the decade in review, part 3

2005

A belated "Christmas" trip to Wisconsin in January... came home via Chicago to visit Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, and Giordano's Pizza!


Baptism for Miss Artist, the children's choir performed Patch the Pirate's Custard's Last Stand, Miss Music Box began violin lessons, and of course-- more calves! 'Spring Break' was spent at home... I decided it was time to work on a baby book for Miss Music Box so I retreated to my bedroom for the whole week. Tim bought me a digital camera for Mother's Day.

painting our styrofoam model of the solar system

VBS, three kids to camp, swimming lessons. My mom broke her ankle, requiring surgery. Tim's mom twisted hers - I took the Cattleman and the Popper to stay with her for a week while my older girls kept house for their dad and brother.

pie-eating contest at Living History Farms on the 4th of July

Miss Music Box's 4-H project (bread) went on to State Fair and earned a Blue Ribbon there. Tim talked her into buying a b>i>g> mixer, which paid for itself in a year of selling bread at Aunt C's giftshop and the farmer's market.


Parks & Rec flag football for the Professor/Computer Geek after enjoying his August bday with camping and fishing and all-he-could-eat bacon breakfast.

hanging out at Grandma F.'s

Youth group for Miss Music Box, our 12yo 7th-grader. I decided to sell bread at the local grocery store (insanity reigns).

Miss Music Box's bday dinner in the field with Tim
You can see we down-sized to an 8-passenger mini-van!

...Thanksgiving again with friends, and Christmas at Larry's farm in Wisconsin...


2006

Loud visit to IMAX theater for the Mystery of the Nile, boys to Tae Kwon Do beginner class...


... lots of plans for a big trip to MO, AL, FL, LA... we made it as far as St. Louis to climb the Arch, watched an old Western instead of swimming at the motel, and came home to Iowa with what became a family-sized case of the flu. :p Literally. (can you tell the Cowgirl was already feeling ill here?!)

birthday fun for the Cattleman and the Popper

New calves came from Larry's farm, hauled by Tim & the Cattleman in the back of our old van!




Piano students number four now. The big garden became half strawberries with the addition of 100 plants. Delivered Meals on Wheels for a week. New trampoline set up (Christmas gift) before Tim started spring planting (meaning he finished setting it up in the dark Saturday night, the kids jumped on it before breakfast Sunday morning, field work started Monday).



Miss Artist and the Cowgirl both served as flower girls while Miss Music Box attended the guest book for her violin teacher's wedding. Miss MB also went on her first youth group mission trip to put on a VBS week for a church in Minnnesota. The Cattleman played T-ball with Parks & Rec (oh, the patience of volunteer coaches!)

making ice cream at Grandma F.'s


the Popper helped make pizza while Miss Music Box was at camp :-)

Other summer fun with camp (minus the chiggers), water balloons, State Fair, canoeing... ladies' retreat (that would be my trip to camp!)



Rode the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad and found the rebuilt Kate Shelley Bridge.





We officially have a teenager. I quit selling bread at the store (amen). Bowling with kids for the first time -lots of laughter.

our beloved mouser, Peaches

Familiar territory for Tim - this field borders our back yard which makes taking a passenger easy!



We have watched the movie Sergeant York multiple times. So either Alvin's turkey shoot or reading about the Pilgrims' Thanksgiving feast with games has fostered our own version of a Thanksgiving Day Turkey Shoot =) ...weather permitting.


Tim found an ad for Christmas trees grown and sold by a Kiwanis club -- on the original Kate Shelly Farm near Boone!


New hair cuts - another December tradition :-)


When we are home, we enjoy a l>a>r>g>e> breakfast for Christmas Day...