Feast At Keesic Cabin

Robert is preparing the goose  (and hot dogs!)

Phyllis is preparing a big Jackfish to be baked

Auntie Helen is preparing her famous bannock!

Bannock Patties ready to fry

Frying...

Christine made the goose, then turned it into stew..

Jackfish baking over the fire..

While some cooked others were busy putting a roof on the porch

Tea

Moose nose.... (I didn't try this!!!)

What a wonderful feast!  Everything was so tasty!  

Thank you Mike and Helen for having all of us out to your cabin for a fun day!
Full of new learning experiences for my family!

New bunnies!

Jeff and Dylan and I traveled to Thunder Bay one more time for Dylan's Elbow.
He had his Xray and the Dr says it is all healed up now.  Back to riding bike, and playing with out his splint!  I think that was a total of 5 trips to Thunderbay in 2 months!  Hopefully now we can spend the summer close to home, camping and boating!
On our way home we stopped in Eagle River to pick up some bunnies.  We got two, a black female and this cute male.  They are Flemmish rabbits.  This one is only two months old!  They get pretty big.  I guess we will try to have baby bunnies. We'll try it and see how that goes. The kids are all excited.  I just wonder how we are going to get rid of that many bunnies in Red Lake!
When we got home, Alabama came slowly, hoping toward us, apparently earlier that evening she slipped on a rock and twisted her ankle.  She didn't want anyone to know how much it hurt so she bravely held back her tears.  So, I didn't realize how much it hurt her. I made her go to school thinking she'd be walking on it by the middle of the day.  I was wrong!  By supper time when she came in her ankle was swollen up and she was in pain.  So I ended up taking her into the ER and had XRays this morning.   Dr Zielke mentioned her growth plate, and I just had a flash of "oh know!  We are going to be going to Thunderbay for the next two months for Alabama's ankle....."  I don't think that is the case, but the Xrays will tell tomorrow!  
I started helping at the Believers Fellowship Bible Club Wednesday evenings.
I am really enjoying getting to know all the kids that are coming.    Tonight I taught the younger girls. They are so much fun!  We made a little card that says "Jesus is my Shephard"   and we talked about what that means for us.
Well, it is getting late and I guess my bed is calling me.  I'm still pondering what I could do for a layout, or plan for my blog, writings etc.  Good night

Saying Goodbye to Whining and Complaining

I just ordered the Mp3's from Biblical parenting.org, called Saying Goodbye to Whining and Complaining.


Wow, the things that I am taking out of it are awesome!

Just some of my notes, nothing organized

Set clear boundries!

When your child asks for a snack, and you are getting supper ready.
You say "no, I am making supper"
Your child keeps badgering you for a snack, and whining and complaining, you need to take action.
Right away, because if you wait, and give in and give them a cookie and milk, then when they spill the milk, you are angry!  The spilled milk wasn't what made you angry, it was the whining and complaining.
Instead you could say
"You need to go to your room for 15 minutes while I finish supper."
 Deal with the whining and badgering before it makes you angry.

You want to teach your child to fly straight, teach them obediance.
If you want them to fly High, teach them honor.

Honor is treating others as special, doing what's more then expected, and having a good attitude.

Teaching the basics to Children

Just a quick post.
We started our baby in Junior Kindergarten!
This is a first for us!
I've homeschooled all the others through these years, sometimes I wonder why I'm doing this.
I won't get into that now. The kids will be home in 30 minutes.
This week, Dylan is going M, W and Friday.
He is taking a nap here beside me as I write.
Full time JK is just too much for me!
It must be for him too, because when we got home from lunch duty  he voluntarily laid down and promptly fell asleep! Maybe I will write about that another day..

If you are reading this, I want to ask you a question.
What would be a valuable blog topic, purpose, direction be to you or someone you know?
Sometimes when I blog I feel like it is just a bunch of my thoughts.  I guess that is okay, but
I like to do things on Purpose.  Hummmm....

I've been pondering my long buried, or tucked away dream to teach Home economics.
After I graduated, that was the direction I was heading.
I loved my home economics classes at Hinkletown Mennonite School, as well as in High school!
Garden Spot and LMH.   They were my all time favorite classes.

I'm not sure why I never pursued a teaching degree, but somewhere along the time line I decided that my deep down goal in life was to get married and have a family.  And to me that meant staying home and raising my family full time.    That goal outweighed my desire to teach Home Ec.

Fortunately, both goals have been accomplished.  As I raise my family, I am also teaching "Home EC!"
It is just to a very challenging crew of kids that don't always want to listen or learn from their "teacher" Mrs. Mom!

All that to say, I was talking to a friend this morning about blogging and was wondering how I could use this outlet as another way to "teach" home economics? Or is it even something that is needed?
I ponder that as I think about how I learn, and how the circumstances in my life have shaped me.
I learned some valuable lessons through the years.  Some I want to teach others, so they don't have to learn the hard way,  and some I would rather not pass on.

Losing my Mom, (Betty) when I was 10, and my Dad (Glen) when I was 20, has definately brought its challenges.  If that wasn't enough, I decided to move to Canada!   30 hours away from my brothers and sisters and my Mom, Ruth Ann.  I was 23, ended up meeting the love of my life getting married and making our home in Red Lake Ontario!

Moving to a different culture, a different country, to a different climate, different church, and a new family has been quite the learning curve!
It hasn't been the easiest road, but it has been worth it.
I am so grateful for the family God has given to me.  I don't want to ever take them for granted.

Through the years,  I've come to really see how our Grandmas and Grandpas, Moms and Dads and aunts and uncles have sooooo much they can pass on to children. We need to take the time.  We need to be intentional about it.  

I think so many people take for granted the things they learn when they are raised in a home where routine is normal. Where family is "normal" and maybe then just expect that others just know how to raise a family, clean a house and take care of their homes.   I didn't learn routine when I was little.

If you are privilegded to have your family close by,  be careful not to take for granted having them stop by and do projects together, cooking, cleaning etc.  During those times you pass on things, you learn from those older than you the skills you haven't mastered yet.

Some things I see in myself is that I've been learning things on my own.  Things that families usually pass down, from generation to generation. When I lived in Pennsylvania, I would make my rounds to my Grandmas house, my aunts houses because I loved seeing them work.  They would teach me things I never learned.   I miss that, and long for it... but I have adapted. If I want to learn something, I just need to find someone that knows how to do it and ask lots of questions.   I know that there are others who don't have that either for various reasons.  I wonder if not more and more with the world we live in today.  That is why I ask the question, would turning my blog, or starting a new one with the focus of
"Bake to the Basics"  be valuable?

As a child, my mom Betty was in the hospital a lot with Luekemia, my Dad was a long distance trucker.
Routine was not a word I knew! If there was any routine in my life I didn't recognize it! We were taken care of by different babysitters,  or to differents aunts and uncles, until my Aunt Velma came to live with us.

Later when I was 12, my dad remarried Ruth Ann.  She was really good at routine, and structure.
Unfortutely,  as a young teen I didn't want to have anything to do with structure and routine!
(I'm sorry Mom!!!!    I really love you and am very grateful for what you taught me!!)
I was angry, I missed my mom and on top of that I now had chores to do,   I bucked everything!

I've been privilegded to watch some moms, my friends,  with their kids when I just had Alabama.
My friend Iris, she taught me to start them young on the jobs around the house. I didn't have a clue how! I had to learn on my own!  Through trial and error, we are still learning!  I am learning how to be consistent, how to teach my kids life skills!

If you have the chance to teach your young kids that work if fun... Do it!  For them!
Work alongside of them, they love that.  What is better than washing dishes with mom? You know what I mean, the dishes part isn't always fun, but if you can do it with someone you love, have time to talk with them..... Think about it?

When your little toddler wants to help you put soap in the dishwasher, help him! Teach him how!

When your child asks to vacuum, let them, it doesn't have to be perfect!
 They learn that helping out around the house is just what we do when we are a family.

Don't miss it!
If you start teaching your children when they are teenagers, you will have a much harder time with their co-operation! Trust me, I know! I was not a very coopertive teenager!

You are raising children to become adults who contribute to society!
What you teach them as a young child can help them become contributing adults!

I know it isn't always easy or feasible to have kids help, but know it is worth it when you can....

Know that YOU have something Valuable to pass on!

Alabama watching to make sure mommy does it right!

Alabama making cool whip for the pudding cups

Trevor helping Dad build the tree fort

Dylan age 3 helping set the table

Alabama age 6 helping take the garbage out

Well, so much for a quick post......
So as I am teaching my children life skills, I ask, would you think that  a blog with that purpose be valuable, and if so, video tutorials etc?  I'd love to hear from you if you took the time to read this lengthly post, what your thoughts are.

4HIM - The Basics of Life

Alan Jackson - Are You Washed In The Blood

Walk two moons in someones moccasins

I've been pondering some things lately.  

We Canadians and Americans have sooo much!

We say "we are so blessed"  humm...

I was pondering that this morning.  

My family sits down to breakfast and has

more than one option of cold cereal, as well as muffins, fruit, milk..... and more.

Or instead of blessed are we "spoiled" ?  

I ask the question, but really I'm coming to believe that is the truth.  

We have too much!  God help us!  

So as we talked together over the breakfast table we remembered Daddy's trip to Haiti.

The kids were remembering the things Jeff told them about eating rice and beans all the time.

Could we do that? Are we willing to give up our comforts to not be "spoiled"  and ungrateful?  

As hard as that is to answer, I have to think about it.  

The more we have the less grateful we are for what we do have! 

That reminds me of Jungle Jam and Friends story and song..

"The more you have, the more you have to take care of the things you have..."

A Lady in Haiti selling fruit to make money for her family

Jeff said, " in Haiti, they didn't have much, but they seemed to have joy"

At least I see this in my life.  When we have too much we don't take care of what we do have.

That led me to thinking about my Grandparents and what they have lived through with the Great Depression.  We can learn so much from them if we take the time to listen to their stories.

Jeff's Great Grandpa Dan Yoder Jeff and Mike

Jeff's Maternal Grandpa Gingerich

Wendy's Maternal Grandpa Phares and Edna Rutt

Phares and Edna Rutt

Wendy's Step Grandparents  Roy and Catherine Messner

So then I think Oh dear I have really let this life of Materialism take over my world, unwanted!

I try to do my best to live with less, until I go shopping and think "oh we need______"  

Our rescources or Credit cards allow us to buy for the most part whatever we think we need.

Oh and the "cheap" toys and Bargains that you think you are doing a great thing saving money...
Don't let them waste your money!   And Time!

I have a little story to tell you. 

We just bought Trevor a Monster truck for his birthday. 

He really wanted one and after looking around I found one at True Value.  

I knew it might be a cheaply made one, but I reasoned that if he takes care of it it should last.

I was wrong.  I am convinced that the toy makers in China are just laughing at us Americans and Canadians who keep buying junk! 

 I am telling you, his birthday was November 27.  This is December 15. 

 It is broken already and HE TOOK CARE OF IT!  

You probably are saying, oh you know little boys, they just wreck their toys.. 

No, we told him that if he didn't take care of it it would break.  

He was so diligent at putting it away every time he was done playing with it.  He even put it in our bedroom so his little brother wouldn't play with it while he was in school.  

One day, a friend was over and took the truck and somehow it got placed behind the door of the bedroom and it took one person to swing the door open and broke the little wheel off.  

Jeff tried to fix it for him, but said it's no use, it was made so cheaply I can't even fix it!  

What a shame....  

Just maybe this is the issue with our Garbage dump being almost full.!

We keep  buying cheap junk!  That doesn't last!  

Our Grandparents might have some wisdom for us don't you think? 

Good quality, hand-made gifts, that we don't have time to make anymore.  

That we don't want to spend money to make, because you can buy it cheaper.....

As I think about how we get to the places in our lives where we have too much stuff,  I was pondering  how do we react when we see someone else who is stuck in their stuff? What do we say to ourselves or others?  Have you ever watched the show Hoarders? 

We think to ourselves

If only they would.....

If only they wouldn't........

I would never do that......

Can you believe that person does that???

Really?  What if you walked two moons in their shoes?  

This post is a window into my thoughts, scary, Somehow I am going out on a limb and sharing my heart here.  I hope it is a safe place.... what am I thinking this is not a safe place! It's the internet for pete's sake!

You need to Walk two moons in someones moccasins before you can even think about judging them.

It doesn't just go for people caught in the materialism trap, but so many other traps we find ourselves in.

Sometimes we are unaware, sometimes we know we are in a trap, but don't know how to get out of it.

Let's be gracious to each other.  Life is a journey!
How can we make this world a brighter place this Christmas season?

Paper clutter!

Oh my, when will I ever get a handle on papers and books in my home?
I've been on a journey to declutter and get rid of things, which I think I've done pretty good with. Now, the problem is keeping it that way!  My question today is how do you manage your papers, your to do lists, your things that need to be taken care of, you can't forget, but don't have time right now to do them?

I know there is a born organized person out there with some advice for me!
This what I have right now.  The problem is that it is in the main part of the house where anyone who comes over it is one of the first things they see.  Our family enjoys having company, so I would like it to be a little more out of the way, or not as visible.  I can't help but think there is a better way of keeping track and organizing papers that it wouldn't have to be a problem.
So, just asking how you deal with your paper clutter?

So in the above picture,
Top Shelf
The basket has cards we recieve through out the year.  Mainly Christmas cards.
The stackable trays.
1 is supposed to be things for "today"
2 ? To do later ( out of sight out of mind unfortunately!)
3 Scrap-paper
I don't like this method because the first tray starts to get overwhelmed with things I can't do
Right Now, but needs to be dealt with ASAP.  Then I end up forgetting about it until it is too late.
Hummm,  Maybe it is a matter of my routine to deal with paperwork?

Middle Shelf
On left is the girls piano homework we use almost daily.
Then my current card stash that I have ready to write cards for birthdays..
Basket is the kids artwork, school papers... to file later
Hanging file... I brought this up yesterday thinking maybe a hanging file would be a better solution
to my stacking trays that aren't working for me.  I have no plan for this yet.  Any ideas?
Then my journal, Bible and my devotional book.

Bottom shelf
File box
I have a hanging folder for each of the kids scrapbooks
A file for other papers that need to be filed.
A Health/recipe file
This box is not set up the way I think would work the best either.
On top of that is a thin basket that is just collecting Junk
Then the pink basket has sticky notes, office supplies.  The problem is the kids have found this basket and think they can use my special sticky notes for drawing their little creations.  Soon I'll have no sticky notes..
Next is my markers, don't ask me why they are there
Then my Day timer that I'm learning how to use..
Then a 3 ring binder with recipes that I either want to try or don't know what to do with.

On the wall:
I have a white board to write reminders for the day.
Then the cork board has things I need to do right away.  Notes to return to school,
Dentist appointment that I need to rescedule, a gift certificate that is expiring at the end of the year,
My outdoors card that needs to be renewed ASAP
My Flylady calender that I am very grateful for!  I use this ALL the time.

My computer desk:
On the shelf I keep my tax records and my "budget"  records very losely done.
We don't have a budget, but with Jeff going to school now we might just have to change some things!
My three ring whole punch is there and in my small drawer are headphones and computer cords for cameras and ipods and the tv remote.

Anyway, this is probably very boring for some of you, if you got to this part, thanks for taking the time to read and I would love any advice on how I could make this part of my life a little more less stressful!

Last years pictures...

Mom decorates cakes everyday!  This is one she made

I was just looking back over our last years pictures.  As the year 2010 came to a close we were able to be with my mom on her birthday, unfortunately it was the day we were leaving Pennsylvania to come back home.  Grandma treated the kids to a yummy cone of ice cream.
Happy birthday once again Mom!

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to all my family!

Merry Christmas!

The song "to us a Child of Hope is born, to us a Son is given..." is going through my head.
What would we be without hope?  When I see the expressions on my childs innocent faces I remember the hope that filled my heart as a child.
Gradually the trials in life started slapping me in the face trying  to steal away my hope.
Some days it sure worked, I've had my days of feeling hopeless.  More so than not, but this time of year I am reminded of the hope of Heaven.  
You know with all the stink about not saying "merry Christmas"  , or if you watch the news at all you soon realize that not everyone has the same point of view as you do.  That is okay!  We are free to believe what we want.

I choose to cling to the hope that Jesus came to this earth as a baby, died on the cross for my imperfections and sins and was raised to life again, Giving us HOPE!

Without that hope I don't know why I'd want to go on with life.
 Life is Hard!  It is full of hurt and pain.  Conflicts and fighting, it makes me sick in my stomach.

An innocent child has hope!  Until life starts to hurt too much....

I don't know about you, but through my journey I've clung to the HOPE I've found in Jesus!
Life is such a journey.  I'm sure glad that God doesn't expect us to be perfect. To have it all together.
To understand everything,   We'd never make it.  Through God's love and forgiveness,  I am drawn to Him.  May you find Hope in Him this Christmas season.

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelations 21:4

Winter is here to stay

This picture was taken last week....

After a week inside, winter is here to stay!
Today was my first time out since Music class on Monday night.  It is absolutely gorgeous out there.   Could it be because I've been stuck inside all week?  Maybe, but the sun is shining and it is pretty!

This is taken this morning, you can see the lake is starting to freeze over.

Life is like a Map

What a journey this life is!  I am so grateful for the blessings in my life.
My husband, my children, my sisters and brothers, my parents and grandparents. Friends!
My God, who gives all these good gifts.  I am thankful.  I don't say that lightly.
Really, what would life be without those you hold close to your heart?

Sometimes in our lives it is hard to be thankful, we wonder why we get out of bed in the morning.
We struggle to see meaning in life.  We see all the negative things and they become soooo big!
Maybe you never had those feelings, I have.

Looking back over the past few years feels like looking at the back of a cross-stitch piece.
Or maybe, like following a map and coming up on detours would be more like it.
At the time I didn't understand why the I had to turn there, I didn't see that big hole in the road up ahead.  I am glad I followed the directions  that I heard my Father God speaking to me, It created a whole different piece of art in my life than if I would have just followed the map to a T and ignored the detour signs!

One turn in the road was putting our kids in school instead of continuing to home-school.   I am so thankful.  It has made a big difference in my perspective and energy levels.
I am very impressed with the teachers and Principal at R. L Madsen Public School.
They do a great job with the children.  I have been able to be there as a lunch room supervisor and get to know my kids friends and the teachers a bit.

It is hard to describe the reasons I home- schooled and the reasons we chose to send them to Public schools.
Looking back, doing some soul- searching I realize one reason in my heart was that it was time to let the kite string out a little.  You know, let the children learn to "fly" in this world while they are under our roof.  I felt God was asking me, "don't you trust me to take care of your children?"
I was hanging on to them.  Losing mom when I was 10 maybe played a part in wanting to make sure I had quality time with my children. I wasn't ready to let them go.

Though, as difficulties arose with having to teach and parent I began to wonder if it was quality time anymore.
I think it has been for the best of all of us!

Another detour was with my health.  Last year, in the winter there were days that I still struggled to get out of bed.  I was frustrated! Good grief, the kids are in school now, what is wrong with me? I thought it  was having the kids home all day!  I realized that wasn't all of it.

After talking to my friends, I felt prompted to get some blood work done and check my Vitamin D.
Sure enough my Vitamin D levels were very low.  I started taking 3-4000 IU's a day.  Sometimes more.
I am hoping that will help my energy throughout this winter.  I am recognizing it is a pattern and that I get the Winter Blues!  So I am on a journey to find out what helps that.

A couple things I am going to try this winter is to make sure I do something fun in those freezing cold months!  Like Scrapbooking, card making.  I might try my hand at decorative painting again.

I also find that exercise really really helps my winter blues!

Through this journey of fatigue, I've done lots of reading!
One book I just finished is YOU on a Diet.  Great book!
The one thing that I am taking from that book is that deprivation diets just cause us to crave more food!
I realize we can't just eat everything, and all the portions we might want, but if we listen to our body's signals, it tells you when you have had enough.  Our problem is that we don't usually wait until we are truely hungry to eat.  And we don't stop eating when we are content.  This is Key!
Eat when you are hungry!  Stop when you are content!

If you haven't read it and you struggle with your weight, or you think about food all the time and what you are going to eat to try to lose weight .  You need to read this!
You on a Diet gives you answers to why you crave food.  When we allow ourselves to get soooo hungry, because we are "on a diet"  trying hard to lose weight, our desire for food increases!  When your body is satisfied, you will eat less.
You On a Diet discusses all the different diets and why they don't work unless you do them 100%.

Another thing they say is automate what you eat.  I think a reason so many people are overweight today is that there are soooo many choices!  Simplfy what you eat in a week.  Even if it is just your breakfast and lunches.   It takes the brain work out of what am I going to eat,  and the "monotany" of the same food most mornings and lunches take away that "this is soooo good, I'm going to have another serving"
It is working for me.  My main breakfast now is steel cut oats, a bit of natural peanut butter, handful of blueberries, honey and milk.  A cup of coffee or Green Tea.
Yeah, maybe it is boring, but it sure is freeing! Or yogurt and granola and blueberries or raisins.  Just a few of my favorites.

It also talks about how high sugar foods, and white flour foods leave us unsatisfied and craving more in the end.  Protien and fat are needed to help you feel satisfied.
I'm not convinced yet that I need to completely cut out white flour and sugar,  but my reading has led me to buy spelt grain, and try  to grind my own flour this winter! We'll see how that goes!  Thanks to Jenni for letting me borrow her grinder till I know if this is going to become a lifestyle change! or if it is just another thing I'm going to try!    So, I am on a quest for new recipes!
That is why Wanda has been posting recipes with Spelt in them.

Well, I am hoping this Flu is going away!  I've been sick going on 3 weeks now.  This week it really hit me hard.  I've been house bound, exhausted.  So as I lay here on the couch so much stuff is running through my mind.  So I thought I would write.  Maybe next week when I'm feeling better I'll read this and wonder why I wrote what I did, but oh well!  Enjoy
Wendy

Grandma's Apron

My grandmother worked for a local meat market - Heagys.
I have a lot to contemplate as I think of the rich heritage I have when it comes to food and learning about cooking and baking according to Pennsylvania Dutch/German tradition.

I will have to post some of Grandma Sadie's recipes when I get a chance.  For now, I'm just thinking, and thankful.

Parenting

Wow, do you ever feel like when you try harder the issues just get worse?
I never knew how challenging parenting would be when we took on this job.
I love my kids like crazy, but some times they just drive me crazy!

I am so thankful for finding the website by Scott Turesky and Joanne Miller. The author of the book Good and Angry.
I am finally getting the answers and help I've been seeking.
Understanding my kids heart and dealing with attitudes and bad behavior from a heart perspective.
It just clicks with me.
We can focus on the outward reactions and discipline for the bad reaction, or we can figure out the belief
that they are believing that needs to change to have behavior changes.
If we don't care about what is going on inside our childs head and heart we will not be able to help them
make the kind of changes that are life changing.

I've been dealing with Alabama this week.  Just not wanting to do the dishes, or put her laundry away.  Simple things that she knows how to do.  She has really been resisting my instructions.
So taking from Scott and Joanne's book, this is what I'm trying to do:

1: Come when called.
2:  Child responds to your request "yes, mom", "okay Mom"
3:  Send them to do the "job" and report back when finished
4:  I stay close by to make sure she is on task, then check her work when she is finished.
5:  Release her by saying something like "good work, your free to go"

So, we need to work on the yes mom part, and ignoring my instructions.
Sometimes I get busy in what I 'm doing that I don't realize that she hasn't done what I asked her to do.
I am hoping that this will help "retrain" both of us in the instruction routine and avoid emotionally charged interactions.

Key point:  Anger is not the problem, it shows that there is a problem that needs to be addressed.  I am seeing that if I deal with the problem early then I don't get as angry.

We are starting our first week of Hero Training Camp!  So far so good, I am praying for some major changings in our attitudes and behaviors in our family!

www.biblicalparenting.org

First Day of Summer Vacation in Lancaster County!

Monday morning and the kids are all home.  Right now I am listening to them jabber back and forth, a little frustrating voices, yelling now and then - one is playing the recorder(fluteaphone) - Hot Crossed Buns - we were already outside, took care of the chickens and hoed in the garden - laundry is on the line and more is coming.....

Somewhere we will find the balance between work and play - and I pray this will be a summer to remember!  I love having the kids home from school - even though we have our moments!

Coffee with Wendy

When I pour coffee, and my kids are quiet and I need a break, I often think of Wendy - sometimes I call her and say, "I just poured some coffee - are you busy?"  If not, we may have our "Coffee Break" together - on the phone.  It is not the most ideal- of course it would be nice to visit face to face.  Skype is cool - but right now, I don't have sound on my computer, so in order to hear her voice, I settle for phone calls - long phone calls - sometime I hang up the phone and 45 minutes have gone by..... and my kids are not quiet any more!  Sometimes that is the reason we hang up!   So Wendy, I just poured my cup of coffee - what are you up to?  Ready for a coffee break?  Love you and miss you.

Lancaster County Greetings!

For those of you who are lucky to live near Wendy, consider yourself very blessed!  I miss her, alot!  We have resorted to telephone calls to keep in touch - and sometimes they happen every day, twice and day, and sometimes, it goes weeks before we talk.  Today was a twice a day, day.  We have lots of recipes we want to share with each other - things we try on our own and want to share with the other. 

We might as well post them here so others can benefit, eh?  (That is something I learned off of my Canadian relatives =)  I've learned a lot about the North since my sister moved there.  We have visited several times - hmmm I would guess at least 4 times - in the past 10 years.  Our visits are getting fewer and farther between as our children become more and more active and we vacation in different places.... =(

I have asked myself many times why God would have led Wendy to such a far away place.  You know, she could have moved even 8 hours away and I would have a better chance of seeing her regularly.  But the trip to Red Lake, Ontario, from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, takes us two monstrous 15 hour days of driving!  That is not a trip you take on the spur of the moment... sigh.  I wish.  But alas, we are where we are, we might as well make the most of it!

So we have chosen to share some of it with you all.  Welcome to my little corner of the world, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, home of the Horse and Buggies, rolling farm land, Amish and various Mennonite groups, and lots of people, just like you - I know Wendy misses the farming community, so I will probably post lots of pictures of what I have of my area I live in.  Be blessed!

Wanda

Chicks we hatched - we are raising for meat (They don't look like this anymore!)

One of our goats - which we got rid of since it was quite loud!

One of our new ladies on our hobby farm

Introducing my kids - Mary Jane, James, Corina and Madison

Wanda

Well,  Wanda and I were chatting today and decided that it would be neat to have a blog together that we could both write on about our lives.  Being raised for the first 20 some years in the same community, house and family, and now being 30 hours away from each other for the past 15ish years. So join us in our journey through life.  Welcome to our lives.....

Otter Ride

Tax season!

A relief, I am all finished for the year!

Just put the finishing touches on the GST/HST forms tonight.

Hopefully I've learned enough over the years that this years attempt to be organized with all those

reciepts make next years Tax season a bit more bearable.

I love Turbo Tax though, soooo much easier than a calculator and a pen!

We have just come through a very complicated tax season, selling one portion of our business.

And starting another, or continuing...

We said good bye to the Otter!  

What a fun and profitable adventure that was.  I am so thankful to be able to have come through the experience of starting a business, and selling it.  Jeff really enjoyed that, but it was time to pass it on.

Now we are....

J. Yutzy Flooring

It is official, well, it has been for about a year.

Just this week Jeff had a few shirts made up with his logo on it.

We will do this until we know what the next step is....

We are waiting..... for some answers......

In the meantime ..

I placed in the mail today our application for Canadian Citizenship!  

After 12 years of living here, I guess it is time.

Jeff has been here since the 70's!  I think he deserves to be a citizen!

So much legal stuff on my mind today... 

I'm glad I'm not an accountant.... I would not be very happy!

Dylan 2, Trevor 4,  Bama 6 and Tia 9
Summer 2010

The day the trailer pulled out of our driveway!
Last summer 2010

Our Otter Ride Logo!
Les Fabian our former neighbor in Madsen designed and painted it.





Below is a picture of what is to come soon!  I will try to post pictures as soon as I have them of this sucker season!

Sucker Fishing will soon be here!
Trevor and his cousin Scotty 2 years ago!

The Donkey Story

This weekend was palm Sunday.  The day we tell our children the Bible story about when Jesus came riding into town on a donkey and the children waved palm branches.  Shouting "hosanna to the King!"

Today I'm thinking about a different donkey story.  I just heard the story of a farmer who had a donkey.  It was getting old.  One day it fell into a deep hole.  The farmer knew that the donkey was so old, he didn't want to try to get him out, he would probably die anyway, so he decided to let him die there.
The farmer started to throw dirt on top of him to bury him.  Each shovel full of dirt he threw on top of the donkey, the donkey shook it off.  Eventually the dirt created a "hill"  for the donkey to climb up on and eventually, instead of laying down and dying, he used the dirt for something good.

Just something that I've been thinking about lately.