Are you all staying warm as winter weather sets in? The children were so excited when it snowed yesterday! We only had a dusting of sleet-like snow, but it was still a reminder of snowy days ahead; an anticipated event for now. I like snow too. A very cold winter with barely any snow isn't much fun! Unless you love to skate! We found good skates for Ryan & Jennika this summer so they were hoping we could go skating soon...

      While Ciara & Eric were putting away toys in the basement, I decided there was some kitchen work that I got to do before I start this letter; wash off the table...and chairs... and scrape food off the two booster seats...sweep the floor, and at least fill the sink with soapy water and dishes. While I was down in the laundry room (could get the washer and dryer going too) Venesa washed almost the whole sinkful and put them over to be rinsed! Nice the girl sees the work! Too bad they aren't clean though, and the floor was really wet! Since it is bed time, she can be changed into her night clothes...which I won't get around to doing till she's already dried off.

        I was able to make a midwife appointment today, for next Sat.  I am going on 12 weeks now.

I am blessed to be able to function normally, with nausea hitting me now and then through out the day.

Mornings are mostly fine though. My emotions are fragile- this week has been bad with me bursting into tears twice over things I can usually handle...just this evening I found a change of plans too overwhelming. We were going to shop at Menards for some 'home improvement' supplies. Then Jason found a tool on Craigs list that he has been looking for; a great price, and he had to go pick it up this evening! So that is where he is tonight. The two oldest went along too.  I kissed Jennika goodbye, and told her and Ryan to have a nice date with dad.  As you know from my letter, I had so much needing done here, but getting out would've been great!

         Yesterday was the very last of the canning I am going to do this year. I got 2 bushels of apples to do some more applesauce. The last bag I guess I thought that today I'd make into apple dumplings to freeze. I am really needing to nap away precious afternoon time these days. They can wait... but not too long, being 'seconds' apples.       

          Bradyn is almost weaned! Well, now I come back from putting him to bed. He pushed away the sippy cup of milk and wanted nursed. I have been able to lay him in bed several nights without him asking for it. He takes a tractor to bed, and sleepily pushes it around for awhile. He is starting to sleep through most nights also!

           I am teaching Venesa to sing the song "I want you to meet my very best friend". Of course she says "my beary best friend". After I sang it with her in bed, I asked "Do you love Jesus?" She said "Yeah!" Then she added with shining eyes... "and I like boys, too!" I laughed, and she giggled. I hope she will stay in bed as she promised! One night she crawled into Bradyn's bed after unloading nearly the whole book cupboard into it first. Poor Bradyn was tired, with nowhere to lay his head.

            This week we have some head colds. A few people lost their voices, and there has been some mildly sore throats. Ryan had a case of croup one morning. He has never had it before, and I didn't know a ten-yearold would get it, at least not that bad. Normal things we try, cold air, steamy bathroom, didn't seem to do much to help. I could hear that he wasn't in too bad of a case, but he really got scared for a little bit, not being able to breathe. So anyway, I hope the little ones are spared from that. I heard that Jordan had a bad case recently. Ciara is our only one that had it two times...so I haven't dealt with it much. We are so grateful to have escaped a big round of stomach flu! Not totally, because Ciara had it for a full day, but she was the only one that got it! That is so unusual at our house. Some of the rest of us had intestinal discomfort though that was pretty short lived.

           Venesa went to sleep, but Bradyn got into trouble...sigh. If I had only taken away the milk he didn't want!! He decided to play with it, by dumping it upside down and shaking it out. Not on his clothes, but on the blanket, the carpet, and the rocking horse. Even his beloved tractor was dripping milk. Buddy, I still plan to wean you, and don't expect the sippy to be with in reach any more.

Oh, and I refuse to cry over spilled milk. It would take a whole lot less resolve if it was WATER.

I am sniffing because of my cold, my eyes are watering because I should be in bed by now.

Ciara and Eric don't seem to be able to settle down with out the others to sleep with, so I'll go tuck them in and pray with them...

           Sat. morning--- The night of sleep was good, but with this cold, my eyes wish to stay shut awhile longer.... I decided if I got up though, I could make my bed and do my exercises before children wake up. I only got as far as finishing my bed before the youngest was calling me. Jason and Ryan are already at a job in Kidron this morning.

            Could I share with you a fast breakfast idea? It is in one of my cook books, and I use it occasionally, although I haven't made it for guests, yet. You need a muffin pan, eggs, and bacon. Lay  pieces of bacon, uncooked, in the muffin pan, and crack an egg into each. Add salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 min. This morning I served them in lightly toasted bread...hoping to be more filling so we can skip lunch. The rest of us at home went on a quick shopping trip this morning, I got a pair of support hose at the drug store, and am already trying them out. I can see that it will be very tough to get them on with a belly in the way!!  I will need them this pregnancy; I should've had them the last two, also!

              Tues. of this week was the sewing. I didn't do any of the mending- instead I learned how to knot a small blanket. It was nice not to haul my sewing machine in, but to just sit on the floor and work at my project. I came home early to take Ryan to the job. I spent the rest of the day sewing a dress for Ciara's doll. And Jen sewed the snaps on her doll dress that we had made months ago. Why don't I sew something we can wear? I guess it is because I rarely buy material, so I don't have any around to get me started. On the other hand there is lots of small pieces that are just the size for doll clothes, and it is a learning experience for the girls. 

              Last Sat. my second son turned 5! That is the age Ryan was when Eric was born. We kept it secret that his birthday was coming up, and had a lot of fun surprising him. His surprise birthday party was for brunch, and then his cousin Kendall stayed all day to play with him. The theme was firemen, fire trucks ect. Thank you Brian and Marnita, and Daddy and Mom for the play fire suit. How he loves having one to play with! Kendall brought along his suit, (I had bought it for him for Christmas). We played out a fire in our house, allowing those two to be the heroes and rescue Ciara and Krystalie, who were supposably trapped in the downstairs bedroom. The rest of us had gotten out on our own, and then I called "911" and they answered on the other cell phone. They came from the front porch (the fire station) and hurried to the patio door. In his hurry, Eric's fire extinguisher fell off, so he had to run back and get it! They were in the house a long time it seemed. I guess the 'unconscious' girls were instructing them how to do the rescue, and they had trouble dragging them up the steps. They'd been told to 'help' some, because I knew they were too heavy for the boys.  I hope it was fun for them, but they may have decided that being firemen is too tiring!

              The other week Jason and I took the children to the Massillon fire station. The guys there were great at showing us around and explaining things. It was cut short when they got a call...but that was interesting too. We got out of their way, and then stayed to watch them leave. We had shopping to do yet before stores closed.

Now a few other places to visit are a bakery where our neighbors make granola, and Marnita suggested visiting the chocolate factory where Clarisa has a job for now. I long to go to Cosi again but that field trip would not be free...

              I don't think it is too early to think about Christmas cards, and making some preparations. I should have the children help make some to pass out at the nursing home. The easiest way is to print out a card that can be colored and add some glitter. I would like to host at least one holiday meal, so I need to decide when and who will be the guests. There are so many I'd like to have, but not wanting a big crowd, and not finding time to do several meals, I'll need to make a choice. We have two turkeys in the freezer. This week I got a lot of chicken for the freezer. Did you know that the weeks before Thanksgiving can be a great time to buy chicken, when they offer lower prices because everyone is buying Turkeys?! I didn't until this year!

This chicken came from Case Farms.

             I hope we can see Bradlyn this weekend. I think Jason's parents are hosting some youth that came for the same wedding.

I would like to take some trips again, to New York, Wisconsin, and Pa. We haven't made any plans....staying home is so much easier. I asked Jason when we can go to NY again? He said, "Oh, maybe about the middle of May would be a good time!" I punched him.

             Some of you saw the pictures of Eric's awful rash on his legs. That has cleared up some-it looks so much better, but the rash has not gone away at all. Now he even has it on his face. He has been dairy free for awhile, and I am hoping to see

improvement, because I really badly hope there is not some other allergy I need to address! I would have an intestinal biopsy

done on him if the price wasn't outrageous. I could learn a lot from Eric about how to be gracious with this trial. I 'imagine' that any of my sisters or friends would do better with this then I do.  I don't enjoy working with food that much, and this has made cooking more complicated, and I have so much more to learn! I have always thought a food allergy in the family would be awful. I love to enjoy a balance of foods, not cutting any foods out. Is it as bad as I thought it would be? Not once you finally know what to avoid, but the learning and experimenting is very hard. I did ask God for healing, but till then, I need to keep learning and changing the way we do things. Jason asked if it would be possible to wash all of Eric's clothes in different laundry soap. I think it would be easier to change the soap for everyone. I think I have learned that although it is not outside the body substances that are the main issue, they still can make a reaction since the skin is damaged. Although I am using soap I make, I do like the big jugs of hypo allergenic laundry soap at Sam's Club.

            Hope to see Jason and Ryan soon. They made a stop at Shady View Pantry for me, for meat and cheese, and raisins. They got subs there for their lunch. Now that the Ven & Brady are napping, it is time to do some cleaning...starting with the kitchen of course. Now I am feeling too tired! I guess more sleep is crucial for my social life...the other day I told a

friend that I am pregnant. She said, "congratulations!" I said, "oh, your welcome!" instead of thank you! I was so embarrassed, but I had a good laugh about it on the way home! Ha. Ha.  

            May the rest of the year 2014 be blessed and full of lasting memories. 

Take care of yourself as you care for your families!