Meanwhile...Life Around the Home

What else is new? Not a whole lot, just the ordinary wildlife and work around the home. We found a turtle with eggs buried in our yard. We've also had a couple more litters of ducks hatch, though every time the ducks end up dying off once by one. Matt decided an animal must be getting them. Our latest litter showed up a couple weeks ago and we are down to one baby duck. 

In bigger pond news, we had the biggest catch in our pond since the beginning of the Schulz residence! A 12.5 pound catfish, caught by a Minnesotan fisherman who came over with his cousins.

Matt decided the wildflowers growing in our yard were too pretty to mow over (he wanted me to point out that he HAS since mowed them).

The Steiner boys came over and helped bale our pasture.

We finally replaced our microwave two months after the old one died.

Matt restained the deck and docks.

Canning season is upon us, but I have been lacking energy and motivation on account of pregnancy. Fortunately, we have enough to get us by for another year. Plus, there is a reason grocery stores exist. Since Matt loves peaches almost as much as he loves his wife, I had to try to keep my higher ranking by doing enough peaches for him this year. I got peaches in Kalona for canning after our peach trees didn't produce enough to put up, and managed to get twenty-four quarts of peaches, a few quarts of juice, and a few half-pints of peach honey canned last Friday. Perhaps I will try to do some applesauce later if I can work up the motivation. Our berries are also producing now, and the grapes should be ready for juice in a couple more weeks! As far as the garden goes... I pretty much haven't even looked at it since the beginning of June and have given up for this year. Sorry. 

These are all of the peaches we got from our own peach tree this year...probably a total of about fifty. 

Other random everyday happenings this summer included several weddings: Erika & Cameron, Risa & Jaydon, and Brigette & Brian; several dinners and events: Sunday school picnic, mystery supper, potluck, showers, singings, meetings, and birthday celebrations.

Oh, BIG NEWS: I only have one more week left of work at Federal Mogul/Champion! I am done at the end of the month, and am so excited to see how life proceeds afterward with more flexibility. I do have a position as a substitute para-educator at the Mediapolis School, so I can sub at the school to fill up a couple days a week if I'm not keeping busy at home. And, of course, maybe the work around the house will actually get caught up for once and maybe Matt will start getting supper on a regular basis again! We're going to see how it works to be a stay-at-home wife...and soon, hopefully a stay-at-home mom!