12-8-11 The Latest

by Tori

So far this week we have done something abnormal every night. Monday our bass fiddle was delivered – by a semi – and when the guy unloaded it he stood the box up on end and wham! it blew right over. Mom about had a heart attack. It turned out fine as the fiddle was very well packed.

And so Monday evening Roger & Sally came out and Roger set it up for us.

 

Tuesday evening was the Christmas Program Practice. Dad, Mom, and all the Sunday school kids left right after supper leaving Josh and I at home. Levi was working late and Jesse was milking but they were both home by 7:30. Wednesday morning Dad and Jacob took a cow up to the sale barn and once they got back Dad changed and helped us load the bass fiddle in the van and then dropped off the three littles at Grandma’s before going to work. The rest of us loaded all the instruments in the van and we took off for Peoria. After music lessons we unloaded the van and then Mom went to Grandma’s to pick the kids back up. Wednesday evening we went to the Bloomington Christmas program to hear their choir sing (which was really really good, especially Silent Night and the Hallelujah Chorus.) We didn’t get back till 10 though so things were a little slow here this morning. Today and tonight we don’t have any plans.

Legos have recently been a huge hit around here – Josh likes the Blue Thunder Fighter Jet Katie made for him from a kit.

Josh and Kate playing copy-cat.

 

Josh must be the pet around here. He’s in a lot of these pictures – here he is with a tower Sarah helped him build.

Trying to figure out how to play this thing now that we finally got one.

12-7-11 Ted Is A Lifeguard

by Ben

Ted is a lifeguard at a beach at Florida.  His job was to watch out for sharks, stingrays, and hammerhead sharks. When he saw one he would yell, “Everybody out of the water!” He watched out for people who were drowning. But today was going to be the best ever.  It was the fourth of July and he thought there were going to be lots and lots of people. And sure enough there was. He did such a good job that he got a raise, from $20.00 to $30.00.

12-5-11 This ’n’ That

by Kaitlyn

Last night we stayed home. We had A. Sarah come out for supper.

Everybody wanted to see what Dad was playing on the ipad.

I also got this maze ball thing at the P.P. Christmas party. Everybody has been fighting over it for the last couple of days. Even Dad got interested in it!!!

 

Dad has been wearing his jacket to work but today he wore his winter coat for the first time. He found some really neat treasures. He found an apple and an orange in one of the pockets!! They both shrank up a lot!

 

The apple looked good on the inside but we still did not eat it!!

Yum Yum (that is the inside of the orange if you had not noticed).

Have a great day!!

12-4-11 There Were Shepherds

Wonderful day at church today, first because that’s just how church is, because it’s such a blessing to meet and fellowship and worship with God’s people, but second because we sang Christmas songs during the afternoon song service. And third, especially, because specifically we sang #300 in the Hymns of Zion, There Were Shepherds, which is basically the words of Luke 2 set to music. Absolutely beautiful song and words, and so joyful, such a blessing to sing. Last year we only sang it one time, and that was the day after Christmas, when I was home sick with a nasty stomach bug. That is, more accurately, THEY only sang it one time; I didn’t get to sing it at all. I know, I know, we can sing it at home, and I can sing it by myself anytime I want, but that is NOT the same as 300+ voices singing in a capella harmony. Not even close!!  And I know, I know, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him (I Corinthians 2:9), but sometimes when we’re singing at church I imagine the roof opening at the top center, and folding back so we can see right into heaven – faith will become sight, the clouds will be rolled back as a scroll, the trump shall resound, the Lord shall descend, the angels will join us in song – - What a day, glorious day, that will be! - for the faithful who are covered by the blood of the Lamb, for those who know Him as Saviour, for all born-again believers who love and serve their Lord and Master with all their heart and soul and mind!!!!!!

So. Although every time we gather to worship with God’s people is a precious priceless privilege, and every worship service is wonderful because, well, because the whole reason we are gathering is to worship the CREATOR of the UNIVERSE who also LOVES US ENOUGH TO DIE FOR US!!!!! - - - well, some days are just even more special than others. And today was one of them, Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!

So. To celebrate this wonderful season of our Saviour's birth – here is one of my favorite Christmas songs.

There Were Shepherds (Hymns of Zion #300)

There were shepherds abiding in the fields,

Keeping watch, keeping watch o’er their flocks by night.

And the angel of the Lord came upon them,

And the glory of the the Lord shone round about them,

And the glory of the Lord, the glory of the Lord shone round about them.

And they were sore afraid, and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them:

“Fear ye not, fear ye not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy,

Which shall be to all people, to all people;

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.”

Then suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host,

And praising God and saying, praising God and saying:

(chorus:)

“Glory! Glory! Glory to God in the highest!

On earth peace and concord,

Unto mankind good will and favor!

Unto mankind good will and favor!

Glory to God! In the highest!

Glory to God! In the highest!

On earth peace and concord,

On earth peace and concord,

Unto mankind good will and favor!

Glory! Glory! Glory to God in the highest!

On earth peace and concord,

Unto mankind good will and favor!

Unto mankind good will and favor!

(choral:)

How shall I, Lord, receive Thee And how thy grace extol?

My spirit’s crown and glory, O bridegroom of my soul!

Give me the understanding How full of light and grace

My soul may e’er esteem Thee, In rev’rence sing Thy praise!

(repeat chorus)

A long song? Oh yes. One of the longest we sing. But I wouldn’t mind it being longer. It is beautiful! Majestic. Awesome. (so impressive or overwhelming as to inspire a strong feeling of admiration or fear  -Encarta)

Yep, that’s it: Awesome.

Glory! Glory! Glory to God in the highest!

12-3-11 Totally (not) Normal

So Wednesday was pretty wild, anything but totally normal, heehee, cute title anyway - creative at that!

And Thursday was pretty calm, just a normal school day until after lunch when Jesse and Jacob ran to Pekin to look at a 4wheeler that was just perfect. They’ve been scouring Craigslist, The Trading Post, the Mackinaw Area Buyer’s Guide, etc. for weeks and weeks; most ATVs are either not big enough, with no utility racks on them, or way too big and new and thus pricey. So finally the perfect one turned up on Wednesday, and by Thursday afternoon we could wait no longer. We really needed to check this out. The machine checked out fine (I mean FINE), but the seller required cash (no checks). Mom to the rescue. I did a really quick trip to the bank for the needed money. Meanwhile the crew back here raced through chores, made supper, and arranged a meeting with the seller. I was barely home when the three older boys left to pick up Dad at work; they raced to Pekin while the rest of us had supper and got ready to go to the Goodfield clothing center. Our men raced back home, grabbed a fast supper, and we all raced up to Goodfield, only a few minutes late!  Whew!!! Did you notice a lot of racing?!!! Yeah, it felt like it!!! So we had a good time working together with friends and enjoyed our time of fellowship too. Home again, not quite so racy this time, but we all slept good after another Totally (not) Normal day!!!

Friday was another totally not normal day – being the first Friday of December, ASK and I did our annual Christmas shopping and lunch. I got a good start on my lists  – now all I have to do is finish - *smile* We had a grand time, as usual, even though we only made 6 stops instead of our traditional 16.  All the gifts I got landed on a big pile in our bedroom and covered with a blanket, where they remain still and will still remain until I have time to sort and wrap!! (or rather – delegate!)(I actually do very little wrapping)(my little elves do it). *smile* Tori did a great job, as usual, of holding the fort while I was gone, and Jacob did a great job, as usual, of gettin’ ‘er done outside also. Dad got home soon after I did, and we all did a fast change and headed for Peoria to the Precision Planting Christmas Party, which was, as usual, a wonderful great time, and this time the kids got to go too! We all had a ton of fun all evening long - littles were pretty tired by the time we got home. Highlights for the kids were the bouncy toys/slide, the photo booth, money machine, and Wii (among other activities that they thoroughly enjoyed); the highlight for me was the Amazing Love singing group that did an awesome program. Very talented group of young men. We so appreciate the Sauders and all they do for us; and we are so grateful to God for providing a good job for Dad – one that he really enjoys while he’s working to put food on our table and shoes on our feet. And we are also thankful for Levi, Jesse, and Jacob to have the opportunity to work there too, both at Precision and the dairy. They all love their jobs and are glad too to see their savings grow.

Today Dad & the kids butchered 4 dozen chickens for me; they did enough to give me a batch of chicken every week until April. It was pretty cold to be butchering, but they were troopers and got ‘er done; when they got too cold they were happy to warm up and help me skin and bag inside. So I’m thankful for a freezer full of chicken again and look forward to many more meals of chicken noodle soup, chicken potpie, chicken supreme casserole, chicken enchiladas, chicken a la king, chicken . . . . . . . .

A few px on the camera -

The. New. Fourwheeler.

 

(Which, I will add, has ALREADY been flipped, and the driver was NOT a minor.)(Why do boys have to go so FAST all the time???!!)(Like I NEED more gray hair????!!!)

Joyful Jacob (heehee)

Old Red. . .

. . . which I thought was plenty big enough. Now it looks positively small :(

Just in case you’ve ever in your life wondered what it looks like when a toenail is pulled off. Not pretty.

Today’s project -

found on camera:

(thanks, Kate. Now we all know)

 

Done!!!!!!

(we bagged 4 birds to one ziploc bag – total of 12 bags which is about once a week throughout the winter)(I don’t boil chicken up in spring/summer)

12-2-11 Excitement!

12-1-11 Totally Normal

by Tori

Yesterday (Wednesday) was a totally normal day until 11:30 when Jesse calls Mom and tells her that the dump truck ran out of oil on the way back from Aventine and he’s sitting on Allentown with four tons of gluten in the truck, and would she bring two quarts of oil from the shop down to him? Mom took the oil to him, but the truck still didn’t work so she brought Jesse back with her.  He took his car and chemistry book back down to wait for the tow truck. Mom called a towing company; a couple hours later the dump truck was back in our driveway, still not running, but off the road at least. Jesse poured in a bunch more oil and amazingly the truck started and he was able to get the gluten dumped. Now we are looking for a nice dump trailer since the truck leaks oil really  bad when driving.

While all this drama was unfolding, Dad and Jacob were loading a steer to take up to the Eureka Locker, which is always an exciting but suspenseful activity! Thankfully the steer cooperated very nicely and no mishaps occurred.

Jewel also lost her first tooth. We were on the trampoline;  she and I were on bottom, and Sarah was on top of me. Josh jumped over Jewel to land on me and landed on both of us. At the time I didn’t realize that his foot had hit her mouth but when everybody un-piled she pulled a tooth out of her mouth. It had been loose but there was still a small root on it, so Josh’s foot probably had finished it off!

 

Levi had his ingrown toenail removed yesterday too and we went to church. Other than that it was a normal day.