Wow, this week has been so busy! The girls both have a cough and Maria has a runny nose. I have been fighting a cold and sore throat as well. Maria has been getting up a lot at night which makes sleep an almost rare thing some nights. On Mon eve. Rachel and I met with the reception coordinator to plan more of the details for the wedding. Only 6 more weeks. On Tues evening I cut out Mom and Rachel's dresses for the wedding I also cut out 3 for each of the girls which included the ones for the wedding. On Wed. after preschool the children were invited to one of the girls house for a Pampered Chef party. The children helped make their lunch and played. They had so much fun playing dress up and even put on a show for the moms. It was nice getting to know some of the moms that are new this year. Thursday rolled around and it was our age group from church annual shopping day. We had a great time and found some good deals as well. I really enjoy the fun and fellowship of visiting without interuptions from children. We all love our children but a break is also very welcome. Friday noon we got a call from one of the youth girls from church. They were offering free babysitting at the church from 5:30 - 10:00 and it included pizza for supper. We went to nice steakhouse and really had a good time just catching up with each other. It seems we get so busy we forget to keep in touch. Today we went to my in laws and helped them. Lavern helped put metal on the barn and I made dinner and did odd jobs around the house for Mom. Tonight we are at home and it is so nice to be a family again. The girls helped me make a small batch of party mix for Rochelle's birthday party at school on Monday. It is hard to believe that she will be 5 already. Time really flies!! Good night and God bless you.

I can hardly believe that it has been this long since I updated this blog. A lot has been happening in the last few months. My mom is doing well since her accident. The only problem has been her elbow. She developed a bad infection so they did surgery and took the plate out after 8 weeks. It seems to be healing well again. On Monday she has a checkup and we are hoping they will take the splint off so she can use her arm again.
We are also head deep in wedding planning as it is only 7 weeks away! It has gone by very quickly and is coming down to finalizing details. On Monday the wedding cordinator and reception cordinators ( myself and a friend from church) will be meeting to go over some things. It is actually almost more fun to help plan someone else wedding than it was my own. I still have all the sewing to do, 5 outfits in all. For some reason I tend to wait till the last possible minute to do some of those things.
I helped cook at a wedding of LaVerns' niece yesterday. It was a beautiful day for a wedding. We had our first killing frost yesterday morning but it warmed up in the mid 50's in the afternoon,nice and sunny.
My brain is tired and my nose keeps dripping so I want to go rest for a bit. I hope to update this a little more regularly in the future. God bless you all.

What a mighty God we serve! He is the all powerful healer and provider.
First of all we had a wonderful time at the Bender reunion the first weekend of August. It really was neat to get to know some of the family better.
Rochelle started preschool again and really loves it. Maria is needing to adjust to being alone those few hours again.
On August 27th my mother was in an accident. She was airlifted to Parkview Fort Wayne because of possible internal injuries. A lot of prayers went to heaven for mom and the injuries were much less then first thought to be. On the 28th she had surgery on her left elbow to repair a dislocated and fractured elbow. They used wire to fix it, possibly for more flexibility. She also had surgery to repair several broken bones in her left foot. The only internal injuries was a bruised spleen. She was released to come home on Friday, only 4 days after the accident. Mom is very much limited to where she goes as she is in a wheelchair to get around. We were told no weight on her foot for 8 - 12 weeks so there is definitely a lot of healing to do. She has very little pain which is a huge blessing.
Josiah, 15 and Sarah, 13 are here from Ohio to help. They are doing an excellant job and have really eased the load for us children. They are grandchildren and enjoy being here.
i really need to go to bed as I can't hardly see anymore. Good night

We are on the edge of an exciting and hopefully fun weekend! This is the weekend of the Bender reunion here in Indiana. After lots of planning and work, both mental and physical, the time is almost here. Tomorrow Mom, Fannie, Grandma, Rachel and several of my nieces are planning to come to make the food. We are planning to make as much of the food in advance as possible. My nerves sometimes don't handle this type of pressure very well . I have been struggling with worry and can't hardly eat. There have been several times I have thrown up and I know it is those old nerves of mine. So,if you think about me this weekend. please pray for a calm spirit. I really want to enjoy the weekend but also want to make sure everything is just right. We have a lot of things happening and I want every one to have an enjoyable time, including me.
I really need to get to bed and try to get some much needed sleep. I have not been getting more then 4-6 hours a night for several weeks and it is starting to wear me down. Good night, sleep tight, Let God be your guide in the days to come!

Praise the Lord!! We got some much needed rain. We got around 2" of rain last night. It was very stormy and some clouds had rotation but no reported touch down. Since the first of June this is our second rainfall, the other one was June 27, we had 2/10". Our yard is so dry and brown I haven't mowed since the first week in June. I have been watering the garden 3 nights a week for 3-4 hours and it still wasn't producing as it should be. I am just thankful for what we did get out of the garden. I got enough peas for 4 meals and have canned 8 qt. of green beans. I dug my red potatoes and got almost a bushel. I planted 5# so that wasn't to bad. My tomato plants are loaded so I hope they will do well. I have been saving tomato juice as I was almost out.
We have VBS this week and I am teaching grade 6. I have 7 in my class and they have plenty of energy. Rochelle is going for the first time and loves it but is tired from going away every night.
I have been busy getting ready for the upcoming Bender reunion the first weekend in August. I am hoping to see most of the uncles, aunts and cousins that I haven't seen in years.
Well I should start getting some work done to keep ticking jobs off of my list. I want to trty to get everything cleaned today then tomorrow I can go and do some much needed grocery shopping. It has been 3 weeks since I went so my list is rather lengthy.

Ok I am still around. The last two weeks have been very busy. My father-in-law is home but has a long recovery ahead of him yet. They discovered on Mon after his surgery that he has congestive heart failure so he is on water pills to help with that. This past Sat he had a light stroke which has affected his right side. I was there several times this week and it has affected his speech some but you can still visit with him.
Otherwise we are doing well and staying busy. We have quite a bit lined up to do this next week so stay tuned for updates. Today I need to get a few groceries and then I need to sew as fast as I can. I have not sewed for two weeks and in turn, no paycheck!
The big news is last. My sister Rachel is getting married in Dec. so just in case we thought we were bored this summer, that gives us something to think about.

What a difference a day can make! They moved my father-in-law out of ICU and he is doing very well. He is allowed clear liquids and is wanting a lot of them. I could hardly believe how well he looked when I got to the hospital at noon. They put him in his room around 2:30 which was great. The girls were not allowed in ICU and they thought it was not fair that the nurse wouldn't let them in to see grandpa. Once he was moved they both made a beeline for his room to see him. I think that really brightened his day. Continue to pray for healing as the danger of infection is not totally past yet.
It has been very hot and dry. I have been watering garden and flower beds almost every day for a week. We need some rain badly as some corn in the fields is starting to curl. I don't mind the watering but the yard is totally brown and I don't water the yard. I hear something calling me, OH it is my bed. Better go check it out.

The Lord is the Master healer!! We went through some very emotional times this morning with my father-in-law. He was scheduled for gallbladder surgey at 8:00. When we got to the hospital his blood pressure was very high again so they gave him some meds to try to lower it. They did not take hold so they decided to take the risk that it was high from infection. The surgery was supposed to last 1 hour but lasted nearly 2 because of complications. When they made the first incision, it began to discharge pus, a sign of serious infection. They had to put a tube into the incision to keep it draining, it will need to be in for several days. They also have him in ICU for at least one day. We are hoping he can come home by Monday. We are so thankful that he is still with us. The doctor said if it had been much longer his gallbladder could have burst from all the inflamation and infection and that would have poisoned him. Keep praying for him and us as a family that we can be strong and stay healthy as well. It is very emotionally and physically draining not knowing for sure what to expect next. There is also a risk of infection for trying to clean out all the infection and such. I trust God will heal him so we can bring him home soon.

What a difference a day can make. The last few weeks have been so busy I have to take time to breathe. I have been very busy sewing for several upcoming shows. The girls have really enjoyed being able to play outside and get lots of fresh air and dirt by evening. Last Friday, Maria (2) stuck a piece of colored pencil up her nose. It was the twist up kind so it was approx. 1/4" across and about 1/2" long. We tried for a while to get it out and finally took her to a freinds house to get it out. Our tweezer that we were using did not have the grips on them so it just slipped off. Our friend works in the doctor's office and has a scissors they use to tie stitches. It took 2 of us to hold her down to safely extract the color. She really fought but as soon as it was out she was very happy and singing shortly thereafter. On Sat evening they took my father-in-law (80) to the ER with lots of pain. They did a bunch of tests and decided to remove his gall bladder which seemed to be te problem. He was scheduled for Mon morn but cancelled since he had infection on his bronical and was coughing a lot. We are going to see the doctor tomorrow then hopefully they can still do his surgery this week. It has caused a lot of not knowing for us as a family. Pray that we can be patient in this and grow closer. It has really been hard on my mother-in -law since this is the first time in 58 years of marriage that they have faced something of this sort. I need to go along to bed so I can function tomorrow. I want to clean the flower beds before I have to take my father-in-law to the doctor. I am trying to make the best of each oppertunity to spend time with my in-laws. They are wonderful and I love them dearly. Mom is 85 so it doesn't always go the best for them to do things or they need or want to do. Keep praying for us as we deal with each situation.

Good morning to all of you! We had some rain overnight, not a lot but enough to settle the dust. It has been so busy the last few weeks I thought I should take a day off. Actually I am trying to clean up the house so it looks close to presentable for anyone to enter. I got 2 of the kitchen counters cleared and it looks a lot better. I want to finish the kitchen then hit the sewing room with a bang.I want to do some rearranging in the sewing room but it needs to be cleaned up first. I have the card table well, loaded with stuff to be put away. I have a smaller table that I wasnt to put where we had the fax machine and then not use the card table. I also want to get the tank filled for the grill so we can grill this weekend if we want. I have some meat here to grill but no gas to do it with. We are going away for supper tonight so I am making vegtable pizza to take along. Tomorrow I will be working at the Farmer's Market since Rachel is going to PA for the weekend. I really enjoy it even if it is a long day. I try to be up by 2:30 so I can shower, pick up the van and Ben by 3:30. Then we have to load thebaked goods on the van and be in South Bend by 5:00. It takes close to an hour to get to South Bend. The market then closes at 3 so it is often 4:30 or so until we get back to the bakery. It is fun to do something like that for a change but I would not want to do it every week with children. I usually try to find a sitter so LaVern can do his errands easier. Well, if I want to get my list done I need to keep moving on.

What A beautiful day!! It was warm, 90 degrees and humidity around 85% most of the day but a nice breeze. I had a HUGE laundry day so I hung most of it out to dry.I dried 1 out of 7 loads in the dryer, mostly socks , underware and the girls shirts and pjs. By the time I had the 3rd load hung out the first was done already. It only took a little over an hour for hubby's jeans to be completely dry. That is almost as fast as the dryer and everything smells so good and fresh. It was nice because when I took a load out I could bring some in and put it away and get the beds fixed again.
I also got the garden hoed before it got real warm. It wasn't weedy yet but want to stay ahead of it so the weeds don't get a chance to get the rule. Everything is up now and looks good so far. I am so hungry for those first goodies out of the garden.
I did some sewing and got 6 skorts sewed for myself. I really needed them as some of mine from last summer where pretty thin in some spots. I went to a fabric store that was having closeout sale and got around 30 yards of various materials for .25- .50 a yard. I decided I can easily store it for a year if I need to for that price. I usually like to have 6-8 skorts for the summer as I don't wear skirts a lot in the summer for outdoors work and play. I also got some of the material for dresses for the girls. I am trying to sew more of our clothes as I find often if you can get fabric on sale you can make it cheaper than buying it. It all depends what you are looking for and if you have a preference of style and brand name clothes. I don't mind gettting brand name clothes but hardly ever will I pay more than $2 for a clothes item with the exception of clearance racks. I will buy new things if they are marked low enough, usually must be $4 or under. I feel I can justify paying a little more for new then I can for used. I do however buy new shoes and sandles for myself and the girls. I feel good footwear is important for them as well. I often watch at Payless for sales. I have paid as little as $6 a pair of brand new shoes.
Well the clock keeps on ticking and my eyes are getting heavy so I know where I must go.

I understand more fully the saying, It either hurts or doesn't work. I really feel that way by the end of this absolutely crazy week. On Monday I spent almost 7 hours mowing yards and planted 3 flats of flowers for Grandma. On Tues. & Wed. I had garage sale so that was those days. I got rid of a lot of things and made about $200. A lot of things were priced $.50 to $1.00 so it didn't add up very fast. I sold 1 item for $50 and a stroller for $20, the next highest priced item was $3.00. I hauled the rest of the stuff off to Goodwill and CAM yet that evening. On Thurs. Rachel and I went to Fort Wayne for her to get her eyes checked and new glasses. We left at 8 and came home around 4 don't remember the exact time. Thur evening Rochelle had preschool graduation, it was so cute with 17 children, 4&5 yr olds singing and doing motions to several songs. I was glad we were able to be there to see it. OnFri I made a run to Aldi and WalMart to get some much needed groceries. Today I spent mostly outside. I actually folded 4 loads of laundry, washed all the dishes and cooked 10# of potatoes for our neighbor all before dinner. I got up at 8:45 so I thought I did real well. I also had the neighbors 3 yr old daughter Esther here from 10:30 - 3. Rochelle and Esther had so much fun playing I didn't find out much from either one of them. Maria was with LaVern so that helped a lot. After dinner I tilled the garden, hoed 3 flower beds, mulched one flower bed and planted 3 flats of flowers. This year I want to plant all white and purple instead of all colors. I also sprayed weeds in the lane and around the swingset this early evening before I went to LaGrange at 5:45. When I got home I made biscuits and sausage gravy and fried potatoes for supper. We didn't eat until 7:30 so right after supper was bathtime for my dirty little girls. They don't care how dirty they are during the day but after supper they enjoy the bath and pajama time before bed time. I am glad tommorow is Sunday, I feel like we all need the rest. We are planning to go on a picnic for lunch so that will be fun. I can barely stay awake so I best head for the bed.

Wow!! What a day! I got a lot more done then I thought I would. By 1:00 I had: washed the van, 3 loads of laundry, ordered our Angel Food box swept out the garage and carried all of the garage sale items out to the garage. The girls slept till 9 which was a huge help. I also washed out some flower pots to get ready to fill them next week. I decided instead of buying hanging baskets I will use the ones from last year and fill them myself. I can do 4 of them for what I paid for 1 last year. I so am enjoying finding places where I can save money and have the same result in the end.
By 5:00 I had everything out for the garage sale and only a few things not priced yet. I put away all the laundry and straightened the house. The worst part was the kitchen which was very sad. I had stacks of dishes, clean ones that is. I have a bad habit of emptying the dishwasher and stacking the dishes instead of putting them away right away. I am pleased with all I got done bet I am also very tired. Need to get some sleep.

I love the Lord with all that is within me, Bless His Holy Name. The Lord is so good to us and yet we are undeserving of His love. This week was very hectic but a lot of things were accomplished. I still have a lot to do tomorrow. A few of the items on my list are, order Angel Food Box, laundry, clean the house or at least straighten it, wash the van and finish sorting through boxes of items for garage sale next week. I have a lot of things to put on the garage sale and have not started pricing yet. I am having garage sale on Tues. and Wed. When I started going through my cupboards and closets I found a lot of things that we either don't need or simply can do without. I hope to get enough money to pay off part if not all of the bill at the garage where I had my van fixed. In order to pay all of it I need about $1000. I doubt I will have enough but would be nice to have at least $500. I have several items for $50 - $100 so I am praying that those items can sell. If you think about in the next few days, pray that God could send buyers for these items and also for the smaller items. I believe God can do great things. I have learned through some of our financial struggles that God really can answer our prayers and provide in ways we thought nearly impossible. I have learned to say no to that yummy donut or snack when I am paying for my gas. I am also trying to teach our daughters, mostly the 4 yr old for now, that sometimes we have to do without some things that we would like because we don't have the money. Sometimes if she asks for something she first asks if we have enough money, then can we get it? I hope this will help her later in life how to spend her money wisely. I also know that she learns a lot from watching my husband & I in our spending habits. There are times I will get her a little treat but she also knows not to cry or fuss if she doesn't get one. I am very proud of how she has grown up in this area in the last few months.
For now I think it would be best if I would get some sleep so I can get my things done. I will try too find the time to check in tomorrow and let you know how my list is going.

This week has been so busy it is almost driving me to the nuthouse. On Monday I mowed my Grandparents and my parents yard. When I got home I decided to do ours as well. By the end of the day I had been bouncing on a riding mower for about 7 hours. It may sound easy but it still takes effort to have a nice yard. The down side is that I got really sunburned. The temps were mid 70s but a nice breeze so it did not feel that warm.
On Tues I did 6 loads of laundry and odd jobs around the house. I even cooked a real meal for supper, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, creamed peas and of course ice cream for dessert.
Today I planted all of the garden but the plants. I got sprinkled on with threats of rain but was determined to get it done. I also quilted for nearly 2 hours. The poor quilt has been in frame since the 1st part of March and still is not done. My loving husband keeps asking me if I am planning to have it done by Thanksgiving. It is my turn to have my family for Thanksgiving this year. I really expect it to be done by then!
My eyes want to close so I should lay my head on my pillow.

Oh my, I feel like an old lady tonight! We were in Shipshewana today for Mayfest and I did a lot of walking and standing. We had a really good time though, watching the parade, a puppet show,and some old games like tug of war and sack races. We came home around 1:00 because it was really cool outside. It was cloudy, breezy and 60 so it felt chilly.
I have been busy with the usual laundry, dishes, meals and all the other things that keep a mom busy. Next week is quite busy as well. I am having garage sale on the 15 & 16 so I should start getting things ready.
My mind is spinning, yet feels empty. Maybe some sleep would be the remedy.

I was tagged by MaryAnn to do this fun little "game".

Rules: Each player writes 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about these 7 things and include these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and include their names. Don't forget to leave them a comment to let them know they have been tagged and to read your blog.

1. I love to sew and quilt and do a lot of sewing for others in the family. I also sew dog clothes for extra income.

2. I always go to the bathroom as soon as I get up in the morning, out of habit and nescesity.

3. I love to be outside in the summertime, gardening and flower beds, not usually laying out.

4. My weirdest foods during both pregnacies was dill pickles, Take 5 candy bar and marshmallow swirl ice cream.

5. One day I brought home a 1/2 gal of marshmallow swirl and ate all but about 2 cups of it. No wonder my youngest loves chocolate ice cream.

6. I despise when people do not use their turn signals when driving.

7. I am very much a people person, hardly ever meet someone that stays a stanger for long.

I tag Fannie and 6 others who have not done this.

It's a happy day and I thank my God for the weather. It's a happy day and things are gonna get better. This little chorus was going through my mind while I was sitting on the side of the road, waiting for a tow truck. I was on the way to Goshen when I noticed my minivan was losing power. I decided to turn around and try to make it home. I never got turned around when the van stopped. I was able to get completely off the road. I called my husband and we decided to get it towed in to (and by) our mechanic. Now the neat thing was I 15 miles from the shop and within 45 min of pulling off the road the van was loaded and ready to head for the shop. They took the girls and I home then went to check out the van. I decided I was not going to let it get me down, no one was injured and there was no accident. The girls wanted to play outside so I mowed the lawn while they played. I tilled some of the garden and decided it was to windy to plant. I was only done mowing about 30 min when they called and said the van was done. The fuel pump, belt, and tensioner was the problem. 4 hours after it was broke down we were able to pick it up again. I was expecting to be without a vehicle for at least a few days. They were able to fix itand had all the parts on hand. I felt like God was looking out for the girls and I. I was also glad that the lawn was mowed because we got 2/10" of rain this afternoon.
Tomorrow will consist of the errands I didn't get done today plus more.

Oh how I love Jesus, because he first loved me. The exciting news for now is the new arrivals at our house! Our cat had 5 kittens today, her first litter. It was so much fun to see how excited the girls were! They take a lot of pleasure in the simple things in life. I think I need to take some lessons from them. Maria wanted to hold them and didn't understand why we wouldn't let them. I almost pity the poor kittens when the girls can play with them.
It was a gorgeous day today with lots of sunshine. A great day for playing outside in the sandbox.
Continue to pray for the families who have lost loved ones. Three funerals (one is father & son together) are tomorrow and one is on Tuesday. Only God can give them the needed strength to go through the next days, weeks and years.
I have a lot of work to do tomorrow so I need to run along.

For I know the purpose I have for each of you in life. We have had a reminder of how true that is. Yesterday there was a terrible accident on the Toll Road that left 8 people dead, 2 treated & released and 1 in critical condition. 5 of the deceased were Amish from this area. The driver of the pickup which the Amish were in is in the hospital, but chances for survival seem good as of this afternoon. It was a chain reaction crash, very sad days in this community. If you want to read more about it, www.goshennews.com is a good place to get more info. It has sent my mind in a whirl, realizing each day is a gift from God. Every moment spent with my husband, each minute with my daughters, truly to be treasured.
The weather has been cooler and rainy. We have had approx. 2 3/4" of rain since Tuesday night. I am hoping to get into the garden to plant tommorrow if it is dry enough. I should scoot to get some shuteye so I can face the morning with a smile.

What a busy day. We helped with a pizza drive fundraiser for LaVern's sister-in-law. We had a good time and awesome weather. Sunny, cool this morning but warmed up to mid 70's by afternoon. We got Rochelle a kite today and they had so much fun flying it. Tonight we are all sunburned a bit and very tired. Gotta get some sleep for tomorrow.

I love the Lord and His mercies are anew every day. I am so thankful that the Lord is with us not matter what we are or who we are. Today was another day of sunshine and warmer weather. I mowed Grandpa's and my parents yard. I really need to start on Grandma's flower beds in the next week or so. Maria is very fussy again today so I was glad for what I was able to get done. Tomorrow I have a busy day planned so I need to keep on the move. I want to be up and going by no later than 5 o'clock so I nned to get to bed and get some much needed sleep.Good night.

Hello and good evening. I have been trying to get caught up with some of my work. It seems the more I get done the longer the list gets. Today I straightened the kitchen, did 2 loads of laundry and some sewing. Maria has been running a fever so she has been cranky. I try to make te girls my first priority, if nothing else gets done it's really ok. I have also been looking for some ways to further reduce my grocery bill. One thing I am going to try is baking more healthy bars, cookies and muffins. My husband likes a breakfast bar or something of the sort for his break at work. I thought muffins would be a good choice. If someone has a good recipie to share I would be glad to have some. I thought most muffins would freeze well then I could get them out as we want to eat them. It is really interesting to see how many things you want but don't need. Last week I did buy a pattern for sundresses/dresses for the girls. I found some really cute remnants at WalMart and can make them cheaper then buying them. I figured that I spent about $20 for material and the pattern and should be able to get 6-8 dresses for the girls. That is only about $2-$3 per dress! I definitely will be checking out the remnants for a while for more good deals. Well, it is time for bed so I best be moving on.

Good evening. O, to have the faith of a child everyday. Last night Rochelle wanted to pray for our neighbor boy that was in the hospital with cellulitis. This afternoon when she heard he was coming home she replied, "I knew he could come home today. We prayed for God to heal him last night." He is doing much better but still has to take 1 more day of IV meds then he will get his meds by shots for 1-2 weeks.
Tonight Andy, Rachel the girls and I went to WalMart then to Ponderosa to eat. We went back to WalMart to get some groceries and pick up the pictures we had dropped off earlier. We had such a good time. Maria was running a fever then seemed better before we went. I was going to get a new battery for our thermometer as I didn't feel the old one was accurate anymore. I ended up with a new thermometer as it was almost as cheap as the battery. When I got home I realized there was 2 degrees difference. The old one showed 100.7 and the new one showed 102.7 so I was glad I got a new one. Maria is working on her 2 year molars but I don't know if that is why the fever or if it the flu bug. Well I should get to bed so I can survive the day tomorrow. Good night.

Good evening to all of you. This has been a very unusual day. I spent almost 4 hours in the hospital with our neighbor and her 3 yr. old son. He was diagnosed with cellulitous and will need to spend several days in the hospital. It has made me very thankful for the wonderful friendship I have with our Amish neighbors. Her husband was out of state at the time and we both felt comfortable in making the decisions that needed to be made. I made a very quick casserole for supper and some garlic toast out of the freezer. I have started getting a loaf of Texas style bread. I then mix butter and garlic powder and spread it on the bread. I often freeze it then put butter sides together, 4 per package then put them back in the freezer. It is very nice when you want to make it you can just pop it into the oven for 8 - 10 minutes and fresh garlic toast. Yesteday we had beautiful weather, mid 40's and sunny. Today was cloudy and about 4:30 it started to snow. We have had enough snow several times in the last 2 weeks to completely cover the ground. I am so ready for spring I just want to croak! Good night and God bless you all.

Good evening to all. I know it has been a long time since I have updated my blog. I actuaaly couldn't get logged on. I finally reset the password and was able to get onto this again. A lot has happened in the last 2 months. I have officially quit hauling Amish and have started doing some work at home. I am sewing dog clothes for a lady that will sell them in Shipshewana Flea Market and also on the internet. Her website is www.theplaidpooch.com. I have been very busy and hope it can stay that way. I hope to get into more of a schedule with daily chores that seem to be forgotten. The dishes and laundry are the worst. My girls are so much happier when we are home.
Rochelle only has 5 weeks of preschool left. We had spring break last week and she can't hardly wait to get back to school. She is a very enthusiastic learner and does learn quickly. She is really growing again and I can't hardly keep her in clothes.
Maria is also doing well and eats enough for both girls. She eats more then Rochelle most days. She is also going through a growth spurt again. She enjoys time alone with mommy when sissy is at school.
We had beautiful weather for several weeks and now it has snowed some every day since Wed. Some times it didn't stick on the ground but tonight the ground is nearly covered. I am glad I didn't decide to plant an ealy garden.
Well bedtime is here and gone so I need to get some much needed sleep so I can funtion tomorrow.

Hello again and sorry for the delay in updates. Our life has been hectic to say the least. I wasn't feeling well for a couple weeks and am still trying to get rid of this nasty cold. I seemingly just can't quite keep up with life right now. I had Rochelle in to the doc for her 4 yr. checkup today. She is doing well, 3' taller & 3 # more weight than a year ago. She is now 39" and 33# at age 4. Well, both of us are not very tall so our poor girls don't have much of a chance to be tall. Maria is also growing and is 31" and 21# at 2 yrs old. She is starting to outgrow her 12 month size of clothes so Iv'e beentrying to go through the totes of clothes to see what fits. It is nice to have them in the basement waiting to be worn. I have several recipies I would like to post but midnight is near so I will need to do it another day.

Food for thought: Keep your words sweet, for someday you may have to eat your words.

Welcome to 2007! We took a surprise trip to Ohio on Dec 29th for Fannie's birthday. She suspected something but was still glad to see us. We stayed until Monday noon then headed home. We had such a good time together and the time went entirely to fast. The children all played together very well. Rochelle was wanting to go back to Ohio before we ever got into Indiana. Since then the girls were both sick and then today I also started with a fever. I am feeling better tonight but not totally energetic yet. I still have laundry to do and a few dishes but I feel like I need a bed instead of trying to work. See you all around.