PO-KE-NO!!!

Games....family time....we've been trying to play more games as a family, and it has been surprisingly challenging finding games that all 6 of us can play. When Anna learns to read just a little bit better....it will be easier. Apples to Apples was a little much for her, so we moved on to my grandmother's game of Pokeno.

Pokeno is very like Bingo only with cards, which has actually taught my 2 younger children all the different suits of cards. Oh, my goodness....who would have thought we would have laughed so much! Anna was so funny...she got more Pokeno's than anyone and was tickled. This was a game we all enjoyed! We've been playing UNO as a family and the game of Pilgrim's Progress is always a favorite.

This week, we're going to try Yahtzee with Anna and see how she likes it. Family time around the game table is so much more fun than movie nights, I think. We talk more, laugh more and generally interact more together. We do love our movies together, especially in the winter with a fire going and popcorn or homemade cookies.

We're up for suggestions, though, for some games that are fun for a wide age range....and especially good for an "almost" 6 year old! Let us know your favorites! ~Sue~

One small change....Preserving the Harvest!

Our 'one small change' for July and August (and will probably be doing it in September and October, too) is preserving the harvest. We are regulars at our local farmer's market. We've put up strawberry jam, canned some homemade barbeque sauce and have now made peach jam. We were given the gift of a big bag of peaches on Monday and yesterday, canned 15 jars of peach jam. Oh, the house smelled so good!
I will calling around to different farms and seeing if I could get bushels of "seconds" of peaches and tomatoes to can and dehydrate. We're also shredding and freezing zucchini in flat freezer bags to pull out for zucchini bread/muffins this winter. Cutting and freezing corn off of the cob. Today, I am going to try a small batch of pickles. I would like to ferment them, but I had heard that these need refrigeration and I am looking to store in the pantry to save room. I've never made pickles before, so I am praying they turn out.

Another change I would like to do is 'pressure can' rather than freeze broth, and cooked beans. Our freezer room is at a premium as we've been rather cutting down on the amount of meat that we are eating and preparing for some lean times ahead. Bone broths are so very healthy that I like to have a lot of them on hand, but don't always have the room to store them.

So many changes going on at our home! From gardening, to clotheslines, canning & preserving...to even reading aloud more and playing more games. We'll be working outside more to gather and organize kindling and firewood for this winter as well as harvesting the garden. I'd like to even try my hand at gathering some free crabapples from a friend and making crabapple jelly. Just trying to spend more time together as a family...building family time & memories and working together for the good of our family. ~Sue~

What is one small change you'll be doing this summer?

Generosity...and Gratitude!

Thanks to the generosity of some kind folk (Thanks, Mom, my friend, Anna and anonymous neighbors!) we had some awesome fried zucchini with our dinner tonight!

Unfortunately, all 13 zucchini plants that we planted got 'eaten' by a grub...along with 9 cucumber plants and I think my butternut squash as well. (we'll see...I hope not!) I know a couple of friends that this happened to as well, and next year, I'll be prepared!

But tonight...hubby requested fried zucchini and GF pasta with sauce for dinner. So, Meghan and I made a tempura batter using rice flour & cornstarch and it was the best fried zucchini I think I've ever had! (ok...we fry twice a year...this was one of those times!)

So....since we accept any and all donations of produce that others may have too much of....I will be stuffing zucchini and shredding it to freeze as well. I would like to make dehydrated zucchini chips as well as zucchini pickles and regular pickles as well. I would love to try fermented pickles and some homemade fermented sauerkraut as well. (Nourshing Traditions has tons of recipes for fermented veggies as does Mary Jane's Farm)

We've been picking and eating lots of green beans from our garden and looks like we'll have plenty of celery and peppers as well as tons of tomatoes this year. (Hooray!) Think I'll clean out the garden beds and will be planting some lettuce for the fall...now that we are fenced in, the 'critters' won't be eating all of our efforts!

Thanks again, all, for the generous gifts of zucchini! Hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful summer! ~Sue~

Happy 17th Birthday to our beautiful daughter, Meghan!

Our special, oldest daughter, Meghan is 17 years old today! Seems like yesterday that we held her in our arms for the first time....and how fast time has flown! She is such a sweet daughter!
(Meghan & I on Mother's Day this year)

~Meghan....I pray that your birthday today is full of joy, laughter and many blessings! I love you! ~Mum~

Summer scenes....

This seems to me to be one of the hottest, most humid summers in Pittsburgh in recent memory! LOL Lot's of fun going on...lots of work catching up in the house...cleaning out, rearranging and moving around of books....putting away last years, and getting ready for our new homeschool year to start. We are so excited to start! Here are summer scenes from our home this week..... Little ones in the garden....checking out the plants and picking these for supper....
Oh, these green beans were delicious last night, along with some stuffed zucchini and wild rice.

Lemon icecream pie with blueberry sauce...WOW! This recipe is a keeper from my friend, Rochelle....I made the crust gluten free by mixing in the food processor gf ricekrispies, melted butter, agave syrup and brown sugar. We'll be making this again!

Running thru a sprinkler on a hot day....I love this picture! My little Anna, cousin Ty and Ronnie had a blast earlier today!

My little Ty (just 2 years old) kept running over to me, patting my arm and telling me "oh, Aunt Suzie....water wet!)...then running back thru the water. I was cracking up in between taking pictures! LOL
Cousins having summer fun in the water! Hope you all are keeping cool! ~Sue~

Ch Ch Ch Ch Changes.....

~There is a fresh wind of change moving thru our family! Seems, some days as if the Lord is holding me upside down by my ankles and shaking everything loose. I know I can trust Him, though....He has been so faithful to us thru the years, that we have no doubts that He is faithful now. We are TRYING to 'seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness'...and He is closing some doors, opening a few others...and basically having us rest right where He has us in some areas for now. Just some of our changes:

Well...He has us switching churches. Yep....we've been praying about it for a while now, and with Ron working nights and weekends, it was impossible for all 6 of us to go to worship together and to a service as a family...let a lone any type of men's group for mentoring and accountability. So...He is moving us to South Hills Bible Chapel...where we have family, friends and a great men's group that Ron has gone to before. It is so hard leaving our church family, but it does make it easier knowing that we know many people at the new church.

He is also having our girls not do worship dance this year...at least, not in a formal school. The church has a ministry, and it is more casual...come when you can. We'll all have the opportunity to go together on Wednesday as well...which hasn't happened in years. Already, I see a glimpse of the work that the Lord is doing in my husband's life...and in our families.

He has also been closing some doors, and putting it on everyone's hearts to be home as much as possible....to do things together , rather than seperate. And to have more family time...for devotions, games and movie nights. (at least until hockey starts...I guess us girls will have to make more of an effort! LOL)

Sometimes,change is painful...and the treatment stings before it starts to heal...but as each layer heals, it gets stronger....I pray that as the Lord strips away anything in our lives that would be outside His will....that He strengthen and guide us to follow His path only...with His help and His strength.

(still have a lot of family birthday celebrations, graduation, family reunion , more birthdays and a vacation coming up....finding out that I just don't have as much time for the computer. Will post as the Lord leads me to sit down and take the time.) God bless you all! ~Sue~

A 'whirlwind' month!

I'm back...thought I would update on everything that has been happening in our lives for the past few weeks. In my last post, I mentioned that our special girl , Gabrielle, has come to stay with us for 3 weeks. Well...this past Tuesday, she flew home to Idaho to be with her family...it is strangely quiet without her here. Our time with her FLEW by...and along with all the late night talks, movies and food network shows that we watched together...there were tons of get togethers with friends for...photo shoots, picnics, movies, baking (the chocolate expresso cupcakes were a huge hit...along with the lemon cream cupcakes with strawberry jam filling and lemon creamcheese frosting....do you think the girls have been watching "cupcake wars" on Food network?!)...family parties, graduation party, pizza at Danny's, many lunches at Panera's, shopping, card games, swimming....along with lots of laughter, a few tears, lots of talking, praying...and making memories! Here are some bits and pieces of our summer the past few weeks: Lunch at Clementine's Tea Parlor in Ohio....Meghan, myself, Sara and our sweet Gabrielle.

Cubscout day camp for Ronnie...a full week of all day activities with over 200 boys...it was so cool! I got to help out for a day and it was great!

Archery, slingshots, BB gun target practice, science experiments, games and crafts filled Ronnie's days...."guy stuff"!

My sweet nephew, Ty.....his 2nd birthday party was on the 4th of July (my dear husband's birthday)...what a wonderful party with family, good friends and the most awesome fireworks I've ever seen...right over our heads, courtesy of my brother-in-law, Todd!

I LOVE this pictures...the girls were doing the country line dance the "Hoedown Throwdown"...we laughed so hard! Lots of sleepovers with various friends...and of course, for Meghan and Sara...it was a glorious 3 week sleepover with Gabrielle!

The trail ride that Sara and Gabrielle went on was so much fun for them...and a very special memory.

Treated my Dad to a special father's day lunch at Big Jim's. This has become an annual tradition...he tells me all the old stories of when he was growing up, we drive thru his old neighborhood on the way to the resteraunt, and he has my undivided attention for hours...his stories never grow old to me...I love to hear them and they make me feel closer to my Gram, who I miss so very much!

This week....a whole week of basketball camp! 3 hours every morning of basketball, drills, scrimmages, devotions and fun...I love the Upwards program! Ronnie has really gotten good at basketball and has had a great time, too!

~Tomorrow....SLEEP! LOL ~

~ (Sigh....) Now that it seems as if our summer is settling down a little bit...I'm feeling the desire to "nest"...to clean out and organize, move furniture around, CLEAN...and get books organized. I'm very excited for our school year coming up and want to get organized. But first...more memories to be made...time with family and friends, swimming, picnics, bridal shower, lots of birthdays, a family reunion and finally...a family vacation to Lake Chautauqua, New York at the end of August with a day at Niagra Falls thrown in! What a great summer! Hope everyone's summer is going well...enjoy it and make some memories! Blessings! ~Sue~

Home, Sweet Home!

Home sweet home! The girls and I had a wonderful trip to Ohio this past week! Gabrielle flew in on Tuesday evening from Idaho for a 3 week visit with us, barely unpacked, then off we went to Ohio! My little ones had a great time with Dad, then 4 days with Grammy and Buppy...they enjoyed themselves so much and can't wait to go back. We headed to my friend, Stephanie's house. What a great hostess she is! She even had lots of gluten free food for me (thanks again, my friend!) and her boys couldn't have been more welcoming and helpful! We had a wonderful time! We also went to the CHEO homeschooling conference in Ackron, Ohio. (that is a whole post in itself!) then, for a short visit with our dear friends, the Teeter's. (Sara is staying the week with them until the 4th of July) It is so good to be home! I missed everyone so much, and...when Sara is home again, all will be right with my little world! LOL Here is a little bit about our visit: Steph and I at the little town of Olmstead Falls. What a wonderful, beautiful little town!!! It is a late 1800's restored town and the businesses renting the spaces are perfect! The barber even came outside and offered to cut our hair! LOL There is a shop called "Yarn Knit by Sue"...I kid you not, and Steph took my picture by the sign....the nice man inside taught me how to knit the 'continental way' instead of the american way (which is much easier for me, being that I crochet) and even invited me back for their 'knit-in' that evening!

Stephanie treated us to a lunch at 'Clementine's Tea Room'....oh, it was good! Wonderful food, beautiful atmosphere...and special friends...what more could we ask for?!

Our three beautys , posing on a deck overlooking the Rocky river.

We visited a beautiful rose garden....(Meghan didn't want to leave!)

To go to the beach at Lake Erie at sunset...it was the most beautiful sunset...and unique, as well....as we were able to see the sun sinking thru a cloud...just gorgeous! 'Praise you God of earth and sky!!!'

The girls had fun wading in the 'surf'.....my Sara will always 'pose' for me!

My girls....I wanted this time with them since it seems as if sometimes, life is so busy and they are growing up so fast...just some special memories with me and my girls! I know I will be making many more...and I'm so glad that Ronnie and Anna had the time with Grammy and Buppy to make special memories as well.

~This week...Cubscout Day Camp for Ronnie all week! Yesterday, I worked it and got to see all the cool things he is doing this week, take pictures (of course)..then he went to hockey last night...both of us were wiped out! I was so blessed, though, that Meghan and Gabrielle made a delicious dinner for us...thanks, girls! Now, off to make Ronnie breakfast before I take him to daycamp. Have a blessed day! ~Sue~