And then it was Spring!

The apple trees are in full bloom, promising a nice crop this year.
The calf crop has started arriving, new life full of excitement - anxious to check out every little thing!
The tulip (yes, I have just one) has bloomed.  The allium is close and the Peonies have buds!

 Wonderful, beautiful reminders of beginnings.  I love Spring.
             My allergies...  well, they would prefer I enjoy the view from inside.
I am grateful for allergy meds and decongestants so I can ignore that sentiment,
           and enjoy blooms and calves and even weeding.

This Spring has had other fun things happening, too!
Brody received his Iowa Degree (along with a couple buddies) and has started renting crop ground.  He was particularly anxious to be planting this year!

(hair cut one week too late, but we do love him anyway)

perusing his passion

M'Lynn and I got away for our first boat ride of the season on the 'ole 65!

And oh, the graduations!  M'Lynn graduated in December.  Erica and Alecia are graduating in May.  All three of our girls college grads.  Huh.  Weren't we just graduating from college a little while ago?

Alecia presented her under-graduate research scholarship award and we went over to listen.  I was thankful she worked hard to use ordinary language.  Some of the other presentations were a bit harder to follow!  ;)

Alecia will be returning to Waverly area for her job hunt.  

Erica has just been accepted into the graduate program for Library Science at Iowa.

 M'Lynn is home working with cows and deciding what's next.  

Lots of exciting changes and challenges for each of them!

We are at the final week of January.  How did this happen?  

...and is the year off to the start you were wanting? 

I honestly could not have asked for a more glorious start to a year.  A road trip with three incredible women to a beautiful house right on the white sandy beaches of Destin FL. 

Seriously.  

Who's life is this?!

This is truly the view from where I laid my head for a whole week.

I took time to really relax into my soul.  It was an amazing week.  Having several days to slow down really allowed me to be present and hear and digest all that was offered at the 

2015 Norwex Leadership Conference.  

Road Warriors.  Love them.

And some highlights from Conference.... 

#1 Team in Norwex.  So blessed by these leaders.

Last year, when I traveled to Dallas for Leadership, I was able to connect with a Cottey friend, which was just the coolest thing.  And this year?  DB and her whole family drove two hours to let us visit.  It was such a special evening and so much fun to meet her family for real.  In person.  Just too cool.  

Meanwhile...  back at the farm, it was the coldest week of the winter so far.

I wasn't sorry to have missed it.  Not one little bit.

Wow, they worked hard to just do basic things on the farm that week.

And here I was......

luckily, they don't hate me!

....moving on.....

I present to you....   the very exciting farm improvement of 2014!

We haven't had those before....  projects, goals, dreams.

We've functioned in the land of "what needs to be fixed most?" and "How can we possibly?"

This is what Norwex has brought to our family.

I'm IN.

Oh, and when the stove dies?

 (Christmas eve, during dinner prep, no biggie)

While you've got resources committed to that big concrete project?  

No panic.  No waiting.

Not having to sort every list by "cost, lowest to highest".  

But really - what would we like to have for a replacement.  

Small bits of freedom.

We're hooked. 

I'm IN.

Of course their trial run would be cookies. Of course.

It's darned cold outside, Mom, and you're in FL.

We're baking cookies.

I think it was the perfect choice.

Reviewing this post, my love of Norwex would seem to stem from the life-saving financial benefits.  I have to state, just for the record, that I completely am loving saving time, eliminating toxins and most definitely helping others do the same.  

That last bit is way more fun than I ever believed it could be.

I'm IN.

And I've met the coolest people.

We were kind of sparkly that night, weren't we?

Happy Momma Moments

May & June were pretty awesome....  and I haven't taken time to share.  

Here you go - in no particular order!

Kind of a rare event to have all four of them at home at once these days...  this was FUN!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

She & Stacy had a very successful shopping trip!

Hanging out watching the Lake.  Peace.

This is where I go in my mind when I need a Calgon moment.

Alecia & M'Lynn enjoyed some relaxation as much as Mom.

6th Grandchild learning in the time honored tradition on G'pa's lap!

I think every frog should be given a boat ride before being released!

#1 son's cheering section at State Trap Shoot.  He tied his PR in the second round! :) 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am sooo proud of the kids and the way the worked together this weekend.

There's a long story involving tears over the health of Ms. Velvet.

I'll spare you the details. 

Just know the kids did awesome.

And we spoil our cows in their old age.

We love 'em like family.

And one gratis puppy photo.

Every morning, immediately after I leave this spot.....

Nope.  Not jealous.  Not at all.....

Oh, Goodness, I do love watching the baby calves!

We have five more expectant mothers to go and we will be done for the year.  

My Hubby will be done watching the cameras through the night when one of our cows is "close".

The girls will be done watching new mommas to make sure all is well with their milk supply.

Oh, and that all of the after-birth things happen correctly with no infection.

And that the calf is doing well - nursing, bodily functions, walking.  You know, the basics. :)

So many big and small steps and tasks that we do without thought.

And we love it.  Truly.

It does, however, consume most of our time.

Moving from maternity pen to birthing pen

from birthing pen to newborn pen

from newborn pen to big kid pen

from big kid pen to breeding pen (just for Momma cows, relax)

from breeding pen to bull exposure pen.

Every move requires that we make sure the water tank is of sufficient size

that there is adequate bunk space for all

Oh, and recalculating what each pen gets for grain and hay and such

many times it means cleaning the pen and re-bedding

We don't always get to time these things for good weather,

sometimes, we don't even get to choose daylight hours!

We're heading into hay making season, now that planting is done.

We can't just spend time on the animals, 

we need to make sure they have something to eat for the whole year.

It is a passion that our family shares and loves.

We bond over building fence and chasing cows

moving hay and cleaning mows

sore muscles and feeding mouths.

So how lucky am I that my family supports me in my new passion?

That they cheer me on in my Norwex adventure that takes time from my farm support staff role?

Pretty Damn Lucky.

And who would ever have thought that one person would be blessed with two careers to love?

Yep, Damn Lucky!

Truly, it is time for SPRING!!

Here they are again, my personal harbinger of Spring.  Love this Pussy Willow tree! Even though our temps are below normal and there are piles of snow here and there, this gives me the assurance we'll see green and lovely again!

Oh the joys of a 20 year sort!!  

This was just one of the treasures we found as we sorted through the accumulation of 20 years in the same home.  We were exhausted at the end of three very long days of opening, sorting, throwing and stowing, however, it was a perverse sort of fun going through all those memories with the kids and hubby.  The feeling of accomplishment when we reduced by more than 3/4 was soooo worth it!  I think, going forward, all of us will be more inclined to really analyse the importance of a "thing" down the road.  Perhaps a photo to capture the moment or accomplishment would suffice? 

 

I rewarded the girls with pedicures when we were all done - they stood alongside me through every hour of every day and didn't complain about their hijacked spring breaks once.

             

Our beloved "golden girls" are aging and I miss having farm fresh eggs - so in the midst of the 20 year sort, we bought some chicks.  They are now happily out in the hen house and growing quickly.  I can't wait for fresh eggs!

And, finally, our other sure indication that Spring has arrived - a new baby calf - complete with protective Momma!.  I love this time of year on the farm!

And what would Spring be without the urge to get into a good deep Spring Clean?!

I am so blessed to be using products that keep our family from coming into contact with toxic chemicals.  And WOW do they save time.  I do ALL the windows in our two story farm house in the time it used to take me to do the one big window in the living room.  No Joke.  

And the wonders of the mop system with Spring Mud make my heart sing!  Muddy paw prints (two legged and four legged!) - POOF! You're outta here!  No stress, just water and Norwex Microfiber.  Love it!

Maybe it's time for an update.....

January 30th 2013 Rocked my world.  Such a simple decision - to join the growing Norwex mission - has blessed me beyond measure in a year.  "Norwex checks all my boxes" is something that often comes out of my mouth when I talk to people. Since I'm a list person, this analogy makes sense in my silly brain.

What does that mean to me? 
* Company core values are something that resonates with me 
* Eliminating toxins in homes is a particular passion of mine - and has been for a long time 
* I can make a difference in our household budget and average about $75/hour. Totally worth my time - and I paid nothing to start.  I've actually never invested any non-Norwex money into my business.
* Recognition. The value of this to me personally surprised me. It feels good to be appreciated and encouraged. It doesn't hurt when they send free stuff, either, does it?!

* Meeting new people - at parties and at training - has been wonderful!

* Absolutely amazing support - Norwex is ready for you to be successful and they provide the tools to make it easy.  Seriously.  EASY.

The plan is to post a little more regularly. Share some of the amazing information that I am learning and what using Norwex can mean to you and your family.  For now, I'll just leave it as "life changing" for me and for my family and encourage you to do some clicking.  :)  

Learn More Here

Life is good at the Knapp Funny Farm

Introducing....

Kaya Li

Born January 30, 2012

10:30-something in the morning

7 lb 1 oz

19.5"

Happily welcomed by my sister, Stacy, her hubby Kai and big sister Raelynn

Aunt Shannon missed delivery day by, oh, 24 hours....  but very glad to have spent the weekend with Stacy and help with a few projects to reduce that huge 'to do' list that comes with 3rd trimester nesting!   So happy that the birth went well - and very quickly - and everyone is feeling good!  

What a joyous occasion!  

...now, when can I go visit?!