The Job Bucket's Repeat Performance

The job bucket is back for a repeat performance this summer!

 

 

I have been more lenient with it this year (if someone is already mowing the lawn or helping dad, that is their job for the day), but it is still such a big help to have little jobs done each day. 

 

Some are little (like picking up blankets and pillows), and some are a little bigger (like hauling water to the front yard to water the flowers).  I break up the dusting, vacuuming, and picking up into separate rooms.  Last year, Teresa's jobs were modified for her, but this year she is able to do everything in the bucket. 

Once a job is chosen, I put it aside for a few days.  I still do housecleaning, too, but their jobs help get things done on the in-between days. 

They don't always do their jobs with smiles on their faces, but they still get them done.

 

That's what's important to me!

 

Strawberry Rhubarb Cake

Landen didn't have any outside work to do yesterday (thanks to his brother taking over lawn mowing duty for the week), so he decided that we should use some of our frozen rhubarb.  He got to work perusing my cookbooks and found a recipe for Fresh Rhubarb Cake. 
Since our rhubarb was all frozen in 2 cup baggies, we thawed one and drained it a bit.  I was also short on the sour cream by about half (I don't keep sweet cream around--too irresistable and I may as well just sit on it since that's where it goes anyway!), so we added a bit of milk to make up for it.  Landen had the idea of adding a few strawberries, so we did that, too.  The result was our very own recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Cake!

Strawberry Rhubarb Cake

 

1 egg, beaten

1 cup sugar

1 cup sweet cream OR sour cream OR 1/2 cup cream and 1/2 cup milk

2 cups fresh rhubarb OR thawed and drained

about 5 large strawberries, chopped

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 cups flour

 

Mix ingredients and place in greased 9x13 cake pan.  Top with 1/2 cup nuts and 1/2 cup brown sugar, if desired.  Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

 

 

*Original recipe is from A Taste of 125 Years, Leola SD's 2009 Cookbook

A Weekend with the Swanhorsts

We spent this past weekend at Ruttger's Lodge on Bay Lake, MN.  It isn't too far from where we vacationed last year near Brainerd.  The occasion for our little road trip was the Swanhorst Reunion.

 

Here's a little family history if you aren't already familiar:

David's great grandparents Fred and Erika Swanhorst started the farm we live on now.  In fact, great grandpa Fred built the original part of the home we live in.  Their first born, Rosemarie, was David's grandma.

Fred and Erika's son and daughter-in-law Donna Swanhorst bought the farm from them when they retired.  When John and Donna decided to retire, they presented the idea of buying this farm to David, their great nephew.  And, as they say, the rest is history. 

He decided to pursue his dream of farming, met me a couple or so years after, got married, I moved onto the farm and now there are four more Swanhorst descendants running around. 

And that is why we are eligible to attend the Swanhorst Reunion. :)

 

Our full day there was spent on Bay Lake.  Cousins (everyone is called a cousin-it makes life easier) Gavin and Erika and their dad Mark showed our big three the ropes.   They were constantly on a paddle boat, hydro bike, in a fishing boat or in a canoe.  In other words, it was the perfect day! 

 

Here's Nathan heading down to the water with his favorite sister. :) 

Gavin and Landen on the hydro bikes.  I am below.  It was so much fun I want to buy one and ride it up and down our creek.

 Rachel knowing that she is annoying her sister by stepping on her beach towel. 

 

The day also included a reception for John and Donna's 55th wedding anniversary and a bon fire. 

It was a mini-vacation, but a great one!

 

We are thankful to be blessed by wonderful people on all of our many family trees. 

A New Table

When David gave the boys the scrap wood from the bathroom project, they got to work right away.  Within a few hours, they had built this sturdy table all by themselves with nothing more than a saw, a hammer, and some nails. 

When it turned out there was going to be a gap in the middle and they didn't have a piece to fill it, they solved the problem. That is where the garbage goes! 

Then they cleaned out my half-used spray paint can collection and painted their table shades of bronze, orange, and green. 

 

 The reward is a new table for their bedroom!

Rhubarb Oatmeal Muffins

My parents were so kind to bring rhubarb from my grandma's patch.  As a South Dakota girl, rhubarb is the signature fruit . . . er . . . vegetable from my roots.  My patch hasn't taken off, so I always appreciate a gift of rhubarb this time of year.  

My mom and I usually don't find our way past the kitchen when they visit, and this time was no exception. We found this recipe while the banana bars were baking.  It is a keeper.

 

Rhubarb Oatmeal Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 egg

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup orange juice OR white grape juice

1 cup diced fresh OR frozen rhubarb, thawed and drained

Topping:

1/4 cup quick-cooking oats

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

In a mixing bowl, combine the first seven ingredients; set aside.  In another bowl, combine egg, oil, and juice.  Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.  Fold in rhubarb.  Fill greased or lined muffin cups 2/3 full.  Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over tops.  Bake at 250 for 18-20 min. Makes 1 dozen. 

 



Half Birthday/Father's Day

Our summer fun continues....

 

Our baby turned 18 months old on Friday!  I don't normally give her whole apples to snack on, but she spotted her sister's and made it her own snack. 

 

I guess it was the big trip to Colorado, but Father's Day totally escaped me this year until the date for sending cards and having them arrive on time had passed.  As it turned out, my dad and mom came down for the weekend, so we got to celebrate together at the farm. 

 (Rachel insisted that she needed a coat with her swimsuit.)

Here's my dad with his granddaughters.

 

 Nathan even got to do a little fishing.  He hasn't caught any fish on his paperclip hook yet this year, but he did see some bullheads swimming around!

Visit Jan for more on Breckenridge!

Jan Melius has a great post on Breckenridge today if you are interested in some more fabulous Melius Cousins fun in Colorado!
Breckenridge Fun
She's an amazing photographer, so its worth a stop even if you'd prefer to see mountains and not Melius faces. :)

Melius Cousins Reunion 2013

Can it already be a week ago that we rolled into Denver ready for a fun-filled week in Breckenridge? 

Our vacation to the Melius Cousins Reunion was AWESOME.  So much fun, beautiful weather and scenery. 

We all stayed in a home in the mountains, so the 12 of us spent much of our time admiring the mountains all around us. 

There was adequate golf for David, shopping for me and plenty of food, drinks, conversation, and laughs for both of us. 

On Thursday, we went on a REAL hike in the mountains.  We drove until we came upon this avalanche.  Much of our trail was covered in knee-deep snow, which was difficult at times, but added to the experience.  How many times can you walk in snow in June? 

 (I did wonder if we would get to in South Dakota this year, but thankfully that didn't happen!)

 

It's always hard to leave, but we are glad to be back at the elevation our red blood cells are used to!  On our hike, we reached 2 miles above sea level.  We prairie dwellers were huffing and puffing at the slightest amount of exercise.  We were all ready to experience an oxygen bar, but we couldn't find one that was open.  Maybe next time. :)

 

Our children were happy to see us again on Saturday. . . I think.  They had a pretty good week at VBS, grandma and grandpa's house, and with their babysitters.

Yesterday, David and I spent our 12th anniversary at my family reunion.  We caught the tail end of that one, but still managed to see most everyone.

We are blessed beyond measure with our family and friends.

Summer 2013 . . . so far, so good!

 

 

"Momotony"

You know I love articles like this.  In fact, I posted a similiar article on how the domestic can be the monastic last year.  Here is one by Glennon Melton:  On Momotony and Sacred Work.  Enjoy.

Got Diapers?

For the past several years, I have avoided hanging baskets because they never stay alive for long, even if I water them twice a day.

I decided to try a Pinterest trick this summer. 

I lined the bottom of the basket with diapers and put the dirt on top of that.  The absorbing crystals in diapers are supposedly the same thing professional florists/gardeners use in their hanging baskets and it helps them to retain water.

So far, my flowers are doing well, but that could also be because we have had rain almost every day for the past two weeks!

I'll let you know how they look mid-July!