What I learned on A Thursday

So, here's what I learned today:

My son Colby is allergic to (spring) ash, birch, maple, oak, poplar; (summer) grass smut, Johnson grass, Timothy grass; (fall) English plantain, Lambs Quarters, ragweed, sheep sorrel; (year round) dust mites; and, oh..... WHEAT.  As bread is his primary food group, this explains a WHOLE LOT.  UGH.  We have found the (many, many) culprits.  Colby is walking inflammation, year round.

So lifestyle changes are afoot.  We start the gluten-free diet as soon as I can get to the store to BUY something gluten-free.  This is going to be way, way, way hard for him, unless Mom learns an alternative style of cooking real quick.  Which is going to be way, way, way hard for ME.  But worth it, to finally have a happy, healthy kid. 

The Great Floor Removal Project of 2011 continues - today I'm using a crow-bar to get rid of tacking strips, molding strips, nails and staples.  Not to be a downer, but... it SUCKS.  Not a fun job.  It goes SO SLOW.  Trying to get one nail out of this floor actually bent my hammer, the wood was so hard.  Plus, I have punctured just about every finger I own with those stupid little carpet nails that stick UP on tacking strips.  My hands are so swollen I can barely make a fist.  Don't say it, I've already told myself the same thing - "suck it up, you big baby!!"

I know we have to go one room at a time, but looking ahead, I forsee the same project spreading to the kitchen, and the entire upstairs, as that's where the boys sleep.  I've called at least 10 contractors, and so far, not a-one will touch a floor refinishing project with a 10-foot pole.  That is fairly ominous, in my mind.  I can't even PAY someone to do it???  How bad is it going to be??????

Hidden Treasure

Quinn was recently diagnosed with an allergy to dust mites.  Colby goes in tomorrow, and I'm putting BIG money on him having the same allergy.  Well, Rob, too, for that matter.  They all suffer from the "goop-nose", and irritable skin.  SO, it was just the impetus I needed to get rid of this disgusting carpet that's seen far too many puppy accidents, toddler potty training mishaps, muddy shoes, and coffee spills.  What to replace it with, though?  Flooring is pricey.  Not a real good option for us at the moment. Then it hit me.  We live in an OLD HOUSE.  And you know what's underneath the carpeting in old houses?  That's right.  Hardwood.

 I decided to "peek" in a corner of the living room today, to see exactly what was there.  Then I kept ripping and ripping, because underneath was hidden treasure.  BEAUTIFUL maple floors, stained exactly the color I wanted in that room.  I swear some of the planks are birds-eye.  Some imagination is required, because it obviously needs refinishing, and there are some superficial scratches and paint splatters on it,  but.... I.am.so.excited.  YEAH!!!  The planks are in better condition (so far) than I could've hoped. WAHOOO!!!  Somebody better stop me, because I feel a rampage coming on, wherein I tear out all the hated flooring in my house - including the hideous white vinyl in the kitchen.

Home improvement project... here we come!!!

Independent Harvesting

NEWS FLASH:

 My sunflowers have finally bloomed!!!  I love sunflowers!!!  YEAH for sunflowers!!!  Yeah for clear blue skies that make for beautiful backgrounds to close-up sunflower pictures!!! Just.... YEAH!!!

We now return to our regularly scheduled blog entry....

I asked my sons to go harvest anything edible they could find from what's left of our garden after the recent frost. They found carrots. Lots of  funky-shaped carrots. I was in my bedroom when they came back inside, so I didn't realize that they had decided to PREPARE the carrots. Immediately. Colby decided to make a "carrot dessert". This entailed dipping his carrot in pure sugar, and then eating it. Lovely.

 Quinn is a little more refined with his culinary skills.  He peeled and sliced his carrots, and then sauteed them in butter, agave syrup, garlic salt, oregano and a touch of pepper.  He calls this his "special carrot recipe", and I have to admit.... they're pretty darned good.  I think we may have a budding chef on our hands.

The biggest problem with all this independent harvesting, though is THIS.....

Just WHO is supposed to clean up the mess afterwards????

Visitors from the South

Taking the opposite path of the Canadian Goose, Rob's aunt and uncle from Tennesee are here in the Copper Country.  It's been years since their last visit.  When they mentioned how much Reagan had grown since they saw her last, we realized ...  she wasn't even a zygote the last time they were here.  She's quite a bit bigger than an egg in my ovary, so yes... yes, you're right.

The little men were thrilled to have an actual "Aho Fan Club" for their soccer game.  And the Yooper weather was FRIGID, just to show off how tough we all are up here.  You're welcome.

At one point during the game, they actually had to call a time-out because Colby, at goalie, had gotten himself stuck.... UPSIDE DOWN...... in the soccer net.  With both legs.  Don't ask me how.  It's his special gift.  I was laughing too hard to take a picture, dang it.

 Traditional Aho Multi-Generation Sauna.  This was taken before Uncle Doug fell off a log into the sauna stove, burning his arm from elbow to wrist.  We're hoping he's not litigious, and is just thrilled at the "souveneir" he'll get to take home with him from our sauna!

Afterwards, we all headed to Grandma and Grandpa's for dinner.  THESE were the topics of conversation around the table (I'm starting to understand why dinner conversations at our house are as...uh.... interesting... as they are.  It's obviously genetic):
1. What wild children the Aho boys were, to the point of other children being afraid to even walk down the street for fear of them
2. Which brother was the biggest playboy, necessitating a "if you're gonna play, you gotta pay" lecture from their father
3. Fond reminiscing about the "three holed" outhouse at the farm.  Why three holes, you ask?  To accomodate three different rump sizes.  DUH.  Plus, a family that squats together, stays together.
4. UFO's.  Consensus: they exist.  In Chassell.
5. Ghosts.  Specifically the ghost of Great Grandpa Aho twisting Great Grandma Aho's foot and telling her not to let anyone sleep on his bed after he died.  And knocking on the back wall for weeks to remind everyone in the house of this rule.
6. Which politicians are the biggest idiots (I won't publicly name names, but.... anyone who knows this family can probably guess).
7.  Religion.  Predestination vs free will.

There's no light chit-chat when it comes to an Aho gathering.  These people dig in and go for it ;).  Aunt Joan kept wishing aloud for a tape-recorder to document the conversation.  Some day we'll have to do just that, Aunt Joan.

Grandma's Birthday and Copper Harbor

 It's kind of tradition to day-trip to Copper Harbor for a meal at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge for Grandma LaVerne's birthday. She just HAPPENED to be born at time of the year where the fall colors are just starting to come out in their splendor, so we really try to take advantage. This year, we carpooled it up the hour and a half, stopping to visit Rob's latest worksite. Blood sugars were running a little low, however, and Reagan screamed at the top of her lungs for a good 30 minutes or so. Mom, sitting in the far back seat, was told "under no circumstances will you make eye contact" with the little girl. ARRRRRR.... SO... HARD...... But she WANTS me! Needless to say, Colby spent 30 minutes with his hands over his ears. Fun times in the minivan.

The Lodge, however, was beautiful as always, and luckily mostly empty (cooped up children have a very difficult time sitting and eating at the same time.  Those lodge logs looked PERFECT for climbing.  Yes.  The kids were literally climbing the walls.) 

A very pleasant evening, overall.  Happy Birthday Grandma!!!

Canning

Well, if the collapse of civilization occurs tomorrow, the Aho's will be feasting on pickled beets, overly-salty dill pickles, applesauce, blueberry jam, plum jelly, and  blackberry syrup.  The shelves in my root cellar are nearly full (well, ONE of set of shelves is almost full) with the results of my canning.  Let's hope the "collapse of civilization" never REALLY occurs, because I think the weeks and weeks worth of work would actually feed us for maybe 3 days or so.  I am in awe of pioneer people.  Honestly.  WOW. 

Cider!

Today was an adventure in cider-making.  You know that $5 you pay at the store for a gallon of cider?  It is a steal.  Honestly.  Holy. cow.  Maybe the process runs a little smoother without 7 kids in tow, but still.  Can we all say labor intensive??  Three hours worth of work for the first 1/2 gallon.  UGH.

That being said, however,I am sipping a cup as I type this, and I have to admit...this is the BEST cider I have ever tasted.  It is fabulous.  From tree to the cup in the span of a few hours, and there is so much of nature's goodness in my mouth, it is heavenly.  Absolutely yummy.

 Later, Grandma and Grandpa came to help with the great Apple Harvest of 2011 as well. We have such an abundance of apples this year, and I have been working like a mad-woman trying to DO something with all of them. Seems like all my weekends are spent with apple-prep of some sort or other. I love this time of year.

First Day of Second Grade!

Boys are growing up!  Look at those handsome men!

And no... I didn't let them take the skateboards to school.