Susan Makes Wedding Plans (Also Macey's 1st Birthday and Brent's Graduation)

Well, the end of the school year is coming fast-- after today the kids have only three days left. They're looking forward to summer vacation and everything that comes with it... bike rides, campfires, softball, swimming lessons, weeding in the garden (okay, maybe they're not looking forward to ALL of that... but I am!).

Susan and Jay came back to Wisconsin a second time this month... the first time, unfortunately, was for Grandpa Bud's funeral. This last visit was for a happier reason-- they've started making plans for their wedding in Wisconsin next summer.

They brought their "kids" with them... Susan's dog Hazel and a small black puppy they recently adopted, named Olive. Olive and her brothers and sisters were abandoned, along with their mother, in a parking lot by a school. The dogs were rescued by someone Susan works with, and happily each pup has found a new family.

Susan and Jay hadn't intended to adopt Olive, originally. They were going to be foster parents until she found her permanent home. But Olive has such a sweet, loving personality it didn't take long for them to fall for her. I thought it was cute to see Susan feed Olive... she mixes formula with dog food, microwaves it to get it warm, and then sits down on the floor by Olive to see she eats. Olive, sick at first, is now thriving under their care.

We were happy that Susan and Jay also agreed to adopt one of our stray cat's kittens... not sure if they named the kitten yet, but Emma had called that particular one "Tiger". The other two kittens were taken in by a lady whose long-time cat recently died. We are glad that two of the kittens will grow up together... just like my own little "kittens" at left (Emma and Leila).

There have been changes in our chicken coop. A fox managed to catch and eat all but two of our free-range chickens, so we put up a kennel around the coop and (for now, anyway) are no longer letting them roam freely around our yard. Our farmer neighbor, Johnne, lost so many of her chickens to predation this spring she sold her chickens last weekend... all but five, which she gave to us. So we now have seven chickens (6 hens and a rooster), which will hopefully lay enough eggs that we won't have to buy any extra. We're hooked on farm-fresh eggs now. They taste SO much better than store eggs and are much more healthful.

Can you spot the fox in this picture?

While Susan and Jay were here, Macey (Brent's granddaughter) had her 1st birthday party. It was a good chance for Susan to see some of her Hurlburt relatives, and also a lot of fun to see Macey eat her first cake and open presents.

Not long after the party she took her first steps.

Besides staying with us and making wedding plans, Susan and Jay also visited different relatives, attended cousin Anna Schroeder's graduation, saw Jack a couple of times, and took the kids shopping at the mall. Their last night here we all went out to eat at Mike's Smokehouse (baby Jack at one end of the table, Leila at the other).

The day after Susan and Jay left for Kentucky, we attended a graduation party for Brent (not Jon's brother Brent, but his grandson and namesake). "Little" Brent is the oldest of Bud and Jane's great-grandchildren.

Parents Steve and Tina, with sons Brent and Brandon.

Now when we go to these Hurlburt family events there seem to be so many babies! More and more of Bud and Jane's grandchildren are becoming first-time parents (Jonathan the most recent example, of course).

Here are Joe, Nicole, and Lauryn...

On Memorial Day we watched Michael perform with the middle school marching band. They were part of a parade that started at the Colfax nursing home and ended with a memorial ceremony at the cemetary.


Later on Bill and Scott stopped by for a visit. They stayed just a few hours, telling us about their Hawaii trip (they were there on vacation when the tsunami hit) and upcoming plans (both are seriously talking about spending a year in South Korea, to teach English). Bill brought me a lava rock for my collection, which I gladly accepted (though I understand there may be a small curse attached to it).

Jonathan and Lindsay also came over that day. Jon grilled brats and burgers. We spent a lot of time watching Jack smile (or cry, depending on his feeling that moment). It was relaxing and fun (I even drank the "ale with coriander" that Jay forgot in our fridge-- it was good, Jay).


And that's what's been happening at our house this week. Hope everyone enjoyed their Memorial Day weekend!