More fun...

It's been a very busy week!!

My mom's childhood (and current) friend, Anna and her husband came from Grand Forks and stayed a few days. Anna is a talented seamstress and will be doing all our dress altering (and Lauretta's). So, a couple evenings were spent in having our flower girls and ring bearers come over to try on their wedding clothes and to get them pinned for alteration. Then, Anna pinned my wedding gown, and Laurettas. We had a lot of fun!

I've been busy babysitting. The guys got all of our wheat combined, so the oats is next. My mom is getting more of her moving boxes unpacked everyday, and has decided on and ordered her dress for Michael and my wedding. :)

This evening, Heather C. and her brother stopped in on their way home from visiting friends and Heather picked up (and tried on) her bridesmaid dress and shoes. We had a very nice couple-hour long visit, and they just left a few minutes ago.

Tomorrow is the start of a new busy week. I'm trying to remember to count each day as a blessing, even when I want them to pass by faster. ;)

Scratching things off the list...

It's so nice to feel that you've accomplished a lot at the end of a day!  This was one of those kinds of days. :)

TODAY IT IS 2 MONTHS UNTIL MICHAEL AND I ARE WED!

I babysat Vonn here for over 8 hours (Zach brought him over), and Vonn was a good boy today and I was able to do wedding planning, as well as getting caught up on the apples (cut them up and added spices and sweetener and put them in the freezer for baking pies this winter).

• Reserved a block of rooms at another hotel in Wahpeton because there was a difficulty that came up with the original one (information can be found on our wedding website, which I updated today : http://www.mywedding.com/michaelandcora/
• Enjoyed seeing RSVPs starting to come in on the website!!  
• Talked to my sweetheart about a project we're working on together for the wedding day, oh, and about a car we're talking about buying
• Figured out how many mints we'll probably need and Kathy and my Aunt Peggy and her sister have agreed to make those--yay!
• Talked to Mrs. Geiger who is making the dessert for our wedding and figured that all out
• Texted to Katie (Michael's Aunt's sister) the rest of the flower order that I'd like for the tables at our wedding and wrote out a check for the total to send her way tomorrow
• Got answers back from Amy (the church's wedding coordinator) about kitchen related things
• E-mailed and Pinterested back and forth with Lauretta's future mother-in-law, Laurie who is helping me with decorations and I think we're making a lot of headway there with a new idea she had today
• Talked to Paula to figure out this week's babysitting schedule and about when she'll bring the Littles over when Anna is here--to get their wedding outfits fitted if they are too big.

I think I'll sleep even better than usual tonight. :)

Wedding planning....

.....There is more to it than I'd thought! But, for the most part, it is enjoyable. Just time consuming.

Guess who came to see me/us yesterday? Yep. My sweetheart. :)  He had to leave again today. While Michael was here, we were up at Mid Dakota Grain Processing (our grain cleaning business in Steele), doing several different things that needed doing. The guys hauled up the misc. extra cleaners that have been sitting in the shop for a long time and put them in the building.  They also pulled some trees out of places where they weren't supposed to be.  I was the cleaning lady and got a little start on tidying up the office and washing windows. Oh, what a mess.

My dad bought a huge conveyor on an online auction, so he went to Grand Forks and pulled that all the way home on Thursday.  My dad also found several hopper-bins and another conveyor on BisMan, which I am buying, but which aren't picked up yet. Andrew has been busy designing a logo for the business.  Mom's kept busy cooking for everyone, and she's been sick a lot (she thinks from the chemical/paint/carpet smells of the new house), so she'd appreciate prayers.

On Tuesday, I went up to Bismarck with Lauretta and we spent the day shopping for wedding supplies. Fun! I've also been busy babysitting.

Today, Michael and I and my parents talked a lot about the menu for the wedding. A very important topic, I assure you. :)

God is so good. I feel so very blessed to have Michael as an ever-growing part of my life. 

And at that very moment,  my phone rang.... It was Michael. I'd offered to talk to help keep him awake. He's home now....and it is time for me to sleep. 

Ketchup time...

Oops, I mean, "Catch up" time.

This is nearly disgraceful, how much time has passed since I posted last. *shocked face*

I shall attempt to get caught up here yet this evening, although I may let the pictures do most of the speaking.

That Friday (over a week ago), Andrew decided he would indeed attend the Lake Itasca music festival, so my mom and I were able to catch a ride with him there. Michael arrived before us, so gave us a warm welcome. :) 

 After listening to the music for a couple hours, Michael, my mom, and I went to see the Mississippi headwaters. Michael had been there earlier in the day and wanted to take us, and I'm really glad we went!

 Our destination...

 Michael, crossing the mighty Mississippi!

 "Nothing to it". :)

 My mom crossed in a different fashion...

 The trails were so pleasant there, as long as you were careful to stay away from the poison ivy...

 Michael found some Touch-me-nots which I'd never touched before, but now I have.  What a fun little plant! 

 Too bad this one blurred, as I love pictures of my sweetheart and I. :) He's so tall.....or am I just short? Hmmm

 The next day (Saturday), my mom, Kathy, Jenny's mom (Dana), James, Jenny, Michael & I headed down towards Litchfield, MN to eat a delicious meal that Michael's grandma Joyce and Rachael had prepared. Then, it was off to the double bridal shower that Michael's Aunt's had planned for Jenny and I.

 The party was held in a lovely gazebo (and yes, it was raining when we got there).   One of the Aunts had worked hard to get both our wedding colors incorporated into the decorations..... Jenny's yellow and my watermelon, with red and green highlights here and there. :)

 The cake with two sets of rings on it...

 The Brides-to-be, Jenny and me...

 Guess who? 

 My future family: 

Jenny, Rachael (Michael's sister), and Kathy (Michael's mom)

 Loved the hats they made for us!

 Someone called these guys to come help load things up after the shower was over. Of course, we had to get a picture with them. :) 

So, do Michael and James look like brothers?  They sure act like brothers!

 The four of us "love birds" went shopping in St. Cloud that evening. 

We made a rather long stop at Tip Top Tux... I have pictures of that, but they will remain a surprise for the time being.

Back at the farm, I like to go out to the barn to help with a few chores, although they all have their routine, so I feel more in the way than anything at times. But, I was able to help Michael move the electric fences around, and managed to get stung by a bee for the first time in my life. It was nice to find out that I'm not allergic to the venom. 

 The next day, Sunday was MICHAEL'S 26th BIRTHDAY!!! 

We all went to church, then Randall (the small town near their farm) had a community meal, so we all went to that and ate almost too much. Michael and I went to a movie later in the day (after he opened his presents).

Monday morning, we helped my mom load up Michael's car with shower gifts and her luggage and she headed for home. Michael and I headed for the fairgrounds to help set up for the fair, but most of that was already done, so we just walked around and looked at the grounds before heading to our next destination:

PAWS Floral in Atwater, MN. Michael's aunt Kim's sister, Katie is the owner there and we picked out flowers for our wedding. That went a lot faster than I thought it might.

While in the area, we toured the college that Michael attended; Michael showed me his aunt's dairy where he used to work and stay over the winter months; and Michael took me out to eat at a Mexican restaurant.

Along the way, we stopped to get a picture with this big bird. :)

 The next day found us touring the church where we'll be married (please pardon the bug splots)...

 I was told to get pictures of the kitchen, so I did....

 Then, on the way to my family's farm, we stopped in Jamestown to have our next marriage counseling session with the Kyners. :)

Michael stayed at our place until Saturday afternoon, so we got a lot of wedding planning accomplished, mainly focusing on getting the invitations ready (addressed, stamped, sealed).

On August 12th, Michael and I wished each other a happy anniversary, as it was one year since we first said "Hello" to each other. :) God has done many marvelous things in that year!!!  
I'm SO grateful. 

My mom asked Michael to put up some curtain rods in the new house, so he did that. This is in the guest room, where Michael stays now when he visits.

 The Morning Glories are taking over the chair!

 My dad and Jacob (and Andrew, before he left to combine for neighbors) worked on building the deck for the new house today. 

I babysat Vonn today, and made some more pickles and banana bread.

And now I really need to post this and get some sleep, as tomorrow will be another busy day.

Mid Dakota Grain Processing, LLC.

Yesterday was a BIG day in my family's life, as we got the keys to the business we're buying in Steele, ND!!

What was formerly known as Double S will now be Mid Dakota Grain Processing. Basically, this is an expansion to my dad and brother's grain cleaning business, and now they can clean Certified seed. They plan to keep operating their mobile rigs as well as Mid Dakota (stationary). When Michael and I are married, Michael will be joining the business, which is why we'll be living in North Dakota. :) Prayers would be very much appreciated as we step into this new venture.

 It's been amazing watching how God has opened doors for this to happen! We now realize what a blessing it was that we sold our cows, as we'll be plenty busy with grain cleaning from here on out (already have a couple large jobs lined up).  My dad has been so busy this week with getting everything changed over to our names and getting insurance set up, etc......  For future reference, the phone number of MDGP is 

701-475-4751

This is such a year of changes for our family..... Selling most of our cattle herd; me getting engaged and married (eventually); Grandpa passing away; my parent's getting their new house and moving in; our land-lady (who we rent some farmland from) passing away; and now buying a business and branching out. Wow.

Here are a few pictures of Mid Dakota Grain: 

 Looking to the North:

 Looking to the South: 

The grain cleaning units are on the right in this picture...

 Mom and I took lunch up to the guys yesterday and I swept the office floor as my contribution to getting things in order. ;)

 The former owner said he plans to clean the two upper office rooms yet...

 .....I say, "Good".

 The little spot for storage and tools...

~~~~~~~~~~~

I know I haven't been keeping up with my blog very well lately, and I'm afraid it isn't going to get any better any time soon, as my mom and I are going to be gone for a few days now. Andrew is heading for the Lake Itasca Music Festival in MN later today and Mom and I plan to ride along because Michael will come and pick we ladies up and take us to the Dalquist farm. 

On Saturday, Michael's Mom's side of the family is throwing a double bridal shower for my future sister-in-law, Jenny and myself. Sunday is MICHAEL'S BIRTHDAY! Monday, we plan to go pick out what the guys in our wedding will wear and also stop at Michael's Aunt's sister's flower shop and talk about flowers for our special day. Tuesday, we'll go tour the church near Christine (Michael hasn't seen it yet and the time I was there for a wedding, I wasn't paying very close attention to things like the number of tables and pews...). Michael and I will have our next marriage counseling session in Jamestown. My mom will drive Michael's car to my place and Michael & I will bring his pickup so he gets one of his vehicles transferred to ND.  Then, Michael will stay here a couple days and learn about Mid Dakota Grain and hopefully we can get to Bismarck too to get his ring re-resized (still too small) and buy some camping equipment with the gift cards I got at my first bridal shower. :)  I'm SO very much looking forward to this vacation in MN!!!

God be with you 'til we meet again! 

Hay!

One of these days, I'll have to transfer a bunch of pictures from my phone to my computer so I can add them here! They're piling up...

My mom and I babysat today. It wasn't planned that way, but I brought the Littles over for a "fieldtrip" of our farm and to see my parent's new home, then the guys needed somebody to drive the hay truck and my mom said she'd rather babysit than drive the truck, so that's what happened. I took the girls in the truck with me for a couple trips, but then they got tired of it, and it was pretty hot in there too. When I took Johanna, Tracy Jo and Vonn home, my mom drove the truck. Jacob was baling; Dad stacking and loading in the field; and Andrew stacking the bales into the barns. We make a good team. :)

A restful day...

What a peaceful day it was...

Slept in.  Ate breakfast. Did my chicken, turkey, and dog chores. Read and answered questions in my copy of our marriage counseling book. Ate lunch with my family (except for Andrew who had gone to Bismarck to meet up with a friend who wanted to borrow his high quality camera to tape the Lake Itasca Music Festival this weekend). Had our hymn singing time and listened to a long sermon. Then did not a whole lot after that, besides enjoying the air conditioned house. This evening I did work on packing some of my parents many hundreds of books to move over to their house, then put several of my own on the shelves. :)

And now, I will wish you a happy August and pray that God will guide you in the way you are to go this month. There are several little black bugs crawling on my screen, so I think it's time to put this away for the night. Ewwww