The Muench Bunch

"Let's see what mom thinks." That is something I surprisingly hear often from Jacob. It makes me happy to know that he values my opinion. In fact getting mom's approval seems to rank pretty high. Just the other night he got his hair cut. When he was finished the stylist came over to me and said, "He wants to see what mom thinks." He waited for my response. He happened to get the front cut and not the back, so he could grow another mullet. I was hoping for the full trim, so told him it looked nice and I thought we were cutting the back. you could see the disappointment so I couldn't say I didn't like it, but he could tell I didn't love it. He seemed a little sad. When he does get a haircut I like, or buy a shirt I like and I tell him he looks good, he just beams. He asks my opinion on everything from new shoes, clothes, watch, hat,hair style, truck rims, tires, trucks, and cars. If I really don't like something I will let him know and sure eno

Luke really had quite the birthday with all the fun things he got to do. Grammer and Po bought Luke a pass to ski in Boone. Luke had been wanting to ski all winter. Each season we plan to ski multiple times, but it never works out. It's either bitterly cold, crazy windy, or too warm the show has melted. It really is a challenge to ski in Iowa. Mark and I took the kids and went on a 2 for the price of one Friday night ski from 4 to 9. It was a great night to ski, in the 30's so not terribly cold. I was cold and never could get warm. It wasn't that terribly cold, it's just me. I later did some research and found that is very common with a Thyroid condition. It kind of took the fun out of it for me. I had gloves inside mittens with hand warmers and my finger still turned white and cold. Luke was having a great time. He skied the whole time hill after hill and didn't want to stop when it was time to go. He has gotten so good. All 4 of us ski pretty well and comfortably.

Jayden had one very sick horse. She went to a barrel race on Jan 17th in Chickashaw a 3 hour drive. She had a girl haul with her and left early in the morning. I think all these long trips and all day barrel races are a bit much. She ran Joker on Jan 5th in Iowa Falls, and left for Alva on the 10th. She mentioned to me she thought Joker was a little sluggish and had heard him cough this week. I asked if she could check his temp and was sure he was ok. She had no way to check and brushed it off as just dust and said her most famous words, "he'll be fine". Later after a 12 hour barrel race she called to tell me about her run. Joker ran, but didnt seem to have the speed, he slowed up, knocked a barrel and by the time she ran him home he could barely breathe. She told me he was gasping for air almost roaring. We were all worried about him as she searched for a vet. By God's timing, she stumbled upon someone who knew a vet that was staying in his trailer. By the time he wo

Sunday we took Luke ice skating for a birthday treat. He invited his church youth group. I am sure the cold weather played a factor, so there wasn't a good turn out. We drove 40 minutes to Ames in the frigid cold to attend church and go skating from 2-4. The temps were below zero and the roads were not the best. However, all the other families live in Ames, so their drive would be just across town. I just would have appreciated an RSVP. There are around 12 kids in his group and Luke handed out invitations on paper as well as the group leader/pastor sent a group email message to the parents with all my contact info. Not one single RSVP. I couldn't believe it, not even the pastor. or his leaders. I dont understand it! I am sure it was discouraging, but Luke had two boys in his group attend and still had fun. Deep down, I know he was disappointed. The best, was two very eager and excited 180 leaders, Sandra and Danny. These aren't just leaders, but the head leaders of the whol

Jake had been on Craigslist and other classified websites in search of a project truck or car. He had looked at several only to be junk. I told him to ask his friend Nate S, who runs a mechanic shop in Dayton to see if he knows anyone that has what he is looking for. It was meant to be. Nate told him about Andy R, who is the husband of a co-worker that I used to work with at Fort Dodge Animal Heath. They live only a few miles away. Many of the other vehicles Jake wanted to seek out where on the other side of the state. I went with Jake one very cold winter night to look at the car. Andy and Jake talked for an hour outside in the bitter cold. It turned out to be the car Jake wanted and within a month it was his. Jake paid $2500 of his own earned money. Andy had put around $4000 into it before he let it sit for the past 4 years. He told Jake before he took it home, he would take it to Nate and get it running before Jake gave him the check. That was very kind of him to put in more money

1/11/20 Mark hired a young truck driver named Casey, to help haul our corn and beans starting in December. Mark took a risk and sold some beans at a good price. In one day with 3 semis going all day, they hauled 10,000 bushels and Mark didn't even have to be the one to haul. 1 semi goes to Eagle Grove with beans and two semis go to Gowrie with corn. He has been behind the wheel for years and years. Now he gets to manage the truck drivers and can have time to deal with all the other farm related issues and his Salford business. He does haul a few loads once in awhile and the boys love to ride along. 1/17/20 We have been very fortunate to have such mild weather so far this winter. On Tuesday evening we got a rain ice mix and the temps have stayed well below freezing. That made for ice everywhere from driveway sidewalk, and roads. The temps continued to drop Wednesday and Thursday into single digits. Its been cold and unpleasant. The forecast called for snow and blowing for the week

Jadyen was telling me about one of her professors at her college. Her professor told the class all about herself and that she puts her trust in Jesus Christ and went on and on about him getting her through hard times and praying. It really warmed my heart to hear that there are still teachers that can openly share their faith. That is the way it should be! If that were at Iowa State University, that woman would be fired on the spot. to speak the name of Jesus or talk about the bible or prayer in a school setting is somehow like breaking the law. I don't know how satan managed to pull that one off, but it has been so damaging! I was telling my mom about it when she told me my Aunt Marcia was fired for that very reason. Why nobody told me this until now, I am not sure. Marcia was a robotics professor at ISU and most recently a professor at Drake. Apparently last December she was having a prayer group in her classroom, not during class hours, however she was fired on the spot. How awf

Ila Anderson was like family. She was the biggest sweetheart and we all loved her dearly. At the age of 94, she went on to be with her Lord. Oh how she loved the Lord! She spent much of her days in prayer for loved ones, friends, and family. She loved to share Jesus and loved her church. She was such a kind lady, so filled with joy and always had such positive nice things to say. Ila attended the Stratford church and she was always so kind. She loved our family and would do little things for the kids like give them a dollar on their birthday. Over the years I would send Ila an Easter, Birthday, and Christmas card. She loved these cards and would send me thank you notes to thank me for the cards. She would fill up every inch of the card in her tiny handwriting telling us how much she appreciated it and loved us.She loved the pretty cards that had flowers and would just go on about them. I also had the boys draw her pictures on occasion and that too she would go on about. I always sent p

Jayden is dating a boy that goes by the name Shark. I hope to meet him the next time I visit. They just started "talking" after Thanksgiving, had two weeks college break, then they each went home for a month. They left for the semester without even saying goodbye and didn't communicate much over Christmas break. I am not sure if they are considered dating, boyfreind/girlfreind, or what? This is all new to her and to me. After break, they get together for lunch or dinner often. Either he cooks  or they cook together. Jayden is figuring out grocery shopping and making meals. She has a lot to learn. She is making hamburger helper, makes survival food often, such as a frozen chicken patty or eats ramen noodles. Living on her own without a food plan has forced her to figure it out. She does eat out quite often. Shark has met her between classes for lunch or sometimes they would eat breakfast after his football workouts. He has even taught her how to prepare deer. She likes hi

It was so nice having Jayden home for a month. She told me herself, it is bitter sweet leaving. She loves home, being here, yet she also loves being in Alva. I am glad she likes her college and the little town, but I am so glad she still misses home and us. She plans to go on a family vacation with us. She doesn't think missing class and having people cover chores will be a problem. She wants to go to Florida and would even pay her own way if she had to. Jayden had to go back a day earlier than expected to avoid the snow coming in. Fortunately she timed her trip back with Alex so they could follow one another. I still think 10 hours in a truck with 3 horses in a big trailer alone is too much. We did convince her not to take her dog Tuff. During her time at home, Jayden was a whirlwind when she got back trying to keep up with Rocking J orders and Christmas. The more items she listed, the more she sold. She had back orders to fill, she had to make a trip one day to Prairie Iowa wit

On Saturday morning the boys went with Uncle Wade to a farm toy show in Des Moines. They really enjoyed that and each spent their own money to buy some toys. Later they set up farm in the basement, I love that they play farm.   Jayden took Joker to a weekend "Go For Broke" barrel race in Iowa Falls. She did not feel comfortable enough on her newest horse Queen, so left her home. She drove on half snow and ice covered roads to Iowa Falls and was fighting a bad head cold and a migraine. Mark and I tried to talk her into just going for one day, but Jayden is hard headed when it comes to her horses. She kept Joker at the equine center and stayed the night with Grandma and Grandpa in Williams. They both went and watched her run on Saturday and her Muench grandparents watched her Sunday. Saturday, Jayden ran a good solid run on Joker with a time of 15.12. She placed 15 out of 80, took home a 4th in the 2D check. On Sunday she ran Joker at a 14.99 with a couple wide barrels. We