First Day of School...

Yes, it finally arrived... The FIRST day of school, especially SPECIAL for Anika, as it was her first day of ANY school -- going to Kindergarten!! It was a fun day for all of us!

We started out the morning with all the kids waking up early... Always a good sign right? Breakfast was eaten, cold lunches pack and teeth brushed (a new more involved process for Thor with his new braces!) we headed out the door. We stopped by the front door of school for a couple of quick photos... then into the building to drop off our lunch boxes in the kitchen/fridge. Next we arrived in Thor's room. You can tell his 3rd Grade class was "old" kids... the room was busy, but mostly quiet and productive. The kids found their "lockers" immediately, as well as their new desks!! This is the fist year for a true desk for Thor, the younger kids sit at tables in small groups.
It took about 60 seconds for Thor to get settled in... he didn't even say good-bye, just looked up and waved us on...

Anika and I continued to her new room - Kindergarten #2. There are 2 K classes, each with 18 students... so a busy hallway! Anika also found her cubby (locker) and assigned chair at her table.
She noticed a coloring sheet ready at her seat, so went back to her backpack to get her color crayons. She pulled out a set I knew wasn't hers, so I stopped her and we looked closer at the box. It was marked "Gretchen"... I said, "these are not your crayons, where did you get these?" Anika said they were in her backpack. We turned around to check it out... and what do you know, but the girl with the cubby right next to hers, whose name is Gretchen, has the EXACT same backpack!!


Anika was having fun, and happy to see the only other person she knew coming into school, a boy she knows from MOPS, was seated right next to her.
She and Kyle visited as they colored... soon it was time to line up for chapel.

Liv and I stayed for Chapel - a good, but short message from the Sr. Pastor of the church... then one more round of hugs and kisses for Thor and Anika, we were out the door! Most of my friends asked if I was sad to see Anika go to K... hard to watch her grow up and move on... but I have to honestly say it was so much fun to see her ready for the next step in life.

I have so many friends who have struggled with being able to have their own children, or as many kids as they would LIKE to have... as well as friends who have children with special needs, even disabilities. For so many of them, they way "family" has worked out in their life is not what they imagined. I am extremely happy and blessed every day to watch my children do the AVERAGE things they are supposed to be doing at each stage of life. I rejoice with Anika as she gets to start on this new adventure. Anika was so excited to start school... she is certainly "ready" academically, emotionally and socially (hope the teacher knows good techniques for getting little girls to STOP talking!!). How could I ask for anything more? I would have enjoyed spending more time at home with Anika, if it was the best thing for her, or for our family... as well as Thor. But we know this is the best place for them to be at this season in life.

So... that was our first day of school for this year. Even Liv is OK at home with just me today. She is playing in her room now, making no complaints about getting to play with whatever she wants... and not having Anika around to boss her!! (just a little kidding!)

It was an incredibly fun summer... and we still have one more camping trip planned for the holiday weekend -- up to Mystic Hills for more 4-wheeling. I am enjoying a little more peace of mind during the day-time hours... spending a little more quality time with Liv, one-on-one... and being able to get the chores done around the house without 20 interruptions... In another month I'll probably be ready for the kids to stay home for a week, so we can play and have fun again!

Wagons RIDE!

My Uncle Bill called (my mom) last week to let us know he was coming West with the Ft. Pierre/Deadwood Wagon Train. We had been hearing a lot about the historic "trek" across the SD prairie and hills... but hadn't realized the final day was Friday... ending in a parade through Deadwood at noon.

Grandparents, kids and myself packed the car and hit the highway travelling 75 miles an hour to the festivities! A bit faster than the group travelling 3 1/2 miles and hour with horses and wagons!! If you ever read (and loved!!) the Little House on the Prairie series... this is right up your alley! I thought it would be a good history lesson for the kids too. It would have been a better lesson if they had actually ridden on the trail... but I think Thor understood when I said it took them more than 2 weeks to get here from Pierre... (it usually takes us 3 1/2 - 4 hours by car!). Liv sitting and waiting for the train to arrive.


We ate our picnic lunch while waiting for the train to pull into Deadwood. There were plenty of other's waiting with us... according to the papers, hundreds of people lined the streets. Then we saw them coming... what a picture of mixed up centuries!! Two police cars with flashing lights... cars going out of town, and a Wagon Train (mostly authentically 1800's) coming down the hill into town!


We didn't count, but according to the RC Journal there were approximately 300 people involved, riding or supporting, the wagons, stagecoaches, single riders, etc. This is my uncle Bill riding "shotgun" (actually with a rifle, "guarding" the coach.


Here are some more pictures I uploaded from various websites and newspaper sites...

On the trail in the prairies...


Following I-90 as they leave Sturgis/Ft. Meade area...


A mule-wagon sometime between 1874-1908, from the original Ft. Pierre/Deadwood trail.

Farmer's Market

OK -- this is officially NOT an add for the Black Hills Farmer's Market... and I probably have officially turned into a "city girl" ... (not growing my own, but paying premium prices for home-grown produce).... But it makes me happy... so this is what you get for today!



The kids and I got ready early this morning to make it to Farmer's Market by 9:00 a.m. The sign says they are "open" at 10:00a.m. But another sign says absolutely no sales before 9:00 a.m. A little confusing? We got there at 8:55 a.m. and saw plenty of people lining up at the booth of choice (mostly around the tomatoes). They had their produce in hand, waiting to pay. Not sure what time THEY got there? Seems a little "cut-throat" to me? I'm not used to fighting people over tomatoes. But now that I've tasted one of these... I might be a bit more aggressive in the future.

After last week, I have to limit my shopping to a lone $20 bill in my pocket (plus a little change from my coin purse to pad if necessary). I'm not sure how it happened, but last week I purchased 1 single chicken (Hutterite) for $14.75. I guess the sign that said "Chickens, $2.75 per pound didn't add up to $14.75 in my mind for a 3-4 pound chicken... but the big lug was actually almost 5 pounds... which explains the crazy price of $15 for a chicken! They are really good chickens, but when you buy them from the Hutterites directly, it's more like $7 per chicken. I think I'll stick to that plan for the next chicken. Now I just have to travel east river to find the Hutterite colony!?

Jeannie asked me today what $20 will get you at the market? So, here is how I spent my farmer's market allowance...
Brown Eggs: $3.50
Raspberries: $4.00 (no picture, we already ate them all)
Purple Bell Pepper: $.80
Red Bell Peppers: $1.00
Carrots: $2.00
Cucumbers $1.00
Tomato (HUGE!) $2.25
Beets: $2.00
Chocolate Chip Cookies: $4.00 (also no picture -- yes we ate them too)


Afterward we joined the MOPS moms at Sioux Park -- Liv had a great time wandering and playing. Not sure what she is crying about here? She's not one to sit by mom and look cute (like another sibling we won't mention). It was a lovely morning all around, but now I'm happy to be home in our cool house.

smiles and have a great day!