Introducing

Travis Daniel Kaiser

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

6:00 am

21 inches

8 lbs, 4 oz

To God Be The Glory

Great Things He Has Done

 

Apples and Peaches and Calves and Kids

Yesterday morning we met Meg and her adorable crew at A. Sarah's neighbor's tree and picked almost five bushels of apples in about 21 minutes. And there are still many apples left!

Jewel, Josh, & I ran around Pekin awhile then, getting exciting things like new shoes, baby gifts for the new nephew for whom we're patiently (or not) waiting, groceries, and the pizza cutter blade that I left in the old dishwasher that they hauled away for me last week!!! 

A quick recommendation -

If you're in the market for appliances and want the personal touch where you can call someone the day after they haul away your old dw because you realize your pizza cutter blade has completely disappeared and it must have been left in the old dishwasher.... 

and they find the old dw and they find the missing pizza cutter blade (and it was a cutco cutter so it was a really good one)....

and they see that it gets to the Pekin store because you're just not excited to run to Peoria for a silly pizza cutter blade (but I would have, really)...

Benson's Maytag is the place to go.

They're really that kind and friendly and professional.

Really!

And then home to cull these beauties - - - getting rid of all apples with the slightest blemish because the branches are groaning under the weight of all the nice ones so why keep the seconds?

Any guesses as to what variety these are?

Quick trip to lake. Zoom in to see two kids and a dog by the dock. Pretty fun to watch.

Reliance again. 

Looks kind of goofy for sure but hopefully the tree will survive the peaches😅

After supper Dad dug a drainage ditch under the fence. Curious calves watched closely.

Hard worker.

This morning Josh finished the repair project that Brandi started last week.

Making something for the electric fence.

😮

After some Morton chase, ASK took kids fishing at Mud Creek.

And then it was chore time and then supper time and then Dad & Josh worked on a few projects while girls and I helped Saige move a few pieces of furniture (we're getting good at this by now...) and Ben and Jacob hung out with some pals at Grimm's lake and Levi's were picking tomato worms and Tori was probably doing piano lessons and I think Kaitlyn was doing hay at Aberle Farms. And then Sarah and Jewel and Josh rode horses awhile and I blogged awhile and Idk what the others were doing and that's enough blogging for one day so this is 

the end.

and good night!

PS apples are golden delicious

Weekend

I can't remember much about Saturday (and that was only four days ago, oh my), but Ino it started with a beautiful cool morning walk with Jacob. The crop duster in Grandpa's field was a little close for my comfort but I didn't taste any spray so I think I'll live. 

 Girls helped me with a few morning kp and did a few leftover Friday jobs while Dad and Josh mowed at CIT and worked on fences and pastures and Idk what else around here. Jacob & Ben were around enough to help load a couple more pieces of furniture for Tori; then girls and I delivered them. Afternoon found some of us at the lake awhile but water was cool so some of us were pretty content on the beach.

Don't they look happy? Maybe they're getting peached out already??!

Afternoon also found Grandpa in the tractor. If you look closely you can see him smiling. So cute.

Star of the beach. Of course 😍

I faced a dilemma for supper. One pizza with barely enough or two pizzas and scads left over? 

Great solution: make two and have Levi's help us eat it!

Another beautiful outside evening. Littles had fun on the cornhole boards after older kids went to tyg. Jasper was so cute throwing bags in the hole over and over again.

Josh and Flint had quite a fleet of paper airplanes flying.

After Levi's left, Josh did a little fishing.

And I was in awe at this sunset. This picture doesn't do it justice. The sun was bright red and it. was. stunning.

Home again, Josh kept Brandi busy digging.... for nothing 😅

Relaxing Sunday afternoon.

Seems like some went to lake. Some played football with friends. Jewel probably rode her horses. And some of us just hung around and watched the grass grow. Dad and I were on the swing enjoying the beautiful day. We don't do that very often and I wish we would. It's a Very Nice Thing to do.

After supper we enjoyed a beautiful FH singing with our church family while Tori did a great job accompanying on the piano. Then we all enjoyed a snack, precious fellowship, and the new playground. 

And that was our weekend.

Still More Peaches And A Littles Evening

 Thursday evening a few kids came for supper; then we had another peach picking party.
Jason even got to help -

before he made friends with a few cats. 

Yes it does seem as if we have a lot of cats. That's because we live on a farm and have grain around and we don't like mice in the barn eating our grain. Cats are good for controlling mice populations. Plus they have kittens which are oh so cute. And this isn't even half our cat population, if you really want to know.

Jason wasn't quite as sure about Diamond.

  Daddy, are you sure she won't eat me?

I love how babies look to their parents for reassurance and security - a huge part of their learning about life is their parents' (and other significant ppl's) response to new-to-them situations (although this is far from Jason's first look at Diamond). Jesse's look to Jason clearly says, It's ok, buddy, Daddy's got you. You're fine. I've seen parents wig out to various situations; when their babies look to them for reassurance, guess what the babies learn to do? 

Stay calm parents: your kids are watching!

Soapbox over.

Was that a soapbox? Naah. Just a random ramble.

My 2c - for free - on a topic that's close to my heart...

Meanwhile.

 This crew was making a little music. Trying out a few new songs. Sounded great of course. I miss this.

Grandpa likes to get his Jason time in.

Outside after Jesse's left. Don't think it ever rained but it was sure overcast. Actually most of last week was overcast - and cooler. Very un-July-ish. But nice.

Frisbee's been popular lately.

Horses are always popular.

A productive Friday morning. So thankful for ASK's help while kids were mowing and working outside.

Quick trip to Mud Creek again.

Photo creds to ask. Thanks!

Reliance trees are looking like they might be the next to be ready. And there are so. many. peaches.

Not complaining, oh not at all. 

Rejoicing. 

And thankful!

😊

That evening then we had a crew of littles while Levi & Echo went to potluck. Was a beautiful outdoor evening.

Sarah created a new way for Jasper to swing -

photo cred to Sarah for that one

while Jewel read - what else? - Cowboy Sam!

Always smiles for a 4w ride. Jasper's still learning...

Brandi's been a bad dog lately. 

Not sure if it's bc Tori moved out or if Brandi doesn't like being locked out of the house/garage so much when I'm taxiing kids. At any rate, her human-ness is almost eerie. She knew she'd done bad and would NOT go over to the side of the garage where she dug this hole. After Ben carried her over there and she received her proper scolding (complete with droopy ears and trying to cover her face with her front paws (seriously, she does this! It's hilarious!)), 

she was willing to stay for a few minutes and watch the repair.

No, it doesn't take three men and a boy to fill in a hole that Brandi dug. It wasn't that deep. They also repaired the tile she uncovered and then put in some pebbly rock stuff so the tile could drain properly. So technically Brandi helped them with a repair project... 

but no one really knew it was needed so not sure if that counts as helping...

This little girl's sparkly smiles make this grandma's day💖

Flint loved this, while Jasper was not happy to wait his turn, 

because he loved it too.

As if his smile doesn't communicate that...

And.

Who can say there is not a God?

                                                        ~Rita

Very blessed by this back yard.

And the ppl in it of course.

Sarah made these tractors for the kids at a sister's club cookie decorating party. They turned out adorable -

and were delicious, as evidenced by Mr. Messy here.

More trampoline fun with the uncles.

To the barn next,

where Ben decided to go for a walk.

There's that smile again - had to share this bc of Kiowa's smile. Not sure what Sarah was doing.

Baths for dirty littles then pjs and books and goldfish until their folks picked them up. 

Very fun evening.

We are blessed beyond words.

Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.  

I Chronicles 29:10b-13