Summertime

It has been wonderful. 

Short & Fast. 

Refreshing & Encouraging. 

 Fun & Tiring.

Seriously last winter was awful. Spring was fast. And now it's September, which means fair time, which means leaves change colors, which means fall already. It's ok. At least there is actually fall here.

We have spent so much time trying to clean our place up, but we've also done some really fun things so all in all, I'd say we've had one awesome summer. 

(Side note: I've only gone to one truck pull this whole summer and I'm not even very sad about that! There are so many other things to do on those Saturday nights....)

My friend Sandra lived with us for four months and recently moved to her own place. 

Blake has really enjoyed mowing the lawn with his big mower. 

I tried, but that day I needed a bit of an attitude adjustment anyway, so we just came to the agreement that as long as he has time to mow, he can take that job. 

Besides, he loves it because it's relaxing--- and he can't hear his phone ring!

We got our stumps ground after removing all those trees in May when Dad was out here. 

Slowly but surely I'm turning that back disaster into a back yard. There is still a section of it that I need to haul more dirt into and then just rototill the whole area. 

Josh helped me rip out all the half dead hedges in front of  my house. 

I planted a couple new plants and hopefully next year I can plant a couple more. Anything is better than what was there!!!

We've also burned lots of brush but there still is a lot to get to... at some point.

We've had a couple big fun birthday parties. I like those kind of things.

I've done a little corn and some berries went in the freezer, but I'm thankful that I didn't try to tackle a garden this year. There just was too much going on for me to try to add that one in too!

I got my ASE certification as Service Consultant. I'm rather proud of myself because a few years ago, I truly had no concept of holding a job, never mind managing a business and billing stuff about vehicles!

Side note: I've always thought that ASE certifications are a bit of a money making scheme, but we wanted to get on a Napa Auto Care program and that was the one requirement that we'd never met. Only one person in the shop had to have a number, so I got the first ASE number, but since then we sent all the guys to take the light diesel test. I'm not the only one with a certification now. :)

Some friends of ours rented a pontoon boat with us one Sunday and we spent the whole blissful day cruising on the lake. That was fun! 

I polyed my pantry and got it all shiny and useable weeks after my dad so sweetly built it for me! 

 (I still love it!)

I got to spend a little bit of time with my friend who I rarely see, even though I only live an hour away from her! Her kids are great though. :)

And one of the best things ever (Yes, I'm weird)... My husband got a dumpster for scrap metal! This.is.wonderful. Like big time wonderful. 

No more piles of stuff that I think might be junk but might not be. No more truck beds half falling apart and piled high with scrap, then the skid steer tipping forward while trying to load it on the trailer. No more loading the trailer like this,

using tons of straps, and still hoping that everything would stay on for the twenty miles to the scrap yard. No more A lot less unsightly stuff.  Just one big dumpster. I love it!

Summer is just wonderful!