Lists are made.
Dress is sewn.
Boys' hair is cut.
A few fingernails got trimmed - but not all of them.
I'm real tired.
I found something to wear to Emily's wedding on Saturday.
I had to alter it.
I learned how to bake wedding cakes today.
The laundry is almost done.
Tomorrow is Packing Day.
I feel like I'm running a marathon.
In three and a half days we'll be in Indiana.
In six days Matthew and Rhonda and the girls will be there too.
That's very exciting.
I'm going to bed.
We had a great time at my little reunion two weeks ago. We used to be just four young girls – 30 years later we’re 4 ladies, 4 husbands and 24 (soon to be 25) children! It was hard to know whether to reminisce or catch up from the last umpteen years. We hadn’t all been together at one time for about 20 years. Thank God for friends!
As soon as we got home, we dove right into VBS. It went quite well, I’d say. There were anywhere from 31 – 41 kids. It was exhausting though, and it’s good to be done for anther year.
Overheard at Sheldon’s late at night:
Sheldon (nagging Alicia about chewing her fingernails): “I read that chewing your fingenails reduces life expectancy the same as smoking a pack a day.”
Sara: “But it’s cheaper!”
I howled with laughter, but it was pretty late. Not sure if it’s funny now…
The ratio of sunshine: rain has finally tipped more in favor of the sunshine! Yay! It’s an absolutely gorgeous day (and I need to go to the basement and sew!) (That was yesterday. Today it rained most of the day again.)
My dress for Rachel’s wedding is about 65% done. Maybe more. Tomorrow I’m going to sew the bodice and skirt together and then wait for my friend Phyllis to put in the invisible zipper. (I never learned to do those things. I always had Mom do it.) It’s looking really pretty.
It’s only 9 days until we hit the road for Indiana and Rachel and Dave’s big day. Mercy! It’s gonna be a marathon until then!
I’m convinced Hannah has/had another (the fourth?) ear infection. This happened two weeks ago and again this week. She was fussy about drinking her bottle and would usually only take a 3 – 5 oz. at a time. So, I started in on the onion/garlic/olive oil treatment and also did vinegar for good measure. I started yesterday and today I could already tell a big difference. She’s taking 7-8 oz. at a time. Two weeks ago I did the same treatment and it seemed to work then too. Craziness!
I’m trying to start exercising again. It’s so hard to get back into the routine – especially when I’m still so tired that I rarely get up early. I miss my early morning walks…
That's all for tonight. It's way past my bed-time!
At church camp-out with Justin P., Andy and Amanda's little guy.
Having fun with Daddy.
Logan wanted to make a dandelion chain. I did most of it, really, but aren't they cute?
Hannah's dedication, several weeks ago.
After a walk at camp-out last weekend.- Our computer (PC) is either sick or dead, not sure which. The mac still works of course, but Keith hasn’t figured out how to hook it up to the internet at home. So I’m at church doing this.
- I told you awhile ago I was going to have a vacation for a few days. Well, it was really nice! Just so you know. With my little “vacation” and camping, I’ve actually read a few novels in the last few weeks. And I’ve developed some opinions about a couple of authors. J
- Today I trimmed a shrub for the first time. I really didn’t know what I was doing and didn’t have the proper tool for the job, but it still looks better than before I started.
- Josiah is a little bit pigeon-toed. One foot turns in a little. Should I be concerned?
- Remember awhile ago when Josiah fell down the stairs and had a little “seizure” of some sort? Later he had a really tiny one after hitting his head. Well, he did it again a couple of days ago. He fell off a riding toy backwards and hit his head on the brick patio. He cried really hard – the kind where you don’t breathe for awhile, cried more softly a couple times, then went “spacey” for just a few seconds. Then he sat on my lap for a long time. Should I take him to the doctor?
- Hannah is completely weaned now. I pumped for a few weeks, but that was getting pretty old. She’s doing quite well, but she’s not on a very consistent schedule. Oh well. Just don’t tell Gary Ezzo!
- I started my dress for Rachel’s wedding. Well, I made a practice bodice with some ugly, old, brown calico. I was pleased that it was quite close to fitting properly the first time. I think I’ll try one more before I cut into the real thing.
- Next weekend we’re going to MN. The purpose of the trip is a reunion with three friends from my childhood, Jewell, Eunice and Prisilla. We were inseperable when we were about 8 until we started moving away one by one (except Priscilla who still lives in MN. Anyway, we all turned 40 in the last year or so, and so we’re having a reunion. We haven’t all been together since Jewell’s wedding in about 1989, I think. (Eunice and Priscilla, you can correct me here if I’m wrong.) And between the four of us, we have 24 children and one more on the way (for the youngest, Eunice, who just turned 40 last month.) I think we’ll have a rollicking good time!
- We went to the beach Thursday for the first time. It was a little chilly, but the kids had fun playing on the playground equipment, and swimming just a little.
- Today I found a young girl who’s going to come help me once a week for a day or half-day during the summer. Thank you, Jesus! I’ve been feeling so overwhelmed with all the stuff to do this summer, so I think this will help. I’ll have her help with housework, summer projects, and playing with the kids so I can sew or paint up on a ladder or something like that.
- This might just be the summer to paint the trim around the windows (outside) and paint my front door green (sage, not grass). I’ve wanted to do that ever since we moved in four years ago.
- Did I ever mention that when I was in IN in May, Keith (and Jeff) put new carpet in the boys’ bedroom? We had gotten a really good deal on a remnant, but I didn’t know when it would get installed. So, that was a really nice surprise! Keith said it was my Mother’s Day present. J
- This next week looks very overwhelmin with getting ready to go away for the weekend, and getting ready for VBS, which starts next Sunday night. We’re leaving Sheldon’s on Sunday morning so we can get back in time for that. Oh my. Pray for me, please?
How could evolution possibly be true? Isn’t it based on the premise that order can come spontaneosly from chaos? Have any of us ever seen that happen? On the contrary, don’t we witness the exact opposite every day??
Last fall I got in the “declare war on clutter” mode and this house was really looking good – even the corners and closets. Of course, with the arrival of Hannah in January, my “extra tme” disappeared and things started to slide into chaos. At this point, I would say that clutter and chaos definitely have the upper hand in this house. It’s driving me a little crazy. If I believed in evolution, I’d be hopefully watching a pile of stuff (books that need to find a home on a bookshelf, out-grown kid’s clothes, etc.) to see if it turns into some kind of masterpiece – say a set of china dishes (in my pattern of course), or a new computer (to replace our archaic PC that is on it’s way to the doctor – or possibly the cemetary.) Alas, it doesn’t seem to be happening.
So, yesterday I dug in and re-arranged the kids’ dressers and closets. It’s not all done, but I got a really good start anyway. It felt really good to shake my fist in the face of clutter just a little bit.
Last weekend was our church camp-out. There were quite a few people signed up, and then the forecast looked pretty bad. We headed down the road Friday evening even though it was supposed to rain. We bought chicken and potato wedges before we left and ate them when we got to the camp-ground. Derek and Elise were already there, and two other families/groups in campers. One other family came later. Everyone else chickened out that night. And I couldn’t really blame them. It rained most of the evening, through-out the night and the next morning. We had the fun of setting up camp in the rain. Thankfully, Keith put up a big tarp first, before it started to rain hard. We set up our tent under the tarp and then slid it out so the entrance was just under the tarp.
By Saturday afternoon, the weather cleared up and we had great weather the rest of the time. Tuesday was a holiday (Canada Day) and Keith also had Monday off. Derek’s were staying longer, so we did too. Jeff and Wendy and Dad and Dru came down on Monday. We ended up staying Monday night too. That was where we went wrong. We were getting kinda tired of camping by then and wouldn’t you know, we had a major thunderstorm early Tuesday morning and then had to pack up in the rain. Oh well, the kids had a blast and we had some fun too. I think it was the first time that I really had my fill of camping. Well, except for last summer when I was pregnant. I’ll just say that camping with a baby and a pre-schooler is rather exhausting. Hannah wasn’t the most content, and Josiah loves to run/wander away. But hey, we kept them both alive, so that’s a good thing. Maybe next year camping will be more fun. J
Jeff improvised a swing for Dylan.
The dangers of camping and heating bottles.
Ashley and Hannah.
The kids and popcorn. left to right: Josiah, Trevor, Logan, Tia, Alabama.
Trevor kissing Papa's fish. (Don't ask me!)
Scotty and Mary L. having a little moment together.
AnneJisca enjoying her home-made ice cream. The best part of the day! :-)
John and Esther.
Our bravest camper. Yes, she was there all weekend!
Logan, after playing in the clay/mud at the beach. It was even in his hair!
We borrowed a kiddie picnic table from another camp-site. It was great for the kids.
Tia, our little monkey.
Grandma Dru and Hannah. Hannah wasn't terribly impressed with "camping."
Dylan enjoying the day and his "bumbo".
I decided that my sheep must be shorn, or else, so we did it in the great outdoors. I think I cut 3" off of Caleb's. :-)
Scotty and Wendy chillin' out.
On the way home we saw these two and a moose as well!
