The Wood Pile

My Grandpa has cut wood and sold it to friends, and friends of friends by word of mouth since I can remember.

and The Wood Pile has always been this special place for our family.


"Have you been to the wood pile?"
"I got to go to the wood pile last weekend"

I remember going when I was about 8.
I got to ride in grandpas truck which smelled like oil, and gas.

Grandpa's are mysterious people (I think) to kids, especially granddaughters.
To me a silent strong force in a family. Men of few words.
Now, my Grandpa has a deep voice, rough hands, hands permanently stained from years of hard work and he is a man of God and I always felt I better watch myself, because I don't want to disappoint Grandpa!
My grandpa has his rocking chair that he is always in and of course its right next to the fire place and there is usually a bucket of peanuts to be found right next to it:)
Chasen loves to sit by the fire with grandpa. All of the babies loved it to! If you want your kid to sleep, wrap him up and hand him to my grandpa in his recliner by the fire:)

So, at age 8 riding in the truck with grandpa I was a little nervous, what is this wood pile and why is it so cool?
Grandpa and I listened to country music on our way out to the wood pile, I'm sure my mom or aunt and maybe even sister came with us, not sure who.
It was cold.
Grandpa talked to us about the farmer he worked for and our cousins houses as we passed them, and the farm land.
I don't remember much from the wood pile experience except for I helped stack the wood in the bed of the truck and pinched my finger and it hurt like hell, but I didn't want anyone to think I was a baby so I quietly went and sat in the truck holding my poor finger lol
I spent the rest of the time after that climbing on the wood piles and through the trees.

This year at Thanksgiving I got to take my family to the wood pile.
Grandpa, at the age of, I dont know what, 73? Still cuts, stacks and hauls loads of wood.



isnt that the coolest machine!!?

I think its a great place for my brother and now my son to go and learn what hard work is all about.
but for grandpa I think its a place of relaxation. He loves to do it!

It was really cool to think that I got to bring a 4th generation of family to the wood pile:)

Merry Christmas!!

We didn't send out Christmas cards, I just didn't get around to it.

but we did elf our "children" for your viewing pleasure!

and the grand kids on my side of the family including a guest appearance from D.J."cheeks"

Chores and Sledding

Chasen and I went outside Sledding this afternoon for about 20 min ;)
then he got cold.
That's exactly how I was as a kid. I hated being outside in the snow.



Plus they dont make very warm gloves for kids and that was his problem.
"my hands, my hands" and then he started to cry:(
so we came inside for some hot chocolate,

except for he didn't like his warm lol but the french vanilla marshmallows were a hit!

Ean is still sick so I have been doing chores for the past 3 days.
They aren't really that hard, but Im allergic to mold and dust and the hay is both moldy and dusty
so my allergies are awful.
but I like getting to spend time petting my mini petting zoo!
Here are some pic's of our ever growing mini brood!


Thats Lil John with the huge horns and on the right is Sir Boo Boo the bull.

here's Flash! Remember when he was just a tiny baby?!

and here is his mama Tina. She is pregnant again!

and maggie! I just love the winter bangs she has grown!

a goat with weird horns

and Rusty the one horned goat!


oh yes, and here is Tiny Tim and Ruby. They are ALWAYS together and away from the rest of the heard, I think they are dating, except Tiny Tim is "fixed" so she cheats on him with boo boo the bull. Or they are just BFF's

How many heads can we fit in this bucket.
When I go get the corn everyone goes wild. Someone even horned me in the butt!

here is where most of everybody sleeps. I had to spread the straw around, we do that about every 3 days or so. It keeps them warm, but thats the dusty part, shaking all the straw around is what gets me.
and of course Kevin, he's always out there eating poop! Who doesnt like a good frozen donkey turd thawing in their mouth?! I know what to put in Kevins stocking!!

Well I got all the presents wrapped even the santa ones and they are under the tree already lol
I guess Im just taking advantage of the fact that chasen doesn't quite get the concept. Next year I will be in stealth mode.
Chasen did tell me "santa tlause commin to town. He's watching you!" "you naughty"

A Week Untill Christmas!!

This weekend Ean ended up sick with the stomach flu. Is still sick, as a matter of fact. And you know nothing is worse then a sick husband ;) lol
We are bummed because we were supposed to go to the big Hinnah Christmas tomorrow, but as much as we would love to see our very extended family, we dont want to share our germs with you(you're welcome!)

So, since Chasen and I feel good, we decided to meet up with Jess and Alana and go to the Childrens Museum!
(alana and chasen flying)


there was rock climbing

and these cool flower pots and a huge garden that Jess and I wanted to play with


driving the ambulance!

Chasen was most interested in the Hockey!! He actually didnt want to go to the museum and kept talking about hockey. and when we got home Ean asked him what he did this afternoon and he said watch hockey.
which was true but only for a tiny bit.
I may have to get this kid in skating lessons next year....although hockey is an expensive sport.
Its at the mall and I have a very strick rule that I avoid the mall from Nov 24th until around the second week of Jan.
But, I broke the rules and we had a good time:)
we went early and the crowd and crazy people werent so bad, but when we left Chasen and I shopped a little bit, we were already there, so I figured why not?!
well, Ill tell you why not... WAY TO MANY PEOPLE!!
chasen was so so so good though, I was shocked.
The parking lot was the worst, A van (go figure) almost backed up into me, they didnt even look!! I laid on the horn and they stopped just inches short of hitting us, had they hit us I would have had several witnesses to say it wasn't my fault!


We came home, took naps and then I made lots and lots of cookies and bars Smores Bars!


while Chasen destroyed the living room

We haven't been home on a weekend in a long time and I forgot how much of a mess he can make, with his toys, I know he can make a mess with in seconds.... the egg incident comes to mind...

Christmas at Our House

yes the stockings are full already but that's because chasen doesn't know all about santa yet.
but i did get separate (Thomas the train) wrapping paper for Santa.
next year i will have to be more secretive!
we have 2 trees this year
our normal tree

and the cornhawksker (i like this better then cornhawk) tree!



its 8pm and chasen just asked for a tookie and dad gave him one, then chasen passed out a cookie to both ean and I and asked us to 'nuggle with him.
how could we resist!
the kid hasn't been sleeping anyway. every night this week he has been up until 11.
the extra sugar should help;)

Videos of Chasen

sorry they are all orange tinted, if you know anything about cameras and how to fix it let me know!


Here is Chasen Singing Rudloph The Red Nose Reindeer


Twinkel Twinkle Little Star and the ABC'she was acting goofy because then he would get to watch himeslf and he would laugha nd laugh at himself acting silly

Counting with Chasen:


and here we talk about the egg mess he made