A Lot Happens...

 

...in a few weeks, like son #1 turning 28 years old and we celebrating that occasion with family and friends.

 

 

 

Daniel found a funny card about big brother being the strong silent type.  Then the inside of the card expands on that.

 

 

Whitney is happy that hubby has time to rest.

 

 

...And getting away for a weekend at one of our favorite camping places, Fort Lincoln State Park south of Mandan.  Last year the camp was flooded with the water from the Missouri River.

 

 

Our camping spot was right by the playground where our children enjoyed meeting and playing with new friends.  We were able to keep an eye on them and get a chance to really relax with all of us being content.

 

 

Both evenings we enjoyed a dessert of smores.

 

 

Recently Leah learned how to tie her shoes.

 

 

This year the camp added two tepees you can rent.  While it seemed unique I would still prefer staying in my own camper.

 

 

I love this view of the Missouri River.  The flood changed the river.  Now there is a long sandbar right across from the campground where local boaters come.

 

 

Each morning I give our cats a little milk which the chickens have discovered they like as well.

 

 

This past Sabbath was my 50th birthday.  Since Daniel's 11th birthday is coming up this week we celebrated together.  This is the cake Daniel wanted me to make.  Can you tell what it is supposed to be?  (a turtle)

 

 

After baking and cooling the cake in a round bowl I had to cut off the top of the cake, which became the bottom, so it would lay flat on the serving platter.  The children were decorating the piece I cut off with frosting and candy.

 

 

My soon to be 11 year old blessing from God

 

 

Beaver Creek

This past weekend we went camping at Beaver Creek Recreation Area, a very beautiful place where Beaver Creek runs into the Missouri River.

Trying to stay warm out of the wind

The children found nice fine sand on the shore and were busy carrying it...

...up to our campsite.

Love the two horses!

We walked the trail up the hill and could see Tim fishing...

way  down there on the point.  He caught a lot of fish.

It was another nice weekend of camping.

Corn Harvest

Yesterday we processed our corn.  We picked a wheel barrow full...

...from this little patch.

This bug looked like a miniature corn cob.

After husking we got a washtub full of cobs...

...that I boiled for a few minutes...

...then cooled in cold water...

...and cut off the cobs.

We got 25 baggies that I froze.  It's not as much as other years.  The cobs weren't as big which is probably because we have not had much rain all summer.  The corn isn't as sweet and juicy either but it's still delicious.

We still have a few cobs left on the stalks that we can eat as they ripen.

The children were good helpers.  Husking takes awhile but Daniel stuck it out to the end.  I husked half of it, then went inside to set up the kitchen and start the water to boil.  Since I wasn't outside Leah came in and said she was tired.  I had her write 2012 on all the baggies and open them.  Then I went back out to help Daniel husk so he wouldn't get discouraged. 

Daniel hauled all the husks and corn cobs to the compost pile.  They both helped take the cooled cobs out of the water which  made it easier for me.  I was able to keep up with the boiling, taking the cobs out of the hot water, and cutting the kernels off the cobs.  I didn't bag it until I was finished.  Putting old towels that I use for cleaning windows on the kitchen floor made cleanup easier.

The whole process took us about four hours to do. I am so happy to have it done for the year.