Home school picnic at night

I didn't even make it over to Howard's today. Not sure what I was busy with, but I did keep busy. There were a lot of dishes to clean up in the kitchen. I fixed corn salad, ramen noodle salad, Cowboy caviar, corn on the cob. I picked corn in the field, and froze about 10 3 cup quarts. I got flowers for tables, and put chairs around. Susan came about 5:30 and the rest came about 6. It worked out very nice. About 40 people were there. I was really tired and fell asleep during Olympics.

Pictures are from Barn Party.

Monday August 6

One week until school starts. Another full day for me, mostly just in our apartment. It has been filled with stuff and not put away this weekend. Mandy worked last night and came over after work. I went to see Howard and ask him over for lunch. Did lots of laundry. Filled dishwasher. I had ham sandwiches and Becky's pasta salad for lunch with Missy, Evan, Brooks, and Howard. I had a mammogram at 2 and then got prescriptions, and stopped at school to pick up Jensen home school material. I painted my corner of the resource room. At home I read for a while and picked sweet corn for supper. Denny and I chilled by fire pit and hada burgers and corn for supper. Then in to watch Olympics. Looking back it doesn't look like that full of a day, but I am tired. My ankle is a little swollen, not really sore, but not quite right either. Pictures are from Barn Party. It was Jan and John Cooks 39th anniversary on August 4.

Sunday August 5

I took my Bible outside this am. What a beautiful morning. It was quite dewey. About 7:30 Haley and Torren came out and we picked flowers for church. At 8:30 I took Haley, Torren, Evan and Brooks for donuts. Torren asked specifically that we stop at GGpa and say Hi. We invited him to eat with lunch with us. The kids ate donuts during prayer time. Then I found out that there was coffee cake as we listened to the Unrues, missionaries to Belgium. After church Missy went to IG and got pizza for lunch. We ate out in the yard. It was a beautiful noon in the shade. Andy had driven back to Omaha. Matt and Luke took tomatoes, corn, peppers, basil. We spent a little time picking up the yard. Great to have 2 parties in a row so we can leave the tables in the yard for Tuesday night. Naps in the afternoon. Denny is doing the exercises Becky designed for him. We watched the Olympics. Pictures

Saturday August 4

Early am. I woke up at 4, but stayed in bed until 4:15. My alarm was set for 4:30. It was gray as we drove to Twin Lakes Bible camp for the triathlon. I considered for a short time not participating, but decided to go for it. It took a while to register, but I got my station set up by Missy. I brought a lawn chair to sit on while I put on my shoes. It seems hard to get up from the ground. The race check in was on the south side of the lake where we put our bike. Then we drove to the other side of the lake where the race started. First the under 39 women, then the under 39 men, then those older than 40, then relay teams, then those who registered the same day. I took off with my age group. It was great. Here are my times for posterity. Swim half mile: 20:31 minutes, 100 dash: 2:27 Transition 4:44 bike 12 miles 1:02:47 Transition :42 Run 3.1 miles 42:51 Overall time 2:11:31. I finished very last, but didn't give up and ran all the way. The only thing I really felt bad about was that they didn't start awards, until after last competitor finished the race. Luckily there was a nice breakfast with rolls juice fruit set up for everyone. It was a great experience with Mandy, Missy,and Jason. Nice to have a cheering section of Phillip, Evan, Anabel, Matt, Haley and Torren. It rained while I ran. Missy and Mandy ran with me the the last 2 miles. Missy won her age division, Jason got third, Mandy got fourth and I won my age...the only one in the group. Phillip drove us home. We forgot several things and so we had to return to get my t shirt and Missy's camera. Got back to Arthur and took the bike back to Katie B.'s. Becky and Karen had fixed spaghetti and eggplant for lunch. The guys moved the tables down from the CSA shed. Every one took naps. Haley and I started a project to paint a sign. After her nap we finished the sign. Luke helped get it put out. Then Haley and I picked flowers for the tables. Quick Shower. The 100 year old barn party started at 4. Great night. Luke and Karen went to get Mildred F. as Howard's guest. There were 52 people who came. So much fun to be in the yard. Luke grilled the brats and we ate about 5:30. Grandpa told about the barn as kids played on tramp, etc. People toured the barn and we tried to get American Gothic pictures of everyone. Later we sat around the fire and had smores.

Friday August 3

Up early. I worked outside all morning. Then quick basement clean up. Matt and Becky met her floks at Subway. The kids had been in Kingsley all week. Then they stopped to see Denny in bank and GGpa before coming to the farm. While everyone was out swimming and playing and visiting in CSA shed I fried the bacon for BLT's for supper, with sweet corn and root beer floats. Jason and Andy M. drove up from Omaha. They are staying at the Country condo. We ate out on the deck. Kids had a great time playing together. We had a great time visiting.

Thursday August 2,

Up early to get flowers ready for CSA. Hurrah for Surprise lilies, with statice and greenery. About 7:30 I started to head to the house and Missy asked me to check sweet corn. Yes, it is ready! Another 3 rows. Neal L. drove by and picked corn with us for 15 minutes. Mandy and I drove to SC. She had a dentist appointment and I set up a meeting with home school moms. We got McD's and ate while we had the oil changed. Off to Menards to get barn windows. Then to Eye Mart. Mandy got new glasses. While she went to uniform shop Anabel and I got Awana store stuff at Hobby Lobby. WalMart run next. We got home about 4:30. CSA pickup and visiting. G'ma and Kessa Phillip grilled pizza burgers. Denny was shot after work today and Mandy and Howard come over for sandwiches and tomatoes for supper. We visited in basement and kids came in and asked us to go out to see something. They had put new windows on barn. Looks so great.

The barn's west side got painted

It's Dad's birthday today. He is missed. Mandy stopped over after work. Then we went to Howard's. He ate at Sac County Cattleman's and had a beautiful time last night. He was headed into Arthur to meet a painter. His name is John Carroll- apinting farm, industrial- cell 515 468 9154 They came out to look at the barn and by the time Missy came home at 1 the barn was painted. I went in to town at 10:50 and they were power washing the barn. I waited from 11:15- 12:15 to visit with the superintendent and invite him and his family to the home school picnic. I swam half a mile, biked 10 miles and ran 2 miles. I should be able to do the Triathlon on Saturday. Just need to rest the next couple of days. Denny and I chilled with Mandy when he got home from owkr and tried to solve the world's problems. I took Laura to Wednesday night church. Pictures of me and Dad. One with Craig and one with a Mississippi Northern. Also the barn before and after painting.