School pictures

I am never overly impressed with school pictures. I normally have a family member {my SIL and my brother have nice DSLR cameras} take Ryder's pics. But this year, I have my own camera, so I am thinking of heading out to our land {it's almost ours--getting closer anyway} and snapping away at Ryder. 

But, since the school does them and I want my child in the school yearbook, we get them taken and I order the smallest package so that we get a class photo as well. Yesterday was picture day in the elementary school, so before he got on the bus we did a few practice shots at home.  I hope he picked the  smile he has in the large photo here!! Ha!

He is very photogenic {I am not bias at all!} His dad is as well, I don't feel that I am.  He has a nice smile, even with missing teeth.

Refurbishing

I have done a few craft things as of late. My sister-in-law {who is expecting a baby within the next few weeks} had this mirror that she wanted in the baby's room. So I came up with an idea and she let me run with it.


Here is the mirror before. It once had a shelf on it where the light colored narrow piece of wood is now. My SIL suggested just cutting that bottom half off but I had bigger ideas!! I had my hubby add this piece and he sanded it all down nice and smooth.

Here is the AFTER!  Her nursery is grey with teal accents. So I primed and painted this, and cut out the vinyl with my Silhouette Cameo for the saying. It turned out so cute!

The next project I did was a fun gift for the new parents. She had two showers {of course I was invited to both}, so for one she got a baby gift, for the other a parent gift. I found the idea on pinterest and ran with it. It was so fun to find all the stuff for it, and I made the little sign in Publisher and tied it on with ribbon.

The "sanitize before snuggles" was also a pinterest idea. I just bought a hand sanitizer, peeled off the label {and used a ton of goo-gone to get the sticky off!}, then cut out the words with my Cameo.

Here are the goodies that this Birth Day Comfort Kit includes: The bag is from Mary Kay that I have had for awhile, it's normally pink on the outside, so I turned it inside out. It came with the neck pillow {perfect for this project!}. On the inside~magazine, cute socks for mom in the hospital, hand sanitizer, chap stick, mouthwash, soft tissues, wet ones, lotion, tic tacs, small notebook and pen, water with small flavor pack, bobby pins and hair rubber band, m&m's, skinny cow candy bars.

You could put any kind of snacks in there. I just chose something I knew they would like.  I hope they enjoy it on the big day! I know I would!

Simply Sunday

So it's once again Sunday, one of my favorite days of the week. It's a relaxing day. Day for family. I sit here typing in a quiet house. My hubby is at work, the boy is at the lake with his grandparents. There is a slight breeze outside and a sprinkle or two of rain. What a beautiful day!! A day of reflection, a day of hope for the future.

A couple weeks ago we took the hunting dog out for a little exercise (we got some as well!). He was tired out by the end of our jaunt, and the heat was setting in for the day, so we stopped in the stubble field and Ryder got his first taste at shooting a gun. Quay gave him a quick lesson on gun safety and how to aim. We set up a beer can about 20 yards out and the little stinker hit it his first shot!! I even got in on the action a little bit.

Looking down the road toward my parents farm.

We have had frost several nights now, so last week we picked all of our garden produce. I canned some tomatoes a few days ago for stews and cooking later. Much more needs to be done yet though.

 

 

 

Linking up with:

It happened...

The time has come.  I knew it would one day, but I didn't think it would be so soon. It's a day I have been dreading for years.  This morning I walked with Ryder out to the bus. As it was approaching I gave him a little squeeze and kissed him on the top of the head and I got the "MOooom!"

I said, "what?"

Ryder, "the bus!"

Me, "what you don't want anyone seeing me hug you?"

Ryder, "NO!"

Me (as the bus is just about to stop at our approach, hehe), "how about now?"

Ryder, "quit it!"

Okay, so maybe I was almost looking forward to this time, where he is starting to get embarrased by his parents doting on him. He is my only one, I have to dote on him! I just wub him SOOOO much. Hehe.

So the age has come, he's 7 and his parents embarress him. Maybe it's because that cute girl rides his bus. Who knows what is going on inside the mind of a 7 year old boy. Normally I think it's just the sound of engines roaring and guys battling it out. I guess not this morning.

School Days

The little man has almost a week under his belt of first grade. So far so good. His teacher had her baby girl yesterday morning, so she is gone for 6 weeks now. We'll have to go buy her something cute. I asked him what he wanted me to make him for his after school snack and he said "rice krispie bars", so I made them up with fruity pebbles in them also. Yummy!

 My big 1st grader

 Ryder at his new desk

 After school yummy-goodness

 Coming home on the bus

His auntie Misty wants to do a picture every year now on the first day of school (we did it last year too), we didn't catch her in the morning at school, but we did in the afternoon after school at her house.  It may be a challange as he gets older but his auntie will wrangle him up. Haha!

He has 21 children in his room this year.  That may change yet as the year goes on, they will probably get a few new kids with the oil boom. He took cold lunch today, as chili on a day when it's supposed to be 100* probably isn't a good thing.

The night before school, I asked Ryder a few questions and made this during his first day. I am going to try and do this every year. What a great way to look back!

I did very well on the first day. No tears. I am a little lonely at home without his toothless grin to see throughout the day, but I know he's having fun learning and playing with his buddies. This is such a growing time for a child in school, learning how to interact with others.
I found this poem on FB, a friend had posted it. How true and fitting.

Uff-da!!

Okay, so it has only been.....um.......close to 3 months since I blogged. Yah-that's a little too long. I guess you could say I took the summer off. Since tomorrow my little man is going back to school. It doesn't bother me as much this year, I know he likes it and has made friends so that just makes it that much easier. He is going to be a big 1st grader! He is excited. He has his clothes all picked out, right down to his underwear. haha!!   His backpack is all ready to go, and I remembered to call the bus driver to say he won't be on in the morning (his mama still needs to take him in on his first day-although little man didn't think so. oy oy oy.) He has Mrs. Barth this year. She is a young teacher, her first year even! She won't be there though after this week because she is having a baby next week, so the kids will have a sub for 6 weeks, but Ryder knows the substitute as well and likes her. 

We are bringing Mrs. Barth a little treat

 

Back to the grind for another 9 months.  Getting up early and getting little man onto the bus by 8:05am. Luckily he is the last one on and first one off, that will change come next year I hope. Come end of December I will have a little one to take care of also-I am SO excited for that. I will be watching my niece or nephew  (don't know what yet) after my sister in law's 8 week leave.

It was a busy summer with a lot happening.  We started out going to Minneapolis for a little trip (my last blog post) and ended up.....not doing much of anything. June was a busy month. Ryder celebrated his 7th Birthday with a birthday party, 7 little boys came and they had a blast at his dinosaur themed party.

Happy 7th Birthday Ryder

 



Soon after, my Grandpa Woody started taking a turn for the worse.  We (my mom, Ryder, and  I) went to a birthday party for the folks at the nursing home (his would have been on June 24), and I feel that was the last time we saw him. He slept most of the time, but he did look at us and smiled big when he saw us. When we left, he said goodbye. He told us to take care of Ryder. I wish we would have stayed a little longer because that's the last time I saw my grandpa where he responded and talked to us. He passed away peacefully on  June 17, 2012. Father's Day. How fitting for such a wonderful man. He passed on to his eternal home and I know my Grandma Phyllis and Aunt Cynthia met him at the pearly gates with open arms!! He is in no more pain and I know I will see him again someday.

So that next week was a lot of company and family. I am so glad Ryder got to know his great-grandpa. He was truly a remarkable man. He had a special bond with Ryder, he really thought a lot about him. He always hugged him or shook his hand or patted him on the back every time he saw him. I feel that they had a special relationship and that will be something Ryder will always remember.

Ryder and Granpa Woody (June 2005)

 

 

The end of June brought us to a big occasion-my big brother Andy married his lovely bride, Shelly. It was a hot day, but we all enjoyed it. This time for a happy occasion. 

 Andy and I

 My Wiedrich Sisters and I

Andy and Shelly

July...Quay and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary. We didn't do anything I don't think. Oh wait--we took the power boat out to the lake.  We sold our sailboat in hopes to buy a newer one in the spring. We did the annual Wiedrich Olympics on the 4th of July, most everyone was able to be there.  Late month we went to the state fair. We took in Zac Brown Band, Luke Bryan, Chris Young, and Blake Shelton. Ryder went with to the first two and decided that wasn't his thing...yet. He did enjoy ZBB once it got going. 

4th of July

 Zac Brown Band Concert

 Blake Shelton!!

Quay and I at Blake Shelton

 

August came and went, it's almost to an end as well. Ryder took swimming lessons and we have been out combining with my dad. I have been taking maternity pics for my sister-in-law all summer as well. She is nearing her due date!!

Ryder at swimming lessons

 Ryder and Grandpa Earl going combining

 Harvest time!

I  was in the hot seat of the combine for awhile even! Fun times with my papa.

 Misty at 30 weeks!

Misty and Shawn with their little bundle-on-the-way.

 



Here are just a few more pics from our summer!!

 At the lake

 Happy Father's Day to Quay

 Wreath I made. :)

 Ryder and the farm kitties

 We bought a backyard pool-Ryder had a lot of fun in it acting like a fish!

 Ryder in the flax field

 Ryder lost a lot of teeth over the summer!

 Our old-man-dog, Roo, enjoying my bed

 Pickles!

My niece and nephew came and stayed a week at the farm