Just Wondering....

Do you ever feel like you are being pulled at from 3 different directions (or more)?

Do you ever feel like you will never get done with the things that HAVE to get done?

Do you ever feel NOT appreciated?

Do you ever just want to GIVE UP?

Yes, I am having one of those weeks!!!!!

Weekend

Wow...had a busy weekend! We got quite a few beans harvested. We were just finishing up a field and got all the equipment hauled home last night when a bad storm hit. It was worse south of us but we had thunder, lightening, a little wind and a downpour. The timing couldn't have been better, we had just finished up the field we were on and it was going to be a few days before we had any more ready. I can really use this time to be getting caught up in the house!!!!!

Harvest

The fall harvest has begun! We started on the soybeans yesterday....not sure how they are running because I had to leave to watch Courtney play volleyball (yup, my loyalties are with my kids first, then the farm....lol). I will be heading to the field shortly but I do get to quit early today....Courtney cheers for the football team and they have a game....an hour and a half away (*sigh*). I better watch it or they might fire me for leaving early all the time....ha!

Soybeans

The soybeans are just about ready to harvest. We are going to try some tomorrow to see if they are ready to go. NOW the busy season starts! We are hoping for a safe and bountiful harvest season.

Apples!

My sister gave me some apples from her tree and I have made 1 large apple crisp and am planning on trying some new things with the rest....anybody have any good apple recipes????

Life's Trials

Courtney is going through some of life's tough trials right now. I am trying my best to let her get through it herself but it's so hard to not step in and take over. I know she will be a better person in the long run but it's so hard to see your kids go through tough times.....especially one that it is so preventable.

Canning

I got more canning done yesterday....8 quarts and 4 pints of salsa, 5 quarts of spaghetti sauce and 5 pints and 12 jelly jars of plum jelly. I have more tomatoes just about ready to can and my sister has more plums. I think I will pass on the plums and my sister may take some tomatoes off my hands. With Courtney's volleyball and cheerleading schedule and the farm, I am having a hard time finding the time to get my canning done this year.

Nothin' New

Nothing new going on around here. I have been busy canning the tomatoes....did several more jars of salsa yesterday and I have one batch of salsa and a batch of spaghetti sauce going right now. My sister gave me some plums from her tree and I am hoping to get some jam or jelly made with those too but I may just run out of time!

Love

Guess who else has fallen in love with our new puppy Madyson??!!Chad is really missing his "sidekick" Jeremy since he went to college and I find him playing with Mady quite a bit throughout the day. They have really taken to each other.

Salsa

Guess what else has been going on at the Noem farm.......... Yep, finally had enough tomatoes ripe to get some more salsa made. Hoping to get some spaghetti sauce and a little more salsa made yet this year.

Silage Pictures

I took some silage pictures yesterday. We also finished our pile yesterday so we are ALL done cutting silage for this year (unless we get and early freeze). Chopping the corn....

Dumping the full dump wagon onto the truck.....

Dumping the silage onto the pile....

Pushing the silage onto the pile....

Packing the silage pile...TADA....feed for the cows for the winter!

Silage

A few of you asked so here is the explanation of silage from a farm wife's mouth......

It is corn that is chopped....the stalk, leaves, ear, the whole thing. It is chopped, dumped into a truck and hauled to a pile. The person at the pile is pushing the silage onto the pile with a loader tractor and packing it. We use it to feed the cows in the winter. They love it! Not a real technical description but I hope you get the idea.

We are starting our pile today so if I get a chance, I will take a few pictures of the process.

It's Silage Time

We started cutting silage this week.

We cut for a friend on Sunday and Monday and started with my father-in-laws yesterday. I am on dinner duty today so "outside" work is not on my agenda today. We are hoping to finish with Al's today before the rain hits. Not sure when we will cut ours, our corn isn't quite ready for silage yet.

Marked for Life!

Jeremy got his first tattoo on Saturday. He let me go along and take pictures....even knowing that I would put them on my blog. His calf....before tattoo.

Working on the tattoo.

Jeremy trying to look like a tough guy!

The finished tattoo!

I wasn't too sure about putting it on his calf but it turned out good. I should have taken a close-up, it is shaded in blue and looks really nice.

I was considering getting a tattoo before he went but after watching him in pain I am not too sure I will get one now...I know, I am a wimp!

Courtney and Ben

I posted a picture of Jeremy and his girlfriend Stephanie a little while ago so I thought I had better post a picture of Courtney and Ben. Courtney and Ben started dating around the 4th of July. He is a real sweetheart. He goes to another school and lives about 45 miles away so it makes it real tough for them to see each other, especially now with them both back in school and Courtney in her fall sports. I have a feeling our gas bill is going to be higher the next several months.

Favorite Photos

Thought I would share a few of my favorite photos from our vacation to the Cities with Chad's family (back in mid-Aug) to see a Twins game. I finally downloaded some from my other camera. Jeremy and Courtney
Courtney and Kennedy
Grandpa showing something to Courtney and Kennedy.
The Noem granddaughters...Kennedy, Courtney and Kassidy.
Courtney, Kassidy and Kennedy always have a great time when they get together. We are so fortunate that we live so close to each other and they all go to the same school (including the boys). Makes things easier on Grandma and Grandpa too.

First Day of School

Today is Jeremy's first day of college! We got him all moved in on Sunday....he didn't start classes until today so he decided to come back home and spend a few more days with us (or should I say the girlfriend!). He left yesterday to attend some meetings and spend his first night in the dorm. I tried to get a picture of him in his dorm room but he wouldn't let me....imagine that! So....as you are all posting pictures of your kids on their first day of school, I don't have one of Jeremy (I didn't take one of Courtney either...what kind of mother am I??!!).

Let the Games Begin!

School is definitely in full swing.....and the Sports have begun!Courtney is a football cheerleader once again. They had their first game on Friday night. She is on the bottom right in this photo.

Courtney posing and her friend Chey being silly.

Their first volleyball action was a tourney on Saturday. They played all 5 other teams in the tourney....long day! Here is Courtney slammin' one down!

Another spike.

Courtney blocking.

They only beat 2 of the 5 teams but they are looking pretty good....hopefully they can pull off a few more wins this season.