For Better or Worse

When I was young mom Lynn Johnston started writing the comic strip "For Better or Worse".  My mom and I would laugh about how her Michael and Elizabeth mirrored our Aaron and Rebekah.  Now I see my grandchildren showing up in her reruns...if this isn't our Ava I don't who is!  Have a fun night kids!

Autumn Leaves

Grandpa & Grandma Skogerbo lived on Second Street in Rochester, Minnesota.  It was an exciting place to visit with ambulances and police cars racing up and down the street all hours of the night.  Just a little different than our small town life. 

Grandma had a way of cooking up good ideas to keep us busy when we were there.  One of our fondest memories was raking gigantic piles of leaves in the autumn.  Cindy and I were reminiscing about the joy of this day a few days ago.  It seems like yesterday we were those laughing little girls lost in the delight of a moment that has lasted a lifetime. 

A More Beautiful Sight



I was enjoying a perfect autumn afternoon mowing when I noticed that glorious yellow orange maple down the street and thought it was so beautiful.  It became so much more beautiful a few minutes later when my sister Cindy appeared walking beneath it.  God has blessed me with a wonderful family. 

To the outside world we all grow old.  But not to brothers and sisters. 

We know each other as we always were. 

We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. 

We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. 

We live outside the touch of time.  ~Clara Ortega


I saw myself today...in my Grands; children, nephews & nieces



A Good Play

We built a ship upon the stairs
All made of back-bedroom chairs,
And filled it full of soft pillows
To go a-sailing on the billows.

We took a saw and several nails,
And water in the nursery pails;
And Tom said, “Let us also take
An apple and a slice of cake,”
Which was enough for Tom and me
To go a-sailing on, till tea.

We sailed along for days and days,
And had the very best of plays;
But Tom fell out and hurt his knee,
So there was no one left but me.

Robert Louis Stevenson

How to motivate children to clean?  It seems to help if they have a vivid imagination and some initiative.  Then, let them find some disgusting shed, pontoon, pony cart or chicken coop and allow them to sneak a broom and buckets out, so they think they are getting away with something.  And then, leave them alone.  It’s very hard to do that because I want to join right in.  I can’t count how many times we did this when we were kids.  What fun it was to make a clubhouse in an old shed or dig something out of the dump and bring it back to life for the day! 

Well, the kids found Grandpa's pontoon and set to work cleaning it up so they could play in it.  No need to put it in water.  These boys were quite boat savvy as Eliah slams it into gear and Broedun shouts, "Hold on to your hats."  

Grandpa Dale was happy about the whole adventure.

 

Can you hear Broedun whistle while he works?
I believe Ava is just along for the ride this time.

 

"No."  declares Keyleigh.
She's 2 1/2 years old, can you tell?





"I'll spray.  You wipe."  says Eliah.
"Okay, but I think this spot is going to
need medical attention." responds Broedun.



 

Who knew 2-6 year olds could be so productive?



Captain Eliah getting it into gear
with his piece of birthday cake in hand.





This was just before Tom fell out and hurt his knee.
No wait, it was just before Soren got bonked on his beautiful nose.