I'm ready to let the chips fall where they may - the buffalo chips, that is.

Tomorrow I go to Farmfest and am on the media team for the DNR's Buffalo Chip Throwing Contest.

Last year, my first year in the contest, I threw like a girl, as my guys would say. My distance throw lacked distance. If it made it three feet, I was lucky.

They kept telling me to throw it like a frisbee. A frisbee? A buffalo chip and a frisbee have little in common. The frisbee is this aerodynamic disc. It glides. A buffalo chip is a, well, a dried mound of buffalo poo! There's nothing aerodynamic about that! Afterall, if God had intended us to throw the "chip", he'd have done a better job on the design aspect.

I carried my team on accuracy, though. I threw it in the bucket.

So today is reserved for practice. With a frisbee. No buffalo poo in my yard!

My mom said that, while growing up in North Dakota in the early 1920s, they'd collect the cow pies and use them in place of wood to burn in their stove. YUCK! Imagine that odor! And if you wanted to live the smells of yesteryear, does Febreeze even carry that scent? Hmmmmm. And what would be the chance of future sales if you were to bottle the stuff?

So tomorrow I will don my little plastic gloves and throw the bull... At least we won't have to burn it!

Summer cold, makes you feel unfine

It's warm. The sun is shining. Why, then, do colds do so well in this weather, causing us to sneeze, have sore throats and generally feel yucky?

Jose came down with it about two weeks ago. He couldn't understand why we should have colds now. And he couldn't understand the cool summer weather.

Is it fall? he asked. Is winter coming soon?

Sure feels like it.

He no sooner had recuperated when I caught it. Yuck.

Now Andy's down for the count.

And meanwhile, the sun is shining, the weather is warm and all bad germs SHOULD be held at bay!

time for news

Wow! How time flies!

I was talking to my friend Elaine and she mentioned my entries on the blog were a bit dated! No kidding. So here's an update inspired by Elaine.

Since my last entry...in April...We've had Aaleigha's baptism, Jose's confirmation, Jose's graduation from Hillcrest Jr. High, and I went to Canada on vacation with Wayne, Nancy and boys.

Andy's busy with baseball and working out for the upcoming football (be still my heart) and basketball. He's also having fun with friends, which is what summer is for.

Jose and Doug remodeled the basement for rec area for Jose complete with tv and playstation 3. It's even carpeted!

Three of Jose's friends were over last night to play video games and it was supper time so I made them tacos. Had everything on the table so when I hollared the meal was ready, they came up to eat. I thought, Hmmmmm tacos! What a great meal. But when they left to go back and finish the game, I discovered they'd cleaned the pan clean!

I really like hotdogs! Or at least I did last night.

Oh, and for you family members..I'll be at Farmfest at our AGri News booth on Wednesday and Thursday so if you want to stop by, please do! Would love to visit.

Nancy stayed in Canada for a month. Good time to visit with family! Wayne and I returned after a week. It seemed strange not having the boys around for that long!

Nancy stayed in Canada for that long because Wayne's travel schedule took him on several trips for Hillcrest. Was great to have the family reunited and everyone back home safe and sound! And I think the boys grew a gazillion inches! Well, it seemed that way.

And Aaleigha sure is growing! She's doing fantastic and loves to smile and laugh! I got to watch her last week while JP had baseball and Julie was out with friends. Sure don't turn down those visits.

Sorry, it's over 6!

Went over to JP's and Julie's last night and was corrected on Miss Aaleigha's weight - she's over 6 pounds and pushing to 7!

She's also settling into more of a pattern that's distinguishing her days and nights. What a blessing that is for mom and dad who are...pooped!

Such a little sweetie she is!

Andy returned safely yesterday. He and a school bud traveled, by themselves, to the Twin Cities. This is the first time either one of them has driven in any kind of big city. They've never driven to Fargo or St. Cloud to say nothing of the Twin Cities! There were a lot of prayers going upstairs and a lot of praises sung once they called home and said they'd arrived safely.

Of course, as a parent, I would never admit that to him. I was encouraging saying I knew you could do it but, what can I say? I'm a mom. I worry. I pray. And the Lord lifts me through these moments.

The two, Andy and Zach, visited their fellow classmate Torry Brue. And they attended the Twins game on the last of the Twins opening stand. The Twins lost but the three can say they went to the Metrodome during the last season any games will be played there...now they can plan for a trip next year to the new stadium. new stadium. New open stadium. At this time of year? It'll probably snow!

Over five pounds!

Tuesday and Thursday nights are special times for me. It's my time to watch Aaleigha Mya as JP has business meetings and Julie attends water aerobics at the Y.

Last night was a sheer joy for me especially when I learned she's well over five pounds, has been dropped from one of her medications and has changed formula! All steps moving forward. Her body is adjusting to the changes but she's looking great and is awake more now and looking around the room. Such a trooper that little one is!

Julie is probably delighted that Aaleigha is off the other formula. It made the little one quite, um, gassy shall we say. But dad was quite proud of the effects it had on her. He said she, well, passed gas like a Stender! I guess that's a guy thing in the realm of things to brag about!

And now she will celebrate her first Easter. And I believe it's our Kian's first Easter, too, come to think of it! We had such an early Easter last year...Two little celebrations there. Fun and such blessings they all are.

Andy and Jose are on the Hillcrst Spring Break. They have break for two weeks and already a half week has gone by. Jose is also preparing for his confirmation April 26.

We are also watching the flood forecasts for our neighbors to the north and west. Fergus Falls' elevation is high enough where we don't face the floodwaters like Breckenridge-Wahpeton and Fargo-Moorhead do...And we still have a foot of snow on the ground from our storm we had last week. Yuck! I love traveling south to do stories at this time because I can see fields drying out ready for planting. That' won't happen anytime soon in our neck of the woods! But forecasted warmer temps will be welcome...for us but the forecast isn't that great for those in the Red River Valley. Means greater snowmelt and increased flood waters coming through the system.

Ahhh. Spring!

Flood them with prayers

This morning, Hillcrest buses and vans, loaded with high school students and many from staff, will leave the campus here in Fergus Falls and travel to Fargo, N.D. to help in the sandbagging effort.

I ask for your prayers as our neighbors to the west battle floodwaters.

This flood is near if not, in places, above historic 1997 levels.

At this time I recall a friend's battle with floodwaters from 1997. Her property that included her residence plus an upstairs apartment she rented out, was in an area that had been heavily sandbagged. There were sandbags along the river and surrounding her house. One night the city engineer in Wahpeton came to her and said, "Pat, I'm afraid you will have to leave your home. We've done all we can and you need to leave for your safety." The ground around her home was very soggy and it looked as if the river would win this fight.

She prayed and told the Lord, her home was in his hands and whatever his will was for her at this time, she would accept it. And she left to stay with a friend.

Within hours, she received a call from the engineer. She could return home because, miracle of miracle, the ground around her home was now firm. There was no leaking anymore of sandbags.

What an awesome God we have!

There are numerous school cancellations for the Red River Valley area. Roads are closed. And while all the attention is placed, right now, on the cities of Fargo-Moorhead and Wahpeton-Breckenridge, there are also numerous small towns and farms in the valley dealing with overland flooding and flooding from the river.

Again, please keep these people who live in the area and our school in your prayers.

They're home!

Julie, Nancy and Miss Aaleigha arrived in Fergus Falls Friday, March 6 about 5 p.m.
We had an opportunity to meet the new addition about 8 that night, when she was awake for her feeding.

Such a precious peanut, she is! She's captured our hearts and we welcome her with open arms into our family!

It was such a difference, though, holding Kian just hours before and then holding Aaleigha. Kian is almost a year and a solidly built boy who is soooo ready to take his first step! And then to hold Aaleigha who tops the scales at 4 pounds 10 ounces...well, what a difference! Pretty eyes!

Welcome to our family, Aaleigha! Soon enough she'll be battling with the boys! She may be small now but she'll catch up fast enough!

She's now met both sets of grandparents and uncles and aunty Nancy.

Nancy and Julie had great travels on the way back although they tell of some interesting travel experiences. Unique stories they will tell for years to come and share with Aaleigha as we all tell her of our first meetings and the joy and light she is in our family, as are all our kids, spouses and grandkids!

She seems to be adjusting okay to the Minnesota weather, also. Julie said the hospital staff in Houston were preparing Aaleigha with blankets and warm clothes. She reminded them that we DO have babies in Minnesota, too, and they do quite well! Well, little button has acclimated nicely. And, like the rest of us, is bundled against the cold.

We're supposed to get another snowstorm today so everyone is hunkering in for a daylong blizzard. School is closed and the boys are, of course, sleeping in! Must be nice!