NO electronics day - Spring Break!

Yep, I declared a no electronics day during spring break. I waited until we finally had a nice day, and early in the day, made my declaration for all. I didn't have very many happy campers, but we got a ton of work done.

Some of us worked harder than others.

and after supper, i lifted our Amish ban and we turned everything back on again!! of course because I had to watch Idol!

Never Too Old

If you build it, they will come.......

It has taken a lot of coaxing from some unnamed 10 yr old, but he finally got his 15 yr old brother & 13 yr old sister to join him in the snow. We finally have enough snow, (even though it is February) to make our snow hill.

Today after the big snow fell I sent them all outside, I did a lot of pushing but finally they went. I know, even though they would never admit it, they had a lot of fun!

Christmas 2009

Wow Christmas this year has come and gone so quickly. I am loving the sunshine & the lack of
snow this year. However, the kids are not impressed that they havent used their sleds much. Every day without snow & cold is one day closer to spring.


December is a especially busy month for us. Brian & Brevin both have birthdays before Christmas so that includes lots of parties with family. My side of the family has always celebrated Christmas for supper on the 25th. Santa has always been a tradition of the Brookins family since I was a kid. He is always expected & every kid has cried atleast once during his arrival. Now that they are older, they enjoy hopping up on his lap for their new pair of John Deere socks!!

We took a day trip & headed up to the Bass Pro Shop in Portage to do some shopping and just to get away. The Boys in the family really enjoyed themselves. Looking at guns, bow & arrows, ammunition etc...... Here are some pics of the girls, trying to enjoy themselves................


One of us is afraid of that bear & the other isn't . We ended up at the movie theater. Which was more fun for Linds & I.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!

What a Beautiful sight!!!

WE CAN SEE!

Harvest has always been a stressful time for our family. Last year was a disaster, with us still picking in December. This year has been so awesome, almost so good, we dont want to talk about it for fear of something happening. Totally blessed to be almost finished!

So today they were picking the corn around our house. It is always strange in the summer when the corn gets tall enough that we are blocked in on all 3 sides, then in the fall, when it all comes down, it is another adjustment.

The dogs didn't know what to do as all the equipment came into THEIR fields. They were chasing the tires on the semi and barking most of the day. What a big event for all of us.

179 MORE DAYS!!!

Brycen woke up this morning with dread and told me that there were 179 more days of school left! I laughed & told him that he should wear a sign on his back today that says "179 more days" that would be too funny. So I can definately say that none of my kids were ready to go back to school.

Brian & I were discussing last night that this year is a big year for all of our kids. Brycen's 1st year of high school. Lindsey's 1st year at Fairfield. Brevin's 1st year in the big hallway at the elementary school.

I am proud that I got their pic this year. Remembering last year when the bus arrived 10 minutes early on the 1st day of school & they had to RUN all the way down the lane. (something they totally HATE to do). I felt so bad last year thinking it was their 1st day & they were running. So this year, they went down plenty early.

Summer always goes too fast, it seems like we just had the last day of school in May. I am not ready for them to go back. I am doing all the chores today that I got to assign to them all summer. Laundry, feeding the animals, hanging up the laundry. I am doing them with dread.

So as I sit here, I am reminded how much i dislike the 1st day of school too. I am anxious for them to come home & one thing I do know is................................

MY HOUSE IS TOO QUIET!!!

All done, now what?

Fair is over, am I sad? now what do you think? : ) I do miss seeing the kids in the yard walking the pigs & them working together everyday cleaning the pen. But the fair just isnt my favorite place to be in the summer. Too Hot, too many people, too much stress & drama.

Our Favorite pig, Tank did the best this year. We all loved walking him around the yard. He had a great personality & was easy. Brycen ended up getting Champion in his breed on show day & took him back out the next day for open show. (with a different judge, you never know what will happen) He got Champion of his breed again that day. Very unusual to get it twice. The breeder bought him back and is taking him to the State fair to show him there. We will be anxious to see how he does.

WHATS next??

SCHOOL

The dining room table is completely covered in school supplies. Why is it that we have 5 art boxes, (only need 1). tons of spiral notebooks because there is still paper left in them from last year, and i'm not even going to count the crayons leftover or pencils!! Guess I wont need to be buying very much this year.