On....

Monday, we went to the flea market, braving the crowds with just myself and the kidlets.

Went surprisingly well, considering that most of the people that take over the place are rude senior citizens. I was complimented twice on my children, first by 2 frail looking older ladies who asked me kindly if I needed any help (very sweet, but between the 2 of them, I don't think they could've pulled the wagon loaded down with produce and children). The second was by one of the vendors who told me I was doing it right having my babies "all at once". She had her 6 that way, and they all grew up with someone to play with and are very close, and it was great.

We also took my parents out to eat for their birthday, to a "local" steak house, while my sister watched the monkeys. Biscuit ate the last piece of cake from his and Audrey's half birthdays over the weekend. (We make a fuss, and have half a cake, and sing Happy Half Birthday, then they blow out half a candle. They love it.)

Tuesday, I shooed the children out back with playdoh (they played nearly 2 hours!) while I did this:

And remembered after it was to late that the onions, garlic and spices go in *after* you have cooked and drained the beans. Oops.

All 3 children woke up from naps with fevers of 102.+ . And Muffin could not be peeled off of me, even by Daddy.

Pizza Dough for dinner had already been started, and since it wouldn't rise, I placed the still VERY warm jars of beans by them. Took no time. I also learned the art of one handed pizza making. 2 for dinner, 2 for the freezer. My teachers books arrived from Abeka, and B. was more excited than I was about getting them!

7 o'clock bedtimes for sick sleepy children, and I didn't regret skipping supper dishes to start Little House in the Big Woods (the second time through in as many months, and about the 6th time since last fall.) for said children.

Wednesday, the invalids watched a few videos, while I readied cukes for pickles and relish.

Everyone felt much better after naps, save a sore throat, and they helped me do this

They can do the whole thing, all I have to do is cut up the tomatoes, and put them in the hopper.

And Honey makes up the funniest stories about the tomatoes as she works: "Farmer and Mrs. Tomato, where are you going?" "Just wait patiently for your turn, everyone will get a chance." "Who wants to be baptized now?"

Honey's school books arrived, and it was a trip down memory lane, as the pictures were the same from when I did Kindergarten (25 "cough" years ago....)

A double batch of Sloppy Joes yielded another meal for the freezer.

Thursday, we though we might have been adopted. A very nice little cat, it seemed, but we didn't want one. And mysterious looking blisters started showing up on the children's feet.

I also made 2 and 3/4 quarts Hungarian Hot and Inferno peppers in oil. We are down to 1 1/2 quarts already. (if you're interested, slice your peppers, seeds and all in the food processor, fill quart jars, add 1 Tablespoon dried oregano, 1 Tablespoon, garlic salt, and fill jar with canola oil. Put the lid on tightly, shake well and store in the fridge. Ready to eat in about 24 hours.) I was smart, and took the pepper mess out on the back steps, no pepper fumes, and I hosed off the food processor, etc. before bringing it in. We ate 'em on Tuna Melts for dinner. YUMM-O.

Friday, I finally "finished" the felt vegetable to put in the fair (Next week!!). I had to stop myself, because these are highly addicting to make, and I'm planning a whole slew of other felt foods to make for Muffins Birthday. I still want to make a felt basket, but that hasn't happened yet.

Biscuit woke up from his nap with a rash around his mouth, and a light bulb went off: Feet? Mouth? Hand Foot And Mouth Disease! A quick Google search confirmed it, as did a call to my mom, who said its spreading around church like wild fire. We stayed home from church yesterday, as you are most contagious the first 7-10 days after you break out.

Saturday has no picture, but Meowser moved along (perhaps my stepping on him in the dark Friday night when I came home from Wal*Mart had something to do with that?), I washed about half the baby boy clothes (Muffin handed them to me to put in the machine saying "Bebe-Aww!" for every item), cleared off the washer and dryer- a sad I'll put it here "for now" place for me, cleaned out the kids craft cupboard, the laundry cupboard, washed 4 more loads of laundry, cleaned out 3 of my dresser drawers to make room for baby clothes, thought Muffin had the tip of her pinkie finger cut off in the closet door, or at best the nail pulled off (neither, but an ugly bruise and swollen finger tip), made dinner (Pork Roast with caramelized onions, Harvest Potatoes, corn, salad, and watermelon for dessert), bathed the "diseased", and started a blouse.

And so, having stayed home from church Sunday, washed another load of baby clothes, sewed a bit more, and watched most of Little Women (June Allyson, Margaret O'Brien, and Elizabeth Taylor version- which is really good by the way) with the kidlets before bed (we turned it off right before Beth dies. They are still very tired from H.F. & M., and I knew Honey would be very upset and cry her eyes out, and so would I for that matter), that brings us to this week, THE WEEK BEFORE THE FAIR!!!!!!!!!

Canning Potato and Ham Soup, cleaning, sewing, baking for the freezer, and getting my entries ready for the fair are on the agenda, which means I must get off my duff and get started.

Oh, and if you think of it, I have my weekly check tomorrow, and they will be checking to see if baby is head down. Could you pray that he is?(My guess is NO) I NEVER WANT TO HAVE A BABY TURNED AGAIN!!! Its awful. Thanks!

I've just been informed that Muffin has taken her diaper off, and children are clamouring for breakfast, so tootles for now!