BUSY

Hi there friends and family! Had a quick minute to check in and wanted to post some pictures of harvest, swimming, and another family reunion, but realized that I don't have my memory stick with me... so... I guess you'll get to see those another day - bummer!
Happy Monday and know that each moment is what you make it!

p.s. Pray that I get to a computer soon - the pictures are great!

Kirsten

Love this girl!

Love that she is so full of wisdom…

Love her unpretentious beauty…

Love her willingness…

Love her heart…

Love her grace…

Love her attitude…

Love her more than words can say…

Love that she is my sister!

Birthday Picnic

Green grass to our knees…
No one in sight for miles…
Picnic lunch under the shade of the beautiful trees …
Happy & healthy cows…
Spent Sunday in the mountains…

What a great way to get “quality” family time and avoid the heat!! It was absolutely gorgeous and a perfect way to spend Papa George’s birthday!

Dessert was delicious and gave us a chance to “catch up” with Robert, Shannon & Liam.

Happy Birthday Papa –

know that you are loved so very much!

Balance

Back when I was young and single working at River View Seed as the “scale girl” weighing grass seed trucks, I seemed to have more time than I knew what to do with. What did I do with all that time, you ask?! Well, I read, and I read, and I read. I kept a daily journal that was thoroughly detailed (now it is just a few lines), I spent hours reading and reflecting (now I get a half hour maybe – just for the reading – maybe 5 minutes for the reflecting part), and I learned a lot about ME (still doing lots of that).

My question is: Why, when I seem to need that reflective, soul searching, quality time the most – right now – as a wife and mother, it’s the hardest to find?

Being a wife and mother is hard work – you all know that as TRUTH!
Time is precious and I look back at my “scale girl” days with envy, but I also know that God was preparing me for this day… this day where I find myself struggling with daily chores, temper-tantrums, school work, very little “me” time.
I may never get that “scale girl” time back , but I can strive to maintain that mentality.

So… where is this going?…
Well, I’m reading/working on a book called Balanced Living and am feeling fantastic about my priorities, my home, and my mental state. It’s shown me that as I pursue the “perfect” balanced life that so many of us strive for, I have to be so very careful about what I am weighing my life against. Is the scale I face honest? Is it truth? Does perfect really exist?
God wants my utter devotion, not my perfection.
I’m not perfect – far from it… but I am striving to live my life with balance – not perfection… just balance!
Making a real effort to balance what I spend my time doing, who I make time for, what I say to others, how I interact with my husband, everything I do and say and show to my little boy… the list goes on and on.
I’m trusting Christ with the daily burdens I carry – letting Him weigh them, care for them, and letting Him show me how to find the peace and rest that only He can bring.
It’s not always easy, but I have to make that choice EVERY day – and I must say that some days it’s easier than others!
I can’t do it on my own and when I try… well, that’s when chaos, frustration, anger, quick-tempered words, tears and worry take over.
It’s never smooth – but God never promised that. He does promise to take care of is when we give everything to Him.
I have to trust, I have to seek, and I have to let go…if I want balance, I have to know that I can’t get it on my own.
I may appear balanced – saying all the right things, doing all the right things – looking the part, but what am I being weighed against? The world, other “perfect” people, or Truth?
Pursuing the “right” balance is following a path less followed – it’s trusting a lot of unknowns – it’s having faith in what can’t be seen - it’s definitely building my character… it’s life… and it’s worth it.

Balance is something we learn & something we make a choice to do.
We first learn on 2 little wobbly legs as Mason did just a short time ago (hard to believe), we can learn on a balance beam, we learn on skates, we learn on a horse, and we definitely learn on a bike…balance is everywhere.

Here is my sweet, sweet boy on his new tricycle… and a helmet too!
Love his curiosity, his whit, his twinkling eyes, his spirit – love the fact that he doesn’t have to struggle to balance yet!

Uncle Dan

Ian's Uncle Dan came to visit a couple of weeks ago - what a funny, funny guy! and no, this isnt' how he got here... just thought he'd leave his mark on a wrecked vehicle along the road near our house - gotta love it!
He spent most of his time riding around with Ian - experiencing the life at Golden Valley Farms during harvest via a tractor... and in his words, "the biggest tractor he'd ever seen" and a combine. Couldn't believe what a production it - thoroughly impressed with everything!
Got to the house - pulled out his lawn chair, layed out his sleeping bag, had a nice cold RED beer and loved every minute of it. Please come again soon Uncle Dan - you definitely make the best BLT's around!!

My Boy

Reading a book right now - Making Your Child Mind Without Losing Yours!

Definitely the motto of my life right now!!!

It's been an interesting week and I'm learning a lot about myself, my child, and how to deal with LIFE... when it comes at you without warning!

Went to Chuck E. Cheese last week. Mason loved it... but didn't like it when mommy put a stop to the fun when it was time to eat... huge temper tantrum...more than once... let's just say that after trying to sit and eat three different times, Mason & I had a nice time in the car while Dylan & Angela played! I feel like I did the right thing - it wasn't easy, wasn't fun, wasn't painless... but it gave Mason boundaries and he didn't win... am I questioning myself just a little - absolutely... does Mason know that I struggle with not knowing what to do all the time - I hope not - I know that he wants to know that I'm in control and that I'm the boss and that I love him... that's why I'm doing this ... because I love him!
I'm learning, reading and praying a lot... for wisdom, patience, guidance, mercy, forgiveness, love, love and more love!

Locked Mason in the car - not running - 90 degrees +
Let's just say that I'm sure I'll be the next On-Star commercial you all hear!
Praise the Lord for On-Star-totally worth the cost!

Learned that patience is something I thought I had a lot of ... but still feel like I need buckets and buckets more!

Feel like my little boy is changing before my very eyes and not looking forward to missing my days at home with him... but making the most of today!


Love the farm, love the summer, love the freedom to do whatever, whenever...

and Misty... I love, love, love that I captured these!

Tradition - with pictures!!

Kirsten & Steve


Eating ice cream with Grammy & Papa


Travis & the "water fight"


Steve, Kirst, Ainsley & Andrew


Uncle Tom & Aunt Hazel - the camp hosts!


Lounging in the shade!


HUGE amounts of steamer clams - Delicious!!


Mason's first try at Duck, Duck, Goose!


My great grandpa's flag - hung every year!


Uncle Tom, Grandma Ginny, & Uncle Bud - the reason we're all here!


Us! Do I need to say more?!

Some of the best times of my life have been spent at the Freeman Family Reunion. It is always at the beginning of July and was definitely one of the “have to be there” events.
My Grandma Sundberg, her two brothers, and her two sisters began this tradition many, many years ago. One of the first ones that is “documented,” Brian & I were the only “little” ones at the campground… and now, several years later, the group has grown and changed with marriages and births – and these people that I’m so very blessed to call family are still the same.
Each year a different family is in charge of finding the “perfect” place for the group to camp. This is definitely a challenge - due to the fact that we live in all parts of Washington, Oregon & Idaho, but it always seems to work out in the end.
Potholes Reservoir was the location this year – and with close to 70 family members in attendance, it was one of the best!
We golfed, swam, ate, visited, had water fights, made the biggest and best bubbles, ate some more, and enjoyed the warm weather – perfect for camping. Mason did very well – and stayed as busy as ever. He really enjoyed the golf cart (even when it was parked), and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him get in and out and up and down so many times and still manage to have enough energy to chase the big kids around. Thank goodness for Papa & Grammy, and Aunt Kirst & Uncle Steve – mommy was EXHAUSTED! I’m almost positive that his vocabulary has doubled in a week too – he now says shoes, out, more (very well in sign language), papa, what’s that?, why, hot, juice, yes, and lots of other words that I just can’t quite make out – how fast he is changing right before my very eyes!
Oh, and Ian even managed to get there for the entire visit – well, sort of. Due to the fact that harvest is “full speed ahead” there wasn’t really any way for Ian to join us until Sunday, but he did make wallet size photos of himself talking on the phone for me to hand out to the gang. The photo was hysterical because talking on the phone to my cousins is one of his favorite past-times. We’re not sure which one of the group he was calling, but they all had such a great time joking about it. They loved taking turns saying “Ian just called” or “Ian’s in the pickup – still on the phone, so I cracked the windows” or “best house guest we ever had – didn’t say a word, just listened” - love, love, love the fact that my sweet husband has this wonderful relationship with MY cousins! He did make if for breakfast on Sunday morning, got to tour around with the relatives (their farms were near the campground) and got a nap in too!

Traditions - they build character, they carry on what was started many years ago, and they start and end with Family! Some happen every year, some happen when certain family members have special events to celebrate, some are just beginning – but they are definitely what makes this time special.
The traditions I remember most about this family reunion time… “putting up” tents, card games late into the night, lots of good food, home-made ice cream with fresh strawberries on top, clams and salmon on Saturday, golfing, boating, the “Black Sheep” making a point, Roy’s words of wisdom, laughter, campfires, white elephant auction, birthday cakes, surprise parties, sunshine, pictures and some of the very best people you’ll ever meet – and they’re my FAMILY.

Catching Up

Life has been interesting during the past few days… and it’s almost overwhelming to think about all the details that make it what it is – but, it’s always an adventure!

Swimming lessons – not so sure that I can use the word “love” this year, but I do feel confident enough to say that Mason “liked” floating and kicking and blowing bubbles enough to go back for more. He was a little timid about the whole thing, but I’m bound and determined to have a child that loves the water as much as I do... and as far as the bubbles are concerned… well, he’s been practicing in the galvanized bucket the dogs drink from – oh man, gotta love it!



The swathers have been here and are now gone – what a beautiful, beautiful sight in the morning light – and I did my best to capture it for all of you at 5:30 a.m..



The grass is sitting in rows now – waiting for the combines to make their way to “farm 2” and drying out in the HOT, HOT sun!

Mason and I are keeping cool in the little pool we have – and the hose is our new best friend for more reasons than one (more on that to come).





Mom & Dad came to visit for a couple of days – and got to witness the beginnings of the sickness that has made its way through our home and several others… hitting the children and the daddy’s of the homes the hardest. I wish I could say that it’s totally gone, but it’s still hanging on by a thread. Saturday while Mason and I were watering the flowers I gained a new appreciation for the hose and its “mist” attachment. I think that it’s probably a good thing we don’t live in town because the small boy at our home had a HUGE accident outside … and well, after the diaper was removed, the shoes were emptied, and the clothes hosed out, the “mist” attachment seemed to be the greatest thing since Costco’s diaper wipes – what a sight!



Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles – love them and love this awesome tray/wand set called the Unbelievable Bubble Maker. What a treat - thanks Grammy & Papa!



Dylan & Mason – Mason & Dylan … aren’t they just the cutest little farmers around?!



Pictures, pictures & more pictures… Becky & Brandon came out on Saturday… and I think for my first “real” photo shoot of people (not including babies), I captured some great ones of this cute, cute couple. Thanks you two – it was fun!



After a great morning at church (worship on the lawn), breakfast a Shari’s (thanks Darrin & Ang), and a not so fun PGG experience (let’s just say that a hose with a “mister” would have been a great thing to have in the back seat of the pickup… do I need to say more?!) we made our way to the mountain pasture and beautiful doesn’t even describe it. My husband, the cattleman/farmer/mechanic/you name it – he can do it, awesome man that I married, made my day wonderful yesterday – thanks Ian!



Life – it is so interesting.
Through all the ups and downs, highs and lows, craziness, peacefulness, sickness, happiness, sweltering heat, pouring rain, gusting wind (we are located directly in the middle of the “blowing dust – next 40 miles” along I-84), and all the other things that life brings... I’m choosing to make the most of every moment and thanking God for His provision and protection as my family “carries on” and lives the journey He’s prepared for us here at the Windy M.

Happy summer everyone!