Bringing in the Sheaves

Yesterday afternoon, we went with Quilt-n-mama's family to wheat fields in western Kansas where we watched the wheat harvest. We all got to ride in the combines and the kids rode the semi and accompanied the wheat to the co-op. To us city folks, this was a real treat!

Fashion Show

Our kids and quilt'n mama's kids held a fashion show for the parents.

The boys watched...

...while the girls strutted their stuff!

In the morning, we will be sharing with Minneola United Methodist Church, and Monday we will have the opportunity to spend some time with some Senior Adults at a luncheon also in Minneola.

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in Your sight..."

Cherry Slump

We arrived in Minneola, Kansas last night to find that our friends had picked a bucketful of cherries from their front yard. They had also gotten a new book for us - "Lewis & Clark: Adventures in Cookery" by Callie Smith. We found a recipe for Cherry Slump in the back...delicious!

I enjoyed making this yummy dessert with the fruit from all of their hard work,

and we all enjoyed eating it!

Cherry Slump (p. 31)

2 1/2 cups sour cherries (1 lb.) pitted

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar over cherries; stir gently to coat. Spread cherries evenly in buttered baking dish. Compbine remaining sugar, flour and nuts and spread evenly over cherries. Cut butter in little flecks and dot over top. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake in 400 degree F. oven for 35 minutes. Serve with thick cream.

Making Pretzels

The first stop on our trip was Oklahoma City where we stayed with my college roommate (who is expecting her first baby!) and her husband. Since they are moving this weekend, we were especially honored that they opened their home to us! The kids enjoyed making pretzels with "Aunt Amy".

The Dream Team

Now you know how we've spending the last few days. A GI-NORMOUS thanks to all who came and scrubbed to ready our apartment for check out. We didn't get pictures of lots of you, but there is no way we could have been ready to leave if we hadn't had the dream cleaning team helping us (especially those of you who stayed through the bitter end - you know who you are!)

I get by with a little help from my friends...

So many people have poured themselves into us during the last week as we prepare to say "so long" to Dallas...

Moving the piano to its new home (four generations of our family have learned on this instrument) with help from the director of the Solomon Islands...

best buddies...

more buddies...

friends to share Olivia's bike...

friends who gave us their time during Vacation Bible School...

friends who teach the kids piano...

friends and former student who visited on their honeymoon!

friends and prayer partners...

twins separated at birth?

Thanks to all of you who have given your time and energy to help us finish well in Dallas, and thanks to those of you who can't be here but are encouraging us through your faithful prayers. Our time here in Dallas has been so sweet, and the Lord has knitted our hearts together with you.

one of our neighbor's beautiful lillies

"Eternal Father of my soul,

let my first thought today be of You,

let my first impulse be to worship You,

let my first speech be Your name,

let my first action be to kneel before You

in prayer....

Yet let me not, when this morning prayer

is said,

think my worship ended

and spend the day in forgetfulness of

You."

~John Baillie

Crawling, but making progress

Sorry we have been so long in writing. We are pleased to show progress. This is the "Ship to the Solomons" corner. Not shown are the "Stay in the States" corner, nor the "Summer/POC" corner. We have been so blessed by some wonderful families from church. They have helped transport the kids to VBS this week and many days have offered to keep them longer. God is so good to provide all we need!

Weekend Odds and Ends

I just found a really fun website for cooking lessons, recipes, exploring foods in different cultures, etc...and all directed at educating children!

Today is World Juggling Day! Aaron juggles well, but today we will be juggling our "to-do" list as we shop for sleeping mats, water filtration systems, and sandals. Our move is less than two weeks away-got to go get the kids moving for our big shopping day!

Sisters

Don't forget to pause the music if you want to hear the sweet giggles!

Habit Training

As we struggle daily in the chaos to continue and train good habits into our children and weed out the bad habits, I find a gem on another mom's blog. Her gift of words is amazing!

the male house finch we like to watch feeding outside our school room window

The bird-world's full of busy folk

In field and bush and tree;

And people, too, must find their work

To meet life happily.

Alice E. Ball

Blackberry Picking

"Earth is crammed with heaven,

and every common bush afire with God;

but only he sho sees takes off his shoes.

The rest sit around it and pluck blackberries."

Elizabeth Barret Browning

Lord, let me see you in the everyday common things of our lives...even while we pick blackberries.

I accidentally took this picture as I was trying to turn off the camera, but you can see how beautiful the day was!

I'm always amazed at how God can create the sequence of growth from the blossom...

to the fruit...

ripe and ready to be picked...

then cooked into a yummy pie!



We enjoyed a sweet time together away from the chaos of packing. Spending time with the kids was a very good thing. We picked over six pounds of blackberries, and we are now having fun sharing them with our neighbors.

I love to cook, but I'm not very creative. A friend shared her "made-up" version of berry pie a few years ago when we went blueberry picking. Thanks, Pat!

Pat's Made Up From Nowhere Recipe for Fruit Cobbler

1. Buy two prepared pastry crusts.

2. Alow them to come to room temp.

3. Line casserole dish with one of the pastry crusts.

4. Wash desired amount of fresh or frozen berries. Drain.

5. While berries are draining, combine 2 cups self rising flour (or all purpose plus 2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt), 2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt.

6. Dump the dry mixture on the berries and stir loosely to make a sugar-flour coating on berries.

7. Spread evenly into prepared crust.

8. Slice some cubes of REAL BUTTER into the berries. Add a dash or two of vanilla flavoing.

9. Cover with the top crust, and tuck edges in the top of the crust.

10. Use a knife to make 1" holes in the top of the crust.

11. Brush the top lightly with milk or egg white. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.

12. Bake at 375 to 400 degrees for 40 minutes (check for doneness, depending on your oven temp.)

13. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream!! YUM!!!

As I was crimping the edges of the pie with my thumbs, I was reminded of how much I loved watching my mother make pies and put that finishing touch on her creations. Thanks, Mom, for making everyday moments into memories.

Our house is a very, very, very fine house...

We were so excited to see pictures of our new home in the Solomons. Last summer, the director took lots of pictures (inside and out) of our new home. It isn't finished yet, but the sweet family who served there before us accomplished a lot. Their hard work gives us a great head start!

Some friends shared their pics from our visit Saturday.

They got a better shot of Katherine's "vent hair" than I did.

My sweet bookworm!