The "Lake"

Okay, It's more of a little lagoon but it was all ours for a day and we took full advantage of it. It was splendid. It was just before this third wave of mosquitoes hit. The ones that have once again made it hard to spend even a few minutes outside without some insanity taking over the brain of one who is scratching every square inch and crying out "Itchy, ItchY, IIiiiTCHY!!!!" Yes they really do call that while we are all just as itchy and really we all know how bad it is. We don't really need the description but at the same time I get it. I feel like calling it out loud for all the neighbors to hear as well.

Anyhow, that was a bit of a digression. You see this which I am about to show you was before that so we didn't know it was coming. In fact at this time we were blissfully unaware that there was a third batch coming. We thought fall was around the corner and there are never Migs in the fall. See I can't help but digress into the state of Mosquitoes in this part of the world because....well.... "Itchy, ItchY, IIiiiTCHY!!"

So now you know how our summer went too. Most of it was spent fighting off the offending little creatures that cause more discomfort than many a larger one. There was a garden though. I know it is out there. I didn't see much of it this year. Too many minutes spent swatting and scratching. Okay I admit this year we used plenty of bug spray. It was either that or live in the house. In the summer. Couldn't be. Had to go out. Had to spray.

Okay. Here is the video. I will stop talking now cause it seems I have one thing on my mind. And I have to go. I have five gallon buckets 3/4s full of pears and I want pear jam.



A Day at the Beach from Angie Kroeker on Vimeo.


Happy End of summer and into the Fall. Enjoy what you can of the last warm days as we head into the cooler months of this life. 

For the girls

I keep wanting to sit down here and write up a little blog post but there is something that stops me. I think I've figured it out. I keep thinking of why I used to sit here. What was my drive to be so on top of keeping up to date? Sadly it was not what I said it was.

I wanted to be noticed. I cared what people thought. I wanted to be noticed outside of my little world. I wanted to have people comment, I cared about how many views each post got. I know I have said in the past that I write here for my girls but I am sorry to say that was not true, not fully.

The past weeks as I think about sitting here I worry that I cannot string words together in a pleasing manner. I want to have "great" stories to tell vs. the mundane day to day.

So now I remind myself that it is the mundane that maters. It is the life I live with my family. This is what I do. Little snippets of a quiet life. Of a life lived in quiet. (or noise but it's simple noise).

When the world all around keeps telling me that I must produce the most astounding of photos and the fullest of words I wonder at what my contribution is worth. But when I look into the steel and sky blue eyes of my girls I remember what really matters. Why I am really here. SO...

Suzie and Jade this ones for you.

Remember this guy?

Remember when we went to Grandpa and Grandmas just to play with him.


He loves the snow. Even when you throw it at him.


Plop!!


Jade you probably don't remember how you felt when he jumped up on you. But I can say that it wasn't your favorite. He thought you were a big moving toy and so much fun. You thought it was a bit annoying how he bit at your mitts. That's why your hands are where they are in this picture.


Climbing the snow plowed mounds in the front yard at Gr.pa and Gr.mas




You thought your were out of Ree-bar's rough housing reach. Turns out you were wrong.






Oh little Ree-bar you're a cutie.




I don't think he looks to impressed.


Jade you liked to pretend you were a myriad of creatures. Here you are being a snake I believe.




And the interactions with the older Orange Cat. (yes that is his name). At first Orange Cat was not too sure but he started to warm up to Ree-bar. Grandma said this was one of the best interactions so far. Actually playing together.










Puppy nose and tongue.


Grandma and her new baby.


Here they are, those steal blue eyes. Love the bow in your hair. A bow from some wrapping that you found in the guest room and took it upon yourself to put it upon yourself. Love you my dear sweet Suzie.




Exploring the window fogged by your breath. Oh how I do love you too my dear Jade.

I Think you two to be the two sweetest girls I know. Funny how any mom will say that about their girls. Well It's true. When you talk about the changes that will take place in your lives when you are "mommies" I imagine the changes right along with you. Look so forward to watching you grow and mature. Love to see the little girls you are and the little women you will be one day.

Somewhere this summer time got away.

I won't even begin to pretend that this is going to become a regular trend. If I got back into a regular schedule that would be great but I'm not going to pretend. I am going to do this though. I am going to post when I do and I am not going to try and explain why these pictures look like they came from summer when we in fact just got a cold snap with wispy snow falling. The leaves are gone and the cold is settling in for the winter. Better yet they did that nasty day light savings thing on us this last weekend and now the sun goes down in the middle of my evening, giving me reason to believe that the day is over earlier than I am used to.
And that will only get worse as the season deepens. By the time we are in the darkest part of the winter the sun goes down some time around 4 pm. Making me believe there is nothing but an indoor world.

Needless to say here is a little visit from Great Grandma S. and other happenings that day.

Great Grandma came for a visit.



Yes, like Suzie's finding out that Grandpa and Grandma's place has an out house.




Who wouldn't rush to use and out door toilet?


Helping Charlie find and stomp on the grasshoppers.




There's more here Charlie.


Yup, Stomp it.






Jade fell in love with great Grandma.




Totally enamored.


Every time we went back to the farm after she had left Jade would ask where she was. Even not that long ago Jade mentioned it again.




And again how could you not love this wonderful woman? She took the girls for a walk and drew Jade pictures as often as she asked. And of course just her love and care is such an amazing gift that she shares with anyone who crosses her path.


See.


We love you Great Grandma and can't wait to see you again.




Sleep tight my loves and enjoy a cozy curl up on the couch with the dear to you, near to you.

Running in for a little post

The girls ask me daily for a little jaunt to the flower garden. It is rough these days as I am so busy trying to do all that is required of me in the months that are here. This time is too short and sweet to pass up and yet there is much to do.

There is a garden and yard to tend to and then the house is just keeping up. Laundry piles? yes we dress straight from them. Then when I am not filling my time here at home we are off for a couple of hours during the day to work on the project and again in the evening. This building is a two story hundred year old building and we are working on turning it into two apartments. The upper floor started out as one but had been torn apart for the water damage that had actually put it up for sale. The thought is to get it rented out and then head downstairs to start that one on the road from office space to living space. For now it is the upper floor that we are focusing hard on as we believe we can have it ready to be rented out by the time Paul goes back to session two of his electricians courses.

All that to say that we are busy, like crazy, but for a season. Once the upper floor is rented out we are going to take it a bit easier at least for a while. Re-coupe from the crazy that has been our days and take a little rest. But as for this summer? It will pas by to quickly and so we take the moments when we can. I'll drop in at the flower garden on the way home from our mid day session at the project or we'll stop in at the cousins.

As it is I feel we often appear as such.

Dashing into the frame of focus for but a moment and then rushing past and on to the next thing.


And so we took a moment.


To slow down and look closely at the hostas.






Lovely greens these leaves are made of.






Girls off to explore the outer edges of the garden.


Seriously, brush strokes? These look to be painted.




We were joined by an older cousin. My girl adores these girls even if she still (what more than half a year now) can't tell them apart and often will call a single one by the names of all three.


A bee


In take off mode.








"What's that mommy?" "pider? pider?" Yup and so it is.


And just as suddenly as you enter the frame you pass by and off to the next thing. Take a moment to focus in on the greens of those lovely hostas before you rush on to the next picture.