Hi to my friends once again. Thought I'd send out this letter to more than just my family so you can hear from us now and then!

Have a great Thanksgiving season as you honor God with your thankful hearts, and enjoy time spent with family!-  Jason & Chris

Ryan, Jennika, Ciara, Erickson & Venesa Weaver

      8            6          5         3                 9 months

        

           I haven't forgotten that it is my week to write...and this morning I am finally at least starting! But the minutes are ticking by way too fast, so I am guessing that I will be in and out of the office many times today. When I realized Jason was up this morning and getting ready to leave for work I almost cried...(yes I will miss him- that is not what I was feeling though! :) I had been sleeping sitting in the recliner for hours; Venesa had woke me around 3:00 and kept me awake for about an hour. My lower back (tailbone) felt so bad from the weight of the babies. I could've laid Venesa down hours before if I wouldn't have fallen asleep! I did lay down for a precious half hour before I started my day, then with a few exercises, I don't expect to have any lasting discomfort from a miserable night position.

         The beautiful fall leaves are long past, and without snow, this month is very dreary. Although I find I sort of enjoy the bare landscape too. The gardens and fields and woods all cleared and resting... waiting for the first covering of snow.

          So far this morning has been rather wild, with needing to give three spelling tests today and Ryan and Jen have a math test, making the lesson 4 pages.

One load of wash got done...one of the 6 to 8 loads that we'll have! Grandpa stopped into bring us milk and pick up a bunch of cds. I quickly called Jason cause I had a feeling the cds weren't ready to go. They didn't get finished last night like we'd planned; so I had to put the labels on them all while he waited. The children have helped with that before, and I knew what needed done.

           Thankfully we have leftover taco soup for lunch. I added potatoes from last nights supper to stretch it. But we ate up the cornbread for breakfast. I am nursing Venesa to sleep; she is needing her morning nap. Sometimes her nap lasts till it's time to put Eric down for his nap, and we very quietly have to get him in his bed trying not to wake her.

Of course it is not a big deal, cause she was already sleeping for 2 or 3 hours already. But I might get a short nap if they both are sleeping!

            I am feeling anxious that I haven't helped Ryan treat his poison oak problem yet this morning.(more about that later!) School is done at 1:00 instead of noon like I'd hoped. But with the Math overload....not too bad! We still have Art & Music when Eric is napping. Since Venesa was accidently awakened :(  she will be tired by then also!

We have to get lunch over...hope to be back later when it is more peaceful around here.

            I don't seem to have the brain space today to write this in an organized way...I am just saying what comes to my mind...whether it fits the subject or not...

Why did I wait till laundry day to fill all my laundry soap containers?

I have a turkey thawing in the garage sink, and now that I think about it....it should be soaking in tender quick in the cooler by now. I was planning that it be ready to cook Sun. morning.

Today maybe I will let Jennika put Eric to sleep; she likes to read to him until he falls asleep. It has worked well a few times...sometimes I lay down with him after she tried.

We got a Sam's Club membership for one year, so we are trying out the store about once a month when we go up to Canton for appointments with the midwife.

I really really want to get some carpets shampooed. I asked Jason if he is willing to help me pursue that goal this weekend? It is still uncertain whether we can pull that off.

I sorted the wash, and actually it will be more like 9 loads, maybe 10. Can't throw the recliner or any beds in the washer since they got wet during the night, or I would!!!

O.K. I see I need to clarify something! Yes, I was in the recliner a lot of the night, but there was a little person who laid down on it after I returned to bed, who was responsible for the wet spot!

             Last week we had people over several times. Tues. night was brothers meeting, and then Thurs. night was a birthday party for my three-year-old boy!

We invited his grandparents and two other couples with a boy close Eric's age. The menu was broccoli cheese soup, (my children love that soup!) and sort of a salad bar, and cheese bread. The bread was getting done in the oven when I decided we need to eat before it gets any later. Other than the bread turning out to be a pain...supper went o.k.

              On Sat. Jason and Ryan went to a job and I joined a friend at the building beside P. Graham Dunn for a 'One Stop Christmas Shop' expo they had set up in the Buckeye Center. Thanks ,Sylvia for babysittting Eric for me on short notice! I took the girls along. The only thing I bought was little aprons for the girls...they got to pick out their favorite fabric, and lunch for us.

                That evening was when we noticed Ryan's back and belly covered in a tiny rash. We weren't sure what it was!? By monday morning he was intensely itchy.

And it was spreading at alarming rates. His hands and feet were covered too... the only place that wasn't was his face. Although his neck has it now too.

After reading as much as we could we decided maybe it wasn't poison ivy, but poison oak instead. Well, it was Jason's mom that helped us figure that out. We are familiar with

bad cases, and it going___________? can't remember the right word, but it means getting into the bloodstream and breaking out anywhere. Jason fights that several times a year.

He used to have to go get a shot for it, but now he doses himself with vinegar...it burns! and it goes a long way in drying it up. He is sympathetic but firm with Ryan...it is something we need to do! Jason said we can avoid the shot maybe if it doesn't get in his face...eyes ect. but oh no! I saw a little rash right by his eye this morning.

He is taking cream of tarter in a bit of water, and sometimes at night I put calamine lotion on him so he can sleep better. He can be restless and scratching, even in his sleep. Benadryl has its value too, but I don't have him on that continually like a friend suggested. I don't have very much and it would make him very sleepy most likely. Yes, and where did he get it!? Was it from being outside, or did it have anything to do with the fact that he wore a shirt for the first time that day that I hadn't washed yet? It was a new t-shirt from Wal-mart. I had put it straight in his drawer instead of throwing it to the wash like I often would. That first day the rash was everywhere the shirt covered his skin, even part way down his arms. I can see getting hives from that, but poison oak?!

                  Sunday afternoon I took Ryan to the Toy & Train Show at the  Buckeye Center! It was a fun thing to do with my oldest boy. Jason kept the other children and got a nap too. Multitasking a man's way! I was grateful he was willing to let me take Ryan. He would've enjoyed it too. I had mentioned to Jason a while back that I never take just Ryan to spend time together. Although there is often places I take the girls. What fun for Ryan that Alec and Ethan and the rest of the family showed up soon after we walked in the door. It was a nice surprise for me too. Alot of trains...many to watch as they wound their way around the tracks...among the cutest villages and tunnels and even an airport.

               I spent my Monday getting ready to go away the next three days. Which meant doing all the wash and extra school- working ahead. The sewing was on Tues. and of course all I did was mending...but what a good feeling to have finally got some done.

             Our Mom's group was the next day at Marnita's house. She had a delightful basket of muffins setting on the counter for those of us that really hardly had time for breakfast :) I know how much effort it takes to get the house ready, make the main dish, and get everyone dressed before the first person arrives! So things like muffins and a warm drink are definitely a touch of  thoughtful hospitality! We watched more of Nancy Campbell's series "Who am I?"  As women we are nurturers, life givers, helpmeets, leaders...ect. The leadership is not one aspect we think of much since we are under a leader. But it is true that as mothers we are called to lead our children in so many ways. She used Psalms 23 as a guide...we lead them into stillness and peace...'beside still waters'. We lead them into righteous and repentance 'paths of righteousness'. And we guide them through difficult times...'Through the valleys'. There is more to come, but that is how far we got last time.

              It is fairly peaceful right now... the three oldest are doing their art projects and the youngest are sleeping. It is too quiet though; that washer must be running, and the dryer too!

              Since it had been several weeks since I was able to visit Shady Lawn, I went Thurs. We go in the afternoon so we were able to get school finished before that.

Christina Steiner met me there; her mom brought her, and I would take her home later. After visiting with the people, and singing awhile in the lounge, we realized we'd better get ourselves to Little Country Store before it closed.

             You know, I really don't have time to tell you about our caramel apple experience- should've just took pictures! I thought I was buying the wraps, not a kit to make caramel candy! It went well though till we tried to eat the apples! I was afraid we'd extract teeth that were not even loose! After watching the rest of us, Jason didn't even try his apple.

We ended up peeling the caramel off and the children ate apples on a stick! Ha! Nice cozy Autumn memory to treasure.

I need to move out of the office, I think my husband needs this chair...or the computer, rather.

We are so looking forward to Simons staying here over Thanksgiving and seeing Maynards again! Have a great Thanksgiving!

                                                                                                                                   - Christine