Yard Sale

There will be a HUGE garage (barn) sale on Friday Nov 6th from 8-3 and Saturday Nov 7th from 8-1. All proceeds will go to Apostolic Christian World Relief Haiti.

They are located on the West side of Rt 91 just outside of Peoria (North of The Shoppes at Grand Prarie). The drive just North of Howard and MaryAnn Herrmann's old place. Pass the lake and the sale is in the gray barn straight ahead.

I dropped off a bunch of stuff today and they already had a huge amount of items there. I hadn't planned on going to the sale, just donating, but there is sooo much stuff I am reconsidering my intentions.

I copied the following message from The Horsemeister blog.

Below is an email from Michelle Kellenberger:

we are planning a big garage sale at the Herman's barn on November 6th and 7th with all the proceeds going to Haiti.
anyone interested in helping can contact Beth Herman at 309-303-4740.
anyone who has items to donate can drop them off at the barn anytime starting on Tuesday the 3rd.
this is only a week and a half away so lets get going!!
we need your help and your old stuff!

------------------
As a side note. The Herman's are trying to sell their house. It is a big house and the barn is geared for activities, not farming. So if you know anyone interested in buying a house in the Peoria area let them know.

A sampling from the Plattners, October 2009

We had a luncheon with some local home schoolers.  The girls helped with the meal and the boys helped with the tables and chairs.  The children enjoyed playing games together while the ladies visited.  We enjoyed a couple out of town families that joined us for the day.

My parents and brother, Mark, stopped by on the way to my cousins wedding.  My pictures aren’t very good, so I am just posting a couple.  Here Uncle Mark is showing some videos on his laptop.  Next is Jolene giving Aunt Lori a hug.  She’s a “GREAT” aunt in more than one way to my children! :)

 

CUTE!

 

 

 

 

Math with manipulatives

 

 

 

 

Breakfast

 

 

 

 

As I was playing with the settings on my camera I just happened to catch the steam rising out of the toaster!

 

 

 

 

Good friends

 

 

 

 

Testing paper airplanes ~ I don’t have a picture of me dodging them!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Typing Instructor

 

 

 

 

Babysitter!

We are working on her bed, she’s a tough one!

 

 

A science project ~ Using a magnifying glass at different angles to see how it effects pieces of chocolate.  After Javan watched this experiment he wished he was in Astronomy, or at least get to help with cleanup!

 

Ready for morning devotions???  Actually it looks dark outside, so this may have been evening, but it’s the same view as some of our mornings!  Our children definitely have the Brinker gene for sleeping!

 

 

 

 

Playing around for the camera

 

 

 

 

??????????

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family Fun Night ~ I started blog update while the children watched an exciting video about Mining Trucks!!!  WooHoo ~ I guess it’s a guy thing!  I joined them for Dutch Blitz as Jared’s partner.  Can’t wait till they can pull their own and we can have some energy flowing into the game!

Well, that is a sampling of our pictures from this month!  Johanna is calling me so I guess it’s time to sign off! 

Good Night!!!

Tim’s Healing

The Horsemeister blog gave some details on Tim’s healing that I mentioned in a previous post.

Horsemeister blog

They also posted a really neat picture of a colt sitting on it’s mother’s lap.  A must see for animal lovers!

Love my Bumbo

View Full Album

Thank You Grandpa And

Grandma Riley for my

Bumbo Seat!  I really

like it.  I Love You! 

Johanna Ruth

The Angel Gabriel

Today is a hard day for the Reinhard family as they bury the body of their dear son and brother Gabriel.  They gave a wonderful testimony of the Lord’s faithfulness at the visitation yesterday.  I was thankful we were able to go to the early calling hours as we had time to talk with the family.  Joan shared with our children that Gabriel’s earthly body is broken but he will have a new body in heaven and we will get to see him again someday if we choose to serve Jesus.  She also told of miraculous healing that occurred between the accident and their arrival at the stateside hospital.  I wish I could remember details but you’ll just have to take my word for it.

There are more details on Joan’s sister’s blog if you are interested in reading more.  The Horsemeister Blog

It Won’t Be Long

Rachel Wissmann

 The Wissmann Family Singers

I remember many times I’ve had to say goodbye to you as you packed your bags and headed out there was work for you to do.  And oh I missed you terribly.  I knew within my heart that with all the love you had for me we’d never really part.

But now today it’s different, here I am leaving you.  The call has come from Jesus, He said my work is through.  And oh I know you’ll miss my smile and all the love we share because you love the Savior too, I’ll wait for you up there.

And I will see you soon oh it really won’t be long before you and I together will lift praises to His throne.  Before we walk the streets of gold with your hand closed in mine.  Oh stay faithful to the Savior for it really won’t be long.

Well I know a mansions waiting on the hillside up above and I long to see my Jesus face to worship Him in love.  So this time when I bid you farewell it won’t be quite the same but no goodbye can last forever when we’re one in Jesus name.

And I will see you soon oh it really won’t be long before you and I together will lift praises to His throne.  Before we walk the streets of gold with your hand closed in mine.  Oh stay faithful to the Savior for it really won’t be long.

And I will see you soon oh it really won’t be long before you and I together will lift praises to His throne.  Before we walk the streets of gold with your hand closed in mine.  Oh stay faithful to the Savior for it really won’t be long.

What's for dinner?

Fresh bread
Leftover chili
AND
Leftover SAUSAGE and LENTIL SOUP!!!!

The chili was leftover from Monday. The sausage and lentil soup was from the freezer.

Last year my good friends blogged this recipe. I didn't know if they would want me to give a link to their blog so I will just give them full credit. So thank you Kurt and Karen Riggenbach for your yummy meals!!! They also have another favorite meal of mine on their blog that I may post at a later date.

Sausage and Lentil Soup (freezes well)
1 pound Hot Italian Sausage Links (the spiciness makes the soup)
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut in small pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1-1/4 pound fennel bulb trimmed & cut into 1" pieces
4 large garlic cloves
1 pound lentils, rinsed
6 cups water
4 cups chicken broth
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes in juice
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp thyme
3/4 tsp salt

Prick sausages many times with fork and cook in 8 quart saucepot over medium heat 10-15 minutes or until browned, turning occasionally. Remove to plate. (I don't think I got any drippings from this)

To drippings in saucepot add carrots, onion, and fennel. Cook vegetables over medium-high heat about 10 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute.

Add lentils, water, chicken broth, tomatoes with their juice, thyme, salt, and pepper; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat and cover; simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cut sausages into 1/2" thick slices, and stir into soup. Heat to boiling. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes longer or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Skim off fat and discard.

YUMMY!

REAL people, REAL fun!

At our last homeschool conference a speaker was encouraging us to be “real” with each other; not to act like everything is always perfect when in reality things don’t always go as smoothly as we would wish.  Well, here is a real moment and how we turned it into some real fun!

A week ago we were gone for my cousins wedding and then Johanna didn’t have a real good week which means neither did I.  School comes first and folding laundry, well, it came last.  This afternoon the children and I folded about 6 loads of laundry.  I sorted it by person with towels and sheets separate then we folded the clothes first.  Jonas helped fold the kitchen wash cloths and Jubilee folded the kitchen towels.  After each item they (Jonas and Jubilee) folded they gave me a high five which I acted like hurt me terrible which brought on the giggles and another folded item to be rewarded with another high five.

After the clothes were put away, I folded most of the towels and saved a few for some good ole’ competition. 

Jesse and I each had 2 bath towels and 2 hand towels.  Jared and Jolene just had 2 bath towels.  Javan missed out on the fun because he is on a Midwest Food Bank run with Grandpa Plattner.

2 players per turn.  We had our pile of towels across the room from the couch.  We started at the couch and someone said go.  We ran to the pile, grabbed a towel, had to fold it “Neatly” and put it in a nice pile on our square of the couch before running back for another towel.  The first player to have all their towels folded neatly and in a neat pile was the winner.

When the laundry was done we had a treat and watched a video of the Heart of Illinois horse vaulters on You Tube.

I think we may just start folding all the towels that way.  It makes for some good exercise for me as well!

There you have just one of many examples of  being real and one of just a few moments when I handled it pretty well!

Night time happenings

4 AM ~ Johanna woke up. I was leaning over the bed to pick her up and take her to my rocker to nurse her. Imagine my fright when I turned around and had a face in mine ~ it wasn't Johanna's either.

 

 

 

 

Jared woke up and came to my room and was right behind me when I was getting Johanna up. When I screamed he innocently asked "who did you think I was?" Like it mattered who it was at 4AM!!! I didn't expect anyone!

Please pray!

We have friends that are missionaries in Haiti, Tim and Joan Reinhard and family; they were there when I met Chad. The father and two of the children were in a motorcycle accident. The 5 year old son Gabrielle died; the father, Tim, and 16 year old daughter, Sarah are in the hospital. From what I understand they are not in critical condition.

Please pray for their recovery and for their grief at the loss of Gabrielle.

You can see a picture of their family at http://www.reinhardconnection.com/index.html

Words from a wise young man

Chad and the children were doing jobs outside today and Chad said he needed to inspect the work because he's older and he sees things differently. Javan replied "It's not because you are older Dad, it's because you're married and your wife taught you how it should look!"