My Journal

I thought I should print out my electronic journal just in case something gets erased, or lost.  I have it backed up on 3 or 4 hard drives, and a couple of thumb drives, and in the cloud, but it's still a fear.  So over the Christmas Break, I printed it out on hard copy.

It is just a little over 1000 pages long - the above picture is 527 pages of 2 sided print.  The journal  goes back to 1994.  I started journaling in that year but quit around May.  I took it up again in January of 1996 and have only missed 3 or 4 days since.

I used to write this journal in a square of a calendar, but you can't fit very much in a single square.  Thus, the early years are only about 35 to 40 pages per year.

I typed out all those old journals into Microsoft Word, and continued to keep the journal by typing in it every day.  Later years are 70 to 90 pages per year.

So this stack of paper is half my life - a front and back bundle of paper that measures 2 and 3/8 inches thick.

Someday maybe my kids will enjoy reading through it - - a little bit at a time.

One Last Post for the Year - Krumkake

Just an hour to sneak in one last post for the 2015 year. 

It's been a long time since we've made our favorite Christmas cookie: Krumkake: A Norwegian cookie of simple taste but addictingly good.

Here we all are just getting started.

The iron is still heating up.

Kiddo #3 had big eyes watching the production.

Halfway done.  Only one burned finger so far.

They turned out pretty good so I must say.  

This is Grandma Evie's grandmother's recipe

Christmas 2015

Christmas Eve.  Everyone is in a good mood.

Christmas Morning:  Hungry Hungry Hippos is a hit.

Cozy Christmas sockies on Christmas Day.

And baked French toast for Christmas breakfast.  Yum

My Good Helper part 2

Kiddo #1 swooped in and decorated the air compressor tank as I thought she might.  She really took it seriously.  However, she took the liberty to change the name from "Air Hog" over to "Air Pig".
Suits me fine, I guess.

This is a parade of pigs (some with chainsaws on their tails) following a combine named "Bacon".  There is also a random monkey and skunk in the procession.

It works just great.  We filled it up to 90psi, and #2 Kiddo checked all the tires in the garage.  I think I'll give him this task to do every month or so.

My Good Helper

Here is #2 Kiddo with his prized possession:  A junk air compressor.  We found it on the side of the road.  It is missing a few vital plumbing parts.  I picked it up for the tank alone.

#2 Kiddo has a real passion for taking stuff apart.  So, I let him take this junk air compressor all apart.  He ripped everything off of it, and now I have just the tank left.

We call it "The Air Hog".  Perhaps we can enlist the help of artistic Kiddo #1 to paint the tank pink and add some fabric ears and a tail.

More to come.

The Past Week

I went to an auction and bought this old Snapper mower.

I don't know much about it, but I brought it home for $7.50.

Can't go wrong with that, eh? 

I found my old Devil costume from when I was probably 5.  

It seems to suit Kiddo #3 pretty well.  He really lit up!

And #3 Kiddo had his Thanksgiving Party.  

That's always a highlight of the year.

Fall Fun

Lots of fun times these last few weeks.

Halloween and Trick-or-Treating.

Super happy kids.

Silly hat day plus ice cream sundaes. 

Purdue Homecoming 2015.  Lots of activities.

It was a picture perfect blue sky day.