What we did Thanksgiving Weekend

It all started with a trip to the Central Oregon Livestock Action... It was time for Poor Number 9 to meet his death. After that, it was all fun and games!
Rebecca, Justin and the boys got here on Sunday night. Our house comes alive when the 4 of them come to visit. Trey loves hanging out with Derek, and Tian tries to keep up!

While they were here, we went to the Reindeer Farm. All these years of living here, we hadn't a clue it existed. Larissa & her family & Abbey and her family joined us. It was fun just trying to get close to them. Most of the herd were already "checked out" making appearances. I guess they are rented out a lot at this time of year. But we are able to say we saw them, and had fun being together.
Robert came along, and stayed over. The noise level raises with Uncle Robert around. The boys couldn't get enough of him.
We had Thanksgiving on Wed. since the Bledsoes had to head back to Idaho on Thursday. While the turkey was cooking (oops, who turned off the oven) we went to the snow. (As I'm typing this, I'm looking out at our fields that are covered in snow), but last month we had to travel to find it. We hooked up our trailor with the 4 and 6 wheelers, and some little sleds and went to Lava Butte to play in the snow.When Rebecca wasn't taking photo's she was having fun with the guys.

The boys love "GrandpaBend" He makes for a fun time. He can't wait for
Christmas so we can have some more fun! We are counting down days!

My new favorite tool... Thanks Terry

I called Terry Virgin this morning and asked this question, "How do fishermen make their holes to icefish?" He told me about this drill thing. Well, I certainly didn't want to put that on my Christmas list, so I thought I'd just stick to not doing a very good job with my shovel. Anyway, Terry, being the nice friend came over with his Pulaski Axe. He made 2 great watering holes that my cows are going to love (If I can do it again tomorrow) drinking from. Today when I went to work on the holes it was -12 degrees. Yup, it was cold.

Right now it is -4, better than last night so I may be in luck.
Thank you Terry for coming to my aid. I'm going to enjoy using your axe and hopefully will return it sooner than later. (Like I said Bob, please don't buy one for me, Terry said we can use it until the weather warms up...whenever that is!)

P.S.
I'm posting this Wednesday morning. I just came in from
"swinging" the axe and chipping away at the ice. It was a cold -7 degrees when I came in. Thank you again Terry for the Pulaski and for the ski mask. Now when you look at me in this picture you'd think that it was snowing. No it wasn't snowing, the ice that is being chipped away flies in my face along with the water, on my coat and on my legs, gloves too. But I was successful and kept pretty warm while doing it. If Derek had have been in the hallway while I was in the house looking for my camera, he certainly would have thought that there was a stranger in the house.

Lets see if my clothes dry out before I go out this afternoon.

Friends come to visit!

How long has it been since I've written a post? Guess nothing "memorable" has taken place.. (I forgot to tell you Uncle Kent, that on October 22nd I went for my annual Mammogram, sorry I didn't tell you) except my Say Yes to Cancer Awareness month and my mammogram.. I'll hurry and put that picture up.

Anyway, Our cute friends, The Simpson's came to visit on their last trip to Bend. We miss them so much since they moved to Pendleton. Austin is my buddy! Gillis is getting used to me. Thanks Jenn on your great posting and letting me use your pictures.


Derek has played Top Soccer for many, many years. He was one of the youngest players when we started.. and look at him now. He is the oldest. At the end of each season we have a team party. All the families come, all the soccer helpers come too. It's great fun. WE had it on October 30th, so the kids came in costume (Derek came just as himself.. his mother isn't big on the costumes...to many years of that)and had a big pizza party. The kids love playing in the sports court, the trampoline, and than running in the yard to find the bags of candy.
Thanks Coach John for all your help through these years. We love this program and Derek does too.
Next, one of our friends from West Linn dropped by. Well, not just like that. Sylvia's daughter Lindsay was Rebecca's very best friend (And also her brides maid). We had lost touch of Sylvia, but thankfully Sylvia still had our number and called us. Her and her very nice boyfriend Mark were coming to Bend (By way of Proghorn, Madras.. and several other stops) to watch the Bend vs The Dalles football game. They came by and we had such a nice visit. I can tell that we will stay in touch from now on. Bob and Mark are sooo much alike, have so many of the same interests. While they were talking (Non-stop) Sylvia and I just laughed. She knew they would have common interests!
Thanks Sylvia for calling and making the trip to see us!(It was a windy day.. thus my hair, Sylvia's looked great.. SHE looks Amazing.. can't wait to see her sporting braces on her teeth)


Sylvia and Mark came on October 31st, and than the next afternoon we had "Empty Nesters" come for a Break the Fast. We do this every other month. It works out great in our "game" room. This time we had soups and rolls, and a birthday cake to celebrate the birthday's in the month.
Alright, the mission- aries are not empty nesters. We just knew they couldn't pass up a yummy meal!

Come to think of it... October was a busy month!

I'm counting down days!

Enough is enough!
Today as I was out chipping the ice off the wheels of the wheel line I thought to myself.. "I think I will have to throw myself a party on Friday." The water gets turned off for winter on that blessed day!
Today I did go back in the house to get my camera.If you'll notice, the hanging wire on the fence.. yeah, that is electrical.. Humm... I'm wondering if it is currently working? Notice the ice build up around the sprinkler heads.. You've guessed it.. they weren't turning. I've learned that when it is 22 degrees, things freeze!But I'm not complaining. I'll have a winter free of moving irrigation pipes!(Oh yeah, and chipping ice in the pond so the cows can have a drink during the day) The fun never ends!

Great pictures Deborah!!!

There I was, Freezing, changing the frozen irrigation pipes. The whole time I was out there I was wishing I had brought out my camera. By the time I got inside, I was too warmed up to go back outside. So, I called my neighbors that rent from us. Deborah has a terrific camera. I begged her to go out by her fence and take some pictures of the tree with the ice on it and the way the ice forms on the grass. Like a sport she did as she was told! (Thanks Deborah) She got better shots anyway, it wasn't light enough when I was out there. The sun was shining just right for her (Or that was the line I gave to her). Enjoy! And thanks Deborah for digging out your winter clothes so I could have a few memories of my morning.
(That same morning, I was just entering the barn and I heard 4 sneezes. I'm talking, human sneeze. The barn was dark and I was without a flashlight. Scare me to death. I talked really loud asking who might be in my barn.. No one answered, so I ask you.. do owls, pigeons, or cats sneeze like humans? I'm still a little nervous going out there in the mornings)

Burr.. there must be something wrong with this picture!

This morning I asked myself, "What am I doing out in these conditions?" Oh well.. it will only get worse. And the funny thing is 2 hours later it was 59 degrees. The high temperature was almost 80. But the water has to be changed.. even though the icicles hang. Dad, it would be so enjoyable having you commiserate with me... or reminding me of what a beautiful morning it is. You can't tell that the grass is frozen in place!

Hay.. this is for you dad!

We had a crazy growing season this year. Mother Nature played tricks on us with the cold, than the heat, and than the hotest 2 weeks without water (that wasn't Mother Nature's fault, it was Arnold Irrigations deal). But, finally (I love it when I don't have to start up the ol' wheel line so the grass can dry out)it was time.
Even with all the tricks, we still were able to produce 512 bails of hay. I think it was a record number. I know you aren't excited, this is for my dad who wishes he was here during this haying season.

Lee Goodrich's Green Thumb!

After Derek had so much fun picking Cherries at Mindy's (check past posts)cherry tree, I thought he needed to experience a garden. Well, my friend Lee Goodrich has a great one. She shared some zucchini with me and so I asked her than if she could let us come and pick her vegetables. So, for a Tuesday Family Home Evening, we went over and had some fun looking for zucchini, tomatoes and green onions. The size of some of these vegetables were amazing. Thanks Lee for the adventure. (Bob isn't thrilled when I announced that the minute he retires, we will plant a garden).
P.S. Michael Volpigno, I do believe that this zucchini is 10x bigger than the one we passed Back and forth, back and forth.. oh, those were the days... I miss you and Shelli as our neighbors! The jokes we played on each other with that poor zucchini. I'm wondering what the neighbors thought when they saw the zucchini hanging from our For Sale sign?

Derek turned SEVENTEEN!!!

Hard to believe but Derek just turned 17 years old. Wow, the time really has flown. Certainly this year was nothing like his motorcycle 16th birthday, but still it was nice. He still "worked" with his GREAT tutors. Being a Thursday (his favorite day), he got junk mail and a top toy from the Virgin's Alaska cruise. He went to the library and than the Athletic Club with Felicity! We had many well birthday phone calls and facebook greetings wishing Derek the best. Thank you for all those of you who are our friends, and have been through the years. We remember some hard years in the past.. but these these most years have been smooth sailing! (Prayers really are answered). Enjoy some of his birthday highlights! (If you notice, there is pop and most of these pictures.. oh to be 17 and being excited about a can of soda!)
(Tutor Gina)
(Tutor Heather)
(Tutor Felicity)
(Tutor Jen)
(Friend Suelynn who also shares the same birthday with Derek)
(Brother Taylor)