Joyful, Grateful, Contentment!

This is the quote that I've been reading all day on my kitchen windowsill...the same kitchen that I have been very discontented with ever since we moved into this house. It is small....it is crowded with 2 people in it...there is no table, and my children cannot be in it with me all at the same time to work together...I've been dreaming of knocking down a wall. Of course, we do not have the money for that type of renovation....nor will we in the foreseeable future. We have been having many discussions lately about finances...or lack of them. My husband's union contract is in negotiations...and it looks like we stand to lose quite a bit of income...if he still has a job. We are trying desperately not to use any credit cards...in spite of car repairs on 2 cars...the washer and dryer breaking at the same time (I'm so proud of Ron for fixing them!) and we haven't, but we have so many birthdays and now Christmas coming...not to mention high winter gas bills...even things like one child needed shoes and a winter coat...ok, have you priced NEW winter coats?! We did last night....and were horrified! LOL I guess we haven't bought new in a very long time....next week, we're off to the thrift store...and if there isn't something that she doesn't exactly love....oh, well....she'll still be warm! I have been so incredibly fatigued lately...especially this week, that it took me awhile today to see what God has been trying to show me....first, we found out that we have a CREDIT on our gas bill of a significant amount! Praise God! Amazingly...about the amount of a cold weather gas bill! Then...I got an email saying that Ronnie had earned enough in fundraising to cover his CubScout $80 fee....and then some for winter activities! Again....Praise God! But it is what happened next that blew me away!
Yes....this is a picture of water, from my kitchen sink....clean, abundant water....even filtered! I'll tell you why.

A good friend of mine and her family are living in Mozambique , Africa. Well....Dayna posted some pictures of their recent trip to the Gaza province. People...there are about 4,000 people living in this particular village....with the average family size of 7 people....larger than the average family here! The pictures of the huts...yes, I said huts....are so small! I cannot even imagine how their daily lives are! She showed pictures of how the women and children get the water needed for their families ever day....only 100 liters per family, too. These women pumped water into very large containers...and then the women AND CHILDREN carried them on their heads back to the village. These women were SMILING...the children were SMILING....when our friends arrived, a bunch of women greeted them singing PRAISE SONGS! They were JOYFUL! (I am shaking my head at myself while I'm typing this)....Dayna also showed how they grind grain....I had to laugh as she directed this particular picture to those of her friends who grind grain and bake...well, my electric grain mill is a miracle, compared to this! I don't know if I would bother if I had to do it that way...it looked like a large mortal and pestle....yet, again....if that is all I had to eat...I wouldn't have a choice. She showed children working so hard, carrying heavy things, working right along side their mothers....and she gave a timely reminder...."Mothers...stop what you are doing, ask your children to clean up their things and then to help you with dinner.".....how many times do our children complain?! I think my children are pretty good in this area, most of the time....until I see this. And they are GRATEFUL to be able to work for their daily needs!

Thank you, Dayna...for the timely reminders!!! Thank you, Lord, for your provision! Thank you for opening my eyes lately to....covetness....self-pity....discontent....and a lack of hard work to make us all grateful! You created us to work....6 days....and to be GRATEFUL! I pray that the Lord helps me be content and grateful...and to joyfully go about my tasks....praising Him, and working hard for Him....joyfully!!!
~Sue~

Woohoo!

Okay, just a short note for anyone who cares:
TAYLOR SWIFT WON ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR AT THE CMA AWARDS!

Oh, yeah, I am excited... I really am so happy she won because she derserved it, no matter what Meghan says... :)

Okay, thats all... goodnight!

Happy 5th Birthday, Anna!!! (or....My baby is 5 already!!!)

My baby turned 5 years old today!!! Happy Birthday Anna Lydia! What a joy she is to us! And...she is so very much like me...quite a challenge sometimes as well! She has so many knicknames, that I made up a song for her with them....."Anna Lydia Peony Lucy Love!" Seems like yesterday that I had her...probably my last baby, too! She wanted a "Mama" and me birthday picture....we tell her that God sent her to us, and she says "Because He knew I had lots of hugs to give to everyone!" She makes us laugh!
She says this is her "Five year old outfit"....she couldn't wait to wake up this morning! She jumped out of bed yelling "I'm five!!!" She is now into the "Littlest Petshop" animals....she has always loved animals more than dolls (except her ragdolls)....so today, she got lots of animals, a vet center and the big adoption center....she and Ronnie have been having lots of fun with them! She is also very into the Tinkerbell movies and fairys.....so she got the new movie and 2 new dolls today as well....she said she has had a great birthday!

Anna with "Silver Mist" and "Rosetta".....and the new movie "Lost Treasure"

The party we had today was a big family party for Sara and Anna.....Sara has a very unique style all her own...and it works for her! She loves this t-shirt with the english flag...and her black fedora!
Sara's birthday was Friday, yesterday was my mother-in-law's 71st birthday, and today is Anna's....so we sang Happy Birthday 3 times!
Two tired birthday girls....and one tired mom!!! Since we are not having Thanksgiving here this year, nor Christmas dinner....I won't be having any more big parties until Ronnie's birthday in January...of course, we have many to go to for birthdays and the holidays coming up. Tomorrow.....I'm making the last of the turkeys that I bought on sale last year...great to freeze, and to share with another family. Ron is on vacation all week....so cleaning out the attic is the only task on our list. Looking forward to seeing the new baby this week.....and all of our friends from Ohio this weekend! Hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend! ~Sue~

Happy 14th Birthday, Sara!!!!!

My beautiful daughter, Sara, turned 14 years old yesterday! Happy Birthday, Sara!!! We celebrated ALL day! She had her birthday breakfast request of chocolate chip muffins, then her grandfather took her to lunch...then a friend came over, had dinner...then the girls got ready for a small costume party with her very dearest friends. It was much smaller than last year...but equally as much fun! Sara was "Cinderella"...she looked so beautiful!
I love this picture of Sara and our friend, Alaina, getting "dolled up" for the party.

Loved this image of Meghan getting ready as well...

Above: Elissa, Michaela, Tess, Morgan and Rachel

The girls all had tons of fun, playing games like 'charades', 4 on a couch, and 'catch phrase'....lots of laughs and lots of snacks, too!

Above: Sarah, Alaina, Meghan, Ariana, my niece Tina ..and little crazy Anna
My wonderful daughters, Meghan & Sara....best friends!

Sara and Mom
The Gang....

Everyone had a fun time....I love having all the girls friends over! What wonderful memories were made last night.

Tomorrow...is my little Anna's 5th birthday....I cannot believe my baby will be 5!!! You know this means....another party! This one should be around 30 people...a big family party for both of the girls. We're celebrating my mother-in-laws birthday as well, since hers is today. Today was spent sleeping in from last night...then cleaning and lots of cooking for tomorrow...twice baked potatoes, pepperoni roll, buffalo chicken dip...and I made 20 quarts of turkey stock for soup for dinner....I AM WOOPED!!! My niece is spending the weekend with us, so tonight the gang is going to watch a special movie...then it is early to bed for everyone! Thanks for celebrating with us! ~Sue~

Baby Love! Abigail Anne Goettel

Welcome to God's world, Abigail Anne Goettel!!! Born Tuesday November 3, 2009 Abigail weighed 10lb 1 oz!!! She is the 7th daughter and 8th child of our dear friends, Brint and Marla Goettel. I had the great pleasure and privilege to visit with Abigail and Marla last night at the hospital. Oh, how I loved snuggling her!!! Below, here she is wrapped in the flannelette blanket I made for her....look at those cheeks!!! Isn't she beautiful?!

And my very dear friend , Marla, and Abigail. I kept telling her she was just glowing...Marla is truly an inspiration to me as a mother. No one is perfect, but she is truly a joyful mother of children...patient, gentle and cherishing each one. It is her oldest daughter, Courtney, who is getting married in December.

Newborn perfection! (the newborn diapers were too small, she needed a size 1)
OH, how I loved snuggling her! I got to change her diaper, and her little onesie, wrap her up and burp her.....I thought my baby craving days were over, but Abigail brought it all back again. I am so grateful that Marla asked me for the wedding to be in charge of Abigail...just to give her to her to nurse, and I'll take care of her the rest of the day. My arms and heart will be very full that day! God bless you, Abigail!!! We love you! ~Sue~

P.S....Mr. Fix It!

Well...today, he fixed the dryer completely, and the toilet...and rewired a plug in the livingroom...I am amazed at his abilities! I thank God for giving Ron these gifts! ~Sue~

When it rains...it pours...but he can fix it!

Well....seems like when something goes....lots of things start going! LOL I thank God everyday, that he gave Ron the mechanical mind to know how to fix things....I do NOT have that kind of mind, so it boggles me when he does it!

Our toilet is now running sporadically....he says he can fix it. Our 12 year old Chevy Suburban was leaking anti-freeze everywhere....he fixed it. Now, our 20 year old washer AND our 20 year old dryer are starting to bite the dust...and he can fix them!

He found the part he needs for the washer...only $29....lots less than a new washer! (But...since I wrote this...he fixed the washer himself...with stuff he had in his workbench...for FREE!!!) And....amazingly enough....he found a motor for our dryer for $100...and he can fix it....right now $129 dollars sounds like a lot...but compared to buying a new washer and dryer....it is saving us so much money!

I used to want those new washers and dryers....but now, am so grateful that I have a husband who can fix almost anything...and 3 long clotheslines in the basement for line drying inside! LOL

I guess this is another way to "go green"....or use some of the old fashioned depression wisdom ..."Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without"....I do NOT want to go without my washer and dryer...but I do love hanging clothes to dry...so until the motor and/or parts come in...I'll keep doing what I am doing and counting my blessings!

Now...I have to run out, in my 22 year old car (which gets the best gas mileage out of any of our cars)....which Ron paid $300 for...and yes, he can fix it! ~Sue~

Lessons from Grandma...Haluski!

I have learned so many life lessons from my mother and grandmother...and not a day goes by that I don't wish I could still talk with my Gram...she was truly one of my very favorite people, and I miss her terribily. So, I decided that I would periodically post a lesson from my Gram, whom our children called "Baba"...Slovak for grandmother. Today is a lesson in practicality, tradition and frugality...called Haluski. Now, my Great-Grandmother had 8 living children...and her husband and 4 sons all worked in the steel mill, so they had very big appetites...and very little money. This was a staple in their home....cabbage and onions were very cheap as were potatoes....add a little butter and a little flour...and you can feed a lot of people. To me...this is comfort food! Here is Baba's Haluski recipe. (and for those of you who only think of cabbage and noodles...think again!) Sautee chopped cabbage and 1 onion in lots of butter until translucent and soft...add salt and pepper
In the meantime, here I peeled 3 large potatoes and added them to my food processor along with 4 eggs, salt & pepper, 2 tblsp oil...and processed until fairly smooth. Now Gram, never had a food processor...and as she taught me to cook since I was a little girl, I have many memories of scraped and bleeding knuckles, and sore muscles from grating the potatoes by hand and mixing the flour in until it felt as if my arm would fall off....technology is good for some things! LOL

Gram also didn't have this handy pot with holes in it and a handle. She would put the dough onto a dinner plate, and we would use the back of a spoon to scrape little bits into a pot of boiling water...hence, scalded fingers, too! But...I brought a large pot of water to boil, then dumped the dough into my handy dandy pot and simply turned, and got beautiful, all the same size potato dumplings. These are also delicious with butter as a side dish, and especially with pork, sauerkraut and gravy....yum! Then, after they cooked for just a minute, I drained them, rinsed with hot water, then added to the cabbage and onions....

Stirred them up...and DINNER! This will fill a lot of bellies....I love it with a glass of cold buttermilk! LOL I know...this is not the healthiest meal, but it is very, very cheap, filling and for me...traditional and comforting...we made sure we had a salad for lunch and lots of healthy foods thru out the day...including some raw apples before dinner.

Now...it is off once again to dance class! Last night, it was dance for Anna, then hockey for Ronnie...tonight it is dance for Sara, while Ron works his second job fixing cars...at least he will be fed well before he goes! Enjoy! ~Sue~