Losing Teeth

My daughter Becca recently went to visit her dentist for her six month check-up. She is eight years old and was told by her hygienist that she would be losing a lot of teeth real soon. Tonight at supper she lost one of those teeth. It was kinda funny in that all she really wanted to eat was a salad, which was okay because who wants to eat when it is this hot outside. Anyway the rest of us were having a pork chop cooked on the grill which went perfect with our salads. Eventually Becca decides she would like one too just so she could nibble on the bone like the rest of us (we all like to do this cuz it has the best flavor). Well, you can about imagine what happened next, to no one's surprise she starts to cry because her tooth hurts. She obviously bit down on the wrong tooth and oop's it became really loose and dad needed to take it out. Of course it always hurts worse then it actually does but the bigger the scene the bigger the money, or so she thinks. It did bleed an awful lot but it didn't take long to stop. Guess I better let the tooth fairy know she needs to make a stop at our house tonight or I will have one disappointed little girl.

Midwest Auto Recycling

There is nothing more frustrating to me than when my vehicle has a problem. Just last month my husband had problems with this truck that required it being in the shop for a few days. Thank goodness we were able to borrow another truck from his dad or we would have had a long couple of days trying to get from one place to another. It is also maddening when the bill is handed over to you, not only are parts expensive but so is the labor. Using midwest auto recycling, who specializes in used engines and transmissions is one place to go to save money on your next auto repair. Knowing your engine miles are all CARFAX verified is also a positive when buying parts from them. You can be sure that all engines are inspected for compression, checked for oil, cleaned, and all transmissions are test driven so that you will be satisfied with the parts you purchase. So the next time you are in need of fixing your vehicles, just visit their website and see what they have to offer you.

Six Months Old

I can't believe Dru is six months old already. The time has just flown by. It makes me giggle every time I think of the things she can and can't do. For instance, she has maybe rolled over about three times on her own. I know she can do it but she hates to lay on the floor, she would rather sit and look around as she has three older sibling to learn from. She still has no teeth but is working very hard at getting some. She loves her milk but really doesn't want to eat her cereal or other baby foods. I can't wait to see the changes in her over the next six months.

Great American Seafood Cook Off

As a young teenager I remember a couple summer vacations with my family that took us all the way to Canada. I had never in my lifetime seen such a lake, if you can call the massive amount of water we fished on a lake, to me it could have been the ocean. I never did figure out how my dad knew where we were or how to get us back to the cabin we were staying at. The fishing was awesome and eating the fish was just as awesome. Recently my parents made a return trip to our favorite Canadian location, my Uncle Ron and Aunt Denise’s cabin, which is located near a town called Dryden. To hear all the different stories about the big one that got away and would have been just perfect on dad’s dinner plate still puts a smile on my face. Our all time favorite fish to eat would have to be Walleye, the flavor and the texture seems to be the most satisfying for my family, how to prepare it, well that still seems to be up for debate. How to prepare the fish, steaming on the grill to let the flavor of the charcoal come through, shore lunch over the open flame, deep fat frying it, or my favorite grilled with lots of butter and lemon pepper, usually causes some kind of argument. When going to Canada isn’t an option it’s not to hard getting fish local and fresh here in the Midwest. If my family really wants it fresh we just ask dad if he wants to go fishing and we try to catch it ourselves, by doing this we know exactly where our fresh fish came from, right out of the lake.

My recipe is quite simple, put Walleye in tin foil, place a few pieces of butter on fish, and sprinkle lemon pepper over fish, fold up tin foil and place on a hot grill. After about 10 minutes check the Walleye, if it is white and flaky it is done and ready for the plate, if not cook until 5 to 10 minutes longer. Sounds super yummy I know, but if you think you can make my all time favorite fish taste even better, I welcome any suggestions.

I have heard of an event called the Great American Seafood Cook Off, I wonder if my favorite Walleye recipe could be a contender? Cook off? My Walleye recipe in a cook off, that could be lots of fun. It would be pretty neat to see all the contenders and their different recipes for all different kinds of seafood as this is a very healthy way to eat. Trying different recipes sure could spice things up instead of eating the same old thing all the time.

Humidity

The humidity here in Iowa has made today's weather seem very heavy. It feels as though there could be a storm brewing. The skies are starting to bring in some dark clouds. We may be in for an old fashion thunderstorm. Hopefully if it does storm it will cool off some and the air will be less humid. I guess I shouldn't complain to loud as I would rather have this type of weather instead of a winter blizzard. My hair sure doesn't like the humidity either, it tends to get frizzy and it wants to put add some unwanted curls to my hair. Oh well I guess we will just sport a new hairdo for awhile. Unfortunately, I think my air conditioning has ran nonstop most of the day which is really starting to make me dread my electric bill this month.

Great Grandparents

Having grandparents and the bond they share with their grandchildren I am told doesn't compare to anything else. I wonder if this is even more so when we become great grandparents. As a child I was lucky enough to have my all of my grandparents and most of my great grandparents. My children have also been blessed with all of their grandparents and most of their great grandparents. Unfortunately on May 4, 2008 we lost Great Grandpa Dell. He is missed greatly by his whole family. This is one of the last pictures of Grandpa Dell and Grandma Wanda with their great grandchildren Cole, Alli, Becca, Dru, Hudson, and Gracie. Unfortunately Logan was born about 1 1/2 months after grandpa left us so he is not in this picture. I am so glad we were able to get this picture. It is a very special memory for all of us.

Tactical Pants

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Coming Home

Today Cole is coming home from basketball camp. It is Thursday and he has been gone since Sunday. I would say most of us are excited that he is going to be sticking around for awhile now. That is except his sister Becca. There is a five year age gap between them. I don't know if this make them fight like cats and dogs or if he just likes to pick on her and she just like to make it sound worse then it really is. Anyway, I sure am glad he will be home after a combination of about two weeks away.

Special Olympics

I love all that the Special Olympics do for kids with disabilities. Having a daughter that participates in these events I see the special bond that all the kids have with one another. How they get so excited when their friends do well even if they themselves are having an off day. Alli's favorite event in the Special Olympics is bowling. She is a ramp bowler and has gone to state the last two years. The first year winning a silver medal and the second year winning the gold. It just melts my heart to see how proud she is of her medal and what she did to get it. No matter if they win or lose the kids are just happy for each other and what each has achieved. Alli also participates in the track and field events winning the blue ribbon for the tennis ball throw and 25 meter walk both years. Because of the time of year we usually don't make it to the state competition even though she usually qualifies. Her older brother is always there to cheer her on. He is so protective of her and he is also so proud as he stands with her on the podium while she gets her blue ribbon.

Hunting

The men in my home are big hunters. They hunt anything from pheasants, duck, geese, turkey, and their favorite deer. Here are just a few of the pictures my husband has taken with his night vision camera. John and Cole get very excited when they are able to catch any type of wildlife with their camera. Knowing what is out there to hunt in the fall seems to be very important to the both of them come hunting season. I think it's the anticipation of knowing there is that big one out there just teasing and taunting them. My philosophy is to enjoy myself while they are away, if that is possible when my three girls are at home with me. Maybe that's why the boys like to get out of the house? I just don't quite understand the concept of getting up early in the dead of winter, hoping a deer will walk under my tree stand and anticipating the final kill. Staying in bed, sleeping in and being cozy under the covers sounds just perfect to me. I guess it just the thrill of the hunt. My son got his first deer last year and he is hoping to do even bigger and better this year. Good luck Cole and I guess dad too.
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Paying Bills

I really hate paying bills. It seems all we do is work, work, work and get no where fast. It seems all our money goes towards the house payment, the phone bill, groceries, and on and on. I cannot wait for the day when money isn't a worry. When we can just live comfortably. With the economy the way it is I think that could be a long time coming.

Basketball Camp

Cole just got home from Bible camp Friday night. Today is Sunday and he is now off to basketball camp. For being 13 he is sure a busy kid. When he got home from Bible camp he said the food was terrible and he had an upset stomach the whole week. He still wasn't feeling the best when he left this morning. I sure hope camp isn't to rough for him and that he starts to feel better real soon. He did request a good supper when he gets home on Thursday, chicken gravy with mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes are his favorite food, however I have never made this chicken gravy he is talking about. I guess I'll give it a try and hope it meets his approval.