How has your Monday been? It sure was a busy one here. At one point I realized I was folding wash like I was in a race, or something.

Ahh! But this evening, right before supper it felt so good to take a splash in the pool! I was in for about 20 minutes (until the corn on the cob was done cooking).

Jason and the children played around a while longer while I showered and prepared the toppings for the venison burgers.

        Today we started the new school year. Marnita and I found out while on the phone one day that we'd both chosen the same day! Besides the fact that it was the start of the week, it was a bad choice of day for me. After a busy weekend, it was a laundry day...don't know what I was thinking! We started with just two subjects, and will add the rest slowly over the next month. What worked as far as schedule last year may not work so well this year, so it will take some time to make everything fall into place. I just know that earlier is always better. I did wonder though if we should get an intense early start, then take a longer break over noon, lunch and nap time, finishing up while the three youngest are napping. The house needs to be quiet then any way...There is no really great way to do it, but with God's help maybe we can find a way that works well for all of us.

         The house is hot tonight...and I am very tired, so I will finish this later. All last week I was thinking that the following week was when it was my turn to write...so I'll fit it into this week!

        Oh my! Weeks later... I feel like I have so much I want to write, but no time at all. Which would seem more understandable if I was canning a whole bunch, or having people over, or even house cleaning- but I am not doing those things...actually, right now I am just trying to breathe, while I nurse Bradyn who is soaked with sweat also.

Venesa's curls are wet, like she just got her hair washed. We will have tomato slices with egg salad for supper. Maybe I should add water with ice to the menu... :) 

        Later: Hopefully I can write enough this time to be able to send it off. All the children are outside; except Ciara is with Jason. I can see the little ones from the office window,

Eric and Venesa are playing in the little pool, Bradyn is watching them, and the others are in the big pool. The pools have made this summer so much fun! As long as we run the pump and add chlorine, the water stays fresh and inviting! With the lack of air conditioning in the house and vehicle, we are glad for some relief from the heat. Yesterday Jennika suggested we go shopping... cause the stores are cooler, she said. Yes, but the hot trip there and back isn't appealing!

       Supper was fun tonight! Jason bought me a Vita mix recently, and I found some soup recipes in the cookbook that came along with it. One was butternut squash/apple soup. There was baked squash in the fridge, so I used that along with fresh tomatoes and peppers and several apples.  I blended it all together for a cold delicious soup! I don't know what my family will think, but I can't think of a better summer supper! Wed. nights are soup night at our house, but I couldn't think of  warm soup tonight! 

       The last several weekends have been full. I guess that does a lot to explain how behind both Jason and I feel! We both really need our Saturdays to stay on top of things. More so now that my weeks are filled with teaching school.  We had a chance to go canoeing with a group of youth; some parents wanted some older couples along. So we jumped at the chance, since Jason's mom offered to baby sit for us! That meant leaving my baby for most of the day. The week before I spent every morning pumping so I'd have enough for several feedings. We had such an enjoyable time on the canoe trip, it was a lovely day. While we were there at Mohican we went over to the castle to look around. We had stayed the night for our 10th anniversary. It was fun to be back there again. When we stopped along the river to eat lunch, I snuck into the corn field to pump so I wouldn't be uncomfortable for the rest of our 14 mile trip down the river. When we got back I found out that Bradyn was a good baby, taking his naps well, and playing happily, but not taking the bottle well at all. I had about 5 times more milk than he took! I guess he just figured he'd wait till Mommy showed up again!  He did have his first taste of baby cereal, and he seemed to like it.

       The following weekend Jason videoed his cousins wedding. Marnita was willing to baby sit for me, even Venesa. It had to be a very busy morning for her! She fed them all brunch. I took Brady along, planning to sit back and enjoy the wedding; but Jason decided he wanted me to run the back camera while he got some front view footage.

Baby fell asleep right before the music started, and Jessalin took him for the service. I love working with Jason to video a wedding, but it is exhausting, too. I stood the entire service. Then after packing up and all the many trips back and forth to the vehicle with the equipment (a lot of steps, too); with Brady boy in the snuggli most of the time, I was ready to crash....

        This last weekend we went to Pa for the Sensenig reunion. We decided to leave the older children with Jason's parents, and take their small car. It was a short trip, leaving early Sunday morning and coming back early Monday morning. Jason and I both love traveling- we listened to some new Inspiration Cd's we'd just bought and a series of good messages on entertainment technology. And we talked.... Eric only asked once, "Are we going to be there soon?"  He spent a long time coloring some pictures, and Venesa played with doll stuff, and was constantly taking away all Bradyn's toys! He cried very loudly when he got tired...yes we like traveling, even with grumpy guys.

       Days later....We had our 11th anniversary last Saturday. I was going to say 'celebrated' our anniversary, but that is wishful thinking!  We are still searching for an opportunity to take some time off to enjoy each others company! We did have an big breakfast on our special day- a brunch, out on the patio. Adding a lace table cloth and candles made it special. While we ate, Jason and the children enjoyed watching the tree trimming service crew over at the neighbors. They were working at taking down a large tree. I joked that I had arranged that entertainment for our special meal, although I would've enjoyed a quiet meal instead. We finished eating and I started cleaning up the table, and went inside. Jason went off to the garage. Next thing I know, there is pounding on the door, and one of the guys is asking if we have a fire extinguisher.

Yes, right here! I whirled around and grabbed it out of the toy closet. He ran back across the road to the tree trimming truck that had started on fire, right under the cab.

Jason got another fire extinguisher out of the garage, and they nearly got the fire out with them. But the fire quickly got out of hand, and we were anxiously waiting for the fire truck to come! Police cars arrive, then an ambulance!? The one man had called 911 but didn't stay on the phone to explain the emergency, so they assumed a medical emergency. When the police arrived was when the fire truck was called out. But they had seen the smoke from down town Massillon, and packed up their hoses ( they were at the YMCA pool ) and headed this way before they got the call. Two buildings that belong to two different neighbors had caught on fire by that time. Both the neighbors had left home about half an hour before the fire started! Jason was hosing the large garage and little barn down with a garden hose, trying to save them as much as he could; until the police man ordered him to back off. I called our neighbors to see where they were and let them know, Jason called them too, about 15 sec. later. They were in Canton, but hurried back home. As we were watching the fire crew put out the fire, our neighbor lady, who lives on the same side of the road as us, came running up to her house. (A police car was blocking the road so she couldn't get close to her driveway)  When she saw me out she asked what happened!? I explained, and she told me that she'd left for work, but remembered she'd left something plugged in that she always unplugs before leaving. So she returned home, only to see a fire truck in front of her house!! What a scare! :)

It was the day we were trying to get ready for the trip to Pa. No wonder I totally forgot about the beans that needed picked. Two hours after our brunch I finally finished clearing the breakfast away. That evening we took the three oldest over to Jason's parent's. They were happy to stay there, so they didn't mind missing a trip.

        This week Jason spent several days repairing the damaged buildings from the fire. It required re-shingling part or half of both roofs. Then fixing the siding on the buildings, too. Both of these buildings are ones he has repaired within the last 2 years. I had a really busy week, lots of wash, ect. Mom sensed a need, I guess, and offered to help me one day! It was amazing to see the dishes get all washed up, and all the laundry folded! That was what really made it possible to get pears the next day and get them all canned yesterday! Eric and Ciara went to work with him that day; Ryan and Jennika made the cookies and cake for him. The only thing I did was double check that Ryan put 3 cups of flour in the cake batter. No...did you just put 2? No, only 1! It would've never turned out! That was close! I thought it seemed really runny when he poured the batter into the cake pans.

        I barely managed to get a decent supper made for my husband's 32nd birthday. But he did enjoy the grilled chicken, and he loves fresh red beets! Thanks for sharing them, Mom. Now today I was planning to make red beet jelly (Jason's favorite) and the kind I discovered last year, peach jam.

         School is well under way, but not yet in full swing... This next week I might add the history, health and science. Then there is art and music to add one day a week. That is all the fun stuff (if you ask the children).

          Ryan just grows and grows. I think he has been on a growth spirt for most of his nine years! His clothes never fit him just right; you'll see him wearing clothes too big, (someone gave them cause they don't need them any more) because at least they aren't too small. The clothes that Jerry out grows are often given to Ryan, but he has out grown them already! :(  He struggles with anger quite a bit, but I can see him trying to overcome, especially since he was really broken about it the other week and we prayed together.

          Jennika is enjoying the rabbits. She loves them so much. She so badly wants a pony, but she told me that a puppy would help fill the lonely spot!  ????

She wondered if she is a Christian if she has asked Jesus into her heart. She really wants to be one, she said. I assured her that if she has prayed and confessed her sins and asked Jesus to clean her heart, then God has heard her prayer. She smiled such a beautiful, joyful smile!  

          Ciara continues to be my most exasperating child! We clash a lot, maybe? She is a sweet girl, she just needs to learn to respond to disappointments with a better attitude, and except being told no. I really don't think I have to deny requests from the others as often as I do with her....

I love the picture she drew for Jason's birthday...4 scenes. She happily handed it to Jason and he asked her to explain what the pictures were. The first one was a man and lady, arm in arm. The lady had on a pretty dress. Jason asked, "Is this me and mom?" She giggled and said, "It's me and you!"  One picture was them in a truck, another they were working at fixing up a broken house, what was the last one? Anyway, each picture was of Ciara with her dad. It had to touch his father heart! :)

          Eric's favorite thing is to dig worms. Of course it is all in the hope that some one will take him fishing. I feel so bad when I dump out the bucket of worms once again. Daddy, if you ever get the urge to go fishing, would you mind a little 3 year old at your side, scaring all the fish away with all his excitement!? :)

One day his uncle Jeff decided to indulge him and gave him a fishing rod at their little fish pond beside the house. There was great excitement a bit later when Eric actually caught one of his Grandma's gold fish!!!! After a picture was taken of his catch and most of all his beaming face, the fish was returned to its home, where it should be safe from dangers such as little boys with fishing rods with hooks....

          Venesa has been introduced to the treasured book Little Mommy . Jennika shared it with her one day, and you could tell it delighted her. She got over her mean streak with her little brother...but he's not messing with her dolls yet, so there's more to come, I'm sure. I love her nap time as much as she does! She can sleep the whole afternoon.

I enjoy combing her hair different ways, then I show her how nice she looks.

            Bradyn has been sleeping every day from 11:00 to 2:00 or 3:00 . Often that will make it possible for Eric, Venesa, And Bradyn to be napping at the same time.

What a gift from God, to make my days easier. My sweet little guy is also growing and growing! He is 18 lbs. I told him there is no hurry; it took Ryan nine years to grow as big as he is. He could slow down! And I think he will start to slim down soon, just as the others did. He sits really well for a while now. He played peek a boo the other day with me! I got it on video. I'll show it to you if you want! :)

            Jason keeps finding things to do, waiting on this computer. He is working on editing the wedding video. So I must close, and humbly apologize for the long wait for news from us!                                                                            Love and Prayers, Christine

P.S. That soup was not a hit....too bad. I thought of freezing the rest in an ice cube tray, and putting the cubes in freezer bags for quick meals for Bradyn when he starts eating food. He should like it , since he hasn't yet tasted tator tot casserole or broccoli cheese soup! :) (Meals more desirable than squash soup)