100422 - Picnic Lunch

100422 - Up and got a couple calls out of the way. Then L had to take J to Children's Hospital for blood work. It was to be a short visit so I agreed to watch G. G&I played kickball, then baseball, then this and that... Several hours had passed and no sign of L&J... So G&I had lunch on the back porch and then I got a movie going for him so I could get some stuff done.  Aunt Nicole and her crew showed up to help watch G so I could get back to work (Thank you!!!).
L got home and got our boys under control and watched Sam & Lena for a bit. She reported on the hospital visit. Jack's blood is still the same (low white counts) and the hemotologist wants to wait 6 months to see him again. This visit involved a new Dr., a Physcologist... J has gotten into the habit of washing his hand dozens of times a day and his hands and forearms are severly chapped. The psycologist was not surprised and said it is quite common for young children coming into the hemotology labs to get this, because the hear over and over how they can't have any germs or get sick, this makes them want to wash their hands all the time, over and over...
I finished up my day, we had dinner, L mowed the rest of the yard.  G&I fixed some things and pulled the pump out so we could fix it.  D&I to his baseball practice and I got a walk/run in.  Home and got the boys to bed.  Watched a couple movies, to bed.

100421 - New Mower

100421 - Worked all day then out for dinner. After dinner L&J headed to soccer practice. DG&I cleaned out the shed and got the mower out so we could get it running.

After some lessons and sweat we got it running and my new mower was ready to go. D is the new mower! He is doing pretty good and for now, thinks it is cool. We will see how long that lasts...
Well the mower had a gasket missing and soon it was covered with oil and smoking....  I finished the back section of the yard as quickly as possible and the boys played.  L&J home and they joined in the playing.
After I got everyone to bed I tore the mower apart again and started reconstructive surgery.  I found the problem fixed it and put everything back together, hope it starts next time we try to use it...  :-o
My buddy Joe called tonight.  Today his wife underwent breast cancer surgery and it was found that the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes.  So the surgery was much more invasive than originally planned and the recovery time and pain will be much more intense.  Joe said he has learned one thing for sure, "cancer sucks!"  Please keep Mary Dixon in your prayers for a good and speedy recovery.

100420 - Fire Practice

100420 - Up and at the desk all day testing. Jack over to a little girlfriends for a play date and them they came back here. They are very much alike and enjoy little Playmobil guys and tiny pieces. They even went to the bathroom together :-o jack said, 'well she had to go too'. No big deal to them... L took dinner to a family and backed over Jack's bike. I had the boys lay in their beds, pressed the fire alarm, had them feel the door and then practice climbing out their windows. L home and We had dinner. J&I then took pieces from his mangled bike and D's old bike and made him a good one. I then fixed the bow staff D&G broke. Then fixed the pitching machine so everyone could take a turn hitting. J took off with Jim buddy to get some ice cream and the rest of is had a snack at home and got ready for bed and LOST.

100419 - Dig It

100419 - Up and working. @ lunch Lilly found a chipmunk hole and dug in burying her whole head. After work and a super fast supper we all headed to the park. D had baseball practice, LJ&G hung out atthe play ground and Lilly & I went for a walk/run (C25K). All home, cleand up and all boys to bed. Off to meet with the Bible-bangers. Doc came home with me after the meeting and we ordered him some more business cards and signs.

100418 + Pack-up

100418 + Up way too early for some cold eggs and no coffee...

D wanted to go shooting so we headed to the range and some of his friends and their dads joined us. He was doing really shooting and respected the gun and taught the other scouts how to handle it properly.







D helped tear down the campsite and get everything loaded up. The remaining scouts took a really nice hike to a cave, pond and covered bridge.







After the hike we headed home and grabbed lunch on the way. We got cleaned up, our stuff unloaded and DJ&I went out while L&G took a nap.













We met up with then for dinner and then headed home to watch a movie and finish the day with a double header of TLCs hoarding show.

100417 - Cold Camp

100417 - Up in the freezing morning and met Gma&paW at the soccer field. The typhon like winds drove Gma&pa, D&G back to the house while L&I stayed and froze. J did really good at his game despite the cold.


GpaW,D&I went to the store and got some camping supplies. We came home and started packing up. Soon D&I headed out, picked up the Grossl boys and made our way to the campsite.


We soon had things set up and were ready. We shot Ds BB gun and had a pretty horrible dinner. The boys took a hike and I got the chickens ready. When the boys returned we sat around the campfire, told stories, turned the chicken and had a good time. When the chicken was taken off the fire the guys ate it up lickity split, it was delicious! Soon to bed for a VERY COLD NIGHT.

100416 + Mulch

100416 + The boys had a 'Late Arrival' day at school today. I worked and the mulch arrived. The boys played on the mulch, not realizing how heavy it will be for them soon... ;-)
Out to dinner where they had an indoor play place. Poor D was too big to go in, and he wanted to so bad. On the way home I let him call one of his buddys to join us in watching 'Clash of the Titans', the old 1980's version. All the boys loved it.

100415 - Climbing Base

100415 - Up in tha am and the extension for my contribution to the Obama help everyone out plan has been submitted: as I continue the short sales on two investment properties that are not eligible for any of the new Obama Programs. :-D

After a long day of working for the 'man' I take D to baseball and run my C2 5K, leg HURT!!! LJ&G join us and D did some catching. Home and watched some movies.

100414 - School Squirrels

100414 - Up bright and early and walking the boys to school. They took me to the office and signed me in. Than Jack & I headed to his class. I got to meet his teachers and all his friends. We then all loaded a bus and went on a field trip to the local supermarket. The kids were all talking and and it sounded like a buss full of screaming squirrles. It was a lot of fun and pretty cool. When we got back we walked home and our fun morning was over too soon.
I worked the rest of the day and then we all headed out for a soccer game, groceries and then Netflix on the Wii. And LOST on the uPas.

100413 - Globtrotting

100413 - Up and a very busy day right up to walking out to scarf down dinner. I had a surprise for them. I gave them hints as we ate, basketball, whistling 'Sweet Georgia Brown'; what else would it take? They had no clue. We got to Nationwide Arena and and the action started. The Globtrotters put on a show and the boys watched in total amazement. It was a fantastic night and they loved it, we loved it!


100412 - Worked all day then had a sword fight with G.  L&J took off for soccer practice.  DG&I hit the gas station, then realized D's baseball stuff was in the white car with L&J so we had to find them and get his stuff.  DG&I got to D's baseball practice late and D did lots of hitting tonight, G pitched to me until L showed up and she took J&G home.  I stayed at the park and did the first of the 'C25K' (iPhone app that trains you to run 5k in 9 weeks) walk/run sessions... Man am I sore!  D's practice got done early and I found him sitting by the car waiting for me.  Then had a meeting with the Bible-Bangers.

100411 + Flying Kites

100411 + Up early and finished cleaning up after the big event.  GpaW ran and got some food and had the great idea of going up on top of the farm for a picnic.  We all loaded up on the tractor and head up to Lunar fields where we ate and tried to fly some kites; 

Grant was the only one with success, and I think it is because of his constant motion/self created wind...  

We ate our lunch and had a good time.  We even set off a rocket a couple of times. 

A bumpy ride back to the Farm and all had to depart; Jonathon had to catch a plane and we had to go home and get ready for the week.  All the boys feel asleep on the way home, which is good, but meant that when we got home and L&I that were exhausted wanted to rest, the boys were wide awake :-| argh...

So we loaded up , went to Trader Joe's and then home for a relaxing backyard plan and early bed for all.

2010 Maple Syrup Day @ the Farm

100410 - Up before the sun with 3 boys playing light-sabers with glow sticks at 6am.  We got some breakfast and could see Uncle Roger had the fire lit as the soft smoke rose above the spring house.  Soon we were bundled up an ready to go out for a fun filled day.

Roger had some bacon and the sap already boiling by the time we reached him.  D had to put the plug in the tank and the family members trickled in to put the final touches on preparations for the day.  The sun was up, the clouds vanished and the day was going to be great.

Soon cars started arriving filled with family and friends from far and near.  Children running & playing, food cooking, people talking; all gathered around the central activity of boiling down sap to make maple syrup, as it has been done here for almost two hundred years.

The day was perfect, see for yourself...

No matter where you travel from.

When you get to the Farm, 

you know your home.

Thanks to all who helped prepare, those who came to share, those that came to play.  Because of all of you, it was a wonderful day.  See you next year!