My Little Piggy Bank

I wasn't looking for blog fodder. I already had enough for several installations without Maielle turning Merritt into a human piggy bank.

Last week we pulled our camper to my folks to stay while Breadwinner roofed in a town nearby. Of my 5 siblings and I, only 2 of us live farther than 2 miles from my parents, (with the exception of my brothers as they periodically go off to war) and the kids and I were looking forward to spending time with the family including 10 of their cousins. I thought we had all the kinks worked out for the week as we had already limboed a hurdle 6 miles into the trip. In my side mirror I glanced up to see chunks of rubbert flying from a trailer tire. Breadwinner pulled off the road behind me towing the camper. We decided since the tire was not flat,only missing some rubber, and the trailer just had a ladder on it we would pray and go a bit slower the 40 miles we had left. We made our destination no worse the wear thanking the Lord for his graciousness and in time to enjoy some delicious sausage stuffed peppers for supper.

We spent the next morning visiting my sister,Mollie, and her brood, and then to see my grandparents in the home. We took them for a walk outside and enjoyed the glorious weather. The closest we came to a mishap was when my 4 year old took off pushing Great Papa, who resides in an alhzeimer's wing, down the trail that follows beside a stream. We glanced up in time to see the wheel chair leave the concrete path and head toward the underbrush that separates the path from the stream. At 62 my mother has great response time which is to blame for her pulled hamstrings. Too bad Great Papa couldn't appreciate the adventure he had taken! We returned to the "campsite" in time for my mom to take the kids and I on a gator ride through the pasture before supper.

Thursday morning is when things started to get a bit dicey. Mom asked Mollie and I to assist with some landscaping. Dad went to get us some manure with the loader tractor and before our very eyes my brother's bull dog got himself run over breaking his front left leg. Mollie and I used a blanket to wrangle the living meat log in her truck. She took Bullwrinkle to the vet where brother Sam, who was helping Breadwinner on the roof, met them. By the time Mollie got back and collected her offspring everyone needed a nap! Three kids weren't napping and I commandeered them to help Papa Tim fork up the soil before I applied the manure to the flower beds. About that time Mom got home from taking Grandma to the doctor. We were in need of some relaxation and another gator ride in the pasture was just the thing.

If only I had known what was to come I would have stayed home to shower and clean the manure from my shoes...

Room with a View 2

Here's another shot from the throne room. Fortunately from this far away you can't see the ragweed in my garden that are so big I can no longer pull them. I did attack some in the pumpkin patch with the mower today, however. Let's just keep that between us. I think I am working on my third set of mower blades for the summer. Matt won't appreciate changing them again! You can also see the black grass in the driveway that got nuked by the flame thrower. Seems to work!

I gave much blood picking the pile of produce in the back of the gator as the mosquitoes are out en force. It is to make salsa for my mom. I took her some last week and then proceeded to "help" her eat it. It is pretty much her own fault. She has been on this kick lately of frying up homemade tortilla chips. I'm getting to be something of a salsa and chips snob. I don't even like my home canned salsa anymore. I gobble down as much as I can on a daily basis while the ingredients are in season and then dream about it until I can make it fresh once more. Now all I need to do is get my cilantro to be ready the same time as the tomato, onion, and peppers. Any suggestions?

Just What I Always Wanted...

We have a landscaping business. What that means for our yard is that it gets less attention from the man of the house than others might. You've heard of the poor cobbler's shoeless children? The kids are good little weeders, but we still seem to fall behind in that area.

All I asked for was a bottle of round-up. I didn't mix it up myself because he kept telling me he was on it and then I would forget about it. Seeing as how it is now August I have pretty much given up on the weeds. There is one in my zinnia's that is taller than I. He likes to lower my expectations before he delivers so I don't start expecting too much. He's tricky that way.

I heard it first. I was in the corn garage (corn crib turned garage, which differentiates it from the bio-barn home of the bio-diesel equipment, and party barn where we hope to someday party, etc. you get the idea) refinishing the kitchen table and benches. It sounded like a jet flying way too low. As I started walking, an out-of-place aroma drifted on the air. It was kind of a mixture of burnt hair and feathers. What I saw was a bit disturbing, but not so much that I didn't laugh out loud. Flame thrower in hand, propane tank at his feet, and baby peaking over his shoulder from the backpack, Matt waged war on the grass in the driveway. I quickly retreated to my task with one request that he mind carefully the load on his back. I, of course, received updates from my progeny. The first brought word that one of the grass beds would have burned to the ground if she hadn't spotted and stamped it out. My four year old then came to say that green grass isn't as much fun as black. Important to note that message was from a boy. Testosterone is an amazing thing. After having been raised with 4 brothers, married to a man for 14 years, and having birthed 3 males you'd think I would be used to it by now. Testosterone is an amazing thing! I'm so glad God made us so different. Keeps life interesting.

And to think I would have settled for a little ol' bottle of round-up...

Captain Underpants

We pay pretty close attention to what our kids read. They consume vast amounts of the written word so we often have a hard time keeping up with their appetites. While on vacation I came across my oldest clearly enjoying some "quality" fiction. Upon further investigation I found this tome belongs to my nephew who won it at the public library where my mom works. I am sure it will one day pass as a classic.

Reading the book is one thing, but the phenomena seems to have spread. Earlier this week I sat the kids is front of the Daniel Boone DVD Max got for his birthday, wearing the coon skin caps they got up north, so I could finish sanding their bedroom floors. While I was otherwise occupied apparently "Captain Underpants" greeted the Schwann's man and the UPS man at the front door on their appointed routes. The girls figure we don't have to worry about the Schwann's man returning any time soon...

A "Concerning" Appointment

My dad was diagnosed in January with non-small cell squamous cell carcinoma. He has gone through radiation and ongoing chemotherapy since then. He lost a thick head of straight darkish hair to have it come back whitish and wavy. -I'd show you the picture I took of his hair, but I got mostly his ear.- If you didn't know he had cancer and hadn't seen him in awhile this new hairstyle might be a puzzlement as he's not a guy given to fashion statements. It is his only outward sign of the disease that wages war on him from within. He still walks tall if not a little carefully to adjust for pain. Cancer hasn't made him chatty or given to much unsolicited advisement. He remains the quietly humble guy you've always known.

Yesterday we (my mom, sister, husband, and 8 month old) accompanied him to the oncologist appointment to hear the outcome of a recent PET scan. We have attended each even though at first he wasn't sure it was "a grand stand event". It may be strange to some, but we go in for the group approach. -I've never given birth with an audience of less than 5.- Matt drives our "bus" so we can all ride together. On the way to the appointment Mom made plans to give Mollie a pedicure for her birthday. On the way home we stop at the Papa Murphy's next door to the oncologist office to get our post-appointment rehashment pizzas as Mom calls my 4 brothers to give them the update. Coping mechanisms that draw us together.

In April we went for a second opinion and he ventured a guess that Dad had about a year left. Dr. Nadi-Purim is not one to give up such information. The only thing for sure he informed us of yesterday was that he felt Pakistan was a nation of evil, evil people- the worst in the world in fact. Did I mention he is Indian? That and we should bring all Israelites to the U.S. and let Palestine destroy itself. This was an interesting respite from the topic we were there to discuss. We found out yesterday Dad's disease is progressing. He has new spots on his lung, back, adrenal gland, and liver. Dr. Nadi noted about three times that this was concerning to him. It is a slow growing cancer. Slow growing cancers do not respond as well to treatment as do the fast growing variety. Dad will start again next week with a new chemo drug.

When the Dr. left the room I remarked that perhaps we need to pray harder. In his sure calm way Dad responded with II Timothy 1:12B

"for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day."

He said we need to take things day by day. Trust the Lord each day. Do not borrow worry. We were there to be supportive and he pointed us in the direction of "Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy," Thanks, Dad.

When I awake in the quiet of the night to nurse my baby I often spend the time in prayer for my dad. Here are a couple of verses of the hymn that greeted me in my head when I awoke last night.

I know not why God's wondrous grace to me He hath made known,

Nor why Christ, in His boundless love, Redeemed me for His own.

I know not when my Lord may come, At night or noon-day fair,

Nor if I'll walk the vale with Him, or "meet Him in the air."

But "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able To keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day."

My Sharpening Stones

Proverbs 27:17 "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."

At the end of July my friends Gwen and Lora had a terrific idea to have a homemakers/home schoolers get together. Gwen graciously opened her home for the day and organized a binder for all with tips and ideas from menu planning to how to be a better help meet to our husbands. The opportunity to borrow, sell, or buy new and used books was also offered. They let me offer up a devotional based on Deuteronomy 6:5-7 and I shared the Sunny Toad Academy's mission statement. I was followed by someone I consider a mentor of mine. She has already graduated 5 students and has 3 still at home. I learn something new every time I talk to her! That day was not exception. I have already started reading two of the books she suggested and am enjoying having my brain exercised.

I always enjoy discussing educational philosophies of other families and how they implement them. I am sure to come away with something new to try at our house. There is no one way to do things, and that is what is so much fun about meeting with other home schoolers. Every child and family has individual needs so the way we go about fulfilling those needs should look very different!

The Lord has truly blessed me with some great ladies with whom to fellowship! I look forward to getting together again soon.

One of my mentors with her daughters, granddaughter, and daughter-in-law (one week from delivering another girl!). What a delightful family!

Vacation detox

One week ago today we were on our way to the lake for the second time this summer- a first for us. All preparations behind, the week stretched ahead wide with promise. Now we are home and I won't be eating a Teal's donut (or three) for another year.

Back to reality. Back to all the things I was trying to accomplish before we left. Last week we started stripping and refinishing the painted floors in the kids' bedrooms. I had hoped to complete this task and let the finish dry while we were gone. The kids spent the week prior to the camping trip sleeping in the camper. It was novel then. Last night when we pulled in around 9:00 P.M. they groaned at not being able to slip into their normal beds. Today I finished sanding and filling cracks. Tomorrow I will stain. If all goes as planned, which it seldom does, they will be back in their beds by the weekend.

When I realized I wouldn't get the floors completed and my fabric.com order providentially arrived in a timely manner I switched gears. The girls needed new swimsuits this year. I wanted them to be able to focus on swimming and not whether or not their private bits were exposed. To get the fit and affordability we desired I knew we would have to fashion our own attire. Who knew swimsuit patterns were so hard to locate? I finally found a leotard pattern we like and wouldn't you know they were sold out of the size we needed?! I got the smaller size and it all worked out with a little adjustment.

I also made myself a swimshirt to match a tennis skirt I already had. They looked so cute!! The swimsuit fabric was procured through chezami.com and I was pleased as punch with the quality. The material was a tactel/spandex knit with which I had never sewn. I used a ball point needle in my serger with the cutting blade in the inactive position and it went delightfully smooth. Until, that is, Madigan wore hers a couple times and the threads began to unravel. Maliah's was fine, however, so the problems can be chalked up to sub-par thread. Let that be a lesson. NEVER use cheap thread!!!

My other sewing project was for a pilot cap for Merritt. He had an ear ache last week so I wanted something to cover his little ears that was lighter weight than a stocking cap. I used an old t'shirt of Mitchell's for the body and some knit ribbed fabric for the ties. The pattern was from sewliberated.com. I think it is just adorable! Matt and my brothers thought he looked like a girl. This from the same people who maintain boys wear clothes not outfits! Does that really matter when you are 8 months old?! I might just make one to match all his "outfits".

Overhaulin'

My boy turns 6 next week. He is starting to shed bits of his boyness in favor of putting on some manhood. When a discussion of bikes came up he began to bemoan the "girly" shade of pink that his wears. I, of course, saw this as an opportunity for a lesson in contentment.

"Who made color?" I asked.

"God." boy sighed. I think he knew where I was going with this.

"If God made all color there are no boy or girl colors. You should be

happy you have wheels at all!" I declared.

"Yes Ma'am." he again sighed. We've been working on our Ma'aming. -We implemented this so I know they have heard when I give directions and can't feign deafness.-

At least he was making an attempt at the correct attitude. So I decided to reward him. His first project!

"Since you are almost 6 you can change the color of your bike. Are you ready for your first overhaul?" I questioned.

This was met with great excitement. We were going to town anyway so he picked out some spray paint and sand paper to complete his task. When we got home he road his pink princess bike to the shop and excitedly got to work sanding off princess stickers and paint. I think his favorite part was using the air compressor to spray off the dust before the bike was painted. Makes sense. It was the only power tool used for this job. His testosterone showing, no doubt.

He is pretty happy with the results. He doesn't even mind the purple rims and handlebar grips!

Room with a view

This is the view from the throne in our master bath. The window is 6 '' off the floor and goes almost to the ceiling. The only time I regret this window is when we have unexpected company. We seldom put down the blinds. That kind of defeats the purpose of a window if you ask me.

I like that I don't have to prepare in advance by bringing a book with me to use the facilities. There is always something to peruse. I enjoy seeing the seasons change from here and planning what I will plant in the garden to look at from my perch.

I will try to remember to document this with pictures. Great. Now I have to remember to bring the camera...

Looking to the Ant

One of our gardens

My kids love to talk. Some have been concerned that since we have garrulous olders that the youngers will not talk because they don't have to. It seems much the opposite around here. The more kids we have the louder they are at an earlier age. Everyone seems to think their 2 cents is worth a nickel. Cashiers and librarians are among their favorite ears to bend. Maybe because they are a captive audience. In the summer months gardening is a common cashier ice breaker question. They are probably wondering how in the world I feed all these kids. I'm sure they figure I must have a garden! I can't help but smirk when the kids get this funny look on their face that says, "Are you kidding me? A garden?!" They almost always answer politely that we have a few gardens. In fact we have around 10 or so and not many are smallish. Needless to say my little grubbers usually have dirty nails from weeding. We have gardening unit studies in both the spring and fall when we are either starting seeds in the greenhouse or preserving the years harvest and collecting seeds to use the next season. Last fall our proof text came from Proverbs 6

"Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest."

Proverbs 6:6-8

I have to admit, I kind of got a kick out of watching them play outside and hearing them call each other "Biblical" names. How can you not laugh when you hear your kids calling each other sluggards when they use it in context? Another text we used was in II Thessalonians.

"For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." II Thessalonians 3:10

Before I carried snacks in my purse for children I had them for my husband. This strong need to eat on a regular basis must be genetic. People are often surprised our brood will eat anything set in front of them. They snack on all things in the garden from parsley to lima beans from garlic chives to spinach. So this verse from II Thessalonians has been quite a motivator and we've never pulled so many weeds!

Last week Matt decided we needed to freeze sweet corn. We had planted a patch in an out-of-the-way place so we didn't have to look at it all the time. Not only didn't I look at it but I didn't weed it either. Between the 6 foot tall ragweed and the neighbor's cows lumbering through, our corn didn't produce copiously.

A kind and generous neighbor of Matt's folks shared with us and we got 25 quarts put by in 3

hours from field to freezer. Good thing too as we had important things to do that evening.

My sister always comes up with clever parties for her boys. Here I am with another aunt at the "Minute to Win It" birthday party for 2 of my nephews trying to get ping-pong balls out of a Kleenex box tied to my waist.

Another rule we like to follow around here. Work hard, play hard. I think that would be Colossians 3:23. "And whatever you do, do it heartily , as to the Lord and not to men,"