Linda's Life

Moving Right Along....

2011-02-10T23:13:00.003-06:00

We have finally started the process that eight years ago we knew would one day come. Back then, in our almost-married stage, we had no idea when it would come. What would be involved. How long it would take. But now, it has started. We are starting our move into The Farm House.

Almost 60 years ago, my in-laws moved here as newly weds. Over time, with hard work, good planning, and many abundant blessings from God, Dad Carter and his family built up a great farm that led to a solid, local business. I'm not sure exactly how many acres are planted between the farm and the north property, but we grow alfalfa hay, produce from asparagus to zucchini, raise hormone-free beef cows, and recently started with chickens, too. It is alot of work, but it's satisfying work.

Tony and I currently live about 1/4 mile from the farm, not that far, but still a good distance when it comes to having to get up and feed the furnace at the farm at night, check and move irrigation, etc. With our upcoming move, it will be much easier for Tony...and for all of us.

I am so thankful to my in-laws for the work they put into the farm house. I can't imagine how hard it must be emotionally at times for them to be moving out...even though they are moving to a new house less than 1/8 mile away, they are moving out of the house that they raised their family in, all seven children. But I am also thankful they are ready to move into their new house, especially since it will be so much easier for Tony to take care of the farm.

The majority of things are out of the farm house. There are still some things Mama doesn't know what to do with, move them to the new house, sell them at a yard sale, pass on to one of her children. So for now, much is being stored in an out building until warmer weather comes.

I've started cleaning the farm house this week. Time takes it's toll. It's an old farm house, so there are nooks and crannies where over the years mice have found their way in and left evidence of their presence. I'm wiping down everything, vacuuming carpets (and will be shampooing them), disinfecting, sweeping, dusting, and the kids are having a blast clearing out the cobwebs. Swifter and Watkins cleaners are my friends; my dust mask and disposable gloves are part of my attire. I'm making note of what needs Tony's attention...some nails to be pounded in, nooks and crannies to be filled in, what needs to be repainted, repaired, light fixtures he'll have to get down to be cleaned. I'm finding little cubby holes, seeing treasures from over the years, and letting my imagination go to what fun Tony and his siblings must have had growing up where our children will now grow up.

Luke and Susanna are delighted with what will be their new rooms. Susi has some unrealistic ideas for how she wants her room to be (perils from watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition! -- no, honey, those are NOT the kind of rooms most kids have!).

So far, I've done a pretty thorough cleaning of the kids' new play room, except for the floor. Years ago, it used to be their Daddy's bedroom downstairs. I've also done everything except shampoo the carpets in their new bedrooms. Saturday, I hope to start and finish cleaning what will be their school area and possibly my office area...then it's on to the kitchen/dining area, the family room, the bathrooms, and our "new" bedroom before finishing off the rest of the basement.

We're looking forward to the move....and if you have some free time the next few weeks and are bored, stop by to help clean!

Life Is Short

2011-01-19T21:10:00.003-06:00

It has been just over a week now that I received a phone call no one wants to get. My beautiful young cousin, newly married just shy of six months earlier, became a widow. Her husband was in a car accident with two other young men (one of the men, the driver, was also killed; the rear-seat passenger had head and facial trauma). We had just met Kevin literally a couple weeks earlier at our family Christmas get-together. Although I didn't get much of a chance to talk with him, he was such an awesome young man. Kevin looked like a tough guy, tats on his arms, big muscles, and in some ways he probably was a tough guy....but what I saw of him and what I've heard about him was his friendliness, his helpfulness, his gentleness, and the way he related to people of all ages. He was not only family, he was a close friend to so many of my cousins.

Not all the details of the accident have been released, but snow and ice were not factors, nor were alcohol or drugs. It was a one-car accident that happened around midnight and wasn't seen or reported for another eight hours. And no one was wearing a seat belt...although since the engine was pushed into the front seat upon impact with a tree, I don't think seat belts would have saved the lives of Kevin and Nathan in this instance.

I am thankful these young men knew Christ and gave their lives to Him, sold out to God. They are with Jesus now and I doubt they'd want to leave heaven to return to their loved ones...but for those loved ones still left waiting here on earth, emotions are running deep.

Please pray for Julie, my cousin; her father Julius who was also very close to both young men; for Nathan's three young children; and for the extended families and friends who lost someone too early in life. And please...remind your loved ones AND yourself to buckle up as well as drive safely and defensively. Regardless of your age, you are NOT indestructible. Life is short, don't make it shorter.

What a Vacation!

2010-12-24T19:49:00.002-06:00

It has been three years since we've visited my family in Ohio for Christmas, so we checked into plane tickets in August, they were reasonably affordable, and our trip was planned!

We decided last week that it would be better to drive down to the Cities (where we were flying out, four hours away) the day before and stay over night, not worrying about potential bad weather (we ARE in Minnesota!)...plus, by staying at a hotel and paying just a bit extra to leave our car there, we actually saved a good amount on parking. It was a good thing we did. We had a winter storm roll in on our way to the Cities on Monday, delaying our arrival by a good 90 minutes. Then, the next morning, I had a notification voice mail on my cell phone reminding me about our flight departure....almost two hours before it originally was supposed to leave! Turns out, they'd rescheduled our flight, but I wasn't observant enough when looking at the email reminder to notice it. We got to the airport in plenty of time, I showed security my new fancy card that indicated I was the recipient of a joint replacement so that there would be no problems getting thru. Ha! I was still thoroughly patted down....and was informed I will be every time I go thru airport security from now on. Yay.

From there, we went to our gate and waited. And waited. And waited. Our flight finally boarded, and by the time we taxied off, it was just about the original time we were supposed to leave. We arrived at Milwaukee with a few hours to spare between flights; however, we were there for about 30 minutes when I got another voice mail notification that our flight was cancelled. Not rescheduled. Cancelled. Nothing further. I high tailed it to the nearest airline employee and asked what was going on and how we were going to get to Akron, Ohio, that day. They had no clue our flight was cancelled yet! They got on the phone, talked with a supervisor, and told me that our flight WAS cancelled, that they were going to put us on another east-bound flight, and that they'd make a stop in Akron to drop off those passengers. However, the flight wouldn't be leaving until after it was supposed to arrive in Ohio originally. Oh, we would get compensation in the form of a free airline ticket for each of us, yay! No problems, the flight boarded on time and pulled away from the gate...and taxied, and taxied, and taxied. We were then informed that because the winds had changed, they had to move all the de-icing equipment from the other side of the airport, and until it got there and our plane was de-iced, they were shutting down the circulating air inside the plane....it would be about 10 minutes. Well, it was longer, probably about 30 minutes. Not really that bad. Luke kept occupied by playing tic-tac-toe and other games with the young man sitting beside him while Susi was busy drawing, and across the aisle, Tony and I talked and snuggled. Then we were off!

About ten minutes into our 54 minute flight, Luke started complaining that his head hurt. He soon started hitting it with his head, then putting his head down on his tray. Having dealt with some probable migraines before, I suggested to Tony that he trade places with Susi to make sure Luke was okay (my leg would have been uncomfortable in that seat...plus I had a feeling it was leading to something I don't like to deal with.....). I suggested again to Tony that he grab a barf bag and keep it handy, explaining to Luke what to do, if it was needed. Just a few minutes later, barf bag in hand, Luke showed how bad his aim really is. ALL over the place, well, at least on him, the seat, the tray, and the floor in front of him (bulk head row). Tony got things cleaned up as much as possible, while I wiped him down in the bathroom, just in time for us to land in Akron. I grabbed an extra bag as we were leaving, and after our luggage came off, Luke got changed before we piled into my parents' van. He promptly made use of the new bag several times before dozing off on our hour-long trip to my parents'. Once more when we got in the house....and the poor kid was wiped out.

The next morning, Luke was almost as good as new, but my tummy was a bit upset....and Tony was really wiped out. By the evening, Luke and I were feeling better, but Tony had slept most of the day. We were supposed to all drive to PA the following day to share a meal with my youngest brother, but Tony felt it best that our family just stay back, rest, and recuperate. He slept almost the entire day, while Susanna started with a deep cough.

Today, Christmas Eve, everyone seems relatively back to normal. Luke, however, is understandably nervous about flying back to Minnesota then the long drive back from the Cities. He doesn't want to stay in Ohio, though, especially without Daddy and Mama, so he'll be making the trip back with us come Monday morning. I did call my doctor and got a prescription for him for Zofran, a great anti-nausea medicine that he's used before. We don't know if it was from the travel (there are times that even driving home five miles from town he asks me to pull over because he feels "travel sick") or if it was a bug (there is something going around at home affecting the tummy without a fever) or if it was something we ate (Tony thought the chips and salsa we snacked on in Milwaukee tasted a bit off, and Susi is the only one who didn't eat any...and the only one who didn't have queasiness).

Needless to say, our plans for our trip changed some...but we've still been enjoying ourselves. It's been very low-keyed and has involved lots of time with "the cousins" -- my brother, his wife, and their nine children -- as well as my parents...and at times just us. Our plans tomorrow include caroling at a local nursing home...and not much beyond that. Sunday after services, we're headed to my uncle's home in Akron for a big get together, before headed back to my brother's for the night...then the airport Monday morning.

Please pray that our flights are on time, are uneventful, and that all tummies, heads, and everything else have no problems. Please also pray that Luke is courageous during this time as he really is nervous....

Merry Christmas, everyone! Thru this all, we've also kept the focus where it should be...on that tiny Baby born so long ago to bring hope eternal to a lost and dying world. Happy birthday, Jesus!

Wow! It's Been Awhile!

2010-12-05T22:06:00.002-06:00

Okay, so I've not been keeping up with my blog. I've got countless excuses, but I won't go into them...except to tell you I've been trying to do alot of catching up now that I'm moving around easier!

I still have therapy three times a week....insurance will pay as long as I am showing improvement, and I'm definitely noticing improvement! I use a stationary bike as well as this leg press machine then another weight machine where I pull weights with my new knee. No big amount of weight, only about 16 pounds, but it's amazing how even that small amount wears me out! My knee really is healing well, and I am so thankful for that. When I'm on it for long periods of time, it starts swelling, but that's still normal....and can happen for at least a year, although most swelling should stop within then next month or so. I still get stiff towards the end of the day and first thing in the morning before I get moving, but that's lessening, too. I still wear out pretty fast, too, but again, the doctor and therapist keep telling me not to expect to be near normal for at least a year.

In other news...we had our third annual Christmas Showcase this past Saturday. Fourteen different home-based party-type vendors participated with lots of goodies -- everything from make up to jewelery, chocolate to alfredo sauce, cleaning clothes and supplements, essential oils and cookware, and of course, Watkins! Our local Kinship Chapter also had a bake sale. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate that well and left the roads pretty snowy in the morning...roads were just getting easier to drive mid afternoon when we were shutting down. Sales were still good, though. So mark your calendars for next year -- the first Saturday in December, St. Peter's Parish here in Park Rapids!

Tony continues to stay busy. He still has baby leaf lettuce growing in one of the green houses! And tomatoes are still producing, just as beautiful as they were this summer! He's also been doing some machinery repair as well as general repairs around the house and farm along with winterizing everything. We hope to start moving into the farm house shortly after the new year perhaps.

And Luke and Susanna -- growing like weeds! Susi is wearing a 6x most of the time, and even those are sometimes small on her. She's getting to be a tall girl. Luke wears about a 6 or 7...or whatever he wants to wear! He's got a flat backside, so he sometimes has problems keeping his pants or jeans up, especially when he runs around, silly boy! We continue to home school, and I'm thankful they are quick learners as this fall has not been on a regular schedule for home schooling. Now that I'm functioning better, we'll be going full force after the holidays are over. We do participate in our local home school co-op, and I love watching what they learn. They'll sit down with paints and combine colors to make other colors, talking about hues and tints and primary and secondary colors. They talk about textures and shading and all kinds of things that, as a non "artsy" person, I never fully grasped (or cared about). They'll talk quite a bit about drama and inflection and pantomime and all of that kind of stuff. Then the science stuff kicks in....last week, Luke looked at Susanna and said "My hypothesis is that Daddy kisses Mama on the lips all the time." Quick as a wink, Susi came back with "That CAN'T be your hypothesis because here is no way you can prove that happens all the time!" Okay.....Then there was the whole conversation about Peter and the Wolf and the different instruments and who they represented from the musical drama.

Luke is reading books by himself now and loves to sit and just read Peanuts cartoons. He'll read Susanna's AWANA book to her and work with her on her verses for the week. He's starting to add multiple numbers now and is slowly figuring out how to tell time...the one thing he's realized he isn't good at. And Susanna was thrilled to have read her first book all by herself last week! We've really struggled trying to remember the different letters in the alphabet and the sounds they make....until I started her on Hooked on Phonics. Wow, did she really take off then! And while she still doesn't remember all of the sounds without prompting, she'll sit down with her alphabet "cheat sheet" to remember what sounds each letter makes, then read thru the included books. She still insists she never wants to grow up, though.

We're also working on our Christmas program for this year, Dr. Newheart's Christmas Cure. The kids are doing wonderful, and we're looking forward to performing Sunday, December 19, during our second morning service. There are 44 kids this year! And at least 1/3 of them are first graders! This is also the last year our family is involved with the tiny Nativity, as Susanna is in kindergarten. She was thrilled to get the part of Mary, until she realized she has EIGHT lines to learn!

Well, that's what's going on around here...what's up with you?

Another Update

2010-10-27T12:22:00.002-05:00

Just about a month ago, I had my knee replacement. It's hard to believe...I never realized just how painful pain could be. I never realized how much one surgery could totally drain one's energy. I never realized how much I took walking for granted.

Over the past couple weeks, my knee has been healing quite well and my physical therapist tells me I'm making great strides in my recovery. As I'm typing, I'm sitting cross legged, something he told me he's never seen a knee replacement patient do so soon after surgery, yay! Now, having my leg complely extended is another story.... I learned new words, or at least different meanings for words I already knew. Some of them I don't even remember right now...thanks, meds!

Bending my knee, I can get it to at least 135* or more. Therapists consider it great if one can bend their knee to 120* within the first month. My extension went from 15* to 7* in the past week. The goal is 0*, although that doesn't often happen.

However, with the great strides that I've been making in what I'm able to accomplish, my knee still reminds me there is alot of healing ahead. If I stand on it or walk around for more than 30 minutes, the knee (actually, my leg bone and the new joint) swells up....and I'm in major pain for the next 24 hours or so. If I sit up "regular" in a chair for more than an hour, the same thing happens. It's frustrating, having to do things in little bits and spurts.

I'm also walking quite a bit without my walker (although I haven't been "released" from my doctor yet, so I'm not supposed to!)...and I'm often walking with little to no limp. But...just as often, it feels like my knee is going to buckle on me.

Those who know me know that it's hard for me to just take things easy and go slow. And I often over do it, but I am very greatful to my friends who are still occasionally bringing us meals so I don't have to clomp around and find something to fix. I'm also very thankful for my friend Diane (Hi Diane! I know you'll be reading this soon!) who still comes over once or twice a week to help catch up laundry, vacuuming, dishes, and light cleaning.

It's also been hard not going in to the market (www.redwagonfarm.net) lately, and especially on Pumpkin Party Saturdays. I miss them! But I also know that if I venture in, I won't be able to help myself with getting busy there and will regret it for days. Thanks, Barb and Andy, for taking care of things so well!

So...please keep up the prayers. And the encouragement. And phone calls. They are really appreciated. While I've made great strides, it's still a long road of recovery ahead. Oh yay.

Please also remember a friend's little girl, Cora (age 5), who messed up her leg pretty bad shortly after my surgery and is in a wheelchair right now. And the long list of others who recently also had knee/joint replacement or are soon going to.

Love ya all!

Progress

2010-10-09T19:14:00.002-05:00

Hard to believe I've been home almost a week now! Okay, since my last update, here's what's been going on:

I was scheduled to go home from the hospital Sunday afternoon and was really looking forward to it! But I woke up Sunday feeling quite muddle-headed, really out of it. The nurses actually woke me at 8:00 and I fell asleep again only to have them wake me again at 10:00. As I was in the restroom a few minutes later, I started shaking on the right side, first my hand then arm then everything on the right side...couldn't talk without stuttering...and that quickly got worse, too. The nurse got me back to bed and then doctors started coming in. I couldn't stop shaking and the stuttering just got worse where I could barely speak...but I was thinking clearly (albeit wondering what in the world was happening to me). The internal medicine doctor came and told them to get me off all the narcotics and soon after a psych intern came and started asking me all kinds of questions. I fell asleep again, it was around 1:00, and when I woke up about two hours later, the shaking was gone and the stuttering was just about gone....then the head of the psych department came. Meanwhile, they had started me on two different pain meds, Celebrex (anti-inflammatory) and Tramadol (pain). I felt NO pain (still had pain with the narcotics). After a 30-minute or so talk with the psych guy, he told me it was one of three things: medication, anxiety, or trauma. Well, DUH! I asked him if HE thought I was crazy and he told me based on our talk, he believes I'm clearly sane (so THERE!)....and seemed to lean towards the meds.

It was scary...not knowing what was going on, wondering if I was having a stroke or worse. Thankfully, it does seem like everything cleared up when the meds were changed...and honestly, the new combo works much better. So much better in fact, that I overdid it that night. Tony and the kids came to visit, and before they got there, I took what to me was a long walk, sat in the chair for 90 minutes when they were there, then had that leg thingy on that bends my knee for me -- for over an hour at a pretty high angle. No pain...but then the exhaustion hit!

After having a good morning on Monday, the doctor confirmed that I could go home finally...I'd been there for a full week! It was a rough ride home -- 90 minutes in a pretty uncomfortable position but no way to get more comfortable. What I've come to realize even more this week is that this is going to be a loooooong healing process! It was good to be home, familiar surroundings, see the kids, and settle in. Thankfully, going down stairs is easier than going up, and I'm settled downstairs for a few weeks.

One benefit (?) to the pain I had in the hospital and problems with medications is that I was authorized to have home health care, so a therapist comes in three times a week and I have three nurse visits over the first two weeks I'm home. That isn't usual, so I'm very thankful to have it.

It's been a very humbling week for me. I didn't realize just how traumatic this would be to my body physically. While I don't have alot of pain any more, each day is getting better, the simplest things wear me out beyond exhaustion. I've been in tears many times because walking to the bathroom, a very short distance, makes me so physically tired. A few days, I've had to get lunch for the kids, and being on my feet for ten short minutes makes me hurt and tired beyond belief. The kids have been fairly understanding through this, but it's hard on them, too. By Thursday, we were all ready for a break, and I thank God for my home school friend Sara who called to see what I needed. I told her I need my kids out of the house, occupied, distracted, something! So she brought her twins (right between Luke & Susanna's ages) over the next day along with lunch. The kids went crazy, and she helped my dear friend Diane who had come over to help with house keeping. And overall, the kids have been doing well, trying to help, make me feel better, things like that. My first day home, Susanna spent two hours painting my nails...with literally 15 different colors. They're quite interesting.... She also loves to rub lotion on my feet and give me "foot massages." She's my "ice" girl, getting ice packs when I need them, and Luke is my "foot boy," helping put my foot on the couch or pillow when I can't lift it. They love to get me things to drink, and when I'm on my feet getting meals for them, they'll bring the food over to me since I can't get it myself.

My poor husband. He's been trying his best to keep up with general things around the house along with everything at the farm. There are times we go several days with dishes piling up in the kitchen...I can't walk without the walker, and I can't stand/move for any length of time, so I can't get the dishes stacked or unloaded from the dish washer. With my limited movement and the walker, I can't even get into the laundry room! Luke has been complaining that he's running out of clean underwear!

When Diane came over Friday to help clean, she took one look at my kitchen and said "well, I guess I'll be starting on the dishes!" Then she turned around and said "and the laundry as well!" She got so much accomplished, and between her and Sara, the house (or at least the basement...although I'm sure upstairs is good, too!) looks so much better. That helps me relax more, because I go crazy looking at the things piling up in the kitchen and on the carpet..then get up and try to do things and end up even more worn out! I'm also thankful for my in-laws who have done some grocery shopping for us, and my dear sister-in-law who brought McDonald's for us...and got some birthday presents for the party the kids are going to. Another sister-in-law brought me Chinese food today, yum!

Yes, I now realize my limitations, and I am going to push to the point of where my therapist thinks I should...but not beyond. There is no way I want to go thru knee surgery again any time soon!

I am thankful, too, for those who have been providing meals for us. Between three suppers brought to us each week and friends every once in awhile dropping by with lunch, it has really given me relief as I don't have to worry so much about taking care of meals for my family.

On a totally different subject, I am so thankful our pumpkin parties have been doing well. Last week, we had a record turn out for a non-MEA weekend (MEA is a weekend in Minnesota where all the schools are closed for three days; it is our busiest Saturday of the year). This week was even better. I ache wanting to be at the market, helping with the pumpkin parties, talking with customers, seeing my kiddos working in the wagon ride skits (yes, both of them are in the skit this year!). I miss seeing Tony playing the banjo, launching the pumpkin propeller, and just the crowds in general. But again, I am very thankful God provided us with such excellent employees. I started crying today when I talked with Andy Thompson, thanking him for all his work. Between him, Barb Melheim, Bria Wolff, and Joy Haataja, they've been keeping up with everything at the market, especially on Saturdays. Kelly Schanelic has been doing his usual wonderful job in the concession stand. With them working, I honestly am not worried about how things are going, if things are falling behind, whatever. They've been keeping up with everything wonderfully! And Tony has a great crew in the back, too.

Sometime in the next week, I'll try to start uploading some photos that have been accumulating over the past year. I'll also try to post photos of the lovely flowers I've received from my in-laws Paul and Lori, Al and Carla, Beth, and my friends Barb and Diane. We've got quite the collection going downstairs! Susanna has informed me that any flowers I don't want, she'll gladly take for me...and when I'm tired of the balloons, she'll gladly take those, too!

Thank you all for the continued prayers. Keep 'em coming...they're valued, treasured, and needed! I'm also not able to get emails right now as our main computer with the emails are upstairs...so if you send me an email and don't hear back, you'll know why!

Where things are now....

2010-10-02T14:04:00.003-05:00

So Tuesday Tony, the kids, and I showed up at Sanford South (formerly MerrittCare) in Fargo so I could have knee replacement surgery. Pain had been pretty bad for quite awhile, leaving it close to impossible for me to walk at times. Surgery went well, and the nurses said that for ones, Dr. Nelsen did a very straight (but long!) cut. I was pretty out of it for most of Tuesday, but then the femoral block they did to numb the leg wore off about 3 a.m.....oh, the agony! I used to think I knew what a 10 was on the pain scale. Believe me, I had no clue! They gave me morphine and a few other things that helped some, and I did a bit of PT Wednesday morning, but then they gave me a second femoral block....and couldn't get the pain under control for the rest of the day. I had some major problems going on for almost all of Wednesday and most of Thursday, but they finally found the right combo of meds for me -- oxy cotin and percoset....but it knocks me out! I did find out though how effective it is....when I woke up at 3:00 am today to use the restroom -- no one wanted to wake me up to give me pain meds (she's sleeping peacefully!), so I had nothing in my system when I got up, OUCH!!!!! It took quite a bit of time to get the pain under control again!

Today, however, has been better. I've learned how to get into and out of the car (believe me, that won't be happening much for awhile!); walked about 100 feet (HUGE accomplishment!), did my therapy, and YAY! took a shower. All before noon. And I am exhausted.

I'm frustrated. How am I going to handle this when I get home? Just going to the bathroom takes everything out of me (haha). There are times I just cry from the pain...how are the kids going to be able to handle that? I can't even get UP to go to the bathroom by myself, because I can't lift my leg by myself. When they took out that second block, the front of my leg, from knee to ankle, went numb. They assure me that happens, and everything should be back to normal by bed time tonight. We'll see. Meanwhile, I honestly can't lift up my leg, even a fraction of an inch by myself.

People have asked about the food. It's surprisingly good. I can order whatever I want from the menu whenever I want. I had raspberry fritter french toast for breakfast this morning with crispy hashbrowns, yum! Yesterday, I had talapia with citrus butter, scalloped potatoes, and green beans....and for supper, I had toasted cheese with a tossed salad and oven-baked french fries. Earlier today, I had roast beef and gravy, some more of the really yummy scalloped potatoes and green beans. Oh, and for dessert, I alternate between lemon meringue pie, angel food cake, and rainbow sherbet (which is a delicious night time snack! I'll have to have Tony pick some up so it's waiting for me at home...). Other options available are chicken alfredo, just about any kind of sandwhich you can imagine, several kinds of soup, roast turkey, hamburgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, mandarin chicken salad, southwestern chicken salad, lasagna, stir fry, rotisserie chicken, and much more. Breakfast options include many kinds of hot and cold cereals, alot of fruit, bagels, toast, muffins, cinnamon or caramel rolls, build your own omlet, scrambled or fried eggs, eggs benedict, biscuit and gravy, and even more. So the food is actually quite delicious! But....it isn't home cooking :(

It's been kinda lonely here. We live two hours away, so I haven't expected Tony and the kids would be able to visit. My good friends Chuck and Judy stopped by, though! They surprised me on Thursday. "Brownie" on Wednesday, but I didn't get to see her as I was getting the second block put in. i've had some phone calls, although there are times i'm just not retaining what I'm hearing (sorry!). Flowers from my dear sister-in-law Lori arrived to my room about an hour after I did.

Continue to pray for me. I battle with discouragement...not knowing how in the world we'll be able to handle things at home. We're going to need ALOT of help, not just meals and light cleaning. Help with the kids, I'm going to need help with every day things that I didn't expect I'd not be able to do. I'll be house bound for awhile -- even therapy will be coming to me for awhile. Pray for me, for pain and for me to heal quickly...but pray for the kids, too, that they'll be able to deal with all the changes that will be going on, that they'll be able to handle seeing me when I'm in pain...or when I'm zonked out. Pray for Tony that he'll be able to handle things, too, on top of all the farm stuff. And...DON'T LAUGH!...pray that I can get to the bathroom when I need to without too much pain!

Thank you all for your continued prayers. Please understand when I don't process other things you tell me right now. There is so much I'm trying to take in right now, and it's difficult. I know so much other stuff is happening, but I can't focus on it right now. It is hard enough focusing on one minute from the next with this healing and therapy. I can't handle much other stuff right now.

But on that note....I do want to say BIG congratulations to Tony's dear niece, Mary Joy, and her husband Jim, on the birth of their darling daughter earlier today! Paul and Lori are officially grandparents, and my in-laws are great-grandparents!!!!!

surgery successful, lots of pain, lots of meds...waiting for therapy. eating cream of wheat. oh joy!

2010-09-29T07:24:00.001-05:00

day one - cant figure out how to type below using my phone....

2010-09-29T07:21:00.001-05:00

So What's Going on NOW?!?!?!

2010-09-27T21:04:00.002-05:00

Right now, I'm with my family in a hotel room in Fargo, about four blocks from Sanford South Hospital. Tomorrow I need to be there by 8:30 a.m. to be prepped for surgery...I'm finally getting a total knee replacement. It's hard to explain what the past few months, and especially the past couple weeks have been like. I sympathize much more with those who are in chronic pain. It is so hard to describe....I think of God's promise to us that in Heaven we will have a new body...no pain..no sorrow. And I think that's part of why many of us go thru what we do -- so we don't get used to these broken down, sinful bodies we currently have.

For about the past week, if I stood for more than 5 minutes at a time, I was in agony. And last week, I was put to the test many times. Tuesday afternoon, I discovered our refrigerator stopped refrigerating (is that a word???). With as busy as Tony has been getting everything ready for the pumpkin parties, he realized he wouldn't have time to deal with it, so we called the local appliance shop Wednesday. It only took several calls before someone came out...the next day. It was pretty much shot as were several things inside that we didn't get transferred to his parents' fridge in time. Thursday, I also cleaned about a bushel of tomatoes and stuck 'em in the freezer so I could can spaghetti sauce after I'm back up on my feet. But...being on my feet cleaning them did a number on my knees. Friday I was in such pain my only plan was baking the cookies we needed for our first pumpkin party....after a long, hot soak in the tub to soothe my knees. Instead, I made the mistake of going into the kids' room for the first time in more than a week. YIKES! Two hours later, I headed back down, anticipating that long soak. I literally crawled in...only to hear a knock on the door ten minutes later. The new fridge that Tony picked out was being delivered without the promised call from the store warning us the men were on their way out. Rushed out of the tub, pulled out the condiments and bread that was left in the old refrigerator, cleaned off the top of it and all the kids' artwork hanging all over it...and they hauled it out...and I saw the floor and wall in the open space. So I got that cleaned up just as they brought the new fridge downstairs. After they left, it took about ten minutes to get the things into the fridge...and about 30 minutes to clean up the dirt, mud, and leaves from the delivery guys (okay, you know you would've done the same....regardless of the pain you were in!). But I also knew there was no way I was physically up to baking cookies now...and it was 4:00. Made a few calls, then prayed about it, and thank God the lady who runs our church kitchen, Theresa Henderson, was available and willing to bake cookies for me last minute!

I don't think I moved much after that except to finally crawl into the tub again...but when I checked email before falling into bed (about 1:00 a.m.), there was an email from one of my employees that she wouldn't be able to work the next day because she was sick. We were already short-handed, and I'd been hoping that I'd be able to be in just a short while, make sure everything was running smoothly, show the radio broadcaster around (we had a live feed our first pumpkin party), then head home...or at least sit for the rest of the day. Not to be! But...God once again provided with an employee who called me at 8:45 a.m. and said she could work all day! But then...our guy who runs the concession stand never showed up....he forgot about it being the first pumpkin party! So we were again short-handed, and except for about 15 minutes, I was on my feet all day.

I literally couldn't get out of the van when I got home with the kids Saturday evening. I cried, slumped over the wheel, for about 15 minutes before I had enough strength to get inside and collapse. Every bit in me was in agony. Even today, more than 48 hours later, I still hurt. Thankfully, though, I had a great massage Sunday afternoon by a local massage therapist, and my chiropractor worked me over good today. Needless to say, I am really looking forward to surgery in the morning!

During all this, you can tell the kids are unsure about everything that is going on. I've explained best I can what is going to happen, but I don't think their minds can quite grasp it all. Susi especially has been very antagonistic, horrible behavior, very aggressive. Luke has been chewing on his shirts. I do have to say, as I was slumped in the van Saturday crying, Susanna couldn't stop apologizing...made me wonder what she had done that she felt she had to keep apologizing! We have been listening to alot of praise music, and that's been helping us all. And Susi continues to entertain us while singing "Today is the day, You have made! I will rejoice and be glad in it! I won't WORTHY about tomorrow...." giving me a good chuckle :) Luke continues to be quite popular at home school co-op....there are usually several kids who clamor to sit by him, and I am meeting more parents who say "so YOU'RE Luke's mom!" And I think I mentioned before about Susanna's friend Jordan whom she introduces to everyone "This is Jordan. I'm going to marry him!" Good grief. What am I in store for????

So for now I'm going to sign off...get a good night's sleep...get ready for my new titanium knee. I'll try to update as soon as possible.....I can have my cell phone and laptop after surgery, not that I'll be doing anything with them for awhile afterward! Tony and the kids will head home after I'm in my room, and God willing, I should be released to go home sometime on Friday. And before you all start sending me comments, let me assure you....I WILL be taking it easy after surgery. I'm not planning on doing much beyond therapy and whatever the doctor tells me to do when I get home. I have a friend who will be coming in a few hours each week to do basic cleaning during October -- floors, bathroom, whatever needs done. And many others have volunteered to help with that, too. Our ladies' group at church has arranged for at least three meals a week for the first three weeks...and others have told me they're going to bring things by, too. I was hoping to get a few casseroles in the freezer this afternoon, not thinking we'd need to leave until tomorrow morning, but surgery was scheduled earlier than I thought...so there's nothing extra in the freezer, but I do have lots of home-canned goodies waiting, too! I am not allowed to drive for 4-6 weeks...and I won't be. I won't be at the pumpkin parties until at least our big one, October 23...and I will not be there if I am not up to it...and won't be there for the whole thing regardless.

Call me! Stop in and visit (but don't wait for someone to answer the door...I'm not climbing the steps to let you in!). Send me some mail. Take my kids for a few hours -- they'll need to get out of the house! But most of all, please keep me and my family in your prayers during this time!

Update! What is going ON with me???? (This is for you, Chuck!)

2010-09-05T17:56:00.003-05:00

I've mentioned my good friend Chuck in the past. I love him and his wonderful wife Judy more than words can say...they're some of the sweetest people in the world. However, they are not on facebook (as many of my other dozen or so readers are), so they've not been keeping up with my quick and more frequent notifications that are easier to post on facebook! So...Chuck reminded me last week that it's been awhile (okay, two months) since I last did an update. Here goes!

Through out the years, I've had occasional problems with my knees. I remember as a scrawny, less than 100-pound teenager (wow, how things have changed!), my knee giving out on me on vacation and my brothers refusing to stand anywhere near me in photos because my legs were so bruised up. Well, my knees have finally given out. Starting in early July, actually during our county fair (which was during my last post!), my knees really started giving me problems. There were times I could barely get out of bed, let alone stand or walk much. I cannot even begin to describe the pain I've been in. I scheduled an appointment with an orthopedic specialist who took x-rays and told me his wife's knees were worse than mine, and while knee replacement would have to be done, I was pretty young to have it done...so let's get a cortisone shot, take four Motrin three times a day, and see my primary care physician to prescribe something for the stomach problems that would result. Oh, and get a custom knee brace made. That really infuriated me....yes, I'm young (well, compared to Chuck -- I LOVE YOU, CHUCK!!!), but did he even realize the pain? Did he realize that there are steps all through my house and that there is no getting around going up and down them several times a day (I mean ten steps going down from our bedroom to the dining/living/laundry/bathroom and six steps up from our bedroom to the kids' room which is sixteen steps from the dining/living/laundry/bathroom to the kids' room!)? Did he realize that I am on concrete pretty much all day when I'm at our market...which is pretty much where I am for 9 hours Monday thru Saturday from mid-May through the end of October? Did he realize that my bones not aligning and my knee cap shifting all over the place might not be as bad as his wife's, but it is a HUGE problem when my knee feels like it is going to bend...the opposite way that it is supposed to? And that I could feel my leg bones poking into my knee and my tush?

So...off to get a second opinion from an orthopedic in Fargo. Dr. Nelsen took one look at my x-rays and didn't even do movement tests on my leg...he told me he wanted to schedule me for full knee replacement as soon as possible; partial knee replacement wasn't an option, and he wants me off my feet as much as possible before then, the damage is so bad (yeah, like THAT'S going to happen...although I HAVE slowed down!). And seeing how I have NO cartilage in either knee and both legs don't have proper alignment, I will need to have both knees fully replaced. However, he is hoping that by doing the left knee right away (September 28), I can buy 2-5 more years before the right knee has to be replaced. His comment was that I am young to be having this done, but he can't begin to imagine the pain I'm going thru, that yes, I could delay surgery with cortisone and pain killers and a leg brace by MAYBE a year, but is it worth going through all that to delay for that long? NO WAY!

I have found that I tend to work through the pain and distribute it through my body without realizing it. A couple weeks ago, I finally broke completely. My entire body hurt just to breathe. I honestly wanted to die it was so bad. After sobbing for almost an hour, I called my dear friend Nicole who used to do massage...and she told me she would come over the next day and massage as needed. So, even though she had a friend visiting her from Florida, this dear lady came and did an almost two hour massage. I finally realized how long I'd been carrying the pain all over -- and have limited as much as possible what I am doing now.

My husband, God bless him abundantly!, has taken on many of the house hold chores on top of all his farming. And last Thursday he decided it's been too long since we've had cinnamon rolls at the market to sell (I've not made them since the end of July!), so he volunteered to make them for the Labor Day weekend. I'm still convinced it was partially selfish reasons since not only haven't we sold any...he's not had any to eat! I made up the dough and explained what needed to be done, and this sweet man went to work! At the end of it all, he thought maybe we should be charging more than what we are....but those rolls were GOOD!

Luke and Susanna have also been doing more things around the house. They already do so much to help out, but they're doing even more. Other than putting in the laundry detergent, they do all of the laundry -- putting things in the washer, transferring to the dryer and turning it on, and even folding and putting away the laundry. They continue to set the table and clear it off, help (sometimes) with making meals, and cleaning up. But yet, there are still things that don't get done and it bugs me...because I physically cannot do them and Tony doesn't have time to do them, and it's beyond Luke and Susi. So, if you ever stop in and visit, ignore the dirty floors that haven't been swept, vacuumed, or mopped for awhile -- I hired someone to come in last month and do them, but the daily wear and tear, especially with two little ones, a big one, a market to run, and the countless other things that need to be done, well, it isn't the cleanest place.

One of the many things I have learned through this all is an understanding of why some people are so difficult to be around when they're in pain. It is so easy to just snap and yell at people, only because the pain can be unbearable. And I've found myself doing that at times...but quickly pray that God helps me change my attitude. Because, I've learned, it IS a choice on how I'm going to deal with the pain I'm going through -- am I going to take it out on those around me? Or am I going to grit through it and realize they have no clue what I'm dealing with? And when it gets to be too bad, when I can't deal with the noise of kids or looking at the messiness of the house...I just go to my room for awhile, spend some time praying, reading, sleeping, or calming down by listening to music. I also know what I am going through is NOTHING compared to many, many other people out there....and I have no clue how they can deal with what they have to deal with. It has made me even more compassionate to what others are going through. After all, I see some of my friends -- one who has a two year old twin with a severely broken leg while she herself is pregnant...and has four others as well to take care of; one whose 10 month old baby is barely over 12 pounds and the doctors are doing countless tests to see what is wrong; others who are dealing with problems I cannot even begin to fathom, not just medical and physical but personal issues surrounding family and others. I see someone else who is close who is also young for the heart problems they are going through and the family supporting this person emotionally. And good grief...my problems are so minor!

Meanwhile, I'll update when I can...there are so many fun things going on with the kids -- like Susi who loves to sing "Today is the day, You have made! I will rejoice and be glad in it. I won't "worthy" about tomorrow, trusting in You today...." My kids continue to lighten each day for me (usually). Luke is reading and spelling and continuing his love of math. Susanna is more and more of a drama queen (good and bad!) each day. And Tony, ah, my Tony. He continues to rub Susi's feet when she plops them in his lap...and my back when I finally crawl into bed after wearing myself out enough where I can fall asleep without tossing and turning from the pain.

There are also other things going on -- I took Luke to the ER a couple weeks back with bad stomach pains. Even the doctor thought it was appendicitis and ran all kinds of tests on the poor kid. Thank God it wasn't, but she did run tests for four different tick diseases. Again, thank God they came back negative, but we still don't know why his blood count is off in many different areas and his lymph nodes are swollen (since January).

We're getting ready for pumpkin parties -- and a live feed from Q-FM for our first one on Saturday, September 25. And yes, I'll be at that one, but I'll be MIA from at least the next one and possibly/probably more beyond that. I'm learning to not only set limits on myself but to actually follow those limits!

Here's how you can help. Pray. I know that many of your prayers are what is helping me deal with what I'm going through already. Pray for the pain to be bearable, for a successful surgery, for a quick recovery (good grief...it will take a year to be fully recovered! although much less than that before getting around...but we're still talking serious time for recovery), pray that I don't push myself beyond what I should, both before and after surgery. Pray for the transitions that we'll be going through as we're also preparing to move into the farm house. I know God will provide for what we need, meals, child care, etc., through all this...He always does -- but pray that I'll not be freaking out with impatience as things get lined up for surgery. And pray that we can start our homeschooling and not get to off kilter thru this all!

And you know what? Another reason I love Chuck and Judy so much -- they've been through joint replacements, through major health obstacles, through so much...and Chuck still gave me his cell phone number with the admonition to call him whenever I need help! Oh, buddy, I appreciate you more than you know...what an awesome and genuine gesture that is....because I know you mean it! (wanna come over and scrub my kitchen and bathroom floor? I'm KIDDING!!!!)

So meanwhile, tomorrow is the annual canoe trip down the very crooked Straight River to LaMae's house...I'll be at LaMae's (unless I over do it at the market tomorrow...there are only two of us working the Market Monday and Tuesday), but I won't be canoeing. I'm gonna miss it!

I'm off for now...gotta work on payroll for our awesome employees and work on cleaning up the desk. Again, I'll update when I can, but it's hard to sit at the desk and type now. I have my laptop downstairs, but the keyboard has a mind of its own! I start typing things out and - poof! - it disappears!

If you're in the Fargo area September 28-October 1, pop in to Sanford South University Hospital (the old MeritCare on University) and tell me hi! They anticipate a 3-day hospital stay with surgery.

And there you have it......

Recent Observations Around Here...

2010-07-08T06:22:00.002-05:00

Papa and Grandma arrived Tuesday afternoon, yippee!
We still have our Christmas cards hanging up.
A certain 6-year-old lost two bottom teeth in the past month. We're hoping the front top teeth don't even become loose until AFTER sweet corn season is done!
Children dressing like twins involves not only wearing the same thing on the outside, but both of them wearing boys' white briefs. Even though one is a 6-year-old girl.
God's blessings and goodness are so good....all the time.
No matter how tired you are, snuggling a child will bring a smile to your face
The strawberries this year taste better than I've ever had before
My Christmas window cling-ons are still up
Somehow, my 6-year-old is a whizz at math. He rattles off number problems almost faster than I can figure them out (2 and 2 is 4; 4 and 4 is 8; 8 and 8 is 16, 16 and 16 is 32, 32 and 32 is 64....3 and 3 is 6; 6 and 6 is 12; 12 and 12 is 24; 24 and 24 is 48; 48 and 48 is 86 -- okay, I know that last one is wrong, but he just hasn't figured out about carrying the 1 -- and this is all 100% self-taught)
My 5-year-old is motivated to work simply by reminding her that Papa and Grandma are coming and does she REALLY want them to see her room looking the way it does???
My husband will eat anything put in front of him. Almost.
The fair is incredibly busy this year....and it only opened yesterday!
God has blessed my husband with the wonderful gift of being able to grow just about everything; the other night for supper we had: our own chicken, our own baby-greens lettuce with our own strawberries sliced in; our own asparagus; our own tomatoes with our own basil (okay, the basil is grown by me), fresh mozzerella, and olive oil. It was delicious!
There aren't enough hours in the day...but even if there were more, I'd have 'em filled with too much to do!
God is too huge for my puny mind to fathom...but He loves me and spoils me! (Have any of you seen Rob Bell's "Everything is Spiritual? Or Louie Giglio (sp?)'s "The Awesomeness of God"? WOW! Blew my mind! Gave me a totally different concept of God!)
Watching fireworks with children for the first time is a great thing....even sparklers bring great delight!
A half dollar left under the pillow leaves greater joy than a dollar.
My little girl is growing up too fast.

Birthday Winners!!!

2010-06-15T15:37:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I didn't post this on my birthday...I was busy celebrating with Tony and the kids...and recovering from the week before. All this baking of cinnamon rolls and sticky buns for the Market and farmers market is sucking all the sleep from my Thursday and Friday nights! But...Tony and the kiddos made up for it Sunday with a great birthday lunch at Khan's (Mongolian barbecue, yum!) followed by birthday "cake" (one left over 8x8 tin of rice crispies from the farmers market they put candles on) and, drum roll please....Tony cleaned up the dishes left over from all my baking the day before! What a sweetheart! I also got a gorgeous candle and a lovely compact brush...that Susanna thought would be hers because she picked it out...for MY birthday. I think not!

And today, two of my sisters-in-law, Beth and Lori, along with my niece Carrie took me to lunch at Seven Seas, the new Chinese restaurant in town. And other than the local German restaurant, that's about as ethnic as you can find for food here in Park Rapids! But there are some other great restaurants.

Oh, I'm getting off the point. But that's okay, since not too many people obviously have been reading my blog!

Here are the winners of Watkins' AWESOME new garlic pepper grinders:
Lilly -- first person to post a comment
Brownie -- June 3 winner
Amanda -- June 5 winner
Dorothy -- June 7 winner
Precious Grandma -- June 9 winner
Shannon Olson -- June 11 winner
Karen Overly Warnick -- June 13 (my birthday!) winner!

Congrats everyone! Please email me your address at linda@keepagreenhome.com to receive your prize! Of course, if you want to just stop in and see me and collect your prize that way, you're welcome to do that, too! I'll try to shoot you each an email, too!

Watkins Give Away!

2010-06-03T11:58:00.006-05:00

Okay, because I am feeling guilty for not updating my blog as often as I should.....

because I have a new URL for my Watkins website (check it out at http://www.keepagreenhome.com/ -- catchy, isn't it?)....

because I want to see if anyone is still following my poor, neglected blog...

and because I absolutely LOVE this new product...(Garlic Peppercorn Blend # 00533 Enjoy the fresh flavor of gourmet pepper with our new peppercorn grinders! These grinders have a unique design that will catch your eye and please your palette. Filled with our top-quality peppercorns, these disposable grinders are convenient and easy to use – just twist to grind. Enjoy the taste of freshly ground pepper on all your favorite foods, naturally! -- contains sea salt, peppercorns, garlic, onion, parsley, and oregano, YUM! There are also three other grinders available...look on my Watkins website under "Pantry" then "Grinders")

I am going to give away some of these brand new garlic peppercorn blend grinders from Watkins!

Here are the rules:

1. You must leave a comment on THIS blog (not just the facebook posting -- the blog link is www.lindasuecarter.blogspot.com)

2. Tell me what you would use this on. We used it steaks, baked potatoes, and asparagus...oh, wow!

3. One entry per person, please.

4. You do not have to order anything to win, BUT if you DO order something thru my Watkins website or via email (if you live locally), you'll get an extra entry for every order you place.

5. Since I will be mailing/delivering the grinder myself, it doesn't matter where you live...you can enter! However, if you want to place an order, I'm sorry...but Watkins only delivers to US and Canadian addresses as well as APOs.

I will give away a grinder to the first person who posts and one every other day (odd days, including today) until my birthday.....don't know when that is? Better get hopping! Know when it is? DON'T POST IT! (you have more than a week to enter starting......NOW!). Enter early and you'll qualify for every single drawing....winners will be picked from every entry posted thru the day I draw...

Check back in a few weeks to see a list of winners...if I have your email address, I'll contact you....otherwise, you'll have to contact me with your address.....

And seriously, folks, I don't expect there will be lots of entries, so you'll have a good chance of winning.....

Life is CRAZY!

2010-05-18T16:27:00.002-05:00

We had an early start to Spring this year, weather-wise, and it has caused my life to go on fast-forward....we opened our market early this year (www.redwagonfarm.net) because everything was growing so quickly....and had slushy snow and freezing temperatures on opening day!

I'm still trying to catch up on getting everything ordered and in for the market, even though this is our third week open. I have our summer schedule drafted out for the employees...but have yet to share it with them!

And surprise, surprise! Home school takes more time than I'd planned, too! We had a flurry of co-op year-end events -- choir performance at the year-end celebration and graduation, picnic, rushing to finish US History and Science binders, and we've still got lots on our recommended reading list!

Awana finished in the midst of all this, too, and we had the year-end awards/ice cream party that everyone enjoyed.

The weather, after that first nasty week of cold, has been beautiful, and with everything else that really needs to get done, I took a break today and planted flowers at home -- a few more irises, wallflower (yeah, there really is a flower with that name!), alyssium, Jacob's ladder, bell flowers, snap dragons, salvia, dyanthus, fuschia, and a few others whose name I can't think of right now (they're really pretty though!). Also have lots of herbs in -- a whole bunch of cilantro (since I discovered a great salsa recipe consisting of just tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and whatever hot pepper you want to put in -- whirled in the food processor...YUMMY!), rosemary, and thyme. I have basil seeded but still have to transplant it. Now I just have some shade plants for the planter outside our front door and the sunny, sandy spot along the driveway to finish up -- along with our little home garden (tomatoes, onions, and orange watermelon are waiting to be transplanted, radish, carrots, and peas seeded. That'll wait until next week :)

Still trying to find time to do our big annual update on the market's website, guess I should at least do an update on the front page, hm? It does let everyone know we're open! And...Carter's Red Wagon Farm Market is on facebook -- follow us on there! It's quicker to update that with what's available and events coming up.

I did find time to pay the bills on Saturday...but still have to stick 'em in evelopes and mail them! Oops....

And again, in the midst of all this, there were extended family things, too. My sister-in-law Lori threw a lovely combined birthday party for all her sisters-in-law in the area...since four of us have birthdays within five weeks of each other. We also sadly said goodbye to Tony's sister Rita and her family as they headed back to the Philipines.

Tomorrow Luke and I head out to the Cities for a two-day sales trip for Greenstar -- the company I represent here in Minnesota whose products we buy (ALOT) for the market -- jams and jellies (pure fruit, sugar, and pectin!), salsas, snacks, Amish-made noodles and sauces, etc. I'll be making about a dozen sales stops during those two days.

It's also graduation time! And we make a point of trying to get to open houses of current and former employees (who invite us, that is!) -- this year there are eight former employees and one current employee graduating. Wow. Time sure does fly!

I'm also trying to keep up with my Watkins business, making scattered calls when time allows in the evenings and sometimes during the day. No parties scheduled for a few weeks, just because there is no time on my schedule to do any! But sales are going well, and I'm thankful.

On the farm, Tony has been crazy busy planting -- corn, tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, and more. We've been picking and selling our own lettuce (several varieties) this year as well as asparagus. Thankfully, the frosty weather a few weeks ago didn't get any strawberry blossoms -- we should be having an early year for those, too! All of the calves have been born -- and all have survived, yippee! And if he doesn't do enough already, Tony has ventured into the chicken business with a friend. He has assured me that there are no eggs to collect (I love fresh eggs, but I don't want to go looking for them!) -- they're raising only pullets to fatten up then butcher and sell. Anyone want to put an order in for some fresh chicken now? It'll be ready in about a month or so....

I'm not even going to tell you about how horrid our house is...other than let you know I'm blogging right now rather than folding the five overflowing baskets of laundry that has been waiting to be folded for at least a week. Well, it isn't going anywhere! And the kids know where to go when they need clean clothes -- just this morning I overheard "I don't have any clean underwear!" "Luke, just go downstairs and get some from the basket." I'm a horrid mama, aren't I? It'll get folded tonight...I have to get some clothes packed for Luke and I -- and they're all in the baskets! (Plus, I have three hamperfuls of laundry to wash...and those full baskets of clean clothes need to be emptied so they can be refilled!).

I did get the kitchen floor swept last night...after Tony cut Luke's hair. Luke was happy but sad. He wants to grow his hair for Locks of Love to help the people with cancer who don't have any hair...but his hair was pretty long and is very thick...and full of tree sap from when he and Susanna tied their babysitter to the pine trees on Saturday. It's also tick season, and my boy loves crawling through bushes. Need I say more? He decided after it was cut that too much was cut off (I'll post pictures soon) -- and he wants some glued back on.

And my conscience is bugging me. I gotta go fold clothes. Or fix supper (okay, reheat left overs). Life is crazy busy...but I'm thankful for it!

Peter Pan -- Opening Night

2010-04-24T00:40:00.004-05:00

One of the "stars" of the show

Christy...a little mermaid

Mother, Wendy, Nana, Michael, and John

aaahhhhh!!!! The Crocodile!!

Wendy and some of the Lost Boys and Peter

The mermaids, Peter, and Wendy

The pirates!

The indians

Indian maidens

The show was incredible. The children did an AWESOME job! I'm eagerly awaiting tomorrow's performance ... and hope to get a better picture of MY Indian as well as Tinker Bell, who had a stupendeous performance. These kids were incredible.

If you're within driving distance, join us Saturday at 1:00 at Faith Baptist Church -- adults are $3, kids are $1, children 5 and under are free.....

Susanna's Tea Party

2010-04-23T12:42:00.002-05:00

Susanna is having a tea party and you are invited! She has created a special menu of tea as well as cookies made with chocolate chipmunks.

Please dress in princess outfits...and be prepared to eat small animals.

Look Out, Boys!

2010-04-20T08:44:00.003-05:00

At the breakfast table this morning:

Susanna, who wanted some jam on her toast, handed the jar to Luke and, with a little simpering smile, said, "Luke, you have such big, strong muscles! Would you please open this jar for me?"

Whoom! Chest puffed out. Smile wider than the Grand Canyon. Arms thrown up and fists clenched in typical strong-man pose and Luke flexed those big, strong muscles.

Again, with that simpering little smile, Susanna reached over and squeezed Luke's wrist, yes, wrist, as she gushed, "Oh, Luke, you are SO STRONG!"

Whoom! Chest thrown out even further, smile completely engulfs face. "Yes, Susanna, I AM strong! I can open this for you. EASY!"

Twisting and turning. Grimacing. Muttering, "I think I need a can opener." Mama trying to stay out of it but feeling the pain. Reaching over and loosening it as he takes a breather.

Luke finally gets it open with a smile. Susanna....."You're my HERO!"

Look out, boys. She knows how to manipulate!

Luke's Jesus Meeting

2010-04-18T23:45:00.003-05:00

For those who didn't see my facebook statuses earlier tonight, Luke called a family meeting tonight so we could talk some more about "Jesus and God stuff." He asked each of us when we asked Jesus into our life. He has also suggested a kids room where kids need to learn bible verses before they can go play. Talked Susanna into giving some of her carefully hoarded and guarded Easter candy for snacks (he gave up a lot of his, too), and he's running around saying he's a pastor kid and wants to tell everyone about Jesus every day! He got everything ready at the table -- got out chips and snacks and games (but ended up putting away the games so we could "just talk"), and had Susanna get out the rootbeer. He then gave everyone a piece of paper for notes, with "Name" written on each one and we were to write down our "real" name.

Here are some of the questions/topics/things that happened.

We started off with everyone taking a turn praying. When it was time for Luke to pray, he prayed "now I lay me down to sleep...."

He then asked each of us to recite our favorite verse and tell us why. Susanna started and said "Parents obey...I mean CHILDREN obey your parents in the Lord!" Reason? because God wants us to! Luke's verse? John 3:16 -- because Jesus was born in a manger and if you believe in Him, He'll throw you up in heaven. Susi chimed in, "but not right away, He'll wait until you die, first!" Whew! I was glad for that clarification!

Our next assignment/topic was to draw God. I told Luke I didn't know what God looks like, and Susanna smugly said that she did and was going to draw Him. When I told them that the Bible says that if we see the face of God before we go to heaven, we will die, Susi, without missing a beat, said "Well, I don't know what God looks like, but I think He has a beard!" Our new assignment was to draw something from the Bible. Luke drew Peter and John in a fishing boat and proudly pointed out the motor on the back of their boat. Susanna matter-of-factly told us that Peter was a sinner in the past even though he was God's disciple. Daddy drew Jesus calming the storm, I attempted to draw a lamb, and Susanna drew an angel with eyes all over him.

Our last topic, before painting volcanoes for tomorrow's history and science class (I'll be talking about Hawaii to our co-op class) was baptism and who has been baptized....and who wants to be baptized. Luke and Susanna have decided they want to be baptized...and Luke told us what baptism is and why we should be baptized (because Jesus died on the cross). Tony clarified things a bit for him.

Ya know, I sometimes wonder what kind of job we're doing as parents. How much is sticking with the kids. I had lots of reassurance in several of the sessions I sat in at Mache -- suggestions and advice from the "experts" are things we've been doing. There were many other things that I learned that we'll be putting to use, but tonight was just that extra reassurance....yeah, my kids are learning and retaining and wanting to tell others about God.

On the other hand....Tony found Susanna stomping around in manure at the farm today. Why, when it's so stinky? "Because I like to smoosh!"

I love my family!

Today

2010-04-15T23:37:00.006-05:00

Watkins original Gold Medal

I headed to Rochester for the annual Mache conference (MN Association of Christian Home Educators). Looking forward to attending Friday and Saturday....but I made a side trip on the way...going about 45 minutes past Rochester to Winona, home of the Watkins headquarters. I was priviledged go have a personal tour of the offices, the manufacturing plant, and the museum. Wow! It really was incredible. JR Watkins bought the land and built the original building in 1911 for what was then $3.5 million, sparing no expense. There are beautiful stained glass windows, marble all over, and they had state of the art technology all over. Watkins was one of the first companies ever to use computers, to have high end office equipment, etc. And yet, while JR spared no expense, he was also cost conscious, and the company continues to be. Last year, they upgraded the extract equipment -- what they use to bottle and label the extracts -- the line can now do 90,000 bottles each day....up from the 30,000 it used to do....on the equipment that was replaced...originally installed in 1942!

Whose Child IS This?!?!?!?!

2010-04-05T22:50:00.003-05:00

So tonight at supper, out of the blue, Susanna starts on one of her stories. We never know if they are true (like the frog in the bathroom -- TRUE!!) or imagined (I remember when I was at Disneyland and saw all the Disney Princesses...you know, when I was still in your tummy...." -- IMAGINED!! although I had been to both US Disney parks several times...before we were even married) or half and half (way too many options to choose from)....but this one, I'm still laughing!

Mama, when we were at the Blakes (cousins) on Saturday, I did something and they told me I had to take a time out on the couch, and I DID but...but....Mama, (with a look of total confusion and lack of understanding on her face), Mama, the cousins don't LIKE having their tushies peenched! And they told me I had to sit on the couch and then Aunt Rita said well we'll ask David and Uncle David said that I had to! But Mary hit me when I peenched her tushie, so she had to sit on the couch, too, but for NINE MINUTES!

I couldn't hold a straight face. Neither could Tony. And that set Luke off, too...while Susanna continued to look perplexed over why someone wouldn't want their tushie pinched (even though she hates it...but it doesn't stop us from...okay, I won't continue that sentence. You all might think she got the idea of "peenching" tushies from us or something!). I did manage to ask through my laughter and almost tears, "Um, Sus, are you going to peench any more tushies?" "Oh no, Mama!"

But I give myself credit. Before bursting into laughter, I did issue a stern warning that tushie "peenching" is ONLY for people in the same family.....

And I still don't know if this is true, imagined, or half and half. I'll have to call Rita in the morning.....

My Final Hawai'ian Sunset....

2010-04-05T13:57:00.002-05:00

It was incredible seeing these sunsets...God's creation is marvelous!

The Dolphins

2010-04-05T13:51:00.002-05:00

These are photos from the dolphin tank at the next-door Hilton...VERY cool!

Some Sights from My Last Day in Hawaii

2010-03-29T11:07:00.007-05:00

Rope Lava

2010-03-26T12:31:00.004-05:00

Carmen Mir

our group, Deb Jay, me, Keith and Karen, Annette and Adrien

Adrien and Annette

Barb and Clem Birch, gold executives

Karen Hagen

Steve, our travel agent, and Lynn Zielke from Watkins who arranged this all!

The Hagen Group, Adrien and Annette, Deb Jay, me, Karen and Keith Hagen

me!

Keith and Karen Hagen

Sunsets and Signs from Around the Island

2010-03-26T12:14:00.002-05:00

More Flowers and Foilage from Around the Island

2010-03-26T11:44:00.004-05:00

More Flowers and Foilage of Hawai'i

2010-03-26T03:47:00.004-05:00

Luau

2010-03-25T12:26:00.003-05:00

Getting ready to blow the conch and call all to luau
the dancers

It was getting dark and my camera batteries were dying when these were taken. I did take video and photos on our camcorder...I'll post more when I get home! It was INCREDIBLE! Don't have photos here of the fire dancer, but WOW! I'm kinda hesitant to show it to the kids, in case they want to try! They tell the history of not only Hawai'i and her sister islands but of the other Pacific Islands from Tahiti all the way to New Zealand.

2010-03-25T04:19:00.002-05:00

The salt water pool at my hotel...
Headed towards the beach from my hotel

The Queens' Shops. You can see the black rock that is all over the ground here

My breakfast companion (well, I was joined by taller two-legged creatures later)

My beautiful lei

Some of the Flowers of Hawai'i

2010-03-24T15:34:00.004-05:00

Some of the flowers I've seen so far...for now, just finished a relaxing breakfast with lots of visiting and meeting other Watkins associates and executives...headed to the Queens Shops to find a grass skirt for Susanna, then relax in the sun and snorkel!

2010-03-24T11:29:00.006-05:00

Yesterday was an incredible day. We left the hotel around 9:45 after a lovely breakfast...served outside with birds flitting around the whole time...they have some WONDERFUL pecan sweet rolls! Lots of fresh fruit, different Hawai'an foods, juices, etc. Keith and Karen (my gold executives at Watkins) took their three associates here along with one of the spouses, and headed out on Hawai'i's highway. Of the 13 different climates in the world, 11 of them are represented here on the big Island. We went from black, ugly lava rock to dry and arid desert with cacti to lush green where we made our first stop, Waipio Lookout. After a small but steep hike to the lookout and lots of oohs and aahs, we headed back on our way. Lots of smaller towns along the way...in a way, it reminded me of driving along Coast Highway in SoCal..brought back lots of memories along with the reminder of how much I miss it!

We were headed to Hilo for lunch but made a stop at Akaka Falls first -- another hike, well worth it, took us to see these incredible falls. God's creation is just so amazing! We were in the rainforest part and the lush vegetation, the huge ferns...it is just so hard to describe!

We then headed towards Hilo where we stopped for lunch at a great place called Cafe Pesto and some quick shopping at a few quaint little stores. (Honey, I didn't spend too much money, honest! And I got you a really cool Hawai'ian shirt!)

After that, we piled back in and went to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Wow! We spent some time at the Visitors Center then off to a lava tube, a hole in the earth created by the hot lava to flow into the ocean. It appeared dormant :) It was about 10-12' under ground. After the Lava Tube we went to see the steam vents not too far from two of the active volcanoes...steam just shooting up all over from under ground! And then it was off to see Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano. We didn't take the five mile walk to the edge of the volcano, I don't think it was open due to some of the gasses in the air..plus, we were pretty wiped, at least I was! After this amazing site, we headed back to Waikaloa and the hotel, stopping at the Queen's shops for supper at Macaroni Grill. What a wonderful day! And now, off to another incredible, albeit quieter day, followed by luau tonight!

Driving Around Hawai'i

2010-03-24T04:00:00.003-05:00

MAUNA LOA (WORLD'S BIGGEST ACTIVE VOLCANO)
STEAM VENTS

LAVA TUBE

AKAKA FALLS

WAIPIO LOOKOUT

My fingers aren't working too well right now, so I'll type out more in the morning, but here are some views we saw today....tomorrow...snorkeling and luau!

What I See Each Morning (this week)

2010-03-23T12:58:00.001-05:00

This is what I see looking from my lanai

Flying into Hawaii

2010-03-23T11:34:00.006-05:00

Here are a few pictures that probably won't thrill anyone but my kids (fair warning!)... and, well, maybe not even them!

The clouds were amazing coming in...I always am so amazed looking at clouds from above them...anyone else wonder if they are as fluffy as they look? Wonder if you would bounce on them if you jumped on them? I know, I know...I probably wouldn't even bounce after I landed on the ground trying to jump "on" them!

At last, though, we again saw the ocean...then the shoreline...which surprised me. We flew into Kona on "the Big Island" which is the drier side...it initially appears all black from the lava rocks...then you see the "graffitti" -- things people wrote on the lava using small white coral....then you see the gorgeous flowers all over. LOVELY!

We were greeted by the Watkins travel crew with beautiful leis made of plumera. And as we were waiting for the luggage to come off, like any good Watkins associate, I signed the porter up as a customer! He'd never heard of Watkins, so I whipped out a catalog I just "happened" to have on hand, and he immediately picked out several things he plans on ordering :) Working on next year's trip!

We had a welcome reception, met the few dozen others here with Watkins, and chatted for a bit. Today, I'm getting ready to head down to breakfast then off on an island tour with Keith & Karen (my upline), Deb, and Annette and her husband Adriene (I think?) -- a few more from Hagen's group. Tomorrow....luau!

THANKS WATKINS, FOR THIS GEAT TRIP!

Carter Family Get Together

2010-03-20T12:48:00.003-05:00

Sunday after church, the local and visiting Carter's went to a great new restaurant on Main here in Park Rapids, The Good Life. The Good Life opened last summer, and we're kinda partial to it -- they use our yummy fresh produce (in season)! We had a great time visiting...and got together at the farm again later that night.....

Our Evening with Ken and Gloria (and Dwight)

2010-03-20T12:39:00.004-05:00

We were privileged to have Tony's Uncle Ken and Aunt Gloria over for supper last Saturday on their visit north from Florida. They came up, courtesy of David and Rita, to visit the Blakes before Blakes return to the Philippines. Supper was mostly from our farm bounty -- great hormone-free roast beef, sweet corn, and strawberry shortcake for dessert (also, not for dessert, but not from the farm, carrots, baby onions, red potatoes, mushrooms, and home made bread along with a GREAT tossed salad!). Tony kept the music going while Susanna danced for us all as Luke conquered Uncle Ken AND Uncle Dwight (visiting from Guatemala) at Connect Four. I think Ken has a new favorite game!

The Aquarium

2010-03-19T15:47:00.006-05:00

We had a blast at the aquarium. The teacher for the kids' one hour class was GREAT! Luke was quite brave in touching a snake....and only did so once he realized several little girls were brave enough to touch the snake! We also saw a poison dart frog, LOTS of fish (of course!), and floated boats down the Great Lakes, starting with our own Lake Superior. (Mom, note where Cleveland is!) One of the things that amazed me the most was seeing frozen Lake Superior's waves! We also saw a bald eagle up close...but the kids like the play house/tree house the best!

The Edge Water Park

2010-03-17T14:12:00.006-05:00

Well, here it is...the water park pictures! In no particular order... there was a "river" to float down on inner tubes, several slides, kid-sized and adult sized. In one photo, you'll see the slides looping around the top of the park. The dark blue slide is the one that Susanna loved! Kids could ride down, on a double inner tube in front of an adult. She went down three times and would've gone more...Luke was done the first time down :) The kiddie area also had this giant bucket with a tiki face painted on it that continually filled with water. Every two minutes it would dump out...Tony figured it was about 100 gallons at a time. There are a couple photos of the water splashing out all over. There were also two orange cone buckets that continually filled with water and sporatically dumped over with no warning. Being the good mama that I am, I had Luke pose for a photo...under the cone...waiting until it dumped. Kid didn't realize what I was doing and actually fell for it twice! All in all, we had a blast!

I'll post aquarium photos next time I get a chance....

Bunk Beds

2010-03-16T12:15:00.002-05:00

While we stayed in Duluth, our room at the Edge easily could have slept eight...two bunk beds, pull out couch, king sized bed...the only problem? Luke and Susi have now decided that Daddy has to build them bunk beds!

Tomorrow...the water park pictures!

Train Museum in Duluth...

2010-03-15T10:19:00.003-05:00

all the playing at the Children's museum wore Tony out.... (seriously, though, these museums are under one roof and included in the same admission)

Duluth -- Children's Museum

2010-03-13T14:31:00.004-06:00

As the kids' were busy drawing away, Tony was much busier playing around...

Today

2010-03-11T21:08:00.008-06:00

Wow, today has been quite a day! We're at The Edge in Duluth right now, an awesome hotel with a great indoor water park. Our home school group is on a field trip to the Great Lakes Aquarium, and many of us came over a day earlier and got great group rate here.

We left mid morning, stopped at WalMart to get a new digital camera, then headed over to The Depot, a small collection of museums, including a Children's Museum and a Train Museum...much to the delight of Luke and Susi. As they were climbing into yet another 100 year old train, Susanna said "I am having SO MUCH FUN!" We then did something special for me.... at at a REAL Mexican restaurant, well, as real as you can get here in Minnesota! After a delicious early supper, we headed over to The Edge, aka The Edgewater Hotel, on the edge of Lake Superior and home to an awesome indoor water park. Time flew as we spent almost three hours going down slides, floating on tubes down a "river," went in circles in another pool, and tried shooting baskets. There were two giant slides...one the kids couldn't go on, and one they could go on with us...on double passenger tubes. Huge slide! Felt like you'd flip over inside. Luke rode with me and was more than happy when we were done. Susanna got done and, five minutes later, decided she really wanted to go again...so she did! We headed back to the room where they begged to go to bed.

Can't wait for tomorrow and our adventures at the aquarium!

Update...

2010-03-09T23:52:00.002-06:00

I will update my blog. I WILL update my blog. I will UPDATE my blog......

Eventually.

We're headed over to Duluth on Thursday for a home school co-op field trip -- staying at a hotel with a water park then going to the Aquarium on Friday. Meanwhile, Dwight (Tony's brother) arrives in the States tomorrow, followed by Tony's Uncle Ken and Aunt Gloria on Thursday. Last I heard, another of Tony's brothers, Paul, will also be here this weekend. Should be a busy few days....then next week I'll be gearing up all week for my Hawaii trip!!

Today's update....

2010-02-23T23:14:00.003-06:00

Aahhhh! It's amazing what 12 hours of sleep will do to a child, let alone two of them! From the get-go this morning, Luke and Susi were happy and cheerful, even when we sat down to do real school work, which hasn't happened very much lately. Well, Luke wasn't too cheerful about his page of penmanship, but I didn't care too much...both about him being unhappy or about him doing a really sloppy job. Hey, he's six and he's a boy. Most of the time you can read what he wrote. But today he tackled quite a bit of new learning, including dimes and counting by 5s to 100. Don't ask me why I taught him about dimes (which is a ten value) and counting by 5s (a nickle) -- but guess what! He finally figured out that a nickle equals five, not one like the penny! Yeah, he's got a brilliant teacher who has it all together. And okay, okay, I did group his nickle papers with the counting by 5s and his dime papers with counting by 10s. He continues to tackle addition and subtraction with huge grins as well as reading. Susanna was pleased to confidently tackle the letter F.

Throughout the day and into bed time, Luke continues to run a low grade fever, nothing to worry about but showing that he's still fighting something. He's pleased, though...it continues to put off being poked for another blood test. He was more like his usual self for most of the day, maybe not as active but almost all the way there.

We made two batches of cookies this afternoon, much to the delight of everyone who has tasted them. Luke did his best to hide the ginger/molasses cookies from Tony but finally shared them after I assured him in a whisper that there were more hidden in the freezer. And my kids made them almost all by themselves, with a bit of supervision. The successfully cracked the eggs (no egg shells, either!), measured the other ingredients, and blobbed the dough on the cookie sheets. Shortly after, Susanna came up to me and sweetly informed me that SHE could wash the dishes, if I'd like. WHAT???? WHO IS THIS CHILD?!?!?!? And what nefarious scheme is up her sleeves? Because this one especially NEVER volunteers to do work!

Well, I thought, sure. Why not? If she's successful at doing the dishes, it's one less thing I'll have to do...just turn over the dishes to her every day (not that I hand wash my dishes -- I'll run two or three loads in the dishwasher rather than wash 'em by hand). And you know what? She did a pretty good job at washing them! She then hid a little heart in a kitchen drawer and beamed proudly. See, yesterday at their Valentine's party, during the devotional, one of the moms handed out 3-4 paper hearts to each student and talked about serving your family in love this week, doing things without being asked, and leaving your heart behind. Wow! I think I'm gonna stock up on these paper hearts!

Luke also got two get-well cards today, and that was a huge deal for him.....he continues loving to hear about people who are praying for him. In fact, tonight a bed time, Susanna prayed that God would make Luke all healthy and strong again so he could protect her!

Carol, have you been praying?????

Thanks, all, for your continued prayers. We'll continue to keep you informed as we learn anything. Luke's throat culture did come back negative for strep, thank God! The rest of this week gets busier for us -- being at the coffee shop tomorrow afternoon followed by AWANA in the evening; Thursday I have a training seminar in the morning; Friday I'm finalizing everything for my participating in our local health and energy show on Saturday...it'll be a long day for me. Only God knows if His plans are the same as mine for the rest of this week!

Luke Update

2010-02-22T23:11:00.002-06:00

Today was a long and busy day. After several days of ER visits and doctor visits, we had a quiet, relaxing day yesterday (Sunday). Today, after checking with the clinic Friday and ER Saturday, we went to home school co-op...which was followed by a late Valentine's Day party.

The day actually started about an hour earlier than I'd hoped when I heard Susi start whispering "PSSSST! Luke, WAKE UP!" And he did. Right from the bat, though, Susanna was in a terrible mood with a terrible attitude. Nothing was going right for her, and that included a bout in the corner and a spanking from Daddy (although, ironically, that actually did help her attitude....some). She finally pouted to me "This is going to be the most horrible day EVER!" Have I mentioned how dramatic she is??? To her horror, I quickly agreed with her. "Yep, the most horrible day ever. It is awful that you have to wear those really great clothes and go to home school co-op and see all your friends then go to a valentine's party and get all kinds of goodies and cards and play games and have snacks. It's going to be HORRIBLE!" She quickly grumbled to me, "It is NOT going to be horrible! Just a little bit horrible!"

We got out the door early to get to the chiropractor who spent quite a bit of time working on Luke. She reviewed his "almost normal" blood work from the clinic on Friday and noticed something. His numbers on almost everything were almost identical to those from the ER on Tuesday....but the "normal" range given from the clinic blood work was vastly different from the normal range given on the ER blood work. Any ideas why, for those with a medical back ground??? Still some alarming areas, and one of the bad areas that was really off Tuesday was now on the opposite side of the spectrum. His temp was back up today, too, about two degrees off. When the chiropractor asked him, though, what kind of face he felt like today, he told her "smiley smiley" and told me as we left, "I feel gooder than better!" About two hours later, however, he was complaining of a headache. I asked him what kind of face he felt like and he told me "almost all smiley." Now, I knew the kid was in pain, just like I knew he was miserable at the ER when we went in and he told the doctor he was "almost all smiley." So I reworded it and asked, "Luke, what face does the PAIN feel like?" ....and he crumbled and told me "the almost crying all the time, Mama." Good grief! The kid has such a cheerful attitude even through this all that he didn't realize we were talking about how the PAIN felt! I almost started bawling in the middle of the grocery store. And after he rubbed at his head for awhile, he told me the pain was all gone and he was "smiley smiley" again.

Luke has been bringing me to tears and humbling me so much. Through all this, he keeps worrying about how Susanna feels because he doesn't play with her as much and had to postpone her birthday party. He keeps telling me "I love you so much, Mama. You're the best Mama in the world because you keep taking care of me and loving me and helping me and praying with me when I don't feel good." Very rarely is he even complaining about how he feels.... but I can tell he's still not back to normal.

By late afternoon, however, he was at his limit, overly tired, and nothing was going to be right for him. He cried because he only got to "go over" twice during Red Rover at the party. He cried because he didn't win ANYTHING at the party (out of about 100 kids, four kids won prizes for guessing games and best valentine's box). He cried when we got home because he couldn't have candy before supper (we were actually sitting down to eat at the time). He cried because I wouldn't play Connect Four with him and promised he wouldn't cry if I won. We played four games...he won two and I won two...and honestly, the two I won were by accident where I would've won wherever I put my chips...and I HADN'T intentionally set it up that way (btw, he won both his games doing the same thing...intentionally!) -- then cried again because I wouldn't play any more. He cried when I told him to brush his teeth, then cried harder because he couldn't get the lid off the toothpaste. But as soon as he settled down in the recliner, he was fine. Until I told him that tomorrow he could start sleeping in his own bed again...he's decided the recliner makes a better bed.

And...he fell asleep almost as soon as we left the room.

Tomorrow will be another quiet day. We all need it. Please pray that Luke continues to get better, that Susanna will have a joyful day, and that Tony's and my day will be productive and uneventful.

Thank God Tony is feeling better!!!

Luke Update

2010-02-21T11:59:00.000-06:00

Thanks be to God and to all of you for your prayers! Luke slept thru the night, about 12 hours, sweat quite a bit, a few patches of coughing, but not enough to wake him up....Tony and I each got about 9 hours, waking once to check on Luke. I was just about to head upstairs when Tony crawled back into bed and said he'd just checked on him. Luke's temp is within half a degree of normal, praise God! He is still a bit hoarse, but describes today as a "smiley, smiley day." (Based on the pain charts in doctors offices and the hospital) We'll be getting one last (hopefully!) blood test this week to make sure everything is back down to normal and are awaiting news on the Lymes test. The ER doctor last night said that looking at Luke it appears he's struggling with some allergies, too, although to what will be an adventure to find....he said he may also be a carrier of strep. Oh goody.

Susi is now at a friends, and we'll be having a cake when she gets home...but will have her birthday party in probably two weeks. She's been a pretty good sport during all this, with some behavior issues to direct attention her way...today has been a big help with her having a special adventure all by herself.

We'll keep you updated, but THANK YOU for praying!

Update on Luke

2010-02-20T14:38:00.003-06:00

We've had two sleep-interupted nights the past two nights. He woke up around 1:00 last night, couldn't speak (wow, unusual for him!), could barely breathe, wheezing terribly. He was quite panicked, very bad sore throat, still a "low grade" fever (100.3). Tony ran around getting the thermometer and medicine, looking up symptoms in the medical book, etc. Got Luke into some steam again, but I couldn't get him to calm down...until we started playing Connect Four. BTW, BEWARE of Luke if he ever asks you if you want to play Connect Four. He really knows his stuff! Without letting him, the little bugger beat me three of six games! By then, he wasn't wheezing as much (I'd also given him Ibuprofen to help the soreness of his throat) and was feeling a bit better, so I settled in with him in the recliner to make sure he slept okay. But then he asked me to sleep on the floor...the hard, non-padded floor. I dozed about an hour before Susanna came to join me....and I lasted about another three hours before stumbling into the comfort of my own bed. Luke was breathing fine and finally felt cool to the touch (enough so that I put my fingers under his nose to make sure he was breathing...seriously! He was.)

He has a pretty full blown case of laryngitis right now...so odd, my boy who loves to chatter non-stop, even when no one is around. Starts a coughing jag every once in awhile, but buckwheat honey has been keeping that in control.

We went first to the clinic yesterday but rescheduled for the afternoon after waiting for half an hour and still having at least four patients in front of us....and headed to his appointment with the chiropractor. She worked quite a bit on his lymph nodes in his neck which were quite swollen and tender to the touch (Luke kept muttering UFF DA! part in pain, part because it sometimes tickled...yeah, he's a Minnesotan!). She was able to get one to drain but only got the other relaxed about half way. He informed her he now felt smiley-smiley on the pain chart. She said it sounded like his lungs were congested and recommend the dr check for strep....so when we went back into the clinic, I gave her recommendation. The on-call doctor said his lungs sounded clear; he did get a strep test even before I mentioned it -- I guess strep is raging thru Park Rapids again, oh goodie, and they swabbed everyone who came in yesterday. She also ran another CBC to check if his numbers had been improving and if the white blood cell count had increased (she, his pediatrician, and the chiro were concerned that the white count was normal when the monos and lymphs are off so much...they should be elevated showing that his body is fighting off an infection.). He cried, but was pretty brave thru it all...wanted to know later why the doctor isn't listening to him and keeps insisting on poking him with needles! Poor guy....he knows he's getting another one next week, too, when his fever is back to normal. They did get enough blood to check for Lyme's, which both the dr and chiro said may easily be the culprit as Lyme's will trick the body and not increase the white blood count when there is an infection. We expect those results back in a week. I never thought I'd hope that he had Lyme's...but that's something minor that can usually be treated quite easily!

Tony is achy today and is sleeping right now...I've already had a brief snooze, and Susanna is pretty tired. I'm hoping and praying it's just because of the sleep-interupted nights we've been having.

The doctor said she doesn't think Luke is contageous...so Susanna is happy that her birthday party on Sunday currently is still on!

Please...continue with the prayers. And whenever I get a comment or note or email from someone that they are praying, I let Luke know. He is so thrilled and excited that you all are praying for him.

His prayer at bed time last night? Dear God, thank You for making me so good. Now please, God, would You heal me so good, too? I know You can do it...and I'll talk to You again when I'm feeling better. And help me to be brave next time the doctors give me a blood test, or You can just make them forget, okay? Remember, please, to make me all better. I don't like feeling like this.

And his first reaction when we got into the steam last night? Please pray for me, Mama. I need prayers. How I love that that is his first reaction! And how I continue to learn from his faith....

Please Pray for Luke

2010-02-19T00:26:00.002-06:00

On Tuesday this week, Luke had a severe headache all day as well as an elevated temperature (103.7 even WITH tylenol) -- I ended up taking him to the ER where they drew blood (NOT fun for anyone, especially a 6-year-old boy!). They also did a nose swab for flu. Praise God Influenza A & B came back negative. White and red blood cells were normal; showed he is anemic. Doc said he was fine and to treat with Tylenol and Motrin every two hours, if needed.

Went to a new chiropractor on Wednesday and took the kids with (she treats kids at no charge) -- she also looked at his lab results and said the white and red were normal, but there were two that are NOT normal and are so far off it is alarming to her -- she recommended I call his pediatrican and make sure she got the results and looked at them. I called her nurse Wed afternoon...and the dr called this morning, agreeing that there were some results that are bringing up some alarms to her. She asked me to bring Luke in for a full CBC as soon as he has a couple days without fever to see if the results are back to normal...to do a test that looks at a bunch of general things...and to run a Lyme's test. A bit worrisome, but I've actually be at peace about it all (even though both the chiro and pediatrician told me what is concerning them...but I don't want to get into that detail yet).

Seemed better today, even though he continued to run a low fever. Went to bed telling me it feels weird when he breathes a certain way...woke up about an hour ago with wheezing, croupy noises and pretty swollen glands and tonsils...no redness in the throat though or tightness in the chest or pain/trouble breathing -- elevated fever, but nothing really bad. Spent some time in the steamy bathroom and has a humidifier running right now.

Yeah, I'll be calling his dr in the morning again, but I'm calling on you all to please keep him in your prayers.

And such a tender heart....he wanted to pray while breathing in the steam...his prayer? "God, I don't want to feel like this and please help me to feel better because I don't want Susi not to have her birthday party on Sunday cuz I love her so much and please make me feel better, Susanna would be so sad and I want her to have a happy birthday party, please?" Yeah, that's when my eyes started watering.....

It may be a long night...off to pray, snooze, and listen to the monitor....

A Bit Late...

2010-02-15T23:53:00.011-06:00

Yesterday was a full day with home school co-op followed by a special trip to dinner then putting two grumpy tired kids to bed...but finally! And then, when I tried getting this to post, it just wouldn't co-operate. Wish I had time to post it earlier....

Five years ago, I was trying to get a very fussy baby to sleep...who was just way to busy wanting to see the brand new world around her! After sending me to the hospital six time with false labor, my doctor finally sent me home in the early evening of February 15, telling me to come back in the morning to be induced. The little one inside of me just couldn't make up her (although we didn't know it was a her...but it figures!) if she wanted to stay in or come out! Well, proving yet again in utero that she had a mind of her own and NO ONE would make decisions for her, I was home for a mere hour before she decided she was NOT going to wait for morning. We rushed back to the hospital -- one of three times I know that Tony exceeded the speed limit, and the only time he wasn't stopped for speeding! -- I bossed first admittance then the nurses around -- "You can admit me upstairs in my room! I'm going to the same one I just left! Call my doctor and I mean NOW! I feel this baby's head! Get that belt away from me...you are NOT strapping a monitor to my belly! No, not the on-call doctor, MY DOCTOR! Get that nurse out of my room, I do NOT like her and don't want her near me!" Oh, I was horrid..but I think (or at least I tell myself) that most women in labor are the same way!

Well, Susanna WAS kind enough to wait for my doctor (whom the nurses did call as soon as admitting finished my paper work in the room I had left an hour earlier after shoo-ing out Nurse Rachet and removing the belt and monitor from me)...but she didn't even wait for my body to be fully ready, just shot right out, again proving she was going to do her own thing (I cannot begin to count how many times I was stuck in a fetal position during pregnancy because she would be pressing on one of my nerves and I couldn't straighten up, the little bugger!).

Today, five years later, she is still head strong and doesn't want help with anything (she cries and wails and prefers just giving up on something rather than asking for or accepting help). She is still an adorable little peanut and can be one of the sweetest people in the world (case in point when today she told Uncle Tim to hold on when he was talking to her on the phone....just so she could smile sweetly at me and tell me "I love you to the moon and the sun and the stars and back! Okay, Uncle Tim, I'm back. Please come visit me. I don't remember what you look like...except that you're bald and don't have any hair!"

Seriously, as much as she frustrates me to no end sometimes...I'm glad Susanna has a strong personality. Even more so, I am so thankful she has given her life to Jesus. She has a beautiful voice and loves to sing, making up songs all day long (although today all her songs -- all her VERY LONG SONGS -- consisted of one word. Lollipop.).
I think she finally realized she is NOT getting pet for her birthday....

Seriously, she is a sweetheart. A very expressive sweetheart. And an excellent helper, too.

And Susi? I love you, too. To the sun and the moon and the stars and infinity and beyond!

Kid-isms!

2010-02-13T10:39:00.002-06:00

I've been lax in keeping up my blog...sorry about that! But here are some recent kid-isms and events from around our house or involving those who live here....

Luke: Susanna, you're the best sister I ever had! (um, Luke, she's the ONLY sister you've ever had!)

Right now, Tony and the kids are on their way to Itasca Park (home of the Mississippi headwaters) to watch the annual old-fashioned ice harvest. They're dressed warmly, loaded down with a huge thermos of hot chocolate....and will have a great time. I'll enjoy the photos later that Tony plans to take.....

Susanna: Mama, I love you to the moon and the stars and the sun and infinity and beyond! (but why won't she obey the simplest things????)

We are soon to be the proud owners of a lovely, kid-sized picnic table....courtesy of Susanna's shenanigans. At the coffee shop where my Watkins is set up right now, I noticed Susanna "innocently" sitting at one of the little picnic tables they have for sale for $100. Holding a pencil. Moving a pencil over the top. I rushed over...no pencil marks, thank God! But then I notices....shallow indented gashes across the entire top. I asked her if she did it and she looked me straight in the eye and confidently stated, "no, Mama, I did not." I still wasn't buying it (her answer, that is), but waited until supper time when I said, "Daddy, please watch Susanna's nose while I ask her a question." I then repeated my question to her, "Susanna, did you put the gashes in the picnic table at Jack Pine Java?" Her hands immediately flew to her face to cover her nose as she started to cry and immediately confessed. Sigh. It's a cool table, I often looked at it thinking how great it would be to have here for the summer...but not like this! And not when it isn't in our budget! Got on the phone and called Jodi to tell her we'd be buying the table and why. She was very gracious, but I asked her NOT to be gracious to Susi when Susi confesses and apologizes to her. Thank God that Susanna still believes her nose grows when she lies. But what in the world am I going to do when she figures out that it doesn't? That kid can lie looking anyone straight in the eyes. There are no indications that she is lying, other than hiding her nose. We've talked about sin, about consequences, about God knowing even if we don't....but it isn't sinking in...or she just doesn't care.

On the other hand, I'd love the matching full sized picnic table that goes with that kid-sized one....

And talking about Jack Pine Java; one of the booths that was set up next to us before Christmas was a hand-made jewelry booth by Mary Maxwell who has become a favorite friend amongst us. After everyone else tore down their booths (except for me), we offered to have a small table with some of Mary's jewelry to continue to sell for her (her husband's photography business is right next door). Well, Luke decided to become an entrepreneur....and started making his own bead jewelry to sell alongside hers. His is priced much less -- fifty cents a piece, although there are select people he's been telling that it costs $3, not fifty cents (for example, Mary Maxwell). He's gotten some special orders, and also asked Jodi (who runs JPJ) if she'd be interested in buying any jewelry. When Jodi asked how much it cost, Susanna quickly answered, "More than anyone wants to pay!" After the laughter, Jodi bought two necklaces....Luke is saving up to buy a pirate Lego ship.

My kids have been so busy helping lately, and usually without complaining. It helps that for Luke's Sparkie (AWANA) assignment next week, he has to complete a chart on how obedient he has been...obeying without complaining. Why can't they have the chart for a month? Good habits take a month to be set...don't they know that???? And Susanna's discipline for the picnic table fiasco is that she much do extra chores for several months to pay us back for the picnic table...and that she is not allowed to sit at the table and use it until she has paid it off...so if friends come over for supper and the children sit at the picnic table, she'll have to be at the grown ups table. Although...I think that's a punishment for more than Susanna!!!

Tonight, Tony and I are having a couples night out. We were invited by our friends Scott and Jessica for "a Valentines Bunco party with fine dining, lots of laughter, good company, scrumptious dessert, and rumpus of all kind!" Ahhh...I'm looking forward to tonight!!!

Another thing Tony and I just committed to last week is setting aside at least one waking hour a week for a date time...I read it on someone's blog, about "Project 52," setting aside time just for each other at a regular time every week. With the farm and kids, it has been very hard to do....but we now have inked out of our schedules every Saturday night from 9-10 p.m. (and longer) just to play a game, talk about non-farm/family things, snuggle, have a special treat, just alone time without outside interruption. Okay, part of that time tonight will be at couples bunco -- but we found that just spending time together last week laughing while playing Pay Day (and yes, I got trounced!) helped open up other doors to conversation this week. I'd recommend any couple making that commitment to one hour a week (or more) to have as "couple" time.

And talking about games....Luke has really been working on learning all the ins and outs of Connect Four. I seriously warn anyone to think twice if Luke asks if you'd like to play Connect Four. Tony has a very hard time beating him....he wins maybe one game in a dozen, and believe me, he is NOT letting Luke win! Names like "little bugger" have been used frequently lately... Luke is still having problems beating me, but he's learning all the strategies, how to trap others into going where HE wants them to go, and putting them in a pickle where blocking one win guarantees another win, or where they HAVE to put a piece resulting in a win for the other player. He is really tricky in his playing, and I'm not just saying that. Today, after I trounced him five out of six games, he started pouting, and I asked if he wanted me to LET him win. He smiled and said yes, so I gave him a very easy win...which he decided was pretty disappointing since I didn't even try to beat him. At least he's learning good sportsmanship!

Susanna has been working on "doing" her own hair daily...but often gets in arguments with Luke who wants to do her hair, too. His day is complete and happy if he can spend time making Susanna's hair beautiful. Put that with his favorite purple shirt...and how he enjoys playing dollies with Susanna....and thank goodness he's decided he REALLY likes girls! He, too, has been quite the helper lately.

Usually once a night, sometimes twice, I hear a thump from upstairs. Sometimes I hear some rustling, sometimes not. I've gone up many times to check if Susi's fallen out of her bed (Luke's has a small built in rail along the side), but she's always in bed, covers on, fast asleep. For some reason, I asked her last night as I was tucking her in, "Do you ever fall out of bed when you're sleeping, Susi?" And she told me that yes, sometimes she does and thumps her tushie and it hurts but she goes back to sleep. Oh, poor baby! Now I understand why she likes to keep extra pillows and blankets on the floor beside her bed!!! This morning, she told Luke, "Luke, last night when I fell out of bed, I noticed that my diaper was wet." Luke replied, "Don't you just hate dreams like that?" "It wasn't a dream, Luke. So I changed my diaper before I went back to bed." Sigh...my kids, still in diapers at night. But, they're three stories above the bathroom.... so when we eventually move to the farm, their rooms are going to be right by the bathroom, and that should help. Even waking them up at night to go potty doesn't usually help.

And I saved this for last...knowing many people won't make it this far. But this is just too funny NOT to share! For the sake of propriety (and Internet decency blockers), I'll change the names of the body parts.

Overheard this morning: Luke: Susanna, why do you think a Virginia is better than a Pennsylvania? Susanna: Because it is, Luke! Luke: But Pennsylvania's stick out straight and they're on the outside!

Hm. Case closed.

Update

2010-02-03T23:29:00.003-06:00

Well...I am finally feeling much better, thank God! The doctor gave me a z-pack and it is really kicking in, along with the prayers of so many of you...thank you! I had a triple whammy -- exhaustion, a cold that moved into a sinus infection, and the flu. However, the sinus infection is what caused pretty much all the problems. It's getting cleared up, and can I ever tell!

The kids have sinus infections now, too, although thank GOD their symptoms didn't get as bad as mine. Just phoning their doctor today and telling her what they're experiencing, she immediately phoned in prescriptions for amoxicillan.

Thank you for your prayers. The kids really have been amazing through all this. They've been helpful...and whiny...but usually sweet and kind. Tony continues to be an amazing husband and..for the first time in over a week...got a full day's work in! Of course, that involved mainly shoveling out the barn, poor thing, along with an uncooperative tractor.....

Hopefully, my posts will get more entertaining over the next few days........

Prayers Please....

2010-01-29T11:40:00.002-06:00

Shortly after I posted my last entry, Susanna got dreadfully sick and was pretty ill with tummy problems for a full day as well as aches and pains for another two days.....I was, too, but not as bad with the tummy. Then Tony woke up Monday feeling like he, too, was hit by a truck. I don't think I've ever seen him that bad...for two full days he didn't move very often from the couch. By then, I was feeling better, but I had some major head congestion going on, so bad that my tooth sockets hurt. Yesterday, I was so thankful that finally, FINALLY, it appeared we were all completely healthy again.

Appeared.

Then, around 10:00 p.m., I started feeling, as my mother-in-law describes it, ishy. I went to bed, but had to rush downstairs around 1:30 p.m....and spent most of the night pretty sick. Still so today.

Please pray for us. We're normally a very healthy family, especially considering we have two young children, but this has been a really rough winter for us.

I'm hoping and praying this is the seasonal flu...that we've got it, are done with it, and will be healthy for the rest of the time. We went thru a mild version of Swine Flu back in October/November that hit everyone....so hopefully, our immune systems have the necessary whatever it is to prevent us from getting the same thing twice.

Being sick isn't fun. Being sick when you're a mom is even worse.

I'm going back to bed.

April 16

2010-01-23T10:38:00.002-06:00

Yes, I know today isn't April 16, but it sure feels like it to me.

Before Tony and I were married, I worked at an accounting firm for almost 8 years (between two different ones). Things were always crazy busy from about mid December through Tax Day, April 15, and we'd often be working to the wee hours of the morning. It was physically and mentally draining, but we always pulled through.

Then.....the morning of April 16..... My body always knew it had gotten through the busy part and had some down time, and I'd always end up sick, usually something along the lines of a cold or sinus infection or something. I'd take off 1-3 days to recoup and rest up....then everything would be fine and dandy again.

Well, today is April 16. My body finally realized all the rushing and stress from the past several months (okay, almost a year since everything has been non-stop since our market season start last may) is over....at least for awhile. I woke up almost unable to move my head it was so congested. I am having a hard time keeping my eyes open. My arms are so tired they can hardly move. It's time to rest and recoup...as much as I can with two kiddos in the house.

Of course, I may have what Luke had....and what Susi seems to be getting since she's now complaning of her head hurting and being tired (it's hard telling with her since she "imitates" whatever else someone else is feeling...).

So, today is low keyed. Resting. Sleeping whenever I can while taking care of the kids.

April 16.

St Cloud

2010-01-22T21:11:00.011-06:00

Wow....finally back home. Anticipating a much slower pace for the next several weeks. Yay! And thank You, God!

We got home from St. Cloud a few hours ago. There is an annual MN Fruit & Vegetable Growers Conference there that we attend most years. Lots of great sessions for growers, technical things for those who do web businesses, agritourism, etc. There is also a trade show that I've been part of for the past three years for a company I represent -- Greenstar Co-op (http://www.greenstarcoop.net/) -- we get quite a few of our shelf items at our market from them -- gadgets, cook books, private label jams and jellies, pickled items, Amish-made noodles and sauces, snacks, candies, you name it. Tony had been using them for about 25 years and I took over the ordering when we got married. Turned out, the CEO/CFO is a guy whose kids I occasionally babysat in Ohio when I was growing up, who also goes to my parents' small church. Small world! Anyway, I had a Greenstar booth again, and this year, many of the "regulars" commented, "you're still around! I think I'm going to start ordering from you!" Maybe they realize we're not a fly by night company...maybe it's because of all the samples I put out.....but it was exciting because I've been "courting" some of these huge orchards and markets for three years.

This year, however, our farm and market were (was? what's the proper verbiage here? Liz????) also one of the featured growers. We had a presentation to put together -- slide show, commentary, and tri-fold with photos. I'm not a public speaker, but my hubby is even less so, so....I got to do the narration. Although I'm sure Luke is itching to take over in a couple years! He helped pass out brochures and just loved it!

I was amazed at how many of the growers I've gotten to know over the years who told me they were looking forward to seeing our presentation. That they were going to sit in for moral support (yeah, let's add even MORE people in the audience! Just what I need!). Alot of apple growers that I've gotten to know. Some of the sales people in booths around me at the trade show. Businesses who had nothing to do with the session we were speaking in (pumpkins). (there were four other sessions going on at the same time) The presentation went rather well, thank God, although I felt quite nauseous before hand (nerves? something I ate? I don't know....but I felt better after it was over....and I let loose a good belch in private....). We showed the history of how our farm started, with Tony's grandfather and father in southern Michigan before his father moved to our area. The innovations they came up with...and the innovations that Tony is still coming up with. And I opted to put a humorous twist on it, showing towards the beginning several photos of the kids on tractors, showing how we train 'em young and put 'em to work right away...and how there are many different sizes of tractors...and how we are modern farmers.

I did concentrate more than half of our presentation on our pumpkins and pumpkin parties, though, and some of the things that draw people to us. We got lots of laughs....lots of "wow!"s, and some a few good questions towards the end.

But I didn't show this photo....(who ARE those masked men????)

I had a few folks stop me in the hall afterwards and tell me how good our presentation was. I was just glad I'd had that good belch and my tummy was settled down again....and that we were soon headed home, to OUR house where we could once again relax and enjoy a quieter (????) pace.

I was also quite thankful we arrived home safely, with plenty of time for the girls who came to "play" with the kids (read "Babysit") before the icy rain started. And now...we're expecting at least 6 inches of snow before Monday with blizzard-like winds and conditions Sunday evening thru Monday morning.

It was also a bit harrowing because Luke hadn't been feeling well before we left and had been running a fever the two days before we left...and still didn't look quite good. At one point, my little boy hugged me and told me it felt like someone was stabbing him in the heart. Kinda freaked me out. Was my 6 year old having a heart attack??? But it cleared up with stretching, Watkins menthol camphor, and sitting in a very hot and steamy bathroom for about 30 minutes.

Ah.....home sweet home. We were all glad to get here, especially Susanna who informed us during the two hour drive home "I'm car sick." NO!!!!! "No, wait, I mean I'm car TIRED." Of course, she was also the one who wanted to turn around and go back to the hotel within an hour of arriving home.

For me? I'm gonna try and put in a Watkins order (sold lots of stuff, have lots of market owners wanting to sign up, yippee!)....then crawl into bed with my already-sleeping hubby.

PS -- for those of you interested in seeing our slide presentation, when we do our major update on our website in a couple months, I'm going to try to have it posted. Not sure if we can, but I'll let ya all know!

Being Real

2010-01-19T10:49:00.002-06:00

There has been so much in the news about Haiti lately...no wonder with the earthquake and all. But I've been realizing that my reaction hasn't been the whole shock thing that seems to be coming from everyone else. That bothered me, and I prayed about it, looking inside me to see why it isn't tugging at my heart strings like it is so many others. I realized that it is....but I'm just projecting it in different ways....although, realistically, I may not have let it impacted me as much as others. Why? Aren't we called on to have compassion? To help others? To reach to those in their time of need? What is going on with me???

Maybe these are excuses, I don't know. I prefer to think of them as explanations :)

Life has been extremely hectic here lately. We are getting ready to go to St. Cloud for a convention tomorrow (returning Friday) and I'm wearing several different hats, both there and in preparing for it here -- wife and mother, Red Wagon Farm market manager and presenter (we're the featured grower this year...which involves putting together a HUGE power point presentation and a photo layout), and sales person for Greenstar/Watkins with a booth that needs to be set up, have product in it with things to hand out. To top it off, Luke isn't feeling well today. We had friends over for Food, Fun, and Fellowship Sunday -- thirteen children under age 12 and eight adults. Still have our booth at the coffee shop (although I'm in there only 1 or 2 times a week). Home schooling. Laundry that multiplies by the minute. The list goes on.

I've not had much time to look at the news or news sites outside of headlines (and why wasn't there even mention, or very little mention of the 6.0 earthquake in Guatemala yesterday? I saw it briefly on MSN.com...but no story anywhere else -- that I looked for. My brother-in-law lives there.).

But also in all honesty, even if I HAD the time, I don't want to spend it seeing pictures, watching news, reading different stories about it. My heart goes out to the Haitians and others who have been forever affected by this tragedy. My prayers are continually going out, seriously...and especially for spiritual awakening and victory in an area that has had so much spiritual warfare for centuries (that's a whole other issue). But a big part, for me at least, is I don't want to see or face pictures of more tragedy.

Just a few days before I graduated high school, one of the worst tornadoes in US history went through my small town. Thankfully, we sustained very little damage, but I remember my dad and brothers and I trying to drive to the other side of our small town to find my mom who had been at the grocery store. Friends wandering the streets in shock. Homes and buildings demolished. Trees sticking out of roofs. Praise God no one in our community was killed, but the devestation was horrid. A few years before that, in fact, this week marks the anniversary (29 years? 30?), a fire destroyed our house in the middle of the night. Again, that is another full story that maybe I'll share some day. About 12 years after the tornado...which I thought didn't affect me TOO bad, I was smack dab in the middle of Hurricane Andrew when I lived in Florida. Again, God's grace is incredible and the stories I can tell you about that are amazing. Yet...seeing the results of the hurricane brought back everything from the tornado...and the fire. And I thank God the 8.4 earthquake I was in when I lived in California had very little damage (it was centered in the desert, so the sand absorbed most of the tremors...but WOW! That's not something you want to wake up to at 3:30 a.m.! Trust me....).

I don't want to see more. I don't want more images in my mind. This isn't my forever home. I know we're living in a fallen world that has horrid things happening daily...each second....because of the impact of sin. My heart aches for those who are affected by earthquakes, tornadoes, fires, hurricanes -- I've been there. Honestly. I know. My heart cries for those affected by crimes -- the worst I've dealt with was someone robbing and trashing my apartment in California and stealing everything from my car in Florida. There are those who go through worse -- murder, rape, torture. I hurt for them. I pray for them. When I can, I reach out to them.

Am I wrong with my attitude? Am I selfish? Am I trying to stay in a little bubble insulated from everything outside my small sphere? I'm worried now about Luke...his tummy and throat (he has his head inside a bowl right now...please, God, DON'T let him throw up! I can't deal with that!!!! -- see, is that selfish dwelling on that???). I pray for him....but for others, too.

Give it to me, folks. Don't hold back. You're my friends and family, those who I should be able to count on to be real and honest with me.

Kid-isms...

2010-01-14T23:57:00.004-06:00

Wow, I don't always remember to write down what my kids say as they say it...and miss the opportunity to share with the entire world (or at least the dozen or so who read my blog) what got me laughing during the day....but! Here are a few from the past few days.

Luke, immediately upon waking up on his birthday: Wow, Susanna, I'm sure glad I'm not only 4 like you are!

Susanna to Tony, as he walked in the house shortly after she received a "hand spanking" (slap on the wrist) for spraying WD-40 all over: Daddy, YOU left that spray out where I could get it and I got a discipline for spraying it all over! You should be more careful where you leave things. (and the next day, she spraying Watkins all purpose cleaner in her cereal.....)

Luke, during supper: Wow, Mama, you are the most beautifulest woman in the whole world!
Me: Even more beautiful than Vanna White? (they love watching Pat & Vanna)
Luke: No! Of course not! Wait! What does that mean?
(he then quickly assured me that I am really more beautiful than Vanna)

Susanna, trying to get in on the compliments: Mama, Vanna and you have the most beautifulest dresses in the whole world!

Susanna, seeing a double-yolked egg for the first time today: Look, Mama! It's a two-headed egg! Can I eat it?

They crack us up, kids who are growing up entirely too fast. Their imaginations go full blast right now, and it's fun just sitting back and listening to their interactions, especially when playing.

I'm looking forward to a day tomorrow of not much more than enjoying my kids (after I figure out and pay the state and federal quarterly taxes and figure out what I need to pack for our St Cloud trip next week...the rest can wait until Saturday....although I'm convinced the laundry keeps growing....)

Today

2010-01-07T10:47:00.005-06:00

Six years ago I was in alot of pain. Sent to the hospital because the baby inside me decided it wanted OUT even though there were still three weeks to go. Popped my water, the little bugger. Had to be induced. Wouldn't wish that on ANYONE. After 12 hours, they gave me drugs. Made the room spin, couldn't open my eyes without getting motion sick. At least once or twice, Tony thought I was close to dying. Pale, moaning, not able to bear it. Finally got a partial epidural....just in time to give one last push and welcome a squalling baby boy into the world. He made me a mom. Tony became a dad. And our lives have never been the same.

This not-so-little-any-more guy keeps us laughing, makes each day brighter, and constantly challenges us in good ways. He loves God whole-heartedly and always has a song to sing. He's (usually) a wonderful big brother (more on that next month!), and an excellent helper at home, on the farm, at the market, and anywhere else he is.

He loves his food -- from limes to veggies to meat to snacks and cookies -- he loves his hair and doesn't want it buzzed again (sorry, Buddy, it's gonna happen again....I guarantee it!). And for some reason, almost every picture taken of him shows him with glowing red eyes (and I don't have time to fix 'em all right now).

He lives life to the fullest...whether it's at home in the play room; at church for home-school co-op, Sunday School, or Awana; on the farm playing or helping feed the cows, plant, weed, pick, or whatever else needs done; at the market being a bear or being a kid; wherever we are.

The physical pain is gone....but the joy is here to stay.

Happy birthday, Luke. We love you more than you can ever imagine.

The Wedding....and the Kids

2009-12-19T23:43:00.003-06:00

The loveliest ladies there

Getting ready....

The anticipation grows....

Hey Miss Brittany...I like your crown! Can I have it?

Brittany, John, Luke, and Susanna

Luke took his job QUITE serious!

Note the expressions on everyone's face...
except for Tony who didn't realize his kids were passing by him!

Susanna remembered on the way OUT to put down petals!

Her day was made when a little girl came over because she wanted to

"see the princess"

Oh dear, what if I drop them???

2009-12-19T23:11:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of attending one of my dear friend's wedding. We both moved to Park Rapids about the same time and were part of many of the same church activities. Britt has been like a kid sister to me, and one of her biggest dreams has been to marry the man of her dreams and have a bunch of kids. Part of that dream finally came true! It was also an honor to have our children as part of the wedding party. Those pictures are coming up next!

Congrats, John and Brittany! May God bless your new lives together!

woo-hoo! She KISSED him!

Mr. and Mrs. John Johnson

And she's officially married!

Don't blow out the candle, John!

Cutting the cake

Before the wedding....

Brittany and her dad

The cake...yes, those are black bears on the top!

Kids Say the, well....(part 2)

2009-12-12T22:59:00.002-06:00

Today at breakfast, Susanna quite frankly told me, "Mama, would you like me to tell you how babies get in Mama tummies?" I was glad I didn't have anything in my mouth at the time...and quickly reminded myself "always ask....always ask....."

And so I did. And was greatly enlightened. And still haven't found out how she figured it out.

"Well, Mamas go to a doctor, a SPECIAL doctor, and he takes a very sharp knife (I started breathing a little easier) and cuts her tummy ALLLLLLL the way down. Then, he puts the baby inside and sews her all the way back up." (little shrug) "That's it."

Serious face. No laughing. "Wow, Susanna. That's, um, that's AMAZING!" Then Tony walked in. "Honey, tell Daddy now."

"Daddy, you wanna know how babies get into Mama tummies?" (I almost choked keeping back the laughter at the look on Tony's face!) Same story again. I asked her, "Susanna, do you ever want to have a baby?" "NO WAY!"

Whew. Although I suppose some day she's gonna have to find out it's just a little different than that!

And you should have seen the look on Cousin Clinton's face when she matter-of-factly filled HIM in on the facts of life at supper!

Kids Say the, well....

2009-12-11T23:35:00.002-06:00

I had an appointment this morning, so Tony took the kids with him to the farm for a bit. When I returned home, long enough to collect the kids and head out to Jack Pine Java for the rest of the day, Tony commented in passing "Oh yeah. Susanna had diarrhea at the farm and took a bath." What???? I grabbed an extra change of clothing to take with us...just in case.

The afternoon was uneventful. A few good sales. The highlight was, of course, when Santa arrived (he comes in from 4-6 p.m. on Fridays). My kids know he isn't "real," but they still love to sit on his lap (maybe it's the "reindeer food," maybe it's because he listens as Susanna lists off all her grievances and boo-boos, maybe it's because he's Drew & Tasha's grandpa....). Well, as I was sitting writing out post cards, waiting for some action at my Watkins booth, I hear Luke bellowing out, 'NO! DON'T TELL SANTA ABOUT YOUR DIARRHEA!!! NO, SUSANNA!"

Okay, that is the wrong thing to say to Susanna. Ever. She was off and running. "Santa, Santa! I gotta tell you something!!!"

I hung my head lower and pretended I was some childless customer sitting and enjoying a coffee or hot cocoa while writing out my Christmas cards. Trouble was, I had no coffee or hot cocoa in front of me. And everyone in the coffee shop knew those two.....children....were mine.

NO!! SUSANNA! DON'T DO IT!!!!

Be quiet, Luke! I want to tell Santa something!

NO! DON'T TELL HIM!!!!

Santa, I gotta tell you something. Today, at the farm, I had diarrhea. And grandma had to give me a bath because I had white stuff all over me. I told her I had to take a LONG bath. I really like bath time.

SUSANNA! THAT IS SO EMBARRASSING!!!!!

Ignoring your children does not make them go away. Nor does it stop them from telling private things.

Hm. Maybe I'll tell this story to her first date.

Church Today

2009-12-06T22:58:00.002-06:00

(Thanks for taking our picture, Uncle Mark!)

Things Are Happenin'!

2009-12-03T13:41:00.002-06:00

Wow, I've got soooo many photos to post, and after Christmas, I'm gonna start doing that (maybe I'll have some time before then, too)....first day of school photos, more pumpkin party photos, summer activities, Thanksgiving feast, and there might be more hiding on my camera, too!

If you're in the area, this Saturday we are having a big Christmas Showcase (and there was debate about the name...but hey, this is CHRISTMAS and if you're one of the very few people who don't recognize Christmas...oh well) at St. Peter's Parish in downtown Park Rapids. Lots of home-based businesses -- Watkins, Mary Kay, Tastefully Simple, Pampered Chef, Party Lite, Heritage Makers, Shaklee, Norwex, Cookie Lee, Tupperware, Young Living, and more -- are gonna be there. All that shopping and seeing what's new without having to go to a bunch of different parties, woo-hoo! Doors are open from 10-3. Bring a food donation for the local food shelf....and come prepared to bid on some great silent auction items to raise funds for the local Women/Children's shelter and the local Pregnancy Resource Center! Santa will be there, and photos will be taken...you can just order prints from Snyders for $0.19 - $1.50, depending on the size (how affordable is THAT?)....and David Overly, our local theater star, will be doing dramatic story-telling for kids of all ages from 10-1. I wanna have him set up close to me so I can hear his stories as I'm working my booth!

I've also been working a booth at Jack Pine Java down town -- we're having a craft/bazaar Monday thru Saturday from now until December 23...gotta stop in and see all the great stuff (and buy some, too!). And I am SOO thankful for my great team that's helping out at my Watkins booth there! We've got a great big closet behind our booth, too, so on days when I'm in there for a long period of time (or in the afternoons), the kids come and play there, we do some school work, or they dance around in the middle of the floor and entertain everyone walking by (I've been trying to tell Susi that laying on the floor in a dress with her legs pulled over her head is NOT proper entertainment....she isn't convinced.).

And things are slooooowly getting caught up at home, too. Loads of laundry are done sporatically, and my wonderful husband has been helping to fold clothes while I'm teaching the kids how to match pairs (I love this home school stuff! Make everything a learning experience!) and making them fold all the socks, hehehe! They also fight over who gets to take the clothes from the dryer, then transfer the clothes from the washer to the dryer, then put more clothes in the washer. Hm....maybe I'm not the one doing the laundry....

Amongst all this, I'm tired of seeing the originally very white walls downstairs now such a dingy color. Long story, not going into it....but we're gonna paint them. I'm hoping a cream color with some bright color thrown in for shock, I mean contrast. I might have to do that color paint sometime when Tony's gonna be gone for several hours....

I'm also tired of all the JUNK laying around downstairs. ("junk" translates into all the toys and papers that the kids, mainly Luke, are accumulating...Luke cannot bear to throw anything away, so every once in awhile after he's asleep, I raid his corner....so far he hasn't noticed). But Tony is going to build a wonderful little shelf set, and EVERYTHING is going to be stored in boxes with lids. And they can play with the contents of one box at a time (or one box each), and if they DARE start playing with another box before the other stuff is picked up, it's gone. Trust me. It's gone. I've done it before. I'll do it again.

Christmas program practice has been going wonderful. My 40 or so kiddos are amazing! I am blown away at how well they are doing for the program. PLEASE, if you live in the area, come see our program Sunday, December 20, at 10:45...but come early, if you want a seat! And (proud parent grin), Luke is playing Joseph in the tiny tot nativity! He wants everyone to have a front-row seat to see him....

We had a wedding shower for my friend Brittany this past Tuesday. It was great just sitting around gabbing with a bunch of ladies, and someone commented that we don't do it enough. So... I took the idea and ran with it! Talked with several of them, told 'em Tony would kill me (not literally, don't worry) if I took on one more responsibility, but SOMEONE needs to head up putting together a ladies' night out each month -- we can meet at church, bring games, order pizza, and just have fun catching up with each other. I finally found a patsy...I mean volunteer to head it up....my wonderful SIL Beth (love ya, dearie!). Hopefully, it'll all work out :)

Brit is getting married in a few weeks....and asked my kiddos to be in the wedding ("because they're so stinkin' cute!). Susi is the flower girl, and Luke is the ring bearer. He's taking the job quite seriously and is worried that he might lose the rings, then what is gonna happen????

The kids are doing great in home school co-op, which in itself is wonderful since I've not had alot of sit-down time with them for book learning. However, Luke can now count to 100 by himself, and he's figuring out how to write the numbers by himself, too (maybe it's the reward of a big candy bar that was motivation!). He never can remember the word "hundred" though, and usually refers to it as one zero zero!

I'm finding more fun things to do with Susi, as she is a very hands-on learner....she doesn't retain something unless she makes it with her hands....which is SO not me! We practiced writing our A B Cs up to G and she just wasn't getting it....remembering what is what....until I handed her modeling clay, THEN she took off! It's a challenge figuring out different ways to have her make things to retain the different letters, but it's also fun figuring out what will work!

Out of the clear blue the other morning, after she crawled into bed with us at 6:30 in the morning (the one morning this week that I actually didn't have to get UP at 6:30!), she sat up and said, "We haven't watched Wipeout for a long time." Um...it isn't on tv right now. Then at supper last night, she asked if "Shark Tank" is really "in this world." Okay, we really don't watch much tv with the kids, but that stuff is really floating around in her brain!

And I love how my kids have figured out some things are in this world and others aren't. It really helps them realize that alot of stuff around isn't real. Santa isn't "in this world," but he is part of Christmas decorations. Scary parts in movies (like the talking Cheetos that are about to be eaten in The Pirates That Don't Do Anything" or the Grinch taking away Christmas) aren't in this world...so it isn't too scary.

But now...my rug rats are home. And I am home (I was at Jack Pine Java this morning...the kids were at the farm)...so I'm gonna go spend some fun time with them! And maybe get out the alphabet melty-bead mold and get some fun school work in!

Drop me a line...I don't have lots of time for posts right now, but I LOVE to hear from you!

Oh yeah! And I got all the Christmas presents wrapped last night, yippee!!! Now to start my Christmas baking......next week.

A Wifely and Motherly Pride

2009-11-24T21:29:00.002-06:00

The Bible says we shouldn't be proud, but I think there are times that are exceptions. I'm not proud of myself, but I AM proud of the men in my life.

Yesterday, we had home school co-op (which I just LOVE and am so blessed that we live in an area that offers so many great classes for home schoolers....). The first week of classes, there was a little girl who made quite a positive impression on me. She is cute as a button, but not in ways that one would immediately think. She fell down in gym class (or "phy ed" as it's called here in northern Minnesota) and got all teary, so I took her to find mom and some comfort. Poor Christy, one of several children, was told to "buck up" -- Mom told me in an aside that Christy tends to be dramatic...and I can relate with our own drama queetn at home. Christy did. She bit her lip, dried her eyes, and went back and joined the other kids. Christy has great big eyes, made even bigger by the great big glasses in front of them. She is usually wearing an adorable dress with a matching hat (which she calls her "thinking cap") and is about 5 years old. Luke has taken a shine to her, but more like in a protector way. Monday at co-op in phy ed, one of the other boys took the ball away from Christy when she had it, and Luke went after him, effectively blocking him and keeping him occupied so Christy could get the ball and play with it. In classes later that afternoon, she had to make sure she sat right by Luke because "he's my friend." During History/Science, she did guess that the circumfrence of a pumpkin was three inches (it was 25) and there were probably 100,000 seeds (there were 269), but then again, Christy wasn't wearing her thinking cap yesterday. I love how Luke always talks about Christy and how he is her "protector" and no kids are gonna pick on her again when he's around!

The other reason I'm so proud right now is my husband is currently downstairs making a start-from-scratch pumpkin pie -- baked the pumpkin, working on the crust, everything. He did come up to ask where the blender was as well as the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. What a guy! And this is after he made supper (wrapped tortillas), cleaned up the entire kitchen, including emptying and reloading the dish washer, and bathed the kids before putting them to bed, too. What a guy! (Of course, I choose to think this is all because he loves me and not because I'm tapped out and fighting pure exhaustion right now...it's off to bed for me once this is posted).

I'm also proud of my sweet pea, too. We've been struggling again with lots of disobedience and attitude problems, so there aren't a whole lot of things immediately coming to mind, but I sure did appreciate her coming over to rub my shoulders and back as I was laying on the couch after supper (even if she almost knocked me off the couch a few times in her enthusiasm).

On a completely unrelated note, I've never seen the need to make a start-from-scratch pumpkin pie before, although I've made some quick ones to sell during our pumpkin parties before. I'm not a fan of pumpkin pie, personally. I make squash occasionally for my husband, even though I don't like it, but I've never thought of making him a pumpkin pie before........

It's Been Awhile....

2009-11-17T19:32:00.002-06:00

Wow, I thought I'd have more time after the market closed, but I've been....

*dealing with a daughter who had the flu (she was the worst although I think we all had some mild version)
*dealing with a son who has strep throat (and now we're all on meds)
*trying to catch up on the farm accounting
*trying to catch up on the house work (I moved the sofa today to dust and sweep behind it, ugh! Actually, we're trying to figure out where to put the Christmas tree this year!)
*avoiding -- I mean, trying to catch up on OUR accounting
*trying to get my expense and commission reports turned in to Greenstar (yay! Money!)
*trying to figure out staging for our Christmas program
*trying to keep up with email newsletters and catalog requests from Pioneer Woman (keep 'em coming!)
*slowly getting back into the home-school swing of things
*canning the rest of the apples into apple pie filling (and it's been yummy...but I still have a bushel!)
*figuring out when I can start canning chicken soup for the winter
*enjoying my husband
*enjoying my kids (usually, although under-the-weather kids are usually whiny kids)
*getting things finalized for our Christmas showcase

We also enjoyed having Tony's brother Paul and his wife Lori over for supper Saturday. Well, except when, as we were sitting down for supper, Susanna turned to Aunt Lori and said, "Aunt Lori, I have to tell you something. I pooped today." Luke then chimed in, "So did I! Right before supper! Can I have a banana now?" Please...join us for supper sometimes and some very, um, enlightening conversations!

We've also been dealing with our water going on and off. Tony is afraid the switch may be going. He did something to it, but it isn't quite fixed. How did people live before conveniences of indoor plumbing???

And then last Friday, I got a call from one of our local coffee shops. They buy Watkins extracts for their baking (which is why their goodies are so yummy!), and they are having a craft-type fair from Black Friday through December 23 and wanted to know if I'd like to have a booth there...Monday thru Saturday, during their open hours (no sense being there when they're closed!). I called a few of my team members, they all want to help out, so YAY! Ya gotta come check us out at Jack Pine Java on Main Avenue (for those of you who are local).

Next week we start our Thanksgiving crafts -- most of them are edible, so we can't do them yet. And then will start the Christmas cookie baking...ummm!!!!

It makes me laugh when people ask, "so, are you finding more time to do things now that the market is closed?"

But I am thankful that even with some mild illnesses, we haven't had anything pretty bad.

And I'm still hoping to get to MOA for Pioneer Woman's book signing this Saturday! Although Tony doesn't understand why I want to go.....ah, come on! LET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!! (I love you, honey...)

And we're still hoping to get away one night this week for a stay at a local B&B (we won it at a silent auction...but the B&B is closing its doors at the end of this month....and we can't find a babysitter! Anyone available Thursday night????).

And my kids remind me continually that they don't belong to me....they belong to GOD Who is only loaning them to us. Sure hope we're doing an okay job!

Okay, gotta go get some more stuff done....

Thanks, Pioneer Woman!!

2009-11-08T17:23:00.002-06:00

Wow, have you ever had something really good happen that you weren't expecting? Okay, I've had lots of things like that happen....like two wonderful babies being born (yeah, I literally WAS expecting babies, but I didn't know they'd be so wonderful); a handsome, kind, hard-working, God-loving man propose marriage to me (I said yes...ten months before the first wonderful baby made an appearance -- and when you get to your mid-30s, you aren't really expecting too much! But God saved the best for me!); a warm, nice, completely paid-for house (yeah, paid for!); lots of kind, thoughtful friends that amaze and bless me when I'm least expecting it....and so many more things!

But something happened yesterday that made me (again) thank God....and a dear friend I've never met. Yet.

My readers (all 3? of you...okay, more than 3 -- there's someone in Denmark reading my blog now....how did that happen? That is SO cool!) know that I really like and admire Ree Drummond -- The Pioneer Woman. (check it out at www.thepioneerwoman.com) I've linked several of her recipes and made reference to her. Love her family stories (do you think her kids are going to be super thrilled about some of the things she's written about them when they get older? That's the beauty of being a parent.... you can write what you want...and hope they still love you later!). Smile at her courtship story.

Are you still following around with all these "rabbit trails" I'm taking?

ANYWAY! With all her cooking posts, I was surprised (honestly) that she wasn't using Watkins products. Watkins quality is so superior to anything else you'll find, although some may beg to think otherwise (but they'd be wrong). Thru a series of comical events, the box was overlooked for almost two months. Then I got an email from her telling me how excited she was to try everything....that it was Christmas in July....and that she wanted to do a give-away linked to my Watkins website (www.watkinsonline.com/lindasuecarter) ON HER BLOG!!!! She wanted time to review the products to see what she thought of them first.

Seriously, folks, I was so excited I couldn't sleep that night. And that was the middle of our county fair where I was working my Watkins booth for 13 hours a day. With no breaks. I was tired. But too excited to sleep (that ever happen to you?). See, when she does give-aways (which is at least once or twice a week) she often gets over 40,000 comments and entries. Wow! Hello!

Then life got busy again -- a few different magazines did features on her. She was on a few television shows. She won best blogger in the US again for the second (maybe third?) time in a row. She started her new home-school year (and as a home school mom, I know that takes ALOT of time!). She published her first cook book. She's now on a national book tour. And each of these things got even more readers to her blog(s). But still nothing.

Until Saturday. Ree posted a new recipe. One I'm going to try simply because my husband asked me to. I won't have any though (sorry, Ree, if by some chance you stumble on my blog and read it). It's carrot-and-squash curry soup. You can find the recipe here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/11/carrot-and-squash-curry-soup/. Well, she posted it on her main blog...which immediately posted it on her Facebook page and to all her fans and friends there...and also to her new recipe blog, The Tasty Kitchen (you've GOT to check out this blog if you like cooking! http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/ -- Mark, you'd like the recipes, you really would).

And I've been getting catalog requests. Orders placed. And am sooo thankful to the generosity of Ree for linking my Watkins site to her blog.

I think she likes the spices. I hope she liked the rest!

THANKS REE!!! (yeah, I'm still excited!)

Catching Up...at last!

2009-11-06T13:06:00.002-06:00

Wow, it's been awhile! But...I've been BUSY! Okay, maybe not as busy this past week now that the market is closed, but I've not been motivated to do much but laze around this week. And having a daughter succomb to the flu kinda ruined those plans. Shoot. Oh well, gave her lots of snuggles, even more meds, even more prayers...and praise God, today's the second day with no fever or meds!

Right now, I should be doing our final payroll...but I HATE accounting! So I'm procrastinating (sorry employees!). But...tonight is our employee party, so they have to be done by then! Which reminds me, it was a year ago that my brother arrived from Vegas then rushed me to the ER an hour after he got here...I went home several days later missing a body part....which I really don't miss....

We closed the market for the season last Saturday with a tiny whimper. Weather wasn't too bad, but attendance was way down. Not a problem; God blessed us with an abundantly good year, so much so I'm still very much in awe. The Lord has been very good to us, and I pray we've been a small mirror of His love to our employees and customers.

I've done LOTS of canning this year, but no where near what I've done the past several years...not enough time! Still have to do apple pie filling and chicken soup...but I did over 50 quarts of spaghetti sauce, peaches, and green beans, not quite that much of peas (for Tony, yuck!), cherries, and salsa. Also froze lots of strawberries, raspberries, and cherries, strawberry jam, raspberry jam, and combos of strawberry/raspberry, raspberry/peach, and strawberry/raspberry/peach jam. We still have a good amount of pork left from the half pig we got earlier this year, but our beef is gone...for now. Tony is butchering again really soon. Can I wait another three weeks for a good roast beef? It's so hard..... Regardless, we're set for quite a bit of our winter food! Have some potatoes in cold storage as well. Oh, and I dried a bunch of honeycrisp apples this week, too (not that many of them are left....we've been eating them almost as fast as I've been dehydrating them!).

I've also been trying to gear up to start some serious home schooling with the kiddos...but haven't been too motivated as of yet. Maybe it goes back to that whole kid with the flu thing this week....or just needing to veg out and not do much of anything. But...we do have co-op on Mondays with LOTS of stuff the kids are learning, and Luke and I worked on writing yesterday and more on telling time today. He and Susanna are wrapped up in lots of coloring and art crafts each day. I've been telling myself it's helping them work on their fine motor skills (does that excuse fly right now?).

Tony has been busy taking things down from the Market, winterizing things at the farm, mulching strawberries, spreading manure, you name it. The weather this week has been fairly nice and unseasonably warm (okay, in the 40s), so he's been trying to get as much done as possible before the start of hunting season tomorrow morning. Supposedly, the deer population is down this year (but not according to anyone who actually lives in this area, pesky deer!), so the limit in our area is one deer for the season....and to be able to get a doe, you had to enter a lottery. Tony's name was drawn, but the first deer he gets, the season is done for him. We've been praying that he'll get a deer first thing tomorrow morning! Maybe be able to be home a bit more!

We've also spent lots of time laughing at the kids, as usual. For some reason, Luke has taken to calling Susanna 'missy' -- "okay, Missy?" "Whatcha doing, Missy?" "Want me to help you, "Missy?" You can also tell we spent a bit more time watching PBS kids this week than normal. He looked at me the other night, out of the blue, and said, "Mama, did you know that McDonald's is a proud sponsor of Sesame Street?" I started laughing and asked what that meant. "I don't know....but they are."

He continues to be a quick study in endearing himself to women and saying just the right thing. One day last week when I was feeling a bit out of it, I was sitting at the table downstairs at about 11:00 still in my pjs and glasses, hair flying out all over, hunched over my cup of tea, trying to wake up, when Luke looked at me and said, "Mama, you are so beautiful to me." "What? I'm beautiful? Looking like this????" "Yep, you are VERY beautiful to me!" "Susi, am I beautiful to you?" "Well, Mama, um, I like your shirt and you ring is VERY beautiful!" Yeah. She tells it like it is.

And like I mentioned earlier, she had the flu earlier this week for several days -- red, raw throat, aches and pains, fever, misery. I spent most of Monday just rocking her and snuggling, trying to get her to have any kind of fluids (she did eat grapes but wouldn't drink any kind of water, juice, soup, nothing...hurt too much on her throat). That night, as I was tucking her into bed, she took my face in her hands and said "Mama, you tried so hard all day to make me feel better, but I didn't. I still love you, though." Wow. Thanks, Sus!

I'm also realizing that as much as I love the time change in the fall, it is NOT enjoyable when little people are involved. Today was the first day they both slept until almost 7:00. Most of the week it was before 6:00 (okay, Susi was also up several times a few nights because of the flu). And usually, it was only one of them waking up before turning on their bedroom light around 5:30 and deliberately waking the other one up. So as I tucked them into bed last night, I reminded them "If you wake up first tomorrow and the other is still sleeping, do NOT wake them up. You stay in bed and don't talk." This is what I heard a few minutes before 7:00 today.

Luke, LUKE, LUUUUUKE! Wake up!
What, Susanna?
I had a tewible dweam about satan! Want me to tell you?
Okay. Oh wait, Susanna. Remember what Mama said last night?
What?
If you wake up and the other one is still sleeping, don't talk and don't wake them up. I'm still sleeping, so STOP TALKING!
Oh. Okay. But I just want to tell you my dweam.
Okay, you can.
We were dancing and satan was watching us from a twee!

We also had fun this week with dress up. We don't "do" Halloween, but since it is so hard to find dress-up play clothes, I usually hit the stores right after Halloween and buy costumes at deeply discounted prices. Found about 6 outfits for each of them Monday morning when I ran out quickly to get more meds for Susi. They've had so much fun being a bride, a princess, two different dancers, a gorilla, a race car driver, a clown, a fire man, Captain America, and GI Joe. It's also helped me be able to not do much of anything in my totally unmotivated state.

I mentioned a bit about our home-school co-op. One of the classes they are taking is US History and Science. In the short hour the teacher has, she also covers about 5-10 minutes of Bible, too. I'm amazed at how much she covers in such a short time. The kids have learned about the Vikings, Christopher Columbus, the Mayflower and Jamestown, the Revolutionary War, and we're now starting to learn about the 50 states (2 each week). They've also learned to do some general map reading, what direction is what way, and that's not counting all the science things that have been covered. Each week, we get about 10-20 "recommended reading" books on a list to check out of the library. I've been requesting the books, but most of them are mainly for review since I usually get them several weeks after we've studied each subject. But...the classes are sinking in, as are the books! A couple books in particular have made a big impact.

"The Courage of Sarah Noble" is a book we spent reading over several nights at bed time. It is about a young girl who goes with her father to build a new cabin. Mom and baby cannot come yet, so they go to get things ready for her. Then Dad goes back to get mom and baby while Sarah stays with a new neighbor. All along, through her fears, she remembers how her mother told her to keep her courage...and she does. This has REALLY helped with bed time fears, the darkness, and things in general. And yesterday, when I was pretending to be scared of Luke when he dressed in the gorilla outfit, Susanna looked at me and sternly said, "Where's your courage, Mama?"

"What Happened Next, Paul Revere?" is another great book. It is a little above their heads, but understandable enough for them. And I cannot believe what all I learned about Paul Revere! Did you know he was captured the night of his big ride? That he made dentures? That he had 11 children who lived and another 3 or 4 who died in infancy? That he was born on January 1? Well, at the end of each page there is a question along the lines of "And THEN what happened?" After about the third or fourth time, the kids were really into the book and started answering "We don't know! TELL US!!! WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?????" Luke now pretends that he is Paul Revere warning everyone that the Red Coats are coming...he also likes to pretend he is a Red Coat but is quick to assure me he is a GOOD Red Coat.

I've also been continuing to train my monkeys...I mean my kids....to do all my work around the house so I can sit and watch soaps and each chocolate (not really....soaps are stupid and chocolate doesn't sit well since my gall bladder was removed, sigh....). I do, however, try to get them to do quite a bit of things around the house. They honestly love emptying the trash cans and know how to knot the bags closed and put new bags in, hauling the garbage bags up to the front door for Daddy when he gets home. They also set the table, clean up their own messes before bed time (otherwise, their toys aren't there in the morning...which they've learned twice the hard way). And one of my favorites...they sort the clean laundry for me! All the clean clothes get dumped into a large pile with empty clothes baskets circling the pile. They then put Susanna's clothes in one basket, Luke's in another, socks in another, towels in another, Daddy & Mama's in another, and hanging up clothes on the couch. Since the vast majority of clothes are theirs, this GREATLY reduces what I have to fold. I've tried having them fold the towels and match the socks, but alas, to no avail. Yet. Towels are a bit too challenging still (not the folding, just the amount of them!). And neither of them like to wear the same two socks on their feet, so folding socks to them just consists of putting any two socks together. Which wouldn't bother me so much (after all, matched socks just get taken apart so they can be unmatched...or Barbie dresses...or gloves....), but when they start wearing my socks...and even Tony's, that's a bit too much!

Enough about the kids! My Watkins business is continuing to grow, too. Not just in sales for me, but with my team, too. There are now 50 people under me -- about a dozen of them are under other of my team members. And my volume has greatly shot up, too, as many of my associates are really growing their businesses. I love it! I've earned enough points for a trip to Hawaii in March and hope that Tony and I will be able to go to celebrate out seventh anniversary. My parents offered to come and stay with the kids, yippee!

I've also been getting things ready for our second annual Christmas Showcase. Last year we had ten different home-based businesses involved as well as two non-profits. This year, we have more than fifteen different groups -- Shaklee, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, Discovery Toys, Tastefully Simple, Tupperware, Young America Essential Oils, Cookie Lee, and several others as well as a MOPS bake sale and Kinship will be doing something, too. One of our local grocery stores will be displaying holiday deli and bakery platters. We have some massage therapists who will be doing 15 minute chair massages for $10. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be there for the kids, and David Overly who starred (and excelled!) in our local production of Fiddler on the Roof will be doing dramatic story-tellings of traditional Christmas favorites. We are also requesting people bring a food item for several local food shelves. It's gonna be a GRAND time...so if you live in the area, mark your calendars for Saturday, December 5, from 10-3!

And a brief update on my nephew Caleb...he and his family are in Washington DC right now at the first National Bible Bee. Caleb did an awesome job yesterday for semi-finals, but not quite enough to make it to today's finals. Ron told me what all was required, and WOW! I am sooo impressed with all those kids and especially Caleb! Thanks for all your prayers and support.

And if this wasn't enough to keep me busy, I still have to catch up with the farm accounting (and ours!). Which reminds me...gotta do pay roll! But we've also been asked to be the featured growers at our Minnesota Fruit & Vegetable convention in January. So I'll be working on that, too......

Keep in touch, and I'll try to post more often! Wash your hands, cover your coughs and sneezes, stay healthy...

Do You Know Why I'm Crying?? (part 2)

2009-10-21T23:11:00.003-05:00

So tonight, as she was whining and crying because she wasn't getting her way (she didn't want to go to bed...and she was GOING to go to bed!), Susi pulled her usual "But do you KNOW why I'm crying???"

"Yes, Susanna. Because Jesus died and you miss Him."

"No! Because, wait, I mean yes! But also because I forget what He looks like........waaaahhhhhh!"

You Want To Know Why I'm Crying???

2009-10-20T08:25:00.005-05:00

Oh, we've been battling a few more self-control (or rather, lack of) problems lately with a certain little girl. Things have been going VERY well...but lately, well....I'll blame it on the changing of the seasons.

Regardless, the attitude comes out, the yelling and screaming and crying. First step is to firmly let her know that it is NOT acceptable (in a nice, calm, firm voice....unlike the voice in my head at the time....) and to change the attitude, take deep breaths, get control of herself....that usually just sparks a bigger outburst, so the next step is sending her to the "naughty step" until her heart and attitude change. That is followed by a slammed door and stomping feet and hysterical sobs. Until she realizes she isn't going to get her way. Then, one of two things will happen.

Louder sobs and screams. The threat of a spanking followed by her threat of "if you spank me, I'll just cry LOUDER!" which is followed by the reminder that if she gets louder and more out of control, she'll just get ANOTHER spanking. She knows it's true...it's happened before, so that usually puts an abrupt end to HER threats.

(By the way, Aunt Beth, did you REALLY tell my kids that spankings are when you beat your kids?????)

The other thing that will happen (if it isn't the louder sobs and screams...), is a little girl quickly falling in a heap, asking "but do you KNOW why I'm crying?" Somehow my answer of "because you aren't getting your way and you wish you were" does nothing to appease her....nor is it the answer she's looking for. "Because Jesus....Jesus....Jesus DIED!"

Sigh. The first time this happened, I melted. I reminded Susanna that Jesus ISN'T dead any more. He is waiting for us in Heaven. And He loves us very much. She continued to sob and tell me, "But I miss Him SOOO MUCH!!!" And that was my mistake.

Mistake, you say? Reminding a child that Jesus isn't dead? Yes, mistake. Now she pulls that all the time. However, my answer has changed. Slightly. I again reassure her that Jesus ISN'T dead...but if He didn't die, she'd be going to hell for her behavior. Okay, yeah, maybe that sounds a bit harsh to tell a four year old. But...that usually stops her in mid-sentence, although sometimes the sobs continue. For a few more minutes at least, especially as I walk away with the reminder, "when the attitude changes, you can come back in." Then....

A smiley tear-stained faced little girl comes in, gives me a big hug, climbs on my lap and says, "Mama, I love you SO MUCH! And I love, Jesus, too! Please forgive me for being disrespectful."

A Request for Help for Caleb....

2009-10-12T16:05:00.002-05:00

Caleb is my nephew. He's a wonderful, sensitive, bright boy, 10 years old, the third in a family of 8 (soon to be 9) children. Caleb is usually pretty quiet, with his head in a book or his fingers on the piano. He isn't someone who is terribly outgoing, but he doesn't hesitate to make friends. From the time he was a little boy, Caleb has always had a heart for God. He asked Christ into his life at a very early age and followed that a few years later with baptism. I remember when he was about 3 or 4 years old, running around the house with his brothers, wielding a (toy) sword, and spouting off Bible verses that I didn't even realize were in the Bible...verses from I and II Chronicles, Judges, Proverbs, and more. My sister-in-law Tammy spends time each morning with the children, having Bible time and reading a daily chapter from the book of Proverbs as well as making sure her children understand what the passages mean. Their children are true examples of learning God's Word from a very young age and hiding (and applying) it in their hearts.

Last year, the Shelby Kennedy Foundation started working on the first annual National Bible Bee contest. The overall concept is similar to the National Spelling Bee with children from all over the United States going through a local contest and advancing to semi-finals in Washington D.C. on November 5 followed by Finals the following day. There are three age groups -- 7-10 years, 11-14 years, and 15-18 years. Upon registering for the Bible Bee, you were given a stack of information...hundreds of Bible verses to memorize, Bible passages, and of course the books of the Bible. Over 17,000 students enrolled in local competitions nationwide -- and at the end of the first round, scores were tallied and the top 100 children in each age group advanced to the semi-finals in Washington D.C.

Overall guidelines were stressed: While competing for rewards is fun, the greatest reward is drawing near to God. As the playing field narrows, cheer for the remaining finalists, even if you are not one of them. Compete in a biblical way -- give one's absolute best for God's glory and leave the results entirely in His hands.

Well, Caleb and his two older brothers entered the competition, along with their sister Hannah. Each gave their best, not knowing what the final results would be. Then, a few weeks ago, Caleb received an email:

"Congratulations! After reviewing your test scores, I am delighted to inform you that your qualification as a contestant in the 2009 Bible Bee National Contest has been confirmed!......"

Caleb is one of 100 children, ages 7-10, who advanced to the semi-finals to be held in Washington D.C.! Only three children in Ohio (not necessarily in his age group) achieved this recognition.

On November 5, Caleb will compete for one of seven, 7!, spots for the Final Challenge to be held on November 6.

Here is how you can help, if you are so led. Caleb needs to raise over $3,000 to cover hotel and food costs. Estimated costs given to the students state they should raise between $3500 and $4000. Due to friends living in the area, Ron and his family are able to drop these costs some but still have a large amount to raise (by the way, Ron is a school teacher; Tammy is a stay-at-home mom who home schools all the children -- and we all know that school teachers don't have a large salary....).

* PLEASE consider sending a donation to Caleb to help cover costs. Donations can be sent to the following address:
Ron and Tamara Toth
Carpe Diem Academy (their home school name)
2990 State Route 534
Newton Falls, Ohio 44444
330-872-3677

* PRAY for Caleb that he will have a good mind and teachable spirit and an ability to learn

* PRAY that God would be honored and glorified in all that Caleb thinks, says, and does

* PRAY that Caleb will be able to attain the knowledge and skill required, as well as have joy in the process

* PRAY that Caleb will be transformed by God's Word along with the rest of his family as they prepare together

* PRAY for good health for Caleb and for each member of his family

* PRAY for each of the other contestants in the National Bible Bee as well.

If you would like more information on the Bible Bee, you can find it here: http://www.biblebee.org

Thank you sooo much for prayerfully considering your support of Caleb. What an honor it is for him to achieve this recognition the first year of this competition!

Setting the Standard...

2009-10-11T15:57:00.002-05:00

We've been super busy lately...which is why I've not been posting like usual. However, here's some catching up!

Pumpkin parties continue to go full blast, despite the yucky weather. Last Saturday (Liz's birthday), it was cold (in the 40s), rainy, and overcast the whole time. We still had an amazing turn out. Yesterday was cold (barely in the 30s), windy, and snowy....and I'm amazed at the amount of people who came! Of course, they would often take breaks and warm up in their cars....but what surprised me were the number of little children out there. Okay, mine were, too, but Luke is part of the skit, and Susanna kept coming to warm up....

Last night, I slept around the clock. Went to bed not feeling up to par and had a low fever today, so Tony took the kids to church while I continued to sleep....almost 12 hours! I'm still feeling kinda out of it, but temp is gone, praise God! Think maybe this has something to do with burning the candle at both ends?

We did take a bit of a family break last weekend and headed toward the Cities Sunday morning to visit several orchards and a pumpkin patch. Part for business (Greenstar contacts...whoo-hoo! At least one new customer for next year and a possible new one for this year!), part for pleasure.

But back to setting the standard....when I finally got out of bed this afternoon, I ventured downstairs to find my wonderful husband cleaning our very dirty kitchen. Hand washing dishes that didn't fit into the dishwasher, wiping counters, etc. What a guy! Not only that, when he was done and finally settled down in one corner of the couch, Susi plopped between us, put her head in my lap, feet in his lap and told him "rub my tummy....like THIS" (holds out clawed fingers...she like when he really rubs her tummy!). A few minutes later, "Okay, that's enough. You can rub my feet now." And he did. After a glance and chuckle towards me. And every time he slowed down, she reminded him "Keep rubbing!" And he'd continue. I just told him, "Remember, you are setting a standard. A very HIGH standard for what she will expect from a man in the future. This will help weed them out...." She then looked at me with a smile and said, "When I grow up, I think I'm going to be a princess!" That changed from last night when she hugged me and told me, "When I grow up, I want to be a Mama with two children! A boy and a girl." After listing off several nonsensical names, she settled on naming them.....Luke and Susanna.

And meanwhile, Luke continued to play with her doll house....

And Tony still has yet to rub MY tummy, feet, and back!

Welcome to Our Pumpkin Parties!

2009-09-29T08:50:00.001-05:00

Our Sunflower Maze

Dennis & Phil from Q-FM

Our Silly Scarecrows!

2009-09-29T08:19:00.001-05:00

Some of the Things You'll See Along Our Wagon Ride

2009-09-28T23:19:00.002-05:00

Some of the Things You'll See at Our Pumpkin Parties....

2009-09-28T07:55:00.003-05:00

These are just a few of the activities going on every Saturday from now until the end of October....I'll post more later on!

Susi's Prayer

2009-09-19T01:11:00.005-05:00

Tony was running late for supper and told us not to wait for him to start tonight...so we didn't. I asked Susanna if she'd like to say grace, and she quickly agreed. Here's what her prayer was:

Deaw God, please make me some chopsticks so if my lips get dwy they can get betta and help my boogies to go away in my nose so when I whine and fwet they won't come out. Help Luke to be good and not peench my nose and me to be good, too. Kill satan and do whatevew you want wif him. Have a good twip with youwa special angels and deaw God, I love you. Amen! oh yeah, and for me and Daddy and Mama and Luke and Daddy and me. Amen!

I didn't know what to say, so I just dug into my pesto.....

(and yes, things are getting better...although we've been dealing with some stealing issues...although she's decided that she doesn't like when I take away her most favorite doll without asking...and she's not had any more peeing incidents, thank God! However, scissors are once again taboo as she now has a very short lock of hair on the top of her head....)

The Carter Clan

2009-09-07T07:41:00.003-05:00

It's been awhile since I posted, and I don't have time to write much today, so here are a couple pictures of the "Carter Clan" for you to enjoy (as I go work at the Market today then get ready for our annual canoe trek down the twists and turns of the Straight River to Grandma LaMae's house and a wonderful picnic!)

At Smokey Hills Wilderness Retreat Chuckwagon Show

July 4, 2009

(the only two Carter family members missing from this shot are
Al Kehler who was still in Rome and
Jim Sleesman who is still serving our country in Iraq)

And earlier that same day, getting ready for the parade!

My Literal Kid and My Slave

2009-08-28T23:59:00.007-05:00

Last Saturday, I stopped at a grocery store I usually don't shop at -- they have great brats, all beef hot dogs, and bacon that they do there at the store....so I stocked up for the freezer. When I got home, I asked Susanna to take the bacon out of the bag and put it in the freezer. Susi tends to get distracted often, so I didn't think much of it when it took over ten minutes to complete this simple little task.

Fast forward to Thursday morning. We're at breakfast, enjoying a slow starting morning -- I didn't have to be at the market or any where else; we were having "the cousins" over for supper; and the only thing I had to work on that day was a pretty long list of general house hold chores, some Watkins business things, and lots of laundry. Luke, being a typical boy, discovered that if he wets his lips, puts his mouth against the heels of his hands, and blows hard, it sounds like, well, a natural occurring bodily function. Much to his delight.

"hey mom! hear what this sounds like? A STINKY TOOT! Isn't that cool?"

Inside, I'm cracking up. I'm thinking back years ago to arm pit farts, burping contests, flipped up eyelids, and all other manner of inappropriate and hilarious childhood fun (or grown up fun, depending on the company you spend time with). Outside, I carefully maintained my mother face, asking "but Luke, do you think it's appropriate and polite behavior?" (This, as his sister is sticking her face in her plate and licking every last drop of syrup left over from the two pieces of French toast she devoured in a non-lady-like manner in less than five minutes.)

Eyes dart all over, except to my face. A grin surfaces. A quick glance at Mama then eyes zoom else where. Finally, the answer: 'Well, Mama, at this moment (yes, he actually said that), it, um, well, uh, hm. I don't know."

Boys.

I never did laugh in front of him, or crack a smile. I didn't want "those noises" made all day long!

So after breakfast, it was off to working down the chore list. I headed upstairs and stared with dismay at the kids' room....how did it get so messy and why did it smell so bad? Okay, I know why it smelled so bad, but anyway.....I set them to cleaning up while I headed into the upstairs living room. After they cleaned their room, we headed to the steps and foyer...where they continued to tidy things up along with me. Then downstairs...the biggest job area. As I cleaned the kitchen counters, I handed them each one of Watkins great new microfiber clothes (only $5.99...check it out! http://www.watkinsonline.com/productdetail.cfm?Product=27000&gCatalogLocale=USA&ECredit=367574) and had them start wiping down cupboard doors, kitchen drawers, and cabinets before sending them out to match socks in the sock basket.

Luke finally threw down his cloth in disgust and said, "you really hate us. You just make me slave around ALL DAY! My job is to PLAY, not work!" It startled him when I quickly agreed. "Yep, you're right. I hate you. I never cook for you, never make you treats, never give you cookies, never play with you, never let you have any fun, never let you play with the cousins. All I do is work you nonstop, every day." My son. He loves me. He quickly rose to my defense, this boy who had just accused me of being a slave-master, just like the Egyptians (yeah, he compared me to them!). "No, Mama, you really do love me! You're always doing that good stuff!" And he shut his face and finished wiping things down and matched all the socks he could find.

Meanwhile, I opened the freezer, I don't even remember why now. Much to my shock, there were two rashers of bacon, just sitting there, unwrapped, right on top of everything. "What is this bacon doing here, and why isn't it wrapped up???!!!!" and a tiny little voice piped up, "but Mama, you told me to take it out of the bag....."

Sigh. Maybe that's why she puts a little shimmy in her step when I tell them "let's get shaking!"

My Husband, My Hero (and a follow up on Susi)

2009-08-25T08:18:00.003-05:00

Last Thursday night, around 11:30, as I was painstakingly rolling out the 45 tins or so (seriously) of home made cinnamon rolls for our market, there was a rustle in the kitchen underneath the microwave stand. We live in the country. We had a small mouse infestation before. I started picturing the worst. And I screamed for my husband. My loving husband who had been asleep for at least two hours already. My hard-working husband who is usually up and out the door before the rest of us are even stirring in our sleep. Meanwhile, I stood guard in front of the microwave stand to make sure there were no critters escaping from the corner it was trapped in. And I yelled louder, keeping a close eye out so I could make a run for it if something else did, too (me in the opposite direction, of course!).

Tony stumbled in and I explained there was a mouse underneath the microwave stand and he HAD to get rid of it because I didn't want mice in the house again, especially since I usually have several 25 pound bags of flour stacked up for the cinnamon rolls along with 10 pound bags of white sugar and 7 pound bags of powdered (or confectioner's) sugar. Nightmare scenarios were flashing through my mind.

He went to it right away, moving the stand out of the way. Nothing stirred. Great. Was there a hidden nest somewhere???? I KNOW I saw something scurry under there and definitely heard it as well! In a few seconds, he started laughing. Or at least, he would have been laughing if his wife hadn't woken him from a very sound, much needed sleep. It wasn't a mouse. It was a frog. And he disposed of it.

Hey God? I'm not an Egyptian!!! And I really WOULD like to get away to the wilderness for awhile to worship You.....please don't send the plagues.....

And, for those of you would read, commented, offered advice, and laughed at my post last week about Susanna and her little (wet) problem -- please be assured that I have a strong willed daughter. I will keep an eye out to make sure there aren't medical problems associated with this, but let me tell you the follow up.

Saturday she reminded me that she hadn't peed anywhere but the toilet since I took Cinderella away. Not "since you spoke with me about it", not "since you made me clean it up," no, "since you took Cinderella away." She even started getting up in the middle of the night -- without coming in to get one of us - and going downstairs to go potty in the middle of the night. Yesterday afternoon, she hugged me tight and informed me of the number of times she went potty during the day, and "not even a tiny dribble went on the floor, Mama!"

She got her Cinderella back at bedtime...with a threat, I mean a warning, that next time she pees on her bed, in her pants, on the floor, anywhere not in the toilet (night time being the exception, although I didn't tell her that....we are still working on totally dry nights!), Cinderella was going away.....for good.

Now, anyone want to come help me shampoo the carpets, scrub the floors, and wash her mattress?

HELP!!!!

2009-08-20T14:37:00.002-05:00

Okay, all you seasoned moms out there....here's the problem.

I have a child who pees all over the place. We won't mention her name. She is a typical "boy" in that she gets involved in playing until it's often too late to make it to the bathroom. Or so I thought. It didn't happen too often, but it had been starting to happen about once a week, which IS too often. Then it started happening even more, sometimes once a day. I'd ask her often, "do you need to go to the bathroom?" And she'd assure me she didn't. And I'd just tell her to go...and if nothing comes out, that's fine.

Then one day last week I discovered the sheets on her bed were all wet. After she woke up. Dry. After she got dressed for the day. And the sheets were dry. "What happened????" "I had to go and couldn't make it." Grumbling, I made her help me change the sheets.

Then there were puddles in front of the toilet. Frequent ones. She was spoken to. She was given a time out. She was spanked. (you have to understand...this was happening almost daily now)

Still, in the back of my mind, I wondered if I was being too hard on her. Granted, she's 4 and she should know better, but maybe.....

Then.....Sunday, we were getting ready to go out to eat. She was wearing her favorite flouncy pink skirt...and a red shirt. She informed me that she didn't HAVE any white or pink shirts to wear, only red. I knew better, so I hauled, I mean, asked her to go upstairs with me to go thru her drawers....but when we got up there, her bed -- her DRY bed -- was soaking wet. So were the underwear in the middle of the room. "What happened?" I cried again (not literally....yet). She informed me she couldn't make it downstairs. Then a light flickered...."Um, Susi (oops, you didn't read that, I wasn't going to name names!), why isn't your skirt wet? Your favorite pink skirt that you've been wearing all day?" "Well, when I felt the pee pee coming, I took my skirt off before I sat on the bed and went potty."

WHAT??????

Okay, now the tears came. Literally. WHAT do I do to stop this behavior? A friend, a dear friend who loves my daughter very much, who leads our small group woman's Bible study (again, not mentioning names, you know who you are!) told me that God knew what He was doing when He gave her to me....she'd have killed her by this point (between this and other things you've read in the past week or so and even other things that have not been written). So please know, that isn't an option. I don't want to prove my dear friend wrong.

I'm fine with time outs. With spanking when necessary. With creative discipline (she's already not allowed to wear her princess dresses or twirly dresses for another month because she keeps writing all over herself and everything near her with pens and markers...even though she's not allowed to use them...and since they're all put up, I don't know where she's getting them!!! But it's working...she hasn't written on herself or anything else in two weeks, except for paper, with a pencil or crayon). But time outs aren't working. Spanking isn't working. Talking with her isn't working. Making her clean up the urine isn't working (yep, she's doing that, too, and having a genuine Cinderella attitude while scrubbing things up -- guess who is the evil stepsisters and stepmother all rolled in to one?). I've taken away her twirly dresses and princess dresses. I told her next time she pees in her clothes, she'll wear them wet and stinky all day long -- so now she just pulls her clothes off before peeing in unconventional areas.

I took away her Cinderella doll...her favorite (for today) toy as punishment. No, it doesn't fit the crime, but I don't know what else to do. I did tell her five days without peeing any where except where she is supposed to will get her Cinderella back...otherwise, one of the local cousins will get it...and keep it forever. And I mean it. She sobbed, thinking nothing in the world could be more terrible.

Will it work? I'll keep ya posted.

But in the mean time...give me suggestions!!!!

Catching Up.....

2009-08-19T23:50:00.003-05:00

Yesterday morning, out of the blue, Luke looked at me and said, "Mama, I love you so much! I love you 28!" Now, I have no idea what that means other than he knows that's alot (well, to him). So I told him I love him 30. He upped it to 50. I topped him at 100. He increased it to 500 I went up to 1000. He impressed me by telling me he loves me a million. I told him I love him a trillion, and he responded with two trillion. I kinda stumped him though when I told him I love him to infinity and beyond. As much as we hear that line here, he didn't know what infinity was. He does now :)

Tonight on the way home from working at the market, I said something about being "Mama the Magnificent" to which Luke informed me that I'm not ALWAYS magnificent, only when I wear a dress. Susanna quickly piped up that she is magnificent, too. Luke, of course, had to burst her bubble and informed her that she isn't always magnificent either. "WHAT did you say? I'm not always magnificent? Luke Michael Cahtay! That is NOT proper behavior. You are huring my feelings. Hmph! Bad attitude, Luke. Of COURSE I'm always magnificent." Wow, was she playing it up with small grin on her face. His grin was bigger as he sought to reassure her that she is beautiful but not always magnificent.

As for Tony and I, we've been super busy with the farm and market and home. It seems the work is never done. Corn and tomatoes are going strong, as are beans, peas, spinach, zucchini, cucumbers, and beets. Muskmelons are slowly starting as are hot peppers. Hopefully, egg plant, green peppers, and watermelon aren't too far behind! Our market continues to flourish; God has really been blessing our business this year...this is my seventh summer here, and financially, this year is the best the market has been so far. I love that I know most of our regulars now, even our "summer only" and "one-week-a-year" visitors that make our market a daily stop! It's fun letting our customers know when we have something special I know they'll like (raw honey, new jams and jellies, certain produce, etc.).

It's also been a weird summer. I've seen news reports about droughts and heat waves around the country, but we've not seen that here this summer. Thankfully, we've had no shortage of rain. And we've only had a handful of days where the temps were above the mid 70s. Even through July and August, there were sometimes full weeks when the temperature would barely get into the low 70s! And then last week, we had one day in the upper 80s, another in the 90s, and I thought I was going to die! I guess when you get used to the cooler temperatures then they sky-rocket up without one getting used to it...well, it's horrible! But the day after the 90 degree temps...things were back to the low 70s. Tomorrow's high....67!

BTW, I've been trying more new recipes after a great new site was created this summer by Ree "The Pioneer Woman." You have GOT to check out this site! http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/?nr It is extremely user friendly -- it's free, you can build your own "recipe box" and add recipes to it, even from other blogs! You can post and share your own recipes, too. If you join, add me as your friend! I'm listed under my full name, LindaSue Carter.

For now...good night! Keep in touch, okay?

Smart Kid

2009-08-10T21:16:00.001-05:00

Yesterday in church, Luke snuggled up to me, looked at me, and whispered "My daddy loves you!"

I Tried Not to Laugh...

2009-08-08T20:06:00.003-05:00

This has been another tough week with Susanna. You read about some of the more mild things that happened this week. Then there was yesterday. She went downstairs in the morning not even 10 minutes before me...and wiped out a tube of imported chocolates AND two giant cookies in that short time. Her discipline was no treat at the Market that day, regardless of what Luke got (and I planned to make his treat a REALLY good one). He decided he wanted shortbread. And who could blame him? Well, she saw his treat and informed me quite loudly in front of a market full of customers "Mama, I decided for my discipline I want a spanking. Then I can have a cookie." "Really? YOU want a SPANKING?" "Yes, Mama. I want a spanking." I told her to go outside and wait for me. She did, clutching both hands to her tush. A few minutes later, I followed her out the back door only to be informed, "I decided I'd rather not have the cookie."

Then, we got home in the evening and she was going to set the table. Once again, she grabbed all the plates, trying to balance them in one hand, but this time, before I could tell her not to, that she was going to drop the dishes (something she hears often)....she did. And broke one. Corell. Unbreakable. And it landed on a padded mat. Then I noticed her face. Covered in raspberries and strawberries. The raspberries and strawberries I brought home to make three pies for a family supper tonight at the farm. I brought home just enough, no extra to spare. I cried. Literally. I just wanted out for awhile. This may not sound like that big of a deal to you, but it's just been one struggle after another with her and getting more and more each day. Figure in working full time at the market, trying to keep up with things at home, etc.....well, it's overwhelming. Tony helped, but I don't know if he clearly understood what I've been dealing with.

Until today.

Saturdays our routine is usually a bit different. Today we had a babysitter here while I was at the Market. Friends of ours had a 25th anniversary celebration, and the kids went with the babysitter and her family. Tony was then going to take them to the Logging Days in town to watch the lumber jack competitions after dropping more sweet corn off at the Market. Ha!

About 2:45, I called Tony to see how soon we'd have more corn. He answered the phone a bit out of sorts. "I got home and the girl was running around naked. She got all wet some how and I think there's soap all over. We can't find any clothes, and I have no idea where the babysitter is. I haven't even picked corn yet." I couldn't help it. I tried not to laugh. But I did.

He hung up on me.

(I found out later, the babysitter was upstairs trying to find clothes for Susanna...and it isn't like she doesn't have drawers-full of them....)

Chocolate Band Aids

2009-08-04T09:26:00.002-05:00

Before I go further, if you live in the immediate area (or where this wouldn't be too long of a drive for you), please do yourself a favor and go see the local production of "Fiddler On the Roof" this coming Friday, Saturday, and/or Sunday. We went to the show Sunday afternoon and it was fantastic! A friend, David Overly (hi Dave!) has the starring role of Tevya and does wonderful. Our niece Tessa is Hodel, the second daughter, and also does fantastic. The entire cast is outstanding...even our kids sat through it enthralled. No small feat for a 4 and 5 year old, sitting still for a 3.5 hour production (with a 15 minute intermission). You'll be glad you went!

Now, on to chocolate band aids! Yesterday, somehow, Susanna got a small carpet burn on her elbow. You'd think she was skinned alive with all the "ows" and moans and belly aches she's been doing. Don't feel sorry for her, it's all a ploy. See, on top of the fridge, I have a pack of chocolate band aids for the REALLY bad owies. And she wants one. Or three. I told her not last night (yeah, hype up a four year old before bed time, right!), but if it was still bad in the morning, I'd THINK about it.

Well, obviously, I took too long. Going into the kitchen this morning, I noticed the step stool in front of the fridge. I called her to me and asked why it was there with a quick reminder not to lie. "Well, uh,....." I told her I already knew why it was there and I wanted to know if she was going to tell me the truth. We had a situation with lying yesterday and she found it was much less painful NOT to lie, so she quickly told me she wanted to just see the chocolate band aids....and maybe eat them. Okay, I wasn't expecting that full confession, so I asked her how many she ate and she told me two. I banished her to the steps with her wailing, "Don't spank me!" while I cooled down.

I had no intention of spanking her. Really, I didn't. But she asked for it. Literally. I mean, she did! After a four minute time out, I walked out and told her once again she had stolen from us by taking something that wasn't hers to take (we have an issue with stealing things, too). Then I asked what her discipline should be. Honest. I was thinking maybe throw the rest away....making HER throw them away. Getting some money from her bank, something along those lines. Nope, she said "A spanking." So she got a quick swat, and we sat and cried together as I told her I didn't think I was being a good mama because my daughter keeps lying and stealing and having naughty behavior and I didn't know what to do.

She kept hugging me and assuring me I was the best mama and she wouldn't be bad any more (see, I TOLD you we have a problem with lying! about the bad part, not the best mama part!). She grabbed my hand and we headed back to the other room. As we were walking along she looked up and said,

"Can I still have a chocolate band aid?"

ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

I'm Tired of Being Susanna

2009-08-01T23:35:00.003-05:00

So we're eating supper when out of the blue, Susi tells us, "I'm tired of being Susanna. I want a different name." Playing along, I said, "Okay, what shall we call you? I know! Ricky! We'll call you Ricky!" She looked a bit horrified as she replied, "no! I don't want to be Ricky! I want to be..." Interrupting, I told her, "No, you can only be Ricky or Susanna. I rather like Ricky, and that's what I'm going to call you now." "NO! I don't WANT to be Ricky! Just call me Susanna! I LIKE Susanna!"

At least we won't have to get a new birth certificate issued with the name change.....

Lemon Meringue Pie! (Part 2)

2009-07-31T07:32:00.002-05:00

Yes, we had lemon meringue pie for breakfast yesterday, am I the coolest mom or what? Luke kept looking confused and saying, "but we've never HAD pie for breakfast before!" And, as I suspected, Susanna wanted the meringue but not the lemon or the pie....

Gotta tell you, when eating a lemon meringue pie made with Watkins Lemon Dessert mix, you keep wanted to look for a seed or pulp....it honestly tastes like you've used fresh squeezed lemons.

There's one piece left....and I want to get it before the kids do for breakfast, so....see ya later!

Lemon Meringue Pie!

2009-07-30T00:04:00.002-05:00

We're winding down strawberry season. We're in the midst of raspberry season. And yet, for the past three weeks, my daughter has been asking me, "when can we make a lemon meringue pie again?" Since I'm usually not working at our market on Tuesday, Monday night I whispered in her ear at bed time "tomorrow we'll make a lemon meringue pie."

You've gotta know Susi. When she gets excited about something, specifically some kind of food, she gets the funniest giggles going. And that's what she did Monday night.

I'm ashamed to say, we didn't make a lemon meringue pie yesterday. I canned cherries in the morning, then Tony stopped by and took the kids with him to the farm. They got home in time for supper, baths, and bed. And as I was tucking Susanna in for the night, she whispered in my ear "We didn't make a lemon meringue pie today." I whispered back, "but we will on Thursday" (my only other day not at the market).

However, we stopped at the grocery store today on the way to the market, and one of the things we picked up was a premade roll-out pie crust (yes, I cheat at pie crusts sometimes!). Tonight, after supper, we made lemon meringue pie (yes, from Watkins lemon dessert mix). And my daughter couldn't stop high-fiving me. And as I tucked her into bed tonight, she whispered in my ear, "Mama, we made a LEMON MERINGUE PIE tonight!" Of course, I think the joy was more in licking out the meringue from the mixing bowl....

I was tempted to have a midnight snack....but I think we'll have it for breakfast instead.

Blog

2009-07-29T07:43:00.001-05:00

I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog. I will update my blog.

Now that I wrote that 50 times (okay, copied and pasted), it won't be today, but I WILL update my blog soon (with something other than that).

The Circus!

2009-07-22T07:17:00.003-05:00

Yesterday afternoon, we took the kids to the circus. It was just a small, one-ring circus that comes through here about every two years, but it's perfect for kids. They were amazed when the tigers and lion came out...shoot, I was amazed! I've seen 'em before, but something about the sleekness and size of those jungle cats is incredible. Luke kept asking later, "were those REAL tigers? I've never SEEN a real tiger!"

Next came the lovely young lady on the trapeze. She pranced out in her fancy long robe and high heels, strutted to the center of the mat, and dropped her robe to show a rather revealing outfit, conveniently covering her body but in nude coloring with some "regular" cloth in there, too. Luke turned to me and said, "I didn't know she was going to get undressed!" Neither did I!

Susi was fascinated, never really having much reaction as she was taking it all in (other than her wide-eyes), but when I'd ask her if she liked whatever was going on, she'd assure me, "oh yes!"

Watching the tight rope artists, the trapeeze artist swinging around and also spinning around by her neck (with a kind of rope cradling her head), I repeatedly told the kids, "Don't you EVER try this EVER!" Susanna assured me, "oh no, Mama. I won't!" And I believe her. Luke's reply? "Mama, I won't! I can't even do tricks like those!" But...God willing....he won't even attempt!

It was a great time. This year they both took their own money to buy some things -- they both got peanuts, and Susanna got some cotton candy that she made the mistake of sharing with Luke.

"Just the Thing I Need."

2009-07-21T14:06:00.004-05:00

We've had one of those mornings....my strong-willed child threw tantrum after fit after whining complaint. The limit was finally pushed, the warning breeched, and we had a visit to the steps, wooden spoon in hand. Tears were shed, hug were shared, warnings were given that no more naughty behavior would be tolerated. Back to the lunch table with a few sniffs but much improved attitudes. Finally, my strong willed child looked at me and said, "Mama, sometimes a little spanking is just what I need."

Good thing, because they both just got another one. Sigh. But it is finally silent and rests are being taken before our big night at the circus tonight!

Watkins!

2009-07-19T15:41:00.004-05:00

It's been awhile since I blogged about Watkins, other than an occasional reference to a product here and there...so....since I have some time on my hands (okay, not really), here's some more info!

First of all, if you haven't figured it out by now, I LOVE Watkins products. The question I hate most in regards to Watkins is "What's your favorite product?" I can't pick! I love the vanilla...double strength Madagascar vanilla beans, use half as much as the recipe calls for, doesn't lose flavor when heating or freezing. I also love the other extracts, and the maple and butter extracts are part of the secret to my cinnamon rolls! The baking powder is aluminum free (yeah, you read that right...did you know Calamut and other major brands have ALUMINUM in them...for leavening? Get real!) and my baked goods -- biscuits, scones, cakes, cinnamon rolls and more are lighter and fluffier that ever before. My husband's aunt could give you a great testimonial.... The soups and dips -- shoot, EVERYTHING -- is MSG-free. And when you use the soup bases for flavoring, you really are getting flavor, not a salty taste. The mushroom soup makes such a great sauce, I haven't used Campbell's for my casseroles (or hot dishes, here in MN!) for years...and it just tastes better (and doesn't have the MSG Campbell's does). The cooking spray -- wow. It actually sprays on what you're spraying, not the air around you. It doesn't bake that yellow gunk on, and it's equal to about 2.5 or more cans of Pam. Then there's the grapeseed oil, the dessert mixes, the dip mixes and more.....

Then there's the Petro Carbo salve that our family couldn't live without. It repairs dried, cracked skin overnight. It draws out splinters, zits, poison from insect and spider bites (another of Tony's relatives can give you a great testimonial on a spider bite that almost killed her grandson). It draws out and prevents infection. It gets rid of warts in about a week. It helps skin heal from just about anything...cuts, scrapes, infection, chicken pox, bed sores, whatever.

The supplements are awesome....check out a recent post from Brownie http://oneoldmama.blogspot.com/2009/07/energizer-red.html about how the supplements help her overly active four year old. The E+CoQ12 has really helped me get through each day with just enough energy, and not the jittery, fake kind either.

Then there are the cleaner and personal care line...all natural, plant-based, and they work better than anything you'll find in the store! Honestly, speaking as a farmer's wife and mom to two pre-schoolers, all this stuff is great and cleans so well! I can't do without the all purpose cleaner and the laundry detergent...the dish soap and hand soap....and the list goes on!

Watkins has been in business for over 140 year now and has never had a product recall. Not many companies can say that! Each batch of our products are rigorously tested before being sold to make sure they meet the high standards we and our customers expect. And Watkins is known for the high quality in all our products. And all of our products are 100% satisfaction guaranteed or your full money back.

While we have always pretty much been all natural in our products, over the past several years, Watkins has successfully made the attempt to "go green" in production. That means our packing peanuts are biodegradable and safe for the environment (which is great when a kid accidentally swallows one...it just safely dissolves!); processing is "gravity-fed" to conserve energy; our product packaging is lighter weight, saving thousands of pounds of plastic each year...when the packaging IS plastic. Several items are packaged in glass and in tin to better preserve freshness. Everything at our plant and offices is recycled in a strict paper, plastic, and aluminum recycling program. And even the ink in our labeling is soy based! Oh, and if paper doesn't have to be used (mail to associates, etc.), everything is paperless....even bonus checks to associates whch is direct deposited!

What I love about being part of Watkins, besides the great products, is that it is so easy to take advantage of wholesale prices or to earn a secondary income or to earn a full income. In the States, it is only $39.95, less than the price of a warehouse club, to join and get wholesale pricing on all products. If you're looking for something to help bring in extra money, working at your own schedule (stay-at-home parent, second job, etc.), this is it! If you sign up to do the parties, Watkins pays ALL the hostess rewards (10-30% of party sales), and you can easily make $125 or more for only 3 hours work...most parties are at least $500 in total sales. That gets the hostess 30% in products, $150 of her/his choice in Watkins. That earns you a minimum of $125 cash, not counting bonus commissions. Do the math...have two parties a week, four weeks a month, and you're talking a MINIMUM of $1,000 take home money, not counting bonus commissions (provided the parties are $500 or higher), for maybe 24 hours worth of work. How many other jobs can you get that from...legally?

Yeah, but so many direct sales companies make you do so many purchases or you don't get discounts. Yep, I did Mary Kay, too. I looked into Pampered Chef, Tupperware, and more. Here's the thing. With Watkins there are NEVER any minimums for ordering or frequency requirements. If you order once a week, it's the same discount as once a year. $5 or $5,000, same discount. What happens is once you have a certain amount of points each month, you start earning bonus income, anywhere from 10-40% of bonus values. That's a nice tidy profit for those who are interested in making Watkins a full or part time career...but great for those who just want to use it for personal use, since they'll always get the discount.

And the coolest thing about signing up right now, whether it's for personal use or to generate extra income? If you sign up with me in July, you'll receive a $10 Watkins gift certificate. Not only that, I have a great "welcome to my team" basket with approxiately $40-50 worth of products.

Interested in learning more about the products and or business opportunity? Please check out my website at www.watkinsonline.com/lindasuecarter or shoot me a comment or email here or on facebook or give me a call if you have my number....you can even click on this link for a great presentation http://www.watkinsonline.com/business_presentation/index.cfm?gCatalogLocale=# I'd love to pass this wonderful opportunity on to you!

What I Did This Morning...

2009-07-16T12:08:00.002-05:00

Some days, I actually feel like Wonder Woman. Most days, I just feel overwhelmed. Figure out what kind of day today has been (so far!)

Kids fighting and arguing from the moment they wake up. Yelling, screaming, jumping up and down, red in the face (okay, so that was only Susanna, but Luke was egging her on).

8:45, still haven't gotten breakfast for me or the kids. Faced with so much stuff to do, I just want to crawl in bed. Have a conference call scheduled for 10:00, not sure how I'm gonna pull THAT off! Call Tony, beg, I mean, ask him if I can drop the kids off in an hour at the farm so I can get some stuff done. Hm....day may go better....he says yes!

Start really cranking...ignore the yelling and screaming and red face and inform Susanna that I'm tired of seeing her naked, go get clothes on and that's the last time I'm gonna tell her. Tell Luke to be quiet as he reminds me (again) that HE's already dressed. Oh yeah, I'm still in my night gown...but at least I've got some form of clothing on!

Empty and reload the dishwasher, getting that started....again. Do my first load of laundry (again...I forgot I had it in there three days ago and it had been sitting damp in there since), all of Susanna's clothes that she'd worn before being diagnosed with poison ivy. Oh well, they could probably use a second washing anyway! Rinse and clean the basil I clipped yesterday, pick out bad leaves, put it on the dehydrator (getting ready for when I can my spaghetti sauce in a few months!). Still in my night gown, but feeling like I'm getting something accomplished (man, just getting those dishes put away and reloaded made a diference...don't ask why they weren't done last night!).

Put all the peas we shelled last night (okay, so that's part of it) into jars to get ready to can. Ten pints! Not that I'll enjoy any of them. I don't enjoy peas unless they're fresh. Like the ones on Veggie Tales. Okay, kids are fed (oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I just gave 'em cereal...but honestly, they get it so infrequently, cereal is a treat for them!). Throw on some clothes, get them piled in the car, and off to the farm we go! Oops, I also dealt with a couple farm/market related calls in between there.....

Kids are gone, time to fix a quick breakfast (brunch? it's almost 10:00) before my call. Pop tarts! Yeah, don't even start. Have my now-lukewarm tea ready to drink, check the email really quick...ANOTHER new Watkins associate sign up, thanks, God! Telephone rings...my conference call. That runs much longer than usual, but...it was a great one, so well worth it!

Head downstairs, start cleaning off the counter and figure out what bills still need paid (thankfully, none are late). Put in an order for more stock at the Market....we've really been selling out of quite a bit of things this year! Realize I should have the canner going while I'm working on cleaning up...so I get the peas going and decide to run out and cut some more fresh herbs to dry (thyme and oregano)...wash those good, set them out to dry before putting them in the dehydrator. Hm, why not clean that bucket of berries in the fridge? Another batch of freezer jam! Another couple of farm/market calls. Canner's jiggling, I'm taking a break....and writing to you all.

Boy, I'm sure glad this week is slower than the past two have been (and no, I'm not being sarcastic...this actually has been a slower week....)

Hey, I'm on a roll...and I'm outta here for now!

The Verdicts

2009-07-13T20:29:00.002-05:00

Well, the doctor thinks it is just a simple case of poison ivy. I didn't think so...my mom is highly allergic, and Susi's been all over her this past week. However, she said it definitely is some kind of contact dermititis (we looked at Fifth's Disease before going to the doctor and highly doubted it...even though it swept thru our community last Christmas time). She got a pretty strong cream prescription for her body with the okay to continue using Watkins petro carbo on her hands (great to dry up poison ivy!) and Watkins red clover salve for her face (again, great for skin conditions and gentle enough for the face...and the perfect thing to use to get rid of under eye puffiness, instead of hemroid creams!) After her first dose of the prescripted cream and a continue layer of red clover and petro carbo, she is looking soooo much better! She's still a bit itchy, and she tends to keep rubbing, so we also gave her the dosage of Children's Benadryl recommended by the doctor to keep the itching down. Continue to keep her in your prayers, please....she said "everyone MUST keep praying for my itchies! All the time!"

The other verdict: It was a fly. Emphasis on "fly." Mama became the afternoon's hero when I swatted and killed it and put it in the toilet ("just like Grandma, Mama! She has LOTS of flies in HER potty!"). Susi was worried when I went after it, but she was reassured when I told her it was just a fly. Daddy didn't have to sacrifice his body being stung....

I think the Benadryl kicked in....she's pretty quiet while Luke keeps jabbering.

And yet another day is closing.

Oh No!

2009-07-13T10:36:00.000-05:00

Now Luke has seen the bee, too!!!!

Daddy, where are you? Come be our hero!

How To Kill a Bumble Bee

2009-07-13T10:21:00.002-05:00

We've had a crazy two weeks. As I recuperate (and find time!), I'll post more about the Fourth of July parade, visits from all of Tony's siblings, my parents' visit, and our county fair.

Meanwhile, Susanna came into our room today to inform me there was a bumble bee buzzing around down stairs. She was very excited that Luke came up with a great way to kill it, and whispered in my ear:

We'll call Daddy at the farm and have him come home. The bumble bee can land on his arm and sting him, then it will die!

Laughing, and a bit appalled, I suggested to Susanna, "Well, why don't I just come downstairs and swat it?" She was horrified! "But Mama! YOU might get stung!!!"

I think I'll wait to tell this story to Tony until well after he gets home, so as not to "scare" him away, haha! I think it's also probably a good thing that only Susanna saw the "bumble bee."

On a more serious note, please keep my little girl in your prayers. She's had a raised rash now for over a week that was stagnant for a bit and has steadily been getting worse from Thursday on. We've an appointment in an hour to see what's going on. Thanks.....

More Morning Mumblings!

2009-07-03T07:08:00.002-05:00

"Luke, when I get big, aren't you going to be so glad when I get mawwied? I'm going to have lots and lots and LOTS of babies, lots mowe than you!"

"Susanna, if you have too many babies, your house is going to explode."

"No, Luke, actually, I mean, I want to have a weally, weally, WEALLY big house! Big enough for lots and lots of babies. Isn't that so exciting?"

And so....another day begins.

After the Storm

2009-07-02T00:04:00.007-05:00

My cousin Liz (blog link listed to the right) wrote today about storms and how much she enjoys them. Like her family, I've been in some pretty bad storms, literally and figuratively. A few days before my high school graduation, one of the worst tornadoes on record (I believe it was an F5) destroyed much of my small home town. It was just a few years later while living in Florida that I was in the middle of Hurricane Andrew (that was definitely an F5!). And after moving to Minnesota, we've had many a bad thunder storm as well as several hail storms, even a tornado last year.

A few weeks back, we had another pretty stormy day, but after the rain was done, Tony and I took the kids outside to show them the beauty that came from that storm. It wasn't just a rainbow, but a double, luminescent rainbow that we saw forming before our eyes. I think this was the first time I actually saw the full visible colors of the rainbow, from red all the way down to the purple/violet. Absolutely gorgeous! (please...ignore the Christmas lights still hanging from our overhang!)

As we go through life, we're going to face many storms. Some may be small, personal ones that those around us aren't even aware of. Others involve many other people around us. Still others may pass by us without affecting us, while we see others going through the storm.

A dear friend of mine right now is going through a family storm. Her brother was in a horrible car accident. The other driver was killed, and her brother's life is forever changed. He faces a long recovery, and in some areas things will never go back to "normal." Just before this happened, another lady who is a pioneer in the home school field, was also in a terrible car accident. She, too, had extensive injuries and her life has been altered forever, too.

I have friends who have lost children; friends who have children with different diseases, many of which there are no cures who have no hope of what many would consider a "normal" life. Loved ones who have lost jobs and are wondering what is going to happen when the money runs out. We wonder daily about weather and crop conditions and how that is going to affect our farm. There are other loved ones still who are taking care of aging parents, some who are taking care of little children, sick friends and relatives. People who have someone close to them...or perhaps are themselves...serving in the miltary, far from home, wondering if they'll ever see home again...and if they'll ever not see the horrors war brings. There are lives put "on hold" from what we'd rather be doing while we deal instead with a hidden (sometimes very hidden!) blessing God has given to us for the time being.

And yet, through it all, God is there. We may not be able to see Him, but He gives us visible signs that He is with us through the storms...and all the times. Rainbows. Smiles on children's faces. A hug. Unexpected blessings and reminders of how good He is and how much He loves us. And remembers us. And is there to carry us through the storms we face. And the cool thing is...He will never let us experience a storm that we cannot get through. We may not think we can last, our faith may waiver, but God knows we can get thru....with His help. When you go thru your storms...don't give up on God -- cuz He sure isn't giving up on you!

God is so awesome!

Flowers.....

2009-06-29T23:54:00.002-05:00

What do these flowers have in common? They're all perennials and I planted them at our house! (although these photos were taken at the market)

Columbine

English Daisy

Coral Bells

Clematis

Poppy

Today

2009-06-28T20:41:00.004-05:00

The kids were invited to a birthday party yesterday for Simone....she invited Luke to her party last year, the first party (outside of family) he'd been invited to. Needless to say, they were pretty excited! However, the weather didn't cooperate, so things were postponed a day. We went to Osage to Straight Lake (which isn't very straight and which feeds the Straight River that is a property marker for us...and also isn't very straight) this afternoon. The kids had a blast! Luke made sure he drank lots of milk before we went so Simone could see how stroooonnngg! he was, haha! Mark Mag surprised us (we surprised him?) by showing up, too....although it wasn't for the birthday party!

Yeah, the kids fell asleep pretty fast tonight....

Happy birthday, Simone!