December Monthly Update

There is a very nice man who lives in Dunn that used to have a tree farm, the cut your own Christmas tree kind. He has always been good friends with Drew's family, and Marta used to go out there to get a real tree for many years when Drew was young. I saw him from time to time at the tire shop, and though he didn't have any smaller christmas trees left, he offered me some pine boughs to decorate with. One Saturday, I took the boys out to his house and he cut us a whole truck load of branches to take home!

Photos of the end result later. 

Another big project that we knew was coming was the draining and rebuilding of the Spring Pond at the Main Farm. The boys were excited for this. They planned to catch all the fish and had big hopes to transfer them to a pond at our house. The day finally came and we all gathered around to watch the dam break. 

  We all waited in the creek below the pond, right where the water was going to flow. 

The moment finally came!

I don't have any pictures of the fish collecting. Drew and I were both knee deep in the mud and muck of what was left in the pond trying to get them all! I had all the kids make a pact, and we chanted before it all happened "No fish die today!"............but it was impossible. The number of minnows and tiny little 1-2" and under fish flopping on top of all that mud was incredible. I scooped up as many as I could and worked my way across where some larger bass, perch, and sunfish were in tiny little pools. We took several trips over to our house with a cooler FULL of fish. Some of them were quite large! So far, none have gone belly up, so it seems pretty successful. The bald eagles and cranes ate good for a couple days as well. The pond will be cleaner, deeper, and a much better home for the new fish that are brought in this Spring and should last for a long time. Win, win. 

Fun night bowling with the kids one weekend!

I had the funniest thing happen with Cooper in the middle of the night, you'll have to watch:

 Here is the result of the free pine boughs and pine cones. Red berries were courtesy of Grandma Pat's nandinas. 

 Sunday afternoon reading:

We signed up to ring the bell again this year. Cooper joined us and did awesome. Still couldn't make it 2 hours, but we did every bit of an hour and a half in 20 degree weather. 

 The dogs love ponds no matter the weather. 

 We took all the kids to see Ferdinand, which was very cute. 

I had to document with video, a major change in Cooper's vocabulary. I picked him up from daycare one day and the girls there were sad to report:

I ended the year with a fabulous run with a long time friend and former college classmate. She is from Alton and came for the holidays. We met in West Plains and got a nice 5 mile run in. It's fun to have someone to run and chat with. 

And while I did that, this was happening back at home. 

Tipper lounged in the sunshine to end 2017.

And monthly pics for December.......Cooper was a real peach at that moment.