Extending Grace

Ever have those moments wear you just want to kick yourself in the seat of your pants? Let me tell you, I did this past Monday night. Actually, one kick would not have been sufficient. I have to start off this saga with informing you that I had salmon thawed out for dinner. However, the hubby had a hankering for waffles and bacon. He was even going to make the waffles and bacon with his handicapped self. However, we had no Bisquick in the house (his preferred method of preparing this breakfast food); neither did we have bacon. So, we decided to make a run to Aldi. And this was when the bright idea popped into my head and the beginning of a long night started.

You see, last week I had stopped into Aldi to buy some salsa and was giddy to discover the deal on pumpkins. All pumpkins, no matter the size, were $2. And they had some pretty big ones. Two bucks! I've never seen them so cheap. Last year, we did the whole pumpkin patch thing with our dear friends, the Holsingers, at Young's Dairy and had a blast. But part of that was simply the company we were with. Of course, the kids wanted to have that experience again, but when I saw those prices, I had second thoughts of any pumpkin patch.

So, Monday, when we were getting ready to make the trip to Aldi, I grabbed the camera thinking we would have our pumpkin patch experience there. After all, there was an entire isle of big huge boxes filled with pumpkins. The kids would still have fun picking out "just the right one." We park and Dan and J & L head to get a cart while I am unbuckling Claire. Even though Dan was wondering why I was taking the camera and thought it was pretty silly, I decided I still wanted to take it in. Hey, it was gonna make for a fun blog post if anything. I stuck the keys in the camera bag, but then at the last minute, I decided just to take the camera in and leave the bag in the van...with the keys still in it. And of course, I had locked it manually before shutting the door. I took about 5 steps and realized what I had done. Doh...

I ended up calling my sister who drove over and took me home to try and find my set of keys. Yes, I had locked Dan's keys in the van and I hadn't been able to find mine for a few days. (Dan found them the other day in the garage by the freezer. I think I must have left them there after delivering one of the bags of ice Dan needed for his shoulder surgery recovery time). I spent a good, long time looking for my keys. I finally had to call Dan with no good news. I grabbed the car key and headed to Aldi to pick up my tired and hungry family. I had told Dan I was on the verge of tears and I should have just agreed with his thought of taking the camera into the store as being silly.

And this is why I entitled this blog post what I did. We came home and as I served the kids turkey sandwiches, Lydia told us she didn't have the best of days...that her friend Maddie was sick and was not at school and that we didn't get to have waffles for supper. I apologized to her for the latter. She did not mean it in a hurtful way...just expressing her disappointment and she felt bad after I apologized to her. We all sat down and Dan prayed and thanked God for the food that we did have before us and for us to find mommy's keys. He could have gotten and stayed very annoyed with me, but he extended me grace during some moments that I really needed them. Thanks, babe!

And there you have it...I did get one picture with my camera. It was the sign on top of the store that said Aldi. Maybe I'll add it once I've gotten it onto Picassa. But that was the one and only picture I took. For when we got to the isle where the pumpkins had been, there was not one in sight. One of the managers told me they had sold fast. I shoulda known. Oh well, I think rather than the kids getting a lesson in money management (cheap pumpkins), they got an even better lesson in how to extend grace!

Slow Down, Baby Girl

This cute, little one will be a 4 year old, "big girl" on Saturday! How is that possible? Seems like yesterday Claire was a newborn sandwiched in between her big bro and sis wearing those same pj's.

Some things haven't changed...like Claire's constant companion, Beary.

( That pure pink blob by her head is Beary).

And then there is Claire's hair. When she was a babe, we got oh, so many comments on her hair that seemed to defy gravity. And we loved it...it was her trademark. Well, this summer she put silly putty in her hair which I ended up cutting out. Now that it is growing back in, a small portion on the crown of her head looks familiar to me.

There are some big changes occurring in Clairey's life, too!! Starting around mid September, Claire started attending preschool. I was curious as to how she would do, but she absolutely loves going to school. And just like J & L, she wants to go the whole nine yards, with a backpack and wanting do have homework to do. She is writing her name better and is doing great with cutting. She has always loved books, but I have never been able to read as many books to her at one time as with J & L, due to her attention span. But, that is improving now, too (thanks to circle time). Our stack of books to read at naptime is becoming bigger! She has even been able to sit with us while I read the Little House series, as long as she gets to be on my lap and in charge of turning the pages. She loves her teachers and is getting some needed social skills while getting a chance to play with kids her own age every day. I am so glad she is loving going to school. This week, I am helping out in her classroom during the fall party. Should be fun!

Bob Evans, Down On The Farm

Two weekends ago, we had the privilege of joining the Riddell family and heading to Rio Grande, OH for the annual Bob Evans festival. Beth came here with her family a few times as a youngster and I remember coming with her once during one of our farm trips. (If my memory serves me correctly, her grandpa went to the same high school as Bob Evans). We had a fun time and Jake even said he wanted his birthday dinner at that Bob Evans. We had to explain to him that all the fun stuff was specifically for the festival. Below are pictures of some of that "fun stuff."


First we headed up this hill and sat down to wait for the show at the pond to start.

First, there was some friendly competition with sawing logs the old fashioned way and with a chainsaw.

Next, this man demonstrated a certain type of chopping and did it in quite a fast time (he used to hold a world record in the 70's).

Look how high he is (note the telephone wires in the background)! Don't know too many men (or women) who would get up so high with an axe on a teeny board. Not to mention he's not a young man anymore.

Next came my favorite thing to watch...the log rolling!

This dude lost, obvioulsy, so next time...

he decided to cheat.

The gang in front of an old mine.

One of the memories from going to the BE farm with Beth was rolling down the big hill near the pond (see the first picture to see the height). Anyhow, the kids had a fun time reliving our adventure. Beth, Ryan, and myself got in on the action, too. Too bad Dan had a bum shoulder; or maybe he was glad for it at that moment? (No pictures of Jake doing it, because he had fallen on the way back down from the mine and had to go get bandaged up).

I have been reading the Little House on the Prairie series to the kids, so it was fun for them to get to see and stir these giant kettles they were using to cook soup beans in. We had just finished reading about Laura Ingalls grandpa collecting tree sap and transferring it to giant kettles.

Waiting for the sheep and duck herding to begin.

Hay bail maze!

And then getting to climb on hail bails!!

Hmm, appears to be a tongue sticking out in that picture.

Waiting for the tractor square dancing to begin.

Here they come.

Dog and farmer, tractor square dancing.

About this time, we decided it was time to leave. We still wanted to make a trip to the farm that used belong to Beth's family. That was bittersweet. Brought back many, many memories, but I didn't even take pictures as it was just not the same and looked very run down. Before we headed up, we went to downtown Galipolis and had some supper at the Snack Shack.

And that's all for now, folks!

Our Birthday Boy

Jake turned 9 years old yesterday!! I was going to compile a bunch of pictures on here and then thought I would try Smilebox. I couldn't figure out the music, but I hope the pictures on the slideshow work for you. I only had about a million shots to sift through, but here are some of my favs of Jake over the last nine years of his life. Enjoy! We sure have!

Jake, I love you so much.

Personalize your own free picture collage

A Souper Deal

I make no claim to be the expert in the couponing world, but I am so glad I have learned a thing or two over the last couple of years. A huge "thank you" to Jenny and Emily over at Mommin' It Up and Crystal at Money Saving Mom (both on my blogger list off to the side). They were who gave me a crash course in couponing. While we no longer get the paper right now, I have still been able to score some sweet deals through the use of printable coupons!!

The above deal was done last week at Rite Aid. With Dan subbing, he is packing his lunch every day. He has been great about taking leftovers from dinner and sometimes packs a sandwich. When I saw I could get a good deal on these soups, I thought that would be another good option for Dan. Thanks to my mom, who generously gave me the coupons she had on Progresso soups. (She is also a superb couponer).

I'll not break it down in great detail, but basically, with the store sales, combined with my coupons and previous rewards I had earned, I was able to get all that was pictured above (plus one additional can of soup...Dan had already taken one for a lunch and a pack of gum) for $8.11 and received $8 back in more rewards! I'd say that was worth the eleven cents!!

Just a Few Funnies

*I rotate the bigger toys in our house. The ones not in use get put in the shed. Recently, I got the play kitchen out of the shed and put the doll house away. Claire was so excited (this is why I like the rotation since it brings a new appreciation to old toys). She began playing with it asap. All of the sudden, she came running up to me and saying, "Mom, look at the floth, there's a floth." It took me a few seconds, during which I was trying to figure out which piece of food she was mispronouncing. Then I guessed it right, as she led me to the moth I needed to get rid of.

*Yesterday, as I was in the shower, I realized I'd left the bar of soap on the sink (since I keep putting off making more soap for the hand pump). I called to Lid to hand it to me. She did and as she was closing the door again, she said, "Bye, I mean, good night, I mean good shower." It made me giggle, which made her giggle back. Thirty three years have passed in my life and I've never wished anyone a "good shower." But just maybe that will become a tradition now.

*Claire has had an obsession. Many times, she has asked me about my wedding ring. "Did Daddy give you that ring?" Now, she frequently asks me, "Did Daddy marry you?" Don't know why it is a question that she feels the need to continue to ask, but she does - just about every day. And my answer to her every day is, of course, "yes." The other day, we had this same little conversation, only after I said, "yes," she asked, "Was it awful?" I don't know if she's got an early case of the cooties or what, but apparently, getting married is not high on her future priority list.

*"Who do you love?" Can't really say when this started, but I know it was when Jake and Lydia were little. We would rattle off people's names and also throw in items we knew the kid's didn't like (ex. spinach, liver, white chicken, etc...) If they loved the person or thing, they would slap our hand and say "yes." If they did not slap our hand and gave a "no" answer, that obviously meant they didn't like what was listed off. It used to be they would say yes to every person. Well, times have changed. Even though we haven't played this silly, little game for a long time, Jake wanted to last night during my talk time with him. And let me just say, if you are a. of the female gender who is related to Jake or b. a female elder to him, then count your blessings. All the little girls I mentioned got a big, fat "NO."

*Did you know we have a garage sale scheduled every month? Seriously, we do. You see, this summer, we did have a garage sale. And Lydia took it upon herself to write it on my dry erase calendar since I had not done so. Only thing is she used a permanent marker. So, yeah - the second Saturday of every month, come to our house and we'll wheel and deal. It's a good thing Dan and I are so good at cleaning out our garage. (Oh, and in case you were wondering, we also have 2 "sad days" every month. She had marked those days as well when she saw that Daddy was going to be out of town. Although, I can guarantee you those sad faces aren't accurate for this month, since Grandma and Grandpa Ernst will be coming for a special visit that weekend)!

Camera in the Hands of The Jakester

Was going through Picasa and came across some recent pictures that Jake had taken. I will forewarn you that these are silly and fun. If you want to enjoy some absolutely gorgeous pictures, take a look at my sister in law, Jill's blog, on my list of favorites (The Blab). But I know Jake will get a kick out of me sharing his creative side with the camera. And after you check out the pictures, watch the 2 second video. I think this was an accidental video, but it makes me giggle everytime I watch it. It may not even be funny to you, but I just keep clicking on it over and over and it makes me laugh. Silly boy...