Mike Fixing All Things, Milking a Cow, and So Forth

The other night, after Goldie and I simultaneously began explaining to Mike how Goldie had locked herself out of her Facebook account, how she'd tried multiple things for weeks to get back on it with no luck, and how she was likely unintentionally ignoring all sorts of messages from those she'd met on her mission, Mike looked a bit confused and said, "So, now, what is it you're wanting me to do?" 

Goldie and I just looked at him blankly. What an odd thing to ask. 

"What do you mean what do we want you to do?" I questioned. "We don't know what we want you to do. We just assume you will know how to solve the problem."

Poor man. It isn't fair. But it is the way it is. He is just so darned competent that whatever the problem--from broken down cars, to flooded basements, to misbilled insurance claims, to missing cats, to ... locked-out social media accounts (keep in mind that Mike does not even have any social media accounts himself) we all just trust Mike will know what's to be done! 

And he does. 

Mike made a suggestion for what Goldie should try and within about five minutes she was able to access her account. 

As I've often said, I will be OK if we have a total apocalypse, ... so long as we have Mike there!

-----------------------------------------------------------

Anders, Summer and Mette picked out their fair goats over the weekend. (I guess we are doing the fair again. Eek.) Here Summer was walking hers Sunday morning before church. She looked so darling out there with her church dress and muck boots that I had to run grab the camera.

---------------------------------------------------------

These kids are becoming farm kids all right. The other day we were outside when the daughter-in-law of our bishop (our bishop lives down the street from us and runs a dairy) came walking by with her two little kids. Her little boy was on a bike, and since Starling lives to ride her big girl "pedal bike" (as she calls it), she begged to accompany him the rest of the way down the street to his grandpa's. I acquiesced--telling Mette, Hans and the neighbor kids they were playing with to follow behind and bring her back before too long. 

Awhile later Starling came into the house. 

"Hi there!" I said, "What have you been doing?"

"Oh," she responded nonchalantly. "I was just digging in some dirt, and then I milked a cow."

Of course. What five-year-old doesn't milk a cow as part of her typical day's adventures?

-----------------------------------------------------------------

And now a small pile of extra pictures:

Mette is often the one baking around here of late. Here were some cupcakes she was decorating. (I believe she was taking this particular plate to the neighbors to thank them for lending us eggs. [See my recent chickens and eggs post.])

I often find lovely Summer selfies on my phone.

Just a girl doing her hair with a phone camera (propped against some flowers) for a mirror. We make do with two bathrooms and, on occasion, all 12 of us here trying to get ready! (Jesse enjoying one of Mette's cupcakes in the background.)

We haven't had quite so many heavy fogs this year (though enough to be regular occurrences). I still think they are magical. Isn't this a great photo? I know I took it and all, but it was just with my cell phone on a whim as we walked to the bus! And I think it's lovely.

Look at all the bags Anders is carrying. It was a trip to the Pepperidge Farm Outlet.

This was a baking adventure that went rather awry. With her own money Mette purchased a cake mix and frosting with little colorful chips in them because it just looked so fun to her. But when we tried to get the cake out of the pan, it just crumbled into pieces. We sort of stuck the pieces together using her frosting like glue. She was a good sport about it.

Kids messing with my phone.

It's snowing as I type this. (I would have been happy to have snow in Dec. and Jan., but I'm a little sad it all waited until March to come--when we are trying to finally get the house going. But! We have had a smattering of spring-feeling days! Here the kids were jumping on the trampoline with neighbor Nash.

I forgot to post the kids' Valentine's Boxes. Hans and Starling made theirs at school. But Summer and Mette did theirs all on their own! Mette had a hot-air balloon. And Summer, who loves tigers, made herself a tiger box.

More kids messing around with my phone.

Penny's guitar class at school did a little performance. Penny had a solo guitar part and then played the keyboard along with another song. They were mostly rock-n-roll songs, and they had kids singing leads as well. It was a lot of fun.

It was Goldie's first time in Penny's high school! (And I can't recall exactly why only Summer got to come along while the other kids stayed home, but she came with me to get groceries after and is pleasant little pal.)

And one last extra special bonus. These two pictures that my sister Shannon texted me the other day.