Summertime, and the living is...

...pretty good. Ramont's folks came to visit last week. Somehow I never seem to get photos of them, especially not with the kids (doesn't happen with my folks either, and I'm not sure why; probably I spend the hands-free time out-of-sight rather than hanging around taking pictures). We loved, loved, loved having them here. This time Jonathan and Anna were old(er) enough to really start enjoying the time with them. They then headed to Wisconsin and we joined them over the weekend for the Schrock family reunion (more in a later post). Today is our first day back to normal, and it was a bit too much for Anna. She cried and cried and cried after morning quiet time, and then finally collapsed into a sleep coma around 10.30. Too much excitement in the last few days!

Back to the farm, pre-Wisconsin: our new hammock hasn't seen many naps in it yet. Lots of roughhousing, yes.

Here Jonathan gives it a test spin.

I found Anna like this one afternoon, working away under the couch with her pliers.

And another morning I came outside to this lovely scene. This farm life certainly does suit all of us.

Don't be fooled by the hat: this was taken during the only 90+ degree week of the summer.

Grandpa Schrock made this amazing marble roller for Jonathan and Anna (he's made them for all the grandkids), which is a biiig and loud hit.

Anna models her new hat from Grandma Schrock. Jonathan models the hat he doesn't leave the house without.

[Sprayer zooms by on the road.]

Grandma and Grandpa picking raspberries in our garden,

while Jonathan supervises. What a great summer this has been and continues to be!

More MCCer goodness

The summer of amazing visitors continues: last weekend the happy Heppners came from Manitoba for a few nights. We first met them on the plane to MCC orientation in Akron in fall of 2008, when I plopped down in my seat hoping to read through the brand new Economist. Well, my seatmate was none other than Kathy Heppner (with an actively crawling Asha), sooo...no reading on that flight :)

We overlapped with the Heppners in Bolivia for three years. They were one of the best reasons to come into the city when we lived in Charagua, and then later when we lived in Santa Cruz, I looked forward to (almost) daily hausfrau sessions with Kathy under the communal clothes line, as we put up/took down diapers. I can't even begin to explain in how many ways this family is amazing, and I'm tempted to write here all the ways we think they are doing a stellar job raising their kids (but I'll save that for another venue). Suffice it to say that the few days with them were pretty great (and too few) for us and for our kids.

Here is Sunday afternoon terere (with popcorn, of course) and our ginormous pool.

 A common scene: lots of kids, in the backyard, with the wagon, etc.

 One of the funniest games ever: Kezia and Joel bringing their very obliging piglet to market over some rather bumpy terrain...

 ...with bound feet and everything.

 Also a common scene: Anna first on the table scene, and also last.

 Jonathan rescuing his little sister from the mayhem.

Have I mentioned that there is a little slice of raspberry heaven in our garden? Our freezer is filling up nicely with frozen little nuggets of gold.

For Sunday faspa we were also together with Nathan and Loida, fellow Bolivia MCCers, as well as my mom and dad (also a fellow Bolivia MCCer!).

 The kid's table.

 Jonathan has caught the climbing (and jumping) bug.

 Anna has had the "let's try on everyone else's shoes" bug for quite awhile now.

 First little ears of field corn.

 Anna hangs out with the chickens.

And that was that.

Rainy morning

Just to be clear, by morning I mean those hours when most (normal) kids are still inside sleeping, maaaybe eating breakfast. Ours were having a ball digging around in the driveway gravel in the drizzle. This was taken right before all the clothes got peeled off and into the (mini)pool they went...and Anna deposited all her, well, non-digestibles in a neat pile right beside the pool while I went inside to pull some cookies out of the oven.

So, into the bath we went. Having one in the morning - and in the downstairs tub - was something out of the ordinary, and thus even more fun than usual.

It never ceases to amaze me that one inch of water can provide so much entertainment.

A few bubbles add even more fun (i.e. longer diversion for mama to blog about it).

Happiness

The stuff of dreams: at the wheel of a hot jeep with the top down, four adoring girls (doesn't matter that they're third cousins and sister) along for the ride.

Dressing for church. Or not. [Anna's get-up did not pass inspections.]

Cousins (photo dump)

We finally got to see the twinkies again. My brother David and Rachel came from Kansas with Andrew and Annalise, now 6 months old (we last saw them when they were 6 weeks old). Of course they've grown so much, but even better is that they've grown personalities!

For example, Annalise seems drawn to terere, especially if Opa is offering it.

And Andrew seems a bit more relaxed - doesn't really go in for the go-juice.

Mom still isn't home, so we got to have them stay at our house. Dad came over sometimes, and two days we brought mom home (to their house) to spend the day. Our kids looove their cousins (though still have long moments of indifference, too), especially waiting for them to get up in the mornings.

What, can't I share my cookie with her?

Andrew goes for the jugular on Anna.

On Sunday we brought the show to the Good Sam, where mom is still recuperating (from hip replacement surgery and complications). That place has probably never been so crawling with little people as on that afternoon.

Anna, Andrew, and Jonathan: the picture of contentment.

Until they swoop in for some lovin'.

Aaand then it's all over, leaving a few tired ones and one slightly weirded-out one.

Annalise just misses getting trampled.

Jonathan and Annalise bonding.

Andrew gets sidelined during lunch.

Jonathan loves his cousins, but his first love remains...

...tractors, of course (and Stan's nifty hearing protectors).

Mom + random summer

My mom continues to recover slowly from the hip replacement surgery she had at the end of May. There have been several setbacks, complete with ambulance rides to the emergency rooms in Windom and Mankato. This Monday she returned back to the Good Samaritan nursing home in Mountain Lake, after a week spent in the Mankato hospital. Turns out she had/has a fracture on her pelvic bone, her blood had gotten much too thin (from post-surgery medication), and her leg was extremely swollen; all this led to severe muscle spasms and cramps. So they got her blood back to normal and put her on bed rest for a few days to stabilize her. She's now slowly starting up again with physical therapy, but still has pain and swelling. It's all very hard to take in, but we have to be confident that all will heal back to normal and as it should be.

In the meantime, about all I do is bring her terere and faspa most afternoons, while the kids play on and around her. My brother David, Rachel, and their 6-month old twins are coming next week (HOORAY!!), which will also help provide some diversion.

In the meantime, Ramont and my dad are busy farming. This is rock-picking season, as well as the start of the hay season. Yesterday they baled the first two miles of ditch hay! We also brought them terere, and when we got home, Jonathan promptly hooked two trailers up to his trike, er, 4020 tractor and worked like daddy. Every single time he takes in some new farming task, he replicates it at home, either with his trike and implements, or with his tiny little toy tractors.

Here Opa brings another hay rack to fill.

This week was also the annual Mtn. Lake town festival, (rather inappropriately named) Pow Wow. The parade was always a highlight for us kids. Now that we have our own, I can see why - it has basically all their favorite things: tractors, combines, fire trucks, marching bands (drums and trumpets), and...candy. Way, way too much candy.

The combine is coming!

Hold on to your hat, Jonny, and try to stay calm.

And since summer (or "warmer," as J. refers to it) is finally here, we put up the tent - the one we got six years ago at our wedding and hadn't even opened yet.

It was lots and lots of fun. For about one hour of the first day.

And out we go, on to bigger and better things (like two hay racks behind the trike).