Farm Naps

The snow hasn't flown yet, so it's okay that I'm recapping summer, right? 

VBS

VBS always kicks off the summer for us in the first week of June. I took pictures again, which is always a blast. It's probably one of the kids' favorite weeks of the year! 

Carver spent the week in the nursery, but I don't think he hardly noticed since he napped for several hours each morning. 

Macklin graduated from the nursery and was able to take part in so many fun things. He had a hard time with me coming in and out for photos, but nothing a few breath-holding-spells couldn't fix. (Yes, we're still doing that.)

It was great week at Keepers of the Kingdom! 

Valentine 

Each June, usually over Father's Day, we try to sneak up to Valentine and the Refuge Lakes for a few days. The month of May through the first couple weeks of June is the craziest time of the year farm-wise. Weeks of pre-season work, planting, cultivating, and flaming make for long days. As soon as we hit the tiniest window of opportunity, we load up the boat and the fishing poles for Cherry County.

Fish aren't the only thing we catch - Trevin nabbed a turtle this year in his net!

Since it was Father's Day weekend, each kid got to spend a little bit of one-on-one time with James fishing. Myla pulled in a catfish on her evening fishing with Dad. Trevin got up early one morning to walk the kayaks into a different lake and had a lot of success with the bass! 

The cooler days were spent fishing, but the hottest day gave us a chance to do some tubing. The kids are always stoked when they can get bounced behind the boat for awhile.

Besides boating, we spent some time playing in the sand and entertained ourselves at the campground. 

Myla and I played endless games of garbage and I taught her how to play speed, too. This was our favorite way to pass the time when the baby needed a nap. The kids made laps around the campground at the end of each day on their bikes. In the evening, we also tossed the frisbee, roasted marshmallows, and cleaned our fish from the day.

A friend let us borrow their camper to use for the weekend. We were so thankful! It was convenient to stay right near all of our favorite fishing holes, instead of having to drive back into town each night. It was close quarters for six of us, but be managed. Sleeping arrangements seemed to change every night. It was an experience, to say the least! The first 24 hours had a hard learning curve, but when we settled in, we all did much better. It was nice to be able to make meals right there and have all the supplies we needed to make the weekend a success.

Until next year, Valentine.

4th of July

We love our 4th of July traditions involving lots of family, loads of food, and plenty of loud bangs. 

Baby cousins!

It was Carver's first 4th of July and he slept through the firework show with ease.

We always take an afternoon to light our own fireworks. Every year I'm amazed at the restraint that James lacks when we walk into the firework stand. That wise, frugal, no-nonsense husband of mine disappears for a half-hour every year to celebrate Independence Day, and we walk to the car with bags of fireworks under or arms. It is certainly a worthy cause to celebrate, but blowing things up isn't exactly my most favorite way to do it - but with 4 boys in this house now, blowing things up is just part of who we are I guess.

Red Rocks

James and I tagged along with Ashton and JT to Red Rocks in July. It was a quick trip, drove down on Saturday morning, concert Saturday night, and back home Sunday. A huge thanks to my parents for keeping all 5 kids! 

I've had Red Rocks on my dream list for years, and seeing Wilder Woods and Avett Brothers there fulfilled every bit of the hype. James isn't typically a concert guy, but he really enjoyed the show and we both admitted it probably ruined all other concerts for us. The venue was breath-taking.

An epic show on a Colorado summer night.

Carver's 1st Birthday

Our baby is ONE!

We celebrated Carver with the sweetest little popcorn party in July. 

I only bought one giant popcorn box, but they accidentally sent me two. It might have been a little (or a lot) excessive, but it was his first birthday and look how cute he is! This was no mistake. It was meant to be.

Trevin actually came up with the idea to have Carver sit in one of the boxes. Brilliant. 

I told James that surely there was a way we could write off a giant popcorn box, since we're popcorn farmers... right?! Like he could have a booth at a farm show. Or we could fill it with our own popcorn for a "customer" appreciation event. Yeah, no. 

Just know that you haven't seen the last of these boxes.

A popcorn party can't be complete without a popcorn bar

Carver loved his little bike and scoots around the house on it daily.

It's hard to imagine a year has gone by since we laid eyes on this chubby baby for the first time. He has been the sweetest gift and the happiest little guy. Just when I think my heart is at capacity, it miraculously multiplies. The love I have for these babes under our care is beyond comprehension.

Happy birthday, Carver Stockham. You are a treasure. My dear baby. My son. My love.

Helms Visit

We love having time with James' cousins each summer on their visit to the farm!

The kids grow each year, but so do the memories.

Lake

Our favorite place to be in the summer is at the lake. It's even better with friends.

You never know what might happen when it's the moms' turn to tube. Actually you do know - so much laughing and probably a sore muscle or two.

Sometimes it's fun at a lake house, and sometimes it's fun on a redneck yacht club. (And by redneck yacht club, I mean a pontoon, a ski boat, and a fishing boat tied together.) 

We didn't get the boat out as much as we would have liked this summer, but we made the most of it when we had the time. 

Summer Things

Summer days brought plenty of park time.

We made it to three different pools this summer, which was a record for Mom Megan. 

Myla and Mack took lessons this year and Mack surprised me with how well he did. The first day or two took a little adjustment, but otherwise he did great!

Days at home allowed us to enjoy the shared produce from friends and family. Our gardening is very minimal and poor. I did a few pots of vegetables and herbs this year, but nothing that we cared for super well. Some day, friends. Some day. But for now we're grateful to take the surplus offered to us from our people. Myla and Mack were able to help harvest Mimi's garden one day. It was quite a haul!

I'm also still baking sourdough bread regularly. I realized I had baked over 100 loaves in 10 months. I only know this because I ran through my bread bags and had to reorder! (Whenever I bake, I always make 4 loaves. We usually keep 2-3 and I give the other 1-2 away. Making 2 loaves or making 4, doesn't add a ton of extra work. So we haven't personally consumed 100 loaves of sourdough in 10 months.)

Cousin time!

One afternoon I had my niece and my nephew, which meant I had a full car! 

Days with friends are always a hit. For me and for the kids.

I was able to help celebrate Emily's birthday by taking our first pottery class. It was harder than it looked, and our handleless mugs turned into tiny salsa dishes, but fun nonetheless. Technically I could probably use mine for a shot of espresso and it would work perfectly. But certainly not a latte.

Motorcycles became a big part of our summer. Trevin got a bigger bike, as did Myla, so it was typical to hear the motors running around the house throughout the day and evening. 

These farm kids don't know how good they have it.

James and I celebrated our 12th anniversary this year. A dozen years packed full of the dearest memories. Every season with him is a total joy. He's our steady in the chaos. He makes marriage so easy.

As James' birthday approached this year, I asked him what he wanted to do and what he wanted me to make. (The past several years he's wanted to spend his birthday fishing, so we've loaded up the fam onto the boat all day.) He was still drowning in farm work, so this year he asked if we could rogue a field as a family. And the birthday boy gets what he wants. So we spent the morning pulling weeds. Then he requested a peanut-butter-and-jelly with the crunchiest peanut butter and the brownest bread, pickles, and a glass of milk on ice. (Insert eye roll here. That is the most James-like summer meal ever.) I told him he could have that for lunch, but that I was going to grill salmon for supper and make cookies and homemade ice cream. He can't resist licking the homemade ice cream off of the spatula. 

Happy birthday, babe. 33 never looked so good.

Stockham BBQ - the annual end to summer.

And of course, the state fair. Long story short, this is a picture of us on the Sky Tram. I had zero intention of taking my 1-year-old on a ski lift ride several stories above the ground without any restraints, but it all happened so fast. James was going to take the three big kids, but they couldn't all fit together. Myla had to go with an adult, because she wasn't tall enough to ride with Trev. That put Trevin by himself. Then the operator told me I could ride with Trevin and he'd let us go down and back (which was not allowed) for free since we had a stroller we had to leave. Next thing I know, I'm being shuttled onto the bench and my feet are off of the ground. I clung to Carver, looked at Trevin and said, "What are we doing?!" 

I don't typically have anxiety about much. But that. That was a new level of anxiety. We managed really well on the first leg of the ride. Carver just took it in, checking out all the sights. But by the time we turned around to come back, he started getting restless. I guarantee I was white-knuckling him and the bar the entire ride. Trevin and I did our best to distract him, but I was sweating profusely by the time the ride ended. That one lapse in judgement likely stole a couple years from my life. But we made it. A survival story.

James' sister got married! It was the sweetest celebration. I shed more than a couple tears, which was problematic because I played photographer one more time. (Before you ask, I'm still retired and have plenty of talented friends I can send you to. :) This was my gift to them.)

There were so many special moments that day, but they're not mine to share - so here's a few family photos to give you a taste of the day. 

You might notice my two youngest are not pictured. That was intentional. Since I was taking the photos, we opted to get a sitter for them. It helped the day go smoothly and took one worry off of my plate. Macklin ended up joining us late at the reception and got to run with cousins for an hour or so.

School

The 2023-2024 school year is underway!

Macklin: Preschool

Myla: 2nd grade

Trevin: 6th grade

Year 4 has brought a comfortable confidence in what we're doing. I feel like we've passed the transition period into homeschooling, and now we're rolling in our routine and making the most of our days.

Between everything going on - some days preschool with Macklin takes a backseat. I was fighting a little guilt with this one week, when Myla and Macklin came up from playing in the basement to show me what they had been doing. She had the idea to do a rainbow/cloud craft with him and they practiced colors while they did it. I was totally oblivious to their work in the basement, but it was a sweet nudge from the Lord in that moment.

The best big sis.

A couple things look a little different for us this year. We're meeting up with a few families to tackle some subjects/activities together. It's not necessarily something I was looking for, but I've already seen the benefit that it's had. Plus, the kids are having loads of fun and learning so much. (Trevin has suddenly become a much more dedicated writer, now that it's more than Mom reading his papers.) 

It's been such a joy for us all!

Zoo

There are one million reasons we love homeschooling, but the family day trips are towards the top of that list! We made a trip to the Henry Doorly Zoo this fall and called it family fun and school for the day.

We asked each person what one thing or animal they wanted to see - Trevin wanted to do the Kingdoms of the Night with the crocs, Myla wanted to walk through the rainforest, Macklin wanted to see the tigers, and James and I both wanted to get to the aquarium. We focused on those things first and saw plenty more. 

We missed the zoo last year, so this was Macklin's first time really being able to take it in. 

We realized this was the third aquarium we had been to in a year. We went to the Shedd in Chicago last December, and then stopped at Johnny Morris' Wonders Of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, MO when we went to Big Cedar Lodge in February. The fish have us hooked! 

Minnesota

Midsummer, James and I started throwing around the idea of taking a trip in September between irrigating and harvest. It took us awhile to land on where we wanted to go and what we wanted to do. We love our family trip in the winter, but it really limits our options because of the cold weather. We've got to go pretty far to be able to enjoy time outdoors with the littles. So we were excited about the thought of changing it up and doing something closer when the weather was nice. 

James is quite possibly the least touristy guy out there, wanting to steer clear of any major cities or people in general. I, on the other hand, like the big things: the once-in-a-lifetime experiences, the top destinations and epic attractions. Needless to say, we weren't exactly on the same page. We ended up booking lake house in Minnesota for a week. We hooked up the boat, threw in a couple kayaks, and hit the road for Farm Island Lake.

While it wasn't exactly what I had in mind for our family getaway, I couldn't complain about getting the boat out one last time before the season ended. 

The weather ranged from chilly to warm, and we ran into some rain. We actually got caught in the middle of the lake in a rainstorm that came out of nowhere. Thankfully, I had randomly thrown in a big waterproof blanket. Carver, Myla, and I huddled under the blanket to stay warm and dry. Trevin was curled up under a jacket, and Macklin found refuge in the tiny nook under the steering wheel. James sped us back to shore, getting pelted with rain the entire way. It was a whole thing. Totally comical. I was laughing uncontrollably the entire journey back. It was just one of those moments that could have been super annoying, but instead we giggled, even though most of us ended up drenched by the time we reached the house.

The fishing picked up the longer we were there. One of my wishes for the trip was that I would catch a pike. I've been on a pike drought for several years now. (Mostly because we've been taking babies to Valentine and babies need mama. So my pole isn't in the water as much as it used to be.) But I've been itching to land a pike again. When I heard Farm Island Lake had pike, that was my goal for the week.

I could hardly believe it, but I actually pulled a couple in! I didn't even get to hold it though, because the baby wanted mama... but I'll take it as a win.

The photo above is honestly one of my favorite sights that I get all summer. I love looking across the boat and seeing this precious little family working together and (mostly) having fun. Do you spend most of your time untangling lines or changing lures for the indecisive toddler? Definitely.  Does the baby tear apart the tackle box every chance he gets? Absolutely. Is everyone always needing a snack? Duh. Do you sometimes get smacked in the face by someone else's lure? Sure. But this. This is what I hope my kids remember about their childhood. These long days and hours together, in close proximity, doing what we love.

We bagged enough keepers for the freezer, so we're looking forward to a little fish fry soon to remember our days in Minnesota.

Fishing from the boat was a blast, but kayaking was so enjoyable, too. The littles just tooled around the dock, but James, Trev, and I would take turns going out into the bay and fishing, paddling, or just sitting and taking in the view.

James even took Carver out, which felt almost like my State Fair sky tram experience.. But he mostly managed just fine. The little champ.

I think there will be plenty of kayaking in our future.

The cabin that we stayed at was a really great perk on the trip. The basement was decked out with carpet ball, ping pong, and a pool table. I didn't take a single picture of us down there, which is a shame, because we spent a lot of time in the evenings having tournaments and showing off our skills. It was also a huge benefit when those rainstorms rolled in. It gave us something fun to do inside.

The kids also really enjoyed the yard. There were two big hills and they spent hours racing their bikes down them. Macklin only crashed once. They also had a volleyball net, so we played a few rounds of that and badminton. The basketball hoop led to several games of Horse. The lake was down a fair bit this year, so we actually had a bit of a sandy beach for the kids to play on, too. We were never bored.

One thing I don't love about renting a house is feeling like I need to cook all the meals. Not exactly a vacation. It actually becomes more difficult because you're buying or bringing almost everything you're going to need to make every single meal. James and I made a plan and he grilled once a day, which meant I had a lot less to plan and prep. We ended up eating out one day while we were in the city, and then we grabbed a quick supper on our last night since we were trying to do get everything packed up before the early drive home the next day. Otherwise, besides the driving days, we ate at the cabin and it worked really well. Maybe we're getting better at this? Or maybe our expectations are just lowering by the trip and crossing that bar is getting easier and easier. 

Remember when I said I like the big experiences? Well... I managed to plan a day for Minneapolis to do something a little different. One of the days of our trip was forecasted to be really rainy, so we decided that would be a good time to get a change of scenery.

The Huenefelds do The Mall of America. 

None of us had ever been, and while I could have planned a totally different trip to Mall of America for myself, our plan was the Lego store and the amusement park. That was all that was on the agenda. The kids had just helped with dog chores for Ashton, so they had money burning a hole in their pocket, ready to be spent at the Lego store.

This might have actually been James' worse nightmare. A crowded mall with roller coasters?! He could have thrown up just watching us ride. I made sure he had plenty of solo fishing mornings at the cabin, and I cashed them all in for an entire day getting whipped around and spun upside-down. 

There was a good mix of rides - some for the big kids and me, some geared towards the littles, and some for me and Trev. One of our favorites was the log ride. Trevin, Myla, Mack and I all rode a log through a water course, getting splashed and screaming on the steep drops every time. We rode this one a few times because we all loved it so much.

Mack's favorite was the Paw Patrol play area. He and Myla didn't stop running the whole time they were in there. 

After some convincing, I got Trevin to ride the biggest coaster with loops up, down, and all around. He was tentative the first time, but then he wanted to keep coming back to it. I'm glad to know I have another rollercoaster lover in the family!

All in all, this trip was so special. It might have been the most restful trip we've taken. So many happy memories. We love where we live, what we do, and what our lives look like at home. But when James said, "I think I've fallen in love with Minnesota." I couldn't disagree. It was a beauty worth beholding.

Minnesota, you haven't seen the last of us.

Pumpkin Patch

It wouldn't be fall without a stop at the pumpkin patch!

And it's always better with friends.

What you can't see in the pictures below is me running alongside the train because Carver slid down his seat and got stuck in his car. I'm sure I looked very heroic.

The big slide might have been the highlight this year.

It wasn't the longest pumpkin patch stay. Carver sliced open his chin on a bench and 3 minutes later Macklin fell off of the trailer and landed on his head. It made for an "Alright, I think that's our queue!" moment and we headed for the car. Regardless, we all went home happy and tired, with pumpkins in hand.

Halloween

Duck... Duck... Goose!

Trevin and I both decided he was moving past the costume stage after last Halloween. It was a little bittersweet not having all my babes dressed up, but fun to see him get excited for them. 

Aurora had their Scare the Square this week, so we braved the crowds and filled the buckets with treats.

Animals

The animals kept us busy all summer and fall. Herman eventually got moved down to the farm yard with the other calves. It was sad not seeing him in the backyard anymore, but we enjoyed seeing all the calves when we went down to chore.

Most mornings and evenings, Trevin rides his dirt bike down and chores by himself. But he started helping lighten Grandpa's load and feeding the other calves, too. This meant he was happy to have his sister come help make the job go faster whenever she was willing. 

Even Mack got in on helping.

The chicks didn't stay chicks for long!

20 chicks to entertain us constantly.

When the Japanese beetles were in full force this summer, the kids would get the chickens out to clean up the bugs. Trevin even had one trained to jump up and grab a beetle out of his fingers. Who needs a dog when you can have a chicken?

Some of the birds are quite tame. It's a regular sight to look out the window and see Myla walking through the yard with a chicken under her arm.

We were surprised to find out we had a rooster in our brood. At first, I was not impressed, but it turns out he's alright. Our rooster is a good ol' boy. He is totally ridiculous. His feathered feet are just so extra. He crows constantly. But he's friendly and has become a staple in the family.

About a month ago we got our first egg! Within a week, several started laying. We're averaging 3 a day at this point. That's not enough to get us by quite yet, but soon! We have the nesting boxes ready and most of the hens are using them well, except for one stubborn lady who keeps dropping them under the roosting bar. None of my green layers have started yet, but I'm hoping to see one soon.

Farming

Sweet corn season is always a hit!

Macklin is James' shadow and wants to tag along with him every chance he gets. He's got farming in his blood. 

He's become a professional napper this growing season, falling asleep in the tractor, combine, semi, gator, four-wheeler, or heck, even the shop floor. One evening when I dropped him off in the combine at 5:00, I told him that he wasn't allowed to take a nap. He actually got very sad and tried to argue why he should. Somehow the love for napping doesn't translate when he's home with me.

Also, please notice the chains around his legs in the picture below. He definitely needed a bath when he got home that day.

These three were busy on the farm all summer long! Trevin and Myla helped rogue. It was Myla's first year and she was a champ. They worked from 6:30 AM to almost noon most days. It was hard work, but they had so much fun working with friends and the paycheck at the end of the season wasn't a bad consolation either. So incredibly proud of them.

I biked the section a couple times a week throughout the summer. The cool of the morning, watching the sunrise, blaring some Shane & Shane, and getting views like this - it was such a joy to start my days this way. When it started staying darker longer, and I was meeting more traffic and having to bike later, I opted to call it quits for the season. My stationary bike in the basement will have to do until next year. I'm not one to brave the cold. At all.

Wheat harvest is typically the first week of July. It always feels a little strange getting the combine out when we're still in the middle of the growing season for our other crops, but when fall rolls around, it's so nice to know 1/3 of our crop is already in the bin.

We finished out the summer and moved into fall. The soybeans came out quick and we moved right into spreading compost and drilling in the wheat for next year. After we wrapped that up, the popcorn got harvested, and we called it a wrap on our 2023 farming season! 

We didn't get a photo of all 6 of us in the combine for beans or corn, but Trevin was taking a turn running the grain cart for the first time with Grandpa's help.

Each year brings more gratitude for the crops we grow, the land we steward, and the life we love. The days can be long, but they are oh so worth it. Wouldn't trade it for anything.

Kiddos

The spiderweb swing is filling up.

The baby is still pretty popular around here.

The relationships they have with each other is something I will never take for granted.

I recruited all my helpers to make dinner rolls one day. Dozens in the freezer and dozens in our tummies.

Trevin

The leader of this pack. He continues to make us laugh every day. He's quick to help and is such a hard worker. Responsibility comes naturally to him. He loves time with friends, but always looks forward to quiet time at home following big days. He shot his first clay pigeons and is quite obviously a better shot than me. Interested in all things airsoft and Lego. He's been spending hours learning songs on the piano the last several months. We hear Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars, Blue (Da ba dee), James Bond, and Bluey playing throughout the house on the regular. He's incredibly smart and a quick learner. He's always making us so proud. My big 11-year-old.

He's also my son... one day he asked me, "Mom, can we listen to Steve Miller Band now that Dad is gone?" Yes. The answer is always yes.

Myla

My only girl. I've been taking every opportunity to get some time one-on-one with her any chance I get. Sometimes that a dinner date out and sometimes it's a bouquet making demonstration. Myla has been VERY into crafting lately, so when I saw that our church was offering this workshop, I knew it would be right up her alley. Putting that creativity to good use! 

She can usually be found in the basement in her spare time surrounded by paper, paint, glue, scissors, markers, and any other crafting supplies she can scrounge up.

She's chatty chatty and is usually saying the most outlandish things that make us laugh. She's simply darling and I so hope I am soaking every ounce of her up as possible.

She's also the first to snuggle up with you on the couch.

Macklin

This tractor-loving guy is a busy one. He plays independently so well. He's always got a plan and can usually be found with toys scattered all around him. He's also the first one up in the mornings and the first out the door to play outside. He loves working with his tools outside, digging in the rocks, and riding his tractor and bike. We'll see how eager he is to get outside as the weather gets colder, but so far, he hasn't been phased.

He's always up for a ride or a snack. The breath-holding spells are still happening.. we're working through how to breath through them to keep him from passing out (and sometimes having an accident) and it has helped some, but he's dropping multiple times a week still. It's just the regular around here at this point.

Three might be the cutest, orneriest stage.

Carver

Carver has taken off in the last couple months. He took his first steps right after his birthday on July 24, but wasn't really cruising along until the end of August. He walked for a few weeks before it was running, with plenty of stumbling.

11 months + 12 months

He's the best little sleeper, getting 12+ hours at night and still taking a morning and an afternoon nap. He's a great eater, except when he's teething. 

His giggle is something else. He has the classic belly laugh, but he also breaks out an evil chuckle that always makes us laugh.

He loves keeping up with his big siblings and is always banging on their bedroom doors to see what they're up to. He's been a big fan of hide-and-seek lately. Meaning he likes to take things and see if I can ever find where he stashed it. Bags of cereal in laundry baskets, measuring cups on the bookshelf, shoes under the couch. It's almost fun. 

He has the cutest little beg. He says, "more" in the highest pitched little voice whenever he wants something. The favorite words right now are more, uh-oh, and ball. He's thrown in a "no" or two, but I'm pretending that didn't happen.

Carver's got a screech that can stop you dead in your tracks. He has found a love for Myla's baby dolls and can be found pushing them in the stroller or carrying them under his arm on the regular.

Family Photos

All the new babies made for some very outdated photos hanging on the wall, so we finally had big family photos done with my family. Ellie Nitkiewicz did a great job with our large group!

I think you get the idea of what we've been up to lately. We're looking forward to a quieter season and a few more house projects crossed off the list.

So many things changing, so many things staying the same, but always, growing on the farm...