June 20, 2009

The children give a thumbs-up for camping.	We slept as good as could be expected and woke up fairly rested Sunday morning.  We snacked for breakfast then had our "church" service.  The children thought it lasted terrible long.  Ina Sue had the singing. Jenn taught the children's class.  Royal had Sunday school and I had led a discussion for the preaching service.  After we got done, Jenn made us a delicious lunch of tenderloin, baked macaroni, lima beans, & cole slaw with cookies for dessert.  After lunch we packed up our stuff and headed for home by 2:00.  We got home around 4:00 and I happened to glance over at Wendell's house and thought something looked different.  We drove over and realized that a large pecan tree had fallen on their house and done substantial damage.  Thankfully no one was hurt.  We went to church in the evening for a program of character sketches by the youth.
Royal is thinking about packing up in the extreme heat.	We got up to a busy day of work on Monday.  Of course, Ina Sue had hordes of laundry and cleaning up to do after the camping trip.  After our sumptuous fare from the camping trip I decided I had better fast today.  I had a big problem at work.  I couldn't find my cell phone.  Talk about feeling handicapped!  I stayed in at worked at the shop in the evening to catch up a bit.  Ina Sue and the children went out and picked up a couple of big loads of sticks from the yard that fell in the thunderstorm.  Ina Sue tried a recipe for making our own pancake syrup.  It is definitely a way to save money but I don't think it is quite up to the store bought flavor....
Best playmates.	We got up in good time Tuesday.  I made a batch of blueberry pancakes while Ina Sue worked on the ironing.  Then I headed in to work for a busy day.  Ina Sue scrubbed off our lawn chairs and did lots of outside work.  For supper she fixed us rosemary baked chicken with potatoes, a squash dish and cucumber salad.  After our supper I went out and spent the rest of the evening mowing.  Andy Korvers stopped by to visit for a bit.  Ina Sue weeded,  pruned and tied up the tomatoes.  Savannah has been pretty grumpy lately.
Little Isaiah Heatwole.	The heat index on Wednesday was 108 degrees.  I spent the day at work.  Patrick and Bethany dropped their children off at 10:00 for the day.  This was the first time we have kept little Isaiah for them.  He did really well.  Ina Sue says that caring for 6 children all under 5 is a full time job...  We went to church for prayer meeting and had an open discussion on a new proposal for accountability groups.  Quite lively!  After people started to go home, we and Wendells cleaned the church.  Carl & Grace very kindly consented to take our children home with them so they would be out of the way.  It was after 10:30 before we picked them up and got home to bed.
One way Mommy can get work done outside...	Thursday was another busy day.  Ina Sue brought on another thunderstorm in the evening by spending several hours during the day washing the windows.  She says that it always works.  For supper she fixed us zucchini casserole and green beans.  After we ate the whole family went down to the square to work.  While I mowed, Ina Sue and the children picked up the sticks and weeded the flower bed.  Ina Sue and the children walked home.  I was almost finished mowing when the thunderstorm broke on me.  By the time I got the mower loaded on the back of the truck, I was soaked.
Our new lighted town sign.	I jumped into the cab only to find that there was no key!  I have had issues with Landon losing the only truck key so I had given him very specific instructions about not touching the key when he was playing in there.  Now it was gone! You can imagine my displeasure....  I looked all over the place for about 10 minutes before finally finding it jabbed back into the slider slot on the air conditioner fan control.  I was able to extract it after a bit of work and drove home.  Thankfully, the rain and the time had gotten my rage cooled off a bit by the time I got inside.  Landon was taking a bath with Carolina and I asked him if he had disobeyed me and taken the key out.  He very coolly informed me that "Lina did it"  Of course Carolina denied it.  After some very serious talks and some collaboration from Mom the truth came out and Landon & I had a little visit in the bedroom with Mr. Stick.  I tried to make sure he understood that lying was much worse then the original sin.
Carl practicing being Grandpa.	Ina Sue spent most of Friday with her cleaning.  She also did some cooking and finished a dress for Carolina Sue.  I spent a full day at work.  Ina Sue dropped the children off with Bethany around 5:00 for our "date" night.  She met me at the store and we went over to Mi Rancho for supper.  We tried their "Fajitas for Two"  Very Good!   Then we went back to the store and Ina Sue cleaned while I did accounting work for an hour or two.  After Ina Sue had things looking pretty good she went over and did her shopping at Walmart then picked up the children on her way home.  I worked until about 11:30.
Our little goobers.	We got up at daybreak on Saturday and Ina Sue cut my hair for me.  Then I made us waffles for breakfast.  After breakfast Ina Sue cleaned the front and back porches.  The older children and I worked for a while spreading a thin layer of new pine straw on our shrubbery beds.  In the afternoon Ina Sue and I took turns mowing.  I washed and vacuumed the car.  A busy day but things look so much better now.