October already???

Oh my! Where has the time gone? 

The older two girls play high school varsity soccer, older two boys are playing middle school football, and the younger three are busy being kids!

I am proud of my kids. They are good students, fun to be around, athletic and very competitive. 

Taylor is feeling stronger and is running a few miles each week with Madeline at soccer practice. Lemierre's syndrome may have kicked her butt for a few long months, but she is fighting back! 

Madeline entered high school and has strong grades and is taking a woodshop class. She loves it! Wonder if she will make something for me!

Sven is managing his T1Diabetes very well. He stays active and has been busy with some research papers for school. He just completed a project on Leukemia. 

Eric is now in middle school and can't wait for baseball season in the spring. He is a bit sore right now from football! Doesn't like it as much as his brother does. That's ok by me! 

Devin is wishing she was as old as her two older sisters! She loves school and fashion. There isn't a day that goes by that she isn't trying something new with her clothes or hair. 

Cheryl is learning to read! It has been a real struggle, but she is getting the help she needs, and is starting to gain some confidence. She studies her flashcards daily and is comprehending stories she hears/reads. Math is easy for her. She is learning money now. 

Kirt is finally in Kindergarten. He likes his teacher, and is a joy in class. He listens well, and even brought a praying mantis to share with the class. And, his teacher thought it was neat! 

I have been quilting and adding items to my etsy shop. I have lots of started projects that I wish to finish, including my Orca Bay Mystery quilt. 

Bryson is doing great and is hard at work on our place. 

The pond was a success. The fish are growing. We now have 50 koi, 100 goldfish AND lots of baby goldfish/koi/hybrids too! The grass around the pond has stabilized the banks and looks great. I even had some sunflowers bloom this year. 

Well, that should catch us up a bit. 

I leave you with a picture of a gorgeous sunflower that just bloomed yesterday! Don't you just love the color?  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Simple Pleasures...

Our dishwasher went out the other day. For most, this is no problem...just wash by hand! But for a family of nine...one set of glasses of milk, followed by another set of dishes, followed by a set of silverware...well, you get the point! 


I have more important things to be doing than being in the kitchen washing dishes! Like, washing clothes, running kids around, sewing and quilting, ball games, sewing and quilting and work.


This isn't the largest dishwasher on the market by any means...but big enough for one meal's dishes to go into...and it sanitizes too! Very important so nobody gets sick! 


Thanks Honey...you are the best! 

Only in Rural Nevada…

will you see a horse-drawn pickup-bed carriage!

I love where I live…have I said that before! I really do. Where else can you call home and see a sight like this go by right outside your front door?

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I tried to get the guy to smile and wave…but no can do. He looked as weary as his horse!

Colors of the High Desert in Autumn!

We went scouting this morning for mule deer buck. Even though we didn’t see any…we certainly had a great time. Please look at the photo album below to see all the many colors of the desert in the wonderful season of Autumn. Know wonder this is my favorite time of year. It was a whopping 36 degrees this morning at 6:00 am…and quite refreshing to be out in God’s country! What a way to start out the week!

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Buddy Tadpoles in the Grass and Weeds!

Cheryl and Kirt missed each other this morning.  She went to her very first day of Kindergarten...and he was left alone with Mama!

After school, lunch and naps...they went ouside and played in the weeds. Kirt was on one side of an Aspen tree throwing grass her way...and she was pulling leaves off the tree trying to ignore him!

They are so cute. I am going to miss this age! They really are good buddies!

Just hanging out today!

Summer is coming to a close, so we all went to the pool today. It was a beautiful late afternoon.

Eric started climbing up the swingset...and I decided I needed my turn at the fun! Here I am caught on camera...just hanging out!

 I took some time today to play with my new camera and lens. Aren't these flowers beautiful? They are for you. I wish I could have sent them to you all.
(remember, if you click the photo...it makes it larger!)

I can't wait to take some photos of my quilts with this 16-35 mm lens. I am hoping the stitches really show! I will try that another day.

Enjoy the flowers.

Water...it is such a necessity for all of us!

Well, we hope to have water back soon!!

Being without water when you live in a desert with 7 kids is no fun! Tensions run high, you can't cook or clean, and...well you get the idea.

It all started yesterday morning when we woke up to dry faucets. What could have been as simple as triggering the pressure switch...or hitting the reset on the control panel...didn't work. Finally, the only solution left was to replace the submersible pump. Not impossible...but when work calls and one can't be home to fix it...then the trouble begins. Not to mention that we live in a remote area and actually getting a replacement pump would have to wait till possibly Monday!

Fortunately, the local hardware store had not only one..but two well pumps sitting on the shelf...so we should be back in business by late afternoon.

UPDATE: The pump wasn't the problem either. The wiring down to the pump had a bad burned spot in it...so after repairing that entire situation...we are back up and running..water! Yay!

Water...you take it for granted...till you don't have it!

Since it is Sunday, I will share this. JOHN 4:3-15 and JOHN 4:27-38

The Parable of the Good Samaritan where Jesus and the good Samaritan woman meet at the well. Jesus asks her for water and she is shocked at His request since Jews do not have dealings with Samaritans. He then tells her that if she knew who He was, she would be asking Him for water instead. He can supply living water. Water that will take away your thirst altogether. Water that will last forever and give eternal life.

Jesus is my Savior and the living water that is offered is free to all. One must simply believe in Jesus. JOHN 3:16 reads...For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Do you believe in the One who came to save us?

Wow...have I been Busy...and Gone!

I was gone for a few days visiting friends'...Dory of Crazy Horse Quilting and Shannon of pieceful kwilter. We had a fun time together quilting and sharing longarming techniques and tools of the trade. We are all working on a needle-turn applique project that Shannon designed. It will be used later as a round robin between the 3 of us so that we will each end up with a wall hanging that us three friends' each worked on. Should be loads of fun. Mine of course...is in batiks! Would you have guessed any different?!

Now that I am back...the three oldest girls want to finish up quilts for the county fair. That would be in 3 weeks from now! Agh!!

Well, let's just say...it should keep me plenty busy helping them..and provide lots of photo opportunities of them sewing. Taylor actually finished her top. It will fit an extra long twin bed. She is very pleased with it. Now to find backing and then she will be quilting it on Frogger...if I ever finish the blue/white quilt I have loaded. Yes, you heard me correctly. It isn't finished yet! It is very, very, very close though.

I will post pics soon...just wanted to check in and let everyone know that we are all fine here in the high desert.

Why I love where we live!

Not much traffic.

Just the school travel bus and us on the road...for 180 miles!































Wild Mustangs...a small family of 7.

We stopped and watched them for a while. They were rather playful with each other.

We saw nearly 60 mustangs on our way to Tonopah Nevada...but didn't have time to stop and take pictures. They are sure beautiful..and can fill a valley with their abundance of color...from white, brown, grey, dapple to deep black.

Look what we got! Mother's Day for me!

My kids found these horned lizards behind the baseball fields this past weekend. The largest one is nearly 4 inches long! Now to find ants...wonder how I will do that with 4 inches of snow on the ground!! Yes, I said SNOW!

Tadpoles' Socks!

My dear friend and I were talking the other day about life with 7 tadpoles. We started to discuss laundry...and the distaste we both had for doing it. And the discussion of SOCKS came up.

The turning inside-out of socks for washing, the sorting of socks, whose socks are whose...and so forth. I told her we have a fantastic new system for dealing with socks with such a variety of sizes and types. And NO, it does NOT mean throwing them away and starting over every day with a new pair. Although, that might have seemed easier!

We purchased nearly 4 dozen long skinny socks in every color/pattern available in 2 separate sizes...then some wool socks in one size for the older tadpoles...then white crew socks for the younger tadpoles. Then...we dumped everything into an 18qt container and placed it in a convenient location for all of them to get to. Now...when we (read "I" here) wash and dry socks...I just have to sort mine and Dad's out...and the rest get thrown in the sock tub! Easy Peasy!

When the tadpoles need socks...they grab 2 from the tub and go. No more wasted time sorting socks. Even the boys have been known to wear one pink sock and one brown. For now...it is working. And I have time for other things in my day. Who wants to spend 2 hours a day sorting someone else's laundry anyways?!

Look at all these feet. And yep...mismatched socks. But, you know what...their feet are dry and they are happy.

Just so you understand how many socks I was dealing with...imagine 2 full loads of laundry a week dedicated to socks! Now you understand why this new system has simplified my life!!

I am happy now too.  ;0)

Our Pond

I thought for my first post...I would show you a picture of what our pond looks like.


It is continuously fed...so can't freeze..but WOW...isn't it pretty! We have had nearly 18 inches of snow this past week and now my tadpoles...aka kids...are snowboarding, sledding, rolling, falling...you name it...in the snow.


But what fun to be had by all.   ;0)