It’s another sunny morning here on the Knolltop, but not warm enough to wear shorts….yet.

Yesterday there were some comments on whether I was a working mom or not. It’s funny, if you count up the hours I spend in the barn doing chores….it does add up and could be considered a job. But since I don’t have to shower, put on make up and dress in business attire, I don’t consider it a job. Especially since I just walk across the road to work. Actually, it’s become more of a physical work out and if I don’t do it, then I can’t eat like a horse! Not only can I wear garage sale clothing, I get to spend quality time arguing with my husband while we make a living together. Plus, my children get to work along side of us…they love that! NOT!

So, all in all, I still consider myself a stay at home mom. I really have the best of both worlds…..am I spoiled or what?!

And these FFA ties…an instructional page on how to tie a tie in the FFA handbook! That’s priceless! But needed for a bunch of farm boys who never had to wear a tie except on Easter and Christmas!

In JW’s defense…he knows how to tie a tie…..he just doesn’t like to! His father taught both of the boys how to properly make a knot!

Better get going….more writing to do!

It is a cool, kind of cloudy, kind of sunny day here on the Knolltop.

I’m finally going to be home all day today. I really don’t know how all of you working women do it! I was away from the farm for three hours on Tuesday and Wednesday and I feel so behind the eight ball! I’ve got a full slate today of things to get done and because I was gone, it seems very overwhelming. How do women who leave at 7 am and get home at 4 pm keep their households running? All I can think of is the laundry they must have to do each night….and the meals they have to cook without the benefit of being home all day long to procrastinate the preparation! I guess they are really good at delegating their duties to the rest of the family and they have to be great time managers.

Tonight is the Spring concert at the school. Luke and Sarah will be performing. You know what that means? I have to make sure their black pants and white shirts are neatly starched and pressed. And that I find the black socks. I think Luke is required to wear a tie also.

Speaking of ties….this morning at breakfast we were looking at the picture of the new Region 2 officer team. JW looked it over and said, “My tie looks the best.” To which I replied, “It better, you had the only clip on FFA tie there!” He smiled his big smile at me and I just shook my head. I can’t believe they make clip on FFA ties! And furthermore that JW traded his regular FFA tie in for a clip on. In fact, as I remember he didn’t trade it in…I think he stole it from a Junior High FFA member after the State Convention… claiming he had seniority!

Better keep going!

Good Morning from a windy, cool Knolltop.

It was a busy day yesterday as I left to teach 5th and 6th grade students about Conservation. First, I was late…why? Because I’m terrible at managing my time! Then I had to extend my lesson because one of the schools didn’t sign up. So I had the kids longer than I had expected…so what did I do? Dairy promotion of course! I talked about the benefits of dairy products. And those kids are so great….they love dairy products! So it was very easy to promote to a group who loves what you produce.

When I got home, I warmed up leftovers for dinner and Bobby headed for the game while Luke and I headed to the barn and Sarah headed for volleyball practice. After chores, I picked Sarah up and dropped Jake off for baseball practice. Because it had been a day of running….I treated myself to some ice cream while I watched Jake’s practice. Ice cream always makes things better.

JW’s game was delayed by lightening for a while, but they ended up winning. After JW’s game, Bobby came to Jake’s practice…you see..he loves baseball and is willing to watch any kind of baseball….practice….a game in town…a game on the TV….whatever. As soon as he got home and everyone got into bed what were we watching on TV? Baseball, of course!

Since I have to go teach about conservation again today during my nap time….I took a nap this morning…boy did that feel good! Now, I’ll hop on the treadmill for a little bit then head back into town to teach kids how pizza is made from dirt!

Good Morning from the residence of the newly elected President of the Michigan FFA Region 2!

Yes, JW was elected President yesterday and was quite excited about it. He called me on his way home from camp to tell me..that was how excited he was. When they got home, he told me all about the speeches and even recited his….of course he hadn’t written it down or anything it was all impromptu…but what I heard was very good. I’m so proud of him!

Luke gave me the run down of who won what…and most importantly, who he has recruited for his 3 on 3 basketball team for next years camp! Of course, that means that all those boys have to be elected as officers in their own FFA chapter in order to be there. I don’t think he cares about those details, he just will not lose to a team of girls again!

Jake and I got the lawn mowed and trimmed yesterday. He mowed when he was not riding with Mr. Darvan on the planter. They planted beans yesterday and yes, my garden is all tilled up and ready to plant.

Today I will go to the fairgrounds and teach a bunch of elementary students how pizza comes from dirt. The local NRCS hosts this day and I’ve been recruited to teach. It will be fun.

Then JW has a game, Sarah and Jake have practice, so Luke and I will hold down the fort and ….oh yeah…milk the cows!

Good Morning from the sunny Knolltop.

The house feels empty without the two older boys here. But I do have to say, it’s peaceful.

Yesterday at FFA officer training camp, the boys were in the 3 on 3 basketball tournament and from what I hear, it wasn’t pretty. They lost to a team of freshman girls. Luke fouled out….but of course, according to him, the girls got all the calls! I guess this girls team took out a few teams of boys and were going to be in the finals last night. It’s good to be humbled every once in a while.

They had invited me to the banquet for an award. When I got there, I sat with the North Adams group and we had a very nice dinner. After dinner they gave out Honorary degrees and guess who earned herself another one! Yes, the girl who was never in FFA in school now has a Honorary Degree from Michigan Region 2 and from Stryker, Ohio! And I didn’t have to give a speech, memorize a creed, learn parlimentary procedure or study about global trade!

When I left the camp they were getting ready for a rousing game of Capture the Flag and then a hotdog roast. Today they will elect officers, JW has to give a speech…I guess a campaign speech for running for President. I’d love to be there to hear it. He didn’t know he had to give one until last night. He’s better on a deadline anyway.

Better get breakfast for Sarah and Jake!

Good Sunday Morning! It’s clear and cool here on the Knolltop and the big boys are getting ready to head to FFA Regional Officer camp. All the officers from each FFA chapter in our region gather at a campgrounds and do training stuff for two days. Now, I’m not sure what 3 on 3 basketball tournaments have to do with officer training, but that’s all I’ve heard about for a week.

Luke is worried because the boys on their officer team aren’t the star basketball players and of course, Luke wants to win the tournament. It doesn’t matter if it’s the NCAA championship game or go fish…Luke wants to win! As I sit here listening to them talk about the camp in the other room, they are strategizing their game.

From what I’ve read, they will be electing their Region 2 officers at this camp. JW is slated for President, if he doesn’t get it then he will be Vice President. He doesn’t know that yet….it’s a secret…but like Bobby, JW doesn’t read this blog either! He went through the interview process last weekend to be an officer. I’m excited for him.

Yesterday was another busy day. After chores, Luke, Sarah and I left for her volleyball tournament, JW went to work for the neighbor, Jake stayed home so he could go to baseball practice while Bobby stayed home to go to the hay sale.

We watched Sarah play a few games and then headed back home so I could get ready to go to a Ladies Tea. I was the featured speaker. My good friend Sue and I, donning our bestest tea outfits headed for the event. It was a great time visiting with other women and enjoying their fellowship, not to mention the wonderful goodies. A table filled with pies, cookies, bars, fruit and chocolate was heavenly!

After the tea, we came back home, I headed for the barn and after chores, Sarah and I sat and watched “Sarah Plain and Tall.”

Today we have no basketball games, no volleyball games….we actually get to go to church and then home for a Sunday afternoon nap! But, right now, I’m headed to the treadmill….too many treats yesterday!

The first day of May and it’s gonna be a good one here on the Knolltop. It’s forecasted to be sunny and 70. I still have to get a new belt for the mower. I made the trip to TSC last night with my three boys…yes…all three of them were with me, no practice, no games, no parties, no nothing…they were all with me! And boy have I learned to appreciate the time spent with them. They are so much fun to have around!

After looking through 677 belts I came to the conclusion they didn’t have my size. So I have to go to a dealer today and get one which means it will be more expensive…of course. After TSC we headed to the grocery store and then we just had to get ice cream at the Udder Side. Life is good when you’re licking a scoop of Moose Tracks while driving down the road laughing at the antics of three boys that you absolutely love so much you would lay down your life for!

Where was Sarah you ask? She didn’t want to come…she didn’t have any money and really didn’t have anything she needed to get. Plus an hour without her brothers is an hour of total serenity!

Today is column writing day…and boy have I got some good news! I called Jim Massey, the editor at The Country Today, a farm weekly in Wisconsin and asked if he would like to buy my column. After much thought…and listening to all my best sales pitches….he finally relented to give me a try! He said he would try me for a few weeks and see if anyone liked it. So I’m hoping someone up in Wisconsin will read it, like it and contact him!

It’s a very sunny morning here, but looks are deceiving…it’s 29 degrees out this morning! I had to dig out my union suit to milk cows! It’s almost May for heaven’s sake! Al, this global warming is killing me!

It was a pretty typical day yesterday of trying to get things done, being interrupted and then not accomplishing what I had planned. After running errands, I was back home and gaining when I heard the front door open, that’s always a bad sign when the front door opens. That means whatever it is that I’m working on will be put on hold in order to solve a problem. Yesterday one of those problems was the need for a special socket that I guess he thought was in my tool box. Now tell me, how often do I use sockets in cooking or baking? I don’t remember the last time I even used a socket. But those tools have been known to grow legs and walk across the road and into my house. Nope…I had no socket. Sorry

As I got back into my work….a call on the cell phone. I hate cell phones! “Can you come help me a minute?” Of course, I can! I walked across the road, hopped in the skidsteer and began raising and lowering it at command. Up, just a little…..no….too much…what? What did you say? I can’t hear you…I said DOWN! GO DOWN JUST A LITTLE! Oh, okay….that’s good….that’s good….HEY! THAT’S GOOD! STOP! You know the routine.

By the time I got back in, it was time to hit the nonstop treadmill of making dinner, picking up kids, feeding kids, changing clothes, milking cows, changing clothes and finally getting to the baseball game in the 4th inning. It was worth it though, JW pitched well and they won.

Jake had baseball practice after the game…although I didn’t go, from what I heard from Luke and Bobby, it was an hour of comic relief. I guess you can attribute that to lots of little kids without a clue and a bunch of dads who think they are raising the next Derek Jeter.

Because my tractor hadn’t been run since Christmas day, it wasn’t feeling up to being started. So, Bobby pulled it out of the barn for me so they could stand around it for the pictures.

I had them all stand backwards so we could see the school name on their jackets. But now that I look at the picture…my tractor got lost in all the bodies!

Then we went down the Mr. Darvan’s house and took pictures in front of one of his big tractors. Now you can see why Jake loves to ride with Rodney and Mr. Darvan…who wouldn’t love to ride in that monster all day long?They are a cute bunch of officers are they? I love those kids!

Well, JW has a game today at home and Jake will start his baseball practice….he’s so excited.

Better get to work!