May 1, 2010

Lynette Bange's delicious Sunday lunch for us. It was a bit busier on Sunday morning getting four children fed and ready for church.  Mark preached on "How Our Actions Affect Others".  Lynette Bange very kindly brought us lunch to church.  It was another feast!  Delicious poor mans steak with gravy & mashed potatoes, salad, fresh rolls, strawberries, and a scrumptiously rich chocolate cake.  We rested for a little then Nevins got here around 4:00 for a visit and brought us supper.  K.K. brought us "runzas", a Norwegian treat of turnovers stuffed with cabbage and meat.  Very good.  We had a nice time visiting and playing games.  They left around 8:30.  I realized around 10:00 that our mail server was down so I had to go in to the shop and get that going again. 
Aunt K.K. and Wade with Claudia Ina Sue got up before everybody else on Monday and started the laundry.  We had cold cereal for breakfast then I went to work.  Ina Sue got all the laundry done included the folding by the time I got home.  With each child the amount of laundry keeps getting bigger...  Ina Sue said the children spent quite a bit of time playing "Zaccheaus"  One would climb up in the tree and the other would be "Jesus".  Then they would switch.  What fun!  In the afternoon, Savannah stepped on an ant nest and got about 30 ant bites on her poor little foot.  Poor thing!  After I got home and we ate supper of leftovers I took care of the children while Ina Sue rested.
Nevin tears me up in a game of chess. Sharon Brubaker so kindly asked to keep our three oldest children for us Tuesday morning so I dropped them off with her on my way to work.  It is so kind the way she keeps serving us in the midst of their own trial...  I pray that I would be as faithful!  Ina Sue finished up the ironing and did housekeeping.  I did a 2nd service call up to Columbia to try and finish the job I started last week.  That is a longer drive than I like to take for service calls.  Ina Sue made us an asparagus puff pancake for supper.  Home for the evening.
Gwen Amstutz created this diaper bag for Ina Sue. I took Carolina Sue along with me when I left for work on Wednesday and dropped her off at BCS for her first day of school.  This was actually just a half day of testing to see if she is ready for 1'st grade.  Mrs. Ruth Ellen conducted the testing for her grade.  After the tests, Ms Ashley brought her first graders and Carolina's class out with her to Myron's pond for a picnic lunch.  Ina Sue and the children were invited along too.  Ashley had a whole bunch of fun games for the children and dinner of subs.  They had a ball!   After I got home from work we ate a quick supper then met with our small group over at the mule barn for a time of sharing, prayer and refreshments.  I had asked each one to come with something to share with the group.  I really enjoyed the time.  Afterward we had some good refreshments.
Grandma with Claudia I stayed home all day on Thursday.  The children and I spent most of the morning putting down bark mulch around our big pecan tree.  Then I planted impatiens in our bed along the screened porch while Ina Sue planted a bunch of coleus around the pecan tree.  I took the two oldest along with me up to Denmark to pickup Claudia's tree.  We had decided to plant a river birch for her.  So, Carolina has a Magnolia,  Landon a Sugar Maple,  Savannah a Gingko, and Claudia a River Birch.  I had to go in to the shop later in the afternoon to sign some checks and take care of a few things.  Grandpa & Grandma stopped in to see Claudia and brought supper of chicken noodle soup, strawberries and coffee cake. 
And Grandpa gets his turn. I went to work again on Friday.  Betty & Carolyn Heatwole took Carolina Sue and Landon with them to the school field day.  Ina Sue stayed home with the two littlest and did some cleaning.  She had a back appointment at 6:15 so she brought the children in to work and picked up my car.  I took the van and the children home.  We had a spaghetti supper that Marcia had fixed for us with a salad.  Ina Sue did some shopping after her appointment so it was a little later before she got home.
Ashley really puts herself into her classes. Saturday was the 1'st of May so I got up at daybreak and did my rounds checking the water meters while Ina Sue slept in.  After I got back I put all the figures in and was able to print out the bills before I left for work at 8:30.  I had a busy day and didn't get left for home until after 4:00.  Ina Sue spent her day keeping children but was able to get a little weeding done in the side flower beds.  She also planted a bunch of impatiens along the fence where we park our cars.  After I got home I mowed the yard and washed the car.  It is so nice to have the faster riding mower so that I can get the mowing out of the way much faster.  Spent most of the evening giving baths, reading stories and tucking in children.
Small group meeting at the mule barn.