The Good Stuff

I was looking back over my blog posts for this year and thought I would try to change things up a bit.  It seems I have been writing a lot of serious and even sad posts this year!  So, in spite of the fact that we are not well in the house (we are getting better!), I thought I should write about some of the fun things that we have been doing around here.

Since the last of 2013 and into this new year, I have taken on a project that I have wanted to do for some time...I am creating cookbooks!  It is an idea I had many years ago and created in one LARGE book for my family back in 1995 for Christmas.  The concept was to have meals that went with the seasons and holidays using recipes that were family favorites.  The idea was good but toward the end we were in a hurry to get it done in time and it was also just printed on my home printer and then photocopies at a local print shop.

Brendan choosing the meal for the day from our new cookbook!

I wanted to redo this idea and add some new favorites.  I also wanted to create a book for each month so it would be easier to use.  I have the recipes set up in a monthly menu at the front of the book (including leftover nights!) and then take the recipes along with bonus recipes for each day of the month.  The recipes for  each month are based on seasonal foods and family traditions.  I add pictures to each page that are related to the recipe or to the family traditions.  It has been fun to complete these books because I love to plan menus and create the recipes my family loves, but also because I am going back to old family photos and taking new ones to add to the books.  I have already been asked if I would print a book for others.  My thought is that this book is unique to my family and it would better serve a person create their own family cookbooks with this concept in mind.  Maybe it is a business idea once I complete my own.  What do you think?

In the middle of writing the fourth cookbook, I stopped this project to make a book about chores!  The book is called "Toddling Through the Chores" and is a step by step look at the chores for our family.  I decided to have a little fun and show how the little ones in our house can do the chores to show that if they can do it anyone else in the house can too!  Brendan and Zaira had a lot of fun!  And you know what?  I found out that they CAN do a lot of the chores!
 

I had a birthday, which was celebrated with family.  I was given the gift of side steps for my van.  That might not seem like a big deal or not birthday quality gift...HOWEVER...this is what I wanted as I want to be able to get in and out of my tall van without killing myself!  SO...Michael ordered the kit and put them on himself!  I really appreciate this gift and it will be remembered every time I use the van...so it is the kind of gift that keeps on giving!  I love it!  Add to that a new dryer and I had a blessed day!  (Technically the dryer was not a birthday gift but it does seem like the old one bit the dust at the most opportune time to let me go pick out a new one at that time!  YAY...for me as the old one was a real pain!)

SIDE STORY:  When I went to pick out a new dryer, I thought it would a good idea to get a matching pair...so we were going to buy a new washer also.  We really did not need a new washer as we had just bought one about two years ago.  But, we have not had a matching set for a long time!  When I went to the store, I picked the set I liked and then found out the store only had the dryer.  We would need to go to a different store for the matching washer because the set I chose was going out of style.  So, we drove all the way across town to set up the washer purchase.  We took the dryer home immediately because it was needed but the washer was going to be delivered later in the week.  We got home and started setting up the dryer...I looked at the dryer and the washer in place and LAUGHED!  I bought the matching dryer for the old washer!  I could not believe it!  Thankfully, we were able to call and cancel the washer purchase.  Am I the only one who could be so silly?

Brendan eating meal worms!

Later in the month, we had fun with insects on two occasions...the boys went to a 4H entomology meeting and then we volunteered at an entomology convention.  I will let Sean tell about this experience on his blog.  I will link to it when he had this completed.

The other big project we have going is making this house a home...one of the first things we do in a new home is take out carpet.  I HATE carpet!  So, we have pulled the carpet out of the boys room, play room, and the hallway.  We have had a few set backs (not related to flooring) but hope to have these areas done by the end of the week.  Then we will continue this process in the other two bedrooms down stairs.  The upstairs will be wood floors so it will take a little more effort or possibly a professional...We will also add bookcases to the schoolroom upstairs for this part of the project.  We are hoping to have it done by the time children are running around in swimsuits!

One thing we have really missed is our favorite museums.  So, we found a new one to love here!  The Witte museum is so amazing!  I think I posted about our fun for Brendan's birthday last month.  This month they opened a new exhibit about aliens!  The boys enjoyed this adventure...I really considered this an exhibit about science fiction characters rather than aliens, as most of the pictures and talk amongst the boys was about robots.  However, they had fun and that is the important thing.  Maybe we will find a way to volunteer at this museum soon!

We are still looking for activities for the boys.  4H has lost some of its appeal for us in the urban setting.  Sean will continue with the entomology project and all of the boys like to be in photography.  However, the hardest part is finding a club that meets our needs that is not too far away.  So, the search is on for a photography club for youth and a nature club.  Also, we would love to find a LEGO club.  So it looks like the next few weeks will be spent on this search!  Wish us well as we find our place in this city life!

Prayers Needed

It seems like I have been writing a lot of blog posts this year for family and friends who need prayers.  This trend continues as I ask for another round of prayers of healing.

This last week I have been told about several family and friends who are sick and in the hospital.  Here is the list of them all and I ask that you pray for them and the doctors who are helping them, as well as the family members closest to them.

A dear friend from our 4H days has been in the hospital for over a week and will continue to heal for at least another week.  Joseph started out with the flu and after being admitted to the hospital also found himself with an infection that ran down his leg and into foot.  He was taken to a larger hospital and seems to be doing better.  Please pray for him to have a speedy recovery so he can tell more jokes and give witty remarks in response to his family and friends!

Also, please pray for a young man who is always in our continued thoughts and prayers.  He is heavily addicted to drugs and is hurting himself and family members.  I will not divulge his name but God knows him and his needs.  Also pray for his family who struggle so much with worry and not knowing what to do to help him.  This week he was admitted into the hospital in another state due to withdrawal symptoms.  We pray that this will be the turn around that is needed in his life.

Just after we returned from East Texas, we received a letter from one of the Sisters at the Monastery letting us know about our friend Lyn.  She was in the hospital due to an illness that might possibly be her end to this world.  Frantic with worry...and shame for not listening to the quiet whispers of the Holy Spirit earlier in the week to call her...I began my hunt for someone who knew more details.  After many calls, I decided to make my way back to East Texas.  I was able to visit Lyn and found out that she most likely fell sometime in the last two weeks causing severe internal bleeding.  The doctors even suspect she had a stroke.  She is now in a rehab and struggling.  I am so glad I was able to visit her when she is still aware of her surroundings.  I pray for God's will in her life and that she will be healed physically and spiritually.  She is a strong Christian and has said many times that she is prepared to meet the Lord in the next phase of life.  May she stay strong in her faith to the end as she is truly a good and faithful servant!

At this same time, another friend emailed that her mother was also admitted into the hospital for a head injury.  She was able to have surgery to relieve the pressure on her brain.  Helen is doing better but will need to remain in the hospital to heal.  She is a strong woman and I know she will fight this battle with courage.  Please pray that she gains her strength back soon.

Then, I got the call from my brother's wife...Nathan is now in the hospital due to congestive heart failure!  He is going thorough many tests to determine the next step in his recovery.  We do not have a lot of details but just pray that the right doctors are at his disposal to help find the best solution for recovery!

Believe it or not...Nathan's niece was admitted to the SAME hospital because she fell of her horse and was stepped on.  I am not sure about the details but I am sure Stephanie could use the prayers as well.

And finally, I ask that you pray for my family...over the weekend we have now had four children come down with a virus...Amanda, Henry, Zaira, and Sean have been very sick.  The good news is that it does not last long...the bad news is that it comes out of no where and is quite violent in nature!  It seems to travel through the family every two days so we are not through this battle yet!  We could use the prayers to keep the nasty germs away from the rest of us!

I continue to pray for all above and the many others who are suffering.  May God bless them all and any others I have forgotten or do not know about at this time!

Ninja Warrior Cleaning

After a long bout with the flu, we are hoping at least the worst of this is over.  So, yesterday I decided we need a cleaning frenzy to rid ourselves of any germs left around!

I sat everyone down before serving the noon meal (Smart, right?  Getting them to agree to help BEFORE serving the food!) and told them my master plan!

Everybody would take a small part of the job to rid our house of the germs.  I told the boys that they were ninja warriors who each had a mission to fight the bad germs throughout our house!

Brendan
(AKA Little Warrior with a Punch!)
would clean all of the door knobs throughout the house!

Edward
(AKA Master with a Kick)
would take on the task of light switches!

Henry
(AKA Quiet Guru)
had the epic job of cleaning all the sinks and tubs!

Sean
(AKA Mile full of Smile)
cleaned all of the toilets...inside and out!

Zaira
(AKA Wise and Proud)
could not be outdone and took on everyone's task!

Amanda and Katy
(AKA Twin Action Duo)
cleaned all of their upstairs area and orchestrated all the sheets being washed!

Me!  Well, I cleaned all the appliances, counters and kept Dad in bed so he would not contaminated the areas that were being cleaned since he was still sick enough to stay home from work!

We completed the job in less than an hour!

Now...if only we could tackle our school day like this!  We could rule the world!