Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Keep your Fingers Crossed

Have an interview today. After 10 years and about 20 applications later, I have an interview with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) panel today at 11. It is the air traffic control building one block from our house. It is down to me and 2 others. Now I normally do not get nervous for interviews but I am a bit anxious and nervous for this one....I hear the interview process with the panel is "intense"!! Wish me luck!
I will let you know how it goes
Farmington Jo

Monday, September 22, 2008

Another addition

Prior to Shawn and I getting married, my insistence was "no pigs". Well, it has been only a little over 6 years and guess what we have on Admiral Acres :)We went to Mahtowa yesterday to get some pigs. They had 400 pigs there - UGH did that barn stink. Shawn explains to the seller:
Shawn: "When we got married, Heather insisted on no pigs".
Seller: "Did you finally get warn down to agreeing?"
Me: "No, I had home raised pork and store bought pork and there is no question, we needed pigs".

Shawn's vehicle smelled horrific the whole way home. He had to help load them and, Thanks to Jen, the smell has finally lessened on his hands with her great idea of vinegar, water, and vanilla. It still didn't kill the smell completely, but at least we could sleep at night :)

I have to admit the pigs are cute. I don't think I want 400 of them though! I wouldn't mind getting a few sows and a boar and having some little piglets to raise... I must be losing it :)

Friday, September 19, 2008

My First Bull

Here are a few pics of Frans' elk... he just got home, so will take more pics tomorrow. Shot at about 46 yards.

Hmmm....link to blog post

http://kuoppalas.blogspot.com/search?q=Tristan

I have no idea where in the world I posted this but it did say the Kuoppala's blog.
So the above link is what I posted.....

If anyone figures out what I did, let me know! LK and T.

Tristan Trims like Daddy








Well, the year is flying by and there's always something new at our house. One constant is that I always have something new to giggle at or laugh at with our lil man! so is that a constant or a new? you get my point...don't you? T was trying to get my attention over and over again one calm Saturday morning....saying something....finally I looked to see what he was saying...he had Shelby's paws in his hand saying "I trimming Shelby!" (just like Daddy does with the horses.) Then moved on to the back paw...."I trim back feet." How adorable. The pics are just random cuteness he portrays on any given day. Of particular interest is when he charges his plastic cell phone on Mommy's landline charger. Haha! What a character!
Others, blowing his train whistle and hangin' out being goofy in the back of mom's truck!
I'm running to the Commando Trailers headquarters tomorrow morning to have Charlie work his majical welding wonders on the Dahl woodstove. Because of the demand in woodstoves as alternative sources of energy, they are all backordered in the state to Mid December and Early January. There is a really nice one that the guy never used made by Central Boiler called "The Classic" the classic thing about it is that it is $8000.00 Whoa! Yikes.....need to save a few more pennies for that bugger! Anyhew. I could list the endless things mi vida loca provides, but trying to maintain a simple, sane life and enjoy and appreciate the little joys life has to offer. Family, friends and good times. : )

Monday, September 15, 2008

Another AK week flies right on by ....

Jari came home on Wednesday! After being gone 3 1/2 weeks, we were more than ready to see him again. Hard to believe that the kids had started school since he left. Time flies. He's home now until September 28th. I would have never thought that we'd be living like this. Nothing is forever tho', so we just take it each 3 weeks at a time.

We have been enjoying having Blayde with us. He has been able to do some hiking and see Hatcher's Pass. Has managed to get in some roofing on the shed with Shane, running around with Amber, and tonite got to experience the packaging of caribou.

We welcomed Ross & Denise Hillukka & family to town on Wednesday. They just moved up ehre with 8 kiddos. We are thrilled to have them here. They came over here for dinner on Friday evening and then we were joined by a few others. Makes our home feel a little cozy ... good for building new friendships!

Demetra, the puppy, is quite cute and sometimes a royal pain in the tush. We have never done the puppy training thing before and totally confused her. Bought those puppy pooping pads for her. Put one upstairs and one downstairs ... then she thought that she needed to go both places. It is getting much better. She and the kitten play like crazy. Duke has taken on "daddy" role. Won't let her go down the driveway. Quite fun to watch.

Speaking of Duke ... he is in hog heaven tonite. Kevin came home with a caribou which he and Shane processed today in the mud room. I think Duke is going to lay out in the grass until morning just gnawing on that bone. (Good thing he doesn't know there are more where that one came from!) My freezer is smiling ... and so am I. Why I bought all this bread tonite at the store is a bit beyond me ... hmmm ... don't know where that's going to go.

Jari has been busy with projects since coming home. Have the doggy door in. The silly thing has 2 pieces and Duke sort of bumps a part of it off when he goes through. So ... Jari add an entry way on the outside of the house for the dog door. Yippee! The rabbits got a new house today. Now he's working on the basement. The wiring here stinks. Blow the GFI in the bathroom and the lights in the mudroom go out. A little at a time and it will be all redone ... and make sense. So, in between playing with wires, removing walls and cupboards, and anything else that needs doing down there .... we need a chicken coop. Paid $3.09 a dozen for eggs this evening at Fred Meyer. They certainly weren't on sale and I needed them regardless. I think I need several chickens ... no, I know I do. Heather, I need to know if your chickens lay eggs all winter long and what I need to do to ensure that they do ... lights, heat etc.

Anna is going on a field trip tomorrow. After seeing so many permission slips come through the house for field trips to a Cultural Arts type of thing, am thrilled that she actually has to pack along waders to go on this one ... gotta love science class!

Fall is here, but you'd never know it. My confused tomato plants are still blooming and starting new itty bitty tomatoes. May have a BLT by Christmas at this rate. The weather has been a bit on the wet side, but today gave us beautiful sunshine. Take a nap on the couch on the deck with a blanket and catch some rays kind of day. Absolutely beautiful!!

P.S. If you read this before I get pictures added .... I'll be back. My hubby is sitting at the computer that has all the photos on it right now.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

We are off again!

Hope to leave at 6 a.m. for Hasscib Lake Camp. Might be foggy around Duluth. Retirees Camp
ends at noon on Sunday and then we hope to get as far as Grand Rapids, Mich. Next day to
Gerald R. Ford Museum and then on to Lansing for capitol No. 38. Call our on-star if you need
to get hold of us. Mary Ellen did return my call this evening, left a message, they plan on being
home so our last visiting spot will be Abercrombies before heading home. Arrival home? dk

Monday, September 08, 2008

Ranger

Life on the 'Range...
A beautiful rainbow
And the newest addition to Admiral Acres.... Ranger.

Friday, September 05, 2008

Using up more gas

To Rockford church last night for Johnson-Karvonen wedding. Today to the Minnesota Zoo.
Took lots of pictures, walked 2.26 miles. Enjoyed subs there. Heard last evening that Ivan was
off so went to 500 Main and took more pictures. That beautiful yellow siding is gone! Almost
drove past! There was another siding underneath. Garage has been painted. House will be also. Next to Hampton. Got to see Amanda and Cody before Tanya picked them up for the
weekend. Charlie was home as were Jade and Cole. Machelle working. Charlie showed the
machine that does that cutting on wood of pictures. Showed some nice ones. Then to
Wannamingo to see Jen's new apartment. Nice. Enjoyed supper there and short visit. Home
at 11 p.m. To Duluth tomorrow for my 55th class reunion and then plan is to go see Glady. dk

Thursday, September 04, 2008

FARMINGTON JO UPDATE





Turning 50 has not slowed me down....only when it comes to this blogging thing, I know I am a slow poke!!!





Kids have been back in school since August 25 so we are getting back to a normal routine (whatever normal is these days). Tanner is going to Dakota County Vo Tech this year for his senior year-taking Graphic Arts. He only goes to the Farmington school till 11:30 then he spends the rest of the day at Vo Tech then goes directly to work after that (still doing the landscape thing until the snow flies). Mitchell is loving 4th grade however he is not so sure about his homework load, he has about 2 hours of homework every night, seems like a lot to me but it has been years since I was in school (smiles). Dave worked 82 hours the week before last (that's more than I work in 2 weeks) but says they should be slowing way down and soon. The housing decline has taken it's toll on a lot of builders this year. Dave says they may even close down early this fall instead of waiting until Novemeber. He has been working on seeding and spraying all of the fields so his work load was huge and he had some deadlines to meet. We did decide to take a long weekend over Labor day and go fishing. He needed the rest! Weather was beautiful and fishing was good.

HEY HEATHER AND SHAWN....CONGRATS!!!!! We are so very happy for you! We need a baby shower......gee, who is a good planner???? Heather but she can't plan her own shower. We will have to work on this over the winter and plan for a spring shower. Elizabeth, Lauire, Jen... I will help!!! (smiles) I know there is a lot of time to prepare but I am so darn excited!!!!

Nothing as exciting at this end, work stays steady for me, looks like I will stay busy over the winter at least. We have picked up a few projects here and there and my boss is going to open up another business so that will add to my work load which is a GOOD thing.

Dave, my sister Robin and my neighbor planned a 50th birthday party for me, there was around 90 people here throughout the day. It was quite exciting! I think every neighbor in a two block radius was here plus I saw some old friends that I had not seen in years. Tanner made me a video that made me cry and my sister had poster boards full of pictures from a fifty year span from when I was a baby up to now....very special day! Of course they had to play the "over the hill" stuff on me all day long but I loved every minute!
Have a good week everyone!
Farmington Jo
P.S. Hey Anita and Jari what do you think of Palin????

Happy Birthday

I'm just writing a note to myself on here:

Happy Birthday to me,
Happy Birthday to me,
Happy Birthday dear Heather,
Happy Birthday to me! :) :) :)

Not a very exciting birthday. Just got out of a meeting with state auditors and later tonight, Shawn has to go and look at a job so probably a non-existent birthday bash.

Monday, September 01, 2008

Anita's week in a nutshell

It's been a busy one again. A good busy ... a fun one.

Last Sunday we took a jaunt to Anchorage. Stopped in at the hospital to visit Lisa (Schwab) Wuollet who was in premature labor and has been camped in the hospital for awhile. Things are looking good and she may be able to come home in about a week ... as long as she does NOTHING. Hmmm.

Monday, after a shift at work, we went to the State Fair. Was dreading going. My mind had Arizona State Fair images dancing around in it. Decided after going here that next year I'll plan an entire day to spend there. Fun! Feels like several county fairs all rolled up in one. Missed seeing the gigantic vegies and didn't bring a camera. Next year will be a must.
Tuesday ... a trip to Walmart. Have a love/hate relationship with that place. Hate the register part of the deal. Sinuses were bugging me big time.

Wednesday to Bible Class in the evening. Now the throat has a scratch that keeps me coughing. Drinking water like I'll never see it again to help the coffee induced dehydration that is causing sinus issues.
Thursday I felt like crud and went to work anyway. Hit the floor running and didn't stop 'til I left. Earned every penny and tried not to breathe on too many folks. Came home and crashed for a while. Then the nose started dripping ... fast dripping ... quick, grap a roll of paper towel dripping! Beyond miserable. Called in sick for Friday.
Friday I slept in ... was semi conscious when the kids left for school. Nap in the afternoon ... and didn't feel too bad. Faucet had shut off and altho' my head felt like I'd been kicked ... not bad. Went visiting in the evening. :)
Saturday was absolutely gorgeous around here. Brock vacuumed out vehicles ... and I washed them. Anything to be outside. Finally braved a look at the pea plants. Not only had slugs done their job ... so did the moose. Pulled the rest of them out. Sat outside with a camera for awhile snapping some pictures. Pulled more weeds. Cleaned out rhubarb and did a wee bit of yardwork. Read an ENTIRE book. :) In the evening we went to Amber & Ryan's for Ryan's birthday party.

Today, Sunday, was a lazy one. Perfect. I did pick zucchini today and made bread and muffins. Was on kitchen committee at church this evening. Then we went to a bonfire. Home again and it's nearly midnight. I really should be going to bed. I'm getting there ... slowly.

Tomorrow I am going to try and go blueberry picking. Hoping to find something. A cup of them if nothing else. A lot more ... we eat a lot of ice cream around here and I have oodles of buckets ... would be awesome. Maybe I'd even learn to make some pie!

You all have a safe Labor Day and enjoy the rest of the weekend!