So much has been going on around here! I have three quilts to finish up, the one pictured is obviously for Christmas and will hang on a wall somewhere.
We had a light dusting of snow last night, more to come this weekend! Hopefully it will keep on coming for the arrival of the gang from Florida. Ally can't wait to play in the snow with Ian and Madeline:)
Zach shot his first deer this year, it's small but Steve told him every year it has to be bigger than the previous year, plus he hasn't quite caught deer fever yet. Getting up at 5am and sitting out in the cold is not fun for Zach. I think he just shot the first deer he saw.

Our Christmas decorating began on Monday and I just had to post a picture of my favorite ornament, it always gets me in the Christmas spirit! We have the annual Advent potluck at Church this weekend, we eat and then play bingo for small gifts, even Santa makes a brief appearance. The kids love it!

Steve worked on Thanksgiving, so we had a quiet feast at home this year. The kids helped me cook and we played games all weekend. It was awesome! We went to Mom and Dad's on Friday for the Husker game and had so much fun. All the kids played and got along great, Huskers won a nail biting game and seeing Heidi and Zach, J.R., Christa, Lexi, Mason and Callie is always so wonderful! Having a big, huge family can be crazy and loud, but so worth it when everyone comes home:) We are so blessed!!!!!

We Love Fall!!!!!!!!!!!!

Time has just been flying by, and I apologize for my untimely blogging:) I thought things would slow down once all the kids hit school age, but it only gets more hectic!

Halloween was awesome, Hayley had some friends over and Ally's friend Hannah came too! The big kids get to go without parents, they are too cool for us now. I ran into Kari and Aud a few times that night, but man our group is getting so large that it is impossible to stay together all night. It was the warmest Halloween I can ever remember, just fun!

Once again, Steve is hunting! The nice buck here was shot ( with bow and arrow) Wed. morning. Steve called me around 7;30am and I went to meet him and help him load it in his truck. I've never been able to help him in the hunting dept. because I,ve always had kids home etc.. but this year he is getting full use out of me! I have helped him set up deer stands, build deer stands and even gone with him to help out some friends load up their deer. It's a bizarre thing, guys that hunt are so into it, you can see the hunting instinct kick in and I felt like I was transported into another era.

Ally just loves kindergarten and is learning so much! I really don't believe in preschool so my kids are a little behind the others at first, but man has she caught up! I get to help in her class on Tuesdays and all the kids are wonderful! I applied for a substitute position at Norris and I was accepted:) I am on-call, which works great for me! I love free days, but I really want a full-time position at the school. It is just the ideal job. I love working with kids of all ages and Norris is close by and my days off will be the same as the kids!

Nature's Children

Zach and Steve went squirrel hunting yesterday afternoon. They both shot one! Zach's is the fluffier one with the guts hanging out:) Ally is showing off her 2 praying mantis'. We found them last week and have had more fun watching them! We fed them crickets, grasshoppers, spiders etc... they gobble them down rather quickly. Google praying mantis and you will be intrigued! They are carnivores and eat small animals, they even show this on you tube! I told Ally we had to let them go this morning so she is rather sad, but as we were cleaning out the bug cage we found a stick with a hard, amber looking egg sac, we hope it is from the praying mantis. I told her we could keep it safe for the winter and maybe see it hatch in the spring! That's pretty much all for today. Tonight the Huskers play Missouri, of course we will be watching and cheering them on. GO BIG RED!!!!!!!!

The Great Pumpkin

Yes! There is a pumpkin patch taking over my driveway:) I thought it would be fun to let a volunteer plant grow, and it has been fun but it's getting bigger by the day. We have six pumpkins so far and some little ones just starting. As most of you know Hayley flew out of the neighbors wagon and broke her arm(the Fortners and Zach were in no way involved:) She adores the attention, but the cast is sweaty and getting dirty so she can't wait to get it off next week! Hopefully it has all healed and she won't have to have anything else done. I had Lasik eye surgery a couple weeks ago and my eyesight is now better than 20/20!!!! It is awesome! I feel like Adam Kindall (Mary's husband on little house) When his vision came back after being blind! No more contacts or glasses. Yea!!! Well, I better go for a walk and I told the kids I'd make cookies today. Later

WHERE HAS THE SUMMER GONE???
Gee I haven't blogged since May!

It's been a crazy, fast summer and now that ALL

my kids are in school full-time I might blog a little more:)

June: Steve and I went to Minnesota with two of our dear friends.

July: We spent the whole month with family! Mom and Dad pool was busy! Emily and fam was here for the month. JR and Christa came up. It was just awesome!

August: Steve and I celebrated our 14th Anniversary:) We just got home Sunday from vacation. We went to Steve's company cabin on Lake McConaughy with our friends the Witkowski's and their kiddos. It was very relaxing.

School started yesterday and the kids came home with all sorts of fun stories. Ally started all day kindergarten and Hayley started Middle School.

I have lots of work to do: make salsa, freeze peaches from my peach tree, pick out new paint colors for my upstairs. Doing these things with no kids around will surely be way easier! Moms sewing room is calling my name though- I'm soooo torn:)

NO PICTURES!!!


I shared this recipe with Mom and Audrey already, but I figured it would be easier to just blog it. Mom just called and she tried it and I've tried it too! YUM-O

Cheesy Apple Pie- Body for life

1/2c. cottage cheese
1/4c. sugar-free applesauce
1/4c. oatmeal, grapenuts or any other whole grain cereal
cinnamon
splenda
1t. skim milk

Stir everything together and put in microwave for 30 seconds.

Tips: I toasted my oats first and put half in before nukeage, them sprinkled the rest on top after, for a little crunch:)
I used half applesause and half cooked rhubarb, sooo good! Could probably use a variety of fruits? Cherries would be good! I' ll experiment.

Ally & OJ

I just had to blog this picture! Ally and OJ are two of a kind. They either get along great or constantly fight and tease each other.

Yesterday we were at Mom's and they got along pretty well? Partners in crime was more like it!

Kari, Mom and I were chatting with Dad who came home for a minute, he left and we THOUGHT the girls were watching a movie in the back bedroom:) Suddenly OJ comes out and asked where Grandma was. I told her that Grandma was sick of us and left! She looked at me funny and went back. Then Ally comes into the kitchen soaking wet! She said her and OJ took a bath! WHAT!!!!! I went to investigate. Mom comes out of her room and said she found the girls all wet. Ally put a little water in the whirlpool tub, which they sat in. Then they got out some of Mom's highheels and various shoes. We think they must have put on the shoes after their bath because the shoes were all wet inside:( We couldn't believe we didn't hear any of this! They work fast because Dad was just back there talking to them.

I think they are ready for the POOL!!!!

Today Sam doesn't have school so we are walking to the park to have a picnic! It's supposed to reach 70 today. I love spring.