ElCloud Homeschool: Walking In His Ways

Jul. 21, 2008

A fun birthday weekend for me ...

We had a great weekend this weekend. I was able to spend Saturday at church, in ladies fellowship. First, I spent 4 hours scrapbooking with a couple ladies, and then I attended an ice cream social with even more ladies from church. It was an enjoyable time, and it was good to get to know the ladies in our new church better. I came home and Steve took the oldest four to Teens For Christ. When they got home, they quickly made the Duggar's Ice Cream Cake for my birthday, and stuck it in the freezer. Then Steve and I watched a movie and went to bed way too late.

Sunday, I went to church with the oldest four children, and Steve stayed home with 4 yo M (chicken pox) and 2 yo L (hates nursery and will get chicken pox soon).   Since we couldn't eat out together as a family for my birthday, Steve called in an order for Pizza Hut pizza toward the end of church service, and we picked it up on our way home.

After we at our lunch, the kids and Steve presented their gifts to me. And then we showed the children our surprise. Pictures of the Sheltie dog we'll be getting soon.   We found her via freecycle and are hoping to get her brought home soon. There's some distance involved between where she currently lives, and our home. The children are thrilled as they have wanted a dog for a very long time.

I spent the early part of the afternoon washing clothes and hanging them out on the line while Steve mowed and the kids played in the sprinkler. I talked to two of my sisters on the phone during that time, too.

We ate the Duggar's Ice Cream Cake (scroll down the page to find the recipe) mid-afternoon. It is double layered in a 9x13 pan, and we only ate 1/3 of it. It was very easy, and delicious! It sounds really rich when you read the ingredients, but it wasn't any richer than an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. Steve calculated our cost this time to be $12 ... which is probably half of what we'd pay at DQ for a similar size cake. It definitely costs more than a baked cake, but it's nice for the occasional summer birthday treat. We used crushed chocolate cream-filled cookies (like Oreos) instead of a crushed candy bar. When we make it again, we'll try to lower the cost by shopping for the ingredients on sale, well in advance.

Steve grilled brats and hot dogs for our supper, which we ate with grapes, and chips. Then, he and I began working on cleaning out one of the kennels for Molly the dog. We do not intend to kennel her all the time, but want to have one ready for nights, and times we go to town. This will likely be most important when she first arrives, so she doesn't decide to wander away.

The kennel is in good shape, but there were lots of shrubs and small trees trying to grow up around it that we cut down. And Steve needed to trim overhanging branches that were reaching into the kennel too far. Some dead branches needed to come down for safety, as well. Now, we're in the process of removing leaf and branch debris from the floor. Then we'll wash down the cement floor, and clean out the dog house.

I'm not sure if we'll add any bedding materials yet (other than a couple blankets) or if we'll wait to add straw/pine chips once it cools off and she needs them for warmth.

My parents called while we were working, so I talked with them while we worked on cleaning up the floor. We came in at dark, and put the children to bed. We followed them not too much later. I was really tired this morning, and went back to bed after Steve left. I slept until 8, when my sister called. Then after she hung up, I crawled back into bed to nurse 2 yo L, who was waking up. I stayed there dozing until 9:00, when kids began to wander in to talk to me. I didn't get up again until 9:30. I don't do that anymore, so I felt guilty ... but it felt so nice to get that rest. Maybe I can stay awake to read this afternoon now. *giggle*

I'm still doing laundry today, so I need to go hang up my first load and start a second load. Then I think I'll get the children to come outside with me, and work on cleaning up the kennel floor some more.   We're having a variety of leftovers for supper tonight, so I don't need to cook. But I should start thinking ahead to tomorrow's supper plans.

Edited to Add: M is doing well with his chickenpox. It seems to bother him less than the poison ivy did. He didn't get many pox, and he's scabbing up today. Unless more pox appear, he'll likely be non-contagious and able to go out in public again on Wednesday.

Trusting in Him,
April