Soccer is ON...

The soccer season has officially begun and it's off to a great start!! The girls are amazing me more and more with their abilities and determination. The pictures I posted are from a scrimmage match we had because I completely forgot to grab my camera for their game on Saturday. Figures, because Mia scored 5 goals and Ana scored 3!! Both girls are playing SO well this year and tend to dominate a little since they are the only ones on their team that have played before and this is their 3rd season!! Mia was totally aggressive on Saturday and wasn't afraid to get in and fight for the ball - she even went airborne after being tripped. She cried a bit, but didn't take long to suck it up and get back in. It almost encouraged her in a way - she scored 4 of her 5 goals after she got hurt!!! The sportsmanship is so wonderful as the other team took a knee until Mia got up and walked off the field. Ana isn't quite as aggressive as Mia, but when she gets ahold of the ball, she's off and sure to make the goal. So much fun - for them and for us!!!

The rain has paused the field work for a bit but not before I got to get in the tractor and enjoy an afternoon of quiet time!! The boys made it easy on me letting me just do the middle of the field and leaving the areas along the fence line and endrows! Otherwise, I've been the grain getter - making the trips to Ruthven to pick up the corn. I'm sure I'll be on standby for the beans too!! Kale has enjoyed every single minute in the tractor with Grandpa (he didn't want to ride with me!) and has even gotten a little possessive, telling the girls "you don't go with Grandpa - MY Grandpa". The girls have put in a little time in the field, but their schedules haven't allowed much. We still have dance going on - recital May 9th, and with 2 nights of soccer practice and Saturday games, it's just been a little too much. I'm looking forward to it slowing down a little once dance is done for the season. Before we know it, school will be done and all 3 kids will be home with me again!!! I'm not sure if I should be excited about that one yet or not!!! HA

Hope you all are having a wonderful spring!!!

This little piggy...

Some of the things that come out of Kale's mouth completely crack me up some days. This was his latest...



Kale has started running around the house now with his socks off (a TRUE sign the weather is changing!!) so we've started saying "this little piggy" when he sits on my lap. While playing it last night, he says to me "no, this little piggy didn't go to the market, this little piggy is driving the backhoe!!" I busted out laughing and thought I'd ask what the next little piggy was doing. To that he said "driving the combine". The next little piggy was driving the tractor, the next was pulling the grain cart, and the last one went home in the semi!!! If that doesn't have FARM KID written all over it!! I'm hoping to finally get my opportunity to work in the field this week!! This darn illness has just about done me in. I've been sick over 2 weeks now with what the doctors said was a sinus infection!! After 10 days of Amoxicillin, I still don't have my voice back and still have a nasty cough and some head congestion. For those of you who have called - I promise I will call you back when I can TALK again!!!!



Sounds like a beautiful week - hope you all have a wonderful one!!

Only in Iowa

(outline of the girls' bodies drawn in chalk)

Well, the title says it all...only in Iowa can you enjoy 63 degree weather one day and be getting ready for 8-14 inches of snow the next!!! HA! For all of you who don't live in Northwest Iowa...you stink!!

With the weather being so nice, that has also meant that field work has begun. Kale spent about 5 hours with Grandpa Fank in the tractor on Friday and a couple hours the night before. He is in complete heaven. I can't even describe how he gets when you talk about farming, but it's so dang cute. His face lights up, he suddenly becomes all grown up in how he talks (example: "we're going to go spread the fertilizer" all while shrugging his shoulders, using hand gestures, and with such a serious look on his face - as if he's the one actually spreading the fertilizer!!!), and he can't get his coat on fast enough. The cutest was on Thursday night - I needed to run to the field to pick up Grandpa, Mike (works with Nick during spring and harvest), and Kale to run them back to the farm. When I got there, the field cultivator (or ripper, I didn't pay attention close enough) was broke down but it was still sitting down in the dirt so Kale was convinced it was stuck. As I was walking up to him he says "hey mom" with a little farmer wave and then tells me, "it's stuck mom, really stuck". Grandpa tried to tell him it was broke, but Kale wouldn't have it. As we turned to walk towards the car Kale again says to me "it's stuck mom, I'll push it" and he dug his feet in to the ground and began to grunt as he tried to push it. Such the helper!!! It was darn cute though.

My master bathroom is finally functional again. The shower is in and the painting is now done (I got that done while Kale was in the tractor yesterday!!) - so now all that's left is the storage unit going in next to the shower, trim boards, and the refacing of our current vanity to match our new storage unit!!! I'm hoping to get the room all cleaned up today so I can actually move back in to my bathroom to shower again!

With all the snow that may be moving in, I think the girls' first night of soccer practice will be pushed back a few days. First practice was going to be Monday, but we won't practice in SNOW!! They're super excited and ready to get back out there. Piano lessons have gotten a lot better. They didn't really want to see me as their teacher when we first started so whined or got mad (like they would with their MOM) if I wouldn't give them a sticker on their song because it needed to be better. We've now had long conversations about their practice habits and what I expect from them when they sit down at the piano!!! They're doing really well though and in the next few weeks we will really be concentrating on their hand placement on the piano and getting them comfortable with that. It seem so easy for me to show them, but their tiny hands don't quite cover the piano keys like mine do!!

This picture is of Daddy and Kale doing their favorite thing...looking at tractors!!! Note the concentration on BOTH of their faces!!!