4:30 -8:00 am. I got home just in time to see Denny fixing the boys oatmeal. T&E spent much of the day riding the firetruck. I got it this fall at a garage sale during sister's weekend. The boys took long naps and I did too. Curt and Carol Raasch wanted to meet with us so Denny picked up subs in town and they got here about 7:15 to eat. Missy and Phillip came home with Anabel. She had been off the IV and keeping food down so they decided to bring her home.

2/02/09

R&R Monday Feb. 2. Up to the unit 3:30-7:30. Anabel went back to the Dr. and after another set of bloodwork they had her check in to get more fluids in her body. I watched the 2 boys. Such nice boys. We read a lot of books. Mostly I just watched as they played. That didn't give me much time to post on this blog. Hence a lot of remembering and recording. WE went to great Granny's home,too. After rising early to get the work done at the unit I also took nap time when they took nap time. At supper Evan drank about a glass of milk, took a couple bites of noodles, which he wasn't thrilled about and brought some of it back up. Torren ate a big supper. 10 gals came here for study. After taking some essentials into Jensens, Denny was back from town to watch the boys in the basement. Missy stayed in the hospital overnight with A. Phillip came home to sleep. Anabel was on an IV overnight, but also ingesting some food and keeping it down.

2/01/09

R&R Sunday Feb. 1 Matt fixed pancakes. Missy called to say Anabel was going to the ER.

Phillip had left to preach at Webster City. Evan was going to Stephanie Porters for SS. After church Becky and I went shopping. D&M went to Starbucks, Then we all ate at Olive Garden YUM! Grandma Jenny is coming to St Joe on Thurs. so we asked if Torren could join us until then. It was all okayed except by Haley who has preschool and couldn't join her brother. She was assured one day this week she could go to work with her mom and wouldn't have to go to the babysitter without Torren. We left about 1. Torren slept about an hour...Denny slept about 2.5 hours. I could see Torren in the back seat, just a happy little boy. He could pull things out of the 3 bags his mom sent along. The toy bag was emptied. It took about a hour until he found the bag of marshmallows. and another 10 minutes to get them open. Then he would take them between his 2 fingers and put 1 in his mouth at a time. So cute!! Another 20 minutes and he was stuffing them in his mouth...but he was being quiet...and Grandpa was asleep. He quietly got out a cell phone (which made me wonder whose it was until I remembered he had one to play with). He spent about 30 minutes working on getting the wrapper off a sucker and when it was off he didn't even eat it. Some where he found a pacifier and stuck it in his mouth pulling it out only to put in 1 marshmallow at a time. He just kept rotating toys and I kept watching him. SO CUTE!! About 3 hours down the road and he was going to lick on the hand cleaners bottle...I said my first word, "No." He looked at me with those big puddling up eyes...and at the sound of my voice, Denny woke up and said, "I must really have been sick to let you drive this far." We got home and made a quick snack to take to Goodenow's Super Bowl party. And to check on Anabel. She looked kind of punk with her head on her mom's shoulder. They did blood work at ER and sent her home. Nice time at Goodenows. Paulsruds and Bergmans were there. Torren was just a sweetheart to take along. The picture is from Sat. fun in the sand box.

1/31/09

R&R Sat. Jan. 31 Denny slept in the basement at Matt and Becky's. During the night he started to feel sick. It didn't keep him from going to Matt's Sat breakfast at church. We also went to Super Science Saturday. Torren touched a snake. After some visiting about it, Haley touched a snake, too. 70 * weather. Befrore naps the kids played outside. We took a nice walk after naps and Becky got subs for supper. To bed early.

1/30/09

R&R Friday Jan. 30 Subbed in afternoon for Kris Gunderson at Battle Creek. Fixed heat lamps at unit til 5:30. Denny and I left for St. Joseph about 7 pm. [Anabel wasn't keeping down the food she was eating so M&P took her in for an appointment with Wendy Cadwell (Nurse Practitioner) about 3:15. I think they got some medicine and directions to feed her less amounts of food...more frequently. When we left Anabel was standing in Evan's room and taking a few small confident steps] We got to St. Joe about 10:30 pm. Becky was taking wall paper off her kitchen walls. The picture is from Saturday when Denny and Becky took the back splash tiles off the walls.