I love this time of year... the harvest. There's just something so satisfying about planting a seed & watching it grow into something that you can then pick & make a meal out of. I feel a little like the "Little Red Hen".

I also love the monsoon weather. I love watching the clouds roll in in the late afternoon. It reminds me of being a kid & putting a jar out in the rain to collect rain water. Little did I know I would someday live in the house where the previous owner took collecting rain water to a whole new level, storing it in jars in the basement & serving it on special occasions. Early in my relationship with Derron, Nunna invited him over for Sunday dinner & told him to bring me with him. As we crossed the street to her house he turned to me and said, "If the water in your glass is kind of brown don't worry, it's just rain water". I thought he was kidding until I sat down to eat & sure enough my water had a slight brown look to it. Ahh memories...that is a fond one, it makes me smile when I think about it, for alot of reasons.

Anyway...It is also the time of year that parents look forward to & kids don't...back to school! It's just me & Seth again. He has one more year with me at home. I've taken on a new venture...home pre-school. I am enjoying it. He's a bright little boy & anxious to learn. When the teenagers come home they ask what he's learned & he's so proud to get out his worksheets & show them off. Time is really flying by. The 16 year old will gone before I know it. It has been such a blessing for me to be home with my kids & watch them grow & really be a part of there little lives...every minute of it. I wouldn't trade it for anything...even those days when they make me krazy.

This will be a really precious year with Seth & hopefully we can make some fun memories. Here is a good start. I was hanging out laundry & the ditch was running full.

Lucy (the dog) loves to play in the water & Seth decided to join her, so I had to leave the laundry for a minute & go grab the camera.Inside the house Seth is my little helper. Monday is cleaning day for me
& Seth loves to push the buttons on the washing machine & he also loves to scrub the toilet with the scrubber. (I'm sure that won't last)

These laundry pictures show what I call

"Divide & Conquer"!

I divide & conquer the laundry & usually by the days end Seth has divided & conquered me!

Update!

Cat's Creations has FINALLY been updated...click on over.

HANSENPALOOZA!

If you plan it...they will come...and come they did!

First on the list of activities was for everyone to meet at

"Pumpa's Porch Swing to pay off your pawn",

( no navajo rugs please). I think he might be a Hansen...what do you think?

Next on the agenda was crafts in "Nunna's backyard", for the women folk of course. The men folk headed down to Clarence's pond for fishing & fun! I'm a woman, so I was making crafts.
I think Nunna would be proud.
Then it was on to lunch & a chance to cool off at Tanner Park.

Dr. Miller showed us how it was done. ...any guesses? C'mon this one is easy! His mother wears a gold skirt!

After dinner all the little kiddies swung the

Original Pinata Stick

to bust out some treats! And boy did the feathers fly!

Uncle Floyd decided to change it up a notch & filled his pinata with feathers!

They were everywhere!

To close the whole thing down, in true Joe City style, we headed to the badlands for some "redneck fireworks".

It was a great day...

Thanks to Elizabeth & her family for all their hard

work & planning, you all did a great job!

Happy Father's Day!

Annelie wrote a beautiful poem for her dad for Father's Day. She gave me permission to post it here. Annelie has a way of writing that really touches my heart...she is such a blessing to our family. I love this picture...I took it in SanDiego a few years ago, it was the first time Annelie had seen the ocean. When I decided to post her poem I knew I had to put this picture with it...

Derron & his little girl.

The mark of a father’s presence

Is more than a bill paid

Or of shaving cream essence,

Or a pipe system made.

But is the brush of a hand

Calloused yet soft

A tear wiped away and

Comfort found oft.

A favorite toy repaired

At the bargain price

Of a tight hug shared

And a kiss once or twice.

A swing through the air

In the strong grasp

Of those arms full of care

Which to love clasp

A pat on the back for

A job well done.

But still encouraging more

When that prize not won.

A listening ear and understanding heart

For a simple world

Seemingly falling apart.

A hand to hold

When life gets rough

A story told

When tired enough.

The mark of a father’s presence

Is something I often see

Fortunate to receive these presents,

Proud, his daughter, to be.

by Annelie Hansen 2010

Pioneer Trek 2010

Derron & I were asked to be a Ma & Pa on the Pioneer Trek this summer. It took place about a week ago. Here are a few photos I took while on the trail. It was a great experience & if you get the chance to participate in one of these, take it, you won't regret it.
This was our family, I was the mother of twelve for four days, six boys & six girls. We named ourselves the Jones's & this was our cheer..."We're the Jones's, try to keep up!"

Tis' better far for us to strive...

Our useless cares from us to drive...
Do this and Joy.... your heart will swell...
And that's exactly what happened. This will always be one of my favorite experiences. It was not easy & there were situations I did not enjoy, (like sleeping on the ground under the stars while the wind blew all night) but what I gained far outweighed it all.

The Little Dutch Boy

I finally did it! I've been wanting to do this little photo shoot for awhile now & this morning my back was up against the wall, or rather my heart was a little saddened, but then happy when Seth announced that he wanted a haircut like his big brother's......short!

Up against the wall..."I better do those pictures right now, his hair will be gone in a few hours!"

Heart sinking..."He'll look older with shorter hair...he's growing up too fast."

Happy..."He wants to look like his big brother...that's sweet."

Wow! I haven't posted anything in quite awhile! I've been very busy working on a BIG project! When I woke up this morning my whole yard was watered & I didn't have to do a thing! It took over a thousand feet of pipe but I now have a sprinkler system, it's like a dream, but it was quite a nightmare putting it in, just ask my oh so patient & ingenious husband. I don't landscape in straight lines, I like curves & incidentally so does my husband, haha. Anyway, what the heck has been going on here? Lots & lots!

Annelie attended two proms last month. I think it's safe to say that she is enjoying being 16.

We have had the legendary wind that spring always brings to Joe City & I have some advice...

It is never a good idea to jump

on the trampoline in the wind

with long hair

while licking a lollipop!

And last of all... we said farewell to the Senior Chief, it's hard to believe it but it's true...we will really miss you Mike. Thanks for all the good times, it was sure alot of fun having you here.