Cuteness

Nothing really to say about this photo. I just think it is cute.

Potato Farm Field Trip

We took a field trip to a local (as in a few miles from our house) potato farm today. Our kids are no strangers to planting, growing and harvesting potatoes but this trip gave them a little more perspective into what it takes to get those bags of potatoes into the local grocery stores. We did a short walk through the warehouse and got to see the process in which the potatoes are washed, sorted, boxed up, and ready to ship.



Isn't that a whole lot of spuds? In case you didn't know, Big Lake's version of a local fair and parade each summer is called the Spud Fest.

This pile of taters goes back another 120 feet. Smelled so great and earthy.

The kids got to have some of the rejected potatoes. Glory and Ellie each got a big heart. Glory's friend had a cute little butterfly. A little boy in our group had a potato in the shape of a ducky. It was promptly turned into a gun to shoot at his sister's butterfly in 3 minutes or less.

I just recently realized that I neglected to post pictures from our first day of school. Actually, come to think of it, I didn't take any pictures! And here we are, well into October. Oh well. Life goes on.

I did, however, snap some shots of a great little family outing that we took with my sister and her family. Yesterday we went to Fairhaven Farms in Fairhaven, MN. It feels like our lives have been consumed with homeschooling, piano lessons, soccer, preparing for winter, and the like since mid-August. We played hooky from church and headed out to go through a 4 acre corn maze, look at gardens and chickens, buy things in the little store, and have a wagon ride. (not a hayride, a wagon ride...my allergies were happy) On our way home we even went out to eat. It was a lovely day!!

Summer Memories 2011

It is already the last day of July. I can hardly believe it. Our summer has been jam-packed with lots of "scheduled" down-time. We have been swimming, hanging out with friends and family, hosting picnics and parties and get-togethers. We had our annual 4th of July weekend with Aaron's brother and his family. We have been on the road for travel soccer and eaten untold numbers of McDonalds ice cream treats. We have gone to the movies and have been watching the Anne of Green Gables series. We have been gardening, landscaping and improving our yard. The kids have been taking turns going camping with my parents.

It has been...lovely.

But homeschool is never far from my mind and we will be beginning again before you know it.

Unless...

I take the year off!

Rhubarb Shade

We have been planting the garden and harvesting rhubarb. It always amazes me that the kids have no problem chowing down a couple pieces of the sour stuff. And no sour face!

The kids love getting involved in helping with the yard. (The two big ones are starting to resist, but I recall resisting a LOT of what my parents wanted me to do when I was 13 1/2). Evidently, from these pictures, it is very important to provide shade for Daddy while helping with the rhubarb.