Our Day without Mum

**IF YOU CARE TO SKIP A RATHER LENGTHY DESCRIPTION ABOUT OUR DAY WITHOUT MUM, PLEASE FIND THE PICTURES IN THIS POST.**

We survived.......only by the sheer grace of the Lord!!! There were no major accidents, mishaps, spills or tragedies yesterday while Mum was gone. :) Mum left yesterday at around ten in the morning after giving 'surgery' to a Raggedy Andy's foot, kissing her children good-bye, singing to her husband to wake him up, and then going to meet someone at an undisclosed location concerning my birthday gift. :( And she left me pondering all day what in the world it could be. But I digress. :) Our day was filled with delighted shrieks and giggles from the 'middles,' Sara and Ronnie, while they played rod hockey. Anna was my helper (and mostly shadow) in the kitchen. She was perfectly outfitted in a princess apron and chef's hat! And of course she asked me why I didn't have one. :) While Mum was gone we were living 'high on the hog' with grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch, chocolate chip cookies (that had WHITE flour!) for snacks, and chicken (breaded with REAL bread-crumbs!), potatoes and greenbeans for dinner. :) It was a very good day....aside from all of us missing Mum so much and feeling like there was a huge something missing.

That morning before Mum left, she sweetly chose to sit in her rocker/recliner and talk to her littles and play with them. Wednesday night Mum and Dad came home bearing gifts! :) A dear couple from church is moving very soon and are having a yard-sale soon and they gave Mum and Dad a sneak peek! They came home with a myriad of items; a few of them made us children's day. :) We all got yo-yo's....they are sort of challenging for Ronnie (but her persevered!) but I FINALLY got the hang of it! :) It has taken me almost sixteen years to figure out those darn yo-yo's. :) Anyway......they brought home also, a vintage Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls that are absolutely precious! By the time they got home Wednesday night, Ronnie and Anna were asleep so Ann and Andy were waiting for Anna when she got up yesterday morning.

She was absolutely enchanted with them! We told her they needed lots of hugs, kisses and lots of love. :) She took her mission very seriously and began playing with them on the spot. :) She gave them an honorary tea-party with her most special princess dishes and laughed a little at Ann's bloomers. :) Andy's foot had a rip in it so Mum quickly gave him 'sowrgry' as Anna calls it. And he is as good as new! However Mum is making both of the dolls black crocheted shoes. :) Mum quickly packed a little food for her drive out, kissed us all goodbye and was off! :) I set about making oatmeal and unloading my dishwasher while Ronnie and Sara played downstairs on the rod-hockey table. They were SO delighed with it! I don't know who shouted more. :)

Lunchtime came around and I wasn't quite sure what to make. We had hotdogs and baked beans but Dad kindly went out to Aldi's in the rainy and drippy day to pick up some WHITE bread, pickles, tomatoes, red onions and cheese, among a few other things. We were having REAL sandwiches for lunch! I know how much Dad loved a good grilled cheese sandwich so I set about making some. Ronnie and Sara opted for cold ham and cheese sandwiches with pickles and mustard, but Dad, Anna and I wanted grilled cheese. But not just any grilled cheese, mind you. Gourmet grilled cheese. Dad used to work at a resturant called Palmers and he always loved their grilled cheese. According to dear Dad, they had sour pickles, cheddar cheese, red-onion and tomato. YUM!!!! Anna wanted plain but Dad made his two sandwiches with the art of a master. :) I made mine without the red onion-I had a piano lesson later. :) It was SO darn good. Especially the pickles since they are a delicacy in our house.

Anna and I baked chocolate chip cookies during that late morning-early afternoon. I realized the butter needed to soften and I called Dad to pick up some brown sugar since we were out. I got everything I could ready with Anna's lovely help beforehand and then came lunch.......and cleanup of lunch.......then the cookies! We used Betty Crocker's recipe and I decided to make a double batch so I could bring some to my piano teacher. It is a good thing! Ronnie and Anna, mostly Anna, were 'little mooches!' of the cookie dough. :) Okay, okay....I was too. :) I was so tired after I pulled the last batch of cookies out of the oven about five minutes before we had to leave for piano lessons. I got to rest in the car on the way there. :) I'm now learning Canon in D. That song is TRICKY! But I love it. :) I got back and Dad had to take my aunt to look at her (now) new car. Dad is the king of finding good, reliable cars for people and he does it with such a willing and helpful spirit. So.....we had to eat dinner early so Dad could take my aunt down to get her car (she completely trusted Dad with finding the perfect car for what she needed and wanted) so we had to eat early. The potatoes took a little longer but the chicken I cut each breast in half as Mum instructed, and they didn't take too long. :) Our Aunt Maureen (Dad's sister) stayed for dinner (because she loves chicken!) and then they were off. I was done!!! Gosh was I bushed and it was only quarter past six! Sara sweetly took care of the littles and cleanup so I could rest. Maybe catch up on a little schoolwork. :-P

The littles went to bed nice and sweetly-Anna loves to have books read to her-and then I came down, got in my jammies and lounged until Dad got home from his hockey league. He got some mini deep-dish pizzas from Aldi's and he told me to pop four in the oven as a snack for Sara, he and I. YUM! They were really good. We had some sweet father-daughter time, munching on our mini-pizzas and talking. He put on a Dean Martin Roast of Frank Sinatra-because EVERYONE knows how much I LOOOOOOVE Frankie. It was from 1977 and the tape was stopped at the middle and after Dean Martin talked for a moment, a dear, old-looking Gene Kelly came on and gave an absolutely sweet and precious tribute to his old friend, Frank Sinatra. There were film clips from (SNIFF SNIFF!) not from It Happened in Brooklyn, but On the Town, Take Me Out to the Ballgame and Anchors Aweigh. Those three are my OTHER three favorites of his. :) Gene Kelly looked so old and so sweet-his Irish smile was still bright and his voice was still strong with a Pittsburgh accent. Dad and I, since we are both, as Sara termed us, 'sappy' both got a little mistyeyed during that part. :)

And that, our probably rather bored readers, was our day. :)

Sweet littles and Raggedy Ann and Andy. Don't they all look so cute!!!???

The incredibly vintage and adorable looking 'operating room.' :) That sewing box was my great-grandmother's.

My wonderful little helper of the day! With her sidekick, Bolt the doggy.

The recipe and a legacy between Dad and Sara and I since we were little. :) We ALWAYS made chocolate chip cookies from the Betty Crocker cookbook together.

Anna Bananna! She took her job so seriously. :) It was hard not to laugh and smile at her silly hat.

Ronnie playing rod hockey. It was SO funny.

The hyper-hockey players. :) Look at his big blue eyes. :)

FACEOFF!

The whole thing.

Sara's team.......

Ronnie's team-they had a power play because the blue team was short one guy. :)

What was left of lunch. :)

The ingredients!

Cream butter and sugars then mix-in eggs......

The cookie-dough! Any memories, Dani!? :)

They are technically drop cookies but I roll them. It's tradition. :)

Almost done!!!

Cooling with mouths watering in anticipation. :)

A tired me right before leaving for my piano lesson.

We all love this quote. :)

Dinner time!

HURRAY! I didn't burn or over cook the chicken!

Well that's it folks! Now I have to get breakfast started. :)

Crazy Days!

My mom left to go visit my grandma, grandpa, and aunt; today has been pretty good. I will post pictures later, but I will give you a list of the things we've done so far:

1. Played our new rod hockey game for, like 2 hours, (we got an old table top game, and it is fun!)
2. Megs baked chocolate chip cookies with Anna, and they are delish!
3. We received a get well soon package from our dear friend in Washington, The Nelsons, including individual tea bags! THANK YOU! I am now hooked on Vanilla Creme Nut flavor.
4. We had a little Tea Time (Anna and I) and talked while we sipped our tea (she insisted she use a real tea cup)
5. Meghan is at piano and we are once again playing rod hockey :o) If you live close by, come on over and play; it's a blast!

Thats about it, I need to go watch the littles while Dad runs Meghan to piano... pictures are coming!

Whirlwind!

The girls and I just finished reading a book with the title "Whirlwind"...and the term has stuck in my head for over a week now.

Our lives have been a 'whirlwind' for the past few weeks. For us....for some people they would call this normal activity in a semi-large family. We prefer routine, calm, peaceful evenings...meals taken together and not hurried as one rushes out the door. It's all been good...fun activities, Bible activities, family gatherings...visits with close friends and family....but for me, it has felt like a whirlwind!

My cousin stopped over to visit yesterday...and since she doesn't normally do this, I was thrilled that she came to spend some time with us. She has 5 children, she and her husband own their own business (he is a dentist with a LARGE practice)...the kids all play soccer except one, but the ones that do are on a couple different teams, and now 2 are refereeing games as well. They also do chinese dance and a host of other activities. Kim has a very rare auto-immune disease called 'relapsing polycondroitis'. The worst symptoms are when she has a flare, it attacks her cartiledge....around her heart,and her major organs as well as muscles/joints.

As we were talking yesterday, we thought it very strange that a lot of my symptoms of the fibromyalgia are very similar to hers. (of course, not the cartiledge thing)...basically, just how very tired, and sore we are...and how sleeping thru the night is a luxury that doesn't happen very often.

Living with a chronic illness can sometimes make 'normal, everyday life' feel like a whirlwind...but for me, knowing who is in the center of my whirlwind and who will curtail my activities at just the time I need them....I can get thru. God has been so faithful to show me many times in the past, that when I need to slow down....He is the one who slows down our lives....the week before last, when we all had the flu...we were forced to stay home and rest, regroup. Sometimes, activities have been cancelled just when I needed them to...God knows what we need when we need it....and what are called to, He WILL equip us for....He has proven that in our family again, and again.

Today...I'm leaving shortly to go to my Mom's house for a visit. ALL BY MYSELF! Actually, I'm picking up and taking over part of Meghan's 16th birthday gift to hide over there. I'll be back tomorrow in time to enjoy a local highschool's performance of "The Music Man" with Meghan, Sara, and our dear friends, the William's. Saturday, we have a big birthday party to go to at our wonderful friends home, the Goettel's! We always love spending time with them as they are some of our dearest friends. Again....a whirlwind....Sunday will be nothing but church and RESTING all day...putting on a good Sunday supper, and resting together as a family.

And so, the whirlwind continues....with God at the center directing everything. It will slow down when He determines....and I'm just along for the ride! Have a blessed weekend everyone! ~Sue~

Worship Dance/Little Sisters

I did worship dance 2007-2008 but then I quit because, being it was my first year, I didn't feel like I could keep up in the Teen class. However, my mother happened to bump into the owner of the studio, Danielle Black, from Grace Christian Dance. She told my mom that they give free private tutoring so girls won't drop out, so... drumroll please... I WILL BE DOING WORSHIP DANCE THIS COMING SEMESTER! Anna will too, and she will be sooooo cute!

Just before she went to bed tonight, I walk in to find her in her larry boy shirt, bloomer shorts, and ballet shoes. She is putting on her shoes and she tells me, "Mrs Robinson (The ballet teacher and our dear friend) tells us to tuck in the shoe wiskers," and "Sara, can you put a bun in my hair? Mrs Black tells us to put our hair up," SHE IS SO CUTE! She proceeds to show me demi and grande plies in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd position and then grande jetes for me. My jaw is on the floor, because aside from the demi plies I hadn't taught her any of this... she will have so much fun :)

~Happy Birthday Sarah Elaine!~

Yesterday was our dear friend Sarah's 13th birthday, so today after church, we invited her over here to hang out and celebrate. Along with Sarah came Ronnie's buddy Aaron, whiich made Ronnie one happy boy. We were driving home from church, when my mom realized that she had no clue what to feed six hungry kids. So while she drove over to Aldis to pick up hot dogs, buns, and fudgescicles; she dropped Sarah and I off at our library (which was on the way) to borrow a chick flick that we could watch. By the way, to church I wore a peasant top, skirt, and heels so if anyone saw a girl tiptoeing through the library barefoot, you probably saw me. Anywho, we decided on Ever After with Drew Barrymore. Let me say this, that movie is awesome. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate it an eight. Only 2 swear words prevented it from getting a 9...

After lunch, we ate our fudgescicles (a delicacy in our house) and watched Ever After (how much better can life get????) and sketched. Until we were needed to help make dinner, that is what we did, huddled under blankets in our gameroom. We peeled and chopped carrots and potatoes, then sat down to eat. After dinner we all pitched in to help clean up the kitchen (Thank you Sarah and Meghan!) then finished our movie.

Then we drove her home, anda visited awhile with her family. When we realized it was ten minutes to ten o'clock, we skedaddled home to crash into bed. That reminds me, I have to go to sleep! Happy Birthday Sarah, and many more!

Lost In Austen Madness!

Okay, I sat down during lunch today and started Lost in Austen World. I didn't feel like keeping track of points, so I flew by the seat of my PJ pants (Yes, I was still in my PJs at lunch time) and began. From what I remember, some important parts are:

• I visited the Dashwood ladies and, by falling for Willoughby's act, saved Marianne from the harsh realization :o)


• Married Mr. Wickam, then quickly backtracked.
• Met Tom Lefroy
• Got murdered by Caroline Bingely (she ran me over with her carriage)
• Visited with Emma, and had to pretend to be tre riche
• Finally, through a twisted path, wound up with Mr. Darcy, which pleased me very much.

I definetly recommend this book, and think it is a good, humorous read.

20 Random Things Tag

Dear Bekah at Unworthy Maiden, tagged me again! Here are twenty very random things about your's truly:

1. I LOVE Frank Sinatra-his voice and early movies. :) Of course you probably all know that about me by now. :)
2. I love old movies. :) I am partial to musicals but as I told Ella, I am learning to broaden my rather narrow scope of classic films. :)
3. I am a total 'sap.' I cry at the weirdest moments and 'Awww' all the time during movies, books, etc.
4. I love salty/sweet things; like Butter Pecan ice-cream, Chocolate covered cashews, etc.
5. I have blue eyes that I inherited from both of my grandmothers-not my parents. :)
6. I still sleep with a stuffed Poohbear....and probably will till I am married. :)
7. One day a few weeks ago, I sat in Anna's room crying as I set up and redressed my four dolls who are now living with Anna. That's one part of 'growing up' that I loath!
8. I am extremely excited about turning sweet sixteen this year. :)
9. I am partial to history, literature and writing.
10. I'm not too fond of math or science
11. I finished my first real novel almost two weeks ago and have been trying to edit/proofread it slowly. :)
12. I am very serious-according to my dear Mum and sister Sara, almost to a fault.
13. I am very shy but after a little while, I can talk the ears off a donkey! :)
14. I am very deliberate and cautious and second-guess myself almost to death when trying to make decisions-especially about purchases
15. I sometimes have moments of doubt and anxiety as to if/when I will get married. But, "God's timing is perfect and He has already written how and when it will happen," Mum quips to me all the time. :)
16. I am a worrier but I am trying to discipline my mind to just blow things off and to look on the bright side, don't think about it, etc.
17. I am very proud to say that Mum and Sara are my bestest friends.
18. I am saving my heart for my husband and no one else will ever get a piece of it.
19. I am saving my first kiss for my wedding day after the pastor says, "You may kiss the bride."
20. I want as many children as the Lord will bless me and my husband with!

Whoever wants to do this tag, feel free! Whether it be on your own blog or in a comment. :)

Have a blessed day!

I killed Mr. Collins!

And then Mr. Elton! :) Seriously! I married-oh dear oh dear-four times (twice to the same man) before getting to a GOOD marriage. :) Prepare to be appalled, dear readers. Prepare yourself for something dreadful in the following words.


I am totally finished with my Lost in Austen mission......which was to get married, obviously. :) The reader becomes Elizabeth Bennet and she has to choose the right paths (literally!) and the right things to say, etc. It was challenging keeping up with those scores but it was worth it! I was quite, quite happy with who I, as Elizabeth, ended up with. :) Keep guessing. You will not know until the end of this post. Hee hee hee!


Since this was my first time doing this book, I confess, I had to backtrack one or two choices a few times......first, about five minutes into the book, I found myself (as in Emma) being attacked by Gypsies because I didn't have enough coins on me. Then I was disfigured by said gypsies and could never get a husband. The end. :) And all because I took the left path instead of the right (in both senses of the word!) path.


I found myself married multiple times before 'rewinding' and going back a few choices. :) It might be considered cheating, but I was more curious to see what the odd sounding paths would turn out like than following the rather obvious scene set before me. :)



Second, I found myself eloping with Mr. Wickam. Simply dreadful! After the Mr. Collins incident of mine that follows, I actually met Wickam again in this book by 'going public' with news of his scandalous behavior and money-swindling. He came to me with ardent professions of his repentance and changed heart. He gave the appearance of a full turn around and confessed to love me.....so instead of refusing him (duh!) I, er, Elizabeth, gave him the benefit of a doubt and married him. Then he got two-faced on me AGAIN and said he had only wanted to marry me to make my life miserable because I 'went public' with his story. The end. :)


Backtrack a little now........only one choice or two......


I ended up marrying Mr. Collins because it was my 'duty to my family' and I, playing Elizabeth Bennet, felt a strong sense of duty and honor.......yeah, well, I got so fed up with Mr. Collins after a few months of marriage that when he came in one day, I screamed and threw Fordyce's Sermons at his head and killed him to relieve my absolute agony over being his wife. How's that for dramatic?!


Backtrack a LEETLE more to kick Mr. Collins to the curb.....ah, here we are. :)


Because of my ardent love for walking in the out of doors, I decided to go and visit on a walk. Instead of going to my Aunt Phillip's house (which in turn obviously would've taken me on a trip with them and visit Pemberley, yada yada yada...) I chose to go to the Lucases. Thus, I began the Emma storyline. :) As Elizabeth Bennet, mind you. It just so happened that a common acquaintance of the Bennets and Lucases was visiting. His name was Mr. Knightley.......

Yes, yes......lots of fortune points......confidence points, et cetera, et cetera....very nice but rather too chastising of me...oh well! Enter Frank Churchill and I entertained no thoughts of Mr. Knightley at present........

Hmm, let's see. Ah yes, the next incident of my foolhardy judgement. Instead of going with the Westons on a picnic, I chose to be escorted by Mr. Bennet (my father) to a dinner at the Woodhouse estate-since obviously Mr. Bennet and Mr. Woodhouse were old and dear friends. :) I then met Emma....she snubbed me, however, because I asked how much she paid for her drawing pencils. All because I was Nouvae (sp?) Riche. Hmph! I can't help it if I'm honest! Anyway, by snubbing me she also punished me by handing me over to an overly-pretentious and peculiar (got a song in your head yet, Michaela and Morgan?) clergyman named Mr. Elton. He abruptly shifted his attentions over to me, instead of Emma, talking my ears off and becoming my shadow. Oh, my shadow and the punch-bowl's shadow. At the end of the night he pleaded dramatically to escort me home or some such thing, and when I was in my carriage, he walked in front of the horses and carriage, raving about quite madly because I had to go away. Thus, the horses trampled him and he was killed. I was then sent to jail because of inadvertently killing him.


Whew! Now, my dear readers, may I ask........"Are you....are you, laughing at me?" Whether your answer be a yes, or no........"Well then are you rejecting me?" I certainly hope not the latter! :) (Dani and Lane, are you howling yet?)


Oh goodness me.....I backtracked to the Westons' picnic where I insulted Miss Bates and was harshly reproved by a caring and concerned Mr. Knightley (he spoke the truth!).....I lost A LOT of confidence, intelligence and fortune points for that boo-boo. So I then fancied myself in love with Frank Churchill-telling Jane that I felt listless, tired without him around.....phooey. Even Jane could've figured out that it was mere fanciful thinking. I had to go along with it. :) Then, oh, scandal of scandals! Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill have been secretly engaged for over six months! I felt sorry for Maria Lucas (a companion of mine on the trip to the Westons) who, I believed, had been 'in love' (I use that term loosely) with Mr. Churchill. Maria is the 'Harriet' character in this story-line. She then informs me that it was Mr. Knightley she had begun to care for all the time.


Naturally I was upset. I went walking one day and met Mr. Knightley.......we talked and he comforted me. Thinking that I had been in love and in turn wounded, by Frank Churchill. I assure him there was no possible way of being ever in love with Mr. Churchill. I had fancied myself but realized that I had merely enjoyed his attention and flirtations. Mr. Knightley begins to declare his love for me........then, I have to tally up my intelligence points. That was a pain even with a calculator. :) If over 400, proceed to page ____. If under 400, proceed to page ____. If I had a sudden inclination to refuse the dear man, proceed to page ____. :) My intelligence points for some weird reason, (maybe my sleepy brain didn't type in the right numbers) those points were in the negative numbers. Whoops! It still counted under 400 so I hoped for the best......


And then BOOM! I married Mr. Knightley. I completed the mission by marrying well. Congratulate me, dear friends.....oh fine, since your mouths are hanging open and/or laughing, I'll do it for myself.......Hallelujah! And I'm partial to types like Mr. Knightley. :) Sara was aghast I didn't cheat and try and get back to Mr. Darcy. Hmph, well, for me, not Elizabeth, I prefer Mr. Knightley and Edward Ferras types. :) Surprisingly I didn't meet anyone from Sense and Sensibility. Oh well. Maybe another time around.


I had so much fun doing this book!!! I laughed uproariously through it and only a few times bemoaned my horrible fortune. :) If you're an avid Jane Austen fan, go and borrow it from your library. It is SO much fun! If you want a better idea about what this book is about, go here for a wonderful review on it. :)


Now please, please don't faint.........it is thoroughly enjoyable even if you DON'T marry Mr. Darcy. :)


"Are you laughing at me?"