Family – Page 62 – M. Sullivan Photography

October 20, 2011 M. Sullivan Photography Family, Photos

One More Thing

After a week filled with plumbing issues, a veterinary visit for a suspicious-looking growth, a dead land line and a call to my cell from the school to retrieve a sick child, I realized it’s only Thursday. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but I hope it’s not one more thing to problem solve, fix or figure out. You will probably find me at home tomorrow with Sophia who still has a fever and a stomach ache, a dog who still has a lump on her head, but is scheduled for a minor surgery on Tuesday and a phone line that is still dead but repair has been scheduled and will be completed by 4:30pm, or so they say. The plumbing issues were fixed by Mike last night after a trip to Menard’s and a receipt for $23 – much cheaper than calling a plumber.

I spent the last hour editing photos after everyone was in bed and came across these pictures from Sebastian’s birthday. We spent the afternoon at Chester Bowl in the beautiful fall weather. As we were headed out to hike up the big ski hill, the kids went up ahead and crossed the bridge/footpath over the pond.

These photos remind me that we will have simpler, easier days ahead. All of these small things may feel like one big burden, but they really are just small bumps in the road. Here’s to a much better Friday and a weekend filled with rejuvenation.

October 15, 2011October 15, 2011 M. Sullivan Photography Cooking, Family, Photos

From Grapes To Jelly

We harvested the grapes before the raccoons and birds got to them this year. After picking two buckets full of grapes, washing them and having the kids clean them, we had enough to make two batches (8 pints) of grape jelly.

The kids are now set with enough grape jelly to get them through the rest of the school year with PB & J sandwiches in their lunch boxes.

October 13, 2011October 13, 2011 M. Sullivan Photography Family, MCP Project 52, Photos

MCP Project 52 ~ Week 40

Week 40 Theme ~ Vintage

My siblings and I (along with our spouses and kids) recently spent a day out at my parents’ farm helping them with cleaning and other projects around the yard and house. While working out in the garage, I came upon three vintage bottles. The one in the picture below is an old quart milk bottle from the DMDA – Duluth Minnesota Dairy Association. My Dad was a dairy farmer just about his entire life – helping his grandparents on their farm when he was just a kid, then buying his own dairy farm after he married my Mom in 1954. The bottle was absolutely filthy from many decades of sitting out in the garage, but it cleaned up nicely and is now proudly displayed at my house on a kitchen shelf. It will always serve as a reminder of the hard work my Dad put into the farm for the many years before I was born until he retired from dairy farming when he turned 60 – the year I graduated from high school. He continued to have beef animals for the next 20 years, but sold the last one shortly before he turned 80 when he officially retired from farming.