Take Me to Your Leader

The Little Ones

They're all eyes and as cute as can be. You might think that Abbey left the barf on my wrist but Rush's guilt is written all over his face.

Dad's Birthday Gift

Paige, Eliora, Emma and Audrey had fun helping with the geocache.

Dad got a really cool present for his birthday this year from Ben and Tonia. His very own geocache.

They are duct taping it for protection from all the humidity and bugs.

As you can see it is well hidden...and we're not telling you where it is :-D

Sewing room

This is the before picture of Whitney's room. No, wait, this is the during picture of repainting Whitney's beautiful green room to to dull, blah light tan color.

This is mom's new sewing room, painted a light, clean color to delight all who enter.

Let My People Go

Let my toes go, too.

Nutmeg Cake

A certain 2 year old was helping me make Nutmeg cake. Recipe called for three eggs. The three sticks of butter and sugar were being creamed when we started adding the eggs one at a time. The first egg had a spot in it so I went to the sink to remove it. I turned around and the little one had egg white on her hands, saying "ewwww". When I asked where the egg was she smiled broadly saying it was in the mixer. Yep, I could hear the shell but I couldn't see any. When we poured the batter into the cake pan I saw it all on the bottom hoping none went with the batter into the pans.
The cake was for the Relief Society's Birthday Dinner. So on a post-it that said "Motherhood is not for wimps..." I added "Baked with the help of a two year old who added one egg. I got most of the shell out but the beaters did a great job."

Sewing Machine

August 2004
Becky and I had just pulled Grandma Smith's treadle sewing machine out of the garage where Mom had been storing it. Quite a bit of the veneer is damaged. Grandma had an electric motor put on it so the treadle foot is missing. There's a chance it could still be in the garage, if not, then it's buried about 10 feet under the Medical Clinic building at 420 Water St. in Webster City.





Feb 2008
Here it is taken apart and each wooden piece is being cleaned.










All the veneer had to be replaced and in some places, not only the veneer but the wood layers had to be rebuilt.









March 2008
The side of the cabinet is being rebuilt and clamped into place.












Before the finish was stripped off, there were places where you could see that the original finish looked like a golden oak color.

The Gang's All Here

That is, everyone except for Abbey, who insisted on finishing dinner first.