Volleyball

Last night was the first volleyball game of the season. The girls won 3-2 in some really close matches. Courtney is # 12 and plays hitter in the front row, setter in the back (we run double setter). Here are the girls right before a match...they also do this after time-outs.
Serving
Bumping
Setting
Setting again.

They played so well as a team. Courtney started out pretty "shaky" (it was her first varsity game...she said she was really nervous) but she ended up having some really nice sets and some awesome hits!

My friend Laurie took the pictures for me...I was too into the game. Thanks Laurie!

100th Post

I can't believe that I am at my 100th post....I have really enjoyed my time blogging and have met some wonderful people. Thanks to all of you for including me in your lives and for being a part of mine. I am not going to post 100 things about me but I will include a few.....

1. I was born the oldest of 4 children....I have 2 sisters and a brother and I love them all very much. My mom is an amazing woman and ended us raising us on her own after my dad died at the age of 37. She had all 4 of us at home yet when he died with me being the oldest at 17 and my brother was the youngest at age 7. I have learned my strong work ethic from her.





2. My dad was the 4th generation to live on and farm the quarter of land that I grew up on. My sister has since bought the building site from my mom making her the 5th generation to live there and Chad and I bought the farm ground making us the 5th generation farming the ground that my ancestors originally homesteaded. I think I learned how to treat others and good old "mother earth" by the example that my dad forth for us.





3. I went to a Vo-Tech after graduating from high school in the Dental Assisting program but all I really ever wanted to do was be a wife and mother and I am living that dream out now. I never did go into the dental field and have never regretted my decision to stay home with my kids and farm with my husband. There have been some trying and tough times....don't get me wrong...but I wouldn't trade it for anything. It has made us the family that we are today.





4. I married into a wonderful family! Chad and I farm with my father-in-law and my mother-in-law which is trying at times but has worked out great for all of us. Chad has 2 brothers who are both married and we have a great time when we all get together which isn't very often...sad to say (we all live within 20 miles of each other). One of my husband's brothers and his wife have been a God-send to me and have helped me through some really troubled times...I love you guys! Thanks for being there for me!





5. I have 6 nephews and 3 nieces and I love them all dearly! I don't get to spend as much time with them as I would like but I try to get to as many of their activities as I can.



6. Chad and I have been married for 20 years and have farmed for all 20 of them. I did work off the farm for a few years at Shopko before I had my first baby. I tried to work after I had Jeremy but just couldn't do it (mostly because of daycare) so that's when we made the tough decision for me to quit my job and stay home. More power to those of you that can handle it!



7. We rented a little farmhouse the first few years we were married and then my husband's grandparents moved to town, allowing us the opportunity to buy their farm. We bought the quarter of land with the farm site in 1990 and are one of many generations to live here (not sure how many). We still live on that farm today but have since built a new house here and have added many bins and torn down old buildings and have done lots of improvements over the years.



8. Our new house was built almost 3 years ago. We talked about building it ourselves but then realized we didn't have the time so we hired it done. We did finish the basement ourselves...electrical, plumbing, drywall and all (it isn't quite finished, some of the ceiling still needs to be done...we hope to finish it this winter). One of Chad's hobbies is carpentry and I really enjoy it too. We just wish we had more time for it.



9. Chad and I farm about 1000 acres and his parents have another 1000 acres. We also do a little custom farming for a neighbor and Chad does some custom baling on the side. We have 100 beef cows that we calve in the spring (the calves get sold the following January or February). Chad and I also raise feeder to finisher hogs (40 lbs. to 270 lbs.) and run about 7500 through our site a year. We have been raising the hogs for the last 9 years for Murphy-Brown (formerly known as Murphy Family Farms). Our kids have been a huge help to us over the years with all the work and we are hoping that they are gaining a good work ethic from it all.



10. So after a little look into my life....you now know why I titled my blog "Frazzled Farm Wife"!

It's Bull!

Yesterday Chad and I got a call from a neighbor....he had a sick bull and was wondering if we could bring our 4-wheelers over and help him get it in so the Vet could come out and look at him. No problem...we like to be neighborly! Well, after almost 4 hours we still didn't have the bull where we needed him. He was not sick, he actually had injured his front shoulder and was pretty thin so it has been bothering him enough that he hasn't been eating for awhile. When we tried to get him where we needed him, it went well at first but then he got a little "ornery" on us. After trying to "take" both Chad and I on our 4-wheelers several times, we got him about half the way (about 3/4 mile) and thought he would wander the rest of the way overnight to catch up with the rest of the cows. WRONG! The neighbor called this morning and he is still laying where we left him yesterday. So....not sure if we will be heading back over to help him out again today or what. Bulls...they can be so unpredictable!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

I thought once school started things would slow down here a little bit but I guess I was WRONG!

We started marketing hogs last week, taking one load out on Monday. Yesterday we sent out 2 more semi loads. It was so hot and humid that both Chad and I were soaked by the time we got done.

We are trying to get some odds and ends done around here before we start silage cutting and harvest because once that starts, we won't have time for much of anything but that.

So, things might be a little sporadic with me for awhile. I am still going to try to keep up with my posts and am hoping to get to check in with all of you too. You all are my lifelines to the "outside world"!

Football Fun!

The Chargers played so well last night but still ended up losing 14-7. They looked really good and had fun and that's what really matters!Jeremy is on the far right (white uniform).
Jeremy #79
Here is the team after the game...saying the Lord's Prayer. Something I am really proud of our team for doing.
Courtney's sidekick...Kasey...ended up coming to the game and made Courtney's day!
Jeremy and Courtney after the game.

It's Friday....

That means it's time for FOOTBALL!

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Can you tell I am a little excited for the first HS football game of the season??!! I will try to take pictures (if I don't get too "into" the game). Jeremy is pretty excited (and so is Mom)...he was told that he gets to start on offense and defense. Last year he started on offense and played very little defense.

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Courtney is pretty fired up about tonight's game also. She cheered last year too but now that she's not a "rookie" it's a little more exciting for her....although she is really missing her "sidekick" Kasey (she graduated).

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Go Chargers!

It's Raining it's Pouring......

No, the old man is not snoring...he is out working in the rain.

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We got a good rain on August 3rd...after a dry July (no rain whatsoever in July).....and now it keeps on a rainin'. I can't believe how the grass has turned green again and is growing like crazy....which is a good thing because that means the crops are doing well too. Hopefully the rain was not too late and we have a bountiful harvest.

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Anyway, the reason I am writing this post....I watched the news this morning and saw all the devastation from flooding going on in the U.S. (and Mexico). Some of it not too far away from us. Iowa is expecting another 3-6 inches and they are already flooded. I think there are lots of people out there that need our prayers. Are any of you in the flood areas or close to them?