December on the 'Range

Here's a glimpse of our December: I know I've got to be missing stuff, but here's the fun things :)

My parents made us a wreath. We were joined on Christmas Day by:

My Dad
Laurie and Tristan

My Mom

Shawn was home too :)

Randy came over

and it was fun to see Tristan opening his presents

We have gotten a lot of snow this December. Perfect for snowmobiling (Yes Dan and Mauri, I'm talking to you!)

Our farm animals are making it, but I'm not sure how. Wow has it been cold, then warms up, then cold again. Poor things

Saturday following Christmas, one of my goats gave birth. Yes, they are in the GARAGE!

One of the girls

the lonely boy

the one on the right didn't make it. She was just too little. Shawn tried to make me feel better by saying it's really hard to make triplets survive. She was just too weak and too small when she was born. If this had been any other time, she would have been hauled in the house and I would have been feeding her for months. However, with baby coming, I knew Shawn wasn't going to go for that as an added chore!

Hope everyone has a wonderful New Year!

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Here are a few picks of the Christmas season. Emalee, Jenna and Drew all excited about the tree, Emalee as a little angel at the Sunday school program. Me and Bailey and of course me in the clothes Kendra found for me. P.L.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!! We're staying home for Christmas and the kids are coming over. It's been very cold here and we've had about six inches of snow in the past week. Yuk! Happy New Year to all and Best Wishes for a healthful and prosperous 2009! Dan and Mauri

Went to Ken and Bettys' Friday night for a couples party. Big Forstie party at church on the 23rd, then xmas eve and day somewhere. Lots of parting to get thru. P.L.

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone! Mauri and I went to Mark & Pam's to eat (way to much of course) Jason and Sarah also joined us. Jim and Maggie stopped in for awhile, but went to Maggie's Aunts to eat. It was a great feast of turkey, ham, potatoes, wild rice cassarole, and Mark's delicous homemade bread. Mark also baked extra for Jason and Jim's families to take home. Then most of us took a nap. We'll have leftovers for a week. Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving Day and see ya later.
Dan

Deer Hunters: Get up early, eat toast, wander out to the stand, freeze, become very drowsy, hear small noise, instantly alert, slowly look all around, try to see behind you with out turning body, see nothing, become drowsy, repeat, limp home at 9:00 a.m., tell tall tales, repeat in afternoon. Wish we were there...P.L.

Go MCcain

no wonder Im so tired!

Why I Am So Tired

For a couple of years I've been blaming it on iron-poor blood, lack of vitamins, dieting, and a dozen other maladies. Now I found out the real reason. I'm tired because I'm overworked.

The population of this country is 237 million. 104 million are retired. That leaves 133 million to do the work.

There are 85 million in school, which leave 48 million to do the work. Of this, there are 29 million employed by the federal government. This leaves 19 million to do the work.

Four million are in the Armed Forces, which leaves 15 million to do the work. Take from the total the 14,800,000 people who work for State and City Government, and that leaves 200,000 to do the work.

There are 188,000 people in hospitals, so that leaves 12,000 to do the work. Now, there are 11,998 people in prisons. That leaves just two people to do the work.

You and me . . . and you're sitting there reading jokes.

Mel Isaacson died

Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, at United in Christ Lutheran Church in Eveleth. The Rev. Joel Rova-Hegener will officiate. Visitation will be one hour before the service. Inurnment will be in Eveleth Cemetery. Honorary casketbearers will be Jared and Mason Isaacson. Memorials are preferred to United in Christ Lutheran Church, 201 Station 44 Road, Eveleth MN 55734. Arrangements are entrusted to Cron-Sheehy Funeral Home, Eveleth. To sign the guest book online and to leave a memorial message, go to www.cron-sheehy.com

Melvin Isaacson, 83, of Eveleth, died Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008, at the Virginia Regional Medical Center.He was born Jan. 22, 1925, in Eveleth to John and Anna (Backall) Isaacson. Melvin attended Eveleth Schools. He served in the Army during World War II from 1944 to 1946 in Italy with the 85th Infantry Division. After the service he lived in California from 1946 to 1952, working for various contractors in the carpentry trade. Melvin went to work for Eveleth Mines from 1969 until his retirement in 1987. He was a life member of Mesaba Range Post 1172, Veterans of Forerign Wars of Eveleth and a member of United Steelworkers Local 6860, Carpenters Local 606 and United in Christ Lutheran Church, having served on the church council. Melvin volunteered at Camp Chicagami and loved working with the children.

He is survived by his son, Mark (Jamie) Isaacson of Eveleth; grandsons, Jared and Mason Isaacson; stepchildren, Robin (Wayne) Hopke of Hibbing and Terry Schultze of Virginia; brother, John Isaacson of Grass Valley, Calif.; and several nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Helen Saari and Aileen Ogan; and brother, Arnie Isaacson.

Installed new cooler pads today, perfect weather for that. About 74 degrees right now, but next week it will return to mid 90's. Small hurricane off Baja is sending high winds and cool temps. this way for the week-end. Bailey will start fall session this week-end and hopefully learn some good canine behavior, that is if she can even improve her already stellar performance P.L.

Its that time of year.... INDOOR ACTIVITIES

Saturday was beautiful outside, so got a bunch of chores done: cleaned the chicken coop, ..... All those fun things!

Sunday, was not so pleasant, so dug out my sewing machine and scrap fabric my mom gave me and sewed my baby a blanket. (This child is going to have so many blankets - this is the 3rd one I've sewn)

Shawn says this is too "girly" so have a more masculine one almost done and hope to finish it tonight and will post pictures. It's that time of year to purge the house and complete some projects :)

Admiral Acres

Prior to Shawn and I getting married, I didn't care what animals we had, but insisted on "no pigs". We had them when I was young and I hated them, they smell so awful. Well, just over 6 years later, guess what we have.......

We went to pick up 10 little pig yesterday from a farm in Mahtowa. They have 400 pigs there, UGH, they sure do smell. Shawn helped to load them and his hands stunk so awful he was grateful to wash them with vinegar just to kill the smell.

He eplains to the seller on how I insisted on no pigs when we got married. The guy asks me, "He finally wear you down?". My response: "I had home raised pork and then store bought pork and decided we needed pigs".

I have to admit they are kind of cute. These guys and gals are little, only around 50 pounds so we have a while to go before we will have pork for sale. Shawn is hoping in February. Not sure how much more we should add to this winter, but I can't wait for home raised ham and Shawn likes the bacon.

* January we should have some goats kidding and possibly into February.

* February we butcher pigs

*March I have a baby

*April our cows start calfing.

I need not fear that Shawn will get bored this winter :)

Now, I think we should get a few sows, a boar, and raise some cute little piglets to sell for pork later..... I must be losing my mind :)

Spent the day in Flagstaff. Weather was awesome, kids were good, then spent the evening at Kendras uncles cabin, were several of her brothers and cousins were bowhunting. Emalee likes to wear her curlers to bed and wake up with really pretty curly hair. P.L.

Ranger

Our newest addition: Ranger

Heather and Shawn

Happy Birthday

Paul,
Happy Belated Birthday! Hope it was happy!
Heather and Shawn

Went to engagement party for Frank Makela and Barby Johnson, they will be living in Wolf Lake area. She is looking for a travel nurse job to start off with .P.L.

Hi to all, Randy was down to visit us this last weekend. We went to the state fair and had a great time for 9.5 hours. Wow, my feet hurt. Ate lots of good food and seen some neat stuff. We also went to Fleet Farm, as usual. The weather here has been just perfect, in the mid 70's to the mid 80's with no humidity. Thats all for now.
Dan & Mauri

Happy B-Day to my wonderful bride Kendra.

Jenna baptism tonight 8-22-08. Other than that same old 105 to 110 degree weather. P.L.

'Range Addition

Shawn and I are getting an addition to Admiral Acres. Our latest and GREATEST addition is due to arrive on March 15th!

Baby had first photos taken today!

Here are a few pictures from our trip. We all had tons of fun and the kids just loved sea world.shamu
Emalee could sit on the beach all day and make sand castles!
Drew liked making them but as soon as it was made he would jump on it and destroy them! typical boy!
Our family. a little boy about 12 or so was walking by and offered to take a picture of all of us.
Having a picnic in a park in old town sandiego.
the first night we were there on La Jolla, it was cloudy, so we watched the sun set behind the clouds.
Jenna was the perfect age, she was so good and smiley the whole time we were there.
Dolphin show

all tuckered out, took a good long nap while walking around sea world. We had to take turns bringing Emalee and Caitlyn into exhibits so he could sleep.
It was super relaxing vacation and I am already looking forward to going back!!
kendra

News Flash

Hope everyone had a good 4th. We went to Mark and Pam's cabin and watched fireworks at a town near there, which were very good. Then Mauri and I went camping for a couple of nights at a state forest and a state park. Was lots of fun. Had a garage sale this week and got rid of a bunch of stuff. Weather here has been HOT and MUGGY !!!!! Yuk, Yuk ,Yuk. Bugs are terrible after dark. Thankfully winter is just around the corner. Enjoy the summer!
Dan

Our 4th of July

Happy Independence Day!On the 3rd, we went to fireworks in Eveleth. It ended when the hill that they are shot off of, started on fire. A real grand finale :)



On the 4th, I brought my nephew Tristan to the parade. His mother and father were both working. He is on the right. He met up with his friend and they were dancing together in the street.

I am so impressed by the marching bands. It is a lot of coordination to turn the corner.
Then, to summer services in Cokato. There were a lot of people there. Many people were pulling out their cell phones to text their family and/or friends to see where they were sitting. The overflow areas were full, people in every hallway, everywhere.... people, people, and more people!!!! It was fun!

Heather and Shawn

We went to heber for the weekend. Sat morning was a nice parade, then a relaxing afternoon and fireworks at night.Weather was in the 70s and low 60s at night.

relaxing in the hammock...
Caitlyn, happy as can be...


Drew, Emalee and Kate(the daughter of our friends)

63 and pouring rain when we left.