The Muench Bunch

Mark went in for his shoulder surgery. He had his left shoulder worked on. It has bothered him over the years on and off. He thinks it goes back to playing football. All his time in the fall getting in and out of tractors and semis has made it more of a problem. He got a cortisone shot and has gotten along. He tells me his other shoulder bothers him more, so I expect he will have that one done in the future. This is surgery number 4 already. The doctor cleaned up his shoulder of fraying and spurs. He went in for surgery at 11 and we were headed home not long after 1:30. I am hoping he will get along better and can go without his daily ibuprofen and asprin. He is so young to be going through so many aches and pains. Like the old Garth Brooks song "Much Too Young To Feel This Damn Old."

At my parents Anniversary in September I noticed my Aunt Alice seemed much thinner. I talked to my parents about it and a few weeks later Alice informed us she had been making visits to her doctor and her cancer is back. She had been trying some new medication as part of a study at Mayo clinic. At the end of November, she went back to see if the medication she had been on for two months was working, it was not. We had all been praying for good results, family, friends,  neighbors, the church, but this was not the answer we had hoped for. That left many questions, many unknowns and more praying for all of us. My nature is to help. What is there that I can do?  I know there is nothing I can do to fix things, but I can help be there for Alice. I can talk to her on the phone, send cards and words of encouragement, I can visit and help with chores. Most important I can pray. I can pray for a miraculous healing, I can pray for Alice and the doctors and a treatment plan. I can pray that I wil

Info taken from Google...Nov 26,2018 The horrific Camp Fire — which killed at least 85 people, destroyed 14,000 residences and charred an area the size of Chicago as it raged across Northern California — has finally been fully contained, authorities announced Sunday. Cal Fire, the state’s forestry and fire protection agency, made the announcement after spending 17 days beating back a blaze that has burned through 153,000 acres of Butte County, north of Sacramento. Three straight days of rain helped more than 1,000 firefighters get a foothold. But the rejoicing was muted: Authorities expect the death toll to continue to rise: 296 people are unaccounted for, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office said late Sunday, and crews are still sifting through the ash of what used to be buildings, searching for human remains. Thousands of displaced people in shelters and hotels or camping outdoors in freezing weather face an uncertain future following the deadliest, most destructive wildfire in

Thanksgiving Family Family.... 10 days out I began cleaning for our Thanksgiving guests, dusting, mopping, vacuuming, cleaning windows, curtains, linens, you name it. I learned something during all of this, it is better to wait until two days prior to company and do a mass clean. Most of what I did 10 days out had to be redone 2 days before once again. Frustrating to say the least. The day before Thanksgiving Jayden and I did a little pre-black Friday shopping in hopes of avoiding the shopping craze after Thanksgiving. Later our company arrived at our house at 11PM. Darrel and Lauren and their two cute girls, Quinn age 3, and Reese 22 months. Quinn had been in tears for the last half hour of the drive so she fell right to sleep from exhaustion. Reese on the other hand was full of energy and ready to play. We sat up for another hour and a half visiting while Reese played. She had a rough night and was up crying a lot from 3-4, that pretty much kept us all up. Lauren has her hands full w

Jayden got home from working her first shift alone on Thursday at 11PM. She worked as hostess from 4:30 until 9:30 at Boulder Tap House. There was an ISU basketball game so it was crazy busy. Her only help was another guy who was still training. Jayden said it was so overwhelming, but she was able to handle it well. She had large numbers of people waiting and large groups to seat. She had to pull tables together too. IT doesn't pay well enough for all that she has to do on a busy night. Friday she was out of bed early for the farrier at 9AM. She was planning to go to a big barrel race with her friend Erica who invited her to go along, haul together and stay together. All was on schedule until Erica decided to leave at 8AM. I thought that was very inconsiderate as she knew there was no way Jayden could leave until afternoon. That left Jayden on her own again having to haul by herself. She took two horses Astro and Joker to Kirkwood. Day one she knocked a barrel on Astro and fell i

Mark and I so often find ourselves on opposite sides in what we think is best. I don't know if it is a personality thing or what. For example... I was ready for Jayden's rodeo season to end with her last college rodeo in the fall. I felt it would be good for her to take the rest of the fall and winter off. She could still ride her horses, keep them in shape, and start practicing some occasional roping. All of the riding would be done here at home in our arena. She could let the horses have a mental break from running barrels and Jayden a much needed break from running and hauling. I would like to see her focus on college, spend more time on campus going to activities, especially SALT. She wouldn't have the added stress of horses and have to hurry home all the time. She just started a new job and could put in some good hours and make money to spend on her horse fees. I think she could start back up in March legging up her horses and getting help from the OK trainers just in

 On Friday Jake turned 15. He got the day of from school and basically played a video game from 10Am until we left for Ames at 4. He would do that everyday if he could I think. Jake chose Buffalo Wild Wings for his birthday dinner. Both grandparents, Wade's family, and Aunt Alice joined us. We had some spicy chicken wings and he opened some gifts. Jake would love for this year to fly by so he can get his license. Jake has grown up so much this year in height, voice change, and maturity.

Jayden had the opportunity to attend a trip through the Iowa State university Block and Bridle Club. She joined the beef interest group and they took a trip south, stopping at Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University, and Amarillo Texas. I hope she comes back. She would love to move to one of those places and join the rodeo team. Their travels took them to feedlots and a packing plant . Jayden hated going to the packing plant and watching every step of the slaughter. It really bothered her and she thought it was so sad and disgusting. She wishes she didn't have to see that, and not much normally bothers her. The group had a lot of fun, ate out, and even had a game of lazer tag.

Jake takes after his mom with a love of animals. He loves his little Shiba dog that the rest of us get so mad at. He is naughty, chews anything and everything, digs holes, chases cats, kills chickens, and doesn't like to come when you call him. He can be a pain, but Jake is a softy for the little dog of his. and he cannot resist a cat in his lap. Naughty Rosco continually gets through the chicken wire and drags out chickens. Usually he torments them but doesn’t kill them. One day we found he had killed a hen. We had heard people tie a chicken around their collar for a couple days and that will keep them from doing it again. At first, he wouldn’t move and sat in one spot in the yard for hours.  Eventually he figured out he could move. It was a walk of shame, he didn’t go far, and had to drag that dead chicken with him. After a day and a half it came lose. Needless to say, it didn’t work. He was after the chickens again. He got through the heavy wire and eventually we had to add

Most years we take a weekend to getaway after harvest. This year Mark and I went to Cedar Rapids to see our good friends, The Buhr's, who recently moved. We drove to Cedar Rapids Friday night and stayed downtown. We went to a Czeck Slovak history museum on Saturday, then went to our friends to watch the ISU football game in their new house. We got the full tour of their new spacious home. It is amazing. I thought the Ames home was really nice, this one doubles the size and is awesome. Vaulted ceilings, giant rooms, new, very nice. The kids were all home, the boys, the girls and the boyfriend. Abigail was excited to see us, she is 3 and so adorable. We got to see the second half of the ISU game and it was a rowdy one. Baylor and ISU got into a few fist fights on the field. Things got pretty ugly and both teams had players disqualified and escorted off the field. I had never seen such aggressiveness. ISU won yet another game. After the first ISU game of the season, a freshmen Quarter

 More shootings have been in the news. Evil is taking too many lives. On 10/27/18 a Jewish synagogue was the locatioin of a hate crime where a gunmen killed 11. On 11/8/18 there was a California shooting at a college bar. Some of the people were at the LAs Vegas country concert shooting just a year ago. How traumatizing to be exposed to such a horrible experience twice.  This  country has a problem and the guns are not it. People can use all kinds of ways to kill, it isnt the weapon, it is the persons heart and mind. There is so much mental illness that gets overlooked. We are a country of hurting broken people. Mix that with violent movies, video  games, loose laws, and hate, and we are seeing what can happen.

Monday we took Jayden out for her birthday. She had a special day starting with Flowers sent to her from all her favorites, Dad, Mom< Jake, Luke, Tuff, CoCo, Ace, Joker, Astro, Wess. Both sets of Grandparents and Wade and Carina's family joined us for a birthday dinner at Hickory Park. It was a quiet night at the restaurant and we all had a nice meal, visit, and dessert. Jayden opened many gifts from everyone. Afterward, she joined me and went to the mall to get some undergarments, we were both in need. We laugh and have fun like sisters. Jayden told me it makes her sad that she deosnt have any friends from college that would go to the mall with her. Her roommate and her two good friends don't like to leave the dorms. Well, we had fun and I love spending time with Jayden. On Tuesday we met in Boone for a Women's Introduction to Gun safety course. I had been wanting to take a class ever since I got my permit to carry almost a year ago. It was a 3 hours class, a lot of bas

Iowa State, being such a liberal college, Jayden is always enlightening us on the day to day stuff that is being promoted and demonstrated around campus. Here are some examples: There are cross dressers or drag queens and transgenders are having a loud voice. LGBQTZPR and some other letters I just don't understand, organization for gay rights thrown at you. Groups can freely post information or hang signs, and hand out materials. There were Pro Life quotes and every life matters written in chalk and another group came along and crossed it out and wrote Pro-choice and feminism all over it. Hand outs for people against eating anything from an animal and animals having rights. Posters of healthy relationships and having consent showing girls intimate with girls and all kinds of women's rights. People dress weird, boys in skinny jeans, girls wear shirts tucked and tied up the front so their whole mid section shows skin. Jayden's rodeo team had to attend a student governm

On November 2, we wrapped up another harvest season. It started out wet and muddy and we dreaded a long harvest. Once things were fully dry, Mark and his crew went hard and never quit. It is such a relief and weight off his shoulders when it is all done. A couple minor break downs and one day stuck in the mud, but keeping everyone safe was the biggest goal. We had a great crew of help, Mike, Tony, and Linde. On a couple Saturdays, Mich came and helped and one day C.J. Grandpa Po did most of the combine driving.  With a bad knee, he typically spent his days in the recliner taking naps, however he managed to keep rolling through harvest. Luke enjoyed helping Po as much as possible. He got to sit in the driver's seat and take over. He drove, extended the auger, and dumped on the go. He could do it all without help. He was feeling so big and is ready to run it all season next year. Oh boy! Jake was so helpful in the field, on several occasions, Mark had to have him run the grain cart

Jayden comes home most weekends to ride her horses. She wants to spend more time roping. Once in awhile she has her friend Erica over to practice together. They rope the hot heels and Jake is more than willing to drive as long as Jayden's pretty friends are over. The girls roping is really coming along.