September So Far

     Fall is sneaking into the air around here and I like it. It's harvest time as far as my garden goes. I got a lot of beans put away in the freezer and now my tomatoes are ripening and ready to go as well. Also, the sunflower forest finally bloomed.

Beautiful beets.

Apparently, according to Buirlen, it's important to check your green beans temperature as you snap them. 

A round of green beans packaged and ready for the freezer.

 Yesterday's harvest. So many beautiful colors.

Luke keeps trucking along with "The Great House Siding Project of 2018." First he dug a trench around the house down to the foundation so that he could add more insulation all the way down. He did this in segments: Trench a stretch, insulation, foam in the cracks, repeat. Then I helped him put up steel coil around the base and then fill in the trenches.  That part is all done and he is currently working on putting up the soffit and fascia on the underside of the roof's overhang. He pointed out the other day that the actual siding itself is the very last step in the process. 

Putting on the steel coil.

Working to fill in the trenches. 

Buirlen enjoyed "helping"

Getting a ride on the shovel was great fun. 

He was giving himself a dust bath...So dirty!!!!!

My younger sisters spent a week with us and my brother Mick came up to get them at the end of it. He and my brother Jordan helped Luke with putting the rest of the insulation up.

Hard at work.

 Jordan signed his work. 

Hanging out with Uncle Mick

Luke's parents have also gotten in on the whole process. Steven helped Luke start the soffit and fascia. 

Helping Grandma clean apples for applesauce while Daddy and Grandpa work.

This past weekend was Jackpine, our church's annual camping retreat. Luke has only missed 2 Jackpines his entire life. We went up early this year as did quite a few others. The weather was mostly beautiful with a couple torrential downpours and even hail. We had fun.

Our campsite. We had a LOT of tarps and were very thankful for them when the rain came. 

My happy camper

Playing in the sandbox. 

Sweet Mathias taking a little rest.  

Nothing like wrestling your cousin and best buddy during church. 

A new and innovative way to use a chainsaw.  

The Williams siblings and their spouses.

This boy LOVES to swing.

Spool walking...a Jackpine tradition. 

It was lovely catching up with my friend Polly. Her daughter Ruthie and Buirlen are such sweet buddies. 

Exploring. 

4th annual family picture in Williams Minnesota. (Photo credits to Martha Johnson)

This guy is officially 1 1/2! He Loves to work in the garage with Daddy, thinks tools are the best, get's excited about big machinery and airplanes, loves to watch Daddy fly his drone, and has started to like reading books more(His going favorite is "Jesse Bear What Will You Wear)

So there you have it, Life is good. Happy Fall. 

"A joy that's shared is a joy made double."~English Proverb