Hannah Riley Fritz

Meet Hannah Riley Fritz, born December 20, 2007, weighing in at 6 lb 10 oz and 19 inches long.

Ethan had to check out his new sister's feet!

Hannah gets the seal of approval from big brother.

Lutheran Hospital provides a birthday cake as well as a bottle of something bubbly with a couple of glasses to celebrate the birth. Ethan decided he would eat cake since baby Hannah can't eat it yet.

Grandma Stevenson holding baby Hannah.

Grandpa Stevenson got a turn to hold her too.

Grandma Sharelle holds Hannah while Ethan 'pets' her.

Hannah Riley asleep in Dad's arms.

Snow - Merry Christmas!!!

Here is a picture of our house with all the Christmas lights up. We got some snow last night to cover up all the icky brown mud.
Yes, that is grass you can see peeking through the snow. While we got maybe 6 inches of the white stuff, we still have grass peeking through.

Friday night with Grandma and Grandpa

Mindy and Kevin had a Christmas Party in Ft. Wayne to go to, so Ethan stayed here Friday night. In the picture above, Ethan and Grandpa had some serious farming to do. Ethan did look at the Christmas tree and ask where the John Deere hat was!!!!
Ethan says: Believe it or not, Grandma says I was an absolute angel getting my hair cut!! And she even used clippers as well as scissors!!! But I had other ideas as far as getting my picture taken...
Mommy said people have been asking if I was a boy or girl the last couple of weeks. I look a lot more like a boy now....

This is the best picture I am going to let Grandma get!!

Christmas Tree

I went to put the angel on top of the tree (the one we have had for years) but the lights wouldn't work on it. So Dan checked it out and declared that it was dead dead dead. He is also the one responsible for the John Deere hat being on the top of the tree.
I couldn't find an angel to put on the top, so I settled for a star. Dan just can't understand why I didn't like the John Deere hat up there. Guelly even noticed the hat was gone!!! Or maybe he noticed that a star was there - kind of hard to tell which!!! And of course he thinks that anything 'Grandpa Beans' does is just great.

Ice

We have had lots of ice in the last couple of days and more is supposed to be coming. This big limb came down out of the willow tree yesterday.
My gaudy deer had enough ice on its head that it was too heavy for the mechanism to make it go up and down to lift it.
The branches on the front tree are really bowing down from the effects of the ice. Normally, they don't touch the ground. At least all the lights on this tree still work!!!

Guelly turns 2...

Maybe most kids like their picture taken with their birthday cake, but not Guelly. He just laid himself down on the counter and refused to sit up.
It was a little better when Daddy held Guelly, until everybody started to sing. Then the tears started...
Ok, presents just might make it all better. Ethan is ready to lend a helping hand if Guelly needs it.
Guelly, Ethan, Hillary and Devin playing with the toys Guelly got for his birthday. Guelly says "You would think my mother would update my site with pictures from my birthday, but no, she doesn't do it and she won't let me on the computer to do it myself. Good thing Grandma loves me...."

Black Friday Candy Making

Instead of shopping this year, we decided to make candy, just like we used to when the girls were little. Here is the candy making crew after everything has been divided and we are ready to go home.
Mindy said Ethan refuses to eat mac & cheese anymore, so Guelly had this for lunch. Of course Guelly didn't finish it, so Ethan had some. Has to make a liar out of mom you know.
Combining and hauling beans while watching TV kept the boys occupied, for a while.

The boys help Mindy mix up buckeyes. If you look closely at Ethan, you can see peanut butter on his nose and chin. He loved buckeyes as long as they didn't have any chocolate on them. Guelly, on the other hand, will eat just about anything as long as it is covered in chocolate.

Thanksgiving

Sometime after Thanksgiving dinner, I tickled Ethan's belly. Guelly wanted his tickled too, but couldn't figure out how to pull his shirt up, since he had a onsie on. So he just dropped his pants.
Ethan decided they were going have a 'campground' - a fire in the middle of the back room. He piled up all the new trucks Aunt Chris gave the boys, and they got the golf clubs and bats to roast marshmallows. They remembered that you had to be careful and not get in the fire.
May not be your traditional Thanksgiving activity, but these 'boys' sure had fun!!

Guelly and Ethan got a chance to ride a real bucking bronco last night. They loved it. The bronco looks suspiciously like Grandpa.
Farming is hard work. You have to work on the machinery all the time. Here is Ethan fixing the tractor.
Notice that he is using a real screwdriver. He also managed to get real grease on himself. When he got done, he turned the pedals and said "It working!!"

Ney JC annual reverse raffle

For those of you who have never been here, this is the place to be!!! Good food, good friends and good times!! A boneless ribeye steak dinner with all the trimmings, plus more food later, all you can drink and a chance to win $2000, all for $45 a ticket. In the bottom right of this picture is my brother Dan Thomas, his wife Francine and my other sister-in-law Peggy.
Here is a view of the chocolate fountain and dessert table. In the left hand corner, you can see Mindy's arm, Kevin, Sharelle (Kevin's mom), Norbert (Kevin's dad), Brian Becker and the top of Jen's head.
A view of the crowd. We know how to have a good time!! The apple cider drink was a hit!! And Alison's ticket lasted until the last 5 tickets!!! She won $100!!!

The master steak grillers at work...

Kathy Mack and Bennette Singer cutting pies.

This is the only song that the JCs know the words to.....they sing it every year at the draw. Guess you could say that it is their theme song.

"Beater" truck

We decided to get a different "beater" truck - that is, a truck just to haul wagons and stuff around the farm. Nothing too nice, but in good running shape and a 4x4. So Chip Baker brought this one out from Jim Schmidt's in Hicksville, and we ended up buying it. It is a 1997, automatic and came with the cap on the back.

Fog this morning meant no school for me. Nacho was helping Tom Singer put tile in the field today, so Guelly stayed with me. He had to try out the truck, as well as get his tractor ride and help me bake Halloween cookies!!

Halloween at the Campground

Luckily it was hot, so Guelly was comfortable in his Indian outfit, complete with bow and arrow. Did real Indians wear disposable diapers???
Ethan was dressed as a doctor when he went trick or treating. He couldn't wait to get out of his outfit and get back to playing Tball. Kevin just got his Tball stand finished and Ethan is crazy about hitting balls on it. He's a pretty good shot too.
Here is Ethan and Guelly, along with Ethan's cousins Micah and Elijah Bok, having fun in the wagon.
Ok Mindy, that baby is due Dec. 26. Where is it???????
Guelly and Mommy at the end of the evening. Too hot for a campfire, but nearly the end of the camping season.

September Fun

The boys came over and stayed one Saturday afternoon. How come they look like they are dreaming up some trouble to get into?
PHEWEE!!!! Miguel can really stink it up.....
A visit is not complete for Miguel unless it involves a tractor ride. He isn't as crazy about a combine, but it will do.
Ethan and Guelly are engrossed in their movie " Charlotte's Web".

Updated views of Mark's rooms....

Here is a view of his room with the new papazon chair and footstool he bought.
TV, fridge, futon, coffee table. Things are put pretty much where they belong.
His bedroom.