FULLY Present Day

We lived FULLY present today! We also RAN and PEOPLED all day. LOL 

My day began with a 0530 zoom small group in which I participate. I'd missed the past two weeks and it was nice to be back. 

At 0700 Stacia and I headed out for Bible study. We are working through Project 3:45. She'd begun it with youth group at the same time I began it with Bible Babes and Gather - our local women's ministry. She wanted to complete it so when youth group plans changed she and I  continued. We finished 2 Cor and began Matthew. 

We were back home at 0900 and prepping for a day at the Swimming Hole with Arielle and the boys. Before anyone worries about our lack of life vests...LOOK how shallow that water is! It is NEVER even up to our shoulders. Benny had a life vest almost immediately. 

Stacia, Allie and Benny can't wait to get into the water
📷 by Arielle

The blanket gang - 📷 by Arielle

📷 by Arielle

Mommy/Son Fun 

Benny, Arielle, Allie & Stacia 

Such a charming smile! Danny - 8 months

Stacia is sitting on the bottom 

This was a cute moment. Arielle is trying to coax Benny back into the cold water. "Come to Mama." 

Even Danny had a chance in the Kayak. 

I tried a new thing....Arielle is a great teacher...though she does seem a bit concerned in the second shot. 

The moment I became a kayaking Granny (Baachan).

I am  glad CoRielle didn't accept our offer of the Kayak. I can SEE how it isn't a good fit for Michael or the boys...but I enjoyed it...and it's light enough for me to take out on solo outings. 

We took advantage of being out to get more behind the wheel practice for the girls. Allie's folks loaned us their student driver magnetic sign... I found the other one downtown and it was too perfect. Most seem to smile and back off when we remember to put them on the car. Otherwise, come on people, CHILL. It isn't going to kill you if a car drives around you six or seven times. LOL 

It was a great outing. The perfect way to end the week. We discovered going to the Swimming Hole EARLY is fantastic. Much more peaceful.  Grandpa was so worn out he didn't even make it through the paper. 

Yard work must be done. LOL It takes us 14 man hours to get our place mowed - and it's never "done." In other words we always have brush to cut back or more areas we "could" mow if we chose to do so. The girls cleaned inside and got dinner prepped, while I continued working on the yard. (Last night Michael and I had started while the girls made a wonderful Chicken dinner for the family). 

Michael and Alex went out for their study. They are looking at all the battles in the Bible. 

About an hour in - Alex and Michael showed up. Alex was a welcome sight coming around the corner on the riding mower..."The Cavalry is coming!" 

The cavalry 

We have two weed eaters, a riding mower, and a push mower. All were placed into service.  I'm no good with the weed eater and Alex likes the riding mower. I'm pretty good with a push mower. After the girls were done inside, they joined us outside and tackled weeds. I sort of like yard days. 

Weeding with pizazz! 

Well done! 

The chickens also appreciate the girls' work! Yumm! Weeds

I decided to push back into the woods with the mower. I discovered the stinging nettle, which is nasty, but I also discovered a lot of wildflowers. We picked a jar full for the house. 

As far as I got - plan to push back a bit further

Look what showed up this year

I had snapdragons in the garden last year. A bird must have deposited the seed. I have a bunch of wildflower seeds. I haven't been able to figure out how to sow them as the package dictates. I'm thinking I may just toss it  into the woods...I mean...if the birds can do it...I'm sure THEY don't rake up soil, and such. 

I thought this was a weed. I did my best to cut it  out last year. It's AMAZING this year. I have no clue what it is, but I'm fairly certain it's not a weed. Once again, if you are local this ex-military-never-landscaped-spouse sure could use your landscaping expertise. LOL 

I have NOT kept up with the strawberries because I've been unhappy with them and am not quite sure what to do to help them...foraging for berries can be fun...I've not had any sweeter than these. I'll have to be sure to point them out to grandkids. 

I spotted this in the garden and made a note to be sure to show Bella. 

I mowed a path to the hammocks and I mowed all the horse tail under the hammocks. I rewarded myself by resting in my hammock and watching the birds and squirrels play above me - though neither are in this photo. LOL  Now one doesn't feel as if they are on safari when they visit the hammocks. 

The garden - my happy place

Bre and the kids came over for pizza and s'mores.  They were EXCITED. They don't remember having s'mores before. This should be titled "The Many Faces of Annie." She's becoming such a fun character. She really KNEW she was helping and was essential to the project. 

Bella came running to me, "Grandma the plants are so big!" I am glad the fence was unplugged when she ran into the garden. 

She is quite happy with planting and growing these. We talked about a good way to cook them. She left muttering, "Slice them and give them oil...then...."

Our first cucumber

"My turn!" Such adorable sass. 

Annie isn't so sure about the s'more thing

She may not be sure about s'mores, but she loved the individual ingredients! LOL 

Bre and Jojo (8 months)

The roasting is the best. 

Gideon's verdict, "Too messy." 

The worlds gone MAD. I can eat as much sugar as I want. 

Sugar Free S'more - oh yeah! 

All 3 asleep by the time they got home. 📷 by BreAnne

Bre and the kids left around 9 and Dad went to bed. The girls, Michael and I sat around the fire for another hour. There is no better place to connect than around a campfire....though this wasn't technically a campfire. There is no better place to connect than around a house fire  a fire ring! ::wink:: 

The weekend is ahead of us. We have much to get between now and when Will arrives to spend a week with Dad on Thursday.  But for now, we love a freshly mowed yard.... 

Girls Lunch with Grandpa

 Our days are executed with the precision of a Jenga structure.  Dad had a 1 1/2 hour dental appointment scheduled for today. The plan was to drop him off, and then zip Allie over to a lunch she had planned. THEN Dad's appointment got cancelled. THEN Michael broke a temporary crown and the VA wanted him to come in....so he couldn't stay with Dad while I took Allie to her lunch. 

In the end, I told Dad we'd need to leave the house anyway, but instead of a crown, he would come to lunch (there was no way he'd sit in the car during the lunch as I'd planned to do).  He felt this was a good trade. LOL THEN I realized Stacia may like to have lunch too....and that is how we ended up having a girl's lunch with Grandpa in the midst of a crazy busy week. 

We introduced Stacia to Flan and Dad was reminded of Leche Flan (same thing but from the Philippines). I've been tasked with learning how to make it. 

After lunch we had just enough time to get Dad to his physical therapy appointment.  A funny thing happened on the way to Dad's physical therapy appointment - he and I got stuck in their lift. ::snort:: 

The girls and I had planned  a bit of driving practice while Dad was at PT. In the end we were tired and needed to fill our time with a less mentally taxing activity. We found a park, enjoyed nature, and played. Simple is often best. 

This is probably a good time to share we are currently on summer break. We planned to take the week of the wedding, the week after, and then dipnetting week off.  I don't always picture how hard the girls have been working. 

Shark Week 2021

Did you know there was such a thing as SHARK WEEK? I didn't. But, there is - and it's this week. THIS IS SHARK WEEK!!!! Can you feel the excitement? 

Bre is doing a week of fun and activities with the kids centered on Shark Week - and she's sending me photos too cute not to share. LOL 

 This a big shark head and evidently one tries to get the fish out of it's mouth before it closes on one's hand....

Annie (2)

Bella (5)

Shark Masks

Gideon (4)

Shark headbands

Cuter than a shark...

Jojo - 8 months

Yikes - Bella is shark bit! 

And shark TATOOS...."Just like Daddy!"

Mondays are for Sib Gaming

 Monday is the day Arielle and the boys come over to hang out with Grandpa (respite care). The last 3 weeks we have had something going on....appointment, wedding, guests....I was determined to take advantage of the 3 hours of respite....but Michael had a chiropractor appointment scheduled. He needs these to help with the pain from degenerated discs.  We talked about it and I simply could NOT skip a four week. 

We told Arielle to come over anyway.  I went out on my own. I grabbed lunch and met Krista at Luke's where the movers were packing his things to move him to base.  It was a nice visit - could have been much longer, but the movers decided they needed to go back to base with 1/2 a load? Who knows? 

I went to the community gardens from lunch....and then I sat in a car and read. It was good. 

Back at home...the kids were enjoying down time as Grandpa decided to take a nap. Arielle had asked about taking Grandpa outside and I thought it was a good idea. I warned her he tends to want to go out and then decide to take a nap when it's time to do it. LOL  Yep, he opted for a nap. This left the kids to enjoy some sibling gaming time. 

We ended the night by watching an episode of "Home Before Dark"...What are some of your favorite shows to stream?

Sunday Afternoon

 There were only 4 of us going to church this Sunday from our home. Stacia needed to stay home with Millie. Nolan was working.  It was a good message on surrender and awe...much to chew on.  Allie pointed out to me Bre, kids and Alex were in the back....Alex caught up with us for lunch. He is surely enjoying his driver's license. 

After lunch Arielle and the boys stopped by to visit. It seems most were content to lay around....Benny came inside with a handful of strawberries. He remembers from last year. Fairly amazing as I've not weeded the strawberry patch and it is full of cottonwood and dandelions. He remembered. 

I need to research what to do with these. They grow fairly wild. They are sweet and TINY. There are a lot of them...maybe I need to thin them out somehow....anyway I went out with Benny and we foraged more more strawberries. I showed him how he wants them all dark red for the sweetest berries. The problem is the birds and animals get to them if we wait for them to be perfect. LOL 

Next, Benny headed to the garden with me. I wanted to show him how it was growing. He was very skeptical when I told him we could eat the "rashes."  

"Roots? You eat the roots?" ::snort:: 

The cauliflower is just starting to put on tiny heads....it will be a race this year to see if we get food to EAT, but the garden is serving a purpose anyway. LOL Therapeutic. 

We checked in with Papa and he said we could feed the chickens. These chickens are spoiled, but we like having them around. 

I made some yummy kale chips in the air fryer - fresh from the garden. I seem to be the only ones who likes them. 

Benny took a bunch of radishes home to give to Bella. Bella is the one who planted the radishes with me. I need to thin them out and am waiting for her to visit to do the job. 

In the Throes of PMS Millie Eats an ENTIRE Pan of Brownies

We walked in the door and Michael mentioned that Millie had been a little out of sorts all day. She wanted in, she wanted out, she wanted in, she wanted out.  She's been in heat and a bit moody. 

He also mentioned  she had thrown up. He was busy writing and hadn't connected the dots until he was recapping the day with us. 

Michael's next question  was, "What WAS in the glass pan in the kitchen?" It seems he found a glass pan on the kitchen floor. It had been a pan of Keto sugar-free brownies. 

Millie, In the throes  of PMSing, ate an entire pan of sugar free brownies. We all connected the dots at the same time. 

She continued to throw up, while we called the poison hotline and the vet. Saturday night our only option was drive into a pet hospital in Anchorage, or the Tier-1 clinic out here in the Valley. We found Tier 1 to be very helpful.  The vets  good sense of humor is manifested by these pictures - pretty sure the vet tech wasn't so thrilled. 

Most discreet shot - 📷 by vet

Millie was in sad shape. She threw up, she pooped, she was dehydrated and had IVs and lab work for her liver and pancreas enzymes. She's now at home on a bland diet. She's only allowed small and frequent meals. She's also not allowed to run or be boisterous for a week. They said her GI system,  intestinal tract and several of  things are all inflamed. The hope is  she can transition to normal food in a week, but we were warned she may need to stay on a bland, home made diet for a lifetime.

 All in all we were very lucky. She did not have to be admitted. She required no surgery. And if the sugar substitute had been Xylitol, instead of Erythritol,  we're told she would have died. The poison control center said erythritol is just the scientific name for stevia . I don't believe that based on what I know...but... Anyone else heard that before???? LOL