Good report!

We just returned from Rachel's Cranio Clinic at Mayo Clinic last night and are happy to say we received good reports all around.  In addition to visiting our plastic and neuro surgeons, we also met with audiology, ENT, speech, and dental.  We will go back in two years for a check up, but most of the offices won't have to see her again.
Although I wouldn't mind seeing our neurosurgeon again socially (David's cool with it--I've told him he can see Sandra Bullock), not ever stepping into a pediatric neurosurgeon's office again is just fine with me!  :)
The last time we were there, Rachel was just just 5 months post-op, so I was interested to see if she is doing as well as we think she is.  Praise God she is.
We were also able to meet another FB Catholic Mom friend and her family Wednesday evening and the kids had a great time playing together, too.  Even though God has had to drag me through parts of this journey, it has been truly, truly blessed all around.
A couple of funny things--there is a huge statue of a nearly naked man in the Mayo Clinic lobby.  (See link if you don't know what I'm talking about.)  Rachel, who is now nearly 2 1/2 and more interested in her surroundings, was quite enamored with that statue.
On Wednesday, she pointed at it and said, "Jesus."  David said, "No, that's not Jesus."  She answered, "No cross!"  Later, we got off the elevator, and she walked over to the railing and just stared at it.  A man walked by and said, "It IS a big statue."
Thursday morning, she and I were walking down the long staircase from the lobby level to the subway level.  With almost every step, she would stop, point to the man's fig leaf and say, "Poop!"  I couldn't wait to get her off those stairs and into the cafeteria for breakfast!

And now we're back home and happy to be here.
On to the rest of the summer!

Celebrate good times!

It's time to celebrate!  You may remember 5 years ago when I blogged about my Grandma's 90th birthday.  Well, 

last Sunday, we celebrated my Grandma Joachim's 95th birthday in Eureka.  

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Summer Begins

 

Here we are!  Summer!

 

All of the big three have been released for summer vacation and the weather has aligned perfectly with the school calendar.

Landen has been farming pretty much since he got home yesterday and the rest of us (except for David, who has also been farming) have been playing outside jumping on the trampoline, kicking soccer balls, throwing water balloons, spraying our sisters (they will retaliate someday), planting seeds, digging in the dirt, and cleaning out school bags.

 

We have many activities on our May and June calendar and many memories to be made.  Baseball practice starts today, we will soon visit our doctors at Mayo Clinic for Rachel's two-day Cranio Clinic (a few butterflies always go with me there!), and then there's VBS, trips with friends and family, and of course lots of FARMING, too.

 

Why the painting of "Whistler's Mother?"

Well, Nathan has become quite the whistler.  I am hoping he can use this skill in his career someday, but until then he is practicing.  Whenever he gets whistling in the house, in the van, anywhere . . . "Whistler's Mother" always comes to mind. 

That's who I am!  I just hope I don't look like her by the end of the summer. . . .

 

Speaking of which, my whistler just came back in the house and it is time to deliver dinner to the field.

 

Happy Summer!

 

 

Deja Vu Letter "U"

It was about 8 years ago when the boys (then 3 and 1) and I went with David in the pickup to check our pasture fence.  Since he was taking awhile, and the boys were being a little rambunctious (as they were often known to be), I decided to step outside for a few minutes of fresh air.
Then I heard it.
CLICK.
The boys locked themselves inside the pickup.  They weren't in any danger, but we did need to get home.  Thankfully, Landen knew his letters by then and, with my coaching, could readily push the "U" to unlock the door.


Would you believe the exact same thing happened tonight on the same ground (now a field) in about the same exact place?
The girls and I were waiting for David to return with the semi this evening.  We were all picking some rock around the pickup for something to do, and then the girls decided to go into the pickup.  Teresa came out, but Rachel did not.  When I tried to open the door a few minutes later, it was locked with a smiling Rachel inside.
Fortunately, she also knows her letters (or most of them, as it turns out), so I thought it would be a piece of cake to get her out.  Unfortunately, she hadn't quite made it to "U," yet.  She knew "L" very well and pushed that several times, but the "U" right beside it just didn't make sense to her.  Finally, we tried it with the driver's side door and she learned the letter "U!" 


We told David the story when he returned and, when we came home later tonight, he made the comment to Rachel that she learned how to get out of the pickup today.
She looked at her Daddy, smiled, and said, "U!" 
Yes, we all learn something new every day.
And sometimes we get to experience deja vu, too.

Sweet Currency

When it came time for my garden plot to get tilled, I knew the perfect way to pay our neighbor/cousin for bringing over his tractor and tiller--a homemade Sour Cream Raisin Pie.  Landen and I created a beautiful work of art with a cloud of meringue covering the top.  Our empty pie place was returned with the review of a "mighty fine pie."

I really do love making pies and I consider them a work of art.  David, who hardly ever requests anything special from the kitchen, recently requested a strawberry pie.  I had never made a strawberry pie, so I consulted my Pillsbury Cookbook for help.  I think my sous chef, Rachel, and I did a pretty nice job on this one, too.  We haven't tried it yet, but all of the components were yummy, so we're calling it a success a little early.

Start with a frozen pie shell that you have baked or make your own Press-in-the-Pan Crust using 1/2 cup oil and 1/4 cup milk (combined) and add 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt.  Mix together and press into a 9" pie plate.  Prick the bottom and sides of the shell generously with a fork.  (Obviously, I forgot that step this morning as mine became a bit cracked.  I filled it with strawberries, so no one will know!)  You may also flute the edges or leave it rustic (as I did).

Bake in a preheated oven at 425 for 12-17 minutes.  Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled.

For the filling, in a small bowl, crush enough strawberries to make one cup.  In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar and 3 T cornstarch; add crushed strawberries and 1/2 cup water.  Cook until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly.  (This may also be done in the microwave, checking and stirring every 2 minutes).  Stir in 4-5 drops red food color if desired (I did not).  Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled.

Place 5 cups whole or sliced strawberries in cooled baked shell.  Pour cooked strawberry mixture evenly over berries; refrigerate 3 hours or until set.  Serve with whipped cream and store in refrigerator.