Connor's new dog - Star

Last week Connor and I went and picked up his new dog. I found her on Craigslist and she sounded like a pretty nice dog...2 years old (past the puppy stage), calm, obedient, neutered, kid friendly. Her name is Star. She's supposedly a black lab, but is smaller..about the size of a 6 month old lab. We think she may be part collie since she has two different colored eyes. (Thanks to my brother-in law, Joe for that info). I think she has figured out that we are her new family and this is her new home. She has settled in pretty good already. For now she is a house dog...until spring. Since she had been used to being in the house, the vet advised us not to put her out in the barn this winter. So for now she's in the house, although she spends a lot of time running around outside. The first night we put her in a small kennel in the house but that was the only night. Since then, we now just leave her out to sleep in the living room for the night. She has done well I would have to say. No whining or aimlessly roaming the house at night. In the morning, Mark lets her out before he goes to work. This morning when Connor came into my room to announce that he was awake, he also informed me that Star was sleeping on top of his blankets at the foot of his bed. I guess she's found a comfy sleeping spot....as long as Connor stays sleeping anyway.

Connor & Star taking a break and watching a "Bob the Builder" movie

Star sprawled out resting while Connor naps.

Piglet Update

Yes, we did make it to Walmart a while ago and Connor did get his Piglet. He was pretty excited.

Germs! Germs! Keep the fingers out of the mouth! Especially while riding in a Walmart cart! Now that I think of it....he did get a cold soon after this. Maybe he picked it up here instead of at school like I thought. Next time he can walk. We don't need those germs again.

Update on the Pumpkin Stand

Connor's pumpkins are officially sold out already! Well close. There is 1 yellow one down there yet and I think 4 yellow ones that we did leave down in the garden in hopes that they may turn orange yet. Yesterday afternoon we went up to Grandpa Wicklund's house and we stopped and checked his pail on the way out the driveway. There was $10 in it and most of the pumpkins were gone. And this morning after we got home from school....3 more $'s and only 1 yellow pumpkin left. Needless to say he has his $8 in an envelope with Piglet stickers ready to hit Walmart. But now he tells me that he may want the elephant (Dumbo) instead. So we'll see what he decides the next time we get to town.

Mark trying to steal his earnings. :) JK. I think he was trying to convince him to hold on to it tight because it was really windy. Wouldn't want the $$ flying into the road ditch. :)

Duck Hunting

Mark was out duck hunting this morning (Sunday) and was back in around 8am. I was surprised when he told me he got his limit of 6 ducks and was gonna go to church with us at 9am. He got 4 ringbills and 2 blue-winged teal. I didn't know it at the time but I had the wrong date on my camera! UGH! I hate that when that happens. It's October 3rd and not September!

Connor's Pumpkin Stand

Yesterday we cleaned out the gardens. We pulled out all the vines and tomato plants and weeds, etc. Mark tilled everything up, Connor and I pulled up our last row of carrots, and hauled all the pumpkins up to the house with his Gator. Since we had surplus of pumpkins, I asked Connor if he would want to sell some of them. "For what?" was his first answer. I told him, "To make some money." Funny how kids at that age know what money is all about. "Yeaahhh!" he says. So we gathered a few things together and found a piece of cardboard for a sign and he was in business. We put up the stand at about 5pm on the end of our mile long driveway. At around 7pm I asked him if he wanted to drive down with me to check on his pumpkin stand before it was dark. I had been watching off and on, but didn't see any cars stop. He piled out of the car to check his money bucket. He was like a kid on Christmas morning when he cracked open the lid! Somebody did stop and there was $3!!! in his bucket. I was busy getting out of the car and futzing with my camera as he was checking out his pail. I should've had it in video mode to catch his reaction. He was so excited. So I guess Connor's in business. Maybe we'll have to plant a few more next year. On the ride back to the house I was telling him how he'll have to save it in his pig bank. He looks at me and says, "I can save it and buy my Piglet!" He's been eyeing this Piglet stuffed animal at Walmart for a long time. It costs $8 and I keep telling him to add it to his Christmas/birthday list. I told him that he'll have to sell 5 more pumpkins and then yeah, just maybe....he could go buy his Piglet.

Connor's Corn

The reason Connor shucks his corn...to go feed the ducks and geese in Alex. He's been busy shucking the leftover corn from the neighbors chopped cornfield. I tell him that I think the ducks and geese recognize the little boy who comes in the red car with his ice cream pail. They come right up to the car and follow him back when his pail is empty. The one thing I'm gonna have to remember though...throw in some plastic bags to rubber-band around our shoes. You guessed it....lots of goose and duck poop!

Fall Time

It's Fall time! Connor and I have been out and about with our camera in hand. Not too long ago we went and hiked up Inspiration Peak, which isn't too far from our house. It's the highest point in the area, or northern Minnesota I think. There is a paved trail going up thru the woods. He was pretty excited to lace up his hiking boots.
Connor made it up and all the way down without a word about being tired or wanting to be carried. I was surprised. The trees were still pretty green yet when we were up there. I was hoping for more color. The trail up and down had more color. Maybe we'll try another hike up the hill next week to check it out again.

This is me on the way down the hill. Yes, Connor loves to take pictures too! Connor heading down the hill.

Almost to the bottom.

He's pretty excited to have a plentiful supply of corn. The neighbor has a cornfield pretty close to our house. They chopped the corn the other day so now we've been taking our wagon or his gator out to the field and picking up the leftovers. He loves to sit and shuck corn. This picture is about 8am in the morning. There was still dew on the picnic table so I put down some towels. He had to go out and work on shucking his corn.

Here's Connor standing on the backside of the house. He was out practicing with his fishing pole, so yes it had to be in the picture too.

The view down the driveway from up here by the house.

Connor in the leaves...with his corn.

Heading down the driveway with his Gator.

Down in our pumpkin patch trying to decide which one to pick first.

Load'm up.

Connor in the leaves.

Raking up a pile.

Connor going down his slide into the leaves.

The pile doesn't look as big with me in it.

Connor and Mom

View from the kitchen window.

The last of the green beans.

and our first row of carrots.

We've had a busy week so far

We've had a busy week already this week. This past Sunday (Father's Day) we were up to Mark's Dad's all day. I'm sure everyone has heard about the tornado that tore thru Wadena last Thursday. Well it missed Myron's house and yard, etc. but went diagonally thru his pasture and woods. Mark and Myron spent all day and night on Sunday sawing trees off the fenceline and they still didn't get done. Connor and I went out with them in the pickup (so we could see the damage) and then walked back to the house after a while. I've got more pictures of the tornado damage, but will put them in another post.

Water break time

Mark and Connor -- It was really hot out that day. Connor with Grandpa Wicklund and Dad on Father's Day night before we ventured for home.

On Monday, Connor and I went and picked some strawberries. We picked one pail for us and two for the neighbors. As you can see below, he wasn't very good at filling his pail.And no, this is not his full bucket. He taste tested quite a few.

On Tuesday we ventured to the lake/beach nearby for a few hours. We packed our lunch and the sand toys. Connor is not one who is real fond of the water, so we spent most of the time playing in the sand making lakes and rivers and smashing castles. I was surprised that right before we packed up for home that he finally decided to actually sit down in the water. I told him that next time we will have to bring along some swimming rafts/noodles, etc.

Hey! It's progress...but hate to venture out too deep. :)Connor and Mom. Some nice lady sitting on the dock took our picture.
And today (Thursday) was a CIRCUS day! The circus was in town today. It was a good circus: 3 elephants, 5 white tigers, jugglers, acrobats, motorcycle riders, clowns, prancing ponies, sheepdogs riding in a funny car, etc. We had a fun time. And this time we opted for a snowcone since it was pretty warm out today. A picture of the elephants doing their tricks.