Happy Halloween

The last day of October... it is Halloween today!  We don't really put much effort or thought into this candy-crazed holiday in our household.  Never completely understood the holiday, or its origins and significance.  I love that is is fun for the kids to dress up and have fun, but other than that, we don't get too excited about it here.  No special decorations, parties, costumes, etc...... the kids decided what they want to be, and we typically head to an organized event put on by a local church, or we go to a neighborhood in Lynden and allow the kids to trick-or-treat around the block.

Honestly, at this time, I am not even sure what our Halloween plans are for today, other than to go to church, shop at Costco, and come home mid-afternoon.  The kids had both mentioned attending Noah Night, put on by Christ Fellowship Church in Nooksack.  This is a fun, warm, dry and safe event, where the kids have fun playing games, getting candy and other prizes, and get to spend time seeing their friends and classmates.  More than likely, this is where we will spend our Halloween evening this year.

With that, November is here!!!  I find it hard to believe how fast September and October slipped on by.  I have completed virtually nothing on my list of Fall projects!  Perhaps the weather will cooperate in November, and I can be a bit more productive at getting things bundled up for Winter.

I injured my right calf muscle recently, and then didn't let it fully heal before going out and running on it yesterday.  Bad deal, as it "popped" twice in the first half mile, and I am now in a lot of pain, and limping around with a more injured calf muscle... not good.  The only good thing about this is... I have learned that running is not for me.... bicycling is my sport of choice!!!

I really would love to get back into playing ice hockey once again.  It would be so good for my fitness routine, and I have missed it these past 5 years.  However, the cost is substantial, as is the added time away from family.  So, I may just have to sit back and enjoy watching Brad get back into the sport for  a while.

I was hoping to work on yard work today again, but it appears that the weather is not going to cooperate today, so I will just have to wait and see what shapes up.

Talk to you in November!!!

October is already over?!?!?!?!?!?

Yep, today is Monday the 25th of October, 2010..... the start of the LAST week of October already!!!  What is this world coming to when a month doesn't even last a full month anymore!!!  LOL  ;-)

I really thought I would have so much more done around the farm by the end of this month, and instead, I have hardly even started on anything!!!  Sometimes I get worked up by this and let it get me down, and then other times I take the time to realize that what is important in my life is my God, my wife, and my kids.  After that comes me and an my health... physical, mental, spiritual and emotional.  The rest is all just stuff to fill on on life's journey.  Sure, our place doesn't look very good, and certainly after five years of living here we should be a lot further ahead than we are today... but, apparently we are in a season of life right now where these other things are lower on the priority list.  As a neighbor in our old housing development told me when Evan was a little tyke and I started ignoring my yard work some, "right now you are raising a family, not a yard.  There will be a time in the future for you to raise a yard again."  Not an exact quote, but paraphrased as I remember him saying it.  :-)

I do admit, however, that we are in way over our heads with our current home and living situation.  I really thought five years ago that things would work out a whole lot better and differently than they have for us since we have lived here.  Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case.  It bums me out to say that I am now at a place where I would much rather majorly downsize, and live somewhere that would be so very much easier to take care of, and care for.  A place that is far less expensive to live in and maintain and upkeep.  A place where I don't always feel guilty for taking time for my health by riding my bike, or heading to the fitness club, etc.  A place where I wouldn't feel guilty for taking a day off to sit and watch television all day with my family on a weekend.

What has me going on about all of this right now?  I suppose it has to do with Grammy & Papa, and where they are at in their lives right now.  They have sold their nice big home on Pumpkin Ridge, where they have lived for the past 13 years.  They are substantially downsizing their living situation and their lives, moving into a manufactured home in a senior living community.  In doing so, they are going through all they have accumulated over the years, deciding what to keep, what to sell, what to give away.... what is really important to them, what is not.  It is a major change in their lives, and one that I believe will be very good for them both.  In a way, I guess I am just a bit envious... which I know is NOT what God wants or expects from me.  Something I really need to work on.  :-)

So, as I sit here now typing away, looking outside at the wind and the rain, I am counting up all of the unfinished and unstarted projects that really need to be dealt with before winter arrives!  I don't like reaching double digits on this list, and yet I have just that fast already  :-(

OK, enough whining and sniveling for now.... time to move on.  Lots to do, lots to think about, lots to prepare for.  And the simple fact remains, I have it way better than so many other people in the world.  I am completely and truly blessed beyond anything I deserve.  I have an awesome job, a wonderful wife, two amazing kids, a home, and my health.  And most important of all, I have a God who loves me and provides for me, each and every day!!!  :-)

Too Much.....

Yes, too much going on in our lives right now!  At least, that is my opinion, and how I feel anyway.  It seems that the list of things to do, and places to be just keeps growing, yet the check-offs are far and few between... Jeesh!!!

Two more weeks of football for Evan, Sierra has started dance classes once again, we have beef at the butcher currently, and have upcoming beef and pig slaughters the first and second weeks of November, we have at least one trip to make to Portland in November due to my parents selling their home and moving, multiple projects needing done around the farm before winter sets in, and of course... I still need/want to log many more miles on the bike yet this year!!!

Lately it seems that every day just slips right on by, and before I know it, another week is gone.... I swear that October just  started a few days ago, and already it is nearly over!!!

For quite some time I have been letting this all get to me, cause me worry and stress, and even cause me to be a bit unhappy in life.  But alas, through much prayer, some incredible messages at church, and in reading my current read, "Wild at Heart", by John Eldridge.... I am doing much better!  I realize that there is a time and season for everything, and that some things are just much more important than others.....

My God, my wife, my children, my health (physical, mental and spiritual), and my family and close friends.... these are the things that I must make my priorities each and every day.  Everything else can be fit in when there is time, and with God's help.  :-)

John Eldridge helped remind me of something so very important yesterday, and I am choosing to remind myself of it each and every day through the remainder of this month.... "Life isn't a problem to be solved, it's an adventure to be lived"

So, I choose today to live life, love life, and to stay focused on those priorities in my life that come first.  :-)

Off to work again today, and although I love my job, I am already anxious about coming back home tomorrow to be with them again!

I hope that each and every person who visits my blog and reads what I have wrote today will take a moment to stop and give some thought to the priorities in your life, remembering that "life isn't a problem to be solved, it's an adventure to be lived!"

Blessings to each and every one of you!!!  :-)

19 years of Marriage and plugging right along...

Yesterday, October 19th, 2010, Tracie and I shared our 19th wedding anniversary together.  Pretty awesome, and something we are both quite happy about and proud of.  Of course it hasn't been 19 years of pure marital bliss... we have had plenty of ups and downs, speed bumps and potholes... but we have made it through them all, and we both are still in love with one another!

An added piece to our story, that many of you may know already, but some may not, is that we have been together for 29 years now!!!  Yes, it is true, we met as Junior High School sweethearts.  We have essentially grown up together.  :-)

So, yesterday we had our kids go home from school to the Roosma's place to stay overnight.  We then had the opportunity to head out and have a nice dinner at Anthony's Hearthfire Grill.  Afterwards, we went to a movie, just the two of us.  And last night, no kids to get to bed, just us.  This morning, no kids to get off to school, just us.  :-)

It was a nice day... Tracie worked at the school until 2pm, so Dan Snow and I got a nice bike ride in... I ended up with just shy of 39 miles.

Happy Anniversary Tracie.... I still love you!!!  :-)

PS- on a separate note, update on the big chili cook-off.... Dan Snow took home first place this year, while I wound up with the boobie prize!!!

It's Chili Time!!!

This Saturday, October 16th, marks the 3rd annual Little Bearfoot Farm Chili Cook-off, along with pumpkin carving/decorating for the kids!!!  This thing has taken off, and everyone is out to prove that they have what it takes to make an award winning chili.  In fact, there are some who have been planning and preparing for this event now for months!!!

In our first year, we set out to have a reason to bring  friends and family together to have some fun, and to allow the kids the opportunity to carve pumpkins and make a big mess out in the shop.  We didn't really think a whole lot about a nice first place trophy, or put much into a boobie prize either.  However, after such a great time, and so many varieties of chili coming forth, we decided that we were going to need to make this an annual event!

For the record, in the very first year, Tim Robarts took overall first place winner, while Tiffani Stauffer hands down won the boobie prize.

So, before the big day arrived last year, Tracie put forth the thought and the effort to come up with a nice wooden wall hanging plaque for the first place winner to be able to have and hang on their wall for the next year.  Each year we can have the first place winners name added to the plaque.

Last year, Brad Neitling won first place, and so the plaque has been hanging in our house, since Brad is living with us currently. 

The question now is, who will be the winner for this year?  Who has what it takes to get the votes?  Who really wants it?  And who is in for the boobie prize?

So, with that, today is chili making day for me.  I go to work tomorrow, and have a very busy day on Saturday, so I need to get my chili perfected and finished today.  This may very well be the secret to winning this year.... allowing the chili to sit and gain flavor for two days before the competition!

Fall....October....Chili....Yum!!!

Harvest Century 2010

Success!!!

Yesterday, five of us headed out to ride in the Harvest Century ride, in Hillsboro OR.  The weather was not good at all, and rained on us nearly the whole day long.  However, we prevailed, and we all completed our rides!!!

Evan and Papa and Uncle Brad all rode the 45 mile loop.  Scott Taube and myself rode the 100 mile loop.  Despite the weather, we all had a good day of riding, and lots of fun as well.  :-)

We didn't end up back to Grammy & Papa's place until nearly 6pm, and now today we are all laying low and resting and relaxing, just taking it easy.

Tomorrow we will head back home, and on Tuesday, I will be quite busy with bicycle cleaning and maintenance, as our bikes are a nasty mess from the elements.

OK< time for me to go find a recliner and kick back again....

Heading South!!!

Yes, indeed...tomorrow morning we will leave bright and early to drive to Portland, OR for the weekend.  Heading south to ride in the Harvest Century...the last organized ride of the season.  On Saturday, Oct. 9th, Evan and his Papa and his Uncle Brad will all three head out to ride the 45 mile course.  Myself and my good friend, Scott Taube, will ride the 100 mile (century) ride on the same day.  The weather isn't expected to cooperate with us, brining rain showers throughout the day, but alas, we will ride and have fun anyway.  :-)

It will be a short weekend, trying to find the time to see both sides of our families, as well as with trying to do what we want to do.... relax!!!  We will take Sunday as a rest/recovery day after our big ride on Saturday.  And then on Monday morning, we will head back home again.

Thanks to our good friend, Greg Bass, who will be staying at our farm, taking care of all of the animals while we are away.  We sure are lucky to have someone like Greg!  :-)

Big Game for Evan!!!

Evan's football team played against Meridian on Saturday morning, at Squalicum High School in Bellingham. After watching our Nooksack High School team get beaten badly by Meridian the night before, on our home turf, it was unsure just how Evan's team would fare.

Great news... they did awesome! Won the game with a score of 19-7. Actually had 5 touchdowns total, but two were called back due to holding penalties. But alas, out of the 3 TD's scored for our team, Evan made two of them!!! And they were both beauties. The kid has some fast legs on him, and when he decides to turn it on, look out.... hard to catch him.

The whole team played really great this weekend, and has vastly improved over the past couple of weeks. Very exciting to see a bunch of first year tackle football players come together and learn so much, so fast!!! :-)

Evan played great, both on offense and on defense. He plays a lot of the game, and must really get worn out. However, he doesn't stop!!! He nearly made a great pass reception at the end of the game, that would have led to yet another touchdown. Just missed it!!!

It was an exciting game, and fun to watch. All of the kids did great, and had a lot of fun beating the Meridian team. :-)

Way to go Nooksack!!! Way to Go Evan!!!

October is here!!! 10/1/10

Today is the first of October. It is absolutely beautiful out today. A fantastic Fall weather day. I just returned home from work, got the animals all taken care of, and am getting ready to head out on the bike for a ride. When I return, I will have a bite to eat, and then work outside until the family comes home. This evening, Evan and Sierra and myself will go to the Nooksack football game. :-)

I love Fall!!!