butchering 08

MMMM! Let's make some beef sausage
The red working crew (no this is not from last year - we wore the same uniform)
Emily and Michael trying out the antique sled with great grandpa
Andrew, Emily and Michael trying out a cardboard sled - WHEEE!
Great Grandma with Emily and Michael's meat art.

We just returned home from a weekend down on the farm. It was great to be there. To visit with Lynn, Bonnie, Grandma & Grandpa as well as do some family working. We arrived down on the farm around 9:40 central time on Friday night. We visited for a little while and then settled down for the night. We woke up on Saturdya morning in time to get started around 8:30. The guys did all the brats and the beef sausage. The girls wrapped the meat (chops,ribs, steaks.) Gene was the rotation guy - he did a little of everything. Grandma spent most of the time in the shop watching and visitng with us. I had the opportunity to talk to her about butchering with her family when she was a kid. Things have changed quite a bit :)



The kids enjoyed playing in snow. Emily and Michael watched Andrew and kept him occupied much of the time. They tried to sled on an old sled of Grandm and Grandpas - one that Grandpa had made when their kids were little - but it was too rusty. A large cardboard box served as a good sled too.



It was a quick day - as we finished wrapping the meat by lunch. it was shorter this time as we did not have to do the cooked meat sausage. It was too icy to be at the cooking pots safely.



We did enjoy a walk down to the creek (Michale and I had two walks down) as well as lots of visiting time with grandm and grandpa. I love listening to the stories that Grandm and Grandpa tell. They really have some great memories. I hope that I can be as good of a story teller when Emily and Michael have kids.



Grandpa and I made homemade ice cream. Mom mixed it up and then I helped Grandpa with the freezing part.



Today after Church we headed to a restraunt with mom & dad and Grandpa and Grandma. Gene, HOlly and the boys headed home before Church.



It was a great weekend 0f tradition and fun. I thank the LOrd for families and for all the traditions we have. God has blessed us with a family who is close to the Lord and close to one another.