Here is a recent, well, almost up to the minute photo of me and the kids. This was taken about half an hour before I loaded it on to my blog.

Greetings from Ruth and the Liew Crew

Good Morning Everyone! I am finally putting another update! Sorry I haven't posted any stories recently. Working on that!

Hi All! Ok that computer deal didn't work out. Still working with the dinosaur. Maybe later this fall I will get a computer. We'll see. ANYWAY... My sis in law recently asked for pics of myself. She said she has seen pics of the kids but not me. Ok, ok, so here is one. I kinda like this picture. Ellie took this when we had first moved into the trailer (so it isn't a new picture. But I look the same! Except my hair is lighter now.) Here is a little more recent photo: (Does this really look like me? My kids don't like this one much. My nose looks like a huge schnazzle!)

What other news.... school will be starting soon. OR it feels like soon. I guess it is one more month yet. Summer has gone by really quick because I have spent quite alot of it at work. I have another pic to share. Here are the kids with their cousins at my brother's place. Heidi took the pic:

Guess Ellie thought she might slip off the hood. Or maybe she was just being goofy. They spent the day together because Heidi watched the kids while I was at work that day.

In new news, it looks like Henry and Caleb might get to go to tadika (preschool) together after all this fall. I wasn't sure I could do it and also work. Between family members we have a tentative plan worked out.

(I wish I could find a better picture of the two of them!)

I hope that the next post will be a story or a joke list. Until then, have a wonderful week and God Bless! Love, Ruth and the Crew

Another Dis Jointed Update!

Hi Everyone! I have had time to update all of you, but have a serious hardware problem with the computer! Though the internet is hooked up it rarely works. So I don't usually have the patience to work with it. But it is saturday night, I am completely worn out after working hard all day on the farm, so here I sit!

First and foremost, Ellie had a birthday! Happy birthday sweethart; 7 years old already. She is learning and growing every day. We had a birthday party with kids at daycare earlier in the day and then in the evening with family. Ellie loves her daycare lady. This is the evening party and the cake was made by my mother. Ellie got books for her birthday this year. She is so excited about it because they are "chapter books" or bigger, more in depth reading than beginning books.

It is truly summer around here. Days are hot. On this day, we filled the pool with water and let the kids loose in it. I think the cows were envious (look in the background).

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Ok, I am already having computer problems. I have to stop there. I had about 6 more photos I wanted to get up! Well, this won't last forever. But I have to make this computer do until my sis can get here and pass her old laptop my way. Until then, posts will be sporadic....but I will try to get those pics on soon!

In place of the pictures, here are a few lines:

-my housebuilding project is slowly coming together. I have nailed every nail (ok, Dad did a few. I did most!) I have subfloor, three walls and windows and doorspaces in. Next will be roof, then floor, then heater, then final wall. When I get that far, I can think about how the interior should be finished.

-Summer is fun, kids are brown as biscuits and happy as larks. We have lots of space to roam and run about. No closed in/space problems here, no lack of activity. We hardly remember how to turn the tv on anymore.

-Summer is when extended family come for visiting. This summer we will see Lee & Carmen (fishing buddies, cousins), Joyce and Paul, Duane and Caroline (all Mom's family), and also Glen (on Dad's side). Unfortunately they are in town to bid goodbye to a cousin who passed away from leukemia. At least we know John is at eternal rest with Jesus, no more crying, no more pain there.

-Grandma seems to be feeling much much better recently. More energy is coming back to her after cancer treatments and everything. It takes a long time to feel ok again. Chemo is not for wimps.

-Granny is also doing better. After the last hospitalization, she went to a nursing home. She gained strength enough that she is back to her own space. Wonderful news for her! It was hard work, so we are proud of her.

--Our garden is growing! Lots of cabbage, onions, broccoli, tomatoes, marigolds, zinnia, beets, radish, turnips, pumpkin, squash, and even a watermelon vine. I spent yesterday in the garden with a hoe. You might think it is tiring (well, ok, it is) but mostly I enjoy it.

-I did alot today. I moved 189 2x6's, 15 sheets of 3/4" plywood, mowed the grass in and out of the fences and then mowed some more. I took a break from real work, and cleaned toilets and a spare bedroom (my sister is coming home soon!) then spiffied up mom's living room and cleaned up after the kids (will they EVER learn to clean up?) Somewhere in there I made lunch and supper and played swimming pool with the kids and mentally solved several problems (but didn't make alot of real headway on them). I am a little tired, so I think will sign off here!

God Bless and keep busy! --Ruth

Great Ideas

Check this out! http://www.safekids.org/ and follow the link to the country nearest you (or your country).

Most of the last post and this one are my own take on jokes in books by Barbara Johnson. Worth checking out, folks!

Two small cousins were at a wedding. The older one quietly and discreetly turned and asked the man next to her what was going on in the front.
"They are now saying their vows" whispered the man.
The little girl dutifully passed this news on to her cousin.
"They are now saying their A E I O Us" she explained.

Little folks always make Christmas programs fun. Last year four proud, dressed up little girls in our church stood in front of everyone and happily held up their three foot high cardboard letters to spell Christmas words:
R A T S

hAVE A GREAT DAY!

Lotsa Laffs!

Ok, here are a few fun jokes. Some of you know my sense of humor can be off.... oh well. I thought these were hilarious.

An old country vet was called way out into the sticks to help with calving trouble. When he got there, no one was in the farm yard except the cow, the old farmer and his young grandson.
After a few pulls, the calf was born, but he wasn't breathing well, so the vet gave him a gentle kick in the rear.
"You better give him another, sir," the little grandson said, "since he should'a never crawled up there in the first place!"

If a big person is mad at you, and says "Do I look stupid to you???" my best advice to all kids: don't answer.

A young girl's one and only question after her first funeral: "Mommy, why did they put nice Mrs. Johnson in that big jewelry box?"

You might be a mother IF the phrase "we need to change the world" leads you to remembering you neglected to get another package of diapers last time you went grocery shopping....

A young boy, who already had one younger brother, looked at his mommy's swelling tummy and, frowning, stated the following:
"I hope that isn't my birthday present."

Dennis the Menace: "My Dad's a pretty good driver. My Mom is his coach."

If women ran the world:
The hem on men's pants would go up or down depending on the economy.
Men who design women's shoes would be made to wear them.
All toilet seats would be nailed down.

There are several theories on how to argue with us women. NONE OF THEM actually work.

HOPE YOU LAUGH TODAY!

Suddenly Spring is Here

Just when I got too busy to notice....Spring in all her glorious splendor appears.

Henry in a tender moment with a little friend of his. They spend quite alot of quality time together.

Flowers and Babies. Yup. I love it.

Apple Blossom. (BTW, my great grandfather planted this tree. It is in my front yard.)

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Wild violets. These little dainties grow prolifically all over the hills in mid Spring.

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Here are a few of Spring's finest productions getting a little mama love. This is my Dad's cat Crackerjack. She had 5 babies in the bathroom. Then she moved them under Mom's bed. Well, that is where they will stay until the nights are warmer, then they will all go outside to grow up.

What would the world be without flowers and little ones......

Have a blessed Spring!

Update with pictures

This is what we are driving these days.

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AND We got the red van back! Remember...it blew its head gasket? Smoked to beat all, couldn't drive it home, finally she locked up...remember? Well, that day, Dad's good friend who hunts our land towed it at no cost as a favor. Then, she sat all winter because we couldn't find an engine and not sure if we have the time to really pull it. Then, bad luck, Ben ran into the mailman, parked just over the rise, and totaled Mom's car. So, Dad's friend Palen pulled the engine and transplanted it in the Chilli Pepper. Total cost, $300 USD, plus $77.00 for 6 months insurance and some nominal cost for road tax stickers. So hey, we've all been driving it now-mostly Dad, so he can get to his Gideon church services looking sharp (compared to his old pickup). Oh, and Ben, when he is going dating for the evening.

Ellie at Easter. I really meant to post this awhile ago! Life has been BUSY!

All the kids at Easter. They are at my mother's house just starting to explore the baskets she made for them. We went to church twice (which the kids were not keen on); later that day we had a big Easter meal with Ham and lots of family members visiting. We spent the afternoon playing kiddie baseball.

A few days later, Dad hit and damaged the electric wire while unloading the log truck. We were glad he didn't break it; but he did stretch it, and TEC had to send this truck and these guys out to fix it. It was not the worst situation ever, since the milking was already done, the power did not go completely out, and it mainly affected just one supplemental line leading to my house, not the main house.

I am hoping this back deck, which we built last summer, can be converted into a three season room. Hopefully, mostly with materials we already have, and hopefully before the end of the summer....

And that's all until next time!

Have a peaceful day!