Balloons

Oh boy! Where to start, huh? Well, first off: We had puppies born on the 16th of May. Jo's lab, Opal, had 11 puppies. She was in labor all day, much longer than usual (this was her 4th litter). We were beginning to get concerned. Jo even called the vet and they said that sometimes it just takes longer. Well, about 8 that evening, we figured out the problem. She had her first puppy and it was stillborn; it was huge and severely deformed. It was the size of a two-week old puppy - no wonder she had a hard time getting it out! Anyway, all was sadness as we had to bury the little thing. But soon we were rejoicing because the other ten were perfectly healthy and well-formed. They are two weeks old now and trying to stand. They just opened their eyes. Next week, they will slowly be introduced to the outside, once they can stand and walk around a little. We have 4 black, 3 white, and 3 chocolate.

On the 19th, Elly got her braces put on the top row of teeth (no wires yet, just posts). She chose blue rubber bands. They actually look cute on her. Next week she is going to get contacts. This will be a good choice for her as the girl in the vision center at Wal-Mart recognizes Elly -- she's in there frequently to get her glasses fixed! She likes to play games outside and invariably, someone accidentally bumps her and breaks her glasses. The insurance we pay at time of purchase pays off over and over and over.....

On the 20th, Alyssa and I went in to have our hair highlighted. Elly had had hers done a week or two prior, and it came out really nice, very natural looking. Well, the beautician, whom we really like (Vicki), starts with Alyssa. She gets her all done and sets her in a chair while she starts on me and after 10 minutes she checks on Alyssa. Lys's hair is almost white! "ACH" We need to get this washed out NOW!" So Vicki starts washing out Lys's hair, and I'm kinda freaked, seeing tiger stripes on my daughter. Vicki is amazed - it usually takes at least 20 minutes to get a color change. Elly's took about 25. Lys should have been stopped at 5 and it is just surprising the hairsylist all to pieces! (Me, too!) Anyway, after the initial shock had passed and her hair was dried, etc., the streaks didn't look SO bad. Vicki assured us that they would mellow over a couple weeks time, but that if we really didn't like it, to come back and she'd change the color. Well, it has blended and Alyssa likes it a lot, and it doesn't look nearly as unnatural as when it was first done. Now mine, on the other hand, only lightened up very slightly after 45 minutes! So, next time I go for highlighting, we'll actually have to add a little bleach to lighten it. Amazing how people's hair can differ from one to another.

On the 25th, we took the kids to watch the balloons for Freedom weekend aloft. We love that! This year, some of the balloons were having problems getting enough life, and the canopies bumped into each other a few times. I have to say there is a lot of skill involved in not letting the gondolas bump into each other.

Susan had the opportunity to share her testimony of salvation to a church in Atlanta that is trying to reach Jews for Christ. On her way home Sunday, the car started making funny noises and spewing steam so she pulled over. The car had to be towed home and we let her borrow Curt's Sable. The bad news: she needs a new engine. The worse news? She still owes money on the car, so she can't go buy a new one yet. So, we are letting her borrow the Sable for a while. The only damper is that I have to drive the 15 passenger now if I have to go anywhere - what a gas hog! We try to save using it only for family trips.

The 26th - we celebrated Memorial Day at the pastor's house.

This week I've started editing for the summer issue of Seasons At Home - looks like it will be another great issue! I'm trying to light a fire under Alyssa and Elly to finish the illustrations for my children's book - I really want it to be in print before we go on vacation.

Help - I'm burried alive in filing!

Ugh. I HAD to clean up my office space - couldn't even move around in here. So I found the floor - and now I have to do my least favorite job: file. It just seems I have too much paperwork!

I have to get the filing done fast as my new articles are starting to trickle in! I'm editing articles for a new magazine (it comes out three times a year and it's really beautiful. It's called Seasons at Home, and it's published by Theresa Powers. This will be the 4th issue, I believe.) And, in this particular issue, Elly will have an article on why she has chosen to be a stay-at-home maiden, doing businesses from home instead of choosing college and a career. Also, one of the guys scheduled to write an astronomy article had to back out at the last minute, so my dear hubby is trying his hand at writing an article to fill it in! Of course, I'll be "cleaning up" both of their articles and making them pretty, but I'm excited they both have an opportunity to see their name in print! ;-) I will probably copy and paste their articles here so everyone else can read them.

So...if no one hears from me for the next couple of days, you might want to look in the office. Feel free to send down bread and water to the bottom of the pile - I'll be wallowing around down there somewhere...trying to climb out...

Whew! What a Week!

Well - I am REALLY glad today is Saturday! Where did my week go?

Eleonore and I took a 3-day Publisher class together Tuesday-Thursday. That was awesome! We had so much fun. The first couple of hours, we were following along with the teacher and doing exactly as the examples showed. But then, once we got the concepts down, we were off and running! One time, we were supposed to be making a menu and following the example in the text. But, instead, we made a menu for my niece. (I'm trying to convince her she now owns the PERFECT house for a tea room! She could make scones and crumpets and serve in her dining room or on her completely wonderful and large front porch. She could do it by reservation only, so it wouldn't occupy all of her week....well, maybe in time, anyway!)

To get on with my story, the teacher got to where when he was walking around looking over shoulders to see how the student's were doing, he'd stop and ask Elly and I what we were doing now! We added extra graphics to a lot of the projects and just had great time. The professor was very good-natured and didn't mind at all. Most of the other students were teachers who were in there getting re-certified, and they really enjoyed Elly because she caught on so quick to everything, she was able to scoot over on her many-wheeled office chair and help them catch up or fix something. The teacher was glad for her doing that, as well, since he's only one person. I was very proud of her! She did the same thing two weeks earlier when she took an Excel class (I didn't go to that one). She's a lot like Curt - just understands the computer right off!

In the afternoons, I thought I would have time to get a lot done at home....wrongo! Susan was scheduled to move her trailer Thursday. But when Curt and CJ went over to secure things inside, Curt said it was in no way ready. Poor Sue - she never moved a trailer before, so she didn't know stuff had to be laid down, etc. So, Elly and I went over Tuesday afternoon and spent 5 hours packing stuff up for her (she was at work) and laying down shelves and other furniture. Then we loaded the minivan with stuff to store at the church, just in case something went wrong and the trailer tipped during the move. I didn't want her antiques, etc. to be ruined.

Wednesday afternoon, CJ and the kids and I had to go over to the trailer and take down a large awning over her window, disconnect her electricity to the trailer and the air conditioning unit, disconnect the water pipes, cut down some small trees that were in the way, and haul the awnings to the new site location.

I didn't know CJ knew how to do the electric thing, and I was really nervous about him getting toasted, since the power had not been shut off yet. He assured me he knew what he was doing. When he asked me if I wanted to go watch, I said yes and grabbed a 4 x 4 post and took it with me. He said, "Mom, what is that for?" I said, "To knock you away from the electric box if you start to get zapped." He said I made him nervous, standing there at the ready to knock him away, but he did a great job and my post wasn't needed after all. Praise the Lord! I was really impressed he knew how to do all he did that day, especially with the electrical box.

Thursday, poor CJ sat and waited on the mover ALL DAY and found out in the afternoon that the driver had gotten lost and the mover couldn't find CJ's cell phone to tell him. Jo and I had gone strawberry picking again after class, then had to stop by Curt at one of the schools and pick up CJ's weedeater that Curt had gotten the parts for, and come home. We had to race back home to get things in mail because.......while we were at class, we sold over $100 worth of Boy's HandyBooks and Bible Journals! Can you believe that? The teachers asked us why we were taking the class and we chatted and told them all about our homeschooling and the business that Elly and CJ have doing yard work and housecleaning and about our home publishing business and suddenly about three people wanted to see some of the books. Well, one thing led to another, and we were making sales after classes!

Friday the mover met CJ at the Fire Department nearby so he couldn't get lost, drove out to Sue's, and said, "We can't move the trailer until that carport comes down." Duh. I'd only been saying that since January! Why he didn't say that before, when he had been over looking at the job initially, I have no idea. Anyway, CJ called for me to come get him, and the property owners set to removing the carport.

Friday afternoon we had a tea party for Phoebe (she turned 7) with three of her little friends. It was fun and relaxed - just right! Of course, we made a large fresh strawberry shortcake for dessert! That night we had a special dinner for her with our family and she enjoyed her gifts and we played puzzles and watched a movie.

Today is Saturday. The trailer is actually, as I type, in the process of being moved! Finally! And I am looking forward to enjoying a pleasant and not-so-hectic Mother's Day tomorrow!

Strawberry Pickin'

My niece, Marlee, lives in Slater, SC, about 1/2 mile from Beechwood Farms. She called all the family together to meet at her house on Saturday - and we set out strawberry pickin'. It was a wonderful day! Slightly overcast with a chance of rain, so the sun wasn't beating down upon us. Much of my kin had never been berry picking before, so this was a new experience for them. After seeing the usual-size strawberries available year round in the produce section of our local groceries, they were amazed at finding so many palm-sized strawberries!

We took loads of pictures as all the children scrambled over the berry mounds, piling berries into their cardboard gallon containers.

Of course, my husband pointed out it's a very good thing they don't weigh the pickers on the way in and again on the way out! The children loved eating berries while they were busy filling their containers.

It didn't take long - there were a lot of us and a lot of berries. After about a half hour, a dozen containers were filled to overflowing with the succulent red bundles of vitamin C....as were most of the children's tummies!

The baby even got in on the act - we didn't let him pick any, but he reaped the benefit our labors!

I came home and made some cream cheese strawberry pies. Very easy! Here's how:

In a mixing bowl with beaters, mix 2 packages softened cream cheese, 1 medium container softened Cool Whip, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, and a large handful of sliced strawberries. Beat until smooth. Spoon into two graham cracker pie shells, making sure you completely cover the graham cracker shell about 1/4" thick. Place in refrigerator to get slightly solid.

Meanwhile, boil 2 cups water. Stir in two small packages of strawberry jello. Allow to cool a while, then stir in about 4 cups of sliced strawberries. Pour this into the chilled pie shells. Place back in refrigerator for a few hours. Top with Cool Whip or spray Redi-Whip all over the top of the pies. Slice and serve!

They look beautiful, as you have a graham cracker bottom, then a layer of strawberry cream cheese, then a layer of strawberries in jello, then a layer of white whipped cream. Mmmm!

Whenever you go strawberry picking - think of others you know who might like to be blessed with some berries! We picked a couple extra gallons just so we could share them with some of our neighbors and our Pastor's family. "We've been blessed to be a blessing!" Not my original words, but true, true, true!