Easter at the lake

After church we headed up to Kanopolis State Park for a little sightseeing and fun in the shallows. It was a beautiful drive. This warm weather and rain is making everything grow so well. It always reminds me of the song in Oklahoma when it mentions waving wheat. Kansas has SO MUCH WHEAT, and it's beautiful waving in the breeze.

Kanopolis is about an hour and 15 minute drive through the countryside. Unfortunately, as with much of Kansas, small towns are common, finding things open on Sunday is virtually impossible (even gas stations) and finding one open on Easter Sunday is definetly impossible. I truly thought we'd be going through a larger town to pick up picnic stuff but that didn't happen so we couldn't stay long as we were all very hungry. But, it was a nice little excursion and a place we'll be visiting again! The beaches and amenities are very nice and the only thing that would have made it nicer is if we would have packed a picnic from home.

As it was, the kids enjoyed themselves very much and it was a gorgeous day to be out!

We ended the day with an egg hunt in the back yard and a steak dinner. A very nice Easter for sure!


 

 

Christmas with family in Mascoutah and bringing in the new year with friends

A very nice Christmas was had with family in Illinois. Saturday we took all the kids to the arch in St. Louis and Sunday had present time and a lovely meal later in the day. Lots of catching up and good stories, lots of laughter and fun.

I was not able to finish the children's new quilts in time, so they got what was finished with a promise to complete...someday. 













The Drive Home...



Main St. Joplin

Main St. , Joplin

East of town- ground zero.

Last week while Jeremiah and the kids were off school the rental house was gutted. Now it's time for the electrician and plumber to get in there.

Jo, Frank and the kids came in Friday afternoon and it was sort of a lazy weekend for me. We always end up staying up too late and I'm up early with chores so I felt like I sat on the couch much too much. The boys got a lot of work done on both trucks. Our glow plugs needed to be replaced and the brakes on Frank's truck needed some work. The rental house needed some things tidied up with the electrical so that the thermostat could be tied back in and a few other things that could not wait for the electrician due to exposed old knob and tube wiring.

In true Amanda fashion, I fell asleep well before midnight. Jo and I got in to my sewing room and de-clutterd on New Year's Dayfrom all the scraps and second quality diapers I'd been hoarding or not had the time to post for sale. They'll go to good use to a Grandma who watches her grand-baby.

The soap Jo and I made several weekends ago (http://marmaladehollow.blogspot.com/2011/12/another-fabulous-weekend.html) turned out really well. If you'll remember, I was worried the brown sugar soap would leave the user sticky. Quite the contrary! It's awesome stuff and smells divine...like a cookie!





The weather, for this time of year, has been glorious- day time highs of 40s and 50 and a couple 60's have even crept in. I really can't complain. The nights have been hovering around freezing. Some mornings I have to break or pour off ice, other mornings I don't. The days usually just require a light jacket...a far cry from last year at this time! So, I am ever so grateful...though we still need moisture.

Wordless Wednesday: A White 'Skype' Christmas

That's a Kansas Thanksgiving Fer Ya

Exhibit A: Thanksgiving 2010, on the verge of freezing

 

Exhibit B: Thanksgiving 2011, on the verge of frying

Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!

We're going to go recover from our turkey coma.

Halloween 2011

Halloween came and went. Rachel was a vampire and Drew was Captain America. I made Rachel's costume- a simple black dress with red insert in the skirt- on Saturday. The cape had spider webs on it. She refused to wear the vampire teeth so overall, she new what she was but if you asked a stranger it may have taken them a few guesses. She was happy and that's all that mattered.

Drew's costume ended up being the highlight of my week! I lost a bid on eBay for a Captain America costume because I was running errands. But I stopped at Target for blue pants and a blue hoody, sewed a white star on the front and an 'A' on the hood and he was happy as pig in a wallow! We picked up a white 5 gallon plastic bucket lid from the farm store and I sprayed it and used foam pieces to decorate the rest. Jeremiah pop-riveted a handle on and away we went. Drew refused to wear his normal black gym shoes but opted instead of black loafers. I guess he wanted to be a dressy Captain America, whatever. If he was happy, I was...happy.

Jeremiah was the scariest of all, a welding instructor. I know right?

I spent the afternoon with the kids at school doing crafts and handing out treats. That evening we went to the zoo here in Hutch. It's nice because there's a definite start and a define stop so no whining about not getting enough or wanting to go further and we get to see the animals too. It's not a big zoo but for their age, it's safe (no cars or questionable Reeses Peanut Butter Cups) and perfect really.


So anyway, there you have it.

School Christmas Program

Here are a couple of videos from last night's program. It was K through 3rd so Drew wasn't in it. The quality isn't great. We got there early but not early enough to snag front row seats so sitting in the bleachers was the next best option to get video without seeing the back of someone's head and nothing else. Rachel is in the blue dress itching her nose.Press the triangle to see them. If it's keeps cutting out, hit the "pause" button and let it stream in and then you should be able to watch it without it stopping while it catches up.

All the kids on the stage are in 3rd grade, everyone on the bleachers is grade K, 1 and 2. It's a small school, 1 class per grade.

Wordless Wednesday: More Thanksgiving Day Photos

 

Thanksgiving 2010

Turkey bird, we thank thee. Paula Dean would be proud of your stick o' butter atop your large broad breast.

 

Martha Stewart would smile...pumpkin pie from real pumpkins, not an orange can or the freezer...

...and pecan pie from scratch.

Mother Earth News, eat your heart out (um, no pun intended)...cooking giblets on the wood stove and staying warm!

 

We hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!!!