The Weekly Review V

Sunday~

We headed south to Iowa and left Travis behind. We took with us, Mara and Malia. We felt really bad leaving Travis on Father's day so we actually let him leave us for church and then we left. That way he didn't have to stand there watching us back out of the driveway. We stopped to see Grandma Cleone in Sigourney on our round about way to Centerville for Sharon Bluff Bible Camp. We had a nice little visit with grandma. They have had a ton of rain around here. So many rivers were way out of their proper boundaries and many fields had ponds in them that aren't intended to be there. We made it to camp at about 5pm. Got ourselves all moved in and registered. I will be helping in the kitchen, life guarding with Trina at the pool, being a dorm mom with Trina in the girls dorm and being the nurse. We also will pass out the campers canteen cards and random other duties. We should be busy and have fun.

Monday~

We had a fair amount of rain today. It did clear off for sports and swim time which is nice. They played volleyball and basketball since they are on concrete pads. The kids still got muddy chasing the balls that go out of bounds and things. I have to pass out quite a bit of medicine. Kind of sad for such young people to need things on a regular basis. There was a bit of an incident with a boy that came up this evening and he needed to be sent home because of his actions. His cousin that came with him chose to go home as well. Because all that took some time and his parents took awhile to get here it made a late night for all of us. The girls all hung out of their windows to watch the goings on. It took the girls a long time to calm down and go to sleep this evening.

Tuesday~

Because of the late night the girls all slept in. One even slept through her cell phone alarm, so I confiscated that. The rule is NO cell phones. (I think I found a cell phone everyday of this week that wasn't turned in on Sunday). We have a couple girls that are homesick and going home. Lots of headaches, I need to preach drinking water more I guess. More rain came today again. It made it hard to hear in the main building and the Sheriff's office called to say everyone had to remain in the main building because of the severity of the storm until further notice. When I was thinking I really needed to think of a good game for everyone to play because it was chaos going on the oldest camper gathered everyone together and they sang until it was time for chapel. She is a good leader of the kids, very sweet to them (a mess with her things though, which is driving Trina batty :). We tried enforcing the rule no sleeping in other girl's beds tonight, and we garnered some enemies in doing that. What the big deal in wanting to sleep in someone else bed is, I cannot understand. These are some big girls that are doing it mostly so it has got to be awfully poor sleep for them.

Wednesday~

Blue skies all morning!! During sports there were tornado warnings though. I was gone when that happened because I took the afternoon and Beatrice and Gregory and went to visit my Grandma again. It added so much to our driving time on Sunday that I wanted to do it some other day than Friday on our way home. We had a really nice visit. It was nice to get away from camp for awhile also. We got back just as the girls were finishing their swim time and the boys were going in. It had been delayed because of the storms. Gregory really wanted to go swim but was so grumpy from waking up from a nap in the van that he just couldn't get in there. We had a lot of extra people come for the supper tonight and service. For activities the tribes put on skits. They were fun to watch. After that we had a baptism! Pretty exciting. The girls had a hard time getting calmed down to sleep for some reason tonight. But in time we all slept a little.

Thursday~

First day of no rain! It was hot though. Margaret, Mara and Malia found a field of blackeyed Susans and picked each of the cooks a bouquet. They were really pretty. We also got a sweet letter from one of the younger boys telling us that we made the best food he had ever tasted. Not me actually because I didn't make any of the food, but maybe it was better because the pans were so clean for the food to be in. I wrote the recipe down for Marilyn's wonderful cinnamon rolls. They are really yummy and Travis has wanted me to get the recipe for many years. Now we will try it in whole wheat. My kids missed the whole grain foods we are used to eating. That was nice to hear. Amazingly the girls were quiet when we shut the lights out tonight. We shut it off almost an hour late, but then all was quiet.

All of the campers

The cooks who were there on Friday morning

Friday~

Some of the girls had really wanted to go swimming early in the morning before breakfast since it was our last day there and time to go home. I told them if they were quiet at sleeping time I would take them. Only about 8 ended up wanting too, but we did it and they had a wonderful time. The air was cold but the water warm and it wasn't crowded, it was really lovely. Christa (who chose not to swim) went around and woke all the swimmers up so they wouldn't miss it and then went back to sleep. I thought that was nice of her. After chapel it was time to clean the dorm! And did it ever need cleaning. Most of the girls were really industrious and we left it much better off than we found it! There were many pairs of underwear, socks, and bras that were trashed, I believe, because no one claimed them as we were picking up. We had a good trip home and remained safe as we drove through tornado warnings and torrential rain storms.

Saturday~

I slept in. Harrison said he got up at 6:30 or so, but I did not. I tried to attack the mountain of laundry growing in my basement. I made a lunch of a shrimp stir fry. It was really yummy, too. I put together most of the ingredients to a cranberry coffee cake for breakfast in the morning. It is our traditional morning for cereal but we are out of milk (Travis ate 3 boxes of cereal while we were gone and that took care of all the milk). The kids built race cars out of legos and K'nex while Travis read this morning and they had their computer time this afternoon. Travis is at work now for the evening.

May your laundry be caught up and your days be sunny.

~Anna

The Weekly Review IV

Sunday~

Mike used the Bible points for each day of VBS as his key points for the sermon this morning. Now we are all ready for VBS. My class went really well. We have some good 3rd and 4th graders around here. We had our friends Pam and Billy over for lunch. They are moving away to Texas this week so we needed one last time of visiting. They promise to come back for winter visits as they will really miss it. Pam taught Deborah for preschool and so they got to say goodbye to each other, too. Travis and I (with a few little helpers) cleaned our van, in and out. It is so beautiful now!

Monday~

Beatrice woke up at 6:30 ready to start the day, she is too excited about VBS, I do believe. Kyle got here at 7:10 to ride to VBS with us and spend the day here while his mom works. I had a bake-a-thon this afternoon, I guess. I made an orange cream cheese roll (and froze it for Travis next week), a triple batch of persimmon pudding (we ate one third this evening and the rest is for later this week), a potato pie, I mixed up a large batch of chocolate chip cookies (for the VBS staff) and will bake them tomorrow when we return from VBS and I got the wheat soaking for a batch of bread tomorrow. We are going through bread faster than we used to. I made some on Saturday and it was already gone.

Tuesday~

Another day at VBS. Kyle and Gregory are really enjoying getting to hang out together. We had Carline, Mykayla, Megan, Skylar and Choomia over for lunch today and they stayed until it was supper time. The kids had a great time playing, playing, playing. It had been raining some in the morning, but it was nice so they were able to play out on the bikes and whatever else they do. We had one hard fast shower while they were all outside but that was pretty fun. They also played dress-up and pirates. I got my cookies and bread made.

Wednesday~

Another good morning at VBS. My group of girls are very sweet. Two are always wanting to sit on my lap and cuddle, two are big girls that do exactly as we are told and the fifth is in a wheelchair and doesn't communicate real well so we try to include her as we can. Harrison and Margaret had horseshoes this afternoon. We took a picnic lunch and ate at the park right after VBS since there isn't time to go home in between. I think they had a good time. Gregory, Beatrice and I went and got our grocery's for the week, we had a good time, too.

Today Beatrice was tired by the end of the afternoon. Deborah was there before we got out of the van and after a couple of hours being together Bea came in crying for no reason she could think of, I know she was just to tired to deal with friends. They can be so exhausting. After hanging out on Daddy's lap for awhile she also realized she hadn't drawn any all day and so she got out paper and was soon whistling away, life was good again.

Thursday~

We continue to be getting up in good time and heading to VBS almost early. Really quite amazing for us! Gregory was finishing his Father's day letters when Kyle got here so Kyle made one for Gregory's grandpa too. Margaret thought he should send it to his grandpa, but I realized then that he doesn't have a grandpa, that made us all kind of sad for a bit.

We traded vans for the next day or so with the Davidson's so we can take home a van load for the Urban Ministry. I found out today that I am glad I only have four kids and that I have a mini van. Maneuvering this van is quite a challenge in crowded little streets and twelve passengers makes for a very noisy load. Still it is fun to get to be the person to pick up all these folks for a day or so. I made a double batch of cupcakes to take for the crew leaders in the morning. I also made a DELICIOUS chicken and zucchini stir-fry for supper. It also had carrots, garlic and fresh green beans. yummy!

Friday~

We got all of our riders back and we were on our way to VBS in good time. It looked like I had a van load of pentecostal kids. They all wanted to adjust the vents that were in the ceiling of the van, or each others hair a few times, too. The last morning of VBS went swell. Malia came home with us too. Travis was able to go this morning so he mowed the yard at the building during VBS and hauled Harrison and Margaret and Malia to and from VBS so we wouldn't have to double buckle to many kids. We got all of the house vacuumed this afternoon and one bathroom cleaned, and lots of laundry done. It was a productive afternoon. The family fun/VBS finale was this evening. The church building is on its way to being back to normal.

Bea posing for the camera before the Pelicans sang their song.

Saturday~

We intended to sleep in, and some of us did, but Bea and I only made it to 6:50am and were ready to get up and get busy. So I folded laundry and she read books while everyone else slept for a little longer. For lunch we took a fast and fun picnic to Fort Snelling area and met up with the Ken Cobb family and some of the Kent Davidson family. They were touring the fort and I didn't feel up to doing that, but I wanted to spend some time with them so that is what we did. I took tuna sandwich or PBJ fixings, popcorn, carrot sticks and brownies. Travis' allergies are driving him crazy today! The wind is really stirring up the pollen or something.

What new revelations did you have this week?

~Anna

The Weekly Review IIII

Sunday~

We went to church in Bemidji today. It is always fun to see everyone there. Mike talked about being More than Conquerors. We don't want to remain static we need to keep growing, I Peter 3:18 among others. After church we had dinner at Mom and Dad's as did Abbi's family and Charity and her boyfriend Marty and his father. Marty and Charity are going to canoe the Mississippi, between Bemidji and Grand Rapids, this week. Then we headed home. Travis was there waiting for the kids and I. We made really good time! Barely four hours of driving.

Monday~

Travis taught Harrison how to change the oil and rotate the tires on his Toyota. They discovered where the vibration is coming from on the car and so now it is at Car- X. The kids and I will probably walk there later to pick it up. Travis also cut off Henry's hair. He needed a bath and it was getting a little long for summer. He found several ticks doing the job so it is really good he got that done. I had looked for ticks the other day but with his super thick hair my fingers couldn't feel them. There is now no hiding spot for the ticks! Deborah taught Bea a new rhyme to say while clapping their hands or to jump rope to called Miss Mary Mack.They are pretty cute saying it together.

Tuesday~

Margaret had a orthodontist appointment and all of the kids had their teeth cleaned at the dentist. In between the two places we went to eat lunch at Chula Vista. One of the first restaurants we tried when we first moved down to this area and still a favorite of ours if we are on Roberts St. Travis' favorite is seafood chimichanga. Harrison, Gregory and I all ate it also this time. It is really yummy. What I think is neat is they still have the same wait staff as they did 5 years ago. While they were at the dentist I ran and got groceries at Aldi's. Gregory had a little tiny cavity in the back of his mouth so we took care of that while we were there.

Wednesday~

We got up early and headed over to Farmington to stay with Warren while his sister Summer was delivered. Since we were there for most of the day we took along schoolwork and other projects and had a pretty productive day. Warren is three and a pretty cute guy to hang out with. They only talk Chinese to him so at times the language can be a challenge, but I am always impressed with how well we can communicate when he is with us.

Harrison and Margaret got about half of their CA skills test done while we were there. I got all of my coupons cut and put away from the last two weeks, and Harrison's math all corrected!

Thursday~

We finished up the tests. Now I need to send them in. I am really excited to see how they did. They always get it done in about half the time given for the test so I hope they did alright. I have a lot of plants getting eaten up by bugs outside so when my neighbor Ong came to check on our bean tepee I showed her the holes. She decided I needed to get that treated right away. I got out some Ortho bug-b-gone powder I had and she went around and treated everything planted. I had kind of wanted to skip using it but our communication is stilted and she likes to help so, we should be bugless soon. I had planted a bunch of marigold plants but they weren't blooming yet. We went and did errands this afternoon and I bought 32 marigolds, that are blooming, at Menard's, and they are now scattered around our house. Travis was able to get the part at Menard's to fix Saba's burner she makes bunn (coffee) on. He fixed Miriam's sometime ago and Saba has been telling me he was to fix hers, well today she brought it down for him to work on. I cut Beatrice's bangs, much to her father's chagrin and her pleasure. It is cute.

Friday~

We went in the morning to help with decorations for VBS at the church building. We are doing Sailing The High Seas this year. The decorations are pretty fun to go along with that.

Saturday~

I learned the songs for VBS and had crew leader training. I also got my class material ready for in the morning. I am teaching 3rd and 4th graders.

We got more rain today. A lot of it. It has been a really rainy week, with some pretty days in the middle. Now we are ready for a busy week!

So how was your week? Did you learn any new songs?

~Anna

The Weekly Review III

Sunday~

We are still camping. It has been very lovely weather. Quite hot but, there is water we can cool in, shade and a nice breeze. Today we tried out the swimming lake, it didn't take the kids long to acclimate to the temperature of the water. At the evening service the speaker talked about different times the Bible refers to the palm of God's hand and Wade carved a giant hand out of cedar. He also made a nail on a forge telling how we need to be malleable by God just like the iron is made malleable by the heat of the fire. He does some neat art work, but is very faith only and that is sad. Last night we listened to the Alzen Family in concert. They are a very talented family and a lot of fun to listen too.

The kids raced their turtles, none of them won, but it was fun anticipating the big event.

Monday~

They had a nice Memorial service and flag raising. After that most of the kids went swimming in our group, just the older four boys stayed back and played tether ball and carpet ball. Hans and Harrison also got in a quick canoe ride. Then the big job of hauling all of our belongings back to the van and cleaning up the campsite. I was totally exhausted by the end of this day. We all walked several miles each day I am sure and often times I was carrying a light load. You can watch a short video of the weekend here. It isn't up yet but they said it would be soon.

Tuesday~

I woke up with terrible pressure in my sinuses so I ate an orange, a garlic clove and drank three glasses of water right off the bat and felt much improved, although rather smelly. I did three huge loads of laundry today and we did our school work. We all seem a little tired from the busyness of the past several days.

Wednesday~

We did some running around and finally made it to Fleet and found Margaret some nice sandals for her to play in this summer. I made meat pie for lunch because we are studying Australia and that is what they eat the books say. It was yummy, I also made an apple and a pumpkin pie. We aren't having normal classes for the next three weeks at church so tonight just Harrison and Margaret had a gathering in our family. They had a party/ class with their group. It looked like fun. While they were there we took a long drive around the countryside looking for a dairy that would sell us raw milk. Travis had heard of one that might on the other side of Woodbury and so we searched for it and drove in very beautiful country. It turns out there are 2 dairies over there but both farmers are very sure they will not sell to anyone. It is illegal in MN and they don't want to risk their farms for us. Makes my life easier not needing to run somewhere else to get milk, but Travis was very disappointed. For a late supper/ early birthday meal for Travis we went to the Outback. Our food was good, of course. Our waitress messed up our order so we got an extra plate of grilled chicken and ausie fries, and a cup of potato soup.

Thursday~

Travis and Beatrice mowed at the church building. Margaret made Travis' birthday cake. His favorite, angel food with a caramel sauce. We got the sauce just right in flavor and consistency. Harrison grilled hamburgers for supper. I shaped them and they didn't stay together to well, but they tasted pretty good. The kids and I got started packing for heading up to Bemidji on Friday.

Friday~We traveled north. It was a beautiful day for driving, sunny and pretty clouds, but not real hot either. I had hoped to get heading north pretty quickly, but it didn't go as fast as it should have in the morning. We had waffles for breakfast that were really slow in getting cooked. They did turn out very nicely though. Once we got to Mom and Dad's, Keren got to dreaming about tie-dye shirts and getting a kit from walmart to do a little dyeing. So we ran in there to get what we needed for that. We drove through Bemidji on our way home. I had not been through for some time. It has really been changing since I left. We had a yummy supper of Hamburgers grilled by Keren and broccoli and potato wedges.

Saturday~ We took a walk up on the new pipeline north of Mom and Dad's. It was fun to look around. It has really changed the look up there. They used about 8 foot lengths of some heavy rope in their work up there. We had fun pulling it out and hauling some back. They had it in some piles around partly underground. Keren's Graduation Open House was this evening. We played croquet, volleyball, water balloons and much visiting about while eating yummy food.

We ended the evening sitting around the living room at home while Dale played the guitar and Luke played the dobro and we all sang along randomly. It was pretty music.

Here is the lovely graduate preparing the water balloons.

~Anna