A bit of a setback...

Emily broke a jar when it hit a shelf in the refrigerator and had to get 9 stitches on Saturday. Too bad it is such a busy time with gardening, painting and all the other busyness of our days. The two girls are each the head of a team and one week the team does dishes (which is the most time taking chore) and the other team does laundry. Well, Jordan had just finished her week of dishes and now is taking that over as I am usually outside gardening or something. Jordan also has to milk everyday now instead of every other. We have about 5 days until the stitches come out and then we'll see how the recovery is. She was moving around goat milk and her first words after the cut were, "I hate goats, why do we have to have goats?" :)

Some success...

We decided this year to join the Farmer's Market in our area and try our hand at selling our wares. We had our first night and it went well. We had strawberries (the very last 7 pints in the garden, they were almost sad looking, very ripe but they all sold), peas (all sold), 3 kinds of lettuce (mostly sold), zucchini bread (sold), strawberry jam and rhubarb-strawberry jam (sold 4 jars) and cookies (sold 1 bag). The kids helped pick and make everything. We are wondering what we will have this next week. My strawberries are gone, lettuce is looking sad and peas may be gone by then. I may have some zucchini (I planted 4 different varieties) and we may have a few peppers. We'll have to do some more baking and see what sells. There is a variety there: jams and jellies, pasture-fed chickens, beef and pork, bread, some other canned good, perennial plants and other veggies. I sure wish I had gotten started sooner with my garden.

We started swim lessons tonight! The kids had a lot of fun. Lessons were always in the morning before and now are in the evening which is a bit warmer. Isaac did a super job keeping up with the other kids. We missed lessons last year. I called a week too late to sign up so the kids are all older than the other "town" kids and a bit further behind.

Boy, the heat is suffocating. Kevin put an air conditioner in my garage. Remember my really messy garage? Well, it is more than half empty of that junk and I'm happy that most of the junk is thrown away, scrap metal or on it's way out. I've been washing the walls and ceiling (I'm sure it has never been done before) and clearing it out! Saturday I did most of the washing and was dripping wet by one hour into it. We remembered an air conditioner Kev's parents gave us and he picked it up at his shop and we have cool air! I hope it is painted by the end of this week but I've been hoping that for about a month. We'll see. Happy heat wave to you all!

Step up the supervision...

Two things have caused me to pause and think about, "how safe are my kids?" I was at a local library recently and the kids quickly grabbed books and computers to play games (not internet accessible) while I walked around wondering what I'd like to look at for the hour we had planned to be there. I checked out the kids movies for movie night and then not finding anything I was interested in I picked up a book sitting on the top shelf. You know, it was displayed because it was a new release, trying to catch your attention. I started reading it and I was interested in it because it was the kind of book I would have read around 11-13 years old. It was about a girl who moved around a lot and had a hard time making friends. She made a new friend and her friend was quite different. The more I read the story the stranger it became and then I figured out what was going on. The step dad and 12 or 13 year old had something going on and they were EXTREMELY graphic about it!!!!!!! Please be careful what your kids are reading in the public library. It was more than disturbing. If Rebekah or Emily had read that book I would be horrified, it was pornography. I asked the librarian if she had read it and the reply was, "No, but that author visited our library." I told her what I read and she gave me a form letter to file a complaint and ask for the book to be removed. I used to check books out for the kids quite frequently. Looks like we have to go back to that practice. This world is not our home! The Bible says to not be conformed to this world. We need to be vigilant in fighting for our kids to be raised without this kind of influence.

The second incident happened in Wal-mart in Fargo on Sunday night. We were on our way home from fellowship and I had forgotten something at Wal-mart on a previous visit and went to customer service to get it. Four of the kids had to go to the bathroom so they came in with me. It took me less than 2 minutes to pick my item up and wait for the kids outside the bathrooms. The three boys came out together and were agitated. They told me how a man with a red mohawk said, "Hey, kid, you have any money." to each of them. Well, after we got in the van and the kids were describing what they were doing and what he said to each of them and how they responded it turned out there was a second guy blocking the doorway. They didn't know the two guys were together until after Kevin went into the store to see if they were still in the bathroom. The two guys walked right by the van and that's when Isaac said that the one guy was in front of the door. He moved away from the door when they said they didn't have any money. All of the kids were shaken up by the incident and Rebekah was scared in the night of kidnappers. Nothing happened in there but sometimes I let them go all the way to the bathroom when I'm clear across the store. I'll be more careful in the future about this too. It gave us some discussion on how do you handle this kind of thing. I told them to start yelling for their mom! I wonder what those guys would have done then? I did tell the first employee about them because I didn't want them harassing anyone else. I don't know what else I should have done.

Peas...

We picked peas today. I know I could just buy a bag of peas but we like to eat them fresh and there is something about garden fresh produce and the work is rewarding. Tonight, we'll sit, watch a movie, and shell peas. Memories!

Isaac and Kevin constructing the "rafter" part of the high tunnel today.

My dad Sam, stopped by to put a bale in the horses' pen and ended up digging some holes with Kevin. It was great help because Kevin was not looking forward to it. With the kids' help he got the ground stakes all tamped in on the other side.

Here are the two they assembled and attached to the ground stakes. Kev's got to call the company and ask about some water that is down in the stakes. He's wondering if they will freeze come winter and cause problems. We are in a severe weather watch right now. Praying the tomatoes, peppers and other produce make it through!

A few good tomatoes...

The kids and I have been busy with many things outside this week. Monday we recuperated from a weekend camping trip. We almost didn't get to go camping. The bus was giving us trouble. Last year it ended up in the fix-it shop on the way to this very weekend camp. Kevin was able to get the brakes "unstuck" and we had a great time of fellowship and food and playing and worship! Monday, we picked about 45 pounds of strawberries which we sold to someone. The kids get a portion of all the strawberries since they are doing a lot of the work. We hope to participate in the Farmer's Market this year and the kids get a percentage for their weeding and picking. It's more fun to help when you get rewarded for it.

Tuesday, we picked this huge mound of weeds from this little garden. There are some sticks under those weeds but it was a great group effort and so rewarding to see the garden. The weeds were nearly as large as the plants. Marigolds and tomatoes are all that's here plus 3 little pepper plants. I have some to transplant out there but they aren't doing so well in the house.

Wednesday, up at 7:30 a.m. picking strawberries again and then Em and I cleaned houses for others. Thursday at 7:30 a.m. we picked again and ran errands. Last night was a Farmer's Market meeting and we got home about 10 p.m. I told Jordan that we should get the house picked up and then we can sleep in. She reminded me that I had a chiropractor appointment!!!! I had to leave at 7 a.m. :( :( Supper is in the oven, Kevin is working late so he can have all day tomorrow off and we hope to have movie night yet tonight. Tomorrow we are hoping to have a big workday. Only 6 weeks to the graduation party on August 20. We ordered the announcements last night and they are already being shipped! Way to go Shutterfly! We saved a huge amount of money picking a different card than the traditional grad announcement plus there was a great sale yesterday and I saved over $50 with coupons and the sale price. I'm so glad I didn't order the night before. Whew!!