So, what does a mom of many do??

I just love it when people ask that!  I've been pretty busy, doing--NOTHING!  Ha, ha!

A little over a week ago, I broke a toe.  I know--I am clumsy!  I was excited, as my dh was going to take me out for a date.  So, I was hurrying to wash the table.  I was quickly going around the table, when a mean old metal chair got me between the toes.  Doubled me right over.  Dh asked what was wrong.  By the look of green on my face, he knew I was in pain.  We BOTH thought my toe was dislocated, as it was laying right over the top of the little toe.  So, for our date, we spent it in the Urgent Care.  :-( 

So, I have been sitting with my foot up, and ice on it--for the most part.  :)  How does a busy mom stay down??

The very next day, we took my parents to IKEA.  Mom and Dad had never been there.  It was great!!  I wasn't planning on buying anything!  ;-)  I didn't purchase much.  I got a laptop lap holder, to keep it cooler; a little desk light that is very bright (I think I'll use that near my sewing machine, and anyplace else I can think of); and 10 new cups--they were way cheaper than the dollar store, or even a thrift store.  They got me a wheel chair, so I wouldn't have to walk that huge store.  There is no way I could have walked the store, but my dad--who just had back surgery, and has knee problems--walked the store just fine!!  We are so proud of him.

I have been doing some reading.  I love my iPad!!  But, my problem is--when I download a book from the library, they only give you 1 week to read it in.  And, it was a busy week, so I didn't get the book read.  The book was, "Life Without Limits", by Nick Vujikik.  Would I love to meet his parents!!

On Monday, I took my Mom out shopping!  We went to the Mennonite Bulk Store, and I spent way too much!  But, it is all stuff we need/use.  Then, we did some fun shopping.  Went to the 2nd hand stores.  Mom got a sofa!  I got 4 new dresses!  Rick and my Dad had to come with the trailer.  While we were waiting for them to arrive, we told them we would keep on shopping, so we could fill up the trailer. 

Then, we had to get the sofa in their house!  What a job!  But, thankfully, their neighbor saw us struggling, and came over and helped us get the patio doors off, and we got it right in.

We will be very busy, the next two weeks!  Tuesday is GKGW.  Then, we have the Living Last Supper, from Wednesday night through Saturday night.  Sunday is Easter.  Then, we have to get ready for the annual business meeting on May 1st, of which, I still need to do my report.  Yikes!  Then, later in the day on May 1st, we will take off to go to District meetings.  It will be relaxing for the children and I, but my hubby has to work it.  Then, we are talking about taking a few days off.

I have also been working on a new program I bought.  It is called "Cook 'N" by DVO.  Wonderful program!!!!  It should make my menu planning MUCH easier!  So, for now, I am putting in my recipes. 

Last night, we had a fun time.  Grilled out steaks, even though it was snowing!  Then, I made Black Forest Brownies.  Watched an episode of Good Luck, Charlie, and then played "Monkey See, Monkey Do" on the Kinect.  Fun!!

"The Final Summit" by Andy Andrews book review

“The Final Summit” by Andy Andrews was the first book I have ever read by this author.  “The Final Summit” is the sequel to “The Traveler’s Gift”, and even though I did not read the first book, I was able to keep up in this book, and it could be read as a stand alone book.  I am not a big fan of time travel, or sci-fi, but with that said, I did enjoy the book.  He brought to life historical characters, such as, Winston Churchill, Anne Frank, Abraham Lincoln, Eric Erickson (whom I had never heard of) just to name a few.  It has a fictional character, David Ponder, who is grieving the loss of his wife. 

Gabriel comes to David Ponder, and takes him to the final summit, where they have a set amount of time, to give the correct two word answer to the question, “What does humanity need to do, individually, and collectively, to restore itself to the pathway toward successful civilization?”  It kept me wondering what the correct two word answer would be, throughout the book.  

At the end of the book, it gives a web address where you can unlock an exclusive video of Andy sharing behind the scenes stories.  That was interesting, as well.  Another noteworthy feature, that I found appealing as a home educating mom, was that they offered downloadable companion curriculum to go along with the book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this as an ebook free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Busy days

I had a little free time last night.  Rick and the boys all went to see "Diary of a Wimpy Kid".  The 2nd one.  So, I did some recovering of  a stool.  That was on my project list for over a year.  Yikes!!  But, I got it done!!  Also, I put some plastic covering over my 3 new stools.  They had a suede on the seat cushion, and I was worried about spills, so I bought some plastic, and covered the suede.  It was nice to get some projects accomplished.  I still have some MAJOR projects left to do.  I ordered the book, "Managers of their Chores", and I need to read it, and put it into practice.  Then, I also need to get my recipes put into my new program.

On Monday, we celebrated Rick's 50th birthday!  We had my parents, Josh & Brittany, Siah & Sarah and Jeremiah and Claire, and Ben all over for a meal of baked parmesan chicken, baked potatoes, and cashew green beans.  He got some funny gifts from Josh & Brittany!  One was a camel back, that was filled with Mountain Dew, and they said it was his IV bag!!  He also got a daily divided pill keeper, filled with Skittles.  Clever!!  He also got an Iced Tea Maker, a Wii fishing game with a fishing pole, some shirts, chocolate covered peanuts, and Vanilla Coke.  No coffee!   I gave him a digital frame, with all sorts of scanned pictures of his childhood up to the current!  I also gave him an ereader.

We had beautiful weather up until this last Monday.  It was in the 50's, and snow was melting.  Then, we started to get rain on Tuesday, and lots of it.  By Tuesday night, we had freezing rain.  If I had known we were going to get the freezing rain, we would have canceled the Growing Kids God's Way on Tuesday evening.  We got home at 9, and it was still raining.  An hour and a half later, we looked out, and we had 5 inches of new snow!  Then, it started to thunder and lightening.  If that happens during the winter, know that you are going to get hit with a bad storm.  We even had to cancel the Wednesday night services.  All totaled, I guess we got 13 inches of new snow!!  That has now broken the record for the most snowfall in a year. 

We bought an X Box 360, and Kinect on Thursday.  We have been having fun playing with it. Last night, while the menfolk were all gone, Becca & I played some games on it. The funny thing is--when you are done playing against each other, at the end--it will show you video clips of you while you are playing, and everyone looks like a total geek!!  It's actually pretty funny to watch.

Last night, I made egg rolls for supper, and invited Ben over.  I thought he might enjoy a nice meal.  :)

Today, we have to go to the airport and pick up the special speaker for our revival services.  His name is Ron Rhoads, and he is flying in from Texas.  I'm guessing he won't be ready for our cold and snow.  

I am hoping to go to the thrift store, before we go to the airport, as there are some things I need.  I am looking for a huge platter bowl.  I had one, and it got dropped on the floor.  It was wonderful for making a huge meal of Fettucine Alfredo, and the like.  Also, I need to find a nice dress for the celebration where they are honoring us for 20 years of service here.

My time is counting down, as I really need to start scanning in photos of our 20 years here, to put into a presentation!  I have 8 days left!!!!  I need to get moving on that.

I've been rough on myself!  Last week, I was tired, and not paying attention to what I was doing, and while I was ironing, I put the iron on my left hand.  Nice burn.  It did get me out of dishes for most of the week, however.  Was it worth it?  No.  Then, for Rick's party, Matthew was helping me cut the green beans, and he cut his finger.  So, I put a band aid on it, and took over for him.  I was talking to Brittany, when I sliced right through my thumb.  Brittany then took over for me.  Hmm, maybe that is why I had green beans left over, huh??  The word passed quickly!

Well, I need to get going.

Ben is home!

We got Ben back from Madison.  It is so nice to have him back in this area!  We picked up a U Haul trailer on Monday, but had some troubles with lights, and getting it tight.  You name it.  They won't let you leave until it is all working.  Finally, at 10:15, we were able to get on the road.  Got down to Madison, loaded him up, cleaned out his apartment, and came back home.  He moved into Josh & Brittany's house.  It will work out nicely for them all, I'm sure.

I got my hair done today!!  We will see how I like it.  Sam isn't sure he likes it.  Jon came home from work, and talked and talked to me--never even noticed!  I sat there with a big old smile on my face.  Finally, he looks at me, and says, "You got your hair cut."  Yes, I did--took off about 8 inches.  It is also colored, and high-lighted.  It is now about shoulder length, and cut in layers.

I have been scanning in pictures for the 20 year celebration for us, here at the church.  So many pictures. . .

I am bushed tonight, so I think I will head to bed.

Busy, busy days

Here we are into March already!  Where does the time go??  We have been celebrating birthdays around here, as we have 3 birthdays in March.  Becca turned 17 on the 5th, Ben turned 23 on the 10th, and my hubby will be 50!!!  on the 21st!!

So, I read this ladies food blog every day.  She makes a lot of home made pudding.  It's been years since I made homemade pudding!  So, she tells on there how at the end, she has to strain her pudding to get the bits of cooked egg out of the pudding.  Yes--she says--bits of cooked egg in the pudding.  Hmm--she adds the hot mixture to the egg yolks way too fast, as I have never had bits of cooked egg in there.  So--I had to try for myself, if I could still make pudding, without bits of cooked eggs in it.  Oh, yeah!!!  I am still good!!  Happy dance!  So, I made butterscotch pudding.  It was so good!!  I made a huge batch of it, as I was hoping it would last a couple days, as Sam loves to eat pudding before bed.  He eats 2 of those containers.  His favorite is chocolate, and I tried to get a big can of chocolate at Sam's club, but they just didn't have any.

We got a new to us car on Thursday.  We got a 2009 Chevy Imapala.  That will be nice for my hubby to take around on church work, and a lot easier on the gas!

Tomorrow, the Mannon Family Movers are in full force, again!  We head down to Madison to move Ben back up here.  He will be moving in with Josh & Brittany, but we need to get his furniture all back up here.  Not sure where it will all fit, but we did clear out some space in the garage, in case he needs to store some stuff.

Yesterday, I was pretty busy.  Helped clear the garage, gave 5 hair cuts, made the pudding, and various other odd jobs.

One of these days, I want to take my parents to Ikea, as they have never been to one!  I thought they would enjoy that.

I ordered some things to help me out.  I will soon get, "Managers of their Chores", as I need help in planning the children's chore lists.  That gets to be burdensome.  And, I am also getting the book, "Cutting your Grocery Bills in Half."   I would love to coupon, but who has the time??

Saturday at last!

Well, I made it to Saturday!!  It's been a busy week.  And, an emotionally draining week.  Yesterday, we got to go to a hospital, to visit Sarah's sister, who just had her 6th child.  That's fun!!  She now has 2 girls, 4 boys.  After the hospital visit, we went to a funeral home, to support the family, whose 18 year old son/brother committed suicide.  Life/death  all in one day.

Later today, I will head over to Josh & Brittany's house for the baby shower for Claire.  I have the cutest dress!!!  Shhh, don't tell Sarah!

Otherwise, I am hoping to lay real low today.  Drinking lots of orange juice, as I am trying to beat this cold/cough. My nose is best friends with the Neti Pot.  If you aren't familiar with a Neti Pot, just think of it as your own personal water boarding torture. Ha, ha.  No, really, I do much better after I have a treatment.  And, I have learned to relax while doing the treatment, so I don't sputter, and feel like I am drowning any more.

I need to go over and fine tune my Sunday School lesson. I am now teaching the young people, aged 9 to 13.  They are a fun group!!  I also need to re-do the church calendar, as I forgot to add in Day Light Savings Time.  I also need to make up a sign up sheet for the March Ice Cream Social, for people to bring in the ingredients. (so much for having a quiet day, huh?)

Dad has been having nose bleeds and coughing up blood.  I am hoping they will go in to the clinic, or at the very least--call a Triage nurse.  My parents aren't sure if it is because of the new meds (which he has discontinued), or Physical Therapy.

Ben is moving to his home stomping grounds!  It will be the week of March 14th! It will be nice to have him back here.  We are still praying he will find a job in his field.

Dan got some really good news at the Orthodontist!!  In April, he will get his braces off!!  They have only been on since September 2010!!  His orthodontist advertises "Get it straight fast!".  They sure are!!  He is still not done with his treatment, as he will then go to a retainer.  But--the really cool thing??  He will get them off 2 days before the play, "The Living Last Supper".  We were hoping the play would be as authentic as possible, and Dan plays John in the play.  I don't think the disciples had braces back in the day.  :-)

Poor Becca is still wearing her braces.  She's had her bottom ones on a long time, and has only had the top ones on since January.  BUT--she has a MUCH smaller mouth than Dan, and they are still working on expanding her palate, to make room in the mouth.  Her only other option is to pull perfectly good teeth.

Well, I guess that's all the news.

Do I really have to come up with a title??

I so enjoy watching the little children for the Growing Kids God's Way class that meets every Tuesday night.  The little ones are just so much fun!!!  I usually have one 3 year old that comes, and three 1 year olds!!  Yes, they are busy, and oh, so much fun!!!  There is 1 girl, and 3 boys that come, and the little girl is just the sweetest!!  She loves to snuggle!!  If I have to get up to wash a face, or get a toy for them, she will stand by the rocking chair and bang on it, as if to say, "Get over here, sit down, and hold me!"  She gets so tired, and she looks at the boys as if to say, "Just sit down, be quiet, and let me go to sleep." And one of the boys must have thought I needed to keep drinking, because he kept bringing me my bottle of water, and wouldn't put it away unless I had taken a drink out of it.   I'm thinking of writing a book, entitled, "Everything I learned about life, I learned in the Toddler Nursery."   

Snow, snow and more snow.  I think if I sing my "Let it Snow" song, I might be kicked out of Wisconsin.  :)  We got around 18 inches of new snow on Monday.  I drove my dad to the back doctor, for a post op check up.  The roads were rather frightful!  Mom & I decided we were going to drug dad on the way home, so he wouldn't be scared.  We didn't, but it sure was fun to joke about.  Dad is doing good--since the surgery, whilst sitting, he can now lift his left foot 5 inches off the floor, which he couldn't do before that.  They are having him go to physical therapy twice a week, and after the first visit, they have already seen an improvement.  Dad is still in TONS of pain, and the doctor prescribed some meds, as they think there is some inflammation around the nerves.  I just realized I didn't mention that Dad had surgery on his back!  Oops.  I really need to do better at updating!

YIKES!!  I didn't realize I haven't mentioned that I am a Grandma again!!!  Claire Anneliese was born on February 8th.  Beautiful girl!!  She goes in to the pediatric cardiologist tomorrow, as she has a heart murmur that needs to be checked out.  So, that means we get Jeremiah tonight and tomorrow!!  He is so much fun!!!

Jeremiah loves to walk around, and he talks a lot, well, babbles.  And he holds his pointer finger and thumb pinched, and then, says, "Ummmmmm."  Like he's trying to figure out what to say next!

I've been battling a cough/cold for quite some time.  Why is it, I can eat healthy, take all sorts of vitamins, and my cold lasts for weeks.  My hubby??  He does not eat nearly as healthy as I do, and I have to force him to take vitamins, and he gets over the cold in 2 days?????

We are looking forward to not going anywhere this weekend.  In four weeks time, we had been to the Dells/Madison area 3 times!!  One of our Dells/Madison trips, was for Ben's graduation!!  YIPPEE!!  The night before he graduated, he came to visit us at our motel, and went to the waterpark with us.  We were JUST talking about leaving the waterpark, and going to get something to eat, when Ben walked across the hot tub, carrying Matthew on his back (we were all in the hot tub), when he bumped his knee on the ledge in the hot tub.  Ben limps out, and sits over and away from us.  I asked him what was wrong, and he mouthed to me, what I thought was, "My bum knee."  (he slipped and fell on the ice earlier this year, and his knee has still been giving him troubles).  I said, Your bum knee?  He said, no, I need help.  I came over, and here, he had gashed his knee in, and there was blood all over the place.  We got a life guard to come help us get Ben to the First Aid room.  Two funny things.  1)  One lifeguard asked another if they needed to vacuum out the hot tub.  The other said, "No, we only do that for vomit or feces."  Comforting, huh??  Not really!  2)  The first aid man said he would butterfly the gash, and I asked him if they had any super glue.  He then asked me if I was a nurse!  No, we just have lots of cuts, and a doctor once told me to use super glue. 

Ben is now graduated, and we are praying for him to find a job in his field.  If you would pray with us, that would be great!!!

Rachel is moved back home, and it is so nice to have her here.  She has her own room, but she shares my sewing room.  It was kind of a compromise.

Oh, my hubby bought me an Ab Glider!!  So far, I haven't been able to use it much, as the young men in the family have been working out.  I had my eye on it, as I really need to get in shape.  Also, during our morning school, I have a little pedal machine, where I can sit in any chair, and pedal away.  I can adjust the tension on that.  I use that most mornings.

Well, speaking of the Ab Glider, I'm off to go use it!