Well,this morning around 8:30 a very sore, tired husband showed up. About 12 hours after I had expected him home. It had taken them much longer than expected to do their climb. So all is well. He has slept most of the afternoon. I am going to grab his camera and I’ll post pictures soon!
~Cheryl

Life has been very busy and very crazy as usually around here. Eric left yesterday to climb a mountain. That’s what you do around here on the weekends for fun. If of course you like to pack all your gear on your back, up very tall mountains, spending the night halfway up and climbing up glacier ice to make it to the top. Eric was super excited upon leaving, but I have a feeling that he is going to be one whooped man upon returning home. Mostly because it’s been 15 years since he last climbed.

The children woke early (or I slept in depending on how you look at it) on Friday. What woke me was the smell of something burning. I ran to the kitchen where I was promptly ushered right back out. They assured me all was fine and could I please just wait in bed. I ended up being led to the couch. They all walked in carrying something. Flowers, food, tea… It was lovely. They had made 2 eggs (ahhh, the smoke….pan with butter got WAY too hot!) 2 pieces of toast, a glass of water and a tea tray. They had picked flowers from the yard. And presented it all to me with huge smiles on their faces!

We went out in the afternoon to run some errands. The last stop was to pick up our pig. The children were full of questions on the way there and while waiting for someone to help us. I had this brilliant idea that I would ask the lady helping us to explain how the pig went from being at the fair to being in a box handed over the counter. Bad idea. VERY bad idea. First let me state that I have a very weak stomach and anything that smells the least bit off makes me want to throw up. Seems to get worse after each baby. So anyway, she asked us to come around the counter to the back room where they worked. She led us directly to the “cold room” I already was wishing that I had not asked. This room was all concrete. And there were animals hanging everywhere. Skins off but everything else still in tack. Eyes, ears, etc. She was happily pointing out the bear, the antelope, pigs, cows. There was blood running to the middle of the room where a drain was. I couldn’t breath from the smell. It wasn’t a rotten smell. Thanks goodness. But just this horrid smell of death. I looked at the boys whose eyes were about popped out of their heads. Michael was holding his nose. (He’s like his momma) I was seconds away from losing it and practically ran out of the room. Once outside, someone asked me if I was ok. umm, not really. I think they must have the best laughs after people like me leave. Once we were all out of the cold room, she showed us a few more things, like how and where they cut and wrap the meat, the smoke room, and how sausage is made. I thanked her for the tour, vowed to become vegetarian (just kidding!) paid and left. On the way home the boys were discussing about how they all wanted to go to dental school so they didn’t have to work at a place like that. (I’m quietly laughing to myself.. digging rotten teeth out of someone’s mouth can’t really be that much better in my opinion) But that is what Daddy does and they all want to be like him. Climbing mountains and fixing teeth. So I asked, “Who wants pork chops for dinner?” Silence. Not a word. I didn’t blame them. We were all a little shell shock. So we went home and made cheese pizzas. This has become a favorite meal. I let them each make their own little pizza. They have so much fun creating their pizza. And eating it is even better.

****To all my vegetarian friends, I’m sorry for the “pork” story. But I needed to write this one down!! I want to remember this when I am old!

What happens when the boys do her hair.

More is ALWAYS better!

So day two of Eric being gone. This time, shortly after I woke up, I hear “MOM-COME QUICK!!! THE TOLIET IS OVERFLOWING!!!” I raced upstairs, three at a time. I could hear it before I could even see it. The water was pouring over the top of the toilet. And it was not clean water. The children were all just standing there, staring at this waterfall. I yelled to go collect towels, splashed over to the toilet and turned the water off. Now what to do. With Eric gone, I was on my own. I considering call our neighbor, but then quickly rethought it. Asking someone that I’ve only known a few weeks to wade through my child’s poop to fix a problem that is probly a toothbrush stuck down the toilet (this has happened before) Seemed a little too embarrassing. Plan 2. Find the toilet plunger. This was a wasted effort. After checking the whole house, garage, garden house, and motor-home, I gave up on that one. Next, look for Eric’s Snake. I have seen him work wonders on our toilets with this piece of metal. I quickly located it in the garage. But after a number of failed tries with the snake, I gave up. I piled the children in the van and we drove to Home Depot. As I walked the isles, looking for plumbing, the thought crossed my mind that I should yell “UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN!!” I sure felt it anyway. I had been up to my elbows in poop water not just 30 minuted before. I should at least warn everybody who looks at me and smiles and says “Are those ALL yours??”

We found the toilet plungers. I grabbed one as if it was the last toy on the shelf the day after Thanksgiving. I looked around. Nobody else was even in the isle. Next I read the directions on the back of the Snake. Feeling better prepared to take on Niagara falls of the bathroom, I checked out and headed home. Round two in the bathroom proved to go better. I plunged away and eventually got the water to drain and fill with clean water. By now the children are reminding me every few minutes that they are starving to death. I had originally planned on making them a big breakfast this morning. Something fun while Daddy was gone. But food was the last thing on my mind. I tried the Snake again because it seemed there was still some issues with the toilet draining. But I never could figure it out. I mopped up all the water, scrubbed down the toilet, threw all the towels that had been thrown on the floor in my washer on the Sanitize load. (This is the first time I have had to use this option. It heats the water to 130F. That should kill ALL nasty germs.) And washed the floor. I forbid any child to use the toilet until Eric can check it out. I scrubbed down my arms, wished that a shower was next on my list and headed to the kitchen to make that big breakfast for the children. We finally ate at 10:45. The children decided that this was great… We were eating Brunch!!!

~~~~~Quotes of the week~~~~~~
~”God is in my tummy, right Mom?” “nope honey, He’s in your heart.” “Oh, yes, I remember” -Maryann
~”When I get a wife, I’m going to have to teach her to sew.” – Joshua (He has been helping me at the sewing machine, running the foot pedal. I guess he thinks he is pretty good!!

~Cheryl

update on Eric- He was suppose to get back from his mountain climbing adventure this evening. However there has been no communication from anyone in his party of 5. It’s now 10:30. I talked with his Dad who thinks they must not have made it down the mountain before dark and that they will have to stay a second night. I miss him so much right now and wish that I could hear him tell me that he is ok. Hopefully we will see him tomorrow.

We have been spending our hot afternoons down by the river. There is 800 ft of river that belong to the property we are renting. This part of the river is great to swim in for the children. It is very clean, not to cold, and not very deep until you get way out in the middle. It’s a little bit of a walk to get there. Which is fine with me. I really see this as ideal. We all love water. Playing in it, swimming in it, you name it. But I stress when it is too close to our house. The older four children are excellent swimmers, but the little ones worry me if they were to be unsupervised around water. So with this river, we can walk there to swim, but it’s far enough away that little ones can’t “wander away” to explore it. So I am very pleased with the situation at present. And so are the children.

Our view of the river

This last weekend Eric hung some swings in the tree on the side of our house. As soon as I saw this tree when we first looked at this house, I could see all our children climbing all over this huge tree. It is the perfect tree for a tree house and a swing. The boys are currently working on the tree house part. They are all on the hunt for wood. Eric left behind all his “scrap”wood in this move, and all the “scrap” wood laying around the property are actually markers, or posts from the surveying. So needless to say, they think they desperately need wood. Michael suggested to their great uncle that he should go to the store and buy him some wood. Uncle Bob thought this was a good idea, or so I’m told by Michael. But they never got to the store. So this morning, the neighbor boy, came down to play for a while. His dad is a construction worker. BINGO!!!! Wood, nails,…. everything they needed for a tree house. I’m not sure if our friend asked his dad or not, but there is now plenty of wood and nails in the tree. And all the boys are happy! Swings and a tree house, life just doesn’t get any better!

My Warrior

Gabriel is almost a year old. My how time flies. I love to watch him play. He loves anything that has wheels on it. He is 100% boy. He still gets most places by crawling. He will walk around furniture if he can hold on pretty well, but not really intrested on making a go on his own. He loves the water too, just like all our other children. And he adores his big sister Laura.

And one last picture. This is of our house coming back up from the river.

~cheryl

~A few pictures from this afternoon~

Today has been highly anticipated by the children. We’ve counted down the days, discussed the events, and even watched the weather. After spending the last few years going to the LA County fair, and having so much fun going, (last year I was 40 weeks pregnant with Gabe!) we all could not wait to go to the fair in this new county we live in. So chores done, Eric home from work early and lunch gobbled down, we headed to the fair.

playing in the water

This was the first show we watched… a “costume” showing with each child and their animal.

It was smaller than where we were last year. But I don’t think the children minded. I gave them each $5.00 to spend however they wished. I did this for two reasons. One, they think they are SO rich and I enjoy seeing them so excited and two, then they don’t ask me to buy everything and go on every ride. It’s their money to spend on whatever they want, and they are very careful to spend it wisely. Laura went on a ride, Ben bought kettle corn, Michael bought cotton candy, and Josh and Maryann bought a sucker and went on a ride.

the latest “must have” glasses

and the yummy smelling food

the rides

But the most exciting event of the day was when Eric bought a pig. This has been a lifelong goal for Eric. When he was in the third grade, he had decided that he was going to grow up and buy livestock at the fair from the 4-H kids. So here he was tonight, bidding away on a pig. A very large pig. He chose this pig because it was the only pig for sale from the little city where he works. There was an auction with a real auctioneer. The children were a little confused at first. They thought we were going to be bringing this pig home. Josh even informed Eric when we got into the car that we had forgot the pig. So Eric carefully explained to them that the next time they would see this pig is on their plate before they eat it. Our poor little boys. They were so torn. Do we keep the pig as a pet, or do we eat it??? They all LOVE to eat, but were all hoping to have a new pet to. But to the slaughterhouse the pig went. All 300+ pounds of him. So looks like we’ll be eating bacon for awhile. I of course am very naive in this whole event. I have never been to a livestock auction, never bought an animal to be butchered, and never given any of this any thought.

the very happy boy that Eric bought the pig from.

Here are a few pictures from today. I had fun looking at everybody’s shoes and what they were wearing. Lots and lots of boots here today.

~Cheryl

This song was playing this morning when I turned on my computer. It really ministered to my heart. I am trying to figure out how to play it on my xanga page, but still working in that.
~Cheryl

Give Me Jesus
Fernando Ortega

In the morning when I rise
In the morning when I rise
In the morning when I rise

Give me Jesus

Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus

You may have all this world, but give me Jesus

And when I am alone
When I am alone
When I am alone
Give me Jesus

And when I come to die
When I come to die
When I come to die
Give me Jesus

~Cheryl