The Muench Bunch

It was bitter sweet to see the beautiful palomino horse, Weenie go. He just wasn't working out for me. After he pulled himself  back while tied twice and flipped himself over, I just didn't feel safe. He would do these things so random. Jayden took him, had a trainer work with him, and rode him awhile down in Texas, before making the decision to list him for sale. I had hopes that he would be my forever horse. He was a neat guy, but safety first and he just had too many unsafe quirks for me.

 Luke came home from school and asked if we could have an outing to go to the driving range and eat at A&W. He knew that we were just about to start harvest and life would  get busy and crazy. He also said he felt like everyone is always coming and going at our house, which is so true. This year has been so different for all of us. This night was supposed to be a connection group night, however when Luke mentioned his wish, we made him the priority. The three of us went to Grand Junction and hit some balls.  We had a great time and I think hitting balls is a good stress release. We made a Jefferson A&W run to get a frosty glass mug of Root Beer. Basically the thick glass mug has been in a freezer, so when you add your root beer, it frosts over and is super cold with little ice chunks. The best way to enjoy a root beer! I need to slow down and enjoy Luke. He is the last child living at home and it is going to go by fast. There are so many seasons in life and the season of raisin

8/12/22  Abby and Kyle's twins Hank and Walker were born 9 weeks premature. They stayed at the Iowa City Children's hospital for several weeks.  9/2/22 The babies were moved to a less intensive NICU and neither has any breathing assistance. They both have feeding tubes and are starting to nurse. I have been reading the Caring Page and keeping up to date on their progress and seeing the sweet pictures.  On the opening season Iowa football game, Abby and Kyle were recently moved to a room with a view of Kinnick Stadium. The twins were featured on a facebook post for a reading program for babies at the Uof I hospital. They look so cute in their little Hawkeye football hats. To make it even more special, the Iowa fans do a special wave to the children at the hospital. What an emotional moment and memorable! In addition, our local football star and rookie Hawkeye Aaron G was suited up and played.  After 44 days in the hospital, on September 27, the babies were headed home. Hank was

 As a little girl, I had a big wheels that was pink and blue with flowers. When I saw the exact hot wheels in a thrift store with a sticker price of $4, I had to snatch it up. What I will do with it, I am really unsure, but it brought me so much joy and memories of my childhood. I remember Angie and I having the same Big Wheels, Wade and John had the matching ones also. We were pretty proud of our wheels. As we got older, we took the seat off the back and would ride them like scooters. The photo is Wade and John on their Hot Wheels , Angie and I are in the back, second cousins Charlotte and Jaimon are in the middle. 

 I spent the day babystiing Titus so Ali and her family could attend an ISU football game. They had tickets for the family from Blake's work. He learned that tickets range from $80 in the very top to $350 near the lower levels and I am sure there are some pretty high dollar ones other places. I told Mark if my 3 babies had been like Titus, we probably would have had 6 kids. He is such a good baby, so easy. He is so happy and adorable. He smiles when you look at him and is so full of joy. He fusses just a bit to let you know he is hungry, tired or his pants need changed. He gets tired wimpers a little, I hold him and he falls asleep in minutes. My mom had gotten a little ISU onsie for Titius and I had it at my house so of course put it on. He was a cyclone fan for the day. He was awful cute and we got some good family pictures when they returned. 

With harvest wrapped up, we felt it would be nice to getaway for a night. It also happened to be the IRCA finals weekend. Jayden's friend Morgan had taken her horse Joker at the beginning of summer to tune up and ride. Morgan's horse had suffered an injury and she wasn't sure how much she would be competing on her horse. Joker had been in Iowa since December and wasn't getting much riding. The girls talked and it seemed like a win win for both of them. Jayden would have someone to get her horse in shape and tuned up and Morgan would have another horse to ride and compete on. Morgan is about the only person Jayden would trust her horse to. Morgan took him for the summer had been riding and competing with him. She has been doing great with him and we were told she would be running on him at finals. We thought it would be fun to watch her and support her. She chose her little grey mare Blueberry to compete on, who made a huge comeback after a full year off recovering from

Life has changed significantly for me with all three kids out of the house. It is a little taste of what it will be like in four years as an empty nester. This is my first year in 8 years not having kids in the house. From having little ones home to homeschool, I have always been with my kids everyday. Luke has started high school and that has left my house empty for the day. Jake is in Ankeny at college and of course Jayden is on her own living way too far away. After 3 weeks, I am still trying to find my routine. I knew when Luke graduated I planned to look for some type of emplyment or volunteer work. I just was'nt planning to have to start that role so quickly. Luke going to public school was decided in July. I was thinking of things that I might like to pursue. I applied at a gym in Ames to help coach gymnastics and tumbling. I went for an interview only to learn that my pay would be $10/hr. and they could only offer me 2 hours at a time with my 1-1/2 drive over there. Also, I

 9/14 I attended a baby shower in Des Moines for cousin Kallie Mae. She is having a baby boy and shared his name long before he was born, Colt. She had a very nice shower and I enjoyed seeing many of the family and relatives. Kallie got so many farm books, numerous cowboy boots and darling clothes. She was so excited over the shirt I got from Jayden's business that said, " Cattle Calling and Hay Hauling."  This month, Mark added a large area of cement to hold fertilizer tanks next to the shop. Before getting in the field, we rode horses and did a little roping. I am not a fan of the roping steers. We will feed them all fall and winter until we rope again sometime in the spring. They are hay burners for sure! Some of the cattle have some neat markings. I think they would make a nice cowhide rug. Other things this month, we had the roof shingled. After all the storms we lost a lot of shingles. With fall just around the corner, it's time to get equipment ready for harves

  The central focus of Salt Network is establishing a thriving church and Salt Company college ministry in all of the major university centers of North America. Additionally, we believe God has a heart for the nations. Each Salt Company intentionally sends their students on summer missions trips and our local churches work with trusted long-term partners to see churches planted among the nations, particularly in major global university centers. Currently, our churches have partnered with Campus to Campus and the International Mission Board in six major university centers around the world. Globally, there are over 100 university cities where they have low access to the Gospel and over 100,000 university students. Our prayer is that, as Salt Network expands, more long-term church planting work would happen among university students globally, as well as nationally. There are 24 churches that have been planted, and there are 4 to be planted just in the year 2023. And to think this church t

 This parenting stuff gets harder all the time. There are lots of peaks and valleys. Those little moments when I am reminded that God is still working on my children and they are growing is the most reassuring. Sometimes I let my doubts and worries take over and feel sad and disappointed. Then, there is a moment that brings it all back. Luke and I battle over his phone restrictions. We were at a crossroad and he could have become defiant. I prayed in the night and worried he would just try to rebel. God was working on his heart in the night too.  Mid morning he came to me and apologized. He told me he realized he was wrong and that he was the one being making dumb choices. Later in the same day he told me he is really glad he was homeschooled up until now. What!? He actually appreciated it. He is in awe at the behavior of kids in school and their actions. He talked of a SEV friend who brags about girls he has kissed (and who knows what all) at the age of 13 and 14. Luke is grossed out

We had so much activity going on this week. We were enjoying lots of entertainment and had a little  VIP treatment on a few occasions. Here is a re-cap. THe Farm Progress show stared on Tuesday and ran until Thursday. Mark and Luke went on Tuesday and Jake on Wednesday. Then on Wednesday evening, Mark was given VIP passes to a Lee Brice concert at the Farm Progress show. I joined Mark and Luke making a stop under the Salford tent for a chat and photo op with the Larson Farms and Farmer Laura. Both are YouTube creaters with big followings. I guess in this modern sociala medai era, they are called famous. It is hard for me to get all carried away over the You Tube creators. People waited in line each day all week to get an autograph and photo. The mom was sitting on a golf cart, so I visited with her for awhile. She was lovely to talk to. Mark also visited with the CEO of Salford and learned that he is the largest Salford private Sales Rep in Iowa. Now that is a big accomplishment! With