A Little Bit of Everything

Just wanted to give you all a quick catch-up on our life since it's been awhile and we've been super busy!

Rainbows always remind me of Noah's Ark and God's promise.

We started a remodel project.  We took that wall out and opened up the kitchen into the living room.  

This was my job.  If you use a black or brown marker on the cut edges before you put them up, you don't see the lighter edges of the trim.  I also got to run the nail gun a little bit :)  With supervision, of course.

Playing Jenga.  I can't play this game... I get way too stressed out!

My office for the afternoon and evening one day.  My job was to gather the hay bales with the skidsteer and put them in rows of 8 so when the trucks came back from each load, they would be ready to load and not have to go gather their load.

I actually really enjoyed running the Bobcat.  Shhh... don't tell Jake!

We went to West Bend a few weeks ago for a surprise birthday celebration for a special friend!

Working on lettering for a cake with Lizzy for a friend's 30th birthday.

Isn't that an incredible camera!  I know I say this every time I post a picture of one of her cakes, but isn't she amazing?!

Finished product with the lettering.  I ended up downloading the Canon logo and cutting it on my Silhouette Cameo out of white vinyl.  I also cut the "HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY SARA" out of vinyl.

I also designed and cut this with Silhouette Studio to put on a picture for my sister-in-law.

My sweet little niece!

In the midst of the other remodel project I decided that this red room that has been bothering me for 5 years HAS to get done!  After we were first married, I thought it would be great to have an all red guest bedroom...  The red paint I got was really runny and just dripped EVERYWHERE!  It was so bad, that I pretty much gave up and closed that door and no one ever stayed in there.  The floor had paint drips and everything.  So imagine a whole room like this picture.  I will hopefully be updating you on this room in the near future.

We started corn harvest!  I LOVE this time of year!

This runaway is the product of trying to tag her newborn calf.  She was NOT happy with us.  She put Jake through a fence and chased me around the garage several times.

Sorting cattle and tagging the babies.

I know this isn't a very good picture, but I wasn't going to take the chance in getting closer after the last run around.  We went out one morning to sort the calves off and this one was just being born!  I have only witnessed that a hand full of times and it's amazing every time.

We went on a birthday date for me last week to Topeka.  He wouldn't look normal at my camera, so this is the best you get.

Not sure what's going on with my pose here, but this is also as good as it gets.

We went to Red Robin and did some shopping afterwards.  As always, it was an awesome burger and sweet potato fries.  Have I ever told you how much I like sweet potato fries?  I kinda get excited when I see them on the menu!

We came home with several Hosta plants that were on sale.  Jake really enjoys landscaping and decided he wanted a Hosta bed.

So I think I have caught you up to date on our lives.  I am still working on the "red room" that I hope to finish this week.  I also did some t-shirt designing for the football and volleyball moms at school.  I am hoping to finish cutting them today and can move into fall decorations!  I am really looking forward to that!  Happy Fall Y'all!

Hauling Hay

We have been busy hauling hay in the evenings when I get home.  I really don't mind it, but it's not what you think when you think of hauling hay.  You see... we kind of cheated this year.

Jake bought this contraption to go on his skid steer.

He drives down the rows and scoops up the bales.

And I get to drive the truck.

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Jake started a seed cleaning side business this year.  I designed the shirts on Photoshop and cut heat transfer vinyl with my Silhouette and ironed them on for some advertising :)

We are so ready for fall out here!  However, we can't complain because we have only had about one week in the 100's all summer.  We are praying for a safe a happy harvest for all our farmer friends.  Have a great Labor Day!

Mark Twain Cave

On the way back from Illinois we stopped at Mark Twain Cave in Hannibal, Mo.  I have fond memories of going there as a kid on vacation, so I thought Jacob should experience the same thing. 

We really enjoyed the tour.  I will admit it wasn't quite as magnificent as I remembered, but that's probably been 18 years ago.  It was a fun little date to break up the trip home.

Another Birthday Party

The 40th birthday party we were privileged to be a part of was for Mark Mueller.  When I was single I went to Biloxi with him and his wife.  Since then, Jacob and him are 2 peas in a pod and are always going back and forth.  Remember my post from Jacob's surprise birthday guests?  That was them.  So we had to return the favor. 

 I designed and cut this shirt with my Silhouette Cameo.  I used a Black Heat Transfer Vinyl and ironed it on to a white shirt.

One rule that has taken over in our friendship is there must be gag gifts involved!

Has anyone ever heard of Yard Dutch Blitz?  I hadn't either, but I am so glad we were introduced to it!  It was so much fun.  Next project: make yard sized dutch blitz cards!

Jacob and Mark were reluctant participants.  After they won their first partnership game, they decided it wasn't so bad.

We had such a blast making more memories with these awesome friends!

Happy Birthday Baby Brother!

We hit up a couple birthday parties a couple weeks ago.  My baby brother turned 20 (I know!  So hard to believe!) and a good friend of ours turned 40!

We got in late Friday night at Mom & Dad's.  On Saturday morning I went with my nieces, nephew, and SIL to the county fair.  Jake helped my brother do some work on his house remodel project.  Of course, I had to make a stop at Target since our closest one is 80 miles away.  

Tessa got some cute girly Legos.  How cool is that?

Kassie Mae.  I have a terrible time getting her to smile for a picture.

Trevor being Trevor.

Haha!  I am so thankful Dad still has his sense of humor!

Birthday boy Darrin.

And I couldn't resist posting a picture of the card Travis got Darrin. Lol!

There's something to be said about family gathered round the table.  It's such a special time together!

Cousinsville Hospital

Things have been super busy around here, as I'm sure they are for all of you!  Cousinsville Hospital happened several weeks ago, but I will try to recount everything from memory.

It was the Isch Cousins Camp and every year they come up with a theme and we are privileged to be 

invited!  This year was a hospital that required us to come with an injury so these educated doctor's and nurses could fix us all.

I bought a cheap shirt at Wal-Mart and spray painted a tire black.  Then just rolled it over the shirt to appear like I had gotten run over.

Then I had to get creative with some dollar store make-up, a wrap bandage, and a Sharpie marker.

It was a hoot to see what everyone else had come up with.  Lizzy had been attacked by a fox, a porcupine, and a skunk! (Though she did NOT smell :)

 She got real with her quills (toothpicks, glue, and make-up)

 I think her daughter was slightly embarrassed.  Hehe.

 Max helping Doug try to remove a fishing lure from his ear.

 All the cousins from the Hospital staff.

 I had to sit by Marjorie at supper, which may have made me lose my appetite a bit.  I'm not sure what all you can tell in this picture, but if you look closely, you may see "lice" in her hair, hair hanging from her chin, neck, and even coming out of her ears.  More pictures of her to come.

Our place settings were so cute.  We had a menu that we got to pick from with our cute syringe pens.

The food was abundant and so much tastier than a hospital for sure!

So when we got to the hospital we had to register with the receptionist and got an appointment time.  After supper they started calling us back to the bedroom to fix us up.   

 This is Marjorie's leg that had glued spiders on it.  She just used Elmer's glue and sprinkled pumpkin pie spice on it to make that color.

 Here she has a ribbon under her bandage to look like tape worm.

 She cooked spaghetti and held it in with a piece of a plastic glove.  If my memory serves me correctly, this was the point when Nurse Colton got sick and had to leave the room.

 Max got a knee brace around his ankle and child's crutches to help out his bad knee.

So much fun and memories!  You kids did a fabulous job in organizing this all!