Dawn's Journeys

Trip out to IL & WI

2012-01-18T10:40:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago we traveled back to visit my family in Illinois and Jake's in Wisconsin. We had a very nice time sitting and catching up with everyone. It had been to long since we'd seen everyone. :) Now its for sure all of ya'lls turn to come pay us a visit. ;) Here are a few pictures of our stay. Most of them are from when we took Caleb to the Shed aquarium and I wish I had been more bold to bring my camera out more often after that. However what was taken is still enjoyable to look at.

Time with Friends and Family

2011-12-23T18:58:00.000-06:00

Life has felt like a mini whirlwind since Jake has returned home. Between settling back into married life, visiting and catching up with friends/family that Jake has not been able to really see and talk to for the past few months and me adjusting to my new promotion responsibilities and new early early work schedule making a tremendous need for naps ... well ... life has just been rather different recently. :)

Right after Jake got back we went out to dinner with our Church Family to see our sweet friends Joe and Carli off as they moved up to Alaska the next day.

Their presence and in person friendship will be missed! :) Below are a few misc pictures from our night out together and a few pictures with Church family. Enjoy!

This next picture turned out really blurry but I'm still posting it because I like the bright smiles you can see through the blurriness.

Graduated and Home TOGETHER at Last!

2011-12-16T16:46:00.000-06:00

Jacob graduated from the academy yesterday and is now home to stay!!! All of his studying payed off when he got an 'A' on his finals and then ended up graduating 3'rd in the class. Now its onto the next hard task of finding a job. :) He has applications in at a few places however it takes a few months to be tested and for all the paper work to be filed so it may be a while before I'm posting about a hired position. Unfortunately I can't share any of the fun group or individual photos from the academy for privacy and copywrite reasons but I hope to bring a photo album with us the next time we visit. :) I still can't believe that he is home to stay. A part of me is still trying not to get 'to attached' or 'to used' to him being around to avid hurt when Monday comes and I don't wake up next to him. I think that it most likely won't really sink in for either of us until next week comes however we do know that for now, we are completely and utterly overjoyed that he is home and that we are TOGETHER!! :D

Puppy Video

2011-12-08T15:01:00.000-06:00

Here are a few video snippets from the first night we brought the puppy home. She has grown quite a bit since we made this! In looking back I had forgoten what a little hoggie roll she was. Now you can actually see her legs and eyes not to mention she has finally grown a neck! :)

Eating Ghost Peppers

2011-12-08T10:35:00.001-06:00

Here is a video from a few weeks ago when the in-laws were visiting. Jacob had brought home some 'ghost peppers' from school for the guys to try. Ghost peppers are just one of the many things Jake has learned about while being at the dorms with the other police students. Lock a couple dozen 20-30yr old men in one building with cabin fever setting in and one can only expect for something like this to happen!! :) They have engineered hotter peppers, but this is currently the hottest natural pepper known to man. Somehow Jake 'forgot' to mention this little fact to the guys until after they popped it into their mouths . . . ;)

Puppy-Sitting . . .

2011-12-02T18:23:00.001-06:00

My mother-in-law Kathy has been looking for a blue healer puppy for a while now and has finally found one here in Bismarck that she decided to get. Since we are planning a trip out to WI/IL in January, Jake and I agreed to pick up the puppy and care for it until we can deliver it in a few months.

Soooo I get to puppy-sit for a while! :) . . .

This little girl is just six weeks old and full of cuteness and energy. She looooooves to sit and cuddle while I enjoy a cup of coffee but she also likes to move, a lot!! . . .

Jake was her favorite "puppy-sitter" when we first picked her up and would howl non-stop if he left the house however after he left again for school she attached herself to me and is now practically glued to my heals. In fact, she stays so close on my heals and moves around with me so much that its hard to even get a picture of her! Usually my attempts at photographing her end up looking like this . . .

Today was the first day I was able to back away from her just long enough to snap a few quick pictures.

But even then she was still moving more than my camera and I wanted her to. :)

*note the green grass and leaves that us north'dakotains are still enjoying* ;)

I have some cute video of her and a funny video of the guys *trying* to eat ghost peppers (supposedly the hottest pepper on the planet right now) but those will have to wait till another post seeing as I can't find the cord to get them off of my camera! :D

In-Laws in Town . . .

2011-12-01T14:04:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago Jake's parents drove in from Wisconsin and his other brother Jesse flew in from California for a visit. It was nice to visit with them through-out the week and get to know them a little more. Jacob also came home for one weekend during their stay(!!). On their first day there everyone hit the racket courts. The Crooks play quite well ... and ... me? Weeeell I seem to still be providing more entertainment than providing competition. :) But I try . . .

"I see the ball!"

"I don't see the ball"

"Wait were did the ball go??"

"Come on it was right in front of you!!"

"Sorwy"

"Cheeeese!"

That evening we just sat and chilled at our house . . .

The next day (Sunday) we had quite the full house for the afternoon Church meeting . . .

Later on in the week Kathy gave me some much needed lessons which was rather enjoyable and fun.

Kathy Liz and I also went out for some girl time which was rather relaxing . . .

I borrowed this next picture because dinner was to fabulous to go un-pictured . . .

Dinner at the Olive Garden ... mmm mmm mmm!!! :)

Kathy & Dean got a motel room their last night here so that they could watch the kiddos and play in the pool. I also borrowed the below pictures to show what a fun place it was for the kids to play in . . .

On their last day here we all went out for breakfast at Cracker barrel.

And here is one last picture of the gang (minus Jake of course).

And the Countdown Continues . . .

2011-10-22T20:26:00.002-05:00

Going Home Countdown

Bismarck hills in the Fall

2011-10-22T20:05:00.000-05:00

Two cars in the driveway . . . (!!)

2011-10-22T20:03:00.000-05:00

Jake and I had a HUGE answer to prayer recently as a second car was provided for us to use until Jake gets his own squad car. This 2000 Pontiac Grand Am has a few dings and dents but it will certainly work to get me around town while Jake uses the Ford to commute back and forth to school. Due to school work he will not be able to returen every single week, but it will make it much much more possible for him to return more frequently (every other week perhaps?).

Practice Makes Perfect

2011-10-22T18:00:00.000-05:00

Little Everyday Updates and Happenings of the Crook Family

2011-10-10T19:45:00.003-05:00

I don't have a recent picture to post for you today however posting with-out a picture somehow seems wrong. :) So, here is one of Jake and I that was taken right before he left for the Police Academy.
We are now one week shy of the half way point for Jake's schooling and are looking forward to these next few months to be over with. :) These past few weeks, days and hours have taken what feels like an eternity to pass by. However we've grown stronger and closer together through them.
This past weekend I drove up to Devil's Lake where we house-sat for a classmate of Jake's. We had a such a fun and relaxing time together! Next week he hopes to travel down on Thursday after completing the police car tactical training. I'm going to be So0O0o spoiled after seeing him two weekends in a row!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So what else is new with us? hmmm . . .
Nothing to exciting . . . School has been keeping Jacob more than busy lately as he puts his brain and muscles to the test, literally! Students are tested on a weekly basis and you either pass and last one more week in the Academy or you fail and get kicked out. This past week the entire class got maced. This is a mandatory event that you have to pass in order to graduate. Jake described the pain like someone taking a blow torch to your face however it gets stuck in your pours and lasts for quite some time. All the officers in training were sprayed and then had to successfully disarm and arrest a suspect before being able to wash their face. During these next few days he will be doing super intense SWAT training and will be finishing out the week with tactical police car training which should be fun. :)
I've been keeping pretty busy missing Jake, working, missing my Honey, hosing Sundays, working, missing My Love, spending some time with friends, starting to host Thursday night Bible studies, missing my other half, working, not sleeping, and last but not least, missing Jake! ;) A little fun thing that recently happened in my life is that I was awarded the "employee of the month" at work which was kinda fun. Other than that the other new news with me is that I hit my first dear last night on my way home from Devil's Lake. Thankfully the car and I are fine, the deer ugh not so fine. And that about wraps it up for us right now! I'm hoping to spend some time out in these fall colors this week so MAYBE I'll be able to post some pictures in a few days. :) And then after that Jake will be here ... so no posts for a few days ... ;) but I hope to get some pictures of us while he is here.

3 weeks later . . .

2011-09-26T14:32:00.001-05:00

This weekend I went up to stay with Jake at the Academy. Its been three loOOoong weeks since we've been able to see each other. Needless to say we cherished each moment that we had together. :) It was wonderful for me to be able to put faces with all the names that Jake has been telling me as well as to be able to get a feel for what life is like for him there.

In all the excitement and rush to get out the door to see him I forgot my camera and to be rather honest, I was so caught up in just being next to him that it never really occurred to even pull out my purse camera for pictures. However, I did snap the above picture with my phone while we were waiting for the rodeo to begin just to prove that yes indeed, we are both alive and together. :)

All in all we had a rather nice time together. The weekend is filled with many stories both comical and serious. A one of the comical ones would be when Jacob took me out to dinner at a local dinner and when we asked our slightly air headed waitress what the 'chocolate two tone' was she replied "Oh that's AMAZING!! Its like a layer of cake, with fudge, whip cream, more fudge and more whip cream with chocolate drizzled over top! Its the best!". Well, needless to say Jake and I thought that anything containing a few layers of fudge and whip cream sounded pretty good at the time so we ordered one to split. . . . . weeeeeell . . . The waitress returned with slice of chocolate pie. No layer of cake. NO fudge. No multiple layers of fudge. Just a piece of chocolate pie. But to give her credit, it did have whip cream on top. ;) In as much as we were a bit let down by the ordinary pie, it was still enjoyable and provided us with a few chuckles when we left. :P

For now it looks like another two weeks till we'll see each other as the search for a second winter vehicle continues. Until then we are still holing onto our faith, hope and love for one another. :)

Sunflower Feilds and Changing Seasons

2011-09-26T12:00:00.001-05:00

Sunflower fields are about as common here in North Dakota as soybean fields are in Illinois.

Their beauty always brighten my day when I'm out driving about. These past two weeks I was sad to see that their color fading as they drying up for harvest. In as much as I love autumn, I'm not ready for the change in seasons. :)

Jake and Dawn :)

2011-09-06T19:02:00.000-05:00

Jake and I had Joe and Carli over for dinner right before he left for school. With a photographer in the house I just could not help but ask her to take a few quick pictures of Jake and I. :) Here are a few of my favorite moments that she captured . . .

Police Officer Training = Jacob's back in School!

2011-09-06T18:39:00.000-05:00

After a LOT of thoughts and prayers, Jake and I have decided on a career change for him from a WesternLine Builders contractor to a Police Officer. Jake has always wanted to be a cop however its just simply never been a possibility until now. So, after undergoing and passing all of the 'normal cop' physical, psychological and academic testing plus a very thorough background check, Jake was accepted into the Lake Region College Police Academy. The Academy is located in Devil's Lake which is 3-4hrs north of us. Although the separation while he dorms up there is hard for both of us to deal with, we both believe that this is a door that the Lord has opened for us through which He is certainly growing both of us closer to Him through. Thus far, Jake's studies are going well and its always exciting to hear what he is learning about.

Jake's classes go from 6:30AM to 5:30PM with a night class every other night that is from 6:30-9:30. Needless to say, he has been pretty busy. This past weekend he visited for the first time since he started school and was able to show me some of the physical tactics that he learned last week (ouch!). This week he will under-go SWAT training during which (at some point in time) we will get to be maced. As you can imagine training to be a cop has its ups and downs. :)

We would continue covet your prayers as Jake continues in his training and for us as we are separated during this time. Lord willing, Jake will graduate in the middle of December. Going through this academy pretty much ensures that he should get a police job and start it in January/February. However all of these details are still yet to be played out. :)

WesternLine Builders at Work

2011-09-06T16:39:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures (courtesy of Liz's camera) from one of the guy's latest projects. It was a two car garage they they tore down, rebuilt, attached to the house with a finished 'hosting room' over head complete with vaulted ceiling. I don't have any tearing down pictures, but here are some of the framing, siding (which they saved from the tear down to re-use) windows, drywalling etc etc etc

These one's of the inside came off of my phone, so they aren't the best quality but you still get the idea of what is going on. :)

Ok, now back to the better pictures :) These ones were taken after Jake left for school so most of this work was done by Josh & Phillip. But its still a WesternLine project. :)

There is still more work to be done, but a LOT has been done thus far! The owner's invited us back in December when its all done so I hope to post again after its all finished and furnished.

Nephews

2011-08-30T12:42:00.001-05:00

I took these on my phone 2-3 weeks after we were married however I don't think that they ever made it to the blog. Even though they are a bit out dated and these boys have grown a bit since then, I still thought that you all would enjoy them. :)

No Internet :(

2011-08-29T20:04:00.000-05:00

Well my fellow readers, I keep postponing this update thinking that we will soon have Internet thus eliminating the need to say that we don't have Internet, but alas we are currently without Internet and it looks like we may be that way for quite some time. While switching providers there has been a one month hold up to get our new Internet installed however its taking just a tad longer than that. However, I hear that we may be finally getting it installed in two weeks. (!!!!) Until then just know that we are all healthy and doing quite well. :)

The Latest Hapenings with the Crooks

2011-07-26T12:33:00.000-05:00

Jake and I went out skating again the other day. This time we got a wee bit braver (or stupider, depending on how you look at it) anywho we stopped in at our local parks skateboarding rink just for fun on our way over to Liz's garage sale . . .

It was fun to skate in circles as we looked at the jumps and rails. :) Then we made our way over to Josh & Liz's . . .

I helped out just a little the day before at the sale during which the boys decided to do a shoe show for us . . .

Way to cute!

The fun of them reminded me of some fun that Carli and I had a week or so ago. After swimming and french fries we stopped in at the thrift store where we found these rather exquisite wedding gowns ... to fun! ;)

This past week we had a full house after Church during the afternoon meal and meeting . . .

Later on Jake pulled out the wrestling equipment for the nephews which is always loads of fun to watch . . .

Anything can happen when the Crooks are all together . . . anything . . . ;)

Our newest hobby . . .

2011-07-21T09:27:00.000-05:00

Jake and I needed a new hobby. Something that would not cost a lot of money, be easily accessible, something active, fun, enjoyable and transportable. Biking, hiking, bowling, photography, boxing, motorcycling and shopping are among just a few of the ideas that were tossed out there during one of our brainstorming sessions. So, out of all of that just WHAT did we come up with????

. . . That's right, rollerblading. Now to some this may seem to be the sport of dorks, but contrary to popular opinion, its actually quite fun. With a nice sized park being so close and lots of other places near by to skate at, rollerblading is the perfect activity for us to spend some energy while also spending time together and have a little fun.

Although some needed convincing of this, its also a good workout for the lower body. Most think that skating is an easy going activity however they forget that skating outdoors is completely different than skating on a waxed wood floor at your best friends birthday party. ;-) Somehow or another going up and down hills, in all sorts of weather, on rather rough terrain does seem to get your heart rate going. Strange, I know, but its so.

Despite the 94 degree weather, we just HAD to go out for a stroll when we got back from picking up Jake's skates. Our destination? Well, we could either take a stroll through the park or roll down and return a movie to the store. Which one do you think us genious' decided to do?? That's right, return the movie to the store. Don't worry though, its only 10 blocks away and since "skating is so easy" it would be a fun way to close out our day. (HA!)

In all of the excitement, my handsome husband somehow forgot to mention that he can't stop. Well, ok technically he can stop, but just not on his own. It was not long before my beloved soon resembled Tarzan as he swiftly glided away only to run face first into a tree, fall into shrubs or find himself face to face with the nearest fence. Ok, it was not quite that bad! But it was rather amusing. :D I grabbed a few pictures with my phone but later I desperately missed my camera when we approached a rather insanely steep hill. My entire lower body felt like it was on fire as I rode my break all the way down. With the aid of some shrubs and a nice grassy lawn, Jake also made it down with-out life threatening injury. :) All in all we survived our first outing and are looking forward to more amuzing days in the near future. ;)

A Day at the Pool

2011-07-17T19:27:00.000-05:00

This past Friday Carli, Liz & Kids & I spent the afternoon at the pool. The cool water was an inviting treat for such a hot day and with temps staying in the 90tys and this pool being only 1.5 blocks away from home, a season pass just may be in order! Cooling off also landed us on the front page of the local news (which I posted about a little while ago) which was fun to see. I snapped a few pictures through-out the day and then Carli was kind enough to pick up the camera when I was in the water. Its great to finally have some pictures with my nephews! :)

Photo Fun with Carli

2011-07-17T17:40:00.000-05:00

I've had a tremendous itch to do some photography ever since we drove by those canola fields last week. So, a few days ago I asked my friend Carli (who also loves photography) if she wanted to spend an afternoon doing photography with me. On our way to find a canola field we passed by the state park which has some yellow fields that simulated what I had in mind. They aren't as bright or as walkable as canola, but they worked as a great spring board for us to get warmed up in taking pictures.

I thought that Kathryn & Wendy would be glad to know that Carli is a fellow Cannonite. :)

We enjoyed photographing nature for a while then we took turns photographing each other. Since portraits is not my forte I enjoyed having a willing subject to sit there and smile at me for an hour. Carli is a beautiful young woman who also is a natural poser making my job a bit easier.

Here are a few of my favorites. . .

Carli took some great photos of me and was generous enough to give me a copy of her orriginals. I've edited a few of them and am posting some below. Since I've been with-out photography for a few months having some extra pictures to edit with my new program was a real blessing!

We're in the Paper: Bismarck Tribune - Hot Hot Hot

2011-07-16T08:35:00.000-05:00

"TOM STROMME/Tribune Bismarck's Hillside Pool was the perfect place to cool off and have fun with kids as the temperature started rising on Friday afternoon. From left are Elizabeth Crook with son Canaan, 5 months, Carli Goeman with Eli Crook, 2, and Dawn Crook with Caleb Crook 3. All three boys are Elizabeth's who recruited friends Carli and Dawn to help introduce them to the water in an outdoor pool. Hot temperatures in the upper 90s along with humid conditions are predicted to cover the central and eastern parts of North Dakota through the middle of next week making outdoor pools a welcome place to escape the heat."

Fields of Gold

2011-07-14T10:39:00.000-05:00

Jake and I recently took a drive up to Devil's Lake where we drove by fields and fields of gold. These canola fields are just breath taking on a sunny afternoon. I can't stop thinking about them now and would love to take a photography trip back up to them . . . oh the fun my camera and I could have! *dreamy sigh*

Home Improvments = Making our House feel like our Home

2011-07-14T10:21:00.004-05:00

I keep waiting for a sunny day that I will be home for so that I can take pictures to make this update but its just not happening! So, last night I decided that light or no light I was going to grab my camera and make this post!I really love our cute little house but for a while it was still looking/feeling like our house and not our home. It was great that it came with curtains, however they just weren't me. :) So, I grabbed my sewing machine and went to work!

Somehow I ended up with all green and tan decorations. I did not plan it that way, it just happened! Don't get me wrong, I love green but it needs to have a few other colors to go along with it! The dining room, living room, master bedroom and guest room were all green with a way to sterile white kitchen that had a few splashes of blue. If you've forgotten, take a look back HERE to be reminded what it looked like when we first moved in.

So . . .

I love the crispness of a white and blue kitchen with a few splashes of complementary red used as accents. So, deciding on kitchen colors was a cinch. Since our dining room and living room flow together, I chose red and tan for the dining room which would pull the splashes of red out of the kitchen into the dining room with the addition of a neural tan. I love the rustic but yet boldness of the red with the wood table. Since we have tan couches, I brought the crisp blue and white back into the living room. However, there was to much definition between rooms so added in some tan pillows which helps blend with the dining room. Then there was a definite difference between areas but yet a nice flow when you walk through the house. For our bedroom I kept the lovely green but I added in some tones of blue in the curtains which I hope to later bring out in wall hangings. And the guest room? Well its just going to have to wait for a while! :)
Ok ok, to many words! Now for some pictures!
Dining Room - the first set of curtains I made just did not fit the room . . .

These are my $9 curtains. Was the fabric on sale you ask? Nope! For the life of me I could NOT find a nice red fabric at an affordable price. So, I pulled together some cloth napkins and made a matching set of curtains and place mats.

The living room - In hines sight I wish I would have gone with a solid blue fabric for the curtains. But I do love the way these turned out!

Purchasing one panel from Target, I pulled out my scissors and made the valence for the top of the window with two side panels.

These are my handy-dandy $3 pillows. Using the old pillow forms, I again took some cloth napkins and made pillow covers to help create a fresh new look for the couches.

Our bedroom is very very bright at night! So, I needed something that could block out the light but yet be pulled up and look attractive during the day. Hence these curtains . . .

They are lined with dark sheets to help save money and help create a darker panel to block the light so that we can't read a book when all the lights are out. :)

The kitchen was feeling way to sterile!

Something drastic must be done about that mustard yellow! *insert jaws theme song*

My friend Carli came over and helped me give the room a little make over. :) Her help and fellowship was fantastic to have! A few days later I ended up going over to her house to help paint her kitchen and it turned out beautifully! Now if she will only post some pictures for us *hint hint* ;)

Tadah!

I'm lovin the blue walls. It added some depth and warmth with also keeping the crispness that I love in the kitchen. My red accents (more to come) also blend well with the top boarder.

Puzzled Puzzlers . . .

2011-07-14T09:35:00.001-05:00

Jake and I have picked up a new 'hobby' of puzzles. I never really used to like puzzles this much until our honeymoon when we started doing puzzles in the evening. At first it was just something to do while talking or watching a movie but then we figured out that we can both be a weeee bit competitive with it. ;) That's when the real fun kicked in!

Our most recent puzzle is the above jigsawed one. At first we thought all the odd shapes would make it easier but it almost made it harder. In the end, we were puzzled puzzlers. :) The other night we stayed up a little late because we were soooo close to finishing it! . . .

Now what??? :) Next came shopping which brought us an even bigger question . . . which one to do??? Any votes?

Jake loves big horned sheep but the 1000 pieces sounds a bit daunting. However, after just finishing a 750 piece puzzle maybe it would be fun to move on to a more challenging one. hmmmm . . .

Recently with the Crooks . . .

2011-07-01T16:30:00.001-05:00

I recently took our nephews to the park while babysitting. Here are a few pictures that I grabbed while we played together . . .

"Peek-a-boo I-see-oOoo!" & "Tag! Your it!!!"

I just love their expressions in this next set of pictures . . .

Snack time!

Note the loving "choke-hold" that Caleb is giving Eli while trying to hold onto him as they slide down.

A few weekends ago Jesse came out for a visit and everyone went "camping". By "camping" I mean that Josh & Liz braved it out and stayed the night where we just drove up for the day. :D

The sun was warm but the water was FREEZING! I'm told this is due to how far north we were and that this water is coming from the tops of the mountains where the snow is still melting. I still think its a North Dakota thing. ;)

The above pictures gives you an idea of how 'warm' the water was. The guys kept seeing how deep they could go and how long they could stay in only they ended up running for anyway to help them quickly get out of the water!

The boys did not seem to mind the artic water . . . except for when one does an un-expected face plant that is. ;)

Over all, everyone was quite the happy camper. :)

Wedding Pictures!!!

2011-06-23T12:01:00.002-05:00

Alas, here are our wedding pictures! With over 500 wedding day pictures I decided that making a few short slide shows would be the quickest and easiest way to post them. If you don't have time to sit down and view the slideshows than you can scroll down and view a few of our favorite pictures from the day. Enjoy!

Many thanks to my photographers who did a fantastic job! My main photographer was David Price of Black Olive Photographic. Kathryn Yen of Kathryn Grace Photography was my dressing room photographer as well as the background/assistant photographer.
I am also grateful to Wendy, Riley, Ruth & Liz for a copy of their pictures which are also wonderful and helped round out the day in pictures. :)

Our Wedding Portraits

Getting Ready and Dressing Room Pictures

The Wedding Ceremony

The Wedding Reception

The design in Jake's ring is the Celtic Knot which symbolizes the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as well as unending love. That is what God has given each one of us - a love that never reaches a limit.

I was grateful for all of the loving work that my Mom and Sister put into doing (making) all of the flowers and decorations for the wedding.

And away we drive!

Only too . . .

Get comfy and make a surprise return for the rest of the evening . . .

We sincerely thank you all for your love and support. We couldn’t be more blessed having friends and family like you praying, guiding and sharing in this beautiful time in our lives as we prepared, and then became husband and wife.

Dress Rehersal Pictures

2011-06-21T11:40:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Kathryn from Kathryn Grace Photography, here are some pictures from our dress rehearsal.
Another big thanks to all in attendance for your help and support during this time! It was greatly appreciated and tremendously encouraging to us.

Clouds, sprinkles and a large lack of sleep for all parties involved accompanied us while we rehearsed however the wetness and gloomy skies could not dampen our joy. :)

Maggie Erber was our wedding coordinator and what a coordinator she was! Wow! She had everything down to a T by the day of the rehearsal and was able to run us through it very efficiently. The next day worked like clockwork which is LARGELY due to her hard work. Thank you so much Mrs. Erber! We really could not have done it without you. :)

My bridesmaids and myself chatting before rehearsing . . .

The wedding site looks barren but yet beautiful the day before its filled with chairs, flowers, music and people. Even completely empty I still enjoyed looking around at the beauty that was tucked with-in the cannon.

Running through it once more . . .

Then it was time to eat!!!

We held the rehearsal dinner in the same room that we would have the Wedding Reception in the following day.

Now that this is posted, you know whats coming up next, right? That's right. WEDDING PICTURES!!!!!! :D

Our Home! :)

2011-05-23T19:48:00.000-05:00

I love our home. :) Its just perfect for Jacob and I during this season of our lives.

The back yard is spacious being big enough to play with our nephews, have friends from Church over and cook out and play yard games in and the shed is perfect for yard equipment and tools.

The street we live on is very quiet. If it weren't for the lights at night I'd almost forget that I was living in the city! Just 1 1/2 blocks north of us our road 'ends' as it runs into Lions Park which is Bismarck's biggest park. I have yet to walk through it, but there are great play grounds to take our nephews on, tennis courts, baseball diamonds and wonderful long paths to walk/jog.

And now for the inside of our humble abode . . .

Our living room . . .

Dining room . . .

The table has a butterfly leaf and bench which allows us to host more people over at a time for a meal all around the same table.

Our kitchen . . .

The only down side to this kitchen is its one counter top outlet which makes it a little hard at times but its not impossible to work around. :)
Our bedroom . . .

Our little itty bitty bathroom . . .

Guest/office/sewing/catch all room . . .

And last but not least, our laundry room that is also large enough to serve as a pantry and in the winter time as a mud room. :)

That's all folks!

Arriving in North Dakota

2011-05-23T09:09:00.000-05:00

Jake and I both felt a little flu'ish when we left Friday morning for North Dakota however once we stopped moving our stomachs settled down. With-in a few minuets of our arrival our 'moving' van pulled up with some strong helping hands to help us unload. This was a nice surprise since we were not planning on un-packing till the next day! :) I came down with what started out to be a stomach flu and and ended up to be an upper respiratory flu that I'm still feeling the effects of today. However it was not bad enough to slow me down from un-packing. By Sunday morning everything but books was out of their boxes and into their places. The next few days were quite busy with final organization in the home, mowing the lawn, grocery shopping, lots and lots of rummage sales, second hand store shopping, online craigslist/bisman shopping for furniture, dropping in and meeting Jake's friends etc. We were greatly blessed by everything that we were able to purchase second hand!! By Wednesday night our house was completely set up and furnished with couches, table and chairs, dishes etc. After that it was time to catch up on sleep and settle into a little bit more of 'normal' life. :)

Everything is going very well and running so smoothly and thus far I'm really enjoying it here! The Church, people, town, house . . . its all wonderful. :)

Our Honeymoon

2011-05-23T06:32:00.000-05:00

Our cabin in the woods . . .

Then . . .

A day of excitement and fun . . .

Jake and I invested in the "flash pass" which enabled us to skip lines and jump right to the front and stay on a ride for a few times in a row if we wanted too. Our first ride was the Raging Bull which was a awesome/horrible first ride to start the day of with!! We had a blast! We are fighting feeling old because we could only take a few hours of roller coasters before being content and hitting the road again rather than the all day experiences we knew as children/teens.

Our next stop was a cottage that we would be staying at for the rest of the week.

Calm, peaceful, remote ... this place was perfect for us!

I did not get many pictures of the outside and property so I'm borrowing these from their web site:

It ended up raining most of the week but we still had a wonderful time there.

Breakfast in bed was not uncommon for us that week . . .

The tour ...

Before our Honeymoon - Backyard Picnic and Moving

2011-05-20T10:38:00.000-05:00

On Saturday (right after the wedding) Jake and I came out to my parents house for an afternoon picnic. Out of state'ers, family, friends and neighbors were invited for a time of fellowship and last goodbyes before we packed up the moving van and started off on our honeymoon. I was busy either talking or packing but I did manage to get a few pictures here and there . . .

My brothers grilled out, the neighbors brought side dishes, and numerous other people pitched in with the meal and loading Jake's work van.

Jake and I enjoyed opening our wedding gifts and reading all of the heartfelt cards from everyone.

Jake's brother's wife Liz is fast becoming one of my good friends. Here in Bismarck she is always there with a cheerful attitude to take me shopping, show me the town, invite me over to make cookies and generally always there when I need a friend or a 1/4 cup of something for a meal.

My room was soon emptied out and packed up in the van . . .

Josh & Liz are so cute together . . .

Two of Jake's friends from North Dakota were kind enough to drive his van back to ND for us so we could take the car on our honeymoon and not have to worry about driving two cars.

Jake and I stayed till the evening just talking and visiting with everyone. It was such a nice relaxing day after the hustle and bustle of the wedding the day before.
Thank you everyone who could make it and for all the work that went into helping us pack and move! The next day we started off on our honeymoon which I will be posting about here shortly. :)

Wedding Behind the Scenes from Black Olive Photography

2011-05-16T13:56:00.000-05:00

My wedding photographer David Price of Black Olive Studios recently made this blog post with a quick behind the scenes photograph that I thought I would share with you all. :) Jake and I are eagerly waiting for a few more weeks to go by when we can finally see our 'offical' wedding photos. Be re-assured, we will be sure to share them with you all when we're able to! Until then you will just have to sit in the same waiting boat as us with just this and the below pictures to view. :)

Married!!

2011-05-09T16:50:00.000-05:00

All photos courtesy of Kathryn Grace Photography.

Mr. & Mrs. Crook are currently enjoying their honeymoon with no internet or cell reception and will post more info and pictures when they are all moved into their new home!!

Wedding Preparations . . .

2011-05-02T12:29:00.001-05:00

Here are a few quick shots of some wedding prep that has been going on recently . . .

Having one's florist suddenly become unavailable for your wedding with all other surrounding florists being unavailable on that very same weekend may not be listed under the "stress free wedding" category. ;) But, when it was said and done I believe that it has all worked out for the better. :)

April Birthdays

2011-05-02T11:48:00.000-05:00

During April we celebrated Jeff, Beth & Caleb's birthday.

My camera battery died at Caleb's 2nd birthday party but Beth was able to get some really cute video footage of which I currently don't have time to upload. So, you will just have to take my word that its super cute! :) He was so fun to watch blow out his candles. :)

Life with Caleb . . .

2011-05-02T11:09:00.000-05:00

"Normal" life is continuing on amidst the hustle and bustle of wedding preparations. House work, a little fresh coat of paint here or there, spring yard work and the grooming of flower beds are all things that have kept each of us busy in and around the soon to be highlight of this week ... my wedding!!! But before I start to bore you with an over usage of exclamations points, I'll pause to share a simple sweet thing that also is ever present during all of this excitement ... my nephew Caleb. Caleb's daily presents certainly adds a different dynamic to our household these days. Its not uncommon to talk about veils, tractors, flowers and bulldozers all in the same sentence when his bright blue eyes are present. Below are a few pictures of him as he eagerly waits for the road-grater to come down our road.

What used to be called "actors" have now quite clearly become "tractors" as his vocabulary increases and pet names have grown into their real names. This is all quite fun until he starts gazing at pictures and mentions "Jake" which soon sends me back to thinking of my wedding ... which is this week ... (!!!!!) ...

... Did I mention that my wedding is this week?!? ;)

My Bridal Shower!

2011-04-12T08:13:00.000-05:00

~ All photographs courtesy of Kathryn Grace Photography ~

This past weekend the ladies of our Church gave me a wonderful Wedding Shower.

Pictured below is my sweet maid-of-honor (also known as my beautiful Sister) and myself. :)

Everything was fabulous! Decorations . . .

Delicious food . . .

A wonderful cake made by a very sweet young lady in Church . . .

After our scrumptious lunch everyone was assigned to teams for a toilet tissue wedding dress competition. Each team was given 2 rolls and a few minutes to design and make a wedding dress on one of their team mates . . .

Judging all of these beautifully creative dresses was quite the challenge!

In the end, I chose this dress as the winner for its artistic design and creativity. Well done ladies!

Here are all of the brides in their lovely dresses. I vote that this picture gets brought back up in each of THEIR wedding reception slideshows. ;)

We also had some other fun games. This one was a word scramble. Any guesses as to what 'homa do fnoir' is??

Gift time! :)

Jacob and I are so blessed by everyone's loving generosity.

What a special day! Thanks again to everyone involved with putting the shower on, attending and for all of the love and hugs that was poured forth. It all was such a tremendous blessing for both Jacob and myself. :)

28 days, 00hrs, 28min & 41 seconds to go . . .

2011-04-08T15:39:00.000-05:00

. . . as countdown contines so do the wedding preparations! :)

Wedding Plans - Concreting Things

2011-03-28T11:50:00.000-05:00

Wedding plans are getting closer to being completed. With just a few more details to be concreted during these next few weeks, it looks like we are almost ready for a wedding. (!!) :)
Ivory and teal/peacock blue have been chosen for colors . . .

As well as a variety of other colors . . .

That will be used in several other places . . .

A place has been settled on . . .

And invitations have been sent out . . .

Face-to-Face

2011-03-26T18:05:00.000-05:00

Talking to the ones you love face-to-face is a priceless thing that we all to often take for granted. Jake and I greatly enjoyed seeing each other these past few weeks during his visit. We spent the beginning of his visit walking a marathon through Walmart, Kohl's and Bed Bath & Beyond while we registered. We also enjoyed talking, relaxing, visiting and catching up with our families, going over wedding details and taking a trip to the courthouse to get our marriage licence. Jake's visit was longer than we planned on but it still went by all to quickly. :) The countdown continues as he will be back in another month and we will be married in just 40 days!!! :D

An Inviting Chuckle . . .

2011-03-26T17:03:00.000-05:00

While designing our wedding invitations, my sweet friend needed some words inside the invitations to test fonts size, type, color etc. Since the 'correct' wordage was yet to be determined at the time of her designing, she wrote her own invitation which I found to be rather amusing. Since it gave me quite the chuckle, I thought that I would post it here and pass on on the smiles. :)

Dawn

Jacob

Request the pleasure of your company at their wedding.

Date: Tomorrow

Time: 3:00AM

Place: Hokey Pokey Lodge

123 Whacky Way

Giggle, DJ 98765

RSVP: Today

Please join us for a cheeseburger reception following the ceremony.

The bride and groom are registered at Joans, Hancock and Hobby Lobby.

Happy Birthday!!

2011-03-26T16:50:00.000-05:00

March is the start of Birthday season here in our household. Melissa's was on the 19th, Jake's on the 22nd and Dawn's is on the 24th. Hurray for yet another March born addition to our family!! :)

Update on Dad

2011-03-26T16:45:00.000-05:00

We have all felt very overwhelmed with everything going on at the same time, but things have settled a bit and I have time to update. :-) As most of you know, Dad was released on the 16th of March. He rested the rest of that week and returned to work this last week. He tires very easily but is doing well. Thank you all for your encouraging phone calls, emails and prayer support during this time.

Dad's Back in the ER

2011-03-10T09:53:00.000-06:00

To make things simpler for this post, I'm going to paste a few e-mails that have been sent out to our Church:

3/8/11
Dear Church Family,

I talked with Diane this morning, and Vern is having severe abdominal pain. The pain med they had didn't seem to work, therefore, the doctor is seeing about a different pain killer. Also, the doctor is wanting Vern to have another type of scan to better identify the source of his pain. The doctors have said they don't believe the pain is related to the cancer, however if the cancer has spread to the intestines there could be pain associated.

Please pray for Vern.
One, for the immediate relief of his pain.
Two, for prompt scheduling of this scan.
Three, for the Lord's healing hand on Vern.
Four, for grace for Vern and the family as they negotiate this difficult time.

When one member suffers, we all suffer. Let us uphold our brother, and his family.
Rog

3/8/11
Dear Church Family,

Diane is taking Vern to the emergency room tonight (Swedish American). Please pray that the hospital and doctors can take care of Vern promptly.
It seems that communication has not been clear all day between the family and the doctors. Pray also for clear communication and understanding along with wisdom.
Maggie is going to the hospital tonight to be with Diane. Hold her up as well.

Rog

3/9/11
Dear Church Family,

When I arrived at the ER last night (8:00?) Vern & Diane both were waiting in the waiting room. Will & Joanne showed up shortly thereafter. What a delight to have their encouraging presence! Vern had been given a pill for the nausea, but was quite uncomfortable - but, there were no beds available in the ER, so there we all sat, visited, and prayed. A bed opened up for Vern at about 9:15. At about 11:00 they had finally seen the doc, he had been given pain med, and was on the barium regime, in preparation for a CAT scan, which took place in the wee hours this morning.

No new information came from the CAT scan. They are still in the ER because there are no beds available in the whole hospital! A GI doctor is scheduled to see Vern today. So is a "pain management" person.

Diane "slept" in a lounge chair in the ER last night. Please pray for her stamina, and the colitis problems that are beginning to bother her again.

Beth is also not doing well. Tonsilitis, back problems, and respiratory...

May the Lord's sustaining grace undergird them in abundance!

God bless you!
Maggie

3/10/11
Dad is currently on the strongest pain killer which just makes the pain tolerable. Up until now, we have been told by his urologist and GP that the pain is not at all from his cancer. The ER/Hospital doctors have been running multiple tests to get to the bottom of all of this.

The hospitalist assigned yesterday says all of this pain IS due to the cancer and has been a great help in correctly diagnosing and treating him. He recommends stints be put into his ureters. Dad's kidneys are inflamed and in distress. The hospitalist has called the urologist and is taking himself off the case because Dad needs a surgeon and an urologist. Please pray for wisdom for Mom as she makes decisions concerning a second consult from another urologist. (since this one has really messed up with Dad)

Please also pray for:
Continued strength, peace of mind and health for Mom as she stays by Dad's side during all of this.
Beth's tonsillitis is getting worse, pray for healing and health.
Wedding preparations - somehow deadlines slipped up on me and I need to focus and get things done in and around everything else that is going on. Please pray that I would be able to focus and have clarity of mind amidst everything else that is going on.

-Dawn for the family

Test Results = Hope for posisble treatment

2011-03-04T12:26:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends,

Mom and Dad saw Dr. Roegner (urologist) yesterday and learned that the tests confirmed the cancer is in stage D1, that it is outside the prostate, in the pelvic cavity and lymph nodes. But there is good news, by the grace of our God we were given hope in fighting this. The doctor had said in previous visits that if it was outside the prostate and in the lymph nodes, there was no treatment. He had said he would give Vern hormones that would clear the body of testosterone and stop the production of it. The absence of testosterone would 'starve' the cancer and hopefully keep it from growing further, and that was all that could be done. However, the day before our appointment, Dr. Roegner 'just happened' to be in surgery with Dr. Andrews, a Radiation Oncologist (that just came to Rockford), who has a special interest in prostate cancer. Dr Roegner mentioned Vern's case and how he did not want to just send him home with basically no hope. He asked Dr. Andrews about radiation treatments if the hormones worked. Dr Andrews agreed that if the hormones hindered the cancer he would try a broadened field of radiation on the pelvic cavity. We would like to believe this was a divine appointment. This is not a promise of a 'cure', but it is hope of possible treatment. We know that our HOPE is not in the treatment, but in the Lord Jesus Christ, our God, our Savior. We also know He orders and works through all circumstances in our every day lives.

So, where do we go from here? Dad has an appointment in three months with Dr Roegner for a PSA blood test. This will help determine if the hormones are working to hinder the cancer. They have an appointment with Dr. Andrews next Tuesday, March 8th, to get established with him. After three months of the hormone treatment, he will decide if the radiation is feasible or not.

Please continue to pray for wisdom and guidance for us and all the health care givers involved.
Thank you for all your prayers and the support and encouragement you have given us,

Love in Christ,
The Beatty family

37th Anniversary

2011-03-02T21:50:00.000-06:00

37 years ago today . . .

Prayer Request - Prostate Cancer

2011-02-26T11:24:00.002-06:00

Dear Friends,

Some of you are aware that my Dad, Vern, was in the ER three weeks ago. He had a thorough exam, blood work, and cat scan at that time. He was sent home with a referral to Dr. Roegner, a urologist. Dr. Roegner worked him in that week and has seen him three times since then for tests, test results (that led to more tests) and he now has confirmed that he has prostate cancer. The biopsies that were done consisted of 12 tissue samples, all 12 of them came back positive for advanced, aggressive prostate cancer. This news definitely shocked our family, but we all are assured and are grateful that our GOD is sovereign over all, even cancer.

Prostate cancer is evaluated by grade and stage. Grade is from 1-5, Dad's is 5. Which means it is an aggressive fast growing cancer. He was given a 'gleason score' of 9, the gleason range is 2-10. The stage the cancer is in is yet to be determined.

It appears that the cancer has already grown outside the prostate, via the nerves. It appears that it is in his pelvic lymph nodes. This week he has had more blood work, Xray, MRI and a bone scan to confirm/deny this, and to see if it has metastasized anywhere else. These tests will tell us what stage the cancer is in. He will see Dr. Roegner next Thursday, March 3 to get the final results of these tests and discuss options. We know one treatment that will be started on that visit, it will be a hormone 'implant' into his abdomen. This will release hormones over the next 6 months to hopefully slow down the growth of the cancer.

Please pray for our Lord's will, wisdom and discernment for us, the doctors and technicians involved. Pray also for our family as we lean on and trust our sovereign God.

-The Beatty Family

Spring Cleaning and Packing

2011-02-26T11:07:00.000-06:00

This past week we started on some Spring cleaning in the sewing room. Sorting, organizing, de-junking etc. :) This also gave us the opportunity to sort out all of my sewing things and get them packed for moving in a few months. This actually turned out to be a rather large project. Sorting out different fabrics, needles, pins and patterns is extremely tedious work! I am sure that you would agree with me that it seems like a good idea for "proper" organization to have all the pins in one drawer, right? WRONG! This is a wonderful idea until one of you has to go and get herself engaged and move away taking all of her flat pins with her!! Each of us have our own individual notions that we have invested in over the years. And, since we share with each other we also have lots of fabrics in the same color schemes that have been stored together making sorting a rather large project. A word of advice to all of you young seamstresses - spray paint all of your sewing notions FLAMINGO PINK!! Okay, okay, so maybe that's taking it to an extreme . . . or is it?? ;-) All I know right now is that there is never a better time than the present to prepare for your future. :) Pictured below is my (mostly) finished stash of sewing equipment and supplies.

It may not look like much until you open up a bin and start counting needles and pins, each carrying with them special memories. Memories that have been stitched together with love as the threads of our friendships quilted the patchwork of our lives. In packing, I find it comforting to remember that being close has nothing to do with the distance, but it has everything to do with the heart. :)

Wedding Planning - Progress is being made!

2011-02-15T09:41:00.000-06:00

This post is actually a week old but I figure that its better late than never to update my blog! :) Dates, colors, dresses, rings, flowers and food are all coming together as the wedding planning continues. Many things have been accomplished but we still have a few things in motion. Many other big 'life things' have been happening in and amongst wedding planning of which I hope to post about later this week.

Wedding Planning - Choices Choices, Oh So Many Choices!

2011-02-05T08:58:00.000-06:00

Snowed In!

2011-02-02T18:11:00.001-06:00

Church Hunting . . .

2011-01-31T05:00:00.003-06:00

The hunt for a Church and reception building continues! Our Church building is not quite large enough to have our wedding at so we have been looking for a building in the Pecatonica/Freeport area to have ceremony and reception in. Here is a glimpse of a few candidates that we are looking at . . .

The question remains, which one will it be?!? :)

Planning . . .

2011-01-29T14:18:00.001-06:00

The content and topic of this book has consumed most of my waking hours this past week . . .

Engagment Announcment

2011-01-25T11:38:00.000-06:00

I’m sure that you have all noticed how quiet this blog has been as of late. Judging by the title to this post I am sure that you have now guessed the reason for my blogging silence! ;)
Introduced by a mutual friend, Jacob Crook and I have been seeking the Lord’s will in our lives during these past few months. After much prayer, it has been made clear to us that it IS the Lord’s will for us to marry, and serve Him together. :)

Jacob is a handyman/construction worker from Bismarck, North Dakota who is currently starting up his own construction business with his oldest brother. After our Spring wedding, we plan to move to Bismarck where we will start our family and continue to seek the Lord in all of life’s endeavors.

My heart is filled with joy and humbleness as I look over the events that have lead to my engagement with Jacob. To God be the glory, He is indeed good and ever faithful! :) I would covet your prayers as our families joyously start planning and preparing for our wedding in a few months. More info to follow as time permits. I will not make any promises, but I do believe that my time of blogging silence has come to an end and I am planning on posting to you all during these next few months wedding preparations.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. -Ephesians 3:20-21

Fun in the Snow

2010-12-27T18:35:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas!! :)

2010-12-25T19:08:00.000-06:00

A new generation of Horse Lovers . . .

2010-12-14T23:45:00.000-06:00

Pictured below is Caleb at 20ty months old and Dawn at 3yrs old - both riding the very same horse.

A new generation of horse lovers has entered the family! Caleb's fascination with 'orses' started when he could first point to them in the pasture and his love for the furry beasts has only grown since then. This month we pulled out my old riding horse for him. I wish you could have seen his face when he rode it for the first time - utter delight and sequels of excitement soon filled his face and vocal cords as he learned how to bounce and rocked away!
This horse is a horse of many names because 20ty years ago I changed its name almost every minuet. The Black Stallion, Pie, Misty, Rocky, Silver and Lightning were among a few of its weekly names. Caleb has now named the horse "MeMe" after our horse Misty so thus the cycle has begun again. :)

Tree Hunting . . .

2010-12-14T18:35:00.000-06:00

Tis the season . . .

Earthen Plaster Project with Anna Wolfson Inc. at Hutchinson's Farm

2010-12-14T18:25:00.001-06:00

A few months ago Beth had the awesome opportunity to help out on a earthen plaster project. The organic farm that she has been working at needed an extra hand in finishing up the inside of their workshop.

Beth was delighted to meet Anna Wolfson from Anna Wolfosn Inc.

Anna was going to be heading up the project but many recruits (like Beth) were called in to help. According to her site:

"Passionate about natural building technologies and materials for a decade, Anna Wolfson is Chicago’s leading practitioner in all-natural interior wall finishes. Anna blends her love of earthen materials with high end interior design to create unique spaces that emanate sophistication and natural beauty. Her work is enjoyed locally and across the country in homes, yoga studios, spas, restaurants, bars, and commercial spaces.
The team of professional artisans hails from many walks of life and share a passion for creating beauty, connections, and eco-consciousness.
Anna Wolfson Inc. is a Chicago-based firm that provides sophisticated wall coverings for interior settings. With our unique, natural collection, Anna Wolfson Inc. is redefining interior wall decoration. Richly textured and beautifully colored, Anna Wolfson transforms a space with class while upholding environmental sustainability. Our applications are individually placed by hand, which is reflected in the subtle yet textural décor."

It was so fun to hear all of the end of the day stories during the few weeks that Beth and Anna were working together, they really had a blast with the rest of the plastering team.

Rock River Times did an article on their earthen plaster project. Everything is not exactly right but it still provides for an interesting read:

"Another natural material has been used in Jim Hutchison’s straw-clay building: clay plaster. Anna Wolfson of Wolfson Earth Finishes, professional plasterer and art major from Oberlin College, introduced us to the material. Best of all, “it’s all natural!” she exclaims.
The first ingredient is clay—about 1-1/2 yards. Wolfson thought a local clay would be the best, but the colors weren’t what she or Hutchison wanted. They finally found the right color, which had been removed from a construction project in Fond du Lac, Wis. The only cost was hauling.
Fine, angular sand is mixed with the clay. Round particles will not cling. Straw, cut up in a leaf chopper, is used in the mix. Differing lengths assure a mixture that holds together by “weaving.” Silt is avoided since it can hinder cohesion. The plaster is processed in a cement mixer.
Clay, sand and straw are used in equal proportions. Either horse or cow manure, or both, can be added for helpful enzymes and the desired final color. In this case, horse manure was used. About two wheelbarrows full of the mixture can cover the inside of the building.
Other colors can be achieved by using ochre, which produces a yellow; iron oxide for antique rose; or kaolin for white. Wolfson’s eyes sparkled as she discussed the qualities, colors and other features of her product. Linseed oil wiped on the exterior plaster will create a glistening effect. Several pleasing natural colors were featured on a permanent display wall.
Before actual plastering begins, a thin coat of slip (clay and water) is sprayed on the walls to assure the plaster will stick. It can be prepared in advance. What is not used will not spoil. One coat of plaster is about 3/8-inch thick. A second can be added if desired.
The actual plastering was done by Wolfson, and several of Hutchison’s friends, new to the process, who were doing a fine job.
The plaster may be smoothed when it is wet, may be given a texture or made to look like concrete.
Wheat paste is used to fill in irregularities in the wall before plastering. Burlap is used to protect edges such as around windows.
Framing for benches and hanging tools are built in, not added later.
Wolfson also does fine plastering in Chicago over either drywall or lath. She feels the advantages of clay plaster are that it absorbs humidity, breathes, is negatively charged and does not collect dust. Straw clay allows water to pass through.
How did an art major become a plasterer? She took an internship where she learned the skill, and “never looked back.” Both Wolfson and Hutchison work with architects Lou Host-Jablonski and Sue Thering of Design Coalition, who work with natural materials.
Natural buildings are labor intensive, but she believes they are well worth the work. The finished product is healthy; there are no dangerous fumes, and the building can stand many years. Additionally, building materials are often locally available and inexpensive." -by By Drs. Robert & Sonia Vogl at the Rock River Times

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2010-11-25T18:55:00.000-06:00

Bathroom Before and After - 36hr Makeover!

2010-11-25T18:08:00.005-06:00

This week we decided to do some work in our one and only bathroom. What started out as a simple mirror cabinet swap-out turned into a real live "if you give a mouse a cookie" set of events. When it was all said and done, we completed a Beatty version of extreme home makeover. ;) In 36hrs the below transformation took place leaving us with a fresh and bright bathroom. The flooring is going to have to wait till another day, but my goodness are we pleased with the end product! I was unable to capture the true colors in the finished bathroom however they do do a great job of depicting the drastic change that has taken place. Here are a few before/during/after pictures . . .

The above picture shows the true colors! The below pictures make it seem much greener/darker than it really is.

Thanksgiving countdown for finishing current projects is on!!

2010-11-24T17:42:00.001-06:00

Monday ... Tuesday ... Wednesday ... Wednesday morning ... Wednesday Afternoon ... WHAT!?! Its almost Thursday already???? The countdown is on to finish up current projects before Thanksgiving arrives!!!

Fresh out of the Oven . . .

2010-11-24T16:15:00.000-06:00

Topsy-Turvy Apple Pie, and . . .

Cheesy egg breakfast quiche. In amongst all of the hustle and bustle 'normal' life must still go on with plenty of dishes and diapers and yummy things coming out of the oven. mmm mmm good. :)

Before and After Outside/Barn work from these past two weeks

2010-11-18T16:35:00.002-06:00

Ever since we moved onto the farm our priorities in fixing things up have been put into where we are living or where our livestock has been put. Normally (for the past 6yrs) after the garden is put up we would spend a huge amount of energy getting things re-done in the house (such as the kitchen; dining room; kitchen floors; breakfast room floor; my bedroom; guest room and holes in the wall etc etc the list goes on) all right before the holidays came and before we got snowed in for the winter. However, we have finally made enough headway in the house that this year we were actually able to focus on the outside (yahoo!). Here are some before/during/after pictures from what I/we have been doing these past two weeks:

*note* Now now, before you start to shake your finger at us for just now getting around to these projects you have to stop and think about everything else that has been going on in our lives these past years!!! Honestly, I think that we are doing very good for everything that has happened health wise in our family over the past 6yrs. So put away your wagging finger and give thanks with us as we continue to move forward with what is now 'noraml' life. :)

Beth and I have set to cleaning out all of the scrap metal from the barns left there by the previous owners. Everything from car breaks to shopping carts to 700lb wood stoves have been left piled knee deep in various places of our property. When it was all said and done, we carted off four loads of scrap metal weighing a total of 6,800lbs!!

All work and no play can make for some very sore backs with very little smiles . . . every now and then we would find some entertainment in the forms of grocery 'go carts' and old spring mattress 'trampolines' (pictured above) that added some humor to our day. ;)

We also tore down these old corn cribs which is a story all in itself! I will let the pictures talk for themselves however it was a very hard, backbreaking job that (after a few days work) we are very glad to have finally finished!!

fewww what a project!! These big things ended up weighing 2,800lbs and were a chore to get all loaded up but my goodness are we glad to have them out of our yard! :)

A pet project of mine has been to clean out some areas including (but not limited too) the old grain bins in the barn. Originally grain was stored in these rooms with shoots that ran downstairs where you would feed the livestock. However they were filled to the brim when we moved in and I have been working hard to set them free of junk and make them usable once more.

All of this cleaning made for several large bon fires that would pile up and be burnt on a daily basis. . .

Getting winters hay and straw purchased and stacked in the barn has also been on the to-do list . .

Along with dumping a few truck loads of compost in the garden . . .

And that's a wrap on what has been going on in my neck of the woods these past two weeks! More projects are again in motion before the holidays hit but thankfully we have already gotten much accomplished!!

Busy week . . . More to come . . .

2010-11-15T06:12:00.001-06:00

Here is a glimpse at what we did this past week, details to follow when time permits . . .

Its the GHOST LIGHT!!!

2010-11-10T08:07:00.006-06:00

If you have ever seen the famous movie "Cars" than you will know what the ghost light is and realize what a serious matter it is to find yourself right in front of one . . .

Let me explain . . .

This past week a friend let us borrow their 1840 Case skid steer to do some much needed work around the farm. Beth and I set to work cleaning out the 'little barn' where (in the past) we had wintered over the horses and 30-40 head of goats. When we moved here, we were told that the little barn had a dirt floor. Since then about 2ft of bedding has accumulated. So, Beth set to cleaning with the skid steer and I worked in the hard to reach areas. After cleaning out our bedding we realized that there was another 1-2ft of dirt before a nice gravel base. So, we decided to take it all the way down to the gravel so that we would have a nice floor in the barn. However, in the process of moving this we both realized that there was tons of 'burried treasre' that would need to be picked out before the 'dirt' was laid on the compost pile! Wood planks board and beams, scrap metal and concrete chunks were among some of the list that was found in this buried treasure. So, for the rest of the evening Beth would scoop and slowly dump while I picked out all the scrap, then she would move the sifted pile onto the compost pile where more scrap would sometimes be found. As you can imagine, this was a messy and rather frustrating situation to work with. Beth got more comfortable with the routine making her move faster however I was getting exhausted and started to move slower causing me to not get out of Beth's way fast enough (she was beginning to have fun with this).

Needless to say . . . It was not to long before I started running and screaming "Its the ghost light! ITS THE GHOST LIGHT!!" as the wild beast would emerge from the darkness and become fast on my slow moving heals.

Moral of the story: Adding an adrenalin rush and a little humor to a messy job makes it go much faster and it can become much more enjoyable job for everyone involved. ;)

In other news . . .

Doing fall cleaning in preparation to be locked indoors for the winter and preparing for Spring projects has keept us busy:

Tearing down the broken garage door and covering the hole till spring when a new garage that will be built
Cleaning out the garage
Washing the siding on the house
Cleaning out and fertilizing the perennial flower beds
Washing all the house windows (inside and out) +scrubbing screens
Cleaning out the garden and getting it ready to till
Taking down fence that will be replaced in the Spring

AND de-junking the barns (a project that has been going on ever since we moved here) because the previous owners were hoarders are all projects that have kept me/us very busy this past week. Sooo, thats a quick update on what has been going on around here lately! More projects are in motion for the upcoming weeks but I will post as I can when I have time to do so. :)

Our Family - Autumn 2010

2010-11-08T18:15:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago the four of us paused for a quick family photo. So, I thought that I would post it here just in case you all have forgotten what we look like. ;) Enjoy!

Why I Love Photography

2010-11-05T11:46:00.003-05:00

dawnmariephotography.net

"There is no simple answer to why I love photography. What can be captured in a picture goes well beyond what could ever be captured with words. While aiming through the viewfinder and searching for the perfect angle, the perfect flicker of light, and the perfect smile, grimace, scream, or lock of hair, there is a sense of calmness and peace that comes over me. It's as if nothing else exists beyond the reach of my zoom button.

The best types of photographs are those that come unrehearsed, unscheduled, and without prompting.
Then you have the softer moments of nature that seem to be happening just for my entertainment. For instance, the bee slipping out of a newly opened flower or the multitude of birds that flock to the trees in my front yard all summer long.

From rare moments of humanity to everyday encounters with the wild, everything can be captured forever by photography. Things that would otherwise go unnoticed get drawn into the light and focused on until they are seen and admired around the world.

What would otherwise happen in one moment and be gone the next is forever captured and held tight by photography! What better thing in the world is there to love?

I believe that people who love photography have a certain passion and curiosity for life. They are not content to let the smallest, most mundane things that occur in the world go unnoticed. They are excited at the mere thought of discovering the unknown and getting up close and personal with every aspect of this world.

A lot of my photography would never interest anyone else in the world, but every now and then I will take a picture that stops me cold. It tends to be the pictures that show something that occurred in the flicker of a fraction of a second that I would have never even recognized if it weren't for the magically timed flash of the camera.

In THESE pictures I often see a glimmer in someones eye that tells me they are happy or a smile so deniably gleeful and exhilarated that the happiness of that moment has touched that person forever. These tend to be raw, un-posed pictures snapped at random moments when the subjects and myself least expect anything profound to be revealed.

Right there in those moments, that is why I love photography! It's not so much in the thrill and fun of snapping the pictures but in the off guard moments when some very real, stark honest reflection of humanity comes out of my camera and is born forever into the world." -Jason Rodriguez paraphrased by me

Enjoying Orchard time with Caleb

2010-10-20T13:32:00.003-05:00

With a few orchards with-in easy driving distance, it has been nice to stop in on sunny afternoons. The change in scenery, fresh air, apple cider, doughnuts and fresh apples make for a fantastic way to bring a busy day to a nice calm relaxing close. :)

Enjoying the tastes of the Season

2010-10-19T13:46:00.003-05:00

Putting the "awe" in Autumn

2010-10-10T21:13:00.003-05:00

My oh my, how time flies! It seams like just yesterday, when I had just noticed how the leaves were beginning too first bud out, all fresh and green, and now they are all a blaze with color! Who turned on the trees?

The air is delightfully cool and smells of the crispness of autumn. Fall seams to assault our senses with a frenzy of color, sharp, woodsy smells, and a host of memories of the year that’s been passing.
It’s interesting, how words that cluster around the word “autumn”, are as extravagant as the season itself: magnificent, glorious, blazing, russet, reds, glowing. Like the leaves themselves, they almost constitute an overdose. You want to step back, blink, and catch your breath.
God's wonderful, yearly show of color puts the “awe” into autumn for me.
As I look at the grandeur, I become more conscious of God's amazing power and might. I just sand back in awe of the beauty of His creation. Even in places where the landscape stays much the same year-round, fall is a time of change. It’s a time of endings – and new beginnings. The air cools, turning thoughts to lighting fires, picking apples, creating cinnamon smells in the kitchen and preparing for the holidays.
Fall is also a time to batten down hatches. Here on the farm, we’re closing down the garden; taking stock, getting prepared for the cold winter ahead.
Sometimes, I tend to feel a wee bit sad when I sit out in God's creation watching the red and gold of autumn turn to brown as the leaves die and fall. However, I’m now finding that autumn is a glorious time to pause, look back over the year and give thanks for everything that the Lord had done in our lives and what He will do in the future.

Recently with Caleb . . .

2010-10-10T20:53:00.003-05:00

Recently with Caleb we are finding that orchards can be rather fun and interesting places . . .

Pumpkins make really cool noises when patted and they make fun seats, just so long as one does not shift his weight around which causes a tumbling effect . . .

Slides are always a great source of shrills and thrills . . .

However, tractors still trump all! . . .

But at the end of the day there is no better seat than Mommy's lap. :)

Oh, and . . .

Peanut butter and crackers is a new beloved fun filled snack for tuckered out nephews. :D

Family Trip to Florida

2010-10-09T11:35:00.004-05:00

Our trip down to visit Mom's family in Alabama and Florida was wonderful this year! Many memories were made that will last a lifetime. Below I have posted a simple sideshow from our travels south. No worries, it is no where near as long as my Montana trip sideshow! :-)

Most everyone knew when the camera was being pointed at them however there is one clip where a video camera was aimed at an unsuspecting person when they were being a wee bit silly. ;)

Produce and Putting-Up

2010-10-06T07:15:00.001-05:00

Produce has been abounding in the garden giving us much to enjoy on the table as well as enough to freeze and can for over the winter.
Georgia Rattle snake watermelon, beautifully fleshed Orange tender sweet watermelon (pictured below); Tigger Melon; Doral Honeydew; Amish Paste Tomatoes; Brandywine; Cherokee Purple; Pineapple; Black Krim and Tomatillos are among a few varieties of melons and tomatoes that we have been enjoying. Although, I must admit that the garden has been producing a little faster than we can eat or put up! ;)

The cold room is currently full of onions, potatoes, squash and melons as we slowly start to stock our shelves with canned fruits, veggies, jams & jellies. Praise the Lord for such an abundance. :)

Dog'gone Days of Summer

2010-10-06T06:50:00.004-05:00

My handsome nephew Caleb is the best of friends with my little August. Augie is so patient with all of his tugs and pulls on her ears and tail.

It is quite fun to watch them play together as they 'share' each others toys . . .

Flowers - A Simple Joy in Life

2010-10-06T06:30:00.000-05:00

Some of you may remember my April post about "Garden Beginnings" where we worked together in putting in the garden and planting a few flats of flower seeds. Most of the flower seeds did indeed survive and grow into little plants that we planted all around the house and garden. During the summer, we have greatly enjoyed their vibrant color as they have bloomed.

The below picture was taken by our deck upon our return home from Montana when the dog's claws had been enjoying their company in our absence. ;)

Evening Rainbows

2010-10-06T06:14:00.000-05:00

I was unable to grab my camera fast enough to capture the full effect of this evening rainbow over our farm, but you can still get a small glimpse of its beauty from what I was able to capture. :)

Family Trip to Montana

2010-09-25T00:17:00.005-05:00

+32min of slideshow footage and photo journalism is posted below from our family trip to Montana. So sit back, grab some popcorn and enjoy! :)
*tip* If you only have a short amount of time, I would highly recommend the video of Beth and Dawn's adventures through Yellowstone and the final video of our trip home.

Part One of our Trip: Traveling out and our first few days there. - 6min long

Part Two: Grandma's Funeral - 13 min long

Part 2.5 -Beth and Dawn's adventures through Yellowstone - 6min long

Part Three: Coming Home and our family Adventures through Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons - 7 min long

A bloopers roll is being made however due to its highly laughable content, I'm not sure that it will be posted on any public channel! ;)

Back Home Again . . .

2010-08-09T08:33:00.003-05:00

Having had safe travels we are now home again, un-packed and are jumping right back into 'normal' life!

Living in Livingston

2010-08-02T23:49:00.002-05:00

A combination of Internet access + free time is a rarity out here however I wanted to stop and and say hello to you all! Pictures and updates to follow as life allows but for now know that we are all alive and doing well. :-)

Arriving in Livingston

2010-08-02T18:00:00.000-05:00

We have arrived to Livingston safe and sound! For now, we are regaining feeling in our legs and settling into our rather graciously provided house. I'll post as I can through-out the week. :)

On the Road to Montana!

2010-07-31T04:00:00.001-05:00

We are currenlty on the Road to Livingston Montana! We are scheduled to return around August 8th, see you then!

Flooded!!

2010-07-30T11:46:00.002-05:00

Last week Northern IL was it with some major rain storms causing flash flooding across the state line area. Reports show that power has been knocked out, housing developments have been evacuated due to ext ream flooding, roads have been closed for days due to flooding or being washed out. In Freeport a flash flood that hit down town was flowing so fast that it picked up a car and landed it in building. Beth noticed entire parking lots that were flooded so deep that you could barely see the tops of mini vans that had been left there over night. Although most of this happened in only selected spots in the surrounding area its still remains to be one of those things that you see on TV, not in your back yard!

The morning after the flood we woke up a bit of water in our basement. Depending on the floor slant, it ranged from 3" to 1ft deep. The above pictures do not give credit to the situation. The washer, dryer and deep chest freezer were already up on blocks however the water rose a good 3-5" above them. The dryer moter was completely underwater. We are SO very thankful that everything is working fine now that things have dried out down there!

Marks left by floating debris from the flood that swept across our pasture are about 3ft high on the fence. (sorry! never got pictures of that!) The waters were rushing so fast across the road it made deep trenches. Its a little hard to see, but if you look closely in the above picture with my foot you will see where the gravel stops mid-thigh on me. Yes, it was that deep! The middle of the intersection was covered with deep canyon that went in every direction. Each side of the road had deep trenches that ran for miles. If you look at where our mail box is, you will notice that most of the road has washed into our ditch. The gravel is about 3ft deep in our ditch. We are thankful that this is only on one side of our property and not in all of our ditches!
That morning Mom and I headed out to a ladies tea put on by our sister Church in Peoria (we had a very nice time there). How ironic and that the table that we ended sitting at was decorated with words like "peace & hope". :) What a wonderful little reminder that God is still in control, even in the midst of a storm.
On the way home, we were witnessed a beautiful sunset. I paused just out side of Ridott to capture the above right picture of the flood water that was in a corn field. To give you an idea of how deep it was . . . look closely at the 'grass' growing up in the middle of the water. Well, that's not grass, its tassels of the corn! The next day that very road would be completely under water as the water continued to rise. Right now, one week later, the water is starting to go down but its mark is still very visible anywhere you look. We are thankful that we did not get hit worse by it and our prayers are with those who suffered much worse than we did.