Just Keepin' Busy

Last wildflower bouquet of the season

 Another week alone, but keeping busy.
News from Idaho: broken tooth cannot be fixed out there but was filed and no longer cuts into tongue; daily hunt brings in varying numbers of ducks, pheasants, even one goose.

Sunday evening fellowship at Pastor Dan's included a delightful mini-concert by one of the students, as well as warm homemade bread again.

Monday at our exercise class, I just had to take a picture of the person next to me, multitasking. Can you see what she is doing?

Extreme multitasking

Tuesday I spent some time gathering bits of information about Mike's dad, Milton Koch, for Malachi (8th grade) who wanted to talk about his great grandfather for a Day of the Dead presentation.

1929, age 12

It is interesting to compare young and old photos.

Wednesday I wore my simple little mask to the weekly meal at the senior center  and won a free meal for the funniest. It helped that I was the only one in that category!

In the evening I joined in some of the grandkids' fun.

Koch cousins

Lil' Pumpkin

Here's the book I've been listening to all week. Set in World War II times, it got me through a lot of house work on Thursday.

Friday Leah and I tackled the first phase of a secret Christmas  project. That was fun.
Then we went to the Gray Barn and set up our tables for the craft sale the next day.

Saturday we showed up in time to open at 9 a.m.

Leah's painted ornaments did not show up enough. Next time we will have a white tree.

We enjoyed our time together, meeting and talking to so many.

Extreme Excitement

You've heard of extreme sports, extreme makeovers...
Could a week contain more extreme events and emotions? I doubt it.

Sunday we celebrated our oldest grandchild's 21st birthday! We so enjoy getting together as a family!
Kayla's meal request was our famous fondue meal. I was so busy acting the hostess role that I seriously neglected my photography. I managed only one picture, and that was part way through the dinner.

Thankfully Mike got a few during the birthday song, but not soon enough to catch the cluster of candles lighting the cake. Oh, well...

We were all very aware that our new baby could arrive any day. No one more so than Kristie, however!

Monday the call came, "My water broke. It's time!" I was privileged to witness this delivery, an all-natural water birth. All went beautifully. Kristie said it was the easiest and best so far (this was number four).
 

"Welcome, baby!"

"You are so beautiful!"

"I love you so much!"

"Are you my mother?"

Delighted Daddy

Big brother Malachi

Middle brother Elijah

Tuesday Grandma Debby, my consuegra, and I took the siblings to the hospital for a second visit. Little brother Zion had his turn to welcome baby brother Jude.

It was so sweet and we were so happy about the bonding moment that we didn't worry about the kisses and touching. However, Wednesday, when Zion woke up with a fever we became concerned. I had spent the night with them, taking over for the other grandma. By afternoon he was worse, so Daddy came home and took him to the doctor. Whatever it was, it passed and by evening it was good to see him moving around, even climbing up on his brother's bunk.

Even though it was past bedtime, no one missed baby's homecoming that night.

Jude River

"Welcome home, Jude!"

 

Thursday was a quiet day at home for me. Visiting missionary friends stopped by for a few minutes.

Tuggys

Friday was a strangely eventful day.  Mike and I went to Elijah's school for grandparents' day.
Right after I took a picture of him with his teacher, he fainted. Of course, everyone was concerned.The nurse, principal, assistant superintendent were there and in the end they called the EMTs. Daddy Sam came as soon as he could.

The next photo is funny and embarrassing. I began to feel light headed so they had us both lying down. Probably sympathetic symptoms.

By afternoon his temperature had gone up and he had a bad headache. Perhaps the same mysterious illness that Zion had earlier in the week. I was just fine, though.

Saturday we took SIL Diane to the Mississinewa1812 , which claims to be America's most exciting Living History Weekend. It truly lives up to that reputation and thousands attend this festival.

Very close to where we were watching the reenactment of the Battle of 1812, we saw one of the first go down. His mother was next to me taking pictures enjoying the event. Diane, on the other hand, didn't care for the loud cannons and wondered what they were going to do with the dead.

It takes the musketeers a year to learn their skills. The horses that enter the battle scene take much longer to train.

 We enjoy this Potawotomi story teller every time.

I have many more photos, but these will have to do for one post.

Project 365: Week 43

Sunday, before we finally got away on our long-awaited trip to Idaho, friend Lisa came over to collect natural woodsy materials for an autumn event. We gifted her with a pottery piece of her choice.

How about you? Are you entering my giveaway by commenting a few times here at Meemaw Moments? The opportunity ends when we arrive back in Indiana, in about 10 days.

The other photo I shot Sunday is my new header. Can you see our deck under those leaves?

I am so happy with my new autumn blog-look, but have so much to learn yet. I just couldn't remember how to get my title on there.

Monday we traveled through Iowa. I loved the beautiful farmland. One longer stop was at the new $55,000,000 Bass Pro store, a hunter's paradise. (Click on the link for a fascinating tour and fun captions.)

Tuesday we arrived at destination mid afternoon. The other Koch hunters had come back early to welcome us, and take a break!

For a slideshow of the cross country changing scenery go to my previous post. (While you're there leave a comment for greater chances in my drawing!)

Wednesday, I was remembering the last time I accompanied hunter-hubby on his annual expedition. Little Kenzie was only 4 years old and every morning she was up before anybody and headed straight for the computer to play a wide variety of her little games. She is still the technological whiz.

Thursday we went to great-nephew Cody's football game.

Friday, the three Mrs. Kochs went shopping.

Saturday, and every day, the men go hunting and come back with birds and hunting tales, complete with actions and sound effects. The women decided to model their behavior and tell our shopping stories with the same enthusiasm and effusive gestures. The result was tear-jerking hilarity.

What do the women do? Cook, do dishes, talk, knit, read, study, talk, walk, play with the three dogs, blog, shop, talk (did I mention that already?) Today I found a walking path and enjoyed the beautiful scenery, but my camera charge lasted for only one photo.

Check out Sara's blog for more week 43 (yes, FORTY THREE) photo reviews.

And don't forget my pottery giveaway! Picture this in your home.

Wondering and Wandering in the Wild Wild West

We made it out to Koch relatives in Pocatello, ID, Tuesday 4 pm. That represents a minor (or major?) miracle as the engine kept stalling for a few seconds as we were driving on the highway closer to the 80 mi/hr speeds. It must have happened about 10 times over the 1600 miles. This afternoon it was towed away. We are wondering what will happen. Mike thinks they should be able to find the problem because it is no longer intermittent. Today it would NOT start at all.

The Koch men are serious hunters. They love to torture themselves tromping through the grassy marshes ALL day long. Today they came back early to clean their catch of two days and go to young nephew's football game.

The closest I will come to the adventure of hunting is probably what I saw and experienced at the new  Bass Pro store we stopped at in Iowa. You can see for yourself and get a taste of this hunter's paradise.

Oh, I helped to bag the already cleaned and cut up birds.

For those who wanted to see photos of our travels, tomorrow I will post photos of the scenery.

And if anyone out there was waiting for another in the Art Pilgrimage series, sorry, I forgot to prepare to post them before I left, and the photos are all stored on the home computer.

Out here, days are pleasantly filled with reading, studying, walking, and conversation with my SIL. She brought a book to read and a lot of kniting projects. I wanted very much to read that book too, and I love to read out loud so we decided I would read to her while she knits. A great plan and a gripping read--Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See.

Two days ago was my second blogoversary. Don't forget to leave comments to be entered into the giveaway--a Klaytivity unique thrown pottery by hubby the ceramist! He  loves to design, experiment, throw, glaze, fire, learn everything to do with the craft. And I love to give them away! Can you find the one we brought for our hosts?

Project 365: Week 42

Before I dive into the main focus of my photos for the week, I would like to finish up last week's with a picture of the birthday girl wearing her SYTYCD t-shirt from the Sunday performance at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indy.

( Yes, Sara, we had a wonderful time!)

The Monstrous Project

This week I want to give honor to whom honor is due: master-builder-designer-repairer-maintainer, my wonderful husband.
Toward the end of the summer, he realized that the 600-gallon water holding tank for our radiant floor heating, was so deteriorated (after 18 years) that it could no longer be used. So he hacked it to pieces and hauled it out. But first he sat down and designed an entirely new three-tank system and had them built out of stainless steel.
They were ready Monday.

Tuesday, Chef son came and helped move them into their prepared and insulated slots in the utility room.

 

The pondering goes on.

It is such a complex system.

We cannot leave for Idaho until it is in working order.

It is cold! Don't worry, we have space heaters.

While Mike keeps insanely busy down in the cave, in addition to his regular commitments (robotics, Lightrider, etc.), I have kept reasonably occupied. Sorry, no photos. 

Tuesday, a webinar by adoption author and adoptee, Sherrie Eldridge (I have offered to translate &/or interpret into Spanish for her)
Twice I went to Muncie to take Mary to her hyperbaric treatment. She is out of the hospital, has lost weight.
While she was in her oxygen pressurized chamber, I walked by the river nearby on the Cardinal Greenway.
Thursday, I began an online course "Fundamentals of Life Stories Writing."
Friday we got together with those involved in Summer in the USA for a dinner and sharing.
Saturday, I went to grandson's football game. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Today, Sunday, after all three tanks are full and functioning, 149 solder joints tested, leaks repaired, hot water circulating through the hose network in the floors, we will finally leave, after cleaning up and packing, of course.

The garden looks like this at the end of the season, kinda messy now and overgrown. (Compare to the beginning of summer photo in Week 25.)

The daughter will bring in some of the house plants that enjoyed the outdoors for a season. Can you believe the poinsettia lasted from last Christmas?!