Just People Making a Living

Dropped Tim off in Des Moines at his new job Monday morning.  We saw this after we pulled away and had driven up the road a little ways. 

Tim met up with us later, a lot later.  We chatted for a while and then kissed goodbye.  He drove to Nebraska, we drove to Missouri.  He called me from his hotel room that night to inform me that before we said our goodbyes, he forget to get his bags out of the van and put them into his company car.  Thank goodness for Walmart...

S-s-s-s-nake!!

I really don't like these, but was actually excited to see signs of life... the kind of life that usually isn't out during cold weather.  Which means that we are nearing the time of the year that warm weather abounds and cold weather is just a really bad memory that we are glad we aren't having to live through anymore...

Pruning, Some More...

It is that time of the year again, where we all try to prune as much as we can and hope that what we actually get done will be enough!  This last week we made pretty decent progress in the Avery Section, our youngest bunch of trees.

 And as it goes with most mechanical type thingies on this farm, they don't usually like to start up when you need them.

So while the Apple Farmer worked on Snappy - our pruning thingy -  I tooke a picture of Taffy digging for rodent type critters.  Don't worry, I didn't take a picture of her eating them....

And before too long -

I found myself on the top of the orchard looking down on creation...

(oooh, the literary technique of allusion...  my kids will be so proud)

Nebraska Weekend

With Tim's first day of work just about a week away, we made an exodus to Nebraska, his new territory, to see what we could see.  We drove through several areas, checked out what amenities were available and we investigated any and all possibilities for living arrangements.  We also looked at this house which is currently listed for sale.  When we pulled up and parked and I looked out the window, I just knew I had to get the camera out for this one.  Similar to pricing to the house we picked up in MN for his territory a couple of years ago, we didn't imagine we'd be looking at something in this type of condition.

This is the "coveted front porch" as per the listing description, which happens to be falling off of the side of the house.



Fully equipped with bench swing...  I wonder if the bench comes with the house....

This feels like we have passed through a time warp!

I haven't decided yet if this is really cute or really really creepy...



Curtains... haunted house style!

Butler's pantry



Going down into the basement...

Hope you enjoyed the tour as much as we did!  There was a lot of stuff in the house and it seemed like we spent as much time checking out the stuff stashed in boxes and in corners as we did looking at the house!  It was a very entertaining stop to say the least!

Strong

Bridges and Kick Overs

We were given three complimentary lessons from the new director over the gymnastics program, which meant her Royal Highness could hardly wait for her lesson to roll around this past Friday.  She also met with a new coach, since her wonderful coach got a new job while we were away in CA. 

 The twosome went through the usual practice on basic skills.

When it came to bridging, however, Abby, her new coach didn't expect Gracie Anne to be ready to kick over!  So kick over she did!

Abby told me after Gracie's lesson that she was suprised to see a little one this young bridge up and hold herself on her own.



Anxiously awaiting her next lesson!!

What Brrrrrr Looks Like

So we are really experiencing some winter chill around here!  Last week we got quite a bit of snow.  This week we are sub zero temperatures and our feet are cold even in their shoes!

After the Apple Farmer shoveled the front walk, he got busy with another project.  He came back to the front door to admire his work and this is what he saw!

This picture is another picture of brrrrr.  It also manages to warm my heart!  This is one of our neighbors.  The locals call him Reiger.  He shows up and plows our drive way and the drive way up to the dairy barn and house on the north side of the farm in his pretty green tractor!  He won't take pay.  So I like to bake for him. 

This is a cold Stanley.  But he doesn't seem to mind.

I suppose it is one of the many things that makes me and Stanley so different from each other.  And another thing that makes me and him so different - He likes to eat hay and I don't.   In this picture, he has icicles hanging from the hair on his belly and I don't.... 

Here is Uncle Doug.  This picture doesn't necessarily illustrate brrrr, but you can see all of the icy snow in the background.  Its purpose here is so you can see how bad mannered Uncle Doug really is.  He stands in the middle of dinner on a regular basis.

Pretty sunset.  Brrrrrrr!



Nebraska

Tim accepted an offer from Nationwide to fill a position in Nebraska.  The offer wasn't what we had hoped for, however we are capapable of tightening our belts!  We feel thankful that Tim will have work in a week and a half.  What feels disappointing is that our debt snowball plan will take longer to obliterate, and Tim has to be located in Nebraska.  We can only pray harder that the house in Minnesota will sell quickly, and that we can find an inexpensive and safe place in Nebraska.  Apple season is lots more fun when the apple farmer can be around!  We can also pray that somehow this Nebraska arrangement can be a Missouri arrangement before the apples are ready to harvest!!  Most of all, we will keep looking for the blessings!