Little Charlie Nutkin

Mary, John and Charlie began preschool/kindergarden religion classes this past Sunday. Instead of attending mass with the rest of us, they join with other kids their age in a classroom setting to learn more about Jesus, and our faith. They were all very excited to begin, especially Charlie who asked over breakfast that morning if he'd meet any "pretty girls." (oh my.)
Anhow, Charlie's classroom activities involved cutting and pasting a little construction paper acorn with a message attached that read 'Your child is like a little acorn. As they grow, learn and feel God's love, they will grow in faith like the mighty oak tree."
I thought this was adorable, and he was very proud of his work. We stopped at my parents house after church for our usual Sunday coffee and donuts, and Charlie was quick to show grandma his work. He asked excitedly "What's it say Grandma?" Without missing a beat, she laughed "It says you're NUTS!" (I nearly spewed my coffee!) Charlie loved it even more.
Honestly, I love the little message, and think it's a perfect little way to talk with our kids about their faith and it's potential as we surround ourselves with God's awesome Autumn wonders.

and while the oven's still warm...

Homemade Caramel Corn.

YUMM!
Fall's not complete without it.

...and a simple recipe ('cause my mom said I should start including a recipe now and then.)

7 1/2 quarts popped corn
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup nuts (if desired).
In sauce pan, mix butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt, stirring occasionally. When mixture comes to a full boil cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Pour over popcorn and stir. Bake in greased pan for 1 hour at 200 degrees, stirring every 15 minutes. Allow to cool on wax paper or foil, then store in airtight containers. Enjoy.

simple smiles

One look out the window, and my day's plans stretched to include baking. So, when I stopped at the grocery for a couple of essentials I was really excited to find and try a new cookie mix from the dollar aisle. Does your local supermarket have a dollar section (yep, everything for a buck)? I like to sample things every now and then, and have been pleasantly surprised by several of my finds. Today was no exception. I found boxed sugar cookie mix, 2 for $1. Each box made roughly 2+ dozen cookies (I make mine a little small.) They were/are delicious!! Just add egg and butter, and voila. Oh, and of course you can't have sugar cookies without buttery decorator icing. And while we're at it, a little food coloring to make it more festive. Of course the cookies would have been just wonderful (and simple) with just the recommended dusting of sugar, or even colored sugar sprinkles, but we like a good icing here.
$1, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 sticks butter, 1 hour of my time (with little ones helping of course)...presto! Instant delicious treats.

I'm not a barber

...but I've been known to play one from time to time. Today was one such occasion. The boys here haven't had a good haircut for a couple months now, and are beyond shaggy. It's making my dad a bit crazy to see his grandsons with hair covering their ears. We typically keep the boys hair cut "high and tight." All except for Frank that is...he for some reason looks good in longer hair. Perhaps to cover the bumps and bruises he's always sporting on his forehead. Although, come to think of it, maybe he wouldn't bump into so many things if he could see where he was going. Hmmmm...thoughts to ponder.
Anyhow, with the colder weather, I was forced to cut hair in the bathroom rather than my usual spot on the back patio. Lucy seemed to love to sneak in and walk through the piles of hair...then track it back out through the hallway. Yikes. I much prefer keeping this mess outside. I even snuck in a trim for little Rose. This was the first time I've ever touched her ringlet curls. She's always begging me to, but I never know where to begin. Now at three years old, I thought it might not hurt to "trim" them a bit. She giggled with excitement as I began, but giggles turned to tears as she spotted the little pinwheel curls on the floor. My heart broke as she cried "Don't cut off all my curls mommy." I quickly showed her in the mirror how they sprung right back in to curls again, which helped. But I don't think she'll be asking me for a trim anytime soon.
Four little ones got haircuts today, and are looking quite spectacular I think. They may just be return customers...they surely can't beat the price, although they were quick to remind me I don't give out suckers like the real barber does!

October, Lovely Lady prayer

Alice and Emma were asked to read this simple prayer a couple years back at mass for the May Crowning of our Blessed Mother. The ceremony took place just one week after their First Holy Communion, and the new communicants were invited to wear their suits and dresses once again. I can still picture them in their white dresses and veils, reading these sweet words as they took turns with the verses at the lectern. The words still ring in my ears at times, and it seemed fitting to share them this month of Our Lady's Holy Rosary.

Lovely Lady dressed in blue,
Teach me how to pray!
God was just your little Boy.
Tell me what to say!
Did you lift Him up sometimes,
Gently on your knee?
Did you sing to Him the way
Mother does to me?
Did you hold his hand at night?
Did you ever try
Telling Him stories of the world?
Oh! And did he ever cry?
Do you really think He cares
If I tell Him things--
Little things that happen?
And do the Angels' wings
Make a noise?
And can He hear Me if I speak low?
Does He understand me now?
Tell me--for you know.
Lovely Lady dressed in blue,
Teach me how to pray!
God was just your little Boy,
And you must know the way!

a stitch in time

I pieced the top for this patchwork quilt more than 12 years ago. John and I were living in the 5 bedroom farm house he'd grown up in, leaving me plenty of space for keeping my sewing machine set up all the time. I had my grandmothers' old Singer in a large wooden cabinet that folded out into a sewing table. I loved having it set up and experimenting with various craft projects from curtains and pillows to this larger project...my first quilt. I pulled together scraps of fabrics I already had on hand including the 8 tiny floral squares that were curtains in the laundry room at the farm when we moved in. (They didn't last long as curtains, but made a cute little accent square on the quilt, I thought.) Anyhow. Times were certainly different then. I worked part-time in a physicians office, had no children, and certainly plenty of time on my hands. I cut and pieced this together in just a matter of days or so, found a background fabric and sandwiched a piece of batting in between...and that's where it ended. I had no idea what to do next, or how to finish it off. I'd never done anything like this before, and certainly was intimidated by the idea of finish-quilting it. So I didn't. I folded it neatly and bagged it up. It's moved with us twice now and remained in that bag until about a week or so ago.

For some reason, that silly quilt came to mind recently and I felt the need to just jump in and finish it. I still know nothing more about quilting than I did 12 years ago, but I figured I had to just get beyond the fear of messing it up, and get it done. I retrieved it from the storage area of our basement, along with my newer sewing machine that stays packed away until moments when the kids are sleeping, and something needs mended. I pulled the unfinished quilt out of the bag, pressed some of the wrinkles out of it, including the circle line from the hoop that I'd placed on it 12 years ago, as I had considered hand stitching a bit, then quit.

I managed to finish the edges in just an hour or so, and on my next free evening, I machine quilted a simple pattern onto it. Just like that. Twelve years of fear, overcome in just a couple short hours. How silly is that?! It certainly has it's imperfections...seems that don't quite line up, or puckering in the fabric as I quilted the layers together...but look! I think it's simply beautiful! And its done!

The same story applies to other things I manage to put off as well. How many times have I allowed fear (of whatever...embarrassment, failure, mistakes) keep me from doing something. God seems to know I have "fear issues" and has really given me opportunity for growth in this area as of late. A few weeks back I spoke to a group of ladies as part of a Women's Retreat. I was frightened beyond words, but the Holy Spirit worked through me, allowing God's perfect message to shine through. And more recently, I've received a very generous, albeit out-of-my-league offer to begin a weekly radio talk show on our local Christian radio station. Every bone in my body wanted to yell "NO" at the top of my lungs and run as fast and as far as possible away from that offer. But I know for as many reasons as I have to say "no," there is one very real reason why I must say "yes." God has put people and experiences into my life, leading up to this, and I feel certain it's what I'm being called to do. I prayed (A LOT) about it, and have decided to to give it a shot. Certainly this is way outside of my comfortable little box, and outside of anything I happen to know about anything. Our loving God certainly has a sense of humor! Again, I'm reminded he does not call the equipped (as I am most certainly not in this case!), rather equips the called.

The outline and schedule of the show are still up in the air, but I'll be certain to keep you posted as it comes to fruition. Would love to have you tune in, call in and weigh in with your comments, advice, support. Maybe I should offer the quilt as a prize (bribe?) to my first caller. ;)

(finding comfort/courage in these words) Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

tis the season

...to declutter. Yep, there's something about cooler, gray, rainy days that inspire me to organize, toss, sort, separate, donate and pitch. Today our basement toy room was the subject of my autumn energy. I started with a trash bag and began pitching broken, unmatched, no-longer-loved toys. This is great to do with a handful of toddlers because they're not attached to anything! As a matter of fact...they LOVE putting things into the bag. After we pitched and sorted things back into bins and buckets, we chose a few nice toys to put up into the attic...items we're not ready to part with yet. We have a couple large toys like a dollhouse with rooms full of play furniture and people, and some antique school desks that get rotated in and out of the attic to change things up now and again. Today the school desks were put away, and the dollhouse made it's prescence known again. It's magic when an old favorite toy comes out of the attic...kids play so beautifully together, and enjoy it again. HEAVEN.
John pulled our old (but much too small) kitchen table for 6 out of storage today. It was not nice enough to donate after spending some time as the kids coloring table in the basement here, but was shuffled into storage when larger toys took it's place. Anyhow, he cut the legs down to about 18 inches or so. It's now a perfect train/lego/racetrack table for the boys to build on and the storage bins for these toys slide neatly underneath. All the boys were tickled when they came together after school and naps and spent most of the evening working together on various building projects. WONDERFUL!!
I'd like to give the basement walls a fresh coat of paint before it's too cold to keep the windows open while I work. 4 years and 10 kids in this house...and many crayons and markers later...have really shown some wear. Maybe I can work my way around, one wall at a time getting that painting done during nap times. The last couple years we've had our Christmas tree down there because it gives us more space to spread out and yet still be together on Christmas morning. It would be nice to have it freshened up before then. We'll see how much time and energy I can muster up.
Of course I still need to get through closets and clothes...a seemingly never-ending battle. It's a wonderful reminder though, of all the blessings and God's providence. He does provide, often times in ways we could not imagine. But certainly our needs are met.
I'm reminded of Psalm 23. My cup does indeed overflow!

Hey kids, how was your day?

Serving up snacks, old school.



I can't be alone when I say my kids come home from school HUNGRY! They eat lunch before noon, so by 3:30 they're likely to nibble a finger or two if I don't have some sort of snacks available. Often times someone is still wearing a backpack and jacket as they're reaching into the fridge for something to munch. No "Hey Mom! Whassup?!" Just "What is there to eat?!"

"Welcome home honey, I love you too...there are snacks in the cupboard."

As for those munchies...I'm constantly striving to come up with something healthy, filling...oh, and inexpensive doesn't hurt either. I've tried prepackaged crackers, fruit snacks (which don't even fill a bird's belly...and have nothing to do with real fruit), granola bars (which when flavored as 'smores or chocolate chunk...have very little to do with granola) and other convenience-type snacks, but they're expensive and usually leave the kids looking for seconds in no time. Apples and carrots are favorites, but not always what they're looking for. Today I pulled an old classic out of my repetoire...one I came home to many a childhood day...peanut butter on saltine crackers, with a side of hot cocoa (the hot cocoa wasn't so common place, but it sounded like a nice treat on this windy day). It was a hit. I can remember eating saltines with plain butter as a kid too, or even saltines crumbled in a bowl with milk. Yumm. My kids would gag and make faces if I suggested such a snack now. Any good after school snacking memories for you? And what are your kids eating to hold them through till supper? I'd love to hear some simple goodies.


an afterthought on hot cocoa...
I was thinking again about making hot chocolate at our house as kids. We never had marshmallows...I think those were only in the pantry of the very wealthy. Shoot. Who had a pantry, come to think of it ? I remember robbing those little tiny hard marshmallows out of the sugary cereals mom bought for us, to throw into our hot chocolate. (How pathetic is that?!) I can recall feeling as though I were sitting in the lap of luxury when, after helping my best friend deliver newspapers one cold day, her mom served us hot chocolate with REAL marshmallows. WOW! So that's how the other half lives.

Feast, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary

October 7, 2009


The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was instituted to honor Mary for the Christian victory over the Turks at Lepanto on October 7, 1571. Pope St. Pius V and all Christians had prayed the Rosary for victory. The Rosary, or the Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is one of the best prayers to Mary, the Mother of God.

Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary that never was it known that anyone who fled to Your protection, implored Your help, or sought Your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we fly to you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To You we come; before You we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in Your mercy, hear and answer us. Amen.

(sigh) my babies are home.

My parents drove down to Jacksonville, FL for the weekend to visit my brother and his family, and took my oldest two girls with them. Alice and Emma returned today, tan and seemingly and inch taller. They're filled with stories and adventures shared with my brother Jim (Emma's godfather), his wife Judy, and their children Jenna and Jamie. It's been 4 years this Oktoberfest weekend since we've seen any of them. I'm so grateful the girls had this opportunity to catch up and enjoy each other's company, and grateful too that they're back home safely.
...and now, catching up on more laundry.

precious!

Okay, so I grabbed for my camera...and first there was no digital picture card (left it in the computer). I ran back and grabbed that...then, no battery life! Dang! Sometimes it's just not even worth trying. So I tossed the camera aside, and enjoyed the moment for what it was...PRECIOUS!

Little Lucy has been in the habit of spreading her wings a bit, and climbing into Sam's top bunk to hang out. Once there, she's stuck...so after a couple minutes she hollars for someone to come get her down. Today though was different. I saw her climb up, and as I went about my business getting clothes out for little ones I realized she was up there longer than usual...and quiet. I glanced up to hear her mumbling/singing in no legible words...just usual baby babble. She was laying snuggled in Sam's blankets with a large wooden rosary clutched in her hands. So darn sweet! She was oblivious to my watching her, so I called for John to come in. He stood by the bed and would say the words to the Hail Mary prayer, and she would imitate them. (Of course this is when I run for camera...and begin to curse a bit...then realize the moment is worth more than the picture, so just enjoy.)
I am so grateful to have witnessed a tender moment like this between a child and her Blessed Mother. Certainly Our Lady was enjoying the company as well. Just precious!

Mark 10: 13-16 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

if at first we don't succeed...

We've tried several times to make praying a family rosary part of our routine. A few times we've lasted a couple weeks or better. But for one reason or another we can't seem to make the habit stick. I first introduced the kids to the rosary very casually. We sat together on the floor of our family room, rosaries in hand (or around necks for the younger ones who don't know better) and prayed just a decade. It was a little chaotic and with plenty of interruptions, but for the most part was encouraging for me to try again. We continued for a few days, until I had the nerve to invite my husband to join us. He welcomed the invitation.

From then on, our attempts at making it a routine were geared around bedtime. We allowed kids to stay up past bedtime if they wanted to pray with us. Some did, some didn't and that was okay. Some lasted only a decade before I'd carry them off to bed while John and the others continued and I'd join them again when I could.

For whatever reason though, like anything new...a few missed evenings and soon the habit was gone. Grace brought home a brochure "The Rosary for Children" today from religion class, and I'm finding myself inspired to try again. Tonight we turned the tv off early, and said a decade together, just the oldest 6 and myself. It was a perfect end to our day, and I'm hoping to try to include this in our evenings more often than not.

Pray for us O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Ein Prosit!

(a toast)

...to surviving yet another Oktoberfest weekend. Here, here!

Our small community (population 2700) draws in nearly 10,000 visitors annually for it's Oktoberfest celebration. The fest runs Friday through Sunday, and you can bet our family doesn't miss much of it. From polkas at the Gazebo to chicken dancing in the Spass Platz, cabbage rolls to cream puffs, queen contest, crafts and parade, car show, 1 mile fun run and 1oK...just to name a few. We try to sample a little of it all. Oh...and did I mention draft beer. Yep, we sampled a bit of that too.
It made for a very busy, lack-of-nappy, crazy-scheduled weekend. One that we look forward to every year with great anticipation, and are immensely grateful when it's over.

Today I'm on catch-up duty...with laundry, cleaning and all the things we leave go for just one weekend to fully experience/celebrate our German Heritage.

Selige nacht für alle.
(Blessed night to all.)

October

Month of the Holy Rosary

We've been spending our days this week, sprucing up the yard a bit. Our community is hosting it's annual Oktoberfest this weekend, which brings folks in by the thousands. It's the perfect opportunity for pulling weeds, laying fresh mulch in the flower beds, and adding a few pumpkins and mums for decoration. As I was weeding around our grotto in the back, and laying some new (reclaimed) pavers around the roses, I realized that the white lights and spot light had been burned out for some time. We typically have our statue of the Blessed Mother well-lit throughout the nights. It has been a source of consolation and strength through those middle-of-the-night feedings or as I paced the floor with crying, sick little ones. One glance out of my kitchen window, and her beauty radiated through the night giving a sense of peace. A trip to the hardware for new lights quickly had her glowing again.

As I glanced out at her tonight, I was struck by how beautiful she looks with roses and geraniums still blooming, lights twinkling in the rain. I remembered that the timing was perfect too for it is October, the month of the Holy Rosary. May the statue serve again as a reminder each evening to end the day with prayer, in particular the rosary. I pray also that I can bring the kids a little closer to their Heavenly Mother by reinstituting the Family Rosary in the house.

dental floss...

Perfect for cleaning those hard-to-reach spaces between your toes(?)!

I can laugh about it now.

I could hear the boys (John, Charlie and Frank) hammering away in the basement...buzzing away with their saws, clanging their hammers against the metal support poles in the basement. It was all good, I thought. Tool time...Fisher Price style. They love "working" on stuff, and typically the basement is fair territory. The walls are just painted concrete, and most everything down there is "kid-friendly." Key word being most.
You can imagine my, umm, dismay (for lack of a better word to describe the way I nearly lost it in a fit of not-so-pretty yelling, arms flailing in the air, shock) when I found all three of them standing on top of the tv stand, hammering away at television from every angle. They were wearing safety goggles, I'll give them that much. In hindsight, the look on their faces was not the typical "busted...I know I was doing something wrong." Rather, they seemed completely uncertain of the nature of their offense.
I unplugged the tv about 6 months ago (best thing I ever did!) so the kids would spend time actually playing with their toys/using their imaginations rather than laying like zombies in front of the darn thing. Meanwhile it just sits there useless, collecting dust...except for the rare occassions I plug it in while I use the treadmill. Anyhow. I think the little buggers were actually trying to fix it! I can laugh about it now. Truth is, I wouldn't be terribly disappointed if the thing was permanently damaged...I didn't even bother to turn it on to find out. I'll have to work out the details of it with them tomorrow in a slightly more calm fashion, and go over again the rules of the "workshop."

Sorry Grandpa.

Dear Grandpa'
I LOVE coming to your house to visit with you. It seems you always have cool things within reach, and you never once put them up away from my little hands. I love that you're okay with me checking things out...and you seem to giggle a little when I do.
Today we stopped by to visit and you weren't home. So, while Dad was leaving a note on the table for you, we helped ourselves to some cookies (cause you never seem to mind that either) and then I spotted this really sweet puppy just waiting for some attention. I think he's super-cute, and didn't figure you'd mind if I carry him around a little bit. I bet he must have been a gift from someone very special. He looked like he wanted to be held. So, ummm. I did. And well, ummm. I dropped him.
Mom thinks the glue should be dry and we can return him tomorrow morning.
I think he's sad to have the tape around his head, but mom said it's helping the glue work to keep his ear on. I think he'll be all better soon.
I'm sorry Grandpa. I love you.

Lucy

Ziploc Omelets

Okay, before I get started...YES, I'm going to be cooking in plastic, which probably contains some sort of toxins which might cause someone to grow a third eyeball. But it's quick, it's cool, and it's not likely the third eye will show up anytime soon.

So, with that covered...we made the coolest Omelets this morning. It's something I'd read about a long time ago, and finally googled it to try it ourselves. It's a really cool, simple way to cook custom omelets for the masses, without spending the whole morning at the stove.

Start by bringing a large soup pot of water to a rolling boil. While that's heating, give each person a quart-size ziploc bag (we used generic "storage" bags which worked fine, but I read "freezer" bags are less likely to melt) with their name Sharpied on it. Break 1 or 2 eggs into each bag, seal, and squeeze or shake to scramble. Kids really hate this part. Open bags again and allow each person to add omelet fixin's...like cheese, onions, peppers, bacon crumbles, ham or sausage, tomatoes, spinach...whatever! Seal bags making sure egg mixture remains in bottom of bag, while all air is squeezed out. (I found it easy to do this over the edge of the counter top.) Drop all sealed bags into the boiling water and cook for exactly 13 minutes. It suggests no more than 6-8 bags for a pot of water, but we used my bigger canning pot, and all 12 bags fit just fine. After 13 minutes, remove bags from water, open (careful of steam) and drop eggs onto plate. They come out in a log-type shape...but they taste great, kids LOVED them, and we all ate at the same time!!!! How cool is that!?! We'll definitely be trying it again....with a little more cheese for me.

More whispers from the pew

Childrens Choir is back in session for the school year, and Saturday evening was their first opportunity to sing at mass. It also happened to be homecoming weekend for our high school, so there was an unusually large number of teens dressed in their dancing finest attending mass prior to festivities. It gave Charlie a lot to talk about come Communion time. He commented on each of the young men...what color shirt or tie they were wearing, etc. I snuggled him in a little closer when he pointed to one handsome fella in all black with a flashy red tie. His comment made me melt, "When I'm big, I'll wear a red tie Mom, and you can go with me in your 'Snow White' dress." Awww. He wants me to be his date, and insists I wear my "big puffy" wedding dress (which he'd seen me try on not too long ago.)
It almost made me forget about the fact that he'd just tried crawling underneath the pew to sit with the boys behind us. Little turkey.

Sunday blessings

Thanks to Saturday evening mass, we had a sleep-in Sunday. And after that it was a lazy morning complete with fresh baked Monkey Bread, Ziploc Omelets (more on that later), and lots of snuggling...

How sweet is that! God is good, indeed.

bittersweet?

Nope. "Cinnamon-sweet" would be more fitting, as tonight the house was filled with the sweet smell of cinnamon and apples as apple pie filling bubbled on the stove.
It is with great joy (and a big sigh of relief) that I put away the canner and extra jars and lids for another year. After approximately 28 jars of salsa, 4 quarts of green beans & potatoes, 20 quarts of spaghetti sauce, 6 quarts of tomatoes, 10 quarts of peaches, 15 jars of applesauce, 28 quarts of grape juice and now 7 quarts of apple pie filling; I can call it quits till next fall.
As much time and work as it requires, I'm already planning a few extra items for next years garden, hoping to be able to put away a few more jars of this or that for the winter months...like more beans, sweet corn, and perhaps potatoes. I'm hoping the girls might be interested in helping out/learning the art by then. A little company in the kitchen is always welcome.
A side note: Alice and Emma asked for a first lesson in hand-sewing this evening. Each of them stitched and stuffed a little fleece pillow to decorate their beds. My, they've come a long way from fingerpainting and sewing cardboard cutouts with shoe-laces. They're growing into quite the little ladies.

can't keep a good man down

a story of one little guy's big determination
I've mentioned once or twice before that our little John (one belonging to our second set of twins) has Cerebral Palsy. He was diagnosed somewhere between the ages of 18 months and 2 years when his delays in walking were more than just his "being a boy." His twin Mary mastered walking on her own right away at 1 year, and we just thought John was taking his time. He seemed to know how to do it, but just couldn't master it without stumbling...a lot. Poor little guy was always black and blue. Anyhow, at 18months, we sought the advice of our family physician who then referred us on to a pediatric orhopedist (bone doctor), and then on to a developmental specialist. Turns out we'd noticed differences in the way he'd mastered lots of developmental milestones, but thought it was just John being "quirky"...like the way he held his sippy cup with his left hand turned completely over for balance, or the way he army crawled much longer than any of the other kids and managed to only use his right side. Subtle clues, that might have tipped us off sooner, had he not been so good at overcoming all of life's obstacles. We were completely shocked when the diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy came up, and yet many things started making sense. Cerebral Palsy simply means that somewhere during development in utero, or sometimes due to trauma at birth, some part of the brain that controls muscle tone and movement didn't develop correctly or was injured. It has increased occurence in twin births, and often affects the muscles of one entire side of the body. In John's case his entire left side is weaker than the right. He's naturally right handed, so has managed to compensate/overcome most challenges he faces. And as the doctor explained to us, his case is very mild...often unrecognizable to people he meets. It appears more as a clumsy demeanor to most. It's difficult and requires much concentration for him to master fine motor skills with his left hand. He's often tripping over his own two feet, bumping into things, and just generally not very graceful. Certainly he was blessed to be so mildly affected. And even more blessed to have such a positive winning attitude.
Today, he ran his first 1-mile fun run at our high school cross country meet. All kids in kindergarden through 6th grade came home with sign-up sheets, and while a couple of my others weren't too interested, John was certain he could "win the big trophy." I smiled to myself remembering one doctor early on, explaining to us that "he'd probably never play guitar or be great at cross country" to which my husband and I both laughed...neither of us had mastered these with our typical abilities.
Anyhow, I found myself sobbing in cheers for him on the sidelines tonight as he battled his way through the hills and turns of the course, stumbling at times over his own two feet, but always getting back up, smiling and moving on. I couldn't swallow the lump in my throat that was my heart as he'd push by, his big toothy grin was ever-present. At the final quarter mile, when I cheered loud for him to keep on, he jetted past me as if winning first place depended on it. He never seemed to mind one bit that remained running with and would finish in one of the last 5 spots. He did it! He was proud as could be to accept his participation ribbon, and was quick to congratulate the top finisher...with a comment about he himself taking home the trophy when he gets a little bigger. Never stop believing big guy! I am grateful everyday for the gift of you, and for teaching me about slowing down a bit to appreciate the journey. You are a beautiful example of determination, perserverance, and triumph! God has blessed us indeed!

submerged (perhaps drowning) in nature

The kids and I ventured out for a "nature" walk this evening. It's been since spring (Lent to be exact) since we'd visited the wooded trails of the Maria Stein Spiritual Center, so we were overdue. It rained this morning, and I just love that their paths are now paved, and awesome for pushing a stroller, rain or shine.
We loaded up the van right after dinner, and headed off for a nice stroll. We arrived and were greeted by the sweetest little yellow butterfly who danced around each of us as we piled out of the van. It seemed to enjoy the attention as one of the kids caught it, then each took turns holding it gently on a fingertip. The sweet little butterfly stayed with Sam most of the walk, and I had to check it once or twice to be sure it was real. Just so cool that it wasn't inclined to fly away...far, far away from our noisy bunch. I finally persuaded Sam to "let it go" and he literally had to set it down on the ground...the darned thing just wouldn't leave us.
Anyway, we eased down the winding wooded rosary path, discovering that several of the new grottos were near completion now with beautiful statues of St. Bernadette and Our Lady of Lourdes, as well as a gorgeous statue of Our Lady of Fatima. We're so blessed to have this wonderful little retreat so close. The kids stayed busy gathering colorful fallen leaves in the prettiest shades of Autumn...red, orange, yellows. In fact. The leaf-lined trail was so beatiful, I can't even tell you what the trees looked like. About halfway through the trails we realized that we were being swarmed by these tiny gnat-like bugs. They weren't biting or pesky, but our clothing was covered in them...like we'd walked through a cloud and they'd all clung to us. It gave us all the heeby-jeebies a bit, and it hurried our pace more than I'd like. Everyone was swatting, wiggling and trying in vain to rid themselves of the tiny stow-aways. We continued gathering leaves and walked rather briskly back to the van (okay, some of the kids were sprinting) and ended by stripping a couple kids of their outer layers to shake off all the buggies. We laughed about it later on our way home.
We ended the evening with a little craft time. All the kids (except Sam, who was met by neighbor boys in the driveway when we got home) seemed to enjoy arranging and gluing the leaves onto construction paper which will hopefully get covered with contact paper, and become placemats for the fall season...a reminder of the beautiful gifts of nature God provides for our viewing pleasure.



James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect present comes from heaven; it comes down from God, the Creator of the heavenly lights, who does not change or cause darkness by turning.

cereal sillies

I can't explain it. "Silly" just happens here. I'll take this over grumpy drama anyday! ~God bless Charlie and Frank for the most recent round of impromptu morning giggles.

fumbling for my life preserver.

Somedays, I feel like I've got things covered. Schedules are managed, days roll by smoothly, laundry is under control. (okay, that last one is a stretch.) But still, there are plenty of good days. And then there are the "bad" ones. You know, that stretch of time where you feel like everything is one step forward, two steps back... when you're busy all day long, and by bedtime you can't put your finger on anything that really got accomplished. Wow, do I feel like I've been spinning wheels lately. Yes, there have been big things like lucking into someone's extra garden produce. One friend gave me about 5 gallons of tomatoes, or so which that night became another 10 quarts of spaghetti sauce. That same day a neighbor offered us "free pickins" from their apple tree, so I got about 12 quarts of applesauce canned. I can't really plan ahead for those blocks of time. When produce is "ready," everything else goes to the backburner.

Yesterday I had a bit of time in the afternoon, so I drug my sewing machine and a sack full of simple mending projects out. In that process I spent about 15 minutes cleaning out my sewing box due to a package of straight pin spilled out all over. I finally got things organized and machine running, and wouldn't you know it my needle broke and I have no replacements on hand. Darnit! All the projects went back into the bag, sewing machine and supplies back into the laundry room, all waiting for another day.

Oh, I could go on and on about busy days, feeling exhausted and just wondering if I'll ever get my head above water again...but I already know the answer. It's like the ebb and flow of the tide and just as we tend to think it's going to pull us under completely, the tide rolls out. We find ourselves standing on the smooth sand, perhaps even spotting a few treasures that drifted in. This time of chaos will pass. I just need to breathe now and then, be grateful for my life and all the blessings I've been given, and recall my real "Life Preserver," who through his death on the cross has already saved me. I pray I can keep from getting caught up in the ropes. Amen

John 3:16-17 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge but to be its savior.

In praise and thanks

Psalm 34:4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me; he freed me from my fears.
I had the pleasure of speaking at a womens conference on Saturday in Coldwater. The group of 150 or so women attended mass together first at Holy Trinity and followed with a day full of prayer, great speakers and reflection centered around Luke's gospel story of Mary and Martha. I spoke mainly about finding balance/time for prayer amidst the chaos of having a large family. (I'm not sure who I fooled into thinking I've mastered any sort of balance here, we are a work in progress...but someone asked me to speak, and I said "yes.")
Anyways, I think things went amazingly well, despite my complete lack of experience/confidence. When my name was announced to come forward and share, I felt the usual lump in my throat, and could feel my heartbeat in my ears...a bit of a mini panic attack, I think. But as I reached the podium and adjusted the microphone, the Holy Spirit took over, and things couldn't have gone more smoothly. I felt relaxed, and enjoyed sharing my story. It seemed well recieved too, which is a bonus. While I'm quite comfortable typing away behind a computer screen, my experience talking with a crowd (that's actually listening) is pretty limited. It scares me to death really. I'm grateful for answered prayers. I felt truly moved by the Spirit! Praise God!

In addition, I met some amazing women who had such incredible stories and kind words to share. I was inspired by the new young priest who celebrated mass (Fr. Stechschulte) as well as Deacon Rob who is to be ordained a priest next May. In this "Year for Priests" I continue to pray for more great men such as these to answer the call. Just wonderful!

to be more specific

When I suggested to 3yr old Frank that he shouldn't wipe his face on his shirt, rather "Go wash up!" I meant, wash his face...not his shirt. I should have been more specific, I guess. So, I'm feeling a little bit guilty for his being reprimanded by Dad, who found him standing at a bathroom sink filled to the rim with water, and dunking the front of his shirt repeatedly like a woman doing laundry at the river.
Water was everywhere. John was upset, which would have been my reaction too, had I not known the vague instructions the little guy had just been given. Frank let the water out of the sink, mopped up the water (a bit) with the hand towel, and walked head-bowed, defeated, into the kitchen only to give me a look of "this is your fault mom, thanks." I felt horrible.
It didn't keep us all from giggling about it later though. God Bless our dear obedient boy.

sigh of relief...

...for now at least. I've been asked to speak to a small group of women at a retreat this coming Saturday. I've been sweating what I'm going to say (have been given 1/2 an hour's time to fill!), and think I've finally finished my notes. Whew! Yet another reason I haven't been posting much of late. I'm actually very excited to attend...the topic of the retreat is the story of Mary and Martha, and finding balance between prayer and work. It should be a wonderful day.
I recieved a letter in the mail yesterday from one of the women organizing the retreat, and she mentioned there are 150 women registered thus far! 150??!! Okay, I'm sweating again...

If you think to pray for me on Saturday morning, that'd be great! Asking for the Holy Spirit to work through me, give me confidence to speak to such a large group, and to give all glory to Him through the message I share. He is Good! (and I'm incredibly nervous! What was I thinking, saying "yes" again?!) Prayers, please.

Toothfairy's on Overtime!

We've been keeping that little pixie busy, for sure! Grace has had wiggly teeth for more than a month now, and last week I could stand the dangling participle no longer. One swift yank with a tissue, and out it came. Whew. (I know some can't stand it, but it's never bothered me to pull out a tooth when necessary....perhaps from when we were kids and would actually help each other with loose teeth. I had two brothers, and yes we used the string tied to a doorknob trick, and yes, it worked.)

Anyhow, Grace was pleased to find a quarter in exchange for the tooth she left under her pillow that night. She was even more tickled when her second tooth fell out on it's own during dinner that very next evening. Although it was a Friday night, and with the busy holiday weekend, football games, etc, the toothfairy needed a reminder note when she still didn't come around after the second night. Another quarter was soon on it's way.
Now tonight, little John turns up in the kitchen after washing up after dinner to announce, "Mom, I lost a tooth." What?! He didnt' have any loose that I was aware of. I'm not mentally prepared to see him with a toothless grin. I double-checked and sure enough, there's one missing. But where is the tooth? Who knows?! He just happened to notice the gap as he grinned in the mirror after dinner. The older kids were quick to start a search party looking for the missing tooth to no avail. We suspected perhaps he ate it. (strange, but possible) Finally at bedtime, as I sat on the edge of the tub as one by one, the young boys took their turns pottying and washing up, there I spotted it in the corner of the bathroom floor. One tiny little baby tooth, now bagged and waiting for the toothfairy to work her magic. (That is, if she doesn't forget.)

has it been almost a week since I last posted?!

Oh my. I swear I have the best intentions, I really do. You must forgive me for neglecting the shop here. It makes it difficult when it's been this long to fill you in on all that's been going on. Suffice it to say though, it's been busy as usual.

We are in full-fledged back to school mode. No more nicey-teachers holding off on homework for that first week of school. Nope, from 3:30-4:30 every day, it's controlled chaos at it's finest. 6 little thinkers swarming the kitchen table, plugging away at math facts, spelling words, independent reading, math worksheets, letter formation (for the kindie-gardners), while 4 pre-k's vie for mom's attention just long enough to get a snack, drink, potty break or other. It never fails as I have Grace reviewing flash cards, Sam reading independently for 20 minutes, I'm listing off spelling words for Alice or Emma to write down (Heaven forbid, they'd be on the same list!), and Mary and John circling all the letter G's on their paper...Frank hollars from the bathroom "Mom, I pooped!!" (code for...come wipe me now!) The doorbell's inevitably ringing for the fourth time, because nobody in our neighborhood does homework at this time, and again I hollar from the kitchen "when you see them outside, they're done!" Terrible, I don't even bother answering the door anymore. Sorry if you've stopped by at that time, and heard me yelling...I swear I thought it was the neighborkids!
Yep. If we can make it through homework hour each day, we can make it through nearly anything. I'm grateful for the hour of quiet time in the house that precedes the school kids' homecoming...a time when the four at home are napping, John's just left for work, the house is tidy for a bit, and I can breathe, pray and be grateful for all these beautiful blessings God has given us. He is good!

early morning energy

Do your kids wake up singing and dancing? Wow, the kids had endless energy this morning and as the younger ones sat finishing breakfast with John and I, Alice and Emma serenaded us with some manner of cheering/singing/dancing to a made-up song. I don't even recall the words anymore...even though it was the same line repeated over and over. It was too funny. Each version was slightly sillier and more synchronized than the one before. They even asked for raisins to black out one tooth for their "redneck" version. Where do they come up with this?! Maybe the smell of tomatoes cooking all night did something to them...like a strange drug or something.

pasta follow-up

Even after simmering all night (and waking up a couple times to stir...I was so afraid it'd scorch while I slept) the sauce was still pretty thin. It smells divine, though...and suspect it will taste just as good. I didn't have any tomato paste in the house to add, so I canned it as is. I read somewhere that while you shouldn't can with cornstarch, you can add it later when ready to use to thicken it up a bit, and that's just what we might try.

thanks for the tips everyone! BTW~ Tania (who commented), how do the apples come out with your strainer? As runny and slushy as the tomatoes? I like my applesauce a little chunky. Perhaps your newer model has different attachments for different consistencies? I'd love to know more/try more before deciding to purchase one for myself. It did make super easy work of the tomatoes!

good night sauce...

Tonight I'm working on homemade spaghetti sauce. This is a first for me, but some friends offered us their extra tomatoes and I just can't let them go to waste. I picked 2 full 5-gallon buckets of the gorgeous fruit; a combination of Beefsteak and Roma varieties. They planted 6 just as we had, but ours didn't fare well at all, while theirs were just loaded down with tomatoes, the plants as tall as me. Awesome!
Anyhow, my uncle and I got to talking about canning last week and he dropped off a tomato strainer for me to try. I'd never seen, let alone used one before...well let me tell you it is AMAZING. I put the whole tomatoes into a pan of hot water for just a couple minutes, then into cold water in the sink. Then one by one dropped them into the top of the strainer...all the while turning (or having the kids turn) the crank. The juice and pulp came out one shoot, while the seeds and skins dropped out the back. It was the cleanest process for seperating the seeds/skins that I'd ever seen! It made beautiful slushy tomato juice that probably could have been canned as is without any further doctoring, but I've opted to make pasta sauce instead. I'm using Mrs. Wages pasta sauce seasoning packets, which smells wonderful as it simmers. The sauce is a bit runny though, and everything I've read online suggests just letting it simmer to get rid of the water, for as long as 10-12 hours. So, it looks as though I'll be canning in the morning as opposed to this evening yet. Darn it...I'm in the mood. But, as I said, it smells divine, and will be worth it to have a nice thick sauce to can in the morning. I can hardly wait to try it...the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, peppers & onions all blended and permeating the whole house now. Yumm!

good night gloves.

I just peeked in on the boys for the night. Everyone's resting well. I tucked in a few sheets/blankets, kissed a few foreheads and just as I was walking out I noticed something dark at the foot of Charlie's bed...two of them actually. They were too small to be stuffed animals, and he hadn't worn black socks today. Hmm. I began to cautiously reach for them when it dawned on me. These were the gloves he'd found out in the garage early this morning; a small pair of black football gloves that a neighbor boy had outgrown and donated to our boys to play with. Charlie wore them to play football at first. Later they were work gloves as we spent time weeding the flower beds this morning. They came off just long enough to eat lunch, and soon were worn to push tractors across the family room carpet. By late afternoon they were baseball gloves, sandbox gloves and even biking gloves. It was necessary to remove them for supper, but he was happy to report that "I don't even need to wash my hands mom, cause I had my gloves on!" Yep, bet they disinfect while you where them, I thought.
Anyhow, here he lays lost in peaceful sleep with those silly gloves waiting at his feet for the next big adventure. What will the morning bring?!

No sour grapes here.

Mmm. Nothing but purple sweetness! The kids love helping me pick, clean and measure out the grapes for this super simple grape juice. And in a couple weeks, they'll love to help taste it too! This afternoon we put up 18 quarts of the yummy stuff.

The recipe couldn't be any easier...
Measure out 1 cup clean grapes, 1/2 cup sugar, and boiling water to fill clean hot jars. Place lids, and process in boiling water for 20 minutes. Check to be sure they've sealed. After 2 weeks of shelf time (to allow the grape flavor to permeate the water) it's ready to enjoy. Just pour the juice through a colander into a pitcher to seperate out the grapes, and enjoy it's sweet goodness!

...all the better to SEE you with, my dear.

John "Squints" Schmiesing has some new specs...and is looking rather handsome, I think. He had an eye exam last month after failing his kindergarten vision screening. We learned he is farsighted in his left eye, while he has perfect vision in his right. The difference not only affects his ability to focus, but also his depth perception...which may explain some of the silly accidents he's been in over the years (like walking into poles, etc.) The problem with his left eye is most likely a result of his having Cerebral Palsy, muscle weakness that affects his entire left side. So far, he's in love with the glasses and the new resposibilty it entails. Oh yah, he's ALL that!

remember when...

...the greatest decision you had to make each day was whether to have chocolate milk, white milk or orange drink at snack time?!

Yup. Critical thinking going on there. John and Mary are feeling the stress of it.
Kinda makes me long for kindergarten again...I met my BFF there you know. I can still remember the two of us reaching for the same jumprope at recess. I think we shared.

and there they go...

All morning I heard the question "Mom, are you making lunch yet?!" It just didn't make sense to them that lunch wasn't until noontime, and not 10am. John and Mary were a bundle of nervous excitement, and couldn't wait to join the other big kids for their first official day of school. The morning flew by though (for me) and at 12:15 we hustled out the front door for a quick picture (to the tune of "C'mon Mom! Lets go!!") and the 2 block walk down to the kindergarden. They just seem too little to be this big already. Where does the time go!?

and they're off!

With butterfly bellies and backpacks full of fresh gear and crisp notebooks, my oldest four were out the door to school this morning. The next two will follow behind after lunch for PM kindergarden. I'd forgotten how nice it is to have everyone up at the same time, eating breakfast together and laughing through their nerves about how the year will go. Sam's face was priceless when Alice mentioned that his new teacher keeps a whip hanging in her classroom for when she needs to "whip" kids back into shape. (He was horrified, and grateful to be forewarned!) It didn't take long for Alice to bust into laughter at his being so gullible. We all got a laugh on that one.

Now that they're gone, what will we do?! Oh, I think we'll find something. Younger ones are taking turns in the bathtub, my second load of laundry is nearly ready for the clothesline, and there's still a little coffee in the pot. Frank and I shared some prayers for the big kids in the quiet family room this morning as Dad and others watched all the kids and cars streaming by from the front porch this morning. Yep, it should be a good year.

Busy with BTS

Never before have we spent this much time celebrating "Back To School" (or perhaps better said 'mourning the end of summer.') Our weekend was full, beginning with shoe-shopping Saturday morning, and later that day an end-of-summer celebration at grandma & grandpas house where we enjoyed a fish-fry dinner, treasure hunt, volleyball, campfire, glow sticks, sparklers & s'mores. It really was a good time for all ages, and nice to be outside enjoying the unusually cool August weather. On Sunday after mass, we attended the Back to School ice cream social at the Elementary building where we visited Sam and Grace's classrooms and enjoyed root beer floats and freeze pops. Sunday evening brought about an impromptu bondfire in our back yard with all the neighbor kids staying late to enjoy s'mores, popcorn, ghost stories by the fire, and lots of fun backyard games (like ghost in the graveyard, hide-n-seek, capture the flag, and more.) It really was a fun night, and I'm grateful the kids came up with the idea. This evening John was back at work, so after dinner the kids and I met up with some friends for ice cream at the park, and while the kids burned off a little energy (for their early bedtimes tonight) the moms got some walking/talking in on the path that surrounds the park area. It was a nice simple way to say goodbye to our carefree days of sleeping in, no homework, and unlimited outdoor fun. Tomorrow begins a new school year for our 6 oldest...Alice and Emma walking in one direction to the middle school for their first year there as 4th graders, Sam and Grace walking opposite towards the elementary to 3rd and 1st grade, and in the afternoon Mary and John will begin kindergarden. It's amazing to me how time has flown these past 5 years, and seems impossible that these next two could be starting school this year. It really does feel like just yesteday they were babies, although, I guess I could say that for all of them. Moms of little ones, be warned, one blink and you'll miss it...they'll jump from blankies to back packs quicker than you can imagine!!

mission accomplished

Kids waiting for mom to order up pretzels and drinks after a successful attack on the mall!

I took 8 kids with me to the mall on Saturday morning with one task in mind: school shoe shopping. Happy to report that we got 'er done! Sam (8) and Lucy (1) stayed behind with John, while the rest piled in the van with me. (I had just picked a new pair of tennies up for Sam mid-summer, and Lucy probably needs shoes, but not today.)

Anyhow. Our first stop was Penneys where we found two pairs of sandals (for next year) that were on summer clearance for 7.00 each. With the remainder of an old gift card I was carrying

around in my purse, we got both pairs for $4 total. Perfect. Next stop was Payless to take advantage of their "Buy One Get One 1/2 off" offer. We usually do well here for the younger kids, but unfortunately I find the need to spend a little more on a couple of the older kids who wear their tennis shoes out too quickly. Anyways, I was fortunate to get an incredibly helpful sales woman, who despite the crowds, measured everyone's feet, wrote their sizes on a sticker and pasted it to the front of everyone's shirt without batting an eye. She was incredibly efficient...LOVED HER! Alice and Emma were also really helpful in shepherding the younger kids to their size and helping them to choose/try on what they needed. I just checked for toe room, and nodded a final approval for a couple of them. So nice to have the older ones able to help out now! I believe we were in there less than 1/2 hour to get all but 2 fitted and finished with new sneakers. On to Sears where we scanned the shelves quickly, and didn't find what Emma was looking for (in my price range). Off to another shoe store, where we lucked into a couple of really reasonably priced shoes for Emma and Grace. We stopped back at Payless a second time as I decided to pick up Sam a second pair of tennies...if I didn't, in a month I'll wish I had. Things had gone so well, we back tracked to the food court and shared some pretzels with cheese. One final stop to Walmart for a couple odds and ends while we were out, and home again we go. It was exhausting, but productive. 15 pairs of shoes (several of which were clearance sandals/flip flops for next year) later, and we called it a day. So grateful that we don't have to shop like this often!

garden goodness

Our home is spilling with yummies from the garden this week. Fresh tomatoes sliced with a bit of salt and pepper have been a staple with lunches for the last week or so, and today I had enough to make a first batch of salsa for the season...complete with garden fresh onions, assorted peppers and corn. Yumm. The jars are processing now, and the kitchen still smells of the aroma of tomatoes and spices. Earlier this afternoon I picked our meager crop of pumpkins and baked them up to make pumpkin cookies (with the melty icing on top...mmmmm!) The grapes are abundant on the vine this year and turning a beautiful, deep shade of purple. I foresee many quarts of grape juice in my near future. I think last year we put up 48 quarts, and it looks as though we may make more than that this time around. I have a half-dozen loaves of zucchini bread in the freezer with more of the shredded stuff measured and frozen to bake more bread later. I love this time of year, when a few simple items from the garden and a bit of sweat equity turn into something wonderful to last throughout the winter months. I just finished the last package of frozen apple pie filling last week that I put up last September, and it tasted as wonderful as the first. Sometimes it made its way into a pie or crisp, and other times, we just ate the baked apples plain...which couldn't be any more simple and delicious.
It was a blessing to have the cooler weather today, to keep the oven and stove going without overheating the house. I can clearly remember canning salsa just days before Frank and Rose came into this world...in 90+ heat, no air conditioning, 9 months pregnant with twins and sweating like there was no tomorrow. But it needed to get done, and I was on a mission to tie up loose ends. Funny how that nesting thing works.
Anyhow, I've got a few more items that need washed up and put away in the kitchen. Tomorrow morning the school kids and I (and maybe a couple extras) will be heading out for school shopping. Everyone needs tennis shoes again. It's that time of year when I get that mother of the year award for not realizing that the kids feet grew 3 sizes through the summer, and I've been forcing them to wear their too-small shoes to church on sundays with that "Oh, you'll be fine for an hour!" scowl. Yup. It's that time of year again. Pray for us ;')

Mom, can I have a mowhawk?

Oh my. Tell me he's not going to be trouble someday?!

In a moment of boredom, the kids found a creative outlet playing with my clothespins in the backyard. They tried everything from hairdo's, clothing accessories, tails, and later built towers and bridges by linking them together. Hmm. Might need to get them their own set for Christmas or birthdays this year.

Praise God!

(even for the little things.)

It's a miracle!! Our icemaker in our refrigerator has begun to make ice cubes again, after a 2 year hiatus! The fridge is only 4 years old, but for some reason (right after warranty) it quit making the precious cubes. I love ice...could eat it for a snack, and can't have a cold beverage without it, so I was annoyed. My being annoyed wasn't enough to warrant a service-call fee, so I tried taking it apart on my own, and finally just settled for the good old-fashioned ice cube trays.
Suddenly, out of nowhere (while we were camping this weekend) the thing fired up again. We came home to ice cubes all over the freezer. Yahooooooo! Mama's got ice cubes again.
God is good.

camping memories

I have so many wonderful memories from the weekend. It was our first time camping with the kids, at least camping in one spot for any length of time. Last year, we rented an RV and traveled to a wedding in North Carolina, camping along the way. But we had a 2 night respite in a hotel to break up the trip and enjoy the wedding. This was a bit different. It was simpler in some respects because we weren't constantly packing/unpacking, changing seats into beds and back again so we could hit the road. And yet, it was challenging at times too, trying to keep the kids entertained and ease them into the notion that doing "nothing" can be enjoyable too. We played our share of bean bags, roasted plenty of "mallows", canoed, spent afternoons at the beach, went for nature hikes, and of course just thoroughly enjoyed being outdoors despite the 90 degree temps.
My brother was kind enough to loan us his camper, which sleeps 9. We packed along a tent, which the 3 oldest were happy to claim as their own, so everyone had a spot. The first night was a bit tricky, getting everyone to settle down to sleep, but by the second day, it felt like old hat. My parents stopped out to celebrate Frank & Rose's birthday on Saturday evening. The kids could have stayed up all night listening to their Grandma tell stories around the campfire. On Sunday, I could hear Emma repeating the stories over and over in the tent to the little ones who were asleep for the stories the night before. Too cute.
I'm still struggling to figure out how something could be so incredibly relaxing one moment and hectic/stressful the next, but overall it was wonderful. I enjoyed cooking over an open fire each night, and everyone agreed the food tasted better than grilled, hands-down. We went an entire weekend without television, Nintendo DS, computer, even phone. (I had the cell with us, but it stayed plugged in, charging in the camper for use if necessary.) Amazingly, none of us missed any of it. I would love to have a camper of our own one day to take advantage of more days at the lake with the kids, who haven't stopped sharing stories about their weekend. Surely these are memories to last a lifetime.

Rosie, showing off her birthday "princess" gifts. (This was certainly not part of my minimalist packing.)
John and I sitting for a few moments around the fire. Supper's nearly ready.

Sam and Charlie...scheming up something, I'm sure.

Alice and Emma challenged Dad and Grandpa to a serious game of bean bags.

A view of our site...never a dull moment, for certain!

note to self:

With regards to camping, one can never pack too many pairs of undies (for the kids that is.)

You see, I'm am forever the over-packer. It's just me. But I went outside of my comfort zone and became a minimalist for just this one weekend. With 12 of us sharing only a few square feet of space, it seemed necessary to pare down. So, I gave strict orders for each of the kids to grab only the necessary items...3 outfits (one for each day, and I really didn't care if they matched!) 1 clean pair of undies (cause we probably would only take the time to tackle the shower house once.) and no extra shoes (only what they had on their feet when we left the house.)

Figures, that Frank (who's potty training) went back to diapers in the first hour, Grace and Sam both blew out their flip-flops on day one, and kids who are camping need more than one pair of clean underwear! I made one trip daily back home (thank goodness we were within 5 miles) for shoes, underwear, sweatshirts and ice. Not bad for first-time campers. Next time, perhaps we'll wear the same clothes all 3 days and just pack 3 pairs of undies. (hee, hee...that'd save space, not?!)

Happy Birthday Frank & Rose!

I'm having trouble figuring out just where the time could have gone, now that Frank and Rosie are 3. Yes, THREE years old!! Oh my.
We celebrated their big day while camping at the lake this weekend. (More on the camping later, but for now a pic of the happy, growing pair.)

packing up

In the spirit of trying to cram as much fun into these last two weeks before school starts, we're packing up for a very mini vacation. The kids have been begging to "go somewhere" all summer. (that's code for somewhere overnight...preferrably a hotel with a swimming pool.) Unfortunately hotels and major traveling is just not in the budget. So instead, we're heading just a few miles down the road to Lake Loramie State Park for a few nights of camping. My brother was kind enough to loan us their camper for the weekend. We loved the RV trip so much last year, I think this will be fun for everyone. He brought the camper by today, so we can take our time packing it, and planning where everyone will sleep, etc. We could probably squeeze us all in if we wanted, but the oldest 3 or 4 are looking forward to a little independence and are packing along a tent to sleep together outdoors. It looks as though the weather is going to be beautiful. I've got to get grocery shopping tomorrow so that by Saturday we'll be ready to pull out.
Pray for us, and more importantly for the folks camping next to us, whoever they might be. They're going to need the prayers most!

facing the inevitable...

I hate to even say the "s" word, but it's approaching fast. So I did what had to be done, and took the kids shopping for school supplies tonight. First step was to have Alice and Emma condense the 4 different grade-level lists into one giant manageable list. With John at work, I was taking all 1o kids to Walmart with me. Things needed to be efficient and organized so we could get in and out as quickly and effortlessly as possible. We have 6 going to school this year...2 kindergardeners, a 1st, a 3rd, and 2 fourth graders.
After locating and sorting through last years' scissors and pencil boxes to see what was still useable, we finalized the list and headed off.
The kids did amazingly well, despite the busy aisles, and always long check-out lines. Little Lucy was in an umbrella stroller with Alice chauffering her around. Charlie, Frank and Rose were buckled in one of those 3-seater carts. (I actually sent Emma into the store ahead of us to locate a cart with all the buckles intact, cause lets face it...if they can get out of the cart, the battle is already lost!) This left the 6 oldest school-goers ready to grab supplies and toss them into the cart. It makes me smile (and feel a little guilty all at the same time) that our kids are so excited to be getting new things, that they don't even buck or whine when I explain they'll be getting the 25cent generic folders that they can decorate themselves in lieu of the Hannah Montana folder that costs quadruple that. They're just too dang excited about getting a fresh pink eraser, it doesn't really matter! I tell you, it's the little things. I did cave on some Swedish fish candy at the checkout (to be opened in the car, cause yes, I need that leverage right up until that moment when everyone's buckled in their seats!)
Anyways, sorting through the treasures when we got home was a whole 'nother ball game. Even the toddlers pulled out old backpacks from the toy box, and begged for a pencil to call their own. We had a couple to spare, so everyone left the table happy. Everyone packed their supplies into their recycled backpacks in anticipation of that big day, exactly 2 weeks away. Oh my.
I'm soooo not ready for homework, alarm clocks, soccer schedules, and remembering who needs to wear gym shoes on which day. My head spins just thinking about it.
Oh, but then I imagine quieter days with just my 4 youngest at home, and wonder what we'll think of to make our time special while the "big kids" are away. I think I should have put playdough on our home "school" supply list.

for giggles: our list
6 jumbo pink erasers
8 folders
4 boxes crayons
2 pair scissors (already had 4 at home)
4 small glue sticks
2 large glue sticks
6 bottles elmer's white glue
....I know, what on earth do they do with all that glue?!
4 packs watercolor paints
10 boxes of tissues
#2 pencils (for everyone!)
8 dry erase markers, fine tip
4 yellow highlighers
1 deck of cards (learning to gamble during recess?!)
3 packs colored pencils
1 red pencil
1 notebook
2-12 packs of post-it notes
2 clear plastic rulers (we already had others at home)
2 red pens
2 packs loose paper (15o pages, wide ruled)
2 binders
2 clip boards
2 ultra-fine black sharpies

10 kids running wild, 1 cart, 1 stroller, and 1 package swedish fish to reward them for good behavior. Whew. we did it!

more weekend pics...

After spending the night with John's sister and her family in Columbus, we headed to Utica, Ohio to check out the Velvet Ice Cream factory.

The kids enjoyed their ice cream at a mini ice-cream parlor set. Yummy!
14 of the 15 kids checking out the restored water wheel outside the factory. (Lucy apparently dodged the camera...she's good at that!)

We found a little off-the-beaten-path river bed there where the kids all waded and enjoyed finding/throwing stones.

Love this picture of Lucy and Daddy. This is a favorite spot for her as we take nature walks. She must feel on top of the world, and safe on Daddy's shoulders. (and I don't think John minds having her there either.)

Skipping stones into the river below. Yep, life is pretty good.

check out this crew

We received many looks, and comments as the 18 of us (John and I and our 10 along with John's sister Martha [her husband Steve had to work]and her 5)forged the fairgrounds on Friday. Many folks wondered if we were part of a church group, or scouts or something. I enjoy sharing our big family blessings with others. Here are our 10, and their 5 New Albany cousins who joined us, and welcomed us all into their home for the weekend. Yes, at moments it's crazy, but I wouldn't trade it for the world! We have been blessed indeed!


the crew of 15 kids posing patiently in the bleachers of one of the cattle barns...and then being just plain silly!