Sorrow

 Fern's funeral was today. I was not feeling at all well, so stayed home, but the rest of my family attended and my dad was one of the pall-bearers. We're praying for comfort for Fern's family in the days ahead.

Oh wow!

The sale went very well and we received the highest prices for our calves ever (again) this time! We're thanking the Lord greatly this evening!  Sure does help pay the bills, and makes up for all of those calving woes and fence fixing days and cattle working and feeding and watering and moving and hauling and.....

After putting checks in the bank and buying some ice cream to celebrate, we went home and I promptly spent some of my calf-sale money by paying my dad for a bunch of hay,
 and then placing a large flower/garden seed order. ;)
After all, Spring is a comin'!

Want to watch the sale?

For anyone interested, our calves are supposedly going to sell between 11:00 and 1:00 today. You should be able to watch the sale here:
http://www.cattleusa.com/
Click VIEW by the Napoleon Livestock tab, then you'll have to "Register", you know, just in case you would want to buy a cow or something, but once you've set up an account, you can click VIEW again there and watch and hear the sale. It's pretty neat what options we have available to us by way of the Internet!

All is well...

The calves are safe in Napoleon.

We are all still in one piece.

The house is warm.

We had water earlier tonight (due to less animals drinking outside).

Michael sent me a card in the mail that had us all chuckling.

It was a good day!

My helpers...

 The girls absolutely LOVE baking! I guess it's little wonder when you look at what they get to do when the cake batter is in the pans... ;)

 Since I only took pictures of Vonn yesterday, I decided to get some of the girls today. Johanna thought that was a splendid idea and wanted to play dress-up for our mini-photo shoot. 

Isn't she "fashionable", as she says?

 We dressed Tracy up too, but she didn't sit still long enough for me to get a non-blurred picture!

So, here she is later, being a detective/princess....

 Johanna, examining the corn plants they have growing in the bucket there...

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We learned this morning that Fern Buck (our land-lady) did pass away late last night. The funeral will be either Friday or Saturday. We're praying for her family tonight.

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Aaaaand, tonight was work-on-taxes night for me. Uggg

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Tomorrow, we'll be sorting, loading, and hauling calves to the salesbarn in Napoleon for the sale on Thursday. Prayers for safety would be wonderful!

The baby's getting bigger!

Vonn is getting so big already, and he's getting cuter too, if that's possible?

He smiles a lot, and giggles some too. :)

 ...and, it probably won't be long before he's teething, as he likes chewing on things these days...

The wind is blowing and it still feels very cold out, although the thermometer says it warmed up. Hmmm

Time in the shop...

 This morning, Andrew asked me to come help him with his sewing project in the shop. Yes, I said SEWING in the SHOP. :)

See that cutting torch in the background? That holds the spool of Velcro and lets it unwrap at a steady pace...

 Andrew's borrowing this heavy-duty sewing machine from a friend (for the price of getting it running again, which he did), and he's needing to sew Velcro on the sturdy fabric he bought to wrap around part of his gravity table on his grain cleaning rig. He actually did the sewing, and I just helped with odds and ends: kept tension on the back fabric, cut strings off, and things like that. He did one the other day; we did one this morning; and he has another long one and a short one to do yet another day. He went up to a political meeting in Steele later in the day.

 Meanwhile, my dad drove my car in the shop and put it on the lift. He said my car needs to grow up, as he was barely able to get the arms of the lift underneath it!

 My brakes needed some help... (As you can see, my car could also really use a washing come Springtime!)

It is SO nice to live with handymen!! That's the blessing I'm very grateful for today!

I do have a prayer request....

 Please pray for Fern, the elderly lady we rent some of our cropland from. She is in the hospital and isn't doing well at all. They've called the family to come.  

A lovely wedding...

My mom, Andrew & I drove to Christine, ND (south of Fargo) for Darin & Lydia's wedding yesterday. It was a very beautiful, God-honoring wedding. So lovely!!

We weren't sure exactly how much time to leave for traveling and possible bad roads, so we ended up being pretty early. My mom was having a good chat with these 2 young guys...

 Andrew started talking to the photographer, Ezra (who we've met before) and ended up manning a camera during the ceremony... (he's in the striped shirt there)

 The brides' gown and the bridesmaid's dresses were all designed and sewn by the bride's sister(s). 

 Mrs. Sip and her daughters played/sang a song while Darin & Lydia lit the unity candle...

 The cake that Anna U. made...

 Guess who else was at the wedding?? 

Yep, that forever loyal and yet give-you-grief friend of mine, Miranda G. :)

 See what I mean? She's just blaming me for things and.....

 Yep, we're stuck with each other. I think our friendship has stood the test of time (what is it, 12 years now?) and hopefully we'll grow to be old friends together too, you know, some time way in the distant future.

The table decorations... (the next 2 pictures are in being, thanks to my mom).

The wedding party, and Mr. G (Miranda's dad) sayin' something....

It was a special day! Thanks to you, Dad and Jacob for doing the chores so we could go.

How thoughtful...

 You may remember me talking about a friend of mine who placed a good sized soap order? Well, she said she was sending a check in the mail, which I received today, along with this beautiful table-runner that she made for me---just because! :) Wasn't that so sweet of her? (Thanks Sarah!)

I spent most of yesterday and today babysitting for the 3 Littles.  We "Played" school, then pretended to be various different kinds of animals in a zoo. We baked brownies yesterday and read books. The girls asked hundreds of questions, and I answered them.  I mentioned to Johanna that I'm going to a wedding tomorrow and she informed me that she's getting married to a boy named Isaac. :) Oooook then.... Let's wait about 20 years and see.   Paula came home a little earlier today, so I got to see her for a bit too. 

At home, well, I'm not sure what they were all working on. I know Andrew was getting a friends' heavy-duty sewing machine working so he or I can sew a bunch of Velcro on some sturdy fabric to go around some shaker thing on his grain cleaning unit. I did it for him a couple years ago, but all of the shaking has worn the fabric out and it's time to replace it.

Tomorrow, yes, some of us are going to a wedding south of  Fargo. I just love weddings like this one, where you know the new couple desire to please the Lord with their marriage and in raising up the next generation, if the Lord so blesses. It's going to be a wonderful day!

Paperwork.

My dad's been busy punching numbers into the computer the past couple of days, 

getting everything put together for taxes and other things.

 Yesterday, I attempted to make kuchen for the first time, but I'm not sure what happened to it (part of it was the flour I used, I'm sure), as it didn't turn out well at all. The guys are eating it, but mentioned that it wasn't at all like the real deal. I think I need to take kuchen-makin' lessons? 

Strangely enough, my mom didn't learn how to do it from her mom, so I didn't learn that skill from my mom either. Being German, I know it's shocking to say, but I don't really care for the taste/texture of kuchen, so I've had little desire to learn how to make it, but it seems like some members of my family would greatly appreciate if I figured it out. Hmmmm 

Today, I was over babysitting the 3 Littles when some of the Bartletts came down from the Turtle Mountains to pick up their truck that Andrew put a different engine in. (Sorry to miss you, Bartletts!) It sounds like the rest of my family had a good visit with them for a few hours.

Now, I should probably be off to dreamland so I'm ready for another day of keeping up with little children. :) I could hardly believe how much Vonn has grown and changed in one weeks time.

God bless and lead you/us all!

More about Michael's visit...

Well, let me see, where did I leave off telling of our "doings"? I told you all that Michael came a day early and surprised us all, right? Before it got dark, I went with Michael to see if there were any coyotes who would answer the call Michael brought with him for that purpose. But, after sitting very silently in the snowy grass for a good while, nothing was happening, so we went back to the farm for supper. Michael went out Sunday morning again for a couple hours and did a lot of walking, but still no coyotes were in sight.

In between those times though, Saturday (Valentine's Day), we had a fun day of playing games, after singing/Bible time, and some of my family members took naps as well. Michael and I are reading through a book together that brings up a lot of good questions to discuss, so we spent some time on that. That evening, we watched a Sherwood film.

For supper on Saturday, we all went out to eat at Reuben's in Napoleon. 

Two sweethearts...

I know my dad has his eyes closed in this picture, but I just love their smiles, 

so couldn't resist sharing this one!

 This fella needs to find his sweetheart yet...

(Maybe he should change the expression on his face first? ;) )

 This one just enjoys making us laugh... 

(Mom and I were each given a carnation at the restaurant.)

 ...and these two are sweethearts in the making, if God wills it??

 The bouquet of flowers Michael surprised me with...

 (the chocolates WERE very good too, but I didn't take a picture of them)

 Sunday afternoon, we (Jacob, Michael & I) went on a little adventure to see this place:

 Want to guess what we saw there (that little dot on the ice)? Yes, a COYOTE! 

 The shelter on the hilltop...

 My car where I left it when we decided to walk the rest of the way...

 Jacob, warming his hands by the....what?

 Two young people you might recognize...

 This was right before Jacob took the picture of us that I posted last night. We were kneeling/sitting on a  slanted rock when I started slipping off....  

 Speaking of slipping off....what IS he doing now?

 Oh, well, maybe he was just having some more fun, pretending things...

 It was pretty there, in a rustic sort of way...

 Think he can make it to the top?

 No problem! Must be nice to be so tall...

 After we were done exploring, I took Michael to meet and visit with Zach & Paula for a few minutes. Michael left last night after supper. He had some car trouble on the way home, but thankfully, he got home safely at last, a little after midnight. 

I'm gonna miss this guy, but am glad for the many ways we can communicate these days!

Please join us in praying for wisdom in the days ahead...

An hour by the lake...

 I have so much I'd like to tell about Michael's visit, and there are pictures to load here too, but it's late...so one picture will need to be enough for now. 

This afternoon, Jacob, Michael and I went exploring near Long Lake (about 20?) miles from here. That's where this picture was taken:

We once again had a very pleasant time with Michael here and hope to see him again someday. ;)

More here another day.

A surprise!!

This has been a busy day. My dad went to Bismarck for a meeting about growing wheat. My brothers worked on the Bartlett's truck most of the day.  My mom and I did some cooking and laundry; I made bread; remolded a small batch of soap I wasn't satisfied with; and then was working on cleaning the house, when I remembered a couple e-mails I needed to write (please pray for my friend, Emmy and her family, as her uncle passed away today)... 

I was sitting at my laptop, writing, when I received a text from Michael. 

While writing a reply---------in walks MICHAEL!!!  :)   I was SO surprised!

He was originally planning to come tomorrow, then thought there was a possibility he could come today, but last I heard, it sounded like he'd have to work today. BUT, God worked things out so Michael could be off, and he decided to come today! I knew he was a good one for surprises, but didn't realize how good. :) He brought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers too. Pictures to come in the future. 

Very happy tonight,

 ~Cora

Frost and Littles...

 The frost yesterday morning was beautifully amazing!!

 The heifers, in a frost frame...

 Doesn't this picture just make you want to go stand under that tree, close your eyes, 

and give it a good shake? :)

Some of the pictures below are from yesterday, and some from today. It is fun for me to go back a couple years and look at pictures on my blog from when the girls were little, so that is partially why I post pictures still now, as I want to be able to look back at these days somewhere down the road, and smile again. :)

Queen Johanna... 

 I was her daughter, the princess, and she said it was bedtime....so we were "Sleeping".

 Then off went the crown, and our lovely Queen turned into a radio news announcer...

 Tracy was the weather-girl....

 Vonn while enjoying a bottle...

 ...and this is what happens when he's done. :)

Isn't his hair adorable? I'd just given him a bath, so it was especially stick-upish at this point.

Precious memories, how I hope they'll linger...