Tuesday July 31

Last day of July. Another full day of summer. Best to just pack the days plum full. Denny went to work today. Up and helped Missy paint the picket fence. Went to Wall Lake for a hair cut at 9:15. At home Mandy and I scraped and swept off the cement chicken coop pad. Mandy and I drove to IG and picked up Missy to swim at Crawford Creek. First stopped and got money from BC can redemption canter. We swam 30 minutes. It was great!! Then home to make tomato, basil, mozzarella, garlic, and olive oil salad. Quick shower and meet Ranae in Arthur before we headed to Storm Lake. Shopped a little, then headed to sunset salad at Kathi J.'s parent's cabin. Wonderful food, friends, and talk by Jean H. Great day. I got an A in Exceptional Learner's 898 summer school class. :) Pictures of sunset salad group, mom's and daughters, plus Denny back at work.

Monday July 30

Full Day!! Up at 6 and took the final test for my summer school class. Then at 7:30 Denny and I headed to Omaha. Denny had a good report on the progress of healing. He got the staples taken out and a new orange cast put on. We went to Trader Joes. I stopped and shopped a little before heading home. For supper Missy grilled and we ate way too much. Grilled burgers, hot dogs, zucchini, sweet corn, fresh tomatoes, watermelon, grapes, grilled carrots and edible pod peas. 10 of us eating and eating. At 7:30 Mandy and I headed to Lake View and we biked. I went 13 and she went 15. Great night. Home and watched Olympics. I am putting scrapbook stuff away. I don't have enough time to get it done.

Sunday July 29. 2012

I picked sun flowers for church and took my basket of statice for the front of the church. Brooks and Evan and I went in for donuts. After church I took Stephen home, then went to Family Table. Grandpa took Jensens, and Mandy and myself for lunch. We went up to Old Town Art show. Then Mandy and I swam for 30 minutes. Then home for a nap. At 5:45 I picked up Laura and Stephen for prayer time. Great day. Pictures; Haley and Torren playing Upwards Basketball.

Saturday 28, 2012

Up by 7 and outside working in the yard. I worked most of the day outside, Missy and I finished painting one picket fence and ran out of paint so she went in to town to fix a tire and get more paint. I carried about 4 wheel barrel leads of weeds away from flower beds. Mandy went on a float trip with co workers. Phillip weed whipped and mowed by barn. In afternoon Missy power washed the house. Phillip put the tire back on tiller and got it going for me. I roto tilled the potato patch. Then Phillip -Bless his heart- helped me with a couple tasks. We trimmed more off the ever green tree. We gave weeds and sumac a haircut by fisher boy. AND he helped me with eagles nest / wisteria dream idea. Uffta!! Poor guy. I told him working with a son in law was great for me. I don't think Denny would have found the time. He would have seen my dream as a night mare. Okay, it doesn't look like much now, but I envision it covered with wisteria vines ...on the hog panels ...shading the carpeted area ...another place for kids. I apologized to Phillip that I had way too much time to think of projects as I worked outside by myself today. When I got in about 7 I just lay on the bed and slept/watched the Olympics. Too tired to take a shower. Pictures Matt went for a walk with kids. Don t they look great. Can hardly wait to see them next weekend. Karen in showing the beautiful wedding quilt from Jean.

Eight years ago today Matt Hudson's life changed. Post from Mary Jo. about her son Matt: This is a week that brings quivers to my stomach as I realize Saturday, we face our 8 year anniversary: 1/3 of Matt's life in this state of limbo. How blessed I am to be able to care for my son and know his every need is met. How sad we are that he did not get to experience the joys of life beyond 16. We are so thankful for your encouragement, comfort, help, prayers during the last 8 years. You have helped us every step of the way, whether you realize it or not. Many thanks. May the Lord reward you for your investment in our lives. May He bring blessings into your life, pressed down, shaken together and overflowing. May you know Him more nearly moment by moment, depending upon His Holy Spirit to guide you and lead the way. God bless you.

Friday July 27, 2012

Happy Birthday Beth S.!!! Went outside about 7:30 and started to weed. It was Missy and Mandy's plan to work together and clean up the yard for next weekend. My they really pulled weeds, painted handrails and put rock into place. We worked hard all morning. Kenny F. and Phillip worked on painting the picket fence... and using the chain saw to cut down limbs. Missy fixed lunch. Sweet corn, maid rites, chips and tomato slices. So yummy. I left about 1:30 with Anabel and headed to Storm Lake with 2 bikes to be fixed. We dropped the bikes off. It looked promising that they could fix the wheel, but no it needed a new one. Anabel and I stopped at Prairie Peddler on the way home. Missy and Mandy went swimming at Crawford at 6:15. Denny and I started to watch Olympic ceremonies.

Thursday July 26

I got to talk to Brooks this am at 3:00 and tell him that G'ma didn't like him crying in the furnace room. I asked him is he was cold and told him to crawl under the blanket and go to sleep. It worked for him. He went back to sleep and I was awake from 3:30 - 5:00. I had my one-a- day. At 7 I went outside and pulled weeds in the south flower bed. I helped pick beans and sweet corn. Came in at 2 to get cleaned up. Missy came deown to vacuum for us letting them stay the past 2 nights in the basement. Great to have them use the bedrooms so their friends could stay upstairs. More than a fair trade. Denny went out to the CSA shed while share holders came to pick up their vegetables. At 7 we girls tried to get away to bike at Lakeview. The yellow bike rear tire was bent. We dropped off a share for Mary in Wall Lake. Later some one came at 9 pm to pick up Harter's share. Phillip gave them vegetables. It was great to run the trail at Lake view... 3.6 miles while Missy and Mandy rode 12 miles. Then I rode 3.6 miles on Missy college bike. I called in a Breck order. Girls worked on invitation for barn party. Two little girls playing with the barn in the background. The barn the center of the farm.

Wednesday July 25

Thank you Jesus for the beautiful rain at 7 pm. Denny and I sat with garage door open and watched it fall down. Thank you Lord!!! In am I drove Denny in for haircut, then we stopped at Howard's and ate lunch with them. In am I picked and refrigerated flowers for CSA day. Ryan, Ranessa, and family are visiting Jensens. Anabel and Hope y sure have fun together.

Full tuesday July 24, 2012

Up early and out to work on dried flower beds. At 9:50 I went in to shower. I headed to Wall Lake with Mandy,Brooks, and Anabel. Then to Carroll for a bike ride on Sauk Trail. It was really nice. I rode 9 miles. Mandy rode 14 pulling Grands in the trailer. Then High Ho ... a shopping we will go! McDonald's hamburgers and ice water. Then 2 stores. Kids were so good!! We got jeans for Mandy Missy and myself. and black cowboy boots for Mandy...She's thrilled. First picture is of the praise and Worship band on Sunday. Three guitars, 1 drummer, 1 keyboard and a singer. So great! This web site (http://bstrait.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/a-miracle-inside-the-the-aurora-shooting-one-victims-story/)tells about the recovery of a gal who was shot in Aurora. It is the ICU neuro unit that Mandy worked in for three years and that she is gong back to work in in September. Super neat article. Copy and paste it and look it up. So proud of my daughter who was one of the ..." Nurses,(who) like quiet soldiers posted on guard, come in, march attentively through the machines, and go out. These men and women really care." Praise the Lord for "prevenient grace: God working ahead of time for a particular event in the future. It’s just like the God I follow, to plan the route of a bullet through a brain long before Batman ever rises. Twenty-two years before.

Monday July 23 20 days left of summer

Hurrah!! I got the boot off!! Now not to reinjure the ankle. Early morning I puplled dry old weeks in a flower bed that will now be mowed. I dug up the clematis that was taking over my white trellis (see picture)and moved it to the area by the cupalo. I tried to move a perenial sweet pea to the white trellis. Uffta!! Don't know if they will make it, but I have the time to try... and I did this knowing that it is way to dry to move anything successfully. I went to Howard's and was there when Diane called. I watered the roses. At 12 I went tro the hospital for an xray, thento get groceries, then to Dr. Lufts and he gave me the good news I no longer needed the boot. I went to the rec center and swam 44 laps. Then home and fixed BLT's for Howard and Mandy and us. Missy took kids to dentist in am and painted the swingsets a second coat of white. At night Denny and I watched Sarah's Key from Netflicks. It was a caption movie about holocost and life afterwards.

Sunday July 22, 2012

Kinda a lazy early am. Mandy came in after work and napped for a while. On my shoulder... This mom thought that was so nice. Missy and I went to church together. There were 3 guitars, a drummer and a keyboard for the praise team. That's definitely praise!!! After church we fixed burgers and cukes and potatoes for lunch. Denny and I went to watch a movie. Missy headed to Carroll to get the Grrands. At 4 I headed to Crawford Creek for the third time this week. Church SS picnic. Back home at 7 for the Bachlorette with Mandy. Pictures are of stones at Scott's place. Very cool. The big arch way he just finished this week. It took about a hour to assemble. The top rock weighs 7000 pounds and took 2 bobcats to position it. Once in place it is solid!

Saturday July 21

Happy Birthday Scott!!!! Hard decisions to be made today...Pick and Freeze corn ... or go to Storm Lake with Girls in am ... or head to Atlantic and travel with Gail and Bruce to Winterset to see the 3 Henderson guys together for Scott's birthday. There was an Amelia draw and I headed to Atlantic about 8:30 am. Scott was at the fair grounds in the open class mule ride. We ate burgers for lunch and then headed to Scotts. He won several blue ribbons. Great relaxing afternoon visiting with everyone at the Henderosa. They've done lots of cool rock things. Got home about 9:30 pm. Watched a movie with Denny on our staycation.

Friday July 20

Cleaned off the counter and the refrigerator. Went with B&A to GGpa's. Back to clean more. Missy had vacuumed. We moved the lazy boy over to the computer so Denny didn't have to use the slow laptop. At 11:45 I went out to pick a vase of flowers. At 12, I headed to Crawford Creek. I watched the Grands while Mandy and Missy ran around the lake and swam for 20 minutes. Then I skeedaddled to Paulsrud's and took a shower. Susan, Teresa, and I headed to Omaha for Lydia's shower. We got there about 5 and helped fix food for 100 (or more). Such good food. Cowboy Caviar, Mini tacos, Chicken Roll ups, Cup cakes, Fruit mini cream tarts, Mini raspberry cheese cakes. BBQed chicken legs, The shower was in the back yard. Tables and white table clothes and white chairs. Lumminars lined the path way. Fun to see all the young gals in Candlewood. Also got to see Rita, Melissa, and Bev Whitney. Home about midnight. Great afternoon.

Thurday July 19

I was up during the night with an upset stomach. In the am. I didn't visit Howards... the day just seemed to slip away. Weeded south of the house and really chopped down the Minnesota mock orange bush. It made our bedroom a lot brighter, but really made the weedpatch/flower bed south of the house look empty. I sorted cukes and zucchini and helped Missy pick green beans. Taco salad and take a shower, but I decided to stay home with Denny and not go to town Denny had Doses and Buehlers visit after picking up CSA share. Pictures More from 2006. Grands with Great Grandma's Missy and I picked green beans... long row... full basket. Good to do it together.

Wednesday July 18 26

Missy went to husk sweet corn for Widow's luncheon, so Brooks and I were outside pulling weeds, The breakfast cereal by shell tree with Anabel. I left for luncheon about 11. Stopped at Dad's and left some sweet corn and green beans. Took flowers to put on the tables. The ladies really seem to like them. Then to Storm Lake. Took Missy's bike from Stephen to have a routine look over. I just shopped around SL. Got a couple tops at Maurices and Goodwill. Home for leftover luncheon supper. To the deck for sunset. I put Christmas card on 3 sided plastic pages from 2010 and 2011. Denny read me letters from some of out friends. Quite a memory. Love that guy. I decided last night as we watched a movie from 12 -1:30 we are on a month's staycation. #0days of us just being together with no lace to go and nothing to do. I really like it. Pictures I looked through 2006 pictues and found some to post.