The Secret Helper's Club

We have been reading all about Kit Kittridge (the little American Girl living in the Depression era of the 1930s). To combat poverty, Kit came up with an idea called "The Secret Helpers Club": Kit and her friend would make up a care package to put on the doorstep of poor families, and then run away because they didn't feel like they needed recognition. It is a wonderful idea that TRULY insipred Leia Rose! She immediately wanted to do this! And not that our neighbors are poor (Ha!) because they aren't, but she still wanted to help them, . . . so she drew each of them a nice picture, picked two ripe red apples, placed them on their doorsteps, and then ran away. Well, Sharon guessed who had done this. ; ) She called up to thank Leia Rose, . . . who didn't want any recognition. I think it's safe to say that Leia is well on her way to a life of helping others! I asked Leia Rose who ELSE was happy about her today, and she answered correctly: Jesus. : )

Blackberry Tea

We have a wonderful wild blackberry patch growing right in our yard! So today we went out and did some picking! Quite honestly, it was such a small bowl that the girls requested having a blackberry tea party! So we did!

Fun at HOME (w/ Potty Training)

Look at my ingenious invention!!! It's a FREE water table that I made myself!!! Instead of buying a $50 dollar one that the girls wanted like the one in Buffalo, . . . I just had to consider our finances (which are scant these days) and use my creativity. Although I think the biggest draw for the girls is being naked. Ha! And if you see the potty chair in the background, you can see that I am trying desperately to potty train Annie. It's hard. Annie is a "dripper," which means she will sit on the potty and make one drop. She gets so excited that she stops, . . . and then drips in her pants. Ah well, with the help of trainers and rubber pants, she can just be uncomfortable until she learns. Good luck, Annie!

Another fun thing was that Mamma set up a really cool slip-n-slide in the yard! And since our yard is so sloped, you didn't even have to run! Annie, however, was really afraid for some reason. She opted to play in the Elmo sprinkler, . . . which had to be used instead of the slide water system because of the low pressure from our sink faucet. (If we use the outdoor spicket, the water is so cold that the girls would boycott the fun.) (And just a note to remember how much I love my kids, . . . it took me hours to set up this slide. This is mostly because they were brand new, . . . and I put two together to make it longer and more fun, . . . and because when I hooked it up in the basement the hoses broke and we flooded the whole room, . . . and then I had to switch it to the upstairs kitchen sink. So in case they ever wonder, . . . yeah, I love my children!)

And another cool and exciting thing that happened, . . . one evening we had marble sized hail!!! Thank goodness for our carport under the porch!!!

Visiting with Nina & Grant

On the way home from Buffalo, we were also lucky to have a wonderful brunch with Nina and Grant (Karin's parents). They were spending the week on the Finger Lakes at Chautauqua, NY (which I still can't pronounce correctly), so we were able to see them!

It has been an added blessing in my life to have become such close friends with them both that began long ago with the friendship between Karin and myself.

Visiting Great Grandma Betty +

Then it was on to Buffalo to visit our wonderful Great Grandma Betty! It's hard to explain how wonderful it is to have BOTH of my children know and love their Great Grandmother: a blessing that not many young children have today.

The girls loved exploring the great room, . . .

And playing some puzzles with Great Grandma . . .

. . . and even making more fairy projects!
Not to mention jumping on the bed at the Lord Amherst hotel (where we always stay).

The surprise of this visit was that Leia Rose lost another tooth right at the breakfast with Great Grandma at the Lord Amherst!

Here is Annie's napping spot, right in Great Grandma Betty's room complete with her collecition of holy water fonts (so fun to look at)!

And Great Grandma treated the girls to some fun color and activity books!

And it wasn't long before we were off to Auntie Terry's to play with the water table there.

And meet our newest second cousin name Marra! (Here she is with her mom, Nikki!)

And here is Marra's daddy: my cousin, David.

Here's another new addition to the family as well: Dominic! Dominic is Rick's and Terry's grandchild (Rick and Terry are my aunt and uncle). What a sweetheart!

Making Her Own Amish Memories

I found this picture hanging in Leia Rose's room as soon as we returned from our trip. It's a picture of Marlene and Robert driving their buggy with Julie Ann, Malinda, ("they have bonnets") Paul Mark, and Leia Rose in the back. I asked Leia Rose where the horse was, and she said, "Mamma! I didn't have enough room for the horse! And if I DID draw one, it would have been a pretty short horse!" Ha!

Visiting Friends of the Old Order Amish

I told the girls that I would take a picture of the very first Old Order Amish that I saw while we drove to Marlene Raber's, . . . so here they are! (And the first buggy sighting, which is next.) It doesn't take long driving in Holmes County, Ohio to see Amish people. They are everywhere. Long story short, I have been fascinated by the Amish since visiting Pennsylvania Dutch Country when I was six-years-old, and as a result of a high school teacher and a journal article in a magazine, I made it a goal to become pen pals with one, . . . and I did. Marlene and I have been friends since we were seventeen. (Well, I was 17, and Marlene was 12.) Every few years we visit them, and every visit turns out to be the BEST farm vacation and the BIGGEST educational experience that both myself or my children could ever have. This time was no exception. A few quick answers. Our most common question when we first met Marlene usually started with, "Why do you _______." Fill in the blank. The answer is ALWAYS one of two things. 1. To keep the focus of the Amish on the community and the family. or 2. To keep from vanity and convenience. Keep that in mind when questions arise.

Here we are arriving at Marlene's and Robert's house. Paul Mark, of course, waisted no time in bringing out their pony to show Leia.

Here is Julie Ann holding Marlene's youngest, Layla. (And I noticed right away that Julie Ann was wearing crocs. So was I.) ; )

Here is Malinda, Leia, and her Amish doll (also named Julie Ann) walking to the neighborhood get-together. Leia got her special doll last time we visited. She has been VERY loved. : )

The sunsets in Holmes County, Ohio are amazing! Ironically, last time we visited, we had a similar experience coming home from a family gathering. I did not take pictures of the gathering this evening because I didn't want to offend anyone there, . . . and although I have asked Marlene and Robert (and got the "okay"), I am still quite cautious. Amish who have joined the church are not allowed to pose for a picture. People younger than 20 (those who haven't joined yet), can pose away. Malinda especially was fond of posing.

Here is the Raber's beautiful barn, designed by Robert to allow air flow.

The first time tasting some real hay!

Ah, and Marlene says, "For every Amish woman, Monday is laundry day. She has a 1920's style washer that she hooks up to a generator. She then runs the clothes through a ringer into the rinse water, then through the ringer again into the "spinner" (which was a new item that she was excited about), and then hangs them on the line.

Paul Mark, as the best example of a ten-year-old Amish boy EVER, has his own pony and pony cart. We took LOTS of rides!!!

Here is the straw in the hay loft above the barn (and, yes, there literally is a trap door to throw it down)! : )

And here are the Amish using four draft horses to bail hay. Marlene said this was the "second cutting," where the first cutting is always the most nutritious for animals. Hay can be cut as much as five times in a year. Marlene laughed when she found out I thought that straw and hay were the same. They're not. Hay is its own plant that serves as animal food. Straw is the bottom of the wheat after it has been harvested and is used only for bedding.

Okay, so here is the newest addition to the Raber household: a SOLAR PANEL. I couldn't believe this! Now she has electric lights, . . . but only in the basement. ; ) The rest of the house is powered by propane, . . . each light must be lit by a lighter, much like a camping lantern.

Leia got to pick onions and potatoes!

Julie Ann found the smallest onion.

Malinda found the smallest potato.

Julie Ann and a one-week-old puppy!

Here's one of the rare pictures of Robert, . . . who was always willing to give us a buggy ride.

Here's some straw being bailed.

And the biggest surprise of the visit, . . . at breakfast one morning there were four newborn puppies, . . . and after breakfast there were NINE!!!

Each puppy is a pure bred golden retriever, . . . and worth almost $500!!! I told Marlene that we were in the wrong business! Ha!

Annie's usual puppy mantra, "I'm-done-I'm-done-I'm-done." Especially after one pooped on her. Ha!

Some newborn baby barn swallows.

Pony rides as well, . . . and Paul Mark laughed SO hard when I told him that, at the state fair, we pay $5 for a few paces around in a circle.

And Marlene was growing, guess what, stargazer lillies that she was very proud of! A connection between friends? I think so!

And Paul Mark was just starting to learn how to jump his pony. I took some video of him and he started telling everyone, "I'm a movie star!" Ha! Each night, all the kids wanted to do was check out the pictures and video of the day. : )

And Leia was a really big fan both of pony cart rides, . . . and fresh parsley!

One day Marlene made some REALLY awesome fresh pickles! I LOVED her slicer!

And car rides were a favorite for everyone. Ha! Can you believe that "English" drivers (English are anyone who aren't Amish) charge $40 for 20 minutes!?!

We gave them the thrill of their life one night when we drove them to Wal-Mart at night! Ha! They had NEVER been! : )

I took this one for all the "English" mammas out there who are so anal about safety. Here I am holding Layla less than TWO feet from a wooden wheel spinning at 35 mph. No car seat.

Going out to dinner one night: best apple butter, amish peanut butter, dressing, and "wedding" chicken EVER.

And, just like last time we visited, . . . our final evening hosts a beautiful rainbow as a testament to our friendship blessed by God!

And Annie's present this time was her OWN little Amish doll, . . . that she named, guess what, . . . Malinda! : )

Marlene's canning closet.

And Marlene lighting one of her lamps on our last evening. And that night I brought out my portable DVD player and tried to show them the best movie of all time: The Sound of Music. You know what?!? They fell asleep! But get them talking and they can talk all night, . . . and we did! : ) So in case you are wondering what Amish people DO without TV, computers, phones, or cars, . . . the answer is, . . . they TALK and TALK and TALK and TALK. : )