Mid-April misc.

The only photo I got at the birthday celebration of our twin friends, turning seven

Followed by a trip to the dentist for all seven at-home kids, with only one older child needing a filling, who shall remain unnamed (this little girls' teeth were sparkling clean- she brushes her teeth sometimes three and four times a day 😁)

Token photo with Bucky

When Jack was home, he had an eye appt and got a prescription for glasses. We took measurements, and he ordered some while he was home so he could get them when he returned to school the following week. It's nice wonderful to be able to see clearly!

We got our hairs cut!

(photo by Zeke) I have been wanting to get my hair cut shorter for a while. I've had to talk myself down from chopping it myself a few times when it's seemed more trouble than it's worth. I've entered a sloughing phase again, so I have what seems like handfuls of it whenever I wash and condition my hair. Mike traveled to Ohio last week for work, so I made an appt. at the hair salon I usually go to (once or twice a year) in the middle of the week, when I thought I could most use a little break. It was soooo relaxing. The little boys acted dismayed to see me when I returned, but when I asked them if they liked it, they both responded that they LOVED it <3

Maple seemed to have something lodged in her throat last week. She's been chewing up so many things (my brand new headphones that I had used twice, newly delivered packages and their contents... it could have been any number of non-edible items. I reached into her throat but couldn't feel anything, but later, I found these remanants in her kennel. She had tried to eat Jesus' crown of thorns. A self-inflicted, much-deserved penance. Good job, Maple 🙄

Our new neighbors had an unexpected calf born to their new cattle a couple of weeks ago, and they invited us over to come and see him. The younger three and I went over (Opal and Toby were on a run and were going to come meet up with us but never did), and they took us out to try to find the mom and baby on their four wheeler. It was so fun to drive all around on their huge (160+ acre), hilly property and to see our property and surrounding land from that perpective that we'd never seen before. And get up close to the cows, though Mama didn't let us get too close to her little one, who was still SO tiny! The mom and calf were both much smaller than standard when the baby was born. Our neighbors just noticed something was off and that something was coming out of the cow- good thing they noticed, as it had to be pulled out!

We spied a deer shed that they told him to bring him to Maple.

I took Joel and Toby to see the new Mario movie for filling their chips, and we got their right when it was starting (skipped all the previews- yay!). We also had the entire theater to ourselves. They thought that was pretty cool and proceeded to talk as loud as they pleased.

Our cross country team had a fundraiser at Pizza Ranch to raise money for much needed new uniforms for our high schoolers. We raised more than $700 in one night, which will cover about 1/3 of the cost of new uniforms- not bad!

Opal and Penny made homemade chocolate peanut butter cups (they didn't last long).

Iris's homemade donuts.

Every year they make a new nest on our front door. Maple keeps terrorizing them.

Father (formerly Deacon) Brad, who was stationed at our pastorate two summers ago, took a break from his silent retreat and said Mass at the Northern IL Airbnb of one of our parish members, who happened to be in my Lenten small group, so I was priviledged to be invited and attend the lovely Mass with twelve in attendance last week. The Airbnb is a tastefully converted barn, which they renovated (mostly) themselves.

Sweets.

MAPLE!