GPa and NaiNai Camp Out

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Back in the middle of September, right before a weekend that promised beautiful weather, I asked my hubby if we could finally do our annual camp out in the backyard.

Of course he said yes!!

It was then planned for Friday night, which meant that even set up would start in the evening, but I was SO excited!!

I asked David and Kay if we could steal two grandsons for the occasion and of course they said yes too!


We had a random not very well planned meal over the campfire, and then got on with all the FUN!!

The kiddos didn’t care what they ate – they were just so excited to be camping out!

But of course there were smores!


Even in our last minute planning, my hubby SHOWED UP – as he always does – with some FUN.

Glow sticks in abundance provided hours of play for these kiddos!

I can still hear their feet pounding through the grass and their squeals of laughter if I close my eyes for a second!

These are the good things of childhood, are they not??

I can still remember running around my childhood neighborhood playing Ghost in the Graveyard with my friends while all of our parents sat on a patio enjoying each other’s company!


I cannot remember when we finally made everyone get into that tent, but we did, and they fell asleep quickly.

Blake and I had air mattresses under us, but the kiddos just had sleeping bags on the hard ground that was underneath that tent.

Oh to be young again, ha, ha!!

The next morning I snuck inside to get some coffee, clean up a little bit, and start on breakfast while everyone else was still asleep.


Pretty soon there were several hungry children wrapped in blankets running around the yard so we got busy on a HUGE breakfast!

I think one of Blake’s favorite things to do is cook breakfast for a crowd on his Blackstone, and that is just what he did.


After breakfast the guys made a plan to use a piece of equipment that Chad was able to bring home from work.

At first I was a little disappointed that our “camp out” day was going to be spent working, but it ended up being SUCH a fun thing for the children!

We still had the huge pieces of our fallen oak tree in our yard that needed pushed into the brush pile, and also had a birch tree in the front yard that has needed trimmed since the day we moved here.

It was very fun to watch all the work be done and cheer on our guys!!


I know that every time I look at that photo right above these words it will be with a smile on my face!!

What a great photo and treasure of a memory for these kiddos!!

Pretty soon it was time to drive that big thing into the front yard and trim the tree.

I might have held my breath until Chad was back on the ground, just saying.

But all went well and the tree looks MUCH better!!


It was soon after they were working on that tree that we saw the rain coming.

DRATS!!

We ran out back to get the tent and everything inside and we manage to do it just in time!!

Many hands make light work!


The children continued to play and enjoy their day while I fueled my tent-sleep-deprived body with the necessities of being in my 50’s.

If you have not had these truffles, never buy them!!!

All your self control will go out the window if you do!!

Just speaking from experience here, of course.


Our camp out in the backyard tradition started when we lived on the farm – oh, the memories!!

Brings such a good feeling to my mind and heart.

Here’s to camp out 2025, Lord willing, sometime this summer instead of at the last minute in September!!

We might need a second tent so we can invite more grandchildren to join us!!

Now THAT would be fun!!

September in a Nut Shell

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Oh how it does my heart good to look back at photos and write the story about them!

I now realize how much I have missed this little ole blog of mine.

September was the month that Tate and Eliza BOTH started orthodontic treatment!

Because Invisalign was going so well for Lane, we decided to do the same for Tate and Eliza.

It was a good choice, so far, that is!


We are still creatures of habit around here.

I started that trend and my family follows along, ha, ha!

Sundays are filled with SUCH good habits though!

Church and then the rest of the day all together here as a family!!

I never even know where my phone is on Sundays, much less do I take any photos!

I do have photos of what Sunday evening looks like after everyone is gone – me and my crew clean up and then are greatly rewarded when my hubby makes us all chunky monkeys for bedtime snack!!


School continues on for us here.

I might need to do a post about school and all that has changed here someday soon – but let’s just say it looks a bit different these days!

I am SO very grateful that I still enjoy homeschooling these kiddos of mine!!!

It is really the best way to spend our days here at home.


Our gardens were still exploding back in September!

Our tomatoes were certainly late to the party this past year – were yours??

They finally started turning red in September!

We enjoyed our gardens so much in 2024 and I cannot wait to show you the plans we have in the works for this year!!


I pulled out our zucchini plant the day I harvested all of that produce in the photos above.

It got the BEST of me!

I yanked and yanked on that huge plant – and it would not give – until it DID.

I went flying in the air and down the hill – Tate thought I would need an ambulance, ha, ha!!

Nope. I was FINE besides my pride and bruises on both my knees and one hip.

Arnica oil to the rescue.

So thankful that my daughter Kayla gives me things like Arnica oil and tells me how to use it!


Tate picked all of the basil one afternoon and we dried it in the oven.

Then we ground it up and put it in jars – IT IS DELCIOUS!!

We have grand plans to do a lot more dried basil this year and I am excited about that!


Are you ready for what came out of the kitchen in September??

If you are hungry, like I am, scroll really fast and don’t pay attention!

Seriously though, I really enjoy looking back on the photos I take of food to REMEMBER what I have made!!

I mean, wouldn’t you want to remember to make most of this again??


We still make most everything we can from scratch.

It is such a joy of mine to do that!!

Blake is still our number one Kombucha maker and we enjoy all of his flavors!

Kombucha is a Sunday family day treat and it is the best to share it that way!


Speaking of homemade things – do you remember when I bought these cheap bins for our snack drawer?

Well, our snack drawer is no more!

The kids just were not eating the things that were in there – and I realized it was silly to keep buying all those packaged things!

So the snack drawer is now a junk drawer.


Because of that switch, I was able to use the old junk drawer to put spices in.

This new way keeps all of our spices where our resident chef can reach them without having to climb on the counter!

It’s the little things, folks!


I stopped using a planner in 2024 for awhile.

It was fine without one – I just had a calendar on my phone.

It seemed simpler, and like life had less pressure.

But I honestly am just better with a planner!

I also made a document with lots of meal ideas (to use when I am meal planning) that I keep in the front of my planner.

Thinking on my feet is just not easy for me anymore!


We harvested all of the onions from our garden and cured them on tables.

Finally in September I cleaned them up and put them in storage to use.

I am very sad to say they are gone already, but very happy to say that not one of those onions went bad before it was used!

We are definitely growing onions again this year!!


We had a family Sunday in September at the farm.

Kay is an incredible host and I love being there!!

David always makes us yummy lattes too!


We also had one warm beautiful family day at the park!

We played frisbee golf, brought lunch, and hung out there all day.

It was really fun to have an outside family day!!


Blake and I must have had a date night in September!

Date night has disssaaaapppeeaaarrreeedddddd.

Have any of you found it??

If you have found it, send it back to us!!!

No, really, we need to do that again!!

Things have gotten busier here, yes, but I cannot make excuses.

I LOVE DATE NIGHT!!

Someone please check in with me soon to make sure we have went on one again!!


One of my very best besties met me in town one day to bring me a cooler full of meals for my in-laws freezer.

We literally hugged, switched the load to my van, chatted for two minutes and had to part ways.

I love this lady!!


I still enjoy being on the women’s committee at our church.

It is a huge blessing to be a part of!

I have my team Moschel help me set up our Women’s ministry get together each month.

They are a force to be reckoned with!

Our committee also cleaned the storage room in our church basement in September.

It was a BIG job but very satisfying!!


My trio and I spend a lot of time together.

That must be why I never notice they are growing until all of their clothes are way too small??

Goodness, I cannot keep up with these growing children!!

I bought a lot of Eliza’s new fall/winter clothes on line, but we did go shopping one Saturday morning too.


She is GROWING UP and I am a mess because of it!!

She cleaned and reorganized my Pinterest boards one afternoon and promptly asked me how much money she made.

Smile!!

I enjoy my days with this trio of mine!!!


Tate had a scan and appointment in Madison at the end of September.

Not going to lie, that place is not the same.

They changed his appointment three times, and then called as we were literally getting in the van to travel there to change it again.

Four phone calls later, we still went there that day to get the scan he needed and saw the doctor on video chat several days later.

We took everyone with us, and Blake dropped Tate and I at the hospital and then came back for us.

Everything checked out GREAT and Tate has been released from urology!


This is a LONG overdue post that is also very LONG!

Not even sure anyone is even here anymore, but if you are and made it to the end – BLESS YOU!

I know I will be super glad to look back on this long post someday!!

I have always enjoyed keeping our family memories and it has not changed!!

Let’s end with my signature – just in case there is anyone really here.


Goodness, it has been a long, long time since I have taken a photo of the sky.

I need to start doing that again!

Here is what I posted on my Instagram story this morning and I want to put it here in my scrapbook as well:

Today is special.
Don’t save things for a special occasion.
Don’t dust your candles. Burn them.
Spend more time outdoors.
Be more spontaneous.
Do not waste time.
Put joy and beauty into your day today.
Greet every morning with open arms and say thanks every night with a full heart.
Each day is a GIFT that is to be savored and used.

Amen, amen.

Next up is a very special two days we had back in September!!!

Until then, stay tuned….

Our Sweet Jazzy Girl

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Why, hello, bloggy world!!!

It has been quite awhile since I have even thought about working on my little scrapbook here!

I am excited to get caught up, Lord willing!!

First up will be a post about our puppy we got in July of last year!

Our sweet Jasmyn Bella – most often called Jazzy, or Jazz!!

I am glad I took these next photos to remember the season when she was still a puppy!

The time from 5:00 to 7:00 a.m. was all about watching her!

She used to be WILD at that time of day!

I was doing my Bible time at the kitchen table, getting up and down dozens of times!

I also was waking up to an alarm at 4:00 a.m. so I could get myself completely dressed and ready before Blake got into the shower at 5:00.

Glad to say that Jazzy is not a morning pup anymore!

She loves to sleep until the children wake!


We have worked hard at training Jazzy – but not just potty training.

She was fully potty trained six weeks after she arrived though!

Blake and I both had a vision of how we wanted our new dog to turn out and worked toward that goal.

It takes intention and purpose to get there!

Some of the attributes we strived to achieve in Jazz:

that she would enjoy being cuddled, but also be ok being alone
that she would never beg, or growl at someone about her food or her toys
that she would be crate trained – knowing that being in her crate means she is quiet
that she would not be afraid of things like the vacuum
that she would enjoy going places, and be flexible in her schedule while traveling
that she would be well socialized and not afraid of new people of other dogs
that she would not jump on visitors (still working on this one!)
that she would obey our commands

Thankful to say that we have reached our goals in these areas!

We take Jazzy a lot of places and she loves to be in the van with us and meeting new people!

People in public really enjoy her!


She is very cuddly, but also at times will jump down and go and lay somewhere on her own.

I love this about her!!


Jasmyn had her first grooming appointment in September!

We have already built a relationship with Jazzy’s groomer and love her!

Jazz looked SO different after her first grooming!

The tips of her hair are black, so the longer she gets, the darker she gets.

She looks so light and grey after she gets groomed!

Isn’t she CUTE?


It wasn’t too long before Jazzy starting joining me for my Bible time in the den.

She isn’t learning a thing though because she is always sound asleep!!

After I finish my Bible time I get up to get the day started and she just stays in the den sleeping – silly pup!!


Of course we cannot forget about Chad’s dog, Sadie, or Addie’s dog, Ruby!

Ruby visits us often because we watch her on the days that Addie works.

Blake and I have always had a dog since our first year of marriage – so I guess once a dog person, always a dog person!

These three really do bring so much joy to our home.

Just for reference, in this first photo I was standing in the kitchen eating a cucumber from our garden and looked over to see them staring at me.

I felt so judged, ha, ha!!


Most of our friends and older children thought we were nuts to get a puppy in the middle of the big year we had last year, but I am here to say it was the BEST decision!

Jazzy is such a bright spot in our world – even in all of the crazy busy we have been living.

She is a wonderful dog and we all enjoy her immensely!!

I enjoy having pets a lot!!


Here’s to many more enjoyable years with our Jazzy girl!!!

I love you, Jazz!!!

Thanks for fitting in so perfectly with our crazy life!!!

August

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At the end of July I decided to take a break from Instagram for awhile.

I am only starting this post with these words because this break played a huge part in how many photos I took in the month of August!

Let’s get to it – sharing the few memories caught in time with a photo!

We started August with a trip to UW Madison with Tate to see his Orthopedic Surgeon.

It went GREAT.

We were released from this doctor, saying we could come back in a year if we had questions, or obviously if there are changes in Tate’s health that warrant a need.

Goodness – we are elated with that news!!!!

We made the most of the day in Madison by having treats, lunch, and even doing a big grocery run to Costco.


Nothing better than a good Costco grocery run!

It is so fun to be in the kitchen when there are so many options for food prep.

Costco avocados are the BEST, by the way, and we are avocado experts because we eat so many of them!


I feel like we hardly used our pool at all this year.

Blake and I are having conversations about what that looks like going forward, because it is expensive to maintain it, and to run the pump and the heater.

We did still enjoy the pool on the days we used it though!

August brought drier weather and some very nice days.


I have just a few photos of food from August, but I promise you we ate just as good as we always do!

We finally have some fall temperatures here this week, so soup is on the menu.

But I think I will miss all of the grilled food we had this summer!


Our front landscape was so incredibly beautiful this year!

We plan to split it all in the spring and landscape around my in-laws new home.

These plants need split anyway as they are getting too big!

Everything was so very green in our area this summer thanks to plenty of rain.

It was beautiful!!


We have fought Japanese beetles in our gardens and then our trees for several years now.

When July came and went and they were not here yet, I thought we were spared!!

NOPE.

The calendar changed to August, and almost like they had an invitation for that day, here they were.

Chewing everything to bits!!

Blake sprayed our tree because we think they were killing it – I don’t want to know what he sprayed out there.

We used some organic products on the gardens instead of putting up beetle bags like years past, and it really helped keep them at bay.


My health trial put me in bed for four days in August.

I missed a very, very important trip to Illinois and a very important wedding and cried my eyes out over it all, just saying!

We all were SO GRATEFUL that it was short lived.

God has been so very kind to me on my health journey all these years!!

My hope is that He will always receive the Glory for it all.


One beautiful evening in August I had made dessert after dinner.

I said, “I wish Addie and Scottie were here to enjoy this with us!”

To which Blake said, “Let’s GO! We will take it to them to enjoy!”

Which is exactly what we did!!


I had my granddaughters for an afternoon in August – THIS IS A FAVORITE KIND OF DAY!!

They are a BLAST!!

Kayla and I were wondering about Ms. Saige Grace and whether or not she would leave her mama to spend the day with me.

Well, that little cutie jumped in my arms and put her hand up to tell Kayla to go away, ha, ha!!

I loaded her into the van with the others and she was yelling “bye, bye bye!!!!” as we drove away.

What a fun day we had!!


We took a trip to Illinois and Indy in August too.

We enjoyed all of our normal “traditions” of that trip, but especially enjoyed a grilled meal that my brother made for us!

We also had Jazzy along for the first time.

She did GREAT!!

The kids enjoyed the hotel pool, even though it had just been completely redone and they could not run the heater in it yet.

Crazy kids!!

IT WAS FREEZING.

Grateful for another wonderful trip!!

We have plans to make this trip again at the beginning of November!


In an effort to have some summer like living here, we had an impromptu fire one night!

The kids loved it, but we did not stay out too late.

The moon was FULL that night and so very beautiful!!

A photo would never do it justice!!


We got to celebrate Grant and Addie at the end of August!!

They have always shared a birthday celebration their whole lives and it is very sweet to say they still are.

We crammed that cake with candles and sang to them!!


The sky lady still did grab a few photos of the sky in August!!

Do you love the sky?

Do you take time to look at it?

Everyday???

You should!!!

It is a GIFT!!!


A few more random photos for this post!!

I am so glad to have them!

Everyday life is the BEST thing to capture!!


Well, that was fun!!!

I love looking back in time!!

Just checking to see if you all know that it is October???

Didn’t we just have two weddings??

Crazy thing called time!!

I hope your October is off to a great start!!

Next up is a recap of September – stay tuned!!!

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