It's Official...We've Become Farmers!

Well sort of become farmers! We have started our garden! This is the first time we have started anything from a seed. In the past in our 4x8 town garden, we always started everything from plants....well now that we have a garden plot that will be able to feed the city of Augusta (should it actually produce!), we decided it may be a little more economical to start from seeds! We planted tomatoes and peppers on Sunday evening...they are currently residing in the store room in our basement, complete with a warming light and a growing light. We are heading out this weekend to buy our first farm implement.... a tiller...I know it's pretty exciting! By the end of this adventure we are hoping to have carrots, beets, peas, green beans, okra, tomatoes, peppers (sweet and hot), grapes, watermelons, pumpkins, cucumbers, grapes, onions, dill, cilantro, sage, chives...and if the boys talk hard enough probably some strawberries! We have also ordered an apple tree! This is my adventure.....It is supposed to be small.....but the fruit is supposed to be normal sized. It won't produce this year, but by next summer we are supposed to have some apples! Keep your fingers crossed for us....if this thing doesn't pan out....we will all be pretty bummed!

Even the boys are getting into this! This summer one of their jobs is to work in the garden 5 days a week.....they both have already started planning what they are going to do with the veggies...tomato juice, salsa, carrots, pickles.....I wonder if they plan on doing the canning as well??!!

A View From the Swanky Seats!

Last Saturday we headed out to our first hockey game in a looonnnggg time! When Shawn worked for the Red Cross....those non-profit gift giving away fools, we attended hockey games quite frequently, but since he had left there, we had not been to one! I forgot how much fun they were.....there is just nothing better than going to watch one sport and getting to see two! You know the saying, So I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out! I tell ya, those guys are crazy...it's no wonder they are all missing teeth! Unfortunately the Thunder couldn't pull out a win....but I didn't too much care....I had my buns comfortably planted in the Loge Box seating! Sounds fancy, No? Well, my sister was wonderful enough to give us her company's tickets when her and Marsh couldn't go this weekend.....I don't know if I will ever be able to go to another event where I actually have to go stand in line for myself at the concession stand! It was wonderful, I would have a hankering for popcorn and voila! I had popcorn! Thanks Sis for the tickets....we had a great time!

And finally the Thunder SCORE!!!

Somebody didn't quite make it....we don't know how he was sleeping through all of the noise.....must have been the comfy leather seats!

You're Forgiven!

Dear Kansas,

I am writing to let you know you are forgiven...and to offer my own apology. You see, last week I was pretty angry with you and said some pretty ugly things about you. I was knee deep in snow and freezing to death, but you are offering me an olive branch with the weather yesterday and today.....how could I stay mad at you? This morning after dropping my short and t-shirt wearing children off at school...I came home, poured my cup of coffee, grabbed my bible and Daniel bible study book and set up camp on the patio....soaking up the beautiful morning sun and unseasonably warm temps. So, please accept my apology.....and please let these days keep on coming!

Yours truly,

Amanda

Meet Bill!

Last weekend before all of the snow had melted...the boys packed up and headed out to make a snowy friend! I went out and helped them a little, but mostly it was their creation. I really don't think these poor kids had ever made a snowman...at least one they could remember making! They spent the whole time giggling....it was so much fun to watch....I wish I could bottle times like these, and then I would pop open a bottle when they were arguing!!

Sledding Fun!

Since we have had soooo much snow...we decided to make the best of it with some sledding time!! The boys even got me to go down a couple of times! It was a perfect way to spend a snowy day!

Black Walnut Cake....YUMMY!

A few weeks ago Shane and Abigail gave us a bunch of walnuts and pecans! For those of you who have had the pleasure of cracking black walnuts; you know that it is A LOT of work! So, I had to find something to do with the walnuts that would be deserving of all of the hard work! I found a recipe for Black Walnut Cake....I didn't want to just toss them in any old recipe...I wanted one that was tried and true to the black walnuts! It turned out fantastic....plus the boys got cooking lesson #4 out of the deal! I am impressed with my little chefs.....they are getting very handy around the kitchen!

Snow Ice Cream....It's What's For Breakfast!

I admit....I am not one of those people who love snow! I know it's crazy, but I can't stand it! In my opinion, we have had way too much, but since I have no control over it....I have come to the realization I am just going to have to embrace it! So, I think I have found a way to end up loving all of this fluffy stuff....SNOW ICE CREAM! Some of my Fredonia friends were talking about this stuff, so I did some searching and found a recipe....it's awesome! The best part...we have an endless supply....well, at least until the sun comes out and the temperature is above 0!

Of course, snow ice cream is not complete without caramel and chocolate sauce!

Because We Like To Go Out With A Bang!

After the boys participated in the Augusta Tournament on the 22nd of January, our little family decided we were ready for a break. So, we decided last week would be our last week and we would have a two month break from practices and games before baseball starts up! Well, Gabe just couldn't end the season without a little drama! On Tuesday night, him and his buddy, Mike were wrestling...long story, short...Mike did a chop arm (totally legal and performed correctly) and Gabe got hurt. So, we checked out his arm, he was still able to move it...it hurt, but moved and it wasn't swollen. We decided to give him some tylenol and send him to bed and see how he felt the next morning. On Wednesday morning he was still complaining about it, so I had him lift up the arm of his sweatshirt and his arm was about twice as big as usual from about 2 inches above the elbow to the tips of his fingers. Well, I got on the horn and we were at the doctor an hour later. An x-ray showed something "funny", so we were then referred to an Orthopaedic Specialist/Surgeon! On Thursday we saw the specialist, who confirmed something looked a bit off--great, glad we can all agree on that!--but he wasn't sure what the line on the x-ray meant--it was either a vertical break in the humorous or a tear or rupture to one of the ligaments in his elbow. So, we were then scooted off to an MRI.....Mind you Gabe was still moving his arm, so I was still thinking, it really couldn't be that serious! Well, on Friday we finally got the results...it turns out he has a torn ligament in his elbow....it was almost ruptured. We have so much to be thankful for, had it actually ruptured, we would be sitting in a hospital waiting on our little guy to be getting out of surgery, but thankfully, the match was stopped fast enough on Tuesday night, that no further damage was done and thankfully, Gabe does not cry wolf....we believed he was hurt and took him to the doctor, instead of telling him to suck it up! and thankfully, the first doctor was unsure of what he was seeing, so he sent us on and thankfully the specialist was also perplexed so he sent us to get an MRI. Had any of these things not have happened the outcome would have definitely been different! Right now, he is in a splint and sling....later this week, he will have an "especially made for Gabe" brace that he will wear for at least 3 weeks. At the end of that, he is expected to make a full recovery....well, as full as someone with an elbow injury does! Because he is young they are hopeful that he will be able to extend his elbow fully, but I guess elbows are funny....they are the least forgiving of any body part. So, the moral of this story.....if you are wrestling, DO NOT LOCK YOUR ARM while someone is doing a chop arm on you!

Grady Loses A Tooth!

On Saturday Grady lost his first tooth!!!! This little tooth had been loose for at least 6 weeks and really loose...like I mean moving back and forth while he was talking for a week! While we were watching KSU get spanked by KU on Saturday evening, Grady decided he was ready for the tooth to come out, so he grabbed an apple and went to town! A few minutes later he was holding the little treasure...beaming a bloody little smile!

Happy Birthday to ME!

Ah yes, the big day has come and gone.....but it sure was fantastic! So, I ordered up the perfect weather as one of my presents and what do you know....I got it! I have NEVER in all of my 33 years of existence had a birthday as fantastic as this one...it was a sunny 70 degrees on January 29th this year! Not only did the weather spoil me....but my 3 guys did their fair share as well! I woke up to a yummy breakfast of biscuits and gravy! We then lounged around for awhile enjoying coffee in the sunshine! That afternoon we headed into Wichita for lupper at Knolla's Pizza and hiking and sightseeing at the Great Plains Nature Center! We ended the day munching on some Marble Slab Creamery Ice Cream by Bradley Fair's Fountains and presents after we got back home! It was an absolutely beautiful day.....it will certainly be tough to top this one! Thanks everyone for the cards, presents, phone calls, emails and texts!!! You certainly know how to make a girl feel loved!

Gabe's Award!

This month Gabe was awarded the Citizenship award for his 4th Grade class at Ewalt!! He was modest as usual....when I walked into his classroom his classmates told me he won it...not him! He just shrugged and said, "I didn't think it was that big of a deal." Well, we think it is a BIG DEAL...he was voted on by his classmates and teacher! He was honored during morning announcements and then had lunch with Mr. Clark, the principal! WAY TO GO, GABE! We are sooooo proud of you!