I've Been Tagged!

My DEAR friend Emily was GRACIOUS enough to include me in a game of Tag! Thanks SO MUCH!!! So what does this mean? I guess I have to answer a few questions about myself to entertain you all...and, of course, tag five friends--Sorry! ;-)

So...here goes nothing!

Rules: Answer 8 questions and Tag 5 people!

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?
Well, August, 1998 I was in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador, Canada preparing for a 2 year assignment with Mennonite Central Committee in Cartwright, Labrador, Canada. (Google it if you're curious) I was also pregnant with our now 9 1/2 year old, August.

2. Five things on my to do list?
Laundry (I could be doing this forever!)
Schedule piano lessons for August and Katie
Finish installing a brick border around our house
Weed my garden
Prepare for Women's Retreat (in Michigan at Camp Friedenswald) Yay!

3. Snacks I enjoy?
Almonds
Ice cream
Dark chocolate
Salt and Vinegar Chips

4. If I were a Billionaire what would I do?
After taxes---I suppose I'd buy a nicer--but not insane--house, put some away for retirement, and give a bunch away to good causes. August thinks I should also buy a new trampoline (a tree fell on ours!), and maybe some more pets (I think not so much).

5. 3 Bad Habits?
Playing Solitaire (for stress relief)
Chewing hangnails when I'm nervous/stressed
Not putting things back where they belong (Bret submitted this!)

6. Places I've lived?
Illinois
Wisconsin
Labrador
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
Indiana
British Columbia

7. Five Jobs I've Had?
Dishwasher (you can get paid for this!)
Children's Librarian
Family Therapist
Emergency Mental Health Counselor
Mom

8. Five things many people don't know about me?
I love flannel.
I would usually rather be at home.
I broke my ribs while trying to canoe in 2006--and I haven't canoed since.
I don't know how to text message.
I love baking bread and cookies--but hate doing dishes!

So my friends, I say TAG, YOU'RE IT!!!:
Bonita S.
Rachel L.
Lucia W.
Lee Ann D.
Heidi N-S

We spent part of a day this summer climbing a lovely old tree over a lake at a park in Normal. We enjoyed a community theatre production of "Charlotte's Web" and a picnic supper in the park. A lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon in the summer! The fairy princess loves to dress up whenever she can! She practices her curtsey and other poses she learned in ballet! We enjoy the show she puts on for us!

We visited the Wildlife Prairie State Park this summer with Matthew (our nephew) and Bret's dad. The kids enjoyed the opportunity to get a close up look at some wildlife which is indigenous to this region. The Park cares for injured animals found in the area and keeps animals which cannot be transitioned back to the wild. They have a family of wolves, herd of bison, and numerous elk and deer.

Our First Summer Camp Experience and Continued Healing!

On Sunday we travelled to Tiskilwa, IL, the home of Camp Menno Haven, to release August (our 9 year old) to spend three nights and days away from home. He had a friend from our church, Zak Eidson, there too. It was probably hardest for me (mom) to recognize that August is now old enough to be away a few days on his own! He did very well and seemed to make a lot of new friends. They spent time swimming, boating, doing archery, making crafts and learning Bible stories. I think it was time well spent!

We continue to heal following our accident on Friday. Bret is having the most pain right now (a pinched nerve in his shoulder) and is seeing a chiropractor for the first time. He is back at work, although having to get up and move around a lot. We are praying for a full recovery. I am mostly just waiting for my many bruises and scrapes to finish healing. I feel pretty much back to my old self now. The kids are fine.

I imagine some of you are wondering how we ended up in an accident. We simply drifted slightly off to the right of the white line and when Bret attempted to correct by pulling to the left, he lost control. I should explain further that the shoulder on Hwy 17 was damaged (crumbling) and there was a two inch drop, just about one inch past the white line. So, when Bret attempted to correct the drift, the tire pushed against the broken shoulder and the car veered out of control to the left of the highway. We narrowly missed a telephone pole and rolled three times, landing in a soybean field. It was simply an accident! We are thankful there was no oncoming traffic! It happened so quickly that we barely knew what was happening. We are so thankful to be alive and well! It was really a miracle.

God is Good!

I'm not sure what I could say that would be more profound than a picture of our Jetta and the words "God is Good!"

The reality that all four of us were carried out of this car on Friday evening (July 25) is hard to remember. We were headed to a weekend getaway in Chicago for Bret's 20 year high school reunion. Instead we visited the St. Mary's Emergency Room. They released Bret and the kids at midnight and me the next morning. We are bruised and battered, but whole.



August let us know right away that he was mad about two things! One, we couldn't have our weekend away, and two, (more importantly) his library books got dirty! :-) We told the kids that God must have sent some angels to protect them in the back seat. Truly this must have been the case because their only marks are from their seatbelts!

Kirsch Pflinzen!

This spring I picked a half gallon of sour cherries from the two trees we planted out front about four years ago. It was our first harvest from the trees and I made sauce for pflinzen (like crepes, also called Russian pancakes). My grandmother used to make a cake-like dessert with the pflinzen layered with sour cherry sauce. It's really yummy! I'm listing the recipe, if anyone wants to try it!

Pflinzen (Crepes or Russian Pancakes)

Combine in mixing bowl:

2 eggs, beaten

2 c. flour

2 c. milk

1/2 t. salt

Beat well together with rotary beater.

Heat a heavy skillet to medium-hot add a small amount of oil and swirl around the skillet. Pour in about 1/3 cup of batter, turning the skillet to coat the entire surface of the skillet. You should end up with a crepe-like pancake. When underside is brown (about a minute) turn over and brown lightly. Repeat steps, adding oil between each pancake. If you don't want to use the sour cherry sauce to make a cake-like "tower" you can also sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, drizzle with honey, or add any other sauce you like!

For the sour cherry sauce, all I did is pit the cherries and cook about 4 cups cherries with about 1/2 to 1 cup water and about 3/4 cup sugar. I added about 1 table spoon of cornstarch mixed into some of the water to help thicken the sauce. You can make the sauce to taste or buy some ready made cherry sauce.

Good luck!

More from Ontario...

Over the river and through the woods to Oma's house we go...


We enjoyed our week in Ontario. We got to spend some time on the beach of Lake Ontario. We visited Port Dalhousie where there is a lovely old-fashioned carousel which offers rides for only 5 cents each. We didn't get a chance to ride this time, but enjoyed the playground and a walk along a dock out to the lighthouse. Katie and August are with Stevie (Otto's son) in the first picture. Bret and August are enjoying the sand on a warm day. We collected sea glass of various colors along the beach. My mom was looking for photo ops for her brag book! :-)







My return trip was exhausting. Me and the kids, no relief driver (Bret) and not a lot of peace and quiet. Bret spent the first half of the week with us and then flew home on Sunday after the photography session (we haven't all been together in a long while). Bret had to be back to work on Monday to complete the last week of his blackbelt training--I won't attempt to explain this, except to say it's work related! The trip was a lot of fun! I'm really glad to be back at home now and into a more normal routine! Yay!