Yesterday evening we said good-bye to my great-aunt. She had married one of my grandmother's brothers. The two couples lived next door to each other for years on land homesteaded by my grandmother's family. After both their husbands died they continued to be in-laws and friends. They were actually more like sisters. They checked on each other frequently and helped each other out. When I moved in with my grandmother to attend a local college, I entered their world. Funny how a young college age girl could have so much fun with these two. I would take them to Wendy's almost every week and we would eat 99 cent hamburgers and frosties. Then when Steve and I got married we would take the two of them out to eat with my other great aunt! We really had fun. I have missed those days for years now.

Now for some funny stories about these two women. They were OLD school. Men were the answer. No matter the question! They would ask me things all the time and never believed me. They would ask me several times and change the question around as if to trip me up or interrogate me! Then finally I would catch them asking Steve. Even when he answered the same way I did, they acted as if they had never heard that information before. Honestly, I don't think they heard me!!!! Drove me crazy! Steve and I would laugh and laugh later! I think it gave him a big head!

My great aunt was convinced that the water tower by a hospital was really nuclear waste or medicine! I was never able to convince her otherwise and I don't think Steve was able to change her mind either. She would talk about it EVERY time we drove by it!

The most shocking moment came when they found a book I was returning to the library. I had read almost everything else this author had written and was surprised when it became very graphic. I was sitting at Steve's office and was so embarrassed that my face must have glowed bright red! I was sure everyone knew what trash I had just read! I slammed the book shut and took it to my car. The plan was to return it to the library the next day. Well, that was not before my grandmother and great aunt went somewhere with me. My grandmother spotted the book before we even left the driveway! I quickly explained that it was not suitable reading material and I was returning it! That was all these dear Godly women needed to hear! They giggle and my grandmother opened the book to a horribly graphic section and began reading out loud!!!! I was so embarrassed! They were just laughing and laughing and reading and reading! I could not believe it! I think they really enjoyed my embarrassment! I have never read another trashy novel again though! (I think that was their point exactly!)

So I too shall miss this wonderful woman that taught me so many things. Checked on us if she did not see our car or lights when she thought she should. Called me to tell me I was mowing way to late and how I surely could no longer see! Made sure we took good care of our dogs. Lived as a Godly example. And simply loved us as extended family.

Anne I was honored to assist you in your last days and moments! You will be greatly missed.

Not quite a Hallmark moment!

I guess I have watched too many "Little House on the Prairie" shows! I have been looking forward to decorating for Christmas for days. I have pictured in my head hot apple cider, cookies, Christmas music, happy cute children and smiling adoring parents all decorating the tree in perfect harmony. I think we are even dressed nicely in the dream. Well, that is not how it unfolded for us! First of all S ran out of hot water while showering tonight which caused a rather loud ending to the shower (she was all soapy!). Then H was just too tired and excited to listen to ANYTHING! J broke at least one ornament because the one that couldn't listen did not know we were telling him not to put the ornaments on the floor in big piles! So Josiah proceeds to walk on them to get to the one he wants to play with. Daddy was not in the best of spirits by this time and I was completely tangled in garland, lights and ribbon that I was trying to get on the mantle. (I also had this dream of a beautifully decorated mantle...) So in the end we have a half decorated tree and mostly decorated mantle and three fairly happy children. We will get to finish the project over the next couple of days and that will make them happy. Maybe Thursday night I can manage the hot apple cider and cookies!

The Saga continues still!

Did you see the last post with our pretty smiling faces? Well I guess that was the eye of the storm! The strep returned for a second round and somewhere in there I have had mono! No wonder I am too tired at night to post! I was falling asleep as soon as the kids went to bed! But the worst part has been the baby. He had RSV and we drug him to TN! He was a trooper and really did not act all that sick. We got home from a great weekend of shopping and fun on Wed. night around 10pm. We had company the following day for Thanksgiving with turkey, dressing and the trimmings. (I even used the china!) Then the following day he ran 105 fever. Yes 105.0! I panicked! You would think I know nothing about medicine with my own kids. The problem is I know all too well what it might possibly be (all the million really bad things!). Well his seems to just be an old virus and he is recovering. He is very cranky now and I suppose he is feeling well enough to complain now. So.. here is to hoping - AGAIN- that the illnesses are at their end! I have scrubbed this house from one end to the other! (Not that you can tell at the moment!) :-)

But seriously we are pretty good. We have missed a lot of socail engagements but it is nice to be home as well. I have been working hard on organizing. We have a free garage "sale" coming up this weekend so I am cleaning out closets and toys. It just seems to make such a bigger mess during the process! But our house is the potty break house so I have to keep it fairly neat!

One of those days!

You know what I am talking about. Every once in a while you get a storybook day! Well we had one of those days yesterday. My sister and her family invited us to join them and their church for a family day at a local farm. So we all wore bluejeans to church and headed out immediately after. We arrived a little late and most people had already eaten, so we gobbled a few hot dogs, chips and cookies while fighting the neighborhood bees that had gathered for the sweet occasion. Then we set off to enjoy nature and man-made country entertainment. We took a hayride, played in a haystack, visited the pumpkin patch, rode the "John Deere 2000Express" (little carts pulled by a John Deere lawn mower) took canoe rides, rode zip-cords in the woods, and swung on an old wooden pole type swing where you push the swing around the pole and then let it go! The kids had a blast. They found baby chicks (half grown), rabbits, puppies, and kittens in the petting zoo and horses in the corral. They ran and played with their cousins with the freedom a country farm and church friends permits. The weather was perfect and the leaves are beginning to show their beautiful fall colors.
When we came home, after stopping for ice cream, I cooked dinner including cooking a pumpkin pie from scratch. This meant baking a pie pumpkin and mixing all the wonderful smelling spices together! The kids played outside while Steve played on his new tractor. Then we had happy bath times and Steve helped me finish the laundry! I went to bed with a wonderful smile! I hope you have a storybook day soon!

Could it be my profession?

Well, I think someone has been ill in our house for at least 3 months. Steve first battled his diverticulitis, which he seems to have licked. He has avoided surgery - so far. They say he has an 80-85% chance of it returning and if it does then they believe he will have to have the surgery.
Then I got sick. Now not to give you TMI but it was tummy issues and not of the throwing up kind. The kids got it as well and it lasted for 2-3 weeks. Then the real stomach bug ran through the house with the whole works. I think we all got several hours with that nice little bug!
Then poor baby got it. He had diarrhea for 3 weeks with some interspersed vomiting. One night he had to have a diaper change every hour. His little bottom was so red! We tried every diaper cream you can imagine. Finally his pediatrician suggested A&D ointment, Nystatin, and hydrocortisone cream. This alone smelled so bad he stunk whether he was dirty or not! Then he stopped drinking all together. He got so dehydrated he couldn't take 2 steps before he fell. So we went to the hospital and got IV fluids and lab work done. Over the next couple of days he improved. Finally today he returned to Mother's Day Out. But still would not eat much for them. So as mommy I felt sorry for the poor hungry guy and thought I would tempt him with a powdered doughnut. Well it wasn't that he was to sick to eat, but that they did not feed him doughnuts! You should have seen him laughing and cramming them in his mouth! So for diner he got spaghetti, green beans and squash! And he ate all that as well. So I think he is one the mend.
But we don't end the saga there. Sunday Sarah woke up complaining of a headache. We went on to church and then worked in the yard (that's another blog!!!) for a little while. When we started getting ready for church Sunday night she began looking sick and became clingy. She had a fever so I kept the kids home noticing that my head hurt a little and had a scratchy throat. In the middle of the night Sarah woke me up and said her throat felt all knotted up, just like mine. But the next morning she seemed much better and get this, begged to go to school. So like a good mom/nurse I let her and went to work myself. Well today when I couldn't eat, I go ingeniously thought I should have a strep test. So I wait until after the morning was over and had the nurse swab my throat (I hate that!). Yup - it's strep. So now Sarah and I are on antibiotics and hopefully will feel better soon. I really hope this is the end of the illness, but I am not holding my breath. They should really tell you about all this as you apply to nursing school!

Why I don't use the library or watch debates!

This week I spent $10.00 on 5 little quirky DVD's I helped my kids check out from the library. For $10.00 I could have rented 3 new releases from the local video store, I could have paid 2/3's of our monthly netflix bill for as many movies as we could watch and mail! TEN DOLLARS and the movies were just recorded cartoons!!!! Aughhhh! I have always had terrible luck with the library. I am trying to teach my children a love for reading. I am trying to set a good example and open up their minds while mine remains slammed shut! I once paid $20 or $30 dollars for an outdated house plan paperback book that my puppy simply put teeth marks in. I was honest and expected to pay a small damage fine. Well was I ever wrong. I was required to purchase the library a new house plan book and then pay them to do it! The crazy book was around $10.00! I was so mad it was years before I darkened their doors again. I have countless stories like this! So what did I do about my late fees? I paid them when the kids were in school! They get to enjoy the movies another week now! Hopefully they won't learn my deep rooted resentment at a great American establishment.

Which leads me to the next subject. Debates. I really do not like them. I try to listen but find myself blogging or daydreaming or sleeping! I feel like they sound like little kids tattling on each other. Ask any kid that knows me very well and they are likely to tell you I do not like tattling! Go outside and duke it out, but don't tattle to me! Use your skills to work things out, don't tattle to me!!!! I get so tired of the "he said, he did, but I was so much more wonderful routine"! I can listen to talk radio but struggle with debates. Oh well, I know who I am voting for anyway! I think she could run across the stage necked and I would cheer her on!!!! I love her!!!! I wish I could be more like her!!!! Who cares what the boys are arguing about! HEHEHE!

Can you believe it is October?!

Time in this house just flies by. It seems I wake up and whole weeks have gone by. I remember in the August heat thinking and October day would feel so good. Well those days do feel great but where did September go?
I am keeping the windows open a lot right now and suffering with allergies because of it but we just can't help it! I have an attic fan in this house and LOVE it. I know there are a million and one reasons not to run one, but I can't help that either. I throw caution to the wind (literally). I open the windows and turn the fan on and just stand there and feel the cool breeze. It is absolutely glorious. It energizes me so much that my house is fairly clean! Amazing I know. I have 4 big trouble areas right now and am working on a plan to tackle those since the holidays are fast approaching.
Ouch, did I just mention holidays? I did and I have started my shopping and don't have a clue when or where anyone will celebrate, but have decided on which china set to use! Now that's the important part right? For Thanksgiving I am going to use my grandma's aka Minnie. It has a sweet pine branch and pine cones on it. The color is white with kinda brown pine branch and cone with some light blue. I used to think it was out of date and ugly and now I love it. It will be nice to use with the pretty blue stemware my mom and sisters got me for my birthday a few years ago. For Christmas I think it will be mom's china since it has the most and it just seems right. I think I feel like she is some how present when I use it. I guess she is represented. Her china I white on white which makes for a very pretty Christmas table. I miss them both terribly and treasure their things.
Now before the holidays and after the cool weather begins something monumental happens at this house. That's right remember the leaves. I do! I am trying to get the yard in order to receive the bountiful colorful leaves that will soon grace it's surface. The grass is being mowed and sticks from the hurricane are being piled high. I am hoping to make raking/blowing easier this year. I also think I will do a little along the way instead of waiting until it is done to start. Poor Steve has helped where he can but just has not had a good couple of months. I hope he is better before the onslaught!

Blankets, Blankets, and more Blankets!

I just came back from Bartlesville, OK again! I returned to volunteer at VOM with two other friends. Once again we had an amazing time. The freenzy of the Pray for China bracelets was over and things were much more calm. We actually went to eat and had some free time. We meet more interesting people that come to volunteer.

But one of the best things this time was helping one friend take all her blankets. 86 to be exact. This amazing lady collected 86 blankets in 6 weeks. Washed, folded, sorted and packed enough blankets to completely fill the back half of my van. VOM sends these blankets to the Sudan to refugees. Sometimes the blanket is their only possession. If they are fortunate enough to have other possessions then they often use the blanket to hold and carry everything in. The people that distribute the blankets say it is truly a blessing to these people. If you would like to help my friend with blankets let me know. They request $2 per blanket to help with shipping cost.