Apple Picking

 What fall season is complete without apple picking?  We went to Cook's Orchard and picked the last apples of the crop this season.  Since we came at the end of the season, the worker there told us we'd find hardly any.  We ended up filling 4 bags full of apples because I had daring kids who enjoyed climbing trees to pick the ones up high.  The low apples had already been picked or had fallen on the ground.  So we were forced to pick the ones at the tip tops of the trees.  Cooper was climbing high, as well as Kaylee and Jaxton.  Owen and Dawson enjoyed climbing too.  Nathan was staying at Grandma's house, which he had actually been excited to skip out on the apple picking.  

We brought all our apples home and got to work using our brand new apple corer/peeler/slicer machine.  Jax, Cooper, Kaylee and Dawson and Nathan all got a kick out of using that machine to prepare the apples for the crock pot.  We made 3 batches of applesauce so far, some we canned.  We still have 2 full bags of apples to cook up yet.  Yum Yum!

Hayrides & Cornmazes

 Because of Coronavirus, many corn mazes were cancelled this year.  We found one in Wawaka, Indiana, north and west of Kendallville.  It was a beautiful, perfect fall weather day and we spent it together doing fall time fun.  The farm in Wawaka had a barrel train ride through a corn maze with Halloween skeletons displays set up throughout.  It had a full corn maze that the kids loved.  The littles ran through that thing so fast it was hard to keep up with them!  They had hay stacks to climb and bounce houses to enjoy, a full playground and yard games.  They had a full pumpkin patch in the center and we couldn't leave without filling a huge wagon full of giant pumpkins, straight from the patch to take home to carve. Fun family day!

Autumn Leaves

 We spent a Saturday enjoying the fall leaves that are turning all different colors.  We found a Land Acres Trust trail on Vandolah Road and went for a hike with the 4 youngers.  We found neat nature items all throughout the trail and enjoyed the perfect amount of fall weather being together.  

Simplx Cares - October

 In October, Simplx Cares spent an early Saturday morning volunteering at the local SPCA Animal Shelter.  Some of us weeded the flowerbeds, some of us cleaned the adoption rooms and others of us cleaned kennels.  After our work we were able to join in the outdoor "puppy playground" where they let 2 beautiful dogs loose with us to have a playgroup.  This was so much fun.  We had Holly, Darrell, Cliff & his wife, Lauren Lawhead/Owen, Hannah & her sister, and Nate & me.  Fun times!

Oak Farm Cross Country

We finished out the 2020 cross country season last Thursday in the Cardegle Invite at Shoaff Park. The Falcon runners put forth great effort in finishing the year strong. In varsity boys we had Riley Fitzharris, Miles Rahn, Tim VanCuren, Derek Hale, Andy Sondek and Cooper.  JV Girls included Kaylee and her bestest friend, Estella Nivens.  They both did awesome.  Kaylee had a PR of her own by running a 15:55 and finishing 69th out 93rd at the last meet.  Cooper beat his personal record, running at 12:27.  Wow, that is fast!

Coach Dave Hale: "I’m saddened that the season is over; I feel like the runners were just hitting their stride. We had a big learning curve with such a young team this year. The kids will never know how proud I am of them. When I asked them to give me more, they did! (usually after the question, "why?" of course...ugh Montessori;). I will miss the feeling of competition on race days and the looks on their faces when they PR’d and didn’t die doing it. I can’t wait until next year; we won’t be just making an appearance but turning heads. Thanks to everyone for their support, Keep running. Go Falcons!!!!"

Homemade Cross Country Meet

Cooper and Kaylee have completed their cross country season. It has been a lot of fun!  So much fun that the kids created our very own cross country course around our property. Kaylee determines that a run around the outside of our property 4 times equals 1 mile.  She marked colored flags to mark the corners of the course to turn right.  Dawson and Nathan placed lots of colored flags in a triangle shape for the finish line, just like a real course.  They all took turns doing 1 or two laps and finishing at the finish line.  Nathan went around too many times to count! And Dawson had motivation and so much excitement.  Even Owen went around a couple times.  I ran it and Nate ran it s and Cooper ran too.  We all had a fun time!! 

Grandma Great

Grandma Great Martha Routsong passed away. She was 97 years old.  She began to get weak and her kidneys started to shut down. She was in the hospital for a couple weeks and then returned to her place at Lutheran Life Villages where she could be with her sister, Marion and was placed on hospice.  A few days later she passed.  She is a beautiful woman, full of life and joy.  She held no judgement, loved everyone, and was so happy for everyone all the time.  We spent many Sundays visiting her at Arbor Glen, doing holiday crafts with her and Marion, eating lunch in the special dining room with her, playing the grand piano for all the residents, and caroling at Christmastime for her and the retirement home.  We spent time at her nursing home handing our hearts on Valentines Day and shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day.  All our kids knew her well and she will be missed very much.  Love you Martha ❤️

Oak Farm Soccer

Oak Farm Soccer has been a lot of fun this year. Jaxton played as an 8th grader and helped lead the team.  He had played Plex soccer and private soccer skills clinics all summer with 2 other Oak Farm players, which helped to engage the team.  We always enjoyed watching him play and cheering them on.  Jaxton scored a goal for the team towards the beginning of the season.  Go Falcons!!

Coach Diana McCreery

"This soccer season was not a normal one, but we made the best of it and had a GREAT time. We played in extreme heat, rain and cold; yet, we were not phased by it, we played hard! The falcons had their best season yet, 4-4! Athletes were put in unfamiliar positions on the field and rocked them. In each and every game or practice the athletes displayed great character and sportsmanship to the opposing team and referees. It has been a pleasure to coach and watch the falcons this year! There are many moments I will remember for awhile!"

Pumpkin Patch with Friends

We stopped at the pumpkin patch near our house with our Stuckey friends. Everyone found some unique pumpkins and gourds. We enjoyed to beautiful fall weather.

Nate's Visit to Utah

We have many Simplx customers still out in Utah who often will patiently wait for the opportunity when Nate is able to fly out himself and service their alarm systems.  Many of these people were Simplx's very first customers and have been loyal friends and customers for 15 years, ever since the beginning.  Nate had a lot of fun servicing their alarms, but also catching up with these old friends.  

Alan Cooper

Bill & Deborah Reed

Tom Zaelit

Katy & Brandon Callor

Alona Holm

Carolyn & Jan Dickson

Rick & Paula Jensen

Mona & Cary Barrett

James & Jackie Sorensen

Dennis & Judy Tiberius

Elaine (Terri) Barr

Wanda Akers

Laura Nickel

Oak Farm School Pictures

The teachers at Oak Farm are so good at sending me photos of my kids throughout the day.  It is so much fun to see them in action.  Sometimes it feels like I am a fly on the wall and get to see them in their environment.  Here are some fun photos of the kids during these first 6 weeks of school so far. 

Owen is in Primary 2 with teachers Ashley & Yova.  He has enjoyed the level up from the Toddler classroom, but has frequently asked to go back there to see Nefy & Brittany.  As I remind him that he is big now and does not even need diapers, but that the toddlers do need diapers still, he decides that the primary classroom is for him.  

Nathan is in Primary 1 with teachers Tia & Devon.  He is a kindergartener this year and has thrived in reading, writing cursive and math work even after 6 weeks of school.  He is proud and excited for his accomplishments and the work he brings home.  It is so fun to watch him grow. 

Dawson is in Lower Elementary as a 2nd grader with Michal & Maria.  He is in his second year doing a partial Spanish Immersion program in mostly math lessons.  He has loved school and is thriving there.  He loves to work hard and is very good at staying focused in his work.

Kaylee is in Upper Elementary as a 4th grader in April & Liz' class.  She also is loving her move to Upper.  Her class has about 15 girls and 4 boys.  The girls have so much fun in there and coerce those boys into playing "wedding" and "theater."  It's pretty funny to hear the stories she brings home about giving the boys certain roles to play in their girly games.  

Cooper is a 7th grader in Middle School and has had a rough beginning.  The workload, homework and due dates were overwhelming to him at first.  But he has tackled it headstrong and prefers to get ahead rather than fall behind.  He will do a whole semester's worth of work in just a couple nights so he can be ahead and not have to worry.  He is enjoying it a lot. 

Jaxton is an 8th grader in the Middle School.  He has come back this year as a confident, social, outgoing leader.  His leadership skills allow others to follow his lead, whether he leads positively or negatively. :-)  He has to work extra hard at his schedule, due dates and organizational skills, but he has so much knowledge and academic skill inside him that shines. 

We are so grateful for Oak Farm and the environment that the school provides!