Happy End of Summer

Wow!! This summer seems to have come and gone with it being August in a few days! I have been super busy with the house and wedding.  Our house is scheduled to move in a week and a half and should be done by the end of this week! It really is coming together and I cannot wait for it to be on the farm!! Here's a look at the kitchen! 

I have also spent a few weeks at home working on wedding decorations! It is only July, yes, but this fall is going to go way to fast to get all of this stuff done! I would give you a few sneak peek pictures......buuuuut......I think I will keep it a surprise!! :) You will just have to wait until the wedding!!

Farm Girl Tip #100: I hope you enjoy being in wedding decoration suspense!! Happy rest of the summer!!

Cutting Alfalfa

I haven't posted much lately for two reasons.  One- I have been on vacation, and Two- there really is not a whole heck of a lot going on.

However, right before we left for vacation I had quite an exciting job....cutting alfalfa for the first time!!

I was in Watertown for the day, taking the dogs to the kennel and spending some quality time with my mom.  Right after I had dropped the dogs off, my mom and I had to run a few errands before I headed back home.  While we were out, Logan called and told me he had no help for the rest of the night and that he had to cut, rake, and bale.  In the back of my mind I was thinking, there is no way he is going to be able to get all of this done before we leave! So..the nice person I am..offered to help, and Logan took me up on this!  So I dropped my mom off at home, headed back west, and an hour later I was out cutting alfalfa.

Farm Girl Tip # 99: If you offer to help out on the farm, expect to be put to work.  You just never know what you may get yourself into!! (Although I really didn't mind this job at all!!)

Peace and Freedom

My family and I spent the 4th of July week at Pickerel Lake staying in a cabin, fishing, being on the water, being with family and friends, and enjoying fireworks.  While we were here, we met a man who has experienced more than anyone could ever experience in their lifetime.  

This man was an 80 year old man who's name was Claus.  Claus came from Germany and carries an interesting story.  When Claus was 10 years old, a Nazi soldier came to his families door, asked if Claus was there, and took him to a Hitler youth camp to be a Youth Nazi.  Claus and many other 10 year old boys gathered at this camp and cried for a week because they missed their families.  The young boys were handed a gun and began training to become Nazi soldiers and to learn everything that Hitler had wanted his empire to become.  

One day towards the end of the war, Claus had seen Eisenhower and his army coming to "rescue him" by trying to destroy Hitler's empire.  Claus had seen all of this happen right before his eyes and told himself that one day he wanted to be like Eisenhower.  After the war was over, Claus went back to his home where the Nazi soldier had come to take him and found his house to be nonexistent and his parents living in a fox hole.  This is when Claus decided that he would move to the United States.  

Claus had a family member who lived in Salem, SD and that family member was willing to take Claus in and sponsor him.  At 19, Claus made his move to the United States.  Knowing no English, this was a very hard time.  After moving to the United States, Claus served in the Korean War under his Commander in Chief, who he had seen not too many years earlier, Eisenhower.  Claus created a great life for himself and his family, and still goes back to Germany every two years to visit his family.  The part that struck me with this man was when he pointed out his American Flag.

Claus flies his American Flag every single day because it is the only flag in the entire world that stands for Peace and Freedom.  When Claus lived in Germany there was no such thing as Peace and Freedom.  Living in the United States, you are given Peace and Freedom every single day of your life.  It is something that us as Americans take for granted because we know no different. Claus had become a youth Nazi at age 10, found his house destroyed and his family gone.  Claus never knew peace and freedom until he came to the United States.  It really made me think about what I have and how lucky I am to have what I have.  

Farm Girl Tip # 98: Do you appreciate what you have?  Peace and freedom. I am proud to say that I am an American!

Busy Busy Busy

Wow! It has been a busy summer and it's already half way over! So sad to think about!! It has been a little over a month since I have posted so let me update you on the house! We have tore the old house down, dug a new basement, poured walls, filled in around the house, and visited our new house being built!  It has been so busy that I haven't really had time to post anything!

Here are a few pictures of everything that has been going on!

Here is the basement completely dug.

Pouring the forms for the basement.

Concrete trucks in my yard.  This was not the only thing--we had bobcats, backhoes, vehicles.  You name it, we probably have had it! My potatoes in my garden even got run over from all of the vehicles! :(

Wall frames leaning against the basement.  Need to be put up straight and poured.

Pouring the basement walls and foundation.

Garage--ready for the floors to be poured.

Logan and I standing in front of our new house!

The inside of our house.  Tile floor is done. Working on trim work.

Laundry room counters and cabinets done!

Kitchen cabinets, counters, and island ready to be installed.

So there you go! It sure is coming along quite well! Like I said before, lots is happening and it is a very busy but exciting time!