Today, I thought I'd try a little bit bigger type. I've been reading everyones blogs but I haven't written in my own for awhile. That truly is not fair but sometimes I just am truly too busy to get to the computer for days at a time. My daughter Elisa was up North to help a family out there and to get unstressed. It seems she had a nice time and even gained weight back and also got to meet new people and see new places. I sure missed her as many of you know who come from large families that you just get into a routine and it's hard to get into a new one. Especially, for the younger ones to take over the older ones jobs and chores. Today is another beautiful snowy day with lots of snow on the trees. I am getting tired of the cold and am ready for spring. In Canada we have lots of snow still at the beginning of April. By the end of April there might be a patch or two still under the trees but my garden is usually melted and I try to get the potatoes and peas planted. Our last frost is usually May 20. Last year the snow was a little longer on my garden so it was too wet to plant. I didn't get it in until May. Jobs are getting more scarce here in BC Canada. My husband is working most days and one son has been working steady but now has two weeks off and the other son is back working now after some time off. We are all thankful for work though. We are patiently to not so patiently waiting for some goat kids to be born. It's always an exciting time at our house. They are also terribly cute. We have lots of chicks coming in may. Elisa ordered bantams and I ordered rare breeds. I like them because they are different. One thing nice about the economy slowing down is enjoying the little farm again. Or should I say having the time to enjoy it. Our cat is going to have kittens. Our dog is going to have puppies and our fish had baby fish and the hamster is going to have babies. It must be spring. Talking about spring. four different couples are getting married in our church. We have one wedding in April and two in May and one in June. The one in may we are thinking of visiting our friends in Montana if Gene can get the time off. Just a warning to you guys down there who are reading my blog. I'd better go and get something profitable done today.
T
It's been a really nice month with very cold weather and some beautiful above 0'C weather. It's sunny here today and I believe it's supposed to warm up to -1'C. The funniest thing is that my oldest daughter who is 21 is way up north of us (about a day and a half drive) is enjoying warmer weather than us. She is helping a family out there for a month. They have six children and the four oldest are boys and the two youngest are girls.
Well, we had a wonderful Christmas this year and the best part was that we didn't have to go anywhere. Everyone came to our house. My mom, brother, and sister and their families and my husbands parents came. We had a wonderful meal together and then sat around and played games. The next day we went iceskating before they all went home.
It seems I haven't written in my blog for quite some time again. I guess it's just one more thing to do in a day. For all who know my husband, he passed his government exam and is now an official journeyman plumber. He's still finding it hard to believe that he is finished and doesn't have to keep studying.
My mom phoned this morning to tell us that my brothers truck was stolen. He is a landscaper and really needs his truck. He probably could have lived without one of his work trucks but this was his main vehicle. One of my daughters good friends had her purse stolen this last week and it had her passport and birth certificate in it. Then some people from our church who are away got there house broken into and their daughter and son in law are living in the downstairs with their baby and she was gone only 20 min. It makes a person wonder why they never here of these things happening and then all of a sudden there is a rash of things going on. It makes a person wonder if something more is going on with gangs. Hopefully, it's just all coincidence.
You know there is nothing like being home. Even if I have to homeschool two of my kids. We are on a roll now and things are progressing nicely. I'm thinking I should take off a day every other week just to sew and get done the things I get behind on. Today we got the house really clean. Tidy is one thing but I still like it sqeaky clean every once in a while. David, my oldest son bought a coffee tabe for our livingroom. Our old one broke as someone too heavy sat on it. It was brown and didn't match our black leather couches. Well, David got a black one and it looks so nice. Elisa, my oldest daughter, put a burgandy runner on it. I topped it off with my most favorite candle which looks like a lamp and it looks just right.
Oh, no, I just remembered that I have dough that I must form and raise in the oven. So much for a long blog. Before I go I have to tell you the joke my oldest son came home with today. It's totally Canadian.
There were three guys sitting around wondering what to name our beautiful large country. The one said that we need a C eh? The next one said that we need a D eh? The last one said that we need a N eh duh?
Hope you liked it.
It's getting harder and harder to come up with a title to mention that I am busy. Well, three more weeks to go and my husband is finished with his schooling. Then he has to pass his provincial exam and he will be a journeyman plumber. Our revival meetings are this week at our church.
We missed most of them as we were away where my husband is going to the Trade school. The kids went. He's a pretty good preacher but it's what he said that really hit home. It was on nine hindrances of prayer. The biggest hindrance of not praying at all. The rest were just scriptures from the bible that showed what can hinder our prayers from being effective. I'm glad I'll at least get three evenings in. Well, I got one of those dresses done and a part of the next one started. I also finished a pot holder. We brought our youngest with us this week as she is only in kindergarden which I teach her anyways. She played with her horses at lot. We also went shopping together and went for a nice walk. She also made a card for each of her older sisters. It was a lot of fun having one on one time with my youngest. They grow up so fast and then there are no more babies. I really miss having babies around. I can't wait to be a grandma one day. Elisa my oldest and Nathan my third oldest were at weddings this last week. Elisa went to one that is 17-18 hours north of here. Nathan went to one in Mass. and then him and a friend drove the girls stuff to here in British Columbia. It seems like they both enjoyed themselves. I am without goats right now. My neighbor came over and was wondering if she could watch our buck and that she would watch the female also in trade. I told her that it would be wonderful for us as it's just one more thing to do in a day. So we are getting a break for a month and she's getting her goats bred. Yeah! Well, I guess it's time to get back to my laundry mountain. I am wondering if any large families have two washers and two driers? Is that too weird or is it like having more that one washroom in a house?
Zucchini Loaf
3 eggs 2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cp oil 2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup Demura Sugar 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups grated zucchini 1 tsp.salt
1tsp. vanilla 1/2 cup raisons or nuts if desired
2 cups flour
Beat until smooth. Bake at 350'F for 50 min. Makes two pans.
Well, today my husband is back to school. Two months seems like it will be a long, long, time. I've decided to be 2 days there and 2 days at home. That way I can get more house work done then trying to squish it all into a weekend.
I want to get some more dresses cut out so I can sew them in Kamloops while I am sitting in the hotel while Gene's in school. I have one cut out each for the youngest and middle one. I noticed that the material I picked out from Wal-Mart is all blue. Four different patterns and all blue. I guess I wasn't paying any attention. I got a couple of plaids and I love them.
Today, I need to freeze a bucket of tomatoes and make a bucket of sweet pickles. I've really noticed the difference in spagetti and chilli when you use vine ripened tomatoes. It's so much sweeter. My mom dries her cherry tomatoes and puts them in spagetti. It's even sweeter. I also need to get a couple of loaves of Zuchinni bread made for the childrens school lunches and also cookies made. I make them with Demura sugar as I don't like the more refined sugars. Dried cane juice sugar is really nice tasting also.
I'd better get the two I homeschool school lessons laid out for them or I won't get it done and then wonder where my day went.
Sometimes, I wonder if life can get busier. It can't get any worse than this right? It is truly amazing how many things a person can fit in in just one day.
Well, Martha, I'll tell you what I did when I got home from our visit to you in Montana. I canned peaches. Just when I thought that I was done canning one of my most favorite friends calls me and says. "Remember when you asked me to grab you some peaches at that really cheap place we got them before?" Then, I remembered, so I canned even more peaches. Now that they are all done they've been handy to put into their school lunches and I am thankful for them. I also canned peach preserves and peach jam. I also canned some dill pickles and froze beans and tomatoes with peppers from my garden. I made a bunch of Zuchinni bread and need to make some more today. I also want to make some more refridgerator pickles. In the process of that I sewed a dress for Michelle and need to make about four more for school. I did get one cut out two days ago. I wake up 6 in the morning and go to bed sometime after 11. I try to teach Nick and Bethany school while the other children are in school. After school is out I pick them up and sometimes while I am near town I pick up milk and whatever else we need. When I come home I have to start supper. Last night Michelle made baked potatoes and we put leftover chilli on them as I went to do plumbing with Gene and we got home late. I've been out late with Gene a lot lately. His schooling starts this monday so no more late nights. we'll be traveling back and forth to Kamloops again for a couple of months. I'm so glad this is his last session and then he takes his provincial test for his journeymans ticket.
My oldest just started a new job. She quit her job at a retirement home. She's going to be a nanny starting this monday. She loves children and no one seems to be interested in marrying her so she decided she wants to take care of someone elses children if she can't have her own. Some have thought her crazy to quit her good job and she was really sad to leave the people there as they've been really good to her. She was almost in tears last night and I asked her if she was still glad that she quit. She said she was so looking forward to her new job and couldn't wait. It was just so sad leaving the elderly people there.
I'd best get moving and finish the cookies I started downstairs in my kitchen.
What a trip. It was so busy before we left and then not just packing but making sure all of our automatic waterers and feeders were working for the animals. Then we needed someone to check on them everyday to make sure that they were all working. We finially got off to Montana with our first stop to visit our friends friends in Idaho. The couple was very nice and fed us supper. We then headed that evening to Montana to stay at our friends house there. The little children had a lot of fun and got really dirty. My husband has known them for about 24 years and I've known them for 22 as we stayed there on our honeymoon. Only one night mind you! We visited so much my head was hurting. After our visit there we headed off for another drive going into Montana more to see their childrens houses. I've had a lot of fun watching their children grow up, get married, and have children of their own. We stayed at their oldest daugters house which was roomy even with all ten of us there. They are such a sweet couple and their children are very nice. Finially, we were on our way home and stopped at Fort Steele in Canada, BC. It was a lot of fun and we even took in the train.
It's really nice to be home again. I canned my first jar of dill pickles today. I always do refridgerator pickles so it was a new experience. It was so simple. I wonder why I've never done them before. I still need to pick my beans and peas and maybe make some jam if there is time.
I know, it's hard to believe that I can actually have time on my hands. My three oldest went to the big city an hour and a half away to take their grandmother shopping for a new dress. She's turning 70 and we are having a big birthday party for her. My mom doesn't drive so they offered and thought it would be fun. The nest three are at the other grandparents house as they live on the edge of a lake. I'm not sure how much fun they are going to have playing in it this week as it's rather cold. Well, that makes only two at home. I made supper for four. The dishes were a cinch but now I am done so here I am. After writing on my blog I'm going to read. It's something I never have time for.
I have missed my three middle children though. We lost the momma cat so they have been feeding two kittens bottles of goat milk since they were a week old. Thankfully, they are starting to feed from a bowl. They are 31/2 weeks old now. The other thing the children do is milk the goat. I feed and water them. They also feed and water the chickens. The ones in the barn and in the chicken coop. My husband Gene helped me and the two little ones so it didn't take too long to do their chores.
Now for some reading time.
It's hard to believe in Canada that there are food shortages all over the world. I guess I didn't realize until I bought flour yesterday. I usually buy my 22lb bag of flour for $4.99 on sale or $5.99 not on sale. Yesterday, when I went to town to do my major grocery shopping the flour was $11.99 for the no name brand and $12.99 for the name brand one. I can see things going up ten cents or even 50 cents during a recession but doubling in price is crazy. The sugar was the same thing. So far our economy here has still been booming. It's slowing down a little but with Canada watching the USA we get a little nervous. We want to be out of debt. Not just credit debt but no mortgage. There are a lot of houses for sale right now. I remember about 11 or 12 years ago we were expecting things to crash and wanted to move to Bolivia to get out of debt and do missions work at the same time. Now we are sitting here wondering. We are so content here on our little acerage. Are we too content? We will have lived here 9 years this October. I guess I got shocked out of my bubble yesterday and I don't like it.
It sure seems as if its just going to keep on raining. We did something kind of fun the other day. The children and I were working in the garden weeding and pretty soon it was obvious that I was loosing more plants than saving from weeds. One of the children mentioned it would be fun to have a pond to splash in. We have a little trickle of a stream that runs down through our garden when the water levels are high in the spring. I said to them that we should dig a shallow hole, get some plastic, and let the little stream fill it and run out the other side. We had so much fun making the one and it worked out so well, we made another. The water was fresh and cold but they had fun!
The children have been sick with fevers the last couple of days. They get a headache, then fever 103-104'F. Then they get a sore throat. Then some complained about tiny itchy spots but only a few. They are very tiny. Not like chicken pox. There are no blisters. I kind of wonder if is some type of childhood virus as they all had exactly the same symtoms and it was so contagious. Within twenty-four to fourty-eight hours the fever is gone and they are running around again.
It supposed to be really nice the next couple of days. It'll be nice for the children to be outside getting fresh air and sunshine again. Me too!!!!
Everyday seems so busy and full. I still don't have my garden planted. It seems everyday that I have time it is raining. The tomatoes and peppers that I planted early seemed to have come out ok. I only lost about four plants. My peas, lettuce, beans, and onions are all coming up nicely.
My goat looks like it's going to kid either today or tomorrow. It keeps bawling around and is not happy. Her bag is starting to look tight also.
Tomorrow my daughter Michelle turns 12. Then in another week my oldest son turns 19. Time flies.
How is everyone out there? I haven't heard from anyone in awhile.
Our children are all finished with school except for Nicholas. They all got top marks and are going into the next grade. Bethany is doing really well also. She can write her name and knows her letters and numbers.
I'd better go and check on that goat. It's her first kidding.
It's finially here!!! Warm weather, leaves on the trees, and soft enough soil to get that rototiller in. MMmmmmmmm So far my husband Gene rototilled about 1/3 of the garden. I have planted my onions and strangely enough, peppers and tomatoes. I know, my mom said, "Tomatoes"? My husband came outside after work and said, "Tomatoes"? Well, maybe the cold weather is over and we won't get another frost. I do need to get my peas in while it is still cool out. I switched my rhubarb to a sunnier spot this year and am hoping for bigger and longer stalks. I also put goat tea ( goat manure mixed with water) around them and am hoping that will do the job.
Looks like my children are home and I have to drive my oldest daugter to work. Must get on with my busy life.
The best news is that my husband Gene is now a fourth year apprentice in Plumbing. Now he just has the last year of schooling to complete and the government exam and he's finished. The next schooling is in September and that is for two months.
For everyones information, yes, I did go with Gene to Kamloops. I can tell you from experience now that whatever marriage problems we did have are non-existent now. It was very relaxing. I embroidered a pillowcase and started an afghan for Elisas couch. They are black leather so I am doing it in burgandy. It should look quite classy if I ever finish it.
To Jill in Kamloops. Sorry I didn't phone that we couldn't come. Gene had to study as it was his big exam. I forgot in the morning and didn't remember until late at night or early morning and didn't think you'd appreciate a call then. Maybe we can get together for a picnic this summer and have a weiner roast.
To Martha in Kalispell. Gene is actually turning 43 this May. I'm 42 in July. My friend Jill from Kamloops is turning 42 this year too!!!! So is that friend Heather from Cold Lake Alberta. Who looks the oldest? Well......Anyways Martha I miss you and Gene said maybe we can come down for a visit this summer. Depending on finances etc. We might have to wait until next year when school is done and we can accumulate a little bit of money.
To my friend Vickie. By the way I don't know if you noticed but we didn't talk on the phone this last week for our hour (or two) on the phone and you didn't come to my house. Maybe I'll just invite myself to your house this Friday.
To my sister in law in Hay Lakes Alberta. It's cold here and there is about 2 inches of snow on the ground. I think it's supposed to be plus 13 this wednesday. There is nothing to be envious of yet.
Well, I guess I won't be planting that garden of mine for a little while yet. I can't even plant flowers around the house yet it's so cold. Elisa saved a chicken that got missed from a chicken farm. It was really weak and could hardly hold its head up. And yes, it's in a plastic tub beside the woodstove. It's getting strong now but it is too cold out as it doesn't have its winter feathers and down so it would freeze to death in the chicken coup with the other chickens. The other exciting thing that happened this last week is that a young man from our church is putting up a pond in the mall. It's quite big from his last one and has a waterfall and a bridge. Scott (the young man) says the bridge is for my husband to watch me so that he can see where I am shopping. Sick sense of humour if you ask me. I don't shop that much!!!! My oldest Elisa, David, Nathan, and Nicholas all helped and seemed to have enjoyed the experience. Vickie, you're going to have to go by and see Scotts pond.
Well, I hope all of my friends and relatives will send me a short line so I don't have to copy all of your e-mail adresses down from downstairs and then print them back onto this computer upstairs.
Love you all
Have you ever longed for routine? I have, at times in my life, felt there was too much routine and that I needed a little bit of excitement. Now I am tired of my husband in school (he's doing well for a 40 year old) and I want the old routine back. One more week though.
We still have snow on the ground here in places but..... my garden is clear now and all we need is a little bit more warm weather. Next week right? It is supposed to warm up next weekend but around here that could change.
We are just too busy right now with my husband going to school for six weeks. Well, there are only two weeks left. I've been going along with him so the weekends have been crazy trying to get everything done (laundry, ironing, vacuuming, etc) so that my daughter doesn't have so much on her plate while I am gone. I'm staying home an extra day and a half this time to get a little more organized.
In two weeks it'll be time to get that garden in shape for planting. It needs lime to get the ph balanced and the goat manure spread and then rototilled. My husband got me a rototiller last year that I can handle myself so I don't have to wait for someone to do it for me. Yeah!!!!
Today we are making buns. I just love the smell of them baking. MMmmmmmm
Today was a beautiful sunny day. It was just perfect for a Sunday at church. We go to a conservative Mennonite Church. The women sit on one side and the men on the other. We start our Sunday School when the child turns 4. This is the first year in 20 that I have been able to sit and listen to a Sunday School class without a child on my lap. It feels empty but ok. We sing without instruments and all hymns but I really love it. I love how my children can harmonize. I love how many nice friends my children have.