The Whole Truth About The Summer...

I haven't blogged since May.  How is this even possible?!?  Well, it was recently brought to my attention by two readers that they had checked my blog and noticed I haven't been updating.  Let me start off by saying what I said to them: "I had been too busy all summer long and sometimes it was really hard to find something good to say."  As some of you may know, Farmer and my two daughters were involved in a bad ATV accident this summer which resulted in nine days in the hospital and daily trips to doctor appointments.  Everything turned out way better than we could have hoped for and we feel so blessed as a family to have gotten thru a major injury to our oldest daughter.  We are closer now as a family than ever.  It's funny how really scary times can break you or make you.  Happy to say they taught us many valuable lessons along the way {not to mention the AMAZING doctors, nurses, and caregivers we met thru it all!}  Here is a little peek at what we were dealing with:

*This photo is not for the faint of heart*

 Heaven only remembers how many staples there were!

 One of those amazing doctors I was telling you about.  Makenna's surgeon, Dr. Mansuetta.

Finding the fun where you can.

I think Makenna ended up having five surgeries total, including a skin graft to her right let.  You wouldn't even know it now by the way she moves around.

This summer also had it's fair share of other "storms".

This is what was left of our crops after a devastating hail storm came thru Kearney County on the evening of July 9, 2014.  

I also learned earlier on that same day that my sweet Grandma went to be with the Lord.  It was a hard day to say the least.  

Needless to say, we didn't make it to the county fair {a highlight to our summer}to show either cattle or horses. We also had to say goodbye to this sweet pony, Jack.  He died after a round of colic in late May.

Okay.  Enough of the recap.  Just wanted to get back to blogging and fill in the gap as to where I've been for the last four months!  

The girls started school.  {Third and Sixth Grade} and are loving it!

I've been running them to piano lessons, singing practice for the NCDA program and to Awana on Wednesday nights. 

 Farmer got the cows home, calves sold, and mama's preg checked.  I did a cake here or there and have kept the freezer filled with cookies. 

 All is well.  I just finally decided to "talk" about last summer.  We are so glad it's fall and our lawn is filled with pretty leaves and we have pumpkins and gourds decorating the deck.  Fall is my absolute favorite time of year and I am so glad it's October {for a few more days!} We celebrated two October birthdays and are making our Halloween plans.  Which brings me to what I really wanted to post.  This info I found on Pinterest that was originally posted on Echoes of Laughter on Monday, November 1, 2010.  I originally pinned the clipboard idea for teacher gifts

 but really liked what she had to say before the clip board how-to.  Read for yourself:

Organizing For Christmas

I really like her November goals, and although I'm not going to decorate by November 13th, I see real value in that and the other tips so that when December arrives {and it will...all too soon!} you can sit back and relax.  

So that was a really long story but I finally got around to what I was going to say!  Anyway, thanks for checking in on me and a big thank you to everyone who helped us get thru this summer with visits, cards, kind words, phone calls and texts, meals and prayers.  We're so thankful for all of the friends and family we have near and far.  

Happy Fall from my Home Sweet Home to yours!

xo, 

Nikki