Homestead Happenings: Sept 2017

 Michael had a three-day weekend over Labor Day, so we chose to paint the house despite the heat. We had to get it done therefor we pushed forward with the help of a few family and friends. We were able to get the entire house painted that weekend. It was an enormous task and Michael did much of it by himself. How he kept going in that heat, I'll never know.

The kids helped with the lower trim. Every bit they were able to help with was appreciated.

Our friend, Ryan, took this picture. Ryan helped Michael move ladders when he was painting the upper part of the house. He also lent us his paint gun, which saved us a lot of money!

Ryan's son, Josiah, also helped out. These guys are part of our BSA Troop 700 family.

Rina loved to supervise, even in her pajamas and bedhead.

We worked all day and rewarded ourselves with some DQ ice cream that night.

 End result. We were really happy with the way it turned out despite a few mistakes along the way. It's not perfect, but considering the hurry we were in, we couldn't be too picky.

 Our friend, Grady, took Josiah on a special farm control hunt and Josiah was able to shoot his very first cow elk. We were so proud of him! Lots of meat in the freezer.

While Josiah was hunting, Michael and I took a trip to Home Depot to pick up drywall supplies. As reward for their semi-patience for being dragged along, we took the girls out to Denny's for dinner. We still have these cups!

We had a our first homeschool co-op class of the new school year in the shop. We studied Astronomy last year. It was a lot of fun and we learned a lot. 

 Our first meal together consisted of all round foods. Planets are round and so was our food. Gotta have a theme!

 Pastor Paul started on drywall. Josiah and his friends were able to help quite a bit. Michael and I did a lot of the easier rooms, saving the harder areas for the expert.

 In between drywall, the boys worked on fleshing out Josiah's elk hide.

Before we knew it, it was time for the Pendleton Round Up Kick-Off Parade. Grandma Kricket is teaching Rina how to stand for the American flag and put her hand over her heart.

Josiah walked in the parade with his Boy Scout troop.

Josiah read a lot of adventure/survival stories over the summer which kept him busy trying out new survival skills. Here is an adjustable meat drying rack that he made.

He got his elk hide fleshed out (mostly), stretched and salted. He ended up soaking it in the kiddie pool for too long and it was ruined, but he learned a lot from the experience. 

 Michael came home from drill to the walls being foam insulated, which meant he and Pastor Paul could keep going with the drywall work.

 I picked up these really cute home decor finds for our new home at a booth during the Pendleton Round Up. We put them in the shop until we were ready to move in.

 Someone gave me two tickets to the Round Up and I took my nephew, Andrew, who had never been before. Let 'er Buck!

I found this adorable vintage cowgirl outfit for Rina downtown. She rocked it at the Westward Ho! Parade.

She always has so much fun with Grandma Kricket at the parades.

Hailey had a Round Up adventure. Our favorite western author, Rick Steber, was in town doing book signings and asked Hailey to help him pass out flyers. She had a wonderful time and earned several new books from Mr. Steber. He asked her to help him out next year, too.

Rina found Mr. Steber's books perfect for bedtime reading, LOL.

Hailey also got to visit her favorite pirate, Captain Arrrr! He has been coming to the Round Up for many years and always remembers Hailey's name and makes her part of his show. 

 The boys got to go on a Boy Scout camp out the last weekend of Round Up. Josiah's cousin, Andrew, decided to join the troop. This was his first camp out. I think they might be listening to creepy stories around the camp fire in this picture.

Burrr! Getting chilly at night.

 Time to fire up the wood stove in the shop in the evenings. The pressure was on now! We wanted to get in the new house by Halloween. After that, it gets really cold around these parts.

 A friend, who wishes to remain anonymous, cleaned all these dishes (some were family heirlooms) that we were able to save from the fire. We appreciate all her hard work.

 Family drywall time in the kitchen!

 The kids and I snuck away to a homeschool field trip to nearby MacNary Dam. It was really fun and the kids learned quite a bit. 

 Rina got a ride on her brother's shoulders and Josiah got to suck on her binkie in exchange, LOL.

Pastor Paul took a little break from drywalling to play with Rina. She adores him.

At the end of the month, we drove over the mountain to attend my friend, Dorene's, "Friday School at the Farm".

And Mr. Kimball demonstrated different blacksmithing techniques, which Josiah is extremely interested in.

  How lovely to get to spend time with our homeschooling friends from over the mountain. Many of these families were homeschooling with us at the beginning of our journey 8 years ago. My how everyone has grown! We met several other new families as well. They enjoyed a scavenger hunt on the farm.

 The best part is that I got to hang out with two of my besties! Love these gals to pieces! 

 Rina almost blended in with the background that day.

 Josiah had a couple of his Boy Scout friends stay over and help him with jerking some of his elk so they could take some jerky on Boy Scout activities.

 Looks like a Boy Scout sleepover to me!

They smoked all the meat on the rack Josiah made over this elaborate fire pit. It turned out pretty good. So good, that the boys ate all of it that weekend as they kept tasting to see if it was done. I don't think there was anything left for camp outs, LOL.

 When we were desperate to get drywalling done without Rina's "help", we set her up with a movie on my I-Phone. It worked for a few minutes.

Josiah hand-sewed these canvas moccasins that had runners that went inside his pants, hooking to his waistline so he could keep them up. The kids comes up with some crazy things, but it keeps him busy, and sewing by hand is an extremely valuable skill - so we roll with it.

Hailey begged me to take her down to the "Mermaid's Lair" on the river so I could get some pictures of her swimming in her tail and the crown our Cousin Di made her. The water was super chilly but she made it through our photo session. I was sure wishing I had my good camera- someday. The I-Phone does okay.

The girls worked hard at trying to clean up the drywall mess.

 The Bork guys would come and help Michael into the middle of the night sometimes. 

"It's not quite straight, Dad!"

I took the kids to Dufur so Josiah could go on his first deer hunt with my brother, uncle, and his cousin Andrew. He is ready!

Papa let Rina sit on Bakerman. They are so cute together!

 

I stayed with my sister and her kids. Jessica and Rina had a great time bonding again.

The girls played dress up with their cousin's cool dress-up clothes.

The boys were successful on their hunts. Josiah got the first buck! Andrew got his later. So proud of these boys bringing home the meat for their families.

My brother and Uncle Kenny helped the boys hunt and do all the hard work after the hunt. Really appreciated their help as Michael wasn't able to go due to working on the house that weekend.

My brother hunting with Josiah and Andrew on the ranch my dad manages. Love this picture.

Another exhausting month filled with hard work with a smattering of good times in between. We were getting so close to being in our house, we could taste it. Once that drywall was finished, it was a race to the finish line to get in the house before the snow started flying! God was with us every step of the way. He gave us the energy and motivation to keep going. He provided the help when we needed it most. His Hand was on us and He moved mountains that to us looked impossible even to climb, let alone move. We continued live in the shadow of His wings.

God Bless,

Jackie