PRO AND CON
You can raise a crop of babies on almost any land;
In fact, you need a little grit, and just a little sand.
And lots of love and laughter, to make them grow up strong,
Yet folks with lots of babies somehow seem to get along.


I don't say they are useful, quite, as cars and pigs and such,
But they're a grand crop in themselves, and worth ten times as much.
So don't forget the babies when you're planning for your farm -
A few about you underfoot won't do a bit of harm.


And when your hair is growing gray and years are growing long,
Your heart, instead of drying up, will hold a merry song,
For babies have a way with them of growing strong and tall
And make such dandy leaning posts as life's spring turns to fall!

Busy Times

So, okay, it's been a while, things have been busy here. We had a Bible Conference over in Chapel Hill week before last. Bryan preached three or four times along with Pastor Brandenburg from Ca, and Bobby Mitchel Jr from Maine. Over all it was a great week, lots of traveling considering it is an hours drive one way, but well worth the drive. We were able to fellowship with friends we hadn't seen in a while. We even had a service in one of the oldest churches in the US. Only it isn't called a church, it is a meeting house. Rayanna and her family drove down and were here for Friday night and part of the day Saturday. Jonathan was able to play in the orchestra on Sunday and he really enjoyed it. I think it has rejuvinated his love for music. He practices more now than ever. Revival at Lighthouse started last night, Jonathan and Leah played revive us again on the violin and trumpet. It is amazing how nervous I get when they play. I can't imagine the nerves they must suffer when they get up in front of people. Seth is working on a new piece, it is absolutely beautiful. Jonathan also plays with Bro. Francis on Thursday night, it is a beautiful piece and if I could record it somehow I would post it. My camera died on me so there is no way to post pictures anymore. A most depressing state I'm in! School is going good, it won't be long and I'll be fixing report cards. Time flies when you are having fun! Baby Tabitha is growing, at this pace if she continues on I'll have no clothes that fit and I'll be reduced to wearing "Moo Moo's" as Mrs. Morgan calls them. She is still very active. I'm working on her a little hat right now, it is sooooo cute and soft. I hope I'm not disappointed, I have this picture of her in my head of the way she is going to look, and I can't seem to shake it. She will probably be born and look nothing like I've pictured. I'm really looking forward to Nov. this year! Not my favorite time of year normally, but this time, I'm looking for relief. Seth and Caleb's birthdays are coming up, I'll have two in the double digits. Wow! When did I get so old??? Last night before church, I told Caleb to put on his belt, he said "oh Mom, do I have to these pants are already so tight!" I laughed my head off, he has never had that problem before. I guess I'll be taking the waist out of those pants before he wears them again. (I have to take up all of his pants before he can wear them!) Okay, enough ramblings for now, I must get these kids doing their school work, or we will be going until church tonight!

Cosmetics

As most of us know, ladies must have lots of cosmetics. Well, one little lady sometimes has trouble keeping one little brother out of her cosmetics. For some unknown reason he likes to eat them. Strange Child! Anyway, we think we may have fixed the problem. Doubt it, but hey we can try. Leah has been wanting to learn to sew, so today she had her first real sewing lesson. I didn't get any pictures of her sewing, I was paying to much attention to my fingers. Here is her finished project, it will be hung on the wall in her room.

Crayon Roll and Purse

These days are restless days! I spend too much time online while working with the munchkins in school. If I'm not in the school room, neither are they. Anyway, I ran across a blog that had these crayon rolls a lady had made. (Caleb is forever busting the bottom of his crayon box out, and then there are crayons all over the floor.) So, I thought I would give them a try. That got the creative juices flowing, and I made me a purse. Hopefully, when Leah comes home she can pick out some material and we will work on her a purse! Now, I HAVE to go study for my class. Pray that this stuff will stick in my head. So far, most of it has gone OVER my head!

Roll making 'venture

A couple of weeks ago, I got this craving, and surprisingly I haven't had too many cravings this time. (Hubby would disagree!) Anyway, I was craving Maw Yates' yeast rolls. Well, the only person I know that makes these rolls is Becky, and she is only 31/2 hours away, and these rolls are not just something you whip up. Having good intentions I bought the ingredients about a month ago, and they have just sat in the pantry. I'm not a baker! Tuesday, the cravings got the best of me. I got out my recipe, that I had thanks to Becky, and got to work. Caleb once again was my helper as Leah was busy with violin practice. This is one complex recipe, you have to scald milk, melt your shortening on the stove, then it has to be refrigerated overnight. Much to one little boy's dismay. (Crazy kid actually licked the beaters!) Yesterday morning, I was greeted with the wonderful smell of yeasty bread when I opened the fridge. (Good thing too, I would have forgotten!) While the kids were gone to the nursing home I started the kneading and rolling out process. Well, I have decided if I'm going to make these again, I'm going to have to start lifting weights. And I've also figured out why they used BIG rolling pins and not the little ones from pampered chef! I get them cut out, brushed with butter, pinched closed, and the waiting game started again. Now, they must rise again. I finally got impatient with the first batch and we had them for lunch. Needless to say, they are better after they rise, but the first batch was yummy. The kids loved them, Leah especially. I'm hoping this is a tradition I can pass on to her and she can pass on to her kids. While doing all this I couldn't help think of a special lady. She fixed these rolls for every family gathering. She fixed them for our rehearsal dinner. (I can't imagine how many recipes she had to fix for that one.) And I can remember her sending extra ones with Jan when they would come visit us. She was one special lady! I wish I had thought of doing this sooner, maybe she could have given me some tips. Thanks so much Maw Yates, we love and miss you!

Dare Devils

Saturday was cleaning day around here! We actually got a lot done! Amazing! Anyway, by the evening the kids were all ready to skip ship and so they went out to play. (I think I've finally found a way to make them go outside without having to MAKE them go out. But SHHHHH don't tell them!) Well, as I was walking through the house putting away laundry, I saw my little dare devil shimmying up the basketball pole. I walked out to where he was, and the first thing he said was "Did I scare ya, Mom?". Well, I wasn't scared, this was a minor incident. He tells me he was wanting to hang from the rim. Now, you may ask, "Why would a five year old want to hang from a basketball rim?" This is my answer....
Jonathan wants to be Kobe Bryant!!

Yeah!

Hey, I hope this works. I've been trying to get this thing on here all day! I'm just sooo dumb when it comes to this blogging stuff. Maybe one of these days I'll figure it out!