Eight kindergarteners, three pizzas, one birthday boy

Gavin is counting down T-4 days until age 6. He celebrated tonight with 7 kindergarten buddies.

Work-Home balance

Working definitely demands a new sense of balance. I feel misty that many of my raspberries are rotting on the vine as I just don't think to get out there to pick them. Haven't tended my garden in some time. But I did find time to process the five gallon bucket if apples my father-in-law brought me. Aronia berry applesauce for winter!

Great, greats!

We had an unexpected but very welcome visit from my Great aunt and uncle today,who  were down fromMinnesota for a trip to the Ozarks, and my aunt's 60th h.s. Reunion from North highschool. They are the mist inspiring retired folk I know, with a passion for lifelong learning, travel, and volunteering. My uncle is also Jack's namesake.

In addition to this fun visit, the boys worked hard all day on a group painting of ninja.

Fall is in the air

When spring hits, my response is to get outside and walk as much as possible. And my way of jumping into fall always involves the beginning if hibernation, and trying to make the indoors feelmore cozy   through cooking. This week, I made apple crisp, canned apple sauce, baked pumpkin bars, and imbibed apple cider with Prairie Fire cinnamon whiskey, and pumpkin ale. I always get sad when fall dawns on us, even though it's an amazing and beautiful season, because it forebodes the coming of COLD and less outdoor time. Having yummies softens the blow.

Labor Day ER visit

Our three-day Labor Day weekend could've been a slight bit better. Benjamin developed an upper respiratory virus that caused him to have a lot of wheezing and a hard time breathing. Sunday night was kind of scary sleeping next to him, as he struggled for air off and on. We ended up taking him into the ER in the morning. They said he had good oxygen levels in his blood, and that they weren't too concerned about pneumonia. But they gave him a nebulizer treatment and sent him home with A prescription for steroids. He's acting a whole lot better now after the steroids in the nebulizer, and our problem is getting him to stop running around acting as crazy as usual so that his lungs can rest and heal! Glad it wasn't more serious. 

Time to trim the prairie

It is starting to look like a black-eyed Susan massacre around here.

All worth it

Found this little gal on my milkweed today. Made this prairie work so worth it.

First day feel good

First day of the month, first day of a new journey.  I changed my calendar over this AM before heading off to day #1 of AmeriCorps service, and found it gave me just the right message- as always. 

Leaps, and Leaps

No where on my New Year's resolutions list for 2015 did I write, "take a leap of faith." I didn't really intend to take one, much less many. And yet that seems to be the theme this year for both Mike and I. He's still leaping as he searches for new clients to keep his business going. And I'm joining him in the leap of faith area by starting a full time job on Tuesday. As in, TWO days. I was offered a position yesterday with AmeriCorps for a 12-month service term, and right now it feels like the right transition for me. I'll be developing a youth volunteer corp for Iowans through a non-profit called Community Youth Concepts. I'm eager to get on the ground training and experience in volunteer management, service learning, and non-profit functioning. But I'm reeling with the realization that I'm not just re-entering the work world, I'm jumping in without much warning! Gah!!!

1st Day of School!

Gavin's 1st day of Kindergarten!!

Benji's first day of second grade!

And Jack's first day of third grade- phew, these kids are growing fast!!